News

François Simard, a former member of the Canadian filmmaking collective Rkss (Roadkill Superstars), has been removed from the group following allegations that he sexually assaulted two minors. In a statement provided to Dread Central, remaining Rkss members Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell confirmed Simard’s removal and announced that he has also been taken off the credits of their latest feature, Wake Up, which opened in theaters on April 4, 2025, via Blue Fox Entertainment. (Dread Central previously reviewed the film and interviewed the Whissell siblings before its release.)

The allegations were first reported by La Presse, which revealed that Simard was arrested in October 2024 and now faces four charges, including sexual assault and sexual interference with a child under 16. According to court records cited by La Presse, the alleged victims were between the ages of 9 and 11. Screen Anarchy also published a brief article about the arrest at the time.

The duo...

So, what are you hoping to see this month? Whether you’re seeking a 420-friendly road movie, body horror with a fairy tale twist, based-on-a-true-story exorcisms, or romantic comedies with green cards and gay couples, there’s bound to be a Don’t-Miss Indie in this April edition… two of which will be featured in Film Independent Presents screenings on April 2 and 15 – will we see you there?

Secret Mall Apartment

When You Can Watch: April 2 (Film Independent Presents)

Where You Can Watch: Film Independent Theater, Theaters (limited)

Director: Jeremy Workman

Cast: Michael Townsend, Colin Bliss, Adriana Valdez-Young

Why We’re Excited: “Let’s all live at the mall” is the tagline of this documentary about eight artists who did just that – for four years. As Providence, Rhode Island’s historic mill district was getting a facelift in the early 2000s, art spaces were getting ousted in favor of shopping centers and power plants.

The following contains spoilers for Wake Up, in theaters April 4, 2025.

Wake Up is the latest brainchild of the Canadian horror directing team Roadkill Superstars -- comprised of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, the same minds behind Summer of '84and We Are Zombies. Both of those films became cult hits thanks to their creative takes on 80s horror tropes and zombie movies. With its interesting premise, fascinating motifs and a disturbing yet compelling villain, Wake Up has all the potential to be a similar hit, but ends up sleepwalking through its good ideas.

Six teenage animal rights activists don masks, break into a local Ikea knockoff, and vandalize the store, filming their antics to bring attention to the destruction of the rainforest. Their protest quickly goes south when a horrible accident incurs the wrath of night guard Kevin. Kevin is mentally unstable and has a strong obsession with hunting,...

"From save-the-world to survive-the-night." Blue Fox Entertainment has revealed an official trailer for an indie horror thriller titled Wake Up, the latest feature made by the Canadian filmmaker collective known as "Rkss". These genre filmmakers are also behind the indie horror hits Turbo Kid, Summer of 84, and We Are Zombies before this film - which premiered back in 2023 at the Fantastic Fest and Sitges Film Festivals. It's finally getting a theatrical release in the US + Canada starting in April this year. In an attempt to draw attention to the environmental crisis, young activists decide to invade and vandalize a furniture store. The protest quickly turns into a massacre when they find themselves trapped inside this place with a hunting-obsessed night guard going after them. Wake Up stars Turlough Convery, Benny O. Arthur, Alessia Yoko Fontana, Jacqueline Moré, Kyle Scudder, Thomas Gould, Charlotte Stoiber, and Aidan O'Hare. "We are all animals.

For Sale By Exorcist: "Think the current housing market is a nightmare? Wait 'til you take a tour of the demonic dwellings in For Sale By Exorcist, a new horror comedy released through LA.-based Epic Pictures’ horror label, Dread. Available for rent or purchase on video-on-demand beginning March 11, 2025, the film will also be screening at the Nevermore Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina on February 28th and March 1st with director Melissa Lamartina in attendance.

Executive produced by Ed Sanchez, the director of The Blair Witch Project; directed by Melissa Lamartina, the writer of the hit horror video game, Amanda the Adventurer; and co-written by Chris Lamartina of Wnuf Halloween Special fame and Rob Walker of the satire site The Hard Times; For Sale By Exorcist is a morbid mockumentary that blends gasps and giggles.

For Sale By Exorcist follows Susan Price, a savvy realtor and certified exorcist who...

Fall in love with Art the Clown all over again when Damien Leone‘s record-breaking Terrifier 3 streams on Screambox February 14!

If you’re not already subscribed to the Bloody Disgusting-powered horror streaming service, this Screambox Starter Pack highlights ten terrifying titles to tide you over until Terrifier 3.

Project Wolf Hunting

Project Wolf Hunting is a hyper-violent South Korean genre bender that packs action, sci-fi, horror, and thriller aspects into a gory mashup of Con Air, The Raid, and Resident Evil. According to writer-director Kim Hong-Sun, the production went through 2.5 tons of blood — enough to make Art the Clown blush.

The high-octane gorefest is set aboard a cargo ship transporting dangerous convicts who orchestrate an escape attempt against the heavily armed guards. But the fugitives aren’t the most dangerous thing aboard the ship, as below deck there lurks a superhuman killing machine dubbed Alpha.

For more hyper-violence, Screambox has Blood Feast,...

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, the Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon has landed on our streaming service and VOD platforms, just in time for Halloween!

The film has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear” by Total Film, and you can watch the official trailer for Crackcoon below to begin the bloody madness.

“When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish killing machine straight from the bowels of Hell. With unsuspecting campers, tourists, and residents of a mountain community all in close proximity to the epicenter, no one is safe from the monster’s unrelenting rampage.”

Night of the Living Dead co-creator John A. Russo appears in the film alongside Rosaria Eraso,...

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, the Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon arrives on Screambox and VOD platforms tomorrow, just in time for Halloween!

The film has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear” by Total Film, and you can watch the official trailer for Crackcoon below to begin the bloody madness.

“When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish killing machine straight from the bowels of Hell. With unsuspecting campers, tourists, and residents of a mountain community all in close proximity to the epicenter, no one is safe from the monster’s unrelenting rampage.”

Night of the Living Dead co-creator John A. Russo appears in the film alongside Rosaria Eraso, Justin P. Martin,...

Reminiscent of the blood-soaked carnage that splashed the screen in Cocaine Bear, a raccoon becomes a relentless killer looking to rip through more than just garbage bags after consuming deadly drugs in the new horror comedy Crackcoon (which features an appearance by Night of the Living Dead co-creator John A. Russo). Ahead of the film's October 1st streaming release on Screambox, we have a look at an exclusive clip from Crackcoon!

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, Crackcoon kills! Described as "Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear" by Total Film, the Screambox Original horror-comedy streams October 1.

When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish killing machine straight from the bowels of Hell. With unsuspecting campers,...

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, the Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon is being unleashed in time for Halloween, and we’ve got a bloody exclusive clip this afternoon to whet your appetite. Watch it below and find the trailer underneath!

Crackcoon takes a bite out of Screambox beginning on October 1, 2024.

The film has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear” by Total Film, and you can watch the official trailer for Crackcoon below to begin the bloody madness.

“When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish killing machine straight from the bowels of Hell. With unsuspecting campers, tourists, and residents of a mountain community all in close proximity to the epicenter, no...

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, the Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon has been dated for streaming release in time for Halloween on October 1!

The film has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear” by Total Film, and you can watch the official trailer for Crackcoon below to begin the bloody madness.

“When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish killing machine straight from the bowels of Hell. With unsuspecting campers, tourists, and residents of a mountain community all in close proximity to the epicenter, no one is safe from the monster’s unrelenting rampage.”

Night of the Living Dead co-creator John A. Russo appears in the film alongside Rosaria Eraso, Justin P. Martin,...

We Are Zombies is a 2023 Canadian French zombie horror comedy film based on the comic series The Zombies That Ate the World written and directed by Yoann-Karl Whissell, François Simard and Anouk Whissell. The film stars Alexandre Nachi, Derek Johns and Megan Peta Hill.

In a city infested with the living-impaired aka non-cannibal zombies – three slackers, after easy money, must fight small-time crooks and an evil mega corporation to save their kidnapped grandma.

We Are Zombies is available to watch now on Streambox. You can read our written review of the film right here.

All who trick are treats in Creeping Death, the Screambox Exclusive supernatural slasher that’s now on Screambox and all digital services where movies are sold.

In the film, “Halloween was always Tim’s favorite holiday – until his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Now, all he wants is a quiet night in. That is quickly disrupted when his friends pay him an unwanted visit after stealing a mysterious sack from the doorstep of a local crazy.

“This sacrilegious act unleashes the Aos Si, a Celtic spirit that walks the earth on Halloween. They must band together and survive the night or make the ultimate offering… their lives.”

Writer-director Matt Sampere makes his feature debut, based on his short film of the same name. Sampere stars with Monique Parent, Alan Maxson, Delian Lincourt, Hunter Kohl, Ian Brown, Elise Rackemann, K Cody Hunt, Andy Horowitz, Jody Pucello and Scott Lea.

A callback...

All who trick are treats in Creeping Death, the Screambox Exclusive supernatural slasher arriving on streaming tomorrow!

In the film, “Halloween was always Tim’s favorite holiday – until his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Now, all he wants is a quiet night in. That is quickly disrupted when his friends pay him an unwanted visit after stealing a mysterious sack from the doorstep of a local crazy.

“This sacrilegious act unleashes the Aos Si, a Celtic spirit that walks the earth on Halloween. They must band together and survive the night or make the ultimate offering… their lives.”

Writer-director Matt Sampere makes his feature debut, based on his short film of the same name. Sampere stars with Monique Parent, Alan Maxson, Delian Lincourt, Hunter Kohl, Ian Brown, Elise Rackemann, K Cody Hunt, Andy Horowitz, Jody Pucello and Scott Lea.

A callback to terrors birthed in the mythology of Halloween, Creeping Death is produced by Sampere,...

All hell breaks loose on All Hallows' Eve for a group of friends after a theft gone wrong in the new supernatural slasher Creeping Death, and ahead of its September 10th release on Screambox, we have an exclusive look at the movie's autumnal opening credits that are reminiscent of the frightful fall vibes from Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Below, you can get into the spirit of the spooky season by watching the opening credits from Creeping Death, and we also have the official trailer and press release with additional details on the film ahead of its release on Screambox:

All who trick are treats in Creeping Death. The Screambox Exclusive supernatural slasher streams on September 10.

Halloween was always Tim’s favorite holiday – until his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Now, all he wants is a quiet night in. That is quickly disrupted when his friends pay him...

The Screambox Exclusive supernatural slasher Creeping Death celebrates Halloween early when it premieres on September 10, and we’ve got an exclusive sneak peek clip for ya today.

Say “trick or treat” and check out the exclusive clip (plus the official trailer) below.

In the film, “Halloween was always Tim’s favorite holiday – until his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Now, all he wants is a quiet night in. That is quickly disrupted when his friends pay him an unwanted visit after stealing a mysterious sack from the doorstep of a local crazy.

“This sacrilegious act unleashes the Aos Si, a Celtic spirit that walks the earth on Halloween. They must band together and survive the night or make the ultimate offering… their lives.”

Writer-director Matt Sampere makes his feature debut, based on his short film of the same name. Sampere stars with Monique Parent, Alan Maxson, Delian Lincourt, Hunter Kohl,...

“We Are Zombies” is a new live-action horror comedy feature, directed by François Simard, starring Alexandre Nachi, Karl Neard, Derek Johns and Megan Peta Hill, now streaming on digital platforms:

“…in this world, the undead are a peaceful and oppressed collective, whose social integration is fought for by a group of activists and whose subalternity is taken advantage of by certain heartless people.

“The protagonists of the film find themselves caught up in this conflict of wills, forced to fight against a megacorporation in order to save their grandmother…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

All who trick are treats in Creeping Death, the Screambox Exclusive supernatural slasher arriving on streaming September 10.

In the film, “Halloween was always Tim’s favorite holiday – until his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Now, all he wants is a quiet night in. That is quickly disrupted when his friends pay him an unwanted visit after stealing a mysterious sack from the doorstep of a local crazy.

“This sacrilegious act unleashes the Aos Si, a Celtic spirit that walks the earth on Halloween. They must band together and survive the night or make the ultimate offering… their lives.”

Writer-director Matt Sampere makes his feature debut, based on his short film of the same name. Sampere stars with Monique Parent, Alan Maxson, Delian Lincourt, Hunter Kohl, Ian Brown, Elise Rackemann, K Cody Hunt, Andy Horowitz, Jody Pucello and Scott Lea.

A callback to terrors birthed in the mythology of Halloween, Creeping Death is produced by Sampere,...

Wake Up is the latest from Quebec filmmaking trio Rkss (or Roadkill Superstar), François Simard, his wife Anouk Whissel and her brother Yoann-Karl Whissel, adapting a script by Italian screenwriter Alberto Marini (The Communion Girl). Unlike their comedic gorefests Turbo Kid and newly released We Are Zombies, Wake Up has a darker tone, closer to that of Summer of ‘84. It fits neatly within the slasher subgenre, though instead of the middle of the woods, the action takes place in a furniture superstore that serves as a stand-in for Ikea.

Last month, environmental activists were sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to block traffic on a highway in the UK. The group known as Just Stop Oil has been responsible for a wave of vandalism, most notably of Stonehenge and of priceless paintings, as a means of protesting climate change. Their actions have done little to help them gain public sympathy,...

Zombie comedies, popularly known as zom coms, have been around as long as zombie horror flicks have, and time and again it has been proved that, if treated right, the subgenre can evoke a typical macabre humor, which has its own flair. Inspired by Jerry Frissen and Guy Davis’ comic series, The Zombies that Ate the World, the zom com We Are Zombies is a fun, whacky story that emulates the classic tropes of the subgenre, doesn’t skimp away from blood and gore, and also shows certain deftness in characterization but falls short in making the narrative emotionally resonant or humorous.

Spoilers Ahead

Mercks vs. Coleman: Fake Zombie Exterminators

In the world of We Are Zombies, the undead emerged as rather harmless creatures, contrary to their usual brain-eating, mindless depictions, and are simply content to coexist with humans peacefully. However, with a huge number of undead rising from their graves,...

Stars: Alexandre Nachi, Derek Johns, Megan Peta Hill, Vincent Leclerc, Benz Antoine, Carlo Mestroni, Guy Nadon, Patrick Abellard | Written by Jerry Frisson, Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell | Directed by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell

Knowing this film comes from Rkss – the Canadian filmmaking collective composed of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell – I couldn’t wait to see it. These three previously created Turbo Kid and Summer of ‘84. Both excellent movies, with Turbo Kid being one of my very favourite movies. They also have another film out this year – Wake Up – which looks just as great, but for now, I was happy to watch We Are Zombies.

The first thing to note about the movie is that it’s not the usual zombie movie. The directors have tried to do something a little bit different. We see a city infested with the living-impaired — also known as non-cannibal zombies — and...

The Alien franchise returns to theaters for the first time in seven years with Alien: Romulus, which is one of six brand new horror movies available in theaters and at home this week.

Here’s all the new horror releasing August 12 – August 18, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

When the dead are back, what do we do with them? The filmmaking group Rkss (Turbo Kid, Summer of ’84) offers a fresh take on the undead in the Screambox Original horror-comedy We Are Zombies, now streaming on VOD and Screambox.

In a city infested with the living-impaired — also known as non-cannibal zombies — three slackers after easy money must fight small-time crooks and an evil megacorporation to save their kidnapped grandma. Watch the official We Are Zombies trailer below.

Rkss — the Canadian filmmaking collective composed of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell — wrote and directed the horror-comedy,...

Based on the comics series The Zombies That Ate the World by Jerry Frissen and illustrator Guy Davis, We Are Zombies is a new horror comedy from the team behind cult favorites Turbo Kid and Summer of '84. Similar to the eclectic and evocative spirit of those previous films, Franois Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell's latest nostalgia-heavy genre hybrid is set in a future where humans and the undead cohabitate. There are many ideas crammed into an 80-minute runtime that never really gives any of them the time or focus to flourish. Though it has some laughs that land, effects that occasionally spring to life, and an admirably committed cast, We Are Zombies ultimately fails to leave much of an impression, paling in comparison to other films of its ilk, many of which it clearly emulates.

When the dead are back, what do we do with them? The filmmaking group Rkss (Turbo Kid, Summer of ’84) offers a fresh take on the undead in the horror-comedy We Are Zombies, streaming on all VOD platforms and Screambox today!

In a city infested with the living-impaired — also known as non-cannibal zombies — three slackers after easy money must fight small-time crooks and an evil megacorporation to save their kidnapped grandma. Watch the official We Are Zombies trailer below.

Rkss — the Canadian filmmaking collective composed of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell — wrote and directed the horror-comedy, based on the comic book series The Zombies That Ate the World.

Alexandre Nachi (1991), Derek Johns (The Boys), Megan Peta Hill (Riverdale), Vincent Leclerc (The Revenant), Benz Antoine (Death Race), and Carlo Mestroni (Assassin’s Creed II) star.

We Are Zombies delivered laughs and bloodshed at Fantasia International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival,...

“We Are Zombies” is a new live-action horror comedy feature, directed by François Simard, starring Alexandre Nachi, Karl Neard, Derek Johns and Megan Peta Hill, available August 13, 2024 on digital platforms:

“…in this world, the undead are a peaceful and oppressed collective, whose social integration is fought for by a group of activists and whose subalternity is taken advantage of by certain heartless people.

“The protagonists of the film find themselves caught up in this conflict of wills, forced to fight against a megacorporation in order to save their grandmother…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

When the dead are back, what do we do with them? The filmmaking group Rkss (Turbo Kid, Summer of ’84) offers a fresh take on the undead in the Screambox Original horror-comedy We Are Zombies, streaming everywhere August 13!

Whet your appetite for the film’s gory mayhem with a gruesome exclusive clip below.

In a city infested with the living-impaired — also known as non-cannibal zombies — three slackers after easy money must fight small-time crooks and an evil megacorporation to save their kidnapped grandma. You can also watch the official We Are Zombies trailer below.

Rkss — the Canadian filmmaking collective composed of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell — wrote and directed the horror-comedy, based on the comic book series The Zombies That Ate the World.

Alexandre Nachi (1991), Derek Johns (The Boys), Megan Peta Hill (Riverdale), Vincent Leclerc (The Revenant), Benz Antoine (Death Race), and Carlo Mestroni (Assassin’s Creed II) star.

"When the dead are back, what do we do with them?" This is the crucial question society faces while living side by side with "non-cannibal zombies" in We Are Zombies, the latest movie from the filmmaking collective Rkss. With We Are Zombies heading to Screambox and other streaming platforms on August 13th, we have an exclusive clip to share with Daily Dead readers!

Below, you can learn about living dead research at the Coleman Corporation in our exclusive clip from We Are Zombies, and we also have the official trailer and press release with additional details on the film ahead of its release on Screambox:

When the dead are back, what do we do with them? Rkss offers a fresh take on the undead in the Screambox Original We Are Zombies, streaming everywhere August 13.

In a city infested with the living-impaired — also known as non-cannibal zombies — three slackers after easy...

"Don't let them bite you!" Screambox has revealed the amusing official trailer for a Canadian horror comedy movie called We Are Zombies, arriving to watch this month streaming on the horror channel Screambox TV. The makers of Turbo Kid and Summer of 84 offer a fresh take on the undead – it's the latest from the filmmaker group called Rkss, short for "Roadkill Superstars". What do we do with all the undead strolling around? In a city infested with the living-impaired – also known as non-cannibal zombies – 3 slackers after easy money must fight small-time crooks and an evil mega-corporation to save their kidnapped grandma. Based on the comic book series "The Zombies That Ate the World," this premiered at numerous festivals last year. Set in a post-zombie apocalypse where the undead are just part of everyday life, the film follows three slackers working as zombie hunters. The indie horror stars Alexandre Nachi,...

Halloween season kicks off in less than a month and we’re already dropping some huge horror bombs on Screambox including the instant gory classic We Are Zombies, the undead horror drama The Funeral, and the cult thriller When a Stranger Calls.

Here’s the full breakdown…

The Hollywood dream becomes a nightmare when The Fanatic stalks Screambox on August 9. Directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, John Travolta stars in the psychological thriller as a film buff who develops an obsession with a cult movie star.

Rkss introduces the living impaired in Screambox Original We Are Zombies on August 13. Based on the comic book series “The Zombies That Ate the World”, the horror-comedy has drawn comparisons to Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and Warm Bodies.

A pastor seeks vengeance for his daughter’s murder in The Retaliators on Screambox August 23. It features appearances by hard rock luminaries Tommy Lee...

Screambox has revealed the new films joining the horror streaming service in August, including We Are Zombies, The Funeral, and When a Stranger Calls.

The Hollywood dream becomes a nightmare when The Fanatic stalks Screambox on August 9. Directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, the psychological thriller stars John Travolta as a film buff who develops an obsession with a cult movie star.

Rkss introduces the living impaired in Screambox Original We Are Zombies on August 13. Based on the comic book series The Zombies That Ate the World, the horror-comedy has drawn comparisons to Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and Warm Bodies.

A pastor seeks vengeance for his daughter’s murder in The Retaliators on Screambox August 23. It features appearances by hard rock luminaries Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe), Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach), Ivan Moody & Zoltan Bathory (Five Finger Death Punch), and Spencer Charnas (Ice Nine Kills).

On August 27, Screambox Original...

Nine years ago, we heard that producer Pierre Spengler was teaming with French comic book publisher Humanoids to bring adaptations of some of their properties to the screen. Spengler got the filmmaking trio of Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and Francois Simard, a.k.a. Rkss, to sign on to make the adaptation of Jerry Frissen and Guy Davis’s futuristic zombie spoof The Zombies That Ate the World… and back in 2022, the project finally made it into production under the title We Are Zombies! The movie is now set to be released through the Screambox streaming service on August 13th – and with that date just a couple weeks away, a trailer has arrived online. You can check it out in the embed above.

The story of We Are Zombies is set in a city breeding non-cannibal zombies who are considered “living-impaired.” The offbeat comedic plot follows three slackers looking to...

When the dead are back, what do we do with them? The filmmaking group Rkss offers a fresh take on the undead in the Screambox Original horror-comedy We Are Zombies, streaming everywhere August 13!

In a city infested with the living-impaired — also known as non-cannibal zombies — three slackers after easy money must fight small-time crooks and an evil megacorporation to save their kidnapped grandma. Watch the official We Are Zombies trailer below.

Rkss — the Canadian filmmaking collective composed of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell — wrote and directed the horror-comedy, based on the comic book series The Zombies That Ate the World.

Alexandre Nachi (1991), Derek Johns (The Boys), Megan Peta Hill (Riverdale), Vincent Leclerc (The Revenant), Benz Antoine (Death Race), and Carlo Mestroni (Assassin’s Creed II) star.

We Are Zombies delivered laughs and bloodshed at Fantasia International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, and Fantastic Fest, drawing comparisons to such...

My favourite festival of the year is soon to be upon us and Fantasia has another insanely brilliant line-up ready for you! Here are ten films – in no particular order – that I cannot wait to check out.

Samara Weaving in a new horror film. That’s all I need to say really but I will go on. Azrael is also written by Simon Barret and directed by E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills) and is a post-apocalyptic survival horror. With almost no dialogue, this promises plenty of gore, action and another fantastic performance from Weaving.

In Bookworm, director Ant Timpson and Elijah Wood team-up once again (formerly in the excellent Come To Daddy), this time in a much more family-friendly movie. A camping adventure for eleven-year-old Mildred with her absent father does not impress her. But they will be searching for The Canterbury Panther in this strange and heart-warming adventure.

There’s...

French Canadian directing trio Rkss are back with new movie Wake Up, and Deadline reports this afternoon that Blue Fox Entertainment has picked up the North American rights.

The film will “release across the U.S. and in Canada later this year.”

“We are thrilled to add Rkss’s next film to our theatrical slate,” said Blue Fox Entertainment’s Lisa Gutberlet. “With Wake Up, these incredibly talented filmmakers demonstrate another side to their unique style. The result is a timely, violent yet fun thrill ride that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats until the very end.”

In Wake Up, group of hot-headed Gen Z activists find themselves brutally hunted after they become trapped in a furniture superstore during an act of environmental protest gone wrong.

The film features an impressive cast of young and emerging talent that includes Benny O.Arthur (Sky and Canal + Django series), Jacqueline Moré...

Bloody Disgusting and Cineverse are raising the dead with celebrated zombie drama The Funeral, acquired out of Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) for North America with plans to release the film this fall across all platforms, including its Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox streaming service.

The news was first reported by Variety this morning.

The Funeral stars popular Turkish actor Ahmet Rifat Sungar (The Wild Pear Tree, Actress) as a solitary hearse driver who is driving the body of a young murder victim back to her family in the East of the country.

“One night, he opens the back doors of the hearse to find the dead girl making strange grunting noises. He is immediately captivated by her beauty and falls in love.

“Together, they set off on a mission to avenge her death, leaving a trail of corpses in their wake. Rising young actress Cansu Türedi plays the dead girl.”

Turkish...

Huge breaking news out of the ongoing EFM in Berlin as Bloody Disgusting and Cineverse will be bringing the gore with the pulse-pounding and exceptionally bloody zombie comedy, We Are Zombies, which will release this fall on all VOD platforms and our Screambox streaming service!

Deadline first reported the news this morning.

Rkss (the filmmakers behind Turbo Kid and Summer of ’84) has crafted an absolute bloodbath that harkens back to the best of 80s horror and will delight fans of the zombie genre.

The movie follows three slackers looking to make easy money in a city infested with the living-impaired aka non-cannibal zombies; they must fight small-time crooks and an evil megacorporation to save their kidnapped grandma.

Audiences will be immersed in a post-apocalyptic world teeming with undead horrors, where survival becomes a relentless battle against the odds. It is a throwback to the best era of zombie movies and...

Exclusive: Cineverse has acquired the horror-comedy comic book adaptation We Are Zombies.

The company has said it plans to release the pic this fall across all platforms, including its genre streaming platform Screambox, with a premiere date to be announced soon.

The deal was negotiated out of this year’s Berlin Film Festival by Brandon Hill, Director of Acquisitions, on behalf of Cineverse and Gregoire Melin at Paris-based Kinology on behalf of the filmmakers.

The movie follows three slackers looking to make easy money in a city infested with the living-impaired, also known as non-cannibal zombies. They must fight small-time crooks and an evil megacorporation to save their kidnapped grandma.

The film is based on the comic series The Zombies That Ate the World, written and directed by Yoann-Karl Whissell, François Simard, and Anouk Whissell, the filmmaking team behind cult classics Turbo Kid and Summer of ’84. They are collectively known...

The filmmaking trio collectively known as Rkss (François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell) have not one but two features making their rounds in the festival circuit: mean slasher Wake Up (our review) and charming horror-comedy We Are Zombies (our review).

We Are Zombies, an adaptation of Jerry Frissen and Guy Davis’ comic book series “The Zombies That Ate the World,” follows three slackers whose money schemes land them in trouble with an evil corporation that kidnaps their grandma. The catch? This particular world is overrun by zombies, though they’re not the insatiable brain-eaters you’d expect.

Alexander Nachi (“Clash”), Megan Peta Hill (“Riverdale”), and Derek Johns (“Moonfall”) star as Karl, Maggie, and Freddy, respectively, in We Are Zombies.

Bloody Disgusting spoke with Rkss after their Fantastic Fest screenings of both Wake Up and We Are Zombies, where they talked about the back-to-back productions.

Yoann-Karl Whissell tells Bloody Disgusting...

The filmmaking trio collectively known as Rkss (François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell) put their stamp on the slasher subgenre with the brutal Wake Up, which made its World Premiere last week at Fantastic Fest (our review) before heading to Sitges this week.

Bloody Disgusting spoke with Rkss after the debut about their slasher with a severe mean streak.

Wake Up is written by Alberto Marini (Sleep Tight), based on an original idea by Martin Soudan, and stars Benny O.Arthur (Sky and Canal + Django series), Jacqueline Moré (The Anarchist’S Dream), Charlotte Stoiber (Downfall), Kyle Scudder (Netflix’s upcoming In Love All Over Again), and newcomers Alessia Yoko Fontana and Tom Gould along with celebrated Irish film and television actors Turlough Convery (Black Mirror, Killing Eve) and Aidan O’Hare (My Sailor, My Love).

The setup is simple: Gen Z activists sneak into a big box furniture store after...

We seem to have run the gamut of the zombie apocalypse film. Like the possession film, it’s getting to be more and more difficult for filmmakers to breathe new life into the sub-genre, with only a few managing to eke out moments of true inspiration. Enter Canadian filmmaking trio Rkss‘ horror comedy We Are Zombies, which introduces a world in which zombies exist, but do not crave brains or human flesh. In fact, depending on the circumstances of their death, they may still be fully functioning, and even have the ability to speak. Because of this, zombies are now second-class citizens given the politically correct label of “living-impaired,” with their civil rights constantly under attack. We’ve seen more benign zombie apocalypses like this in things like Warm Bodies, so it’s not as if this is completely original territory, but it’s still nice to see something different than the doom-and-gloom post-apocalyptic wasteland.

French Canadian directing trio Rkss are back with Wake Up, which World Premiered at Fantastic Fest over the weekend. Deadline shares a first-look preview clip out of the fest.

In Wake Up, which combines a strong timely message with a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse, a group of hot-headed Gen Z activists find themselves brutally hunted after they become trapped in a furniture superstore during an act of environmental protest gone wrong.

“As soon as we read the script, the core concept and the timely subject were so compelling to us, that we immediately could visualize the film and we knew we had to direct it and bring our own signature into the project,” said Rkss. “A slasher in a closed furniture store and warehouse makes an exciting playground for sure!”

Rkss —short for Roadkill Superstars— are based in Montreal, Quebec and have had their shorts and features screened around the...

Exclusive: Here’s a first clip for Studiocanal slasher pic Wake Up, which debuts today at Austin’s Fantastic Fest.

Heralding from the French-Canadian directing trio Rkss, comprising Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell and François Simard, the film follows a group of hot-headed Gen Z activists who find themselves brutally hunted after they become trapped in a furniture superstore during an act of environmental protest gone wrong.

Pic is written by Alberto Marini, based on an original idea by Martin Soudan, and presented by Borsalino Productions and Studiocanal. The film will next screen at Spain’s Sitges Film Festival as part of the Oficial Fantàstic Competition.

Starring are Benny O.Arthur (Sky and Canal + Django series), Jacqueline Moré (The Anarchists’s Dream), Charlotte Stoiber (Downfall), Kyle Scudder (Netflix’s upcoming In Love All Over Again), and newcomers Alessia Yoko Fontana and Tom Gould along with Irish actors Turlough Convery (Black Mirror) and...

In "We Are Zombies," the team behind 2015's stunning low-budget dystopia "Turbo Kid" and '80s killer-thriller "Summer of 84" asks: what if zombies were real and non-cannibalistic? Filmmaker collective Rkss uses zombies as a marginalized minority to impart social commentary in a world where they're harmless, law-abiding citizens viewed as a festering scourge. We eventually reach a bloodthirsty conclusion brimming with gonzo gore, but that's not the norm for "We Are Zombies." Instead, Rkss frames a slacker comedy around an alternate universe where walkers flip burgers and pay bus fares. It's morbidly cute and curiously endearing — even if less successful juvenile jokes sometimes hinder momentum — all leading to a ravenous third act that delivers the flesh-tearing gore horror fans crave.

The film centers on three bumbling scam artists: D&d dork Karl Neard (Alexandre Nachi), the teddy bear wrestling fan Freddy Mercks (Derek Johns), and Karl's tech wiz half-sister Maggie...

Our friends at Celluloid Screams, the genre film festival based out of Sheffield, England, have announced the lineup for this year's festival.    We Are Zombies, the horror comedy from our friends at Rkss, is this year's Opening Gala. Rep screenings of Hellraiser 2 and Killer Klowns From Outer Space mark each movie's 35th anniversary. Carlota Pereda's (Piggy) new film The Chapel will close out this year's festival.    Check out the complete lineup in the announcement below.    Celluloid Screams Announces 2023 Programme!   A horror-themed music show from comedian and podcast host Adam Buxton and anniversary screenings of a trio of cult classics are among the highlights at Celluloid Screams 2023 (Presented by Arrow Video), along with the UK Premiere of We Are...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Dear readers, before I can move forward with my review of We Are Zombies, it’s only right that I inform you that I will be very biased in my assessment of this movie. First off, I’m a big fan of the works from filmmaking trio Rkss, and their debut feature Turbo Kid is one of my all-time favorites. Secondly, I went to college with some of the cast (though I won’t reveal who) and have seen them grow from background to principal characters. Finally, the film was shot around my home city of Montreal and I can pinpoint exactly where many scenes took place.

But I am not alone in my love for both Rkss and We Are Zombies. Its world premiere was chosen to be the closing film for this year’s Fantasia Film Festival. Before it even screened to a sold-out room, there was a...

Quebec festival wrapped on August 9.

Talk To Me, the horror hit from Danny and Michael Philippou which has grossed more than $31m in North America and close to $50m worldwide, has been named best international feature in the 2023 Fantasia audience awards.

In other key awards Lee Sang-yong’s South Korean title The Roundup: No Way Out was named best Asian feature, while Shigeyoshi Tsukahara’s Japanese entry Kurayukaba earned best animated feature, and

Satan Wants You from Steve J. Adams and Sean Horlor took the inaugural Dgc Audience Award for Best Canadian Film (narrative or documentary).

The full list of audience award winners appears below.

A couple weeks ago, the Fantasia International Film Festival announced the films that won jury prizes at the 27th edition of the show, which recently came to a close. Yesterday, our own Tyler Nichols shared his list of favorite films from this year’s Fantasia festival. Now Fantasia has unveiled the list of audience award winners, with wins going to films like Talk to Me, The Roundup: No Way Out, Kurayukaba, and Satan Wants You, among others. The full list can be seen below:

Best International Feature

Gold: Talk To Me

Silver: Late Night With The Devil

Bronze: Hundreds Of Beavers

Best Asian Feature

Gold: The Roundup: No Way Out

Silver: River

Bronze: Phantom (South Korea d. Lee Hae-young)

Best Animated Feature

Gold: Kurayukaba

Silver: The Concierge

Bronze: The First Slam Dunk

The Dgc Audience Award for Best Canadian Film (Narrative or Documentary)

Satan Wants You – This year’s...

Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms (Les Chambres Rouges), a French-language thriller about a woman’s obsession with a high-profile serial killer case, took top honors as the Fantasia Film Festival handed out its juried Cheval Noir competition prizes this weekend.

After opening Fantasia’s 27th edition, the Canadian psychological drama earned Cheval Noirs for best feature, best screenplay for Pascal Plante and best score for Dominique Plante. Red Rooms also earned lead Juliette Gariépy an outstanding performance award.

Red Rooms had an international premiere at Fantasia after debuting at Karlovy Vary as part of the Crystal Global competition. The Fantasia jury at North America’s largest genre film festival, led by David Hewlett, also gave its best director prize to Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping for Femme, while the trophy for best cinematography went to Zelda Adams and John Adams for their work on Where the Devil Roams.

The Fantasia International Film Festival is back for its 27th annual edition, running July 20 through August 9, and it’s bringing one of Hollywood’s biggest stars––in spirit now; he’s officially canceled so as to not cross the picket line of the current SAG-AFTRA strike––to Montreal with a world premiere and career recognition. Nicolas Cage, his new film Sympathy for the Devil, and his Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award aren’t the only draw for this three-week event, though.

You’ve got a spotlight on Korean cinema to celebrate sixty years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea. There’s the honor of bestowing underground filmmaker Larry Kent with the 2023 Canadian Trailblazer Award alongside a screening of a rare 35mm print of his 1981 film Yesterday. And a slew of world premieres from horror’s best and brightest––a list spanning Larry Fessenden (Blackout), Jenn Wexler...

Nicolas Cage has cancelled attendance at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival, North America’s biggest genre festival, where he was expected next weekend on July 22 for the world premiere of director Yuval Adler’s “Sympathy for the Devil,” where he was due to pick up Fantasia’s Cheval Noir career achievement award.

“We’re sad to announce that due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Nicolas Cage will no longer be able to attend the festival next weekend,” Fantasia has announced on its website.

“We’ll be updating our website regularly as we receive news from other announced guests while circumstances evolve. Our hearts are with the actors, as well as with the WGA, and we hope to see the unions get a fair deal soon,” the Festival added.

Following Thursday’s confirmation of the SAG strike, Judy Greer, star of “Aporia,” one of Fantasia’s other high profile premieres, did...