MoreHorror.com The internet has spent years turning murder into content, stalkers into documentaries, and private trauma into something people binge over dinner. Marrow appears ready to drag that appetite somewhere considerably uglier. Scatena & Rosner Films will release writer-director Mitch McLeod’s horror thriller Marrow across North American VOD and digital platforms on November 3, 2026. The distribution agreement was negotiated by Zach Stampone, VP of Distribution at Scatena & Rosner Films, and executive producer Carlos Cortez on behalf of the filmmakers. The film stars Jessica Dawn Willis alongside genre veterans Danielle Harris and Michael Ironside. Built around a series of real-life police files involving a stalking case in small-town Texas, Marrow follows Jamie Foster, a once-successful vlogger trying to claw her way back into relevance. Her solution carries the kind of logic that only makes sense in the algorithmic fever dream of modern celebrity: invite her stalker onto the show. There is one complication. He may also be the serial killer responsible for murdering a string of influencers. As Jamie’s numbers begin climbing again, the attention comes with a price. The deeper she pushes into the story, the more the stalker’s identity, motives and even humanity begin to fracture the situation around her. That setup gives Marrow plenty of contemporary horror fuel. True crime now operates as entertainment, social currency and, increasingly, personal branding. The film appears to be digging into that uneasy overlap where trauma becomes engagement and danger becomes content. “Marrow really stood out to me because of the way it explores our obsession with true crime and how far people are willing to go in the constant chase for views, attention, and relevance,” said Zach Stampone, VP of Distribution at Scatena & Rosner Films. Stampone also praised the film’s confidence and performances, describing the story as one that takes something firmly embedded in modern culture and pushes it into much darker territory. Horror Drawn From a Real Stalking Case McLeod has said the foundation of Marrow reaches back to a stalking incident involving someone personally close to him. “Marrow is based on true events surrounding a stalking that occurred many years ago to somebody who meant a great deal to me,” McLeod said. “The idea has been in my head for a while, so getting to sit down with star and co-writer Jessica Dawn Willis and get the ideas on paper and bring it to life on screen has been a truly rewarding experience.” He added that he hopes the finished film carries the same emotional weight for audiences that the original story held for him. McLeod previously directed Silhouette. He co-wrote Marrow with Willis and novelist Preston Fassel, whose work includes Our Lady of the Inferno and Beasts of 42nd Street. Danielle Harris and Michael Ironside Join the Cast Willis leads the film as Jamie Foster, joined by two names horror fans need very little introduction to. Danielle Harris remains one of the genre’s most recognizable faces through her long association with the Halloween franchise and decades of horror work. Michael Ironside brings an equally formidable genre pedigree, with credits including David Cronenberg’s Scanners and Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall. The supporting cast includes Matthew Tompkins, Ashley Spicer, Phil Harrison, Carlos Cortez, Abby Joy, Rrian Rhonda, Kristin Payne and Vanessa Sun. Cortez also serves as an executive producer on the film through CC Films. Marrow was produced by CC Films, with Carlos Cortez serving as executive producer, alongside Mitch McLeod and Jessica Dawn Willis' Absentia Pictures and Matthew Tompkins and Jon Keeyes' Highland Myst Entertainment. For executive producer Carlos Cortez, the film's exploration of true crime and online celebrity reflects some uncomfortable realities about modern entertainment culture. “When we set out to produce Marrow, we weren’t just trying to make another scary movie. We wanted to hold up a mirror to society's insatiable appetite for true crime, hidden pasts and the desperate lengths online creators will go to for relevance,” said Cortez. “Working alongside legendary horror royalty like Danielle Harris and Michael Ironside has been the privilege of a lifetime. I am beyond thrilled that Scatena & Rosner Films is bringing this chilling, Texas-rooted nightmare to living rooms across North America this November.” There is something particularly sharp about Marrow arriving in a moment where the line between witness, participant and audience continues to blur. A stalker becomes a guest. A potential serial killer becomes content. Fear becomes traffic. That is a very modern horror story. Marrow arrives on VOD and digital platforms across North America on November 3, 2026.

Dark Sky Films brings Matt Stuertz's outrageous supernatural horror thriller to audiences this Friday. Halloween season is getting a little messier. HUMAN (2026), the latest horror movie from director Matt Stuertz (Tonight She Comes, RWD), arrives in select theaters and on VOD and digital platforms Friday, October 23, courtesy of Dark Sky Films. Starring Jackie Kelly as Dani Ferris, the film follows a woman whose quiet night alone takes a spectacularly ugly turn. Exhausted, away from home, and looking for a little late-night online entertainment, Dani suddenly finds herself caught in a supernatural nightmare involving questionable relationships, escalating violence, and enough bodily fluids to make a cleanup crew reconsider its career choices. Following screenings at FrightFest and Obscura Film Fest, HUMAN has generated enthusiastic reactions for its chaotic storytelling, unpredictable tone, and stomach-churning practical effects. The Hollywood News praised the film's ability to keep audiences uneasy through its abrupt tonal shifts, while Filmhounds called it "thoroughly gripping." Starburst Magazine offered a particularly fitting one-word assessment: "Relentless." The 107-minute thriller also stars Brock Russell, Cecily Dowd, Jeffrey Decker, and Mia Sydney. Where to Watch HUMAN HUMAN arrives October 23, 2026, in select theaters and on VOD and digital platforms. Dark Sky Films has also scheduled a special West Coast premiere for Thursday, October 22, at the Laemmle Glendale in California, with cast and crew expected to attend. For horror fans who enjoy their movies bloody, unpredictable, and gleefully unhinged, HUMAN might be worth adding to the Halloween watchlist. For streaming availability and additional release information, visit the official HUMAN page at Dark Sky Films. Want to learn more about the movie? Check out our earlier coverage of HUMAN on More Horror. Watch the official trailer:

Anthony Bushman's independent thriller, shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and the heartbreaking loss of his filmmaking partner, arrives through Terror Films Releasing. Terror Films Releasing has announced the November 6, 2026, North American streaming release of THE DEVIL YOU BECOME, a psychological horror thriller from writer and director Anthony Bushman. The film explores isolation, fractured reality, and the psychological consequences of a world devastated by a deadly virus. Starring Bushman, Ashton Solecki, Jessica Lynn Parsons, and Brian K. Millard, who also co-wrote the screenplay, the film follows a man struggling to find purpose after a supervirus claims billions of lives. As he confronts the devastation around him, his increasingly fragile mental state begins to unravel, blurring the line between reality and his own fractured perception. It's a premise that feels especially unsettling given the film's origins. What began as an unexpected creative response to the real-world COVID-19 pandemic eventually became something far more personal for the filmmakers. A Film Born From Isolation and Personal Loss According to Bushman, The Devil You Become emerged after the pandemic brought another planned production to an abrupt halt in March 2020, just 36 hours before cameras were scheduled to roll. Bushman and his longtime friend and writing partner, Brian K. Millard, had been preparing to make their first feature together. With the world shutting down around them, the two roommates decided to channel their circumstances into an entirely new project that they could produce themselves. Drawing inspiration from the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, they developed a story exploring fear, scientific trust, and isolation. Working within severe production restrictions, Bushman and Millard served as the entire crew, cast themselves in leading roles, and filmed additional performances remotely with fellow actors. The process was demanding, but the filmmakers found a way to continue creating during an unprecedented period. Then tragedy struck. During postproduction, Millard died unexpectedly, leaving Bushman to confront the loss of his closest creative collaborator and friend while facing the difficult task of completing their film. Bushman stepped away from the project for several months before eventually returning to finish what they had started. Speaking about the experience, Bushman explained that completing the film became a deeply emotional undertaking. Although Millard would never have the opportunity to see their finished work, Bushman found comfort in believing his friend would have been proud of what they accomplished together. That history adds a particularly poignant dimension to The Devil You Become. A story conceived during a period of widespread fear and uncertainty ultimately became a lasting tribute to a creative partnership interrupted by loss. Psychological Horror in the Aftermath of a Pandemic With its postapocalyptic setting and emphasis on psychological deterioration, The Devil You Become explores how individuals respond when the familiar structures of society collapse. The film's premise centers on the consequences of isolation and the increasingly unstable relationship between perception and reality. Its combination of science-fiction horror and psychological suspense draws from circumstances its creators experienced firsthand during the pandemic. For Bushman, bringing the project to audiences also represents the completion of a journey that began under extraordinary circumstances and carried an emotional weight neither filmmaker could have anticipated. Where to Watch THE DEVIL YOU BECOME Terror Films Releasing has scheduled The Devil You Become to arrive across multiple North American streaming platforms on November 6, 2026, including Tubi, Chilling, The Roku Channel, and Fandango at Home, with additional platforms expected. The film stars Anthony Bushman, Ashton Solecki, Jessica Lynn Parsons, and Brian K. Millard. Watch the official trailer: For additional information on the film and its release, visit Terror Films Releasing.

An atmospheric horror short explores the psychological anxieties of fatherhood while demonstrating what an independent filmmaker can accomplish with a little ingenuity. By Seth Metoyer | More Horror I've watched plenty of independent horror films over the years and having produced more than 20 micro-budget projects myself, I have a pretty good understanding of what filmmakers go through when they're trying to stretch a few dollars into something worth watching. Some of those productions become exercises in creative problem-solving, where the limitations practically dictate the direction of the film. Every once in a while, though, I come across something that makes me genuinely curious about how the filmmaker pulled it off. Billy Nawrocki's Won't Be Long Now falls into that category. Made for less than $200, the film follows a new father who becomes convinced that some kind of entity has begun stalking his family. As his fear grows, so does his determination to protect them, and that instinct gradually develops into an obsession that threatens to consume him. The premise is straightforward enough, but Nawrocki takes it into some interesting psychological territory, particularly through his approach to the visuals and the character's increasingly troubled narration. The first thing that struck me was how damn good the film looks. There's a deliberate visual sensibility here that gives the production an identity of its own. While watching, I found myself thinking about David Lynch, particularly that unsettling quality he brought to films like Lost Highway, where familiar environments begin feeling strangely disconnected from reality. I'm a big admirer of filmmakers who allow atmosphere and visual storytelling to do some of the heavy lifting, and Nawrocki clearly understands the value of an image that makes you uncomfortable without spelling everything out. I also picked up some Lars von Trier vibes, especially in the way Nawrocki approaches the protagonist's psychological deterioration. Much of the film plays out against a running monologue that becomes increasingly confessional as the character attempts to explain what's happening around him. There's something intimate and deeply uncomfortable about listening to a man rationalize his growing paranoia while trying to convince himself that he understands the threat facing his family. The narration almost begins to resemble recorded evidence, particularly toward the final stretch, when it feels as though he's documenting events for whoever might eventually discover what happened. That gives the film an eerie, disjointed quality, almost like watching somebody else's fever dream. I enjoy this kind of storytelling when a filmmaker has enough confidence to let the atmosphere breathe, and Nawrocki gives the audience time to settle into his character's increasingly unstable perspective. The film also delivers a brutal ending that I won't spoil here. Suffice it to say, the final stretch left an impression. Fatherhood, Fear, and the Things We Cannot Control One of the more interesting aspects of Won't Be Long Now is how closely its premise connects to Nawrocki's personal experiences. He developed the film during a period when his life was changing dramatically. He was becoming a father, living with his wife and newborn at his in-laws' house while their own home was under construction, and trying to make sense of the responsibilities that came with this new chapter of his life. In our correspondence, Nawrocki described dealing with a persistent anxiety that something terrible might be waiting just around the corner. Becoming a parent had brought him face-to-face with the realization that there would always be circumstances beyond his control, regardless of how much he wanted to protect his child. He eventually decided to channel those feelings into a horror film, which makes perfect sense to me. I've always been fascinated by the relationship between horror and the experiences we carry around in our everyday lives. People sometimes wonder why anyone would voluntarily spend an evening watching something disturbing, especially when the world already provides enough reasons to lose sleep. I've had my share of difficult experiences, and I understand the strange comfort that can come from watching another person's fears take shape on screen. There's something about horror that allows us to examine emotions we might otherwise struggle to articulate. When those feelings become part of a fictional story, we can approach them from a different perspective. Nawrocki and I ended up discussing some of this after I watched the film, including the personal challenges that often inform how we respond to art. We also talked about the way horror can provide a peculiar kind of comfort, even when the subject matter deals with experiences that would be devastating in real life. I think that conversation helped me appreciate what he was attempting with Won't Be Long Now, particularly the way the central character's fear develops out of something as recognizable as the responsibility of caring for his family. There's also an interesting psychological question running through the film concerning the relationship between protection and obsession. Parents naturally want to keep their children safe, but fear has a way of distorting our perception of danger. The more desperately someone tries to anticipate every possible threat, the more consuming that responsibility can become. Nawrocki takes that anxiety and introduces a supernatural presence, giving the character's internal struggle something tangible to confront. Making Horror on a Shoestring Budget Beyond the story itself, the production of Won't Be Long Now is worth examining because Nawrocki handled an extraordinary amount of the filmmaking process himself. He wrote, directed, produced, photographed, edited, and starred in the short, bringing in four additional collaborators to contribute color work, sound mixing, visual effects, and music. Nawrocki works professionally as an editor, which gave him the opportunity to exchange services and find creative ways to involve other artists in the production. He also confirmed that the film contains no AI-generated material. I've been involved in enough productions at this level to know that the actual cash budget rarely tells the whole story. There's usually an enormous amount of unpaid labor, borrowed equipment, exchanged favors, and personal sacrifice behind these films. Someone might look at a shoestring production and assume the cash budget represents the total value of the work, when the people contributing their time and expertise often provide resources that would cost considerably more under conventional production circumstances. What interested me here was how Nawrocki used those resources to create something visually compelling. The photography has a distinctive atmosphere, and the film's structure gives the images room to establish their own sense of dread. The running narration also serves the production in an interesting way, allowing Nawrocki to explore the protagonist's thoughts without relying on extensive dialogue scenes or a large cast. There's a degree of creative discipline involved in making those decisions work together. Nawrocki also explained that he deliberately wanted to move beyond the familiar short-film structure where everything builds toward a quick final payoff. He approached this project as something of a personal test, allowing himself more time to develop the character and explore the psychological elements of the story. That decision helps explain the film's pacing, which feels more concerned with the protagonist's gradual unraveling than with delivering a conventional sequence of scares. His previous industry experience includes editing Fuzz on the Lens' Leprechaun Revenge and the upcoming The Pitchfork Retreat, featuring the late Tony Todd. He also served as producer and editor on Orin Black's The Babysitter Murders: Timing's Off, a project More Horror previously covered. Festival Recognition and a Larger Horror Anthology Won't Be Long Now has already enjoyed a successful run on the independent festival circuit, earning selections at the Chicago Horror Film Festival, Eerie Horror Festival, and SModcastle Horrorfest. Its awards include Best Locally Sourced Short at YoFi Film Fest, Outstanding Horror Short at Ridgefield Film Festival, Outstanding Editing at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, and the $1,000 INDIE Shoestring Award at Hudson Valley Film Festival. The film is also part of a larger project that Nawrocki has been developing alongside filmmakers Sean Kenealy and Eric Silvera. The planned horror anthology, tentatively titled The Contribution, explores several anxieties surrounding fatherhood, including fear of the unknown, fear of oneself, and fear of other people. The anthology currently includes plans to bring together Two Knocks on a Door, Your Daughter Looks Pretty, and Won't Be Long Now, with another installment in pre-production. Nawrocki told me the filmmakers are also developing a wraparound story involving a man at a fertility clinic who hears the various horror stories while preparing to become a father himself. I actually like that concept quite a bit. There's something inherently uncomfortable about a man sitting in a fertility clinic contemplating one of the biggest decisions of his life while confronting stories that explore the psychological consequences of parenthood. It gives the anthology an interesting thematic foundation, and I'm curious to see how the filmmakers connect the different stories. The group hopes to move into production on the remaining short and wraparound material during the winter. Like many independent filmmakers, they're financing their creative ambitions while maintaining regular jobs, which is a familiar situation for anyone who has spent much time working in this corner of the industry. Final Thoughts What I appreciated most about Won't Be Long Now was Nawrocki's willingness to approach a familiar horror premise through a more personal and visually interesting perspective. The film has a strong atmosphere, some genuinely unsettling imagery, and a confessional structure that gives its central character an uncomfortable sense of intimacy. The Lynch and von Trier associations I mentioned earlier were simply the cinematic connections I found myself making while watching it, and I consider those pretty favorable comparisons. I also appreciate that Nawrocki gave himself room to experiment with the storytelling. His decision to explore the character's deteriorating psychological state provides a different experience from the many shorts that spend ten minutes setting up a single reveal. The film asks for a little patience, and I think viewers who enjoy atmosphere-driven psychological horror will appreciate what he's doing. The personal background adds another dimension to the experience. Knowing that Nawrocki developed the film while confronting his own anxieties about fatherhood makes the central character's obsession feel especially relevant. The fear of failing the people who depend on us is something many viewers will recognize, regardless of whether they've experienced parenthood themselves. Won't Be Long Now is a worthwhile discovery for fans of independent psychological horror, particularly those who enjoy unconventional storytelling, unsettling imagery, and films that explore the stranger corners of human behavior. I'm looking forward to seeing what Nawrocki does next, especially with the planned anthology. Where to Watch Won't Be Long Now premiered October 19, 2026, on YouTube. Filmmaker: Billy Nawrocki Official Website: https://www.billynawrocki.com Movie YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoqtDc7hBbI Social media handles on Instagram: @B_Nawrocki @Diyordieproductions @_Wont_be_long_now_ Watch the Film Below: The filmmaker provided this film as an advanced screener for an independent feature review.

Seth Metoyer | More Horror From regional legends to rogue artificial intelligence, filmmaker Vinnie “Funkmaster V” Vineyard and his crew are building a seven-film horror-comedy universe in the heart of Appalachia. There's something wonderfully strange brewing in the Great Smoky Mountains, and Big N Funky Productions has assembled an unlikely collection of filmmakers, performers, wrestlers, musicians, and assorted oddballs to bring it to life. At the center of it all is The Smoky Mountain Chronicles, an ambitious series of seven interconnected feature films blending Appalachian folklore, regional mythology, science fiction, horror, and comedy. The project comes from Vinnie “Funkmaster V” Vineyard and his creative collaborator, Big Luke Walker, whose shared interest in the overlooked stories of the American South has developed into an expanding cinematic universe. Their latest release, Showdown in Secret City, takes the series in a particularly timely direction, introducing a science-fiction nightmare involving artificial intelligence, desperate filmmakers, and the increasingly bizarre collision between human creativity and technology. And judging by the premise, things get weird in a hurry. Showdown in Secret City: Artificial Intelligence vs. Low Intelligence Released June 30, 2026, Showdown in Secret City follows four filmmakers who face an ultimatum from a movie executive: produce a blockbuster with the assistance of artificial intelligence or risk losing their careers. What begins as a desperate attempt to survive the entertainment industry's demands escalates into a battle between human ingenuity and a technology that may have its own agenda. The 95-minute sci-fi horror comedy serves as the fourth chapter of The Smoky Mountain Chronicles. Vinnie Vineyard, Luke Walker, and Travis Graves directed the film, which features Graves, Kandi Thompson, Walker, and Vineyard among its performers. The production also has a fitting geographical connection to its title. Filmmakers shot the movie in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the historic location associated with the Manhattan Project. The production even utilized the city's historic Grove Theater, which hosted a local screening on July 25. The premise taps into one of contemporary filmmaking's most heated conversations: artificial intelligence and its growing influence on the creative industries. Big N Funky Productions approaches that anxiety through its own brand of irreverent horror comedy, putting a group of struggling filmmakers directly in the path of their potential technological replacement. The Smoky Mountain Chronicles: Seven Films, One Strange Universe While Showdown in Secret City explores the dangers of technology, the larger project draws inspiration from something much older: the folklore, historical conflicts, mysterious creatures, and supernatural traditions woven into the Appalachian landscape. For Vineyard and Walker, that regional history offers a deep reservoir of storytelling possibilities. “I am from Baltimore, and my writing partner, Big Luke Walker, is from Chicago. We both agree that there is enough movies and shows about those areas to last a long time. The part of the county whose stories are perhaps neglected the most is the Appalachian south,” Vineyard tells More Horror. He explains that the pair saw an opportunity to explore the cultural landscape surrounding their adopted home. “So many legends, war stories, tribal lore, cryptids, spooks, pain, poverty and mythology exist here, it is criminally neglected. So we started making 7 feature films about the legends and lore of the Great Smoky Mountains, where we now live.” That interest in regional folklore gives The Smoky Mountain Chronicles a common foundation, even as individual installments explore different stories and genres. The series includes The Hike (2021), WJHC AM (2022), Camp Smokey (2023), and Showdown in Secret City (2026), alongside additional projects in development. Each film tells its own story, allowing viewers to enter the series at different points. Attentive horror fans, however, may discover connections lurking beneath the surface. According to Vineyard, the movies contain hidden references and details that gradually reveal the larger narrative. “These are all interconnected movies, but you can watch them in any order. As you go, hopefully it will become more and more clear what is actually happening in the overall story.” He also emphasizes that beneath the absurdity, each installment carries a thematic purpose. “All of the films have little secrets about the other movies buried in each one. These are silly little horror comedies, but they are also fables; each movie has a moral to the story.” It's an intriguing approach to independent genre filmmaking. The creators can explore outrageous characters and supernatural situations while gradually constructing a larger mythology that rewards audiences willing to follow the breadcrumbs. Meet the Big N Funky Family The Big N Funky Productions creative community is nearly as unusual as the fictional world its filmmakers have developed. Vineyard describes a sprawling family of approximately 80 to 90 personalities, drawing from comedy, professional wrestling, theater, music, burlesque, drag performance, magic, and a host of other entertainment backgrounds. At the center of that creative operation are Vineyard, Big Luke Walker, Travis Graves, Kandi Thompson, and Amber Schultz. The company's collaborative approach gives its productions an unmistakably independent identity, drawing on the talents and personalities of an eclectic community rather than a conventional studio system. For anyone familiar with the history of cult horror and regional exploitation filmmaking, there's something appealing about that tradition. Independent genre cinema has long thrived on resourcefulness, strange ideas, local personalities, and filmmakers determined to make something memorable with whatever resources they can assemble. Big N Funky Productions appears happy to carry that tradition into some decidedly peculiar territory. Where to Watch and Follow Big N Funky Productions Showdown in Secret City premiered on the RELAY streaming platform on June 30, 2026. According to Vineyard, the production also anticipates availability through additional streaming services, including Tubi and Amazon. Fans interested in exploring The Smoky Mountain Chronicles, discovering the company's earlier films, or following future productions can find more information through the official Big N Funky Productions website and social media channels. With seven interconnected films forming the backbone of its growing horror-comedy universe, Big N Funky Productions has plenty of strange territory left to explore. And considering the amount of folklore, mystery, and macabre history surrounding the Great Smoky Mountains, the filmmakers have no shortage of material to draw upon. As Vineyard and his crew continue expanding The Smoky Mountain Chronicles, horror fans can expect additional stories, unusual characters, and plenty of Appalachian weirdness. Explore More from Big N Funky Productions Want to venture deeper into The Smoky Mountain Chronicles? Discover more films, behind-the-scenes content, and updates on upcoming projects through Big N Funky Productions' official website and social media channels. Official Website: Big N Funky Productions Instagram: @funkmaster__v Facebook: Big N Funky Productions YouTube: Funkmaster V TikTok: @funkmaster_v Slasher: Funkmaster V

Seth Metoyer | More Horror Marcel Walz brings the murderous Birdy family back for another round of bloodshed, big hair, and '80s excess ahead of the film's Halloween world premiere. Break out the hairspray, crank up the glam metal, and prepare for another bloodbath. Cinephobia Releasing has acquired North American and UK distribution rights to BRUTE 1986, the latest slasher from director Marcel Walz (Brute 1976, Anathema) and writer Joe Knetter (Twilight of the Dead, The Caretaker). Along with the acquisition announcement, the distributor has unveiled new key art and a blood-soaked trailer ahead of the film's world premiere at Tubi FrightFest Halloween on October 31, 2026. The sequel picks up a decade after the carnage of Brute 1976, shifting its inspiration from the grimy exploitation horror of the 1970s to the outrageous slasher culture of the 1980s. Think Friday the 13th, Maniac, towering hair, leather pants, and enough fake blood to make an entire effects department reconsider its life choices. This time, the story follows Leather Kobra, a glam metal band preparing to shoot its latest music video in an abandoned Western town. Unfortunately, the location has some rather unpleasant residents. The sadistic Birdy family has settled nearby, and when the band and its crew cross paths with them, the music video production quickly turns into a slaughterhouse. Adding some genuine rock credentials to the production, Bill Kaulitz of Tokio Hotel joins the cast and contributes original music, while Swedish glam metal outfit Crazy Lixx also supplies music for the soundtrack. It's an appropriate combination for a film that seems determined to resurrect the glorious excess of the VHS era. Returning cast members include Dazelle Yvette, Sarah French, and Gigi Gustin. Joining them are Lew Temple (The Devil's Rejects), Pancho Moler (3 from Hell), Sarah Kaplan, Heather Grace Hancock, and several additional faces destined for the Birdy family's particularly unpleasant brand of hospitality. An '80s Slasher Made by Horror Fans For Walz, the film represents something of a personal love letter to the decade that shaped his taste in horror. "I'm an '80s baby- actually, a 1986 baby," Walz said in the official announcement, recalling his childhood obsession with films such as Halloween III, Friday the 13th Part VI, Sleepaway Camp II, The Burning, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4. Writer Joe Knetter shares that enthusiasm for the era, describing the opportunity to combine the music and horror movies he grew up loving as an especially enjoyable creative experience. Cinephobia Releasing President Ray Murray appears equally enthusiastic about the sequel, praising its outrageous combination of violence, sleaze, and glam rock spectacle. The distribution deal was negotiated between Murray and executive producers Tobias Schuermann and Dirk Schuermann. With its deliberate embrace of practical gore, exploitation cinema, and heavy-metal aesthetics, BRUTE 1986 looks ready to give old-school slasher fans another helping of gloriously excessive horror. And really, when your band is filming in an abandoned Western town with a family of homicidal maniacs lurking nearby, the odds of finishing that music video were never particularly good. BRUTE 1986 makes its world premiere October 31, 2026, at Tubi FrightFest Halloween in London. The film's new trailer and North American key art are available now. Watch the BRUTE 1986 Trailer Stay tuned to More Horror for additional release information and updates on BRUTE 1986.

By Devin Smock SPOILERS THROUGHOUT For whatever reason, the last few days have turned into a small horror-short festival. Several notable ones have landed online almost on top of each other, and now here come the Lewis Brothers with Pauly Shore, Nick Swardson, Doug Jones and a monster that can smell anxiety. Sure. Why not? REMAIN CALM, written and directed by Jake Lewis from a story by Jake and Sam Lewis, was released on YouTube October 12. The whole thing runs a little over 14 minutes with credits. That is not much time to establish two characters, make them funny, introduce a creature, explain the rules and then make those rules pay off. The short wastes very little of it. Matt and Erwin, played by Shore and Swardson, are working the night shift at Highway 50 Gas and Liquor. Matt wants to talk. Erwin mostly wants Matt to stop talking and let a conversation happen naturally, even though they have already spent two hours saying nothing. That exchange tells us almost everything we need to know about them. They are bored, slightly annoyed with each other and probably closer than either one would ever admit. The dialogue and acting are outstanding right off the bat. I expected the Lewis Brothers, Shore and Swardson to be funny, but what I like is how little the short depends on us simply recognizing them. Shore is not just doing a Pauly Shore routine and Swardson is not walking in to deliver a louder version of one of his comedy characters. They play two actual night-shift clerks having a stupid conversation because there is nothing else to do. The timing is loose enough to feel natural, but the scene is still cut tightly. It is funny before the movie asks us to be scared, which turns out to matter. Then Doug Jones walks in smiling. Jones plays Grin Man, a government agent whose attempt to look reassuring has the exact opposite effect. He warns Matt and Erwin that something escaped from a facility in the desert. It reads body language, and if it senses stress or fear, it eats you. So the two clerks have one job. Stay calm. Stay happy. Keep smiling. There is the movie. Simple, ridiculous and immediately useful. Horror shorts often spend half their running time setting up a final image or explaining a piece of mythology that does not need mythology. REMAIN CALM gives us one rule and starts tightening it. Watching someone try not to look afraid is already tense. Watching Pauly Shore and Nick Swardson try to look happy while a creature is crawling around a gas station is tense and funny at the same time. The move from comedy into horror is handled really well. The short does not suddenly throw away the characters or become a different movie when Mr. Frett arrives. Matt and Erwin keep talking like Matt and Erwin. Their forced smiles become part of the scare, and their desperate attempt to calm themselves with a song, alcohol and whatever else comes to mind keeps the comedy inside the situation. The jokes are not interruptions. They are survival tactics, mostly bad ones. There is also a little more going on underneath it if you want it. Erwin gets his information from endless scrolling. Matt gets happiness from processed chips. Then a smiling man from the government tells them everything will be fine as long as they keep looking happy while something awful moves around them. You do not need a shovel to dig that up. Thankfully, the movie does not stop to explain it either. It lets the idea sit there with the monster. The filmmaking is much better than it needed to be for what could have easily looked like a comedy sketch with some blood added. Emil Gurvin’s cinematography, the color work by Cooper Shine and Alen Stubbs’ production design give the gas station its own look. The camera finds useful compositions in a place full of shelves, coolers, windows and narrow sightlines. The lighting has color and shape without making the store look like somebody rented a few tubes and pointed them at the walls. It looks like a movie. More importantly, the camera knows when to show us something and when to make us wait. Once the short turns creepy, the ordinary layout of the store starts working against the characters. There are too many places to look and not enough room to get away. Jake Lewis and editor Jenna Socha let us search the frame with Matt and Erwin instead of cutting every half-second to remind us that a monster is nearby. Kevin Keppy plays Mr. Frett, with creature design and practical effects by Gorgazma. The creature is appropriately creepy and strange without feeling disconnected from the fairly grounded world around it. Doug Jones, of course, can make one fixed smile feel like a threat before the threat even arrives. He is not in the short long, but Grin Man gives the whole thing its rule, its tone and one of its best uneasy laughs. If I have a complaint, it is that the premise is so good and the performers work so well together that 14 minutes begins to feel like both the right length and not enough. Once the rule is explained, the short moves almost directly into the encounter and payoff. It is efficient, but I wanted one more turn of the screw, or one more surprise in how the creature uses fear against them. The government response at the end also wraps things up a little cleanly. Then Matt and Erwin look at the destroyed store and realize they are probably losing their jobs, which is exactly the dumb, human problem they would worry about after surviving something impossible. REMAIN CALM is funny, genuinely creepy and far more polished than a celebrity-filled YouTube short needed to be. It also understands the main thing some horror comedies forget: the horror still has to work. This does. I would gladly watch Shore and Swardson survive another night shift, another creature and another terrible conversation. 7.1/10 REMAIN CALM is streaming free on YouTube or watch below.

By Devin Smock | More Horror SPOILERS THROUGHOUT Biohazard looks like an actual movie. That sounds like a low bar, and maybe it is, but anybody who has spent time wandering through YouTube fan films knows it is not. The 19-minute short is based specifically on Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Chandler Riggs wrote, directed and edited the film, and he stars as Ethan Winters, who goes looking for his missing wife, Mia, and ends up trapped with the infected Baker family. It is a tight version of the game rather than a new story set somewhere in the Resident Evil universe, but Riggs and his crew understand which parts are worth carrying into live action. I do not watch many fan films, for what I consider fairly obvious reasons. Too many of them are made by somebody with access to a Leatherface mask, a borrowed cabin and a plan to shove him into Friday the 13th. I understand that it is supposed to be fun. Making movies is fun, or at least it is supposed to be before the weather changes, the money disappears and somebody asks how many more setups you need. That does not automatically make the finished thing good. Some of the Friday the 13th fan projects are especially bad about presenting themselves like lost official entries instead of people playing around in somebody else's sandbox. There is nothing wrong with being a fan film. Just call it that, have some fun and try to make a decent movie. That is where Biohazard separates itself. Yes, it has advantages that most fan films do not. It has an established actor leading it, an experienced crew and a cast that includes Jason Douglas, Mary Rachel Quinn, Eugenie Bondurant, Sam Coyles and Mia Cole. Riggs teamed with Tampa-based Spooky Feet Films, and Greg Nicotero provided special-effects equipment. Those things do not earn the movie a passing grade by themselves. If anything, they create higher expectations. The production mostly meets them. Riggs is pretty good as Ethan. He does not turn the character into a swaggering action hero just because he is also behind the camera. Ethan is frightened, confused and usually a half step behind whatever is waiting for him. Riggs has enough control to let that fear register without spending the entire short screaming at the walls. He also handles the physical side of the role well, especially once the movie begins taking pieces off him. The short was filmed inside the original Arturo Fuente cigar factory in Tampa Bay, which the crew transformed into part of the Baker estate. That was a smart decision. Production designer Brandon Agan and cinematographer Brian M. Tang make the location feel larger and more complete than one building being redressed for a short. The rooms, narrow hallways and feeling that something might be waiting just outside the frame reminded me of the early Resident Evil games on the original PlayStation, even though the story and characters come directly from the seventh game. More importantly, it is creepy. It does not just throw recognizable props into a room and expect the name Resident Evil to do the rest of the work. The location has weight. The corners feel dangerous. Ethan moving through the building gives the short some of the exploratory tension of the games without making the camera behave like we are watching somebody else's playthrough. The practical effects are the strongest part of the film. The wounds have texture, the blood has weight and the violence looks like it is happening to bodies in the room rather than being added later because the frame needed something red. The production used practical design, effects and stunt work with minimal visual effects, and it shows in the best way. There is something naturally unpleasant about watching a physical effect being torn, crushed or pulled apart. Your brain may know how it was done, but another part of your brain still says, Nope, that looked like it hurt. Ethan losing his hand is the obvious showcase. The effect works, and the smart watch continuing to monitor his heartbeat afterward is funny. It is ridiculous, but it is the correct kind of ridiculous for Resident Evil, a series where somebody can lose a limb, pour medicine on the problem and get back to work. The movie understands that game logic becomes a little absurd when performed by an actual person and lets the joke sit there without turning the whole short into a comedy. The Baker family is generally effective, particularly when they are allowed to loom around the house and make Ethan feel trapped. Jason Douglas brings the right physical presence to Jack Baker, but some of his dialogue is corny and not especially good. A few lines sound like the screenplay is working too hard to announce that Daddy Baker is crazy. Douglas is more effective when Jack is doing something threatening than when he is explaining his personality to us. That problem extends to the short as a whole. At 19 minutes, it has to move, but sometimes it feels less like a complete story and more like a very well-made collection of scenes fans will recognize. Ethan is looking for Mia, the Bakers are waiting and the movie starts checking off the violent encounters. If you already know the game, the missing connective tissue is easy to supply. If you do not, Mia is mostly a reason for Ethan to enter the building and begin suffering. I tried to judge Biohazard as a short film and not give it extra credit because it is a fan project. I also did not want to punish it for lacking the money and resources of a studio production. Fan film or not, the same questions still matter. Does it build tension? Do the performances work? Does the camera know where to be? Do the effects survive when the light hits them? Is there an actual movie here? Most of the time, the answer is yes. The comparison to Zach Cregger's Resident Evil is unavoidable because Biohazard arrived less than a month after that movie, but it is not an especially fair comparison. Cregger had a studio production and used the world and game mechanics to tell his own story. Riggs is condensing recognizable material from Resident Evil 7 into 19 minutes. He was also developing the short before Cregger's film was announced, so this is not a quick attempt to grab onto the theatrical movie. It is nowhere near Cregger's Resident Evil, which remains one of my favorite horror films of the year. It does not need to be. If that movie sends more people looking for Resident Evil material, I hope some of them find this. Biohazard deserves the attention, possibly more than any fan film I have watched. It is not great. Some of the dialogue needs another pass, the story depends heavily on the audience already knowing the game and the 19-minute structure makes it feel like an impressive proof of concept instead of a completely satisfying short. Still, the effects are good, the location works, Riggs gives a solid performance and the entire production has a level of care that is usually missing from this corner of filmmaking. Most fan films remind me why I do not watch fan films. Biohazard is the rare one that made me glad I did. 6.8/10 Biohazard is now available free on YouTube.

By Devin Smock | More Horror SPOILERS THROUGHOUT The first four episodes of Mike Flanagan’s Carrie convinced me there was still a reason to tell this story again. Episodes five through eight are generally effective and occasionally great, but they also begin moving away from what made that first half work so well. The series stops digging through Stephen King’s novel for pieces the previous adaptations left behind and starts building something larger around it. I understand the temptation. This is an eight-episode television series released in 2026, not a two-hour movie made in 1976. It has to justify the extra time and acknowledge the world we currently live in. It also would not make much sense to retell the exact same story, frame by frame, and expect people to care. Most of the modernization works. The problem arrives when the show starts worrying about Carrie’s possible future before it has finished the story sitting directly in front of it. Episode five, “Physical Education,” continues one of the series’ smarter updates by turning Carrie’s humiliation into something that cannot be contained inside a locker room. Chris Hargensen’s Carrie Red account has made public cruelty portable. It follows Carrie through the halls, into her house and onto every phone pointed in her direction. Margaret responds by building her own online army and declaring war on Chris, the school and anybody else she believes has failed her daughter. Samantha Sloyan remains outstanding as Margaret. This version understands that Margaret can love Carrie and still destroy her. In fact, the love makes her more dangerous because it gives her a reason for everything. She can embarrass Carrie, control her and turn her pain into public content while remaining absolutely certain she is protecting her. Carrie also begins using her abilities deliberately. When she breaks Chris’s nose, it feels good for a second. Summer H. Howell lets that satisfaction register before the fear catches up with it. Carrie has spent her life being told she is powerless, dirty and wrong. Now she can move people without touching them. Of course some part of her enjoys it. That does not suddenly make her evil. It makes her human, which is more uncomfortable. The Emaline reveal also works at this point. Carrie learns that the one friend encouraging her to use her powers may not physically be there at all. The stolen footage showing Carrie speaking to an empty room is cruel in exactly the way this series understands. Even something private and possibly supernatural can become content for a pack of bored teenagers. “Home Economics,” the sixth episode, is probably the strongest of this group. The attempted mediation between the Whites and the Hargensens becomes a pressure cooker while students, parents and cameras gather outside. The staging keeps tightening the room until an apology that might have ended everything is deliberately ruined by Margaret. Then the anger spills into the parking lot. From a filmmaking perspective, this is where the longer format earns its keep. The conflict is mostly people sitting in a room, but the episode makes the world outside that room feel ready to burst through the walls. Carrie and Chris are still the center of it, but every adult arrives carrying a separate agenda. Nobody is actually listening to the two girls whose lives they claim to be protecting. The storyline involving Seth Peist’s suicide is heavy and probably could have used more room. Still, it gives the Carrie Red account consequences beyond Carrie. The show understands that exposing someone online is not automatically justice, even when one accusation happens to contain some truth. Once the crowd gets fed, it does not stop to check what parts are real. The episode ends with Carrie stopping Margaret’s hand before she can slap her and putting her inside the prayer closet. That reversal is simple, mean and completely earned. Margaret built the closet as a place to remove Carrie from the world. Now she is the one behind the door. “Romantic Literature” brings the story toward the night everybody knows is coming. Tommy asks Carrie to prom, Carrie stands in front of the town and argues that the students should still be allowed to have it, and Chris and Billy prepare the pig’s blood. There is no real mystery about where this is headed. The tension comes from watching Carrie briefly get the ordinary life she has been denied. The prom material works because the series lets Carrie enjoy herself before taking it away. Howell and Joel Oulette give Carrie and Tommy a believable kindness that does not feel like he is merely completing an assignment from Sue. Carrie made her dress. She came into the room frightened. Then she danced, smiled and won. For a few minutes, the story allows her to believe she belongs there. Then the bucket falls. The blood, the silence and the first nervous laugh still work. It is one of those images that has been copied and parodied so many times that making it frightening again is not easy. Flanagan and his crew manage it. The effects, sound and scale of the destruction in “AP Physics” are also impressive. Phones shatter, the gym collapses and the entire room turns into panic. Blood, glass, electricity. It is ugly and effective. My larger problem is what the episode does with Carrie’s responsibility. Emaline offers to take control, and much of the massacre happens while Carrie is no longer entirely steering her own body. I can see the screenwriting problem Flanagan was trying to solve. The audience has spent seven episodes caring about Carrie, and now the story expects us to watch her kill a gymnasium full of people, including students who had nothing to do with the prank. Letting Emaline take over keeps Carrie sympathetic and leaves her usable for whatever comes next. It is a clever solution on paper. It is also less interesting. The horror of Carrie has always lived inside the contradiction. Carrie is a victim, and Carrie becomes responsible for something terrible. Taking some of that choice away from her softens the ugliest part of the story. She still knowingly kills Chris and Billy, so the show does not completely wash the blood from her hands, but it does move much of the massacre onto Emaline. The result is bigger mythology and less tragedy. That mythology takes over much of the ending. Emaline is an astral projector. Adelaide and her group of psychically gifted women have been watching Carrie. The documentary interviews are not quite what they appeared to be. Carrie survives and leaves Chamberlain with Emaline, opening the road toward another season. Some of this is interesting. Carrie discovering that she is not the only person in the world with these abilities could lead somewhere worth watching. The idea also grows from material King placed around the edges of the novel. I understand why Flanagan wanted to pull on that thread. Still, the final two episodes feel less interested in uncovering parts of Carrie that the movies missed and more interested in turning Carrie into the entrance to a larger universe. That shift took me away from the intimate horror that worked so well earlier in the season. The first half gave the story room to breathe. The ending starts constructing hallways into other stories. The performances keep it together. Howell carries the fear, anger and confused pleasure of Carrie discovering what she can do. Sloyan makes Margaret frightening without turning her into a screaming religious cartoon. Alison Thornton gives Chris enough damage and desperation that she remains a person even when her choices become indefensible. Matthew Lillard also brings real warmth to Principal Grayle, a man trying to control something that has already grown beyond the school. Episodes five through eight are still good television. There are memorable sequences, strong performances and several choices I genuinely admire. They simply do not hit me as hard as the first four episodes. The closer the series gets to the blood everyone expects, the more attention it gives to the story that might happen afterward. I would watch that second season. I just wish this one had allowed Carrie’s story to finish bleeding before looking down the road. 6.8/10

The upcoming supernatural horror film brings the viral Tommy Taffy creepypasta to the big screen this winter. Bleecker Street has unveiled the first teaser trailer for THE THIRD PARENT, an upcoming supernatural horror film starring Rob Lowe (Salem's Lot), Crispin Glover (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), and Roselyn Sánchez (Rush Hour 2). Based on the viral internet horror stories by Elias Witherow, the film introduces audiences to Tommy Taffy, a disturbing figure with a particularly twisted understanding of family values. Written and directed by David Michaels, THE THIRD PARENT takes place during a Fourth of July celebration when a mysterious figure disguises himself as a human and infiltrates a suburban neighborhood. Calling himself Tommy Taffy, the sinister intruder imposes his own authoritarian rules on an unsuspecting family, turning their home into a nightmare. Crispin Glover takes on the role of Tommy Taffy, a character whose unsettling presence seems particularly suited to the actor's history of playing eccentric and deeply unpredictable personalities. Glover's involvement alone makes this one worth keeping an eye on, especially for horror fans familiar with his more unconventional performances. The film draws its inspiration from Witherow's The Third Parent, a story that originally gained attention through Reddit's r/nosleep community before expanding into a larger series of internet horror fiction. The character of Tommy Taffy has developed a reputation among creepypasta readers for his disturbing appearance and terrifying methods of controlling families. The newly released teaser offers an early glimpse of the film's suburban nightmare, with an uneasy encounter at the family home and flashes of disturbing imagery hinting at the horrors ahead. The premise taps into a particularly uncomfortable kind of terror: the idea that someone could enter your home and claim authority over the people you love. THE THIRD PARENT also stars Rafael de Belligny and Bethany Milner. Bleecker Street will bring the film to theaters this winter. Watch the first official teaser trailer for THE THIRD PARENT below. Stay tuned to MoreHorror.com for additional updates on THE THIRD PARENT as its theatrical release approaches.

Chris Jericho executive produces the upcoming indie horror-thriller from director Derek Sulek, inspired in part by the terror of Los Angeles' Night Stalker era. By Seth Metoyer | More Horror Independent horror-thriller Dead of Night has found its theatrical home. Level 33 Entertainment has acquired the film for distribution in the United States and Canada, with a theatrical release planned for November 13, 2026. Directed by Derek Sulek, the film features an ensemble cast led by Dermot Mulroney (Scream VI, My Best Friend's Wedding), Scott Grimes (Ted, Oppenheimer), Jake Busey (Stranger Things), and Kirrilee Berger (Unsung Hero). Professional wrestling legend, Fozzy frontman, and actor Chris Jericho, whose horror credits include Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3, serves as an executive producer. The story unfolds in the seemingly quiet town of Elmwood Heights, where the discovery of a teenage girl's savagely mutilated body sends shockwaves through the community. As additional murders follow, newly elected Mayor Alex Camacho scrambles to establish a neighborhood watch in hopes of restoring some sense of security. Meanwhile, Sheriff Weaver (Mulroney) finds himself racing to identify the killer as paranoia spreads throughout the town. His daughter Kelly (Berger), convinced there is something more sinister behind the murders, begins investigating the killer's motives herself. Her obsession with uncovering the truth could place her directly in the path of whoever is terrorizing Elmwood Heights. Although the film presents a fictional mystery, its inspiration comes from a very real chapter of Los Angeles history. The creative team drew partly from the atmosphere of fear surrounding the Night Stalker murders of the 1980s, when serial killer Richard Ramirez terrorized Southern California. That historical influence also informed the decision to shoot the production in Los Angeles. "Dead of Night was inspired in part by the fear that gripped Los Angeles during the Night Stalker era, so making the film here gave it an authenticity we couldn't manufacture somewhere else," the creative team explained in a statement. "We're incredibly proud of the local cast and crew who brought it to life and are excited to now bring an independent, LA-made horror film to audiences across the country." The film's acquisition represents another theatrical release for Level 33 Entertainment, which specializes in bringing independent films to audiences through theatrical, home entertainment, digital, and streaming distribution. "We are truly excited to be working with the talented team at Fade to Black Films and can’t wait to share this edge-of-your-seat thriller with theatrical audiences across the US and Canada this November," said Level 33 President and CEO Andreas Olavarria. Sulek directed Dead of Night from a screenplay he co-wrote with Eric Durham. Oren Kamara, Sulek, and Dan Sheldon produced the film, with Jijo Reed serving as co-producer. Executive producers include Jericho, Grimes, Ann Koch, Doug Johnson, and Matthew Ballard. Production took place in Los Angeles through Fade to Black Films in association with ZMA Films. Gato Scatena of Scatena & Rosner Films negotiated the distribution agreement on behalf of the filmmakers, with Olavarria and Taryn Procsal representing Level 33 Entertainment. With its small-town murder mystery, escalating paranoia, and real-world true-crime influences, Dead of Night looks to tap into the kind of dread that grows when an entire community begins wondering who might be responsible for the violence unfolding around them. Dead of Night is scheduled to arrive in U.S. and Canadian theaters on November 13, 2026. Watch the official teaser trailer: For additional information, visit DeadOfNightMovie.com and follow Fade to Black Films on Instagram.

Grindhouse brutality, biker-gang absurdity, and a little Tarantino attitude collide in this bloody, darkly funny horror short. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD: This review discusses plot details and select scenes from GRIM. You can watch the complete short film at the bottom of this article. By Seth Metoyer | More Horror Some movies have a particular kind of personality that immediately reminds me why I love independent horror. They're filthy, outrageous, occasionally ridiculous, and populated by characters who seem like they'd be perfectly comfortable starting a bar fight over absolutely nothing. Sean Haitz's GRIM is one of those films, and I had a pretty damn good time with it. Starring Brett Wagner, whose credits include Sons of Anarchy, The Crazies, and an appearance as Leatherface in the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, GRIM is a gritty, violent, and surprisingly funny outlaw horror short with a healthy appreciation for old-school exploitation cinema. It has the kind of grimy personality that immediately brought several films to mind, ranging from Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects to Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof. Strangely enough, I also caught myself thinking about the biker gang antics from Clint Eastwood's Every Which Way But Loose. Somehow, all those influences make sense when you're watching this thing. Stick with me here. The film opens with a particularly gruesome crime scene and a couple of investigators trying to make sense of the carnage. There's already a darkly comic streak running through the dialogue, with one officer confidently offering observations that seem almost hilariously obvious. It's an entertaining introduction to the film's twisted sense of humor, and we soon discover the kind of trouble that led to the bloody aftermath. A True American Outlaw Hero At the center of the chaos is Grim, played with considerable attitude by Wagner. Grim is a larger-than-life character who appears to live according to his own rather questionable set of rules. After refusing to take a dive in a fight, he finds himself in trouble with some decidedly unpleasant people who expected to make money from the arrangement. Their solution involves kidnapping his girlfriend Bella (Clair Brauer) and attempting to use her as leverage. Grim's initial reaction to the kidnapping is hilariously indifferent, suggesting his relationship with Bella might be just as dysfunctional as everything else in his life. Naturally, things get considerably more violent as he tracks down the people responsible. Wagner is terrific in the role. He has the kind of physical presence that makes Grim immediately believable as somebody capable of causing tremendous damage, and his comedic timing gives the character an entertaining edge. I particularly enjoyed the way he casually dismisses threats and insults people who clearly picked the wrong guy to mess with. This is where some of those cinematic comparisons started forming in my head. There's a lot of Rob Zombie's affection for degenerates and colorful lowlifes here, particularly the atmosphere of The Devil's Rejects. The dialogue and roughneck attitude also occasionally reminded me of Tarantino's Death Proof, especially the filmmaker's fondness for bringing larger-than-life personalities together in a world of vintage Americana, bad behavior, and sudden violence. Then there's that unexpected Every Which Way But Loose connection. Remember the Black Widows biker gang? Those guys always seemed to exist somewhere between legitimate menace and complete buffoonery. There's a similar energy running through the criminals in GRIM, where the intimidation and stupidity occasionally become inseparable. Grim himself might be one of the more entertaining examples of a true American white-trash, trailer-park antihero I've seen recently. I mean that affectionately. He's vulgar, violent, politically incorrect, and remarkably comfortable with who he is. There's something wonderfully refreshing about a character who seems to have abandoned any interest in appearing respectable. Bruise Tube, Weird Al and Some Seriously Nasty Gore One of the things I appreciated most about GRIM was how naturally the comedy fits into the violence. Haitz clearly enjoys the absurdity of these characters, and the performances lean into that sensibility. The "Bruise Tube" bit gave me a laugh, and there's a particularly funny exchange involving an injured criminal complaining about his arm while Grim continues making his situation considerably worse. A casual "My arm hurts" delivery cracked me up, especially considering the circumstances. There's also a Weird Al joke that arrives during another tense encounter, and it works precisely because the characters seem completely incapable of taking their own dangerous circumstances seriously. The humor gets pretty juvenile at times, which fits the material perfectly. These characters exist in a world where insults, threats, ridiculous conversations, and spectacular violence can all unfold within a few seconds of each other. And speaking of violence, the practical effects are brutal. There's some genuinely nasty gore here, particularly during the film's more aggressive confrontations. I appreciate filmmakers who understand the visceral appeal of practical effects, and GRIM delivers the kind of gruesome material that gives exploitation horror its wonderfully disgusting reputation. Andrea Davoren handled the special effects, with effects props by Cellar Creations and assistance from Isabella Santin. Brian Klewin contributed visual effects. For such a compact production, the team delivers some impressively memorable carnage. The acting across the board also deserves credit. Even the supporting characters with limited screen time bring something distinctive to the proceedings. The whole ensemble understands the strange little universe Haitz has created, and that consistency helps sell some of the more outrageous material. Two Days in the Desert and Plenty of Grindhouse Attitude What makes the finished product especially impressive is the production schedule. According to Haitz, the entire short came together during just two days of filming in Amboy and Morongo Valley, California. The director shared some additional background with More Horror: "GRIM is a raunchy, down-and-dirty film made on a shoestring budget. Brett Wagner—whose credits include Sons of Anarchy, The Crazies and playing Leatherface in the Kemper kill in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)—is a force of nature. Our small crew shot it in just two days in Amboy and Morongo Valley. I directed, shot, colored and edited, with Michael Trebilcock's score bringing that '70s and '80s vibe inspired by 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon. It's one of four connected shorts centered around Kharver, played by Bill Moseley, with the final installment coming soon." Those influences explain a lot about the film's personality. The action-comedy sensibility of 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon certainly comes through, particularly in the way the characters trade insults and absurd observations while surrounded by increasingly dangerous situations. I also appreciate how Haitz incorporates the desert environment into the film. There's something about those rugged Southern California landscapes that naturally lends itself to stories about outsiders, criminals, and people who seem to operate several miles outside the boundaries of civilized society. The soundtrack adds another layer to that atmosphere. The opening rock track, "Livin With Myself" by Richard Haitz, immediately establishes the film's attitude. Michael Trebilcock's score reinforces the retro action-movie sensibility, while the closing country-rock song, "Blown in the Wind" by Rockin' Rick Haitz, provides a fitting musical send-off. I genuinely dug both the opening and closing tunes. They give the film a distinctive identity and complement the outlaw atmosphere running throughout. Who the Hell Is Kharver? One of the more intriguing details arrives near the end of the film, when Grim makes a reference to somebody named Kharver. After the violence settles down, Grim remarks, "If Kharver could see me now," suggesting there's some existing history between the two characters. Shortly afterward, he receives a phone call from Kharver and agrees to help him, explaining that he still owes the man his life. Bella's reaction makes the exchange even more interesting. She clearly knows who Kharver is, finds him unsettling, and seems less than thrilled about Grim getting involved with him again. It turns out that Kharver is part of a larger interconnected horror universe that Haitz has been developing. The character, portrayed by horror veteran Bill Moseley, originally appeared in Haitz's Big Top Evil and connects several of the filmmaker's subsequent projects. Although Moseley doesn't appear onscreen in GRIM, the conversation near the end establishes Grim's relationship with Kharver and hints at unfinished business between them. Haitz confirms that GRIM is one of four connected short films, with the final installment on the way. I actually like this approach. The story works as its own self-contained piece of outlaw horror, while the brief reference to Kharver suggests a larger world beyond what we're watching. Grim clearly has some history with the character, and the implication that Kharver once saved his life raises a few interesting questions. Considering Moseley's history with films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Devil's Rejects, I'm particularly interested in seeing how these characters eventually come together. Final Thoughts: Long Live Grim GRIM is a bloody, funny, wonderfully trashy slice of independent horror that embraces its exploitation roots. Brett Wagner carries the film with an imposing performance and some great comedic moments, while Sean Haitz keeps the action moving with an energetic combination of violence, dark humor, and outrageous characters. The film has a personality all its own, shaped by those familiar elements of outlaw cinema that I enjoy so much. It's easy to see the appreciation for Rob Zombie's grimy Americana, Tarantino's affection for colorful lowlifes, and the irreverent attitude of older action comedies. Haitz filters those sensibilities through his own particular brand of grindhouse horror. What I enjoyed most was the unapologetic commitment to the material. The filmmakers clearly know exactly what kind of movie they're making, and everybody involved seems to be having a blast. There's some terrific practical gore, genuinely funny dialogue, and just enough backstory to make me curious about where Grim and Kharver's relationship is heading next. The final scenes also deliver some memorable domestic dysfunction, with Grim and Bella arguing in a manner that makes their relationship seem every bit as dangerous as the criminals they've just encountered. There's even a hilarious little exchange in which Grim makes an important distinction between being a murderer, a scumbag, and something considerably less flattering. I laughed. If you enjoy your horror with a healthy dose of sleaze, practical violence, and trailer-park attitude, GRIM is worth checking out. I'm especially curious to see how Haitz brings these interconnected stories together in the upcoming installment. And after witnessing some of the carnage in this one, I think Grim offers a valuable lesson about the dangers of overindulgence. Too much Taco Tuesday isn't good for ya. GRIM (2026) Written and directed by Sean Haitz Starring Brett Wagner, Clair Brauer, Alex Kravitz, David Vega, Aaron Prager, and Thomas Sutherland, with additional performances by Marco Tazioli, Robert Dunne, Honey Davenport, Emiliano Valenzuela, Hayden Roach, and Liam Carroll. Produced by Happy Fright Films LLC. Cinematography and editing by Sean Haitz. Original score by Michael Trebilcock. Special effects by Andrea Davoren, with effects props by Cellar Creations. Content Advisory: Intended for mature audiences. Contains graphic violence, gore, strong language, sexual humor, and adult themes. Watch GRIM (2026) | Full Horror Short Film Experience Sean Haitz's gritty outlaw horror short starring Brett Wagner. Contains graphic violence, strong language, and mature content.