One other Sundance Movie Pageant kicks off tomorrow, bringing a brand new slate of style discoveries. Whereas the buzziest horror titles, like A24’s Opus, have already caught the eye of horror followers, Sundance excels at introducing rising filmmakers and thrilling function debuts.
Different anticipated horror premieres from the upcoming slate of programming consists of Alison Brie and Dave Franco‘s co-dependency horror film Collectively, and SpectreVision’s Celtic Faerie horror Rabbit Entice starring Dev Patel. But it surely’s solely the beginning of the horror we will’t wait to take a look at at this yr’s fest.
This yr’s Sundance options horror throughout all classes, guaranteeing a sturdy lineup of style titles. Listed below are 5 we completely can’t wait to see.
Useless Lover
Useless Lover, an official number of the Premieres program on the 2025 Sundance Movie Pageant. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
The newest by Booger filmmaker Grace Glowicki as soon as once more sees the rising indie expertise pulling triple responsibility as author, director, and star. Anticipate issues to get bizarre when a lonely gravedigger meets the person of her desires, just for her match to fulfill a tragic demise quickly after. However this gravedigger isn’t prepared to surrender on love so shortly, kickstarting a wave of untamed and morbid experiments to resurrect her man. If solely issues have been that simple. Glowicki beforehand delivered a charming efficiency and a definite visible voice with Booger, which is sufficient to put Useless Lover on our must-list.
Didn’t Die
Didn’t Die, an official number of the Premieres program on the 2025 Sundance Movie Pageant. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A tenacious, snarky podcaster desperately tries to construct an ever-shrinking viewers amidst the zombie apocalypse in director Meera Menon’s Didn’t Die. An homage to George A. Romero’s Evening of the Dwelling Useless in model and maverick filmmaking, don’t count on a simple zombie outbreak right here. As a substitute, Menon captures the anxieties and the mundanity of looking for normalcy in a world that gives something however. With an endlessly charming lead efficiency by Kiran Deol, this poignant slice of life gives a dramedy for the horror fan.
Contact Me
Contact Me, an official number of the Premieres program on the 2025 Sundance Movie Pageant. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Author/Director Addison Heimann’s follow-up to his function debut, Hypochondriac, continues his exploration of psychological well being in a distinctly distinctive method. Contact Me follows two codependent greatest pals with deep-seated traumas that solely gas their unhealthy habits. That turns into amplified to a dizzying diploma once they grow to be hooked on the euphoric contact of an alien narcissist who might or is probably not making an attempt to take over the world. Heimann attracts inspiration from retro Japanese cinema, positive to make for a unusual, campy sophomore effort that defies simple categorization.
The Ugly Stepsister
The Ugly Stepsister, an official number of the Premieres program on the 2025 Sundance Movie Pageant. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Emilie Blichfeldt’s new tackle Cinderella harkens again to the traditional fairy story’s violent roots because it reframes the story from the angle of stepsister Elvira. Magnificence is a brutal enterprise on this Norwegian interval horror film, and the battle for the Prince’s affection results in grotesque physique horror that’s grotesquely medieval. Beautiful manufacturing design, graphic close-ups of bodily hurt, and a depraved humorousness make this horror fairy story a should. Even higher? Shudder has already acquired The Ugly Stepsister for a 2025 launch.
The Virgin of Quarry Lake
The Virgin of Quarry Lake, darkish folklore and adolescent angst that pushes simmering self-empowerment to its boiling level.
The primary adaptation of celebrated creator Mariana Enríquez’s unsettling brief tales is already sufficient to have our consideration, however the fest’s description guarantees an intense function that locations a coming-of-age story amidst socio-economical unrest. Anticipate a genre-bender that marries darkish folklore with teen angst that feels destined to devastate.
