Probably the greatest features of the Sundance Film Festival
is its Midnight Part, which generally brings quite a lot of horror movies which might be prepared and ready to make us leap or curl away from the display in disconcertment. In 2024, Steven Soderbergh’s Presence, a uniquely advised ghost story, shocked and awed, whereas Infinity Pool disgusted and disturbed. This yr’s Sundance Movie Competition has loads of new and thrilling horror choices which might be certain to have audiences speaking.
In the case of horror, pageant films are ingenious, taking the style to locations now we have by no means been to earlier than. That was the case with final yr’s I Noticed the TV Glow, which managed to keep up curiosity lengthy after its Sundance debut. We are able to by no means have an excessive amount of horror, because it’s a style with a lot to say and the place creativity can really soar. Sundance’s 2025 lineup seems to be simply as thrilling as in earlier years, with Ayo Edebiri, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Dev Patel, amongst others, starring in what can be a number of the most talked-about movies on the pageant.
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The Factor With Feathers
Written & Directed By Dylan Southern
Primarily based on Max Porter’s guide, Grief is the Factor with Feathers, the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring car is tinged with drama firstly. Nonetheless, we also needs to count on to be thrilled and chilled by its story, which follows Cumberbatch’s character and his two sons after the sudden lack of their spouse and mom, respectively. Among the finest horror movies are psychological ones, and The Factor with Feathers guarantees to be a fascinating one which offers with the aftermath of dropping a beloved one as Cumberbatch’s character loses his grip on what’s and isn’t actual.
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Different Horror Motion pictures Premiering At Sundance 2025 |
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Collectively |
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Contact Me |
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Lifeless Lover |
Cumberbatch has confirmed himself a reliably good actor who brings a spread of feelings to his roles. In The Factor with Feathers, the actor grapples with psychological stress as his character is seemingly stalked by a mysterious presence. Using horror and grief is at all times a profitable mixture, because the latter informs the feelings tethered to the latter, and The Factor with Feathers’ premise is as mysterious as it’s thrilling.
4
Opus
Written & Directed By Mark Anthony Inexperienced
There could be nothing creepier than being whisked off to a distant location and compelled to cope with no matter wild unknown awaits. In Opus, The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri is a author who’s invited to the personal compound of a singer (John Malkovich) who disappeared many years prior. Opus is consistent with the best unsettling horror films, but it surely additionally guarantees to be flashy and wildly entertaining. Edebiri has nice comedic timing and her fish-out-of-water state of affairs, particularly when realizing Malkovich’s pop star has a cult round him, is sure to be enjoyable and concurrently disturbing. The bonus: its commentary on movie star.
3
The Ugly Stepsister
Written & Directed By Emilie Blichfeldt
The Ugly Stepsister affords a comedic horror twist on the basic fairy story, centering on Cinderella’s stepsister, Elvira. Set in a kingdom obsessive about magnificence, Elvira competes together with her glamorous sibling, resorting to drastic measures to win the prince’s affection.
- Launch Date
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March 7, 2025
- Runtime
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105 minutes
- Forged
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Lea Mathilde Skar-Myren
, Thea Sofie Loch Næss
, Ane Dahl Torp
, Flo Fagerli
, Isac Calmroth
, Malte Gårdinger
, Ralph Carlsson
, Albin Weidenbladh
, Katarzyna Herman
, Adam Lundgren
, Willy Ramnek Petri
, Cecilia Forss
, Kyrre Hellum
, Richard Forsgren
, Agnieszka Żulewska
, Philip Lenkowsky
, Staffan Kolhammar - Writers
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Emilie Kristine Blichfeldt
It’s at all times thrilling when a film subverts fairy story expectations; turning them right into a horror-like state of affairs is all the higher. The Norwegian horror movie takes issues a step additional by having its primary character, Elvira, battle together with her stepsister for the prince’s affection. In The Ugly Stepsister, it’s all concerning the beliefs of magnificence and bodily perfection, which translate to literal battles throughout the world of the movie. The satire will embody fairly a little bit of physique horror, which could be fairly ugly however will little doubt dominate the dialog surrounding the movie, which is already thrilling contemplating its wealthy themes.
2
Rabbit Lure
Written & Directed By Bryn Chainey
Dev Patel in a horror movie. Want I say extra? Coming off of his directorial debut with last year’s Monkey Man, Patel stars as Darcy alongside Rosy McEwen’s Daphne. The pair painting a musician couple who strikes to a distant location in Wales. Everytime you hear “distant” location, issues are certainly about to get spooky. Such is the case with Rabbit Lure. The pair’s music impacts the native historical magic and brings with it a mysterious little one. Horror movie children can look concurrently harmless and terrifying on the similar time, and little doubt the identical would be the case right here.
Associated
This Australian psychological thriller has all the weather of an incredible film, however when it comes to emotional impression, it finally misses the mark.
It’s spectacular, and the truth that Rabbit Lure has to do with historical magic makes it all of the extra superbly mystifying. The movie is one other psychological horror Sundance provides to its pageant slate, because the little one’s arrival messes with Darcy and Daphne, shaking their lives up in a completely surprising approach, all whereas warping their time in Wales. Being remoted within the woods paired with people magic and a creepy little one is a one-way ticket to an elevated horror film expertise.
1
Didn’t Die
Written & Directed By Meera Menon
Did not Die is a post-apocalyptic thriller following a podcast host navigating a zombie apocalypse.
- Launch Date
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January 30, 2025
- Runtime
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89 minutes
- Forged
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Kiran Deol
, George Basil
, Samrat Chakrabarti
, Katie McCuen
, Vishal Vijayakumar - Director
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Meera Menon
Didn’t Die is a novel tackle the zombie apocalypse. The movie follows Vinita, who hosts a post-apocalyptic podcast. Her viewers isn’t as giant as earlier than the zombies arrived, however her world shifts when her ex arrives with a child. What I’m most enthusiastic about is Meera Menon’s directing selections, as the filmmaker is not any stranger to apocalyptic worlds or zombies, having directed episodes of The Strolling Lifeless and The Man within the Excessive Fort. With an intriguing premise and plush cinematography, Didn’t Die has all the things wanted to impress when it debuts at this yr’s Sundance Movie Competition.
