A24 has officially unveiled the first teaser trailer for Backrooms, offering the most extensive look yet at the highly anticipated horror adaptation of the viral internet phenomenon.
The trailer expands on the eerie teaser released earlier this week, diving deeper into the film’s unsettling liminal spaces, endless yellow corridors, flickering fluorescent lights, and the creeping paranoia that made the original online myth a global horror obsession. The footage emphasizes psychological dread over jump scares, leaning into atmosphere and isolation as its primary weapons.
Directed by Kane Parsons, whose YouTube short films helped popularize the Backrooms mythology, the feature adaptation marks a major leap from viral internet horror to a full-scale theatrical production. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Avan Jogia.
A24 confirmed that Backrooms will arrive exclusively in theaters on 29 May 2026, positioning it as one of the studio’s major late-spring horror releases. With the teaser trailer now circulating, early reactions online suggest strong anticipation for how the film will expand the minimalist dread of the original concept into a feature-length nightmare.
As internet-born horror continues to evolve into mainstream cinema, Backrooms could become one of the most fascinating genre experiments of 2026.
This is a story where monster hunting isn’t a holy crusade; it’s just a heavily unionized gig with terrible hours and a strict quota. When the supernatural meets the gig economy, the result is a violently entertaining collision of high-octane action and bureaucratic nightmares, proving that making a living in Los Angeles is tough, but making a killing is even harder.
Behind the unassuming facade of a dilapidated pool-cleaning van, a desperate father is racing against the clock. He needs ten thousand dollars in less than a week to prevent his ex-wife from moving their daughter across the country. His solution? A return to the lucrative, highly regulated underground world of vampire hunting. The currency of this hidden realm isn’t gold or crypto, but pulled fangs, traded at pawn shops, or submitted to an ancient, fiercely bureaucratic hunters’ union. To make the big bucks, our protagonist is forced to take a probationary union job, saddled with a nervous, rule-obsessed desk clerk as a mandatory partner.
What starts as a standard week of kicking in doors and collecting fangs quickly escalates when a routine kill targets the family of a powerful, ancient vampire. This apex predator isn’t just hiding in the shadows; she’s weaponizing the local real estate market, buying up the Valley block by block to create a permanent, sun-proof haven for her kind. As the hunter becomes the hunted, the narrative shifts from a frantic scramble for cash into a full-blown turf war. With the union breathing down his neck and an army of the undead closing in, the protagonist must navigate a treacherous underworld of rogue hunters, ancient grudges, and heavily armed vampires to protect the family he’s fighting so hard to keep.
✅ What Works
Blue-Collar Mythology: The narrative brilliantly grounds the supernatural in mundane bureaucracy. Treating vampire hunting like a labor union, complete with code violations, union reps, and pay grades, provides a hilarious and refreshing spin on the genre’s usually self-serious lore.
Kinetic, Lore-Driven Action: The story integrates its specific vampire mythology, where the undead are hyper-flexible contortionists, directly into the physical conflicts. This makes the close-quarters combat feel distinct, chaotic, and relentlessly unpredictable.
The Bureaucratic Buddy-Cop Dynamic: Pairing a rogue, rule-breaking hunter with an anxious, by-the-book desk jockey creates a perfect engine for conflict and exposition. The story uses their clashing methodologies to naturally explain the world’s rules while driving the plot’s comedic heartbeat.
Daytime Horror Subversion: The narrative cleverly flips the traditional “creatures of the night” trope by forcing the horror into the blinding California sun, utilizing UV rounds, heavy sunscreen, and blacked-out real estate to create a unique daytime threat.
❌ Where It Falls Short
A Formulaic Core Conflict: Beneath the inventive world-building, the central driving force, a desperate dad trying to scrounge up cash to stop his family from moving, is incredibly worn out. The narrative relies on this basic cliché rather than developing a more emotionally complex motivation for its hero.
Underbaked Villain Scheme: The antagonist’s master plan of using real estate acquisitions to gentrify the Valley for vampires is a brilliant satirical concept, but the story barely scratches the surface. It serves more as background noise than a fully explored narrative threat.
Tonal Whiplash: The story struggles to balance its various identities. It bounces erratically between a gory horror-thriller, an action blockbuster, and a slapstick comedy, causing some of the darker, more suspenseful moments to lose their edge.
Deus Ex Machina Resolutions: In the final act, the story writes itself into a corner and relies on sudden, overly convenient interventions from secondary characters to save the day, stripping the climax of some of its hard-earned tension.
⚖️ Final Verdict 3.5/5
Day Shift is a wild, blood-splattered ride that injects a much-needed dose of blue-collar grit into the vampire mythos. It’s a story that asks what happens when the undead meet the unwavering forces of capitalism and union dues, delivering a fast-paced, action-heavy spectacle that prioritizes fun over fear. It may not reinvent the emotional wheel, but as a hyper-violent, sun-drenched buddy-cop horror, it hits the quota with room to spare.
A24’s much-anticipated supernatural horror film Backrooms has just unveiled its official poster and confirmed release date, providing genre fans with their first substantial look at the project. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on 29 May 2026, setting up a scary late-spring arrival for one of this year’s most talked-about horror titles.
Based on the famous internet “Backrooms” creepypasta and anthology web series, the movie adapts that unsettling maze-like world into a feature-length nightmare. A24’s announcement also confirmed the film’s ensemble cast, led by Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Mark Duplass, with additional talent including Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, Avan Jogia, and more.
The first official poster showcases the eerie, unsettling vibe that made the Backrooms mythos a viral sensation, long stretches of yellowish carpet and fluorescent lighting that hint at labyrinthine dread and an atmosphere of relentless unease. A24’s involvement signals a strong creative vision, as the studio has built a reputation for supporting bold and distinctive horror films with arthouse sensibilities.
Backrooms will be pitted against other major spring films at the box office, including Passenger and Obsession, as it seeks to carve out an audience eager for a psychological, world-building horror experience rooted in internet lore. With its release date locked, horror fans now have a concrete target to circle on their calendars for what could become one of the most talked-about genre releases of 2026.
One of this month’s standout genre thrills is gearing up for its next life on streaming. The Mortuary Assistant, a supernatural horror film based on the popular 2022 video game, has officially announced its streaming launch on Shudder following its limited theatrical run earlier this month.
Directed by Jeremiah Kipp, The Mortuary Assistant stars Willa Holland and Paul Sparks in a chilling adaptation of the eerie interactive experience beloved by horror gamers. The film first debuted in theaters on 13 February 2026, giving fans a chance to experience its unsettling atmosphere on the big screen before its wider home release.
Following its cinematic window, the movie is confirmed to arrive on Shudder on 27 March 2026, bringing its haunting funeral-home terror to a global streaming audience. This rollout allows fans who missed the cinematic opening to catch the supernatural horror from home, while also giving the title time to build word-of-mouth.
The Mortuary Assistant blends ghostly dread with psychological tension as Holland’s character confronts inexplicable forces linked to her macabre workplace. With its roots in immersive gameplay, the film carries an atmospheric style that echoes its interactive source material while offering cinematic scares grounded in mood and suspense.
As Shudder continues to expand its horror catalog in 2026, The Mortuary Assistant joins a growing list of indie and genre fare that benefits from both theatrical exposure and dedicated streaming distribution. Fans looking for spooky late-winter viewing now have a clear date to mark in their calendars.
Follows three best friends who involuntarily prepare for Hooper Industries’ annual New Year’s Eve party, which turns deadly when a murderer sets his sights on them.
The controversial new slasher thriller Psycho Killer has officially hit theaters today, and early reactions are already spreading online as critics and fans weigh in on the highly anticipated release. (The film finally opened today after a long build-up, with critics beginning to share their takes within hours of its debut.)
Penned by Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en, Sleepy Hollow) and directed by Gavin Polone, Psycho Killer brings a grim serial-killer story to the big screen following its 20 February 2026 release by 20th Century Studios.
Initial reviews today have leaned sharply critical. Some outlets describe the film as “dated,” “uninspired,” and “a nothing burger of a movie”, arguing that its execution fails to live up to the pedigree of its creative team. The relentless slasher approach and bleak tone have divided reactions, with only a handful of viewers appreciating its throwback slasher energy.
A major review published today also called the film “bland and unnecessary”, saying that the pacing and scares do not justify the years of anticipation surrounding the project. Critics pointed out that while the movie hits its expected beats, a satanic-slasher plot, bloody confrontations, and gritty chase sequences, it doesn’t distinguish itself above genre conventions.
Despite the mixed critical response, Psycho Killer has already sparked conversation within horror communities and social media forums, where audience reactions range from praise for its throwback style to disappointment in its lack of innovation.
Starring Georgina Campbell, James Preston Rogers, and Malcolm McDowell, the film invites genre fans to judge for themselves whether it lives up to its hype as it expands into more theaters this weekend.
As Psycho Killer continues its theatrical rollout, box office performance and audience sentiment will be key to determining its place among 2026’s horror slate, whether as a cult camp favorite or a controversial misfire.
The gritty new slasher thriller Psycho Killer is officially heading to theaters tomorrow, February 20, 2026, but fans hoping to watch it at home right away will need to be patient.
Directed by Gavin Polone and written by Andrew Kevin Walker (best known for Se7en), Psycho Killer follows a determined police officer hunting a brutal serial murderer known as the “Satanic Slasher.” The film leans hard into raw violence and bleak suspense, positioning itself as one of February’s most intense horror releases.
As of today, Psycho Killer is not available on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. The film is launching exclusively in theaters first, with digital and streaming plans expected later. Because it’s a 20th Century Studios title, industry tracking suggests it’s more likely to land on Hulu or Disney+ after its theatrical window, though no official streaming date has been announced yet.
The movie stars Georgina Campbell, alongside Malcolm McDowell, delivering a grounded performance amid the film’s brutal cat-and-mouse tension. Early promotional clips have highlighted the movie’s hard-R approach, emphasizing bloody confrontations and psychological pressure rather than glossy slasher spectacle.
With its theatrical debut arriving tomorrow, Psycho Killer is shaping up to be a must-see for fans of gritty serial-killer horror, especially for viewers craving something darker than the usual studio scare fare.
Independent horror filmmaker P.J. Starks is back with New Fears Eve — a blood-soaked slasher now streaming across multiple platforms after its Cineverse release. We talked with Starks about the film’s origin, the biggest production hurdles, his favorite practical-effect kills, and what’s next on his indie horror slate.
What was the original spark for New Fears Eve — and what did you want the film to feel like?
P.J.: There was no fully realized concept originally other than the title. Later I conceived it as another anthology, then reworked it into a single narrative feature. Once the idea came together, I didn’t want it to be a throwback per say but a slasher that could stand on its own merit. That’s not to say it doesn’t homage other more well-known classics in the sub-genre, because it does. I love nuance and tipping a hat to the films that influenced me. However, I did want it to feel more like a 90s slasher than something more modern.
What’s the “elevator pitch” for someone who hasn’t heard of it yet?
P.J.: Three best friends are all preparing for a mandatory New Year’s Eve work party that none of them wants to go to. Unbeknownst to them they’re being stalked by a sadistic serial killer known as The Doctor, who is being hunted by the police and FBI. He follows them to the party where the bloodshed escalates and the body count rises.
What was the biggest production challenge you ran into, and how did you solve it?
P.J.: Typically, films are logistical nightmares, but this production ran surprisingly smoothly. We had mostly small hiccups with scheduling, or someone was running behind. We did have to replace a supporting actor after filming had begun and needed to reshoot a couple of scenes, but that was the largest issue. The biggest challenges were battling the elements like the heat or there was another scene we filmed late at night, and it was nine degrees outside. Thankfully, by the grace of God we were able to do most everything we wanted on this film.
Was there a specific scene that was the hardest to pull off (logistically or creatively)?
New Fears Eve interview with P.J. Starks
P.J.: Several scenes were larger in scope or had big set pieces, so they came with their own levels of difficulty. There’s a Kill Room scene where a room full of people are murdered. We had to build a bunch of tables that were made to hold dummies, while the main kill table had to hold an actual person as well as have all the bells and whistles to show the gore. The aftermath scenes are another example as they featured law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, and a fire truck. Those scenes required a bunch of extras portraying paramedics, cops and FBI agents on top of having actual medics and police in the scene. There was a lot of planning and coordination to pull off those moments.
What was your approach to balancing scares, tension, and character moments?
P.J.: When I wrote the script I couldn’t say I was trying to consciously balance all those elements. I approached the story in the most organic way possible and injected the humor where it felt best. I can say I wanted most of the horror to be taken seriously, even when it was over-the-top. The Doctor was also, sans maybe two times in the script, to be taken seriously to keep his menace and threatening nature at the forefront. A lot of the character moments are taken directly from my real life. If you’ve seen the film, you might not immediately realize how personal this screenplay is to me but beneath the blood and sophomoric one-upmanship, there’s drama and a deeply rooted story woven throughout.
New Fears Eve interview with P.J. Starks
Any practical effects / DIY tricks you’re especially proud of?
P.J.: Stephen Hodke, Isa Morales and Blaze Bolden were our special effects team, and they did a great job considering the time and budgetary constraints. The kills I’m most proud of are the toilet disembowelment, the death by sex toy and one character who gets her head smashed against a plate glass door until her face is a bloody pulp.
How did the Cineverse acquisition happen, and what did that change for the release?
P.J.: Jeffrey (Reddick) was a producer on the project and championed it the whole way. He was integral during the post-production phase. Jeffrey got the movie into the hands of Brad Miska, who then got it over to Cineverse. The rest is horror history.
What do you hope horror fans talk about after watching the film?
P.J.: If you have fun watching the film, that’s all the matters to us. My producing partner, Eric and I both have been continuously pleased with the reaction to the movie from both critics and horror fans. It’s been interesting to see what someone pulls from their experience watching NFE. Some have picked up on the deeper meanings, some have had a great time picking up on or looking for the easter eggs, others have fixated on the gore, the comedy or a bit of both. Overall, it’s been a fun ride seeing how much the film has resonated with viewers.
What did you learn making this feature that you’ll carry into the next one?
P.J.: I’ve always said that every film is basically learning what not to do next time. If anything, it’s about strengthening coordination between departments, building better communication, and finding more effective ways to streamline the process. A lot of this can happen by finding the right people for new positions not previously on our sets and trusting them to help make a better product. That’s what we’ve always done and will continue to do as we move into other productions.
What’s next for you — anything you can tease?
P.J.: I have an idea for New Fears Eve 2, so we’d love to keep telling this story. The goal is a franchise, but the budget will be more substantial, so we need to find that rich doctor with expendable income who also loves scary movies [laughs]. Eric and I are producers on The Barn Part III that is preparing for it’s Pennsylvania premiere. There’s also a finishing funds campaign and if anyone is interested, they can check it out here:
I’m also serving as a producer on The Last Sleepover being shot around the Louisville area. It features Felissa (Rose) and Lisa Wilcox. It’s a revenge slasher that I’m excited for everyone to check out. We’re about to get back on set to finish out filming, so please keep your eyes peeled for that. Lastly, I’m producing another film with Felissa that’s going to be shooting this year in LA called Half-O-Ween. I’m always on the lookout for other potential films to get involved with, but those are the active movies I’m working on.
