In our current moment, it feels like there are multiple existential crisis events happening at the same time. The AI bubble shows signs of eventually popping, greed has become the de facto personality trait for anyone with a little bit of money, and climate change is turning our world into a convection oven. Needless to say, it’s a lot, and we’re all going through it. In fact, one wouldn’t be blamed if they occasionally wonder where this dystopian timeline is heading, and what the consequences of current actions will be on future states. It’s the kind of thing that has billionaires rushing to build bunkers so they can hide away from the mess they’ve created, and Christian Ward and Sami Kivelä know that all too well. In their new six-issue series, “The Forever Home,” from Oni Press, an eccentric billionaire keeps his family safe from the end of the world, but salvation comes at a cost.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

Infamous billionaire scientist Henry D'mour could have saved the world. But he didn't. Instead, in a desperate bid to save himself, his wife, and their two children, he constructed THE FOREVER HOME—an ark of luxury and ultramodern convenience insulated from the agony of the planet’s death throes outside its walls . . . and even time itself. Inside THE FOREVER HOME, only 20 minutes pass for every year on the outside . . . allowing the D’mour family to slowly enact their plans for a new world as their automated environment and robotic companions keep them safe. Safe on the inside. Always inside. Until a childish misstep accidentally breaks THE FOREVER HOME’s barrier . . . and what’s outside decides it wants back in . . .

HOW IS IT?

As far as first issues go, “The Forever Home” is damn-near perfect. Within the 32 pages of issue 1, we have a base understanding of the current and future world we are transported to, where a billionaire scientist uses his intelligence and wealth to make a “forever home” for himself, his wife, and his two kids. The catch with this home is that time passes differently inside of it, as 20 minutes inside accounts for a full year on the outside. The family watches as the barren wasteland that they live in springs back to life over what amounts to six years inside, but vastly more on the outside. Given that this is the first of six issues to come, we feel sufficiently set up for an engrossing story while having enough to keep us salivating for what’s to come!

What is apparent after this first issue is that Henry D’mour represents the worst of the current billionaire class, with the exception that he’s genuinely intelligent rather than feigning it to justify massive wealth. At first we get a sense of what life was like shortly after the collapse, but then jump to a later state where the tone inside the home is markedly different. Henry’s wife, Elisabeth, is more distant from him as Henry becomes almost ravenous, and his kids, Sarah and Tommy, are growing immensely curious about the world around them that they’re not allowed to visit. That is, until Tommy messes around and gets trapped outside, and Henry refuses to open the doors back up to avoid letting others in. It’s such a common refrain from those who “have” to not help those who don’t, and the proverbial pulling up of the ladder approach seems to know no loyalty, even to family.

Where things end on issue one is a bit of a surprise, and it sets up a fascinating conflict that accounts for both the family dynamics established here as well as the lore around how time works both in and outside of the home. What seems to be building is a kind of “us vs them” scenario that pits the outsiders against Henry, Elisabeth, and Sarah, but we’re inclined to believe there’s far more to it, and that’s what makes this first issue so captivating. We are given enough information to create a foundation, but we don’t have all the details to be able to predict where things are going. Given this is going to wrap up in six issues, we’re very curious to see where it goes because not only is Ward’s writing superb, but the art from Kivelä is the perfect pairing of the pulpy comic stylings of the 1950s with a modern flair of Jetsons-esque nuclear family futurism.

LAST RITES

“The Forever Home” does a fantastic job of establishing an intriguing confrontation in a futile future that is more than just a post-apocalyptic war. What excites us about Ward and Kivelä’s series is the excellent worldbuilding paired with the elegant artwork that enhances, not detracts, from the powerful story emerging!

THE GORY DETAILS

Written By

Christian Ward

Illustrated By

Sami Kivelä

Lettering

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Coloring

Jason Wordie

Where can you read it?

“Forever Home #1” will be available at comic book shops and online retailers on September 9, 2026.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

One of my favorite horror tropes is when the horror takes place in a theater. Something about the sanctity of that place being disrupted isn’t just meta; it’s terrifying. But if you really wanna get me going, horror movies that take place in a theater where the movie being watched in-film impacts the story, then that’s the way to do it. It may sound like an overly complex setup, and it kinda is, but we don’t movie kink shame in these parts. Even if we did, that wouldn’t stop the mad geniuses at Visual Vengeance from releasing such gems as one of their latest, “The Paranormal.”

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

Something is haunting the Englewood movie theater. A paranormal investigator is called in and finds himself sealed inside the theater as the zombie movie playing suddenly becomes real. The undead spill into the aisles and must be stopped.

HOW IS IT?

Going into a Visual Vengeance title is all about keeping an open mind and reasonable expectations. While many struggle to enjoy SOV cinema simply because of how lo-fi it is, there’s an indelible charm that keeps folks like yours truly and many others tuning into these often odd regional genre films. “The Paranormal” is one of the more focused features to come out of the boutique label’s growing library, and is certainly one of the more approachable and coherent films in comparison to others. Strangely, it’s one of the few examples of a film that actually could’ve gone on a little longer than it does!

The setup for “The Paranormal” is quite standard as paranormal investigators descend upon a small, rundown old theater that also happens to be the hometown of the lead investigator, Kyle Jennings (Todd Norris). This homecoming is more than “just business” as he begins to rekindle an old flame with the now-theater owner, Lynne (Aubrey Crabtree). Kyle’s boss, Dr. Cass Charbonneau (Lisa Winegar), tags along and is adamant that Kyle is chasing a whole bunch of nothing, and the projectionist, Johnnie (Gina Tarantino), provides some comic relief along the way. Kyle is tracking down some strange readings, and they are coming from an old reel of film that is blurring the lines between the film’s world and reality, threatening to take everyone down overnight!

This could’ve easily been a schlocky and lazy paranormal feature, but filmmaker Todd Norris, who stars in the film, takes the material with just enough seriousness to get buy-in from the viewer. Unlike other films in the VV catalog, this one isn’t as absurd or over-the-top with violence or nudity, but it does contain some admirable DIY practical effects that hide the fact this is a very low-budget feature. The characters can be a little ropey, but that’s to be expected considering many of them are likely amateur actors or not formally trained. Still, they do as well as they can, and thankfully they have good enough chemistry with one another to sell the overall vision. The only downside is that the ending comes up a bit quickly and doesn’t feel as satisfying as it could have been given more time to develop.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

As usual, Visual Vengeance films are often SOV fare and “The Paranormal” is no exception. The cleanup job is quite good considering they had the original tape materials to use, but there’s only so much one can do for videotape masters, as many know. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect is that despite being SOV and having a tiny budget, it’s shot well and the use of some in-camera tricks is a good addition. It does suffer from some scenes being quite dark, but that’s more of a lighting issue combined with limitations of video at the time, so we won’t hold it against it!

Images from this release are used throughout this review.

HOW DOES IT SOUND?

In terms of sound, “The Paranormal” features a 2.0 Dolby Stereo audio track accompanied by English subtitles for those who prefer to watch with them. The audio quality is quite good, even if it doesn’t have as much depth, but it’s serviceable for this film considering the action is quite light and it mostly traffics in atmosphere save for the third act.

ANYTHING SPECIAL?

Like always, Visual Vengeance has stacked this release with all sorts of new and old material to create the definitive version of a movie many people may not have heard of. The first feature we checked out was the New Cast and Crew Interviews, which is a relatively short 9-minute edit of different interviews conducted in-person and over Zoom. Todd Norris speaks with Lisa Winegar and Jeff Sission, who not only did some acting work, but also the special effects work. They talk about casting and how, for some, this was their first feature, breaking away from corporate training video acting as well, and despite its short length is a densely packed cut of anecdotes.

The next feature was another short one, but a curio piece with The Paranormal Channel 5 TV Airing Bumpers, which is a roughly 3-minute cut of different short vignettes of Todd Norris talking about making the film. One thing he is immensely proud of is how the film was made for $3,000, and he’s very passionate about the film community in Kansas City all the way back in the late '90s. It took Todd 4 years to make the film, and he mentions some of the continuity errors about how he aged and his haircut changed over time. We didn’t notice these things, but then again, we weren’t looking for them!

A full list of special features is listed below.

Special Features

• Region Free Blu-ray

• New director-supervised transfer from original tape elements

• Commentary with director Todd Norris

• Commentary with director Todd Norris and Composer Paul Roberts

• New Cast and Crew Interviews

• The Two Todds: Todd Norris and Todd Sheets interview

• The Paranormal Channel 5 TV Airing Bumpers

• Blooper Reel

• Deleted Scenes

• Original Script Excerpts

• Storyboard Gallery

• Short Film: The Closet

• Short Film: L…

• Short Film: Night of the Growling

• Short Film: Parallax

• Visual Vengeance Trailer

• Trailers

• Optional English subtitles

• Folded mini-poster with art by Giorgio Credaro

• Reversible Sleeve Featuring Original VHS Art

• 'Stick Your Own' VHS Sticker Set

• Limited Edition O-CARD featuring art by Uncle Frank - FIRST PRESSING ONLY

• Limited Edition 'Ghost Finder' viewer - FIRST PRESSING ONLY

• Limited Edition Promo flyer for 'Z is For Zombie' movie

• Featuring original sleeve art by The Dude

LAST RITES

In the spirit of the iconic 1985 Italian shocker, “Demons,” “The Paranormal” arises as a SOV gem that is as captivating as it is entertaining. Visual Vengeance has another win on their hands that doesn’t just shine a light on a lesser-known film, but gives it the deluxe treatment for all collectors!

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends at MVD Entertainment for providing a review copy for the crypt! “The Paranormal” is available now and can be purchased via MVD DIRECT!

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

It’s more than halfway through 2026 at this point, and it’s safe to say that we are once again in the throes of a really great year for the genre. While this isn’t surprising, given the attention and investment that horror has received over the years, what is most inspiring is that innovation and bold ideas still have a place among the more commercial side of the genre. Take “Nightborn,” the second feature from Hanna Bergholm, which arrives on Shudder today. It’s both treading familiar waters with a story about the horror of postpartum, but it delivers that familiarity in a novel way that is at times darkly funny, but also deeply personal.

Hanna was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about the process, and in particular how her own experience becoming a mother helped to shape the narrative. Even more interesting is the crowdsourcing that Hanna did with friends and peers to understand if what she was experiencing was shared amongst others. All of this on the heels of “Nightborn” being named “Best Film” at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival’s Cheval Noir Awards. It’s a wonderful discussion for an outstanding film, and we hope you enjoy watching it!

“Nightborn” is available to stream today on Shudder!

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

We get a lot of news here at Macabre Daily, and frankly, we just can’t cover it all. The signs of a healthy horror genre also mean that the volume of announcements can become overwhelming, but at the same time, we know this means that the genre is alive and thriving. At Macabre Daily’s Trailer Park, we aggregate some of the best trailers coming out so you don’t miss out on a single new piece of horror media!

Trailers are our window into the future, or at least they give us quite a few hints about what a film’s vibe will be, what it’s about, and, more importantly, give us just enough information to tantalize us into seeing it. Whether you avoid trailers or run towards them, we have a roundup of some of the best and brightest previews coming soon to a theater and VOD service near you, including…

“Blood Shine”

Dark Sky Films

Editor’s Note: The collective “we” of Macabre Daily are SO happy that “Blood Shine” is finally making its way to the masses! This has been a favorite film for all who’ve seen it, and we had the pleasure of introducing the film and facilitating a Q&A with Emily and Justin at this year’s Chattanooga Film Festival. Please check out some of our previous coverage of this amazing film, and with more to come!

Synopsis: Set in a desolate expanse of upstate New York, Blood Shine centers around Clara, a religious zealot who worships light in lonely, sacred rituals. When problematic horror director Brighton West travels upstate to finish the screenplay for his next film, a chance encounter with Clara leads him into a hallucinatory web of faith, flesh, and the sublime.

Writers/Directors: Emily Bennett & Justin Brooks

Starring: Emily Bennett, David Call, Brendan Saxton III, Larry Fessenden, Toby Poser, Kyle Minshew, Maurice P. Kerry

Release Date: “BLOOD SHINE” is coming to theaters + VOD/Digital Platforms August 21st from Dark Sky Films

“Bury The Devil”

Brainstorm Media

Synopsis: When her dementia patient begins behaving strangely, a nurse suspects things are not what they seem. As the night unfolds, she soon discovers she is trapped with a demonic presence seeping through the cracks of the old home.

Directed by: Adam O'Brien

Written by: John Petrizzi, Brad Hodson

Starring: Dawn Ford, Emmanuelle Lussier Martinez, Bill Rowat

Release Date: August 21, 2026, in select theaters and on-demand

“Turning Point”

Lionsgate

Synopsis: There is danger in the night, but the true terror is inside the house. Trapped within the home of a zombie in transition, Margot and her partner in crime must find their way out before they become the ghoul’s first victims. Their only hope for survival is a bizarre neighbor with expert knowledge of the undead and the flicker of humanity remaining in their mutating stalker.

Writer/Director: Joshua Wagner

Starring: Jillian Lee Garner, Mike Apple, Shane Brady, Lydia Hearst, Sanchita Malik, and DJ Qualls

Release Date: August 25, 2026, on digital on-demand

“Penny Lane Is Dead”

Shudder

Synopsis: Set on a hot summer’s night in 1986 Australia, Penny Lane is celebrating getting into college with her longtime girlfriends Toni and Amy. The night, however, does not turn out as planned. After Penny's jealous and troubled cousin Kat decides a cruel prank is in order, what begins as a thoughtless spiked cupcake game spirals into a night of bloodshed.

Writer/Director: Mia-kate Russell

Starring: Sophie Wright-Mendelsohn, Tahlee Fereday, Alexandra Jensen, Bailey Spalding, Ben O’Toole, Steve Le Marquand, and Fletcher Humphrys

Release Date: Available to stream on Shudder on August 28, 2026!

“Who’s Watching”

Dark Sky Films

Synopsis: Eccentric musician and aspiring filmmaker Caleb becomes obsessed with his new coworker, Krista, secretly documenting every aspect of her life in an effort to make her the subject of his latest film. As Caleb’s fixation intensifies, the lines between observer and participant begin to blur, pulling him deeper into a dangerous spiral of surveillance, manipulation, and obsession. As the cameras keep rolling, the question becomes increasingly unsettling: who is really watching who?

Writer/Directer: Tim Kasher

Starring: Zachary Ray Sherman, Gracie Gillam, Olivia Luccardi, and Steve Berg

Release Date: On digital platforms and select theaters across the United States on September 18, 2026 (Roxy Cinema in New York City and Laemmle's Glendale in Los Angeles) September 18, 2026.

Ahead of its digital release, Kasher will embark on a “WHO’S WATCHING” roadshow of special theatrical preview events. Each event will feature an advance screening of “WHO’S WATCHING” followed by a short acoustic set and Q&A with writer/director Kasher.

The “WHO’S WATCHING” preview tour will visit:

• August 10 – Film Exchange – Oklahoma City, OK
• August 11 – Screenland Armour – Kansas City, MO
• August 12 – Film Streams Dundee Theater – Omaha, NE
• August 13 – Heights Theater – Minneapolis, MN
• August 15 – Wealthy Theatre – Grand Rapids, MI
• August 16 – Nightlight Cinema – Akron, OH
• August 17 – Oaks Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
• August 18 – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA

• August 19 – Zoetropolis – Lancaster, PA

• August 23 – Broad Theater – New Orleans, LA
• August 24 – Galaxy Theatres – Austin, TX
• August 26 – Texas Theatre – Dallas, TX
• August 27 – Roxy Stadium 14 – Santa Rosa, CA
• August 30 – Digital Gym Cinema – San Diego, CA

“Victorian Psycho”

Bleecker Street Films

Synopsis: In the Year of our Lord 1858, an unusual governess named Winifred Notty arrives at the gothic manor known as EnsorHouse. Winifred's responsibilities include teaching the children table manners and educating them about their family history - all whilst hiding her own psychopathic tendencies. But as staff members begin disappearing, the owners of the estate start to wonder if there may be something amiss with their new governess...

“Victorian Psycho” invites us into the mind of a psychopath - trapped in a world she cannot control, living on the border between insurrection and madness!

Director: Zachary Wigon

Writer: Virginia Faito

Cast: Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Ruth Wilson, and Thomasin McKenzie

Release Date: In theaters on September 25, 2026!

“Other Mommy”

Universal Pictures / Blumhouse Atomic Monster

From James Wan, one of the most influential architects of modern horror behind the “Saw,” “Insidious,” and “The Conjuring” franchises—and Rob Savage, the director of bold genre films “Host” and “The Boogeyman,” comes a terrifying trip into the darkening world of a young girl, Bela, who forms a relationship with a sinister entity in her home who looks uncannily like her own mother.

Academy Award® winner Jessica Chastain (“It Chapter Two,” “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) stars in a dual role as Bela’s mother and as “Other Mommy,” a manifestation of the entity. Jay Duplass (“Transparent,” “Industry”) plays Daddo, Bela’s father, and Arabella Olivia Clark (“The Housemaid,” “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle”) plays Bela.

The impressive supporting cast includes Actor Award nominee Dichen Lachman (“Severance”), Emmy and Tony Award nominee Arian Moayed (“Succession”), and screen legend Karen Allen (“Indiana Jones” films). From Blumhouse Atomic Monster, “Other Mommy” is directed by Rob Savage from a screenplay by WGA Award winner Nathan Elston, writer for the Emmy-winning sensation “Succession,” based on the New York Times bestselling novel “Incidents Around the House” by Josh Malerman (Bird Box).

Release Date: October 9, 2026, in theaters.

“Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz”

Synopsis: On Halloween night, a viral internet challenge unleashes Dorothy, the Wicked Witch, and more nightmarish characters on an unsuspecting California town. As the curse spreads, the line between myth and memory begins to disappear for a group of struggling college athletes. One student must confront her trauma before it consumes everyone around her.

Writer/Director: Elijah J. Alvarez

Starring: Adrienne Tabag, Caia Bonner, Jordan Sklansky, Aziah King, Andrew Wang, and Thomas Shan

Release Date: Currently in post-production, “Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz” is aiming for a fall 2026 premiere.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

Agatha Andrews does it all. Not only is she one of the best podcasters out there with “She Wore Black,” an amazing deep dive into all things horror, gothic, dark romance, and dark fantasy, but she does it with some of the most incredible voices writing horror today! Lately, each episode has been doing a deep dive into a theme; that theme is then discussed by both Agatha and the guest, and book suggestions and read-alikes are laid out for the listener like the best buffet you’ve ever been invited to!. We are not worthy!

Agatha was kind enough to join us to discuss her amazing podcast, how it all came about, some of her favorites in the genre, and so much more. Along the way, we find out that Agatha is finishing up a book on the amazing cover art from the 60s and 70s that adorned gothic romance paperbacks, titled “Women Running From Houses.” We cannot wait to get our hands on this one. For now, sit back and listen to this remarkable horror icon, and enjoy!

You can follow Agatha Andrews on Instagram here.

You can listen to “She Wore Black” on Spotify and Apple iTunes.

Check out agathaandrewsauthor.com

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

The shark-attack movie has been a summer tradition ever since “Shark Week” became a late-July/early-August staple. Now, to be fair, shark-attack films have been around for the last fifty years, ever since Bruce terrorized Amity Island. “JAWS” has since claimed the July 4th weekend, and is now so firmly rooted in the holiday tradition that if you don’t “crush one with Quint,” you feel you haven’t fully celebrated. That leaves precious few weekends left between Memorial Day and Labor Day to get your chomp on. Luckily, like bathers deliciously bobbing in the surf, there’s no shortage of fintacular films to choose from. The newest Sharksploitation to hit screens this summer is “The Devil’s Mouth.” A Kathryn Newton project directed by Jeff Wadlow, written by Aja Gabel and Myung Joh Wasner. It won’t redefine Sharkspoitation by any means, but we can think of a lot worse ways to spend 105 minutes. No treading water here; let’s dive in!

SYNOPSIS:

A group of college friends' Thailand adventure turns deadly when they become trapped in submerged caves with a dangerous predator. As oxygen runs low, past conflicts emerge in their desperate fight for survival.

SHARKSPLOITATION AS SLASHER:

We have to begin by defining what Sharkspoitation has evolved into in 2026. It is, and has been for the last fifteen years, a highly entertaining interpretation of classic slashers. Most will be familiar with the standards. There were the man/woman-vs.-nature films like “JAWS,” “Open Water,” and “The Shallows.” Then there were the science-run-amok films like “Deep Blue Sea” and “Under Paris” (a hidden gem and soon to get a sequel). Around 2011, a new format began to emerge with “Shark Night 3D,” one that took the tried-and-true formula of the summer camp slasher and submerged it to strike box office gold, or at least, in that case, a decent $41 million return on its $25 million budget. For those unfamiliar with the summer camp slasher formula, it's simple enough. Good-looking teens take to the woods where they either drink, smoke weed, or have sex. The lucky ones get to do all three before meeting the business end of any number of sharp implements. That’s it. Scores of prominent actors, screenwriters, and directors have cut their teeth in the subgenre, some lucky enough to be in iconic classics from the eighties. Hang out while the credits roll on any number of these films and you’re bound to come across a Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, or Kevin Bacon. It’s a simple formula: a group of actors, a single location, and mayhem ensues.

Now take that exact same concept, throw boardshorts and bikinis on it, and replace the masked killer with an apex predator or two looking for a snack, and you have a completely new subgenre within the subgenre. To be fair, “JAWS 2” was the first to embrace this concept, but coming off “JAWS,” it shrank in comparison and failed to ignite the trend. It would take a little over 30 years before studios, both indie and mainstream, would start rolling these films out like clockwork. Now, these films are the norm. Movies like “Bait,” “47 Meters Down,” “No Way Up,” Deep Water,” and “Beast of War” (another stellar standout) are all over streaming, but cruise through Tubi, and you’ll be inundated with straight-to-streaming fin flicks that spread across the platform like chum. (Side note: “CHUM” is literally one of the new films to hit the small screen this summer). It really does mimic the VHS slasher craze of the mid-eighties, where there are so many choices, it’s hard to know what’s worth your time.

OUR TAKE:

Rest assured, “The Devil’s Mouth” is definitely time well spent. The script is solid, and the direction mostly complements it. Are there some bizarre moments, like sharks trying to eat bats? You bet! Are there choices made that either stretch or fully defy the laws of physics and/or gravity? Absolutely! But much like Wadlow’s “Truth or Dare,” you’re here for a good time, not a long time. It doesn’t need to make sense; it just needs to be entertaining, which this film is. Kathryn Newton (“Abigail”), more restrained in the role of Sara than we’re normally used to seeing, does a great job anchoring the film with a voice of reason. Lana Condor (“To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”)is great as the friend you wish had stayed on the boat, and Nico Haraga (“The Power”) delivers a solid performance as her conflicted boyfriend.

The film is nothing more than a set them up, knock them down horror film but, because this production has a bit more budget than a ton of films on streaming platforms, we get some incredible second unit scenery, a fantastic cave set that is used extremely well, and, besides a few “red shirts” that are gone fairly quickly (you’ll immediately guess the first 3 victims) the film settles into its survival rythm quickly and the tension mounts exponentially until the final minutes. Our biggest gripe, and it’s all too familiar with this subgenre, is that the shark effects can look comically janky in places. They hold up for the most part, but there are definitely a few scenes where we wished practical had been utilized to greater effect, like in “Beast of War.” All the actors do a great job with their roles, but keep in mind this is a saline slasher, and character development is not a priority. The attacks are, and they’re handled well. One in particular, filmed from above in parts, is particularly nasty. Sharksploitation aficionados will walk away from this one feeling they got what they came for. 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

We need to come clean here. We’re Jeff Wadlow fans. Jeff makes really good “junk food” films, and we mean that as a compliment. Nobody is going to remember much of anything about “The Devil’s Mouth” once the credits stop rolling. Still, for the tight hour-and-forty-five-minute run time, you’ll find yourself having a remarkably good time, maybe even having a scare or two. Ultimately, this film is about the juxtaposition of friendship. How the ones you love the most can also be your biggest burden. It’s a heavier theme than we’re used to in this subgenre, and along with Kiah Roache-Turner’s “Beast of War,” which tackled themes of racism and xenophobia, a little social commentary is a welcome addition to the mix.

“The Devil’s Mouth” is available on Amazon Prime as of Wednesday, July 29, 2026.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

When was the last time you watched a really good holiday horror movie? I know it’s been a minute, but the wait is over thanks to “Unholy Night”, which premiered at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival.

This is not a story with a typical killer Santa or Krampus as the villain. Instead, it uses "I ritornati," a group of Italian ancestors returning from the dead seeking revenge on Gino’s family for breaking sacred family traditions passed down for generations. Even though they’re dead, what makes them stand out is that they still have their memories and emotions. "Ritornare" means "to return" in Italian, so having killer nonni is such a creative and deeply cultural take on movie villains. The film features incredible performances that capture the essence of holiday traditions in a classic Italian household, completely immersing the audience in the experience.

“Unholy Night” is a wild ride, and we had the opportunity to talk with writer and director Michael Gabriele about how his personal experience shaped the film's creation. He also shared how he balanced the film's tone between horror and comedy thanks to the strong script he wrote.

The moral of the story is: don’t piss off your ancestors!

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

It’s that time of the year again, and no, we aren’t talking about summer or the heat, or at least not heat in the temperature sense. No, it’s Fantasia International Film Festival time! Easily one of the best times of the year for us here at Macabre Daily, and this year is no different as Fantasia celebrates 30 years of bringing genre films to the masses from all over the world! This year’s program is absolutely stacked with features and shorts, animated and live-action, and a dazzling array of genres from gritty action to bloody af horror. Macabre Daily is honored to be able to cover this year’s program, and we hope you enjoy our coverage. Now, onto our review of…”Gozu!”

SYNOPSIS

A yakuza enforcer is ordered to secretly drive his beloved colleague to be assassinated. But when the colleague unceremoniously disappears en route, the trip that follows is a twisted, surreal, and horrifying experience.

REVIEW

Takashi Miike is one of the most singular and prolific filmmakers of our generation, and that’s not an opinion, but an objective fact. With over 125 directing credits to his name, and still actively working with folks in the zeitgeist like Charlie XCX, Miike’s mark on the world of film will be recognized in perpetuity, but perhaps one of his strangest films (which is saying a lot) is “Gozu.” Part Yazuka crime film, part Harmony Korine’s “Gummo” with a hypersexualized Lynchian flair, “Gozu” is one of Miike’s most inaccessible films content-wise, but also one of his most fascinating. It traffics in nonsense that on the surface may mean nothing, but invites one to try and piece together some meaning like having a bunch of Legos with no manual. 

The story is deceptively simple given how non-linear it unfolds as Minami (Yuta Sone) is sent to kill another Yakuza compatriot, Brother (Sho Aikawa), and dispose of the body at a Yakuza burial site outside of town. When a fluke accident possibly kills Brother in transit, Minami stops off in a small town only for Brother’s body to disappear. Minami seeks out help from the local crime boss to help figure out what happened to Brother, and along the way meets some of the denizens of this small town who are, for lack of a better phrase, weird as fuck. 

What Minami encounters here can only be described as a descent into complete madness. A shop filled with two guys who have the same conversation all day and every day, a brother/sister duo who run an inn where the sister bottles her breast milk while the brother wears a cow’s head, or the local enforcer who covers half of his face in white paint supposedly due to some kind of pigmentation problem. It’s so unabashedly weird without any explanation that the viewer may even question if what they are seeing is even real. And this isn’t even the half of it when it comes to strange things you’ll see in here, and trust us when we say you’ll never look at a soup ladle the same way ever again after this.

As mentioned at the start, “Gozu” is a film that feels nonsensical, but it is littered in what could or couldn’t be some kind of visual metaphors. The naming of the character as “Brother” when he eventually becomes a woman and challenges Minami’s heteronormative worldview, the insinuation that men in power are just really weird insecure little freaks, and the division that exists between those that live in cities and those that live outside of them. There are also parts of the film that seem to make no sense, like the emphasis on milk and the milking aspect of the brother/sister dynamic. Perhaps scholars can unpack what that means, but it’s all to say that “Gozu” is uniquely one-of-a-kind because it exists in defiance of normalcy and comfort. It’s a film that you can watch and be reviled by, but at the same time be endeared to because of how confidently it lobs its weirdness into the psyche of the viewer. It’s not a film that leaves you satisfied, especially with what transpires in the last 20 minutes, but it begs to be discussed with others to at least affirm that you all saw the same thing.

A Note on the 4K Restoration

“Gozu” playing as part of this year’s Fantasia programming is one of the many reasons we love this festival, as it blends both older and newer films together, with many of the older films receiving some sort of restoration. In this case, the 4K restoration of “Gozu” is part of a forthcoming release from New Wave Video, and it brings the film onto HD for the first time after having been stuck on DVD since release. The original camera negatives aren’t referenced here, but rather a surviving 35mm print from the original Cannes screening that was used for restoration. This is a marked improvement over the DVD, but the softness of the film itself persists, which could most likely be from the fact that this is a restored print rather than the OCN. It definitely looks better than what we’ve had available to us thus far, and it’s great to know that the film will be getting a proper physical media release.

FINAL THOUGHTS

“Gozu” is the kind of film you’ll never forget, and that can be in both good and bad ways depending on your sensitivity to strange shit. It’s not a film that demands much of you except for endurance as it pummels you with all manner of the unexplainable, while making what could be light commentary on the homoeroticism of the Yakuza and how that conflicts with perceptions of masculinity. That’s just one read, but if you consider yourself adventurous, you will be hard-pressed to find a film weirder than this!

“Gozu” had its new 4K restoration shown as part of this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival programming.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

THE EMPIRE THAT FEEDS

July is when an awful lot of Americans celebrate freedom by grilling meat and launching explosives. It’s cheerful. It’s patriotic. It’s also a little unsettling once you remember what the holiday is actually commemorating: the birth of a nation that has always been very sure it deserves whatever it’s hungry for.

This year marks the semiquincentennial. That’s 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, and 250 years of the comforting national myth that violent history is something that happens to other people. Preferably people who don’t get invited to the cookout. So yeah, it’s the ideal moment to talk about colonizers, digestion, and horror.

Freedom is often narrated from the position of the eater, not the eaten (what can I say? If you’re not at the table, you’re usually on the menu). Colonizers never imagine themselves as monsters. Rather, they think of themselves as hungry... and hunger, as both horror and history remind us, has an alarming tendency to justify just about anything (yes, that’s a pointed comment related to the current political environment in the US).

The Body Edible… From A Scholarly Point of View

As a subgenre obsessed with eating, being eaten, and bodies rendered consumable (yes, I’m talking about gastrohorror), we are given a particular vocabulary for thinking about colonial powers—one that insists on asking who gets to digest the world and who gets digested by it. Academics Kyla Wazana Tompkins and Sara Ahmed are pretty useful in this area.

Tompkins makes a point in “Racial Indigestion” that American culture has a long history of treating certain bodies as edible—not literally (although sometimes literally), but socially, economically, politically. Some people are meant to nourish the nation. Others are meant to benefit from the nourishment. That’s not even a cute metaphor; it’s practically the business model, no?

Ahmed explains why this arrangement holds together emotionally. In “The Cultural Politics of Emotion,” she argues that disgust is a tool rather than a reaction. That feeling of disgust tells you who belongs at the table and who belongs on it. It gives you a clue about which bodies are “out of place,” which ones are “waste,” or which ones need to be corrected, absorbed, or politely removed before the fireworks start.

Put the two concepts together, and colonialism stops looking like geography and starts looking like digestion. A country expands the way a stomach does: by deciding what counts as food. And plenty of our media reflects it.

The Horror of Refusing to Cooperate

Let’s consider Han Kang’s Man Booker Prize-winning “The Vegetarian” (2007), for instance. It’s a thoroughly disturbing book, yet the scary inciting incident is a woman who says, very calmly, “No.”

Yeong-hye stops eating meat. That’s it. No murder spree. No possession. Just a refusal. And the reaction, though, is swift, humiliating, and violent. Her family treats her like a malfunctioning appliance that needs to be repaired… and that’s putting it nicely.

What Tompkins helps us see is that Yeong-hye’s body is considered infrastructure that’s supposed to support other people emotionally, domestically, and socially rather than her own private property (and boy, do we as women understand that in a very visceral way). When she refuses meat, it goes way, way beyond merely changing her diet. That decision interrupts a system that expects her to remain entirely edible.

Ahmed’s disgust theory explains the rest. The horror isn’t that Yeong-hye starves, or even that she becomes monstrous. Instead, the horror in the novel derives from everyone else becoming comfortable with cruelty the moment she stops being convenient. There’s a sense of entitlement that’s terrifying.

The End of Polite Metaphors

“The Vegetarian” may be quiet horror, but Nalo Hopkinson’s “The Glass Bottle Trick” (2000) is, uh, louder. Hopkinson writes from within a Caribbean history built on extraction—of labor, of land, of bodies, of sugar, of everything that could be consumed and shipped somewhere wealthier. Her horror just removes the euphemisms. People are hurt and used, treated as if their purpose is to be exhausted and discarded.

What makes the story so brutal is the recognition, not the violence. The reader understands the rules immediately because they are the same rules that built modern economies. In other words, some people are expected to feed the system, and the system feels entitled to it.

History is Now

These are just two literary examples of many. You can see the colonialism mindset in horror play out in horror films, too, of course: “His House” (2020), “Prey” (2022), “It Lives Inside” (2023), “Bacurau” (2019), “Candyman” (1992)… even “The Shining” (1980) and “Night of the Living Dead” (1968). Again, this is just a small selection.

The reason all of this feels especially sharp in 2026, though, is that the rhetoric from our so-called leaders hasn’t changed. Entire countries and areas are still described as wasted potential, entire populations are still framed as problems that need to be managed, absorbed, or pushed somewhere less visible (Greenland, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and Gaza, anyone?). Colonialism has always depended on convincing people that taking something is the same as improving it. If the land is “empty,” taking it is progress. If the people are “unproductive,” exploiting them is efficiency. If the culture is “backward,” erasing it is modernization. To hell with what anyone else might think.

The horror we read or watch sees through this crap thought process instantly.

So what does gastrohorror do for us during the 250th anniversary of the United States? It ruins the fairy tale, and that’s long overdue for a lot of folks.

Tompkins reminds us that consumption is never neutral. Ahmed reminds us that disgust is never innocent. Han Kang shows us what happens when someone refuses to remain edible. Hopkinson shows us what happens when the meal fights back.

When I say that horror is always political, this is what I mean. Because in all these works, we’re asked to imagine (and it’s not that big of a leap) that the real monster is standing at the grill, waving a flag, asking for another plate. Forget the serial killer hiding in the closet or the monster under the bed. Often, they’re genuinely less scary (this might be the perfect time to bring up the bear vs man in the woods brouhaha from a year or two ago).

So yeah, enjoy the fireworks. Enjoy the hot dogs. But when it comes to the comforting story that history ended with freedom? Turn to gastrohorror to correct our patriotic mythology.

REFERENCES:

Ahmed, Sara. The Cultural Politics of Emotion. 2nd ed., Edinburgh University Press, 2014.

Hopkinson, Nalo. Skin Folk. Warner Aspect, 2001. (“The Glass Bottle Trick” appears in this collection.)

Kang, Han. The Vegetarian. Translated by Deborah Smith, Hogarth, 2015.

Tompkins, Kyla Wazana. Racial Indigestion: Eating Bodies in the 19th Century. NYU Press, 2012.

Please check out nicolewolverton.com

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

When my now-wife and I had our first official date, we both remarked how we didn’t want to have children. To many, this kind of conversation so early in a budding relationship could be the kiss of death, but we both felt comfortable in our belief that as much as we think children are great, being a parent wasn’t something important to us. While many don’t care about how other people live their lives, there is still a relatively vocal group of folks who believe that everyone should have children, regardless. The greater good can only be sustained through population growth, or at least that’s the line often towed, but the horrors of parenthood are many, and co-writer/director Hanna Bergholm explores the real and imagined fears of child-rearing in “Nightborn.”

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

In a Finnish forest, Saga and her husband Jon embark on a new chapter as parents. But Saga's joy is overshadowed by a chilling suspicion about their newborn, unbeknownst to Jon, causing a rift as she alone grapples with the disturbing truth.

HOW IS IT?

Horror has used the idea of monstrous children as a backdrop to present the metaphorical fears that postpartum depression can often stir up. Fears like what if my baby doesn’t love me, or I don’t love it? Feelings of resentment when it cries too much or demands all the attention while the mother heals from having a life ripped from her womb. Horror uses these ideas to blur the lines between the monstrous and the maternal, often presenting situations where women are demonized for not being overjoyed with their new arrival or acting the way in which a mother should, whatever that means. “Nightborn” is not advancing the discussion around maternal horror by introducing new concepts or ideas as much as it is leaning into what already exists. While the pacing can sometimes feel out of whack and the dark humor almost too subtle to notice, something is refreshing about the way that Bergstrom presents motherhood as an acceptance of fear rather than a relinquishment of freedom.

After purchasing an old house in the forested landscape where Saga (Seidi Haarla) and Jon (Rupert Grint) consummate their new old home, they welcome the arrival of a new baby boy who is different. He won’t stop crying, with screams that are both guttural and screeching; he’s covered in a lot of hair, and when Saga tries to feed him, he’s more interested in her blood than the milk from her teat. While Saga suspects others notice how different their son is, no one dares say anything, and Saga begins to wonder if it’s her with the problem, or the child that’s causing so much strife. It’s a rather common setup to discuss postpartum depression as it leans into the paranoia that comes from feeling alien to your child and the onlooker judgement that comes from others who cast shade upon mothers who don’t obsess over their child.

While the conceit is nothing new, the execution is where things are shaken up quite a bit. “Nightborn” is far funnier than it lets on, but that humor is very European, which translates to subtle and dark. Times when Saga is literally screaming at her baby, returning his high-pitched wails with maternal rage, come across with just the right amount of humor without ever feeling like we are seeing a full-on parody. For the most part, it works, but it does make the tonal transitions to far more serious fare a bit awkward and hard to reconcile at first. Part of the tonal issues arise from the fact that this kind of topic isn’t often talked about in a comedic way, and the horror beats certainly add to that tonal complexity. It’s never really clear what’s going on, even at the end, but horrific things happen that are hard to register as imagined. For example, the child attacks the would-be cousin, and while tense, it feels like a bigger moment that gets minimized by the wishy-washiness of the script wanting to be scary and funny all in one.

But despite issues, “Nightborn” reinforces some salient points about the tension that arises between a mother, her child, and even her partner. Grint plays an affable and caring husband who’s somewhat clueless around Saga, in a way almost afraid of her until it’s impossible to ignore the rift between the two. The way in which Saga’s support network disintegrates around her serves as both a metaphor for the loneliness of being a new mother living in a remote location, but also commentary on how society has a hard time dealing with women when they need help. Even other women don’t serve as a reprieve, and part of the convoluted character development places some blame on Saga, but it feels out of place when the film seems intent to make the point that women connect with their children in a myriad of ways.

LAST RITES

“Nightborn” is a strange and at times funny look at postpartum depression through the lens of a woman who isn’t sure if her baby is a monster or not. It’s got a lot to say, not always the best way, but it makes important points about removing judgement from how mothers bond with their babies. 

THE GORY DETAILS

“Nightborn” will have its North American premiere at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival on Wednesday, July 22, 2026,  before debuting on Shudder on July 31, 2026!

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

Italian horror films over the decades have long been recognized and given considerable merit for introducing eerie, gothic mansion settings and atmospheres, and an endless slate of realistic characters who live within them. Oftentimes, the plot at hand is procedural in nature—see literally any giallo helmed by Mario Bava, Dario Argento, and the likes from 1963 to 1975—with its dark and gritty subject matter grounded by a fractured human psyche, and the audience's tension practically solely relieved by way of the absurd, extravagant set pieces to which each of the victims falls to their demise. Whether you're watching a riff on a recent American slasher flick, an unauthorized supernatural sequel firmly embedded in a fictitious foreign franchise that the cast and crew both know isn't properly before the viewer, or the self-funded clipshow of a mad auteur, the most common element you'll find is unbridled sexuality, which leads us to the world of Joe D'Amato. Produced simultaneously on the coast of Santo Domingo during the summer of 1979, "Erotic Nights of the Living Dead" and "Porno Holocaust" came out of thin air, not only delivering roughly four hours of tropical hardcore action, but years of critic controversy and vitriol with genre enthusiasts alike.

Released in Italian theaters on November 18th, 1980, to poor public and critical reception before soon becoming a minor cult classic of the era, when "Zombi" flicks spawned left and right in an attempt to match the unilateral success of "Dawn of the Dead" (1978) by George A. Romero, "Erotic Nights of the Living Dead" ("Le notti erotiche dei morti viventi") feels almost like a prototype of "After Death" (1989). Rivaling its politically incorrect sexploitation voodoo absurdity without the help of Necronomicon or Jeff Stryker to fill seats by a gay audience at the cinema, the film is 112 minutes long, comprised of very early hardcore material for the region, which was shocking even at the height of the 'cannibal boom'. Mark "Diamond Tongue" Shannon—born Manlio Cersosimo, often mistakenly credited as Shanon with one N—was frequently recognized on the streets due to his pornographic work during this period, some admittedly jealous that he was paid to fuck on film, receiving approximately 500,000 lire per title, to which his pay apparently was disputed over individual sex scenes being sold beyond the scope of the industry. Here, he plays John Wilson: a sleazy, mustachioed landscaping womanizer, padding the nearly two-hour runtime through his aimless affairs with a revolving door of prostitutes until his hyperactive libido leads to his demise.

Much like her work within the extensive "Black Emanuelle" franchise and apocrypha, Laura Gemser never participated in the filming of any hardcore penetrative material; rather, she was cast in a central spot and deliberately replaced by a lookalike body double, who managed to do everything in front of the camera and crew, similar to production practices standard in the American adult film industry. Alternatively titled "Sexy Nights of the Living Dead," the project didn't receive a theatrical release in the United States. Naturally, this means that it was relatively impossible to find on the home video market until it became available on DVD and a now out-of-print Code Red Blu-ray, to which it holds spine number 168 and a menu capitalizing on the success of Joe D'Amato's earlier output under the name "Emanuelle vs the Erotic Night of the Living Nods." Deservedly top billing for her recurring role as the mysterious Luna, a Cat Island native with attractive, ethereal qualities, and a puzzling knack for resurrection beyond the grave, the sexploitation icon ultimately serves as the personified catalyst for a combination of traditional Italian "black cat" superstitions with governmental greed and a direct link between death and the utter disregard for sacred indigenous grounds by their trespassers.

Joe D’Amato—born Aristide Massaccesi—decided to cash in on the "Zombi" trend that was simmering down, opting to direct and act as cinematographer, naturally juggling multiple hands-on positions in the production, while various projects were made simultaneously on location using the same settings in Santo Domingo, crews, and cast members in slightly differing roles to cut costs and avoid overspending. As of writing this article, he is credited for directing 135 titles according to IAFD, none of which are considered mere scene compilations. "Erotic Nights of the Living Dead" was written by George Eastman (aka Luigi Montefiori), the main actor, under his literary pseudonym Tom Salina, though the project and its story are often additionally miscredited. His character is where the horror element kicks in: a heroic sailor, Larry O'Hara, who spends the majority of his downtime hooking up with local nightclub owner Liz (Lucia Ramirez) until total chaos ensues and we make our way to an absolute mindfuck of a wraparound segment. Roughly 27 minutes' worth of footage was shot day-for-night with an obnoxious, distracting dark blue tint edited in post, obscuring softcore sex in the ocean between our lead and Luna as a horde of the undead approaches the two on the shore, John roaming around the cemetery before he is beaten unconscious and brutally eaten by those awoken from the underground.

In the final act sequence where Luna bites John's dick off, the manual blood pump actually violently squirted the project's leading lady in the eye, meaning that while practical effects were obviously imperfect, they add to the charm of this as a truly independent proof of hands-on horror craftsmanship. A similarly styled companion piece produced under the working title "Tilt" and reviewed elsewhere as "Erotic Delights" was released less than three months later in Italian grindhouse theaters on February 9th, 1981. Again directed and photographed by Joe D'Amato, with its narrative penned by the late George Eastman, who appears on screen as Professor Lemoine on a scientific research expedition to discover mutant wildlife after government testing during the height of the atomic age, "Porno Holocaust" is a hardcore nightmare that needs to be seen to be believed. Save for the noticeable absence of Laura Gemser as a voodoo seductress, and the replacement of bloodthirsty ghouls with a nuclear sci-fi premise shielding the public from a monstrous cave dweller, relatively absent for the first hour of the film, who is actively suffering from radiation poisoning, animalistic facial deformities, and a massive, mutated penis that kills just about anybody that it penetrates, the body count formula is nearly identical.

Though it features many key players from the previous film, the erotic element is much darker, reliant on the depiction of a relentless growling rapist beast to sell its creature feature hybrid as a result of alleged nuclear experimentation. The title is likely a riff on the cannibalsploitation of the period that spiked with "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980), after it was previously established with cult classic titles such as "Man From Deep River" ("Il paese del sesso selvaggio," 1972) and D'Amato's own "Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals" ("Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali," 1977). Cast and crew were given a daily allowance and spent free time at local casinos in Santo Domingo, dining at Neapolitan restaurants or beginning affairs with locals. Dirce Funari was apparently reluctant to participate in certain sex acts, and that energy definitely shows in most of the material — her collaborations at times feel illegitimate and quite frankly look simulated, and it ultimately tanks some of the sexual thrill. Mark Shannon allegedly took worry with early scenes surrounding Annj Goren (aka Anna Maria Napolitano), who developed a reputation for random carnal encounters, including a notoriously cringeworthy double blowjob within the first act, where she looks visibly disinterested in either guy she's going down on, later taking part in increasingly unsexy sequences covered in sand and a very concerning pronounced anal artifact.

Though mean-spirited and obviously misguided, the gnarly representation of the villain at its core can be viewed as a bizarre, barbaric caricature of island natives from a perspective of xenophobic hysteria. D'Amato's efforts were intended to continually take a chance, produced on shoestring budgets whilst he took on as much of the heavy lifting as possible, and the idea behind shooting "Porno Holocaust" alongside "Erotic Nights of the Living Dead" with at least two to three other productions simultaneously was to have a vacation with his chosen filmic family while still passively making money by tormenting them on celluloid. They weren't meant to be serious, and certainly weren't supposed to be seen widely, let alone restored in HD and immortalized internationally by way of random home video collections for decades thereafter. These films are notable not only for combining hardcore pornography and horror elements at the end of his "Caribbean phase" where waterlogged cadavers come back to life with unsettling brief glimpses of reality embedded within them, but also for serving as the catalyst for the auteur to eventually co-found Filmirage and create an entirely different industry of extremity on the big screen through arguably his most iconic works, "Antropophagus" (1980) and its pseudo-sequel, "Absurd" ("Rosso sangue," 1981).

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

Move over, King and Straub: There’s a new horror duo in publishing. This week, Shortwave Publishing’s Alan Lastufka and Rapture Publishing’s Mitch Hull announced that they will be joining forces.

The partnership will introduce Rapture Publishing as Shortwave’s first imprint.

It’s been a big year for Lastufka and his fast-growing independent press. In September 2025, Lastufka inked a distribution deal with Simon & Schuster that made Shortwave titles easily available to booksellers worldwide. In May, Shortwave published author Nat Cassidy’s first short story collection, “I Know a Place,” which included a foreword penned by Stephen King.

Now, Rapture Publishing will add half a dozen titles per year to Shortwave’s already impressive roster. “By combining the strengths of two respected indie publishing houses, we’ll be able to better highlight some of the best new dark genre fiction being written today,” Lastufka said in the announcement’s press release.

Like Shortwave, Rapture Publishing punches far above its weight. Hull began releasing chapbooks in 2024, starting with “The Witch Tree” by Philip Fracassi. What started as a one-off chapbook produced for an event quickly became a formidable small press that regularly released short story chapbooks by Clay McLeod Chapman, RJ Joseph, Kathe Koja, Otessa Moshfegh, and Brian Evenson, among others.

Earlier this year, Hull branched out into special edition hardcovers with “Daytide,” a dark fantasy horror novel by frequent collaborator Chris Panatier, who designs all of Rapture’s cover artwork and prints. The special edition was limited to 350 copies and features more than twenty original illustrations by Panatier.

Hull’s attention to detail and love of physical media caught Lastufka’s eye. Both publishers share an uncommon passion for print design, from crafting eye-catching covers to fine-tuning margin settings and page number designs. By the time “Daytide” was released, Lastufka and Hull had already worked with many of the same authors.

As the two began to talk shop over Zoom, an easy rapport developed into a natural partnership.

“I'm really looking forward to collaborating with Mitch, as it's rare to find someone who cares as much as I do about the process, the details, and the quality of the work,” Lastufka told Macabre Daily. “Mitch embodies a lot of the same principles I bring to the table. This partnership feels like such a natural extension of both Shortwave and Rapture.”

For Hull, the partnership has profound implications for the reach and scope of his influence in the publishing world. Starting in 2027, booksellers who are browsing for new titles will see Rapture titles listed as an imprint of Shortwave. Previously, Hull personally fulfilled all orders from his home office.

Though details won’t be announced until next year, Lastufka and Hull revealed that their first three trade editions will be authored by Gemma Amor (“Itch!”); Kealan Patrick Burke (“Sour Candy”); and Tyler Jones, whose short story collection “Arson by Design” will be released as a Rapture special edition in winter 2026.

Moving forward, the two presses will continue to enjoy the independence and creativity that originally drew them together. Rapture will continue to publish short story chapbooks and deluxe special edition hardcovers designed for fans and collectors. Shortwave will focus on bringing trade editions of Rapture novels and short story collections to the masses, as well as fulfilling an exciting schedule of new releases that includes new books by Ai Jiang, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Annie Neugebauer, among others.

Ultimately, Hull and Lastufka’s shared love of impactful storytelling—elevated through intentional print design—keeps them energized throughout the long publishing process.

“I'm most excited to get to work on additional books by authors I already enjoy reading,” Lastufka said. “This gig is such a gift for any bookworm.”

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

Welcome back to issue #6 of Spinnin’ Scaries! I’ve been patiently awaiting the arrival of this month’s record, and I am so excited to share it with you. The score for this film immediately stood out to me during my first watch, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. Want to know what’s spinning for the month of July? Well, if you couldn’t guess from my cheesy wordplay, it is indeed Curry Barker’s “Obsession.”

This heartbreakingly ethereal score was composed by Rock Burwell and can evoke emotions you didn’t even know you could conjure. Every so often, a film will come along with a score that is an instant hit among fans, and that is exactly what has happened here. Since “Obsession’s” release in May, several songs have gone “viral” (as one would say these days), and it truly is remarkable. Who would’ve thought that an indie horror film would resonate with so many different people, all going through their own paths in life?

I’ve always made an emphasis on how music in film can really connect viewers so much further than just watching. This score is a perfect example of what I’m referring to. Burwell may seem new to the game, but keep that name in mind because I think we will be hearing much more of his sound in the near future.

Comprised of 26 tracks and coming in at just under 45 minutes, the motion picture soundtrack contains all original music from Burwell. It’s no surprise that “Obsession” became an absolute box office hit and a favorite amongst fans of the horror genre. The divisive plot got people talking and took to the internet by storm, but it is also a genuinely well-made film. From the direction of Curry Barker to the phenomenal acting done by the collective cast. Especially Inde Navarrette’s twisted, powerful, and gut-wrenching performance. Burwell’s score complemented “Obsession” in a way that highlighted its underlying narrative: genuine love and admiration versus a blurred perspective on what that truly means. This film also marks his debut as a feature film composer.

These aforementioned viral tracks include Love is in the Air, Pt. 1 & 2, as well as the self-titled track, “Obsession.” Burwell mentioned in an interview that he worked in close partnership with Barker while composing this score, and it was mentioned how they spent a lot of time “Crafting the balance between feelings like warmth and dread, nostalgia and estrangement, and even the expansiveness of how love feels versus something like claustrophobia.” Key words here being nostalgia and warmth, because that is exactly how love is in the air, pt. 1 & 2 feels, despite their differing endings.

Part two starts very similar in sound to part one, but slowly grows deeper in tone and with what sounds like record static as if you’re “flipping the switch” to flip the record. I couldn’t help but think this was intentional, as this is the last track on the album, and signifies when Nikki comes back to herself. Part one feels more romantic and hopeful in a way. Kind of what the early stages of being in love feel like. Again, if not mistaken, this was played during the sequence where Bear and Nikki are “happy” together.

Connecting these two songs in a way where you can hear the sound progression as their “relationship” (if you would even call it that) spirals into something darker and leaves you with an unsettling feeling is really unique. Leading you to empathize that much further with these characters, even if some shouldn’t receive that type of emotion.

The self-titled track “Obsession” sets the whole vibe of the film with its synthesized, dream-like sound. Almost sounding angelic in its introduction, as if everything is right in your own little world. I know I keep talking about nostalgia, but that really is such an expressive term and one that is executed throughout every track. Even those darker, more eerie ones. It truly is a perfect blend of dramatic, haunting, and atmospheric sounds that send your listening experience into another realm.

One of my favorites off this soundtrack is “Date Night.” The perfect sound for an absolutely pivotal scene. This one starts off heavy and intense with repeating beats, and leads into that softer synth. Comparatively to the other tracks that usually begin and end oppositely. When a director works this closely with their composer on the sound design to match the specific scenes and overall aesthetic, it makes for such an appealing experience.

Being generalized as a “horror” movie would be too specific, as it is so much more than that. I have found myself rewatching Obsession several times after buying it digitally, and I believe that what really keeps me coming back is the score. I don’t think I have felt this passionately about a film’s soundtrack since “It Follows,” which happens to be an all-timer for me. The track “Can You Sleep With Me?” can quite frankly put me to sleep with how relaxing its sound is. One that makes you feel like you’re weightless from the rose colored glasses of being in love.

Some of the more uncanny tracks include: “If You’re Having Trouble With The Door,” “Hansel,” and “You Wished For This.” When put up against their more delicate-sounding counterparts, they almost feel out of place for what they are. Which I believe adds a unique composition that you notice immediately and catches you at vulnerable moments.

If you do have some sort of vendetta against “Obsession” (totally understandable if you do) and haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend that you at least give it a shot just for the soundtrack alone. If so, listen to the full score separately after the fact, and hopefully I have been able to convey in words the way this music makes me feel. I hope that it will do the same for you too. Until next time, check back to see what is spinning for August!

Record Details:

• OBSESSION Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Deluxe LP

• Composer: Rock Burwell

• Released by Waxwork Records in partnership with Back Lot Music

• Pearlescent Red colored vinyl

• Includes 12x12 insert

  “Waxwork Records presents OBSESSION Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Rock Burwell as a deluxe LP set featuring the complete 26 cue soundtrack album, "Obsession" pearlescent red colored vinyl, heavyweight gatefold jackets with matte UV coating, a 12"x12" insert, and new artwork by Robert Sammelin.”

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

Making movies is hard, and it’s often said that completing one is as close to a miracle as one can get. While it’s really easy for anyone, ourselves included, to watch something and critique it, we often lose sight of the simple fact that no one ever sets out to make a bad movie. It’s antithetical to the process to want to indulge in such thankless and difficult work only for shits and giggles, but there’s probably someone out there who can be the exception that proves the rule. Regardless, the process of getting a film made and breaking into a difficult industry can’t be understated, and it’s part of the reason why “Mockbuster” was such a stupendous film. It showed us how the notorious studio, The Asylum, entrusts young and often less-experienced filmmakers to helm features as long as they’re up for the challenge, and Anthony Frith accepted that wholeheartedly.

We were given the chance to speak with Frith along with his co-star/producer and overall Asylum guru, Brendan Petrizzo, about the process of making the movie within the movie, what the traits of someone who works with The Asylum are, and most of all, if they would recommend the experience to others. It was a lovely conversation, and we hope you enjoy watching as much as we enjoyed recording!

“Mockumentary” is out NOW on VOD in the US and the UK from Miracle Media UK.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

With all the problems that seem to be happening with getting another Jason (“Friday the 13th”) film to the screen, it's easy to forget how easy it used to be. From 1980 until 1986, there was a new installment every year. The formula was simple. Camp counselors show up in Crystal Lake, Jason says, "I think not," and murder ensues. This brought in millions of dollars at the box office. So by the time part 6 rolled around, director Tom McLoughlin wanted to infuse some comedy into it. Jason had become easy to satirize, and adding some fun bits to the mix encouraged the audience to have fun. 

When producers asked Tom for ideas for part 7, he had trouble coming up with anything that made sense to him. Frank Mancuso Jr. floated the idea that maybe Crystal Lake's favorite goalie could meet up with Springwood's sandman, Freddy Krueger. McLoughlin didn't understand how that could happen, since both were set up with different film studios, but he was told they were trying to work something out. 

As early as “Friday the 13th Part 7,” they were working on the idea of getting these two on film together. It harkened back to the crossover films that had pushed the Universal Monster films to new popularity. What's better than one monster? Two, especially if they were at odds for some reason. Kids loved the idea of seeing the Wolfman take on Frankenstein's Monster. Add Dracula into the mix as the villain behind the curtain pulling the strings, and people were hooked. Why not do the modern version of that? Each slasher was upping the body count, which had been pure gold at the box office. What would happen if you put them together?

McLoughlin set out to figure out how that would work. One resided in the dream world where anything was possible. Freddy hadn't fully taken on his jokey performance yet. “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors” was about to come out, and from that point forward, you could expect some fun one-liners from the gloved assassin. Jason, on the other hand, lived in the real world. Well, as real as it can be when you have a zombie Jason roaming around. How would these two exist on screen? When the director told Mancuso he was having trouble figuring out how this team-up would work, he was instructed to scrap the idea. A deal with New Line Cinema hadn't been worked out, and we would have to wait sixteen more years before they would finally share the screen. Tom began to think about the crossover idea, but with something that Paramount Pictures already owned. 

"You guys own ‘Cheech and Chong.’ What if we do ‘Cheech and Chong Meet Jason?’"

McLoughlin pitched. At first, this seemed like a pretty far-out idea, and that maybe McLoughlin had actually been hanging out with the stoner duo when the idea inhaled its way into his brain. This actually had a basis, once again, in the Universal Monsters. When the classic creatures had lost their luster in theaters, Universal brought them back from the dead once again by teaming them up with the comedic duo of Abbott & Costello. What if they used this classic formula to bring two popular franchises together in one place? McLoughlin suggested they might have worked at Camp Crystal Lake, but were the stoner duo who talked about Jason, and everyone dismissed them because of their extracurricular activities. They kept being told that the hockey-masked killer was a myth. Nothing to be taken seriously. As is usually the case with the duo, they end up falling straight into a situation where they are dismissed, and, as is usually the case in Crystal Lake, heads begin to roll.

The pitch went back and forth, and the two laughed at the idea. By the time the conversation ended, it was agreed that the idea didn't go very far past the "What If?" stage. While part 6 had infused a bit of comedy into the franchise, turning it into a vehicle to sustain a prolonged joke wasn't viable. Could they even return to the horror roots of the character in later installments? They didn't know it at the time, but the “Child's Play”/”Chucky” franchise would successfully make that transition. Jason, on the other hand? Probably not. Then, an even bigger question: would Cheech and Chong have even been interested? We will never know, but what could have been is just as enjoyable to think about as what the actual movie would have been. How would you feel about this possible deviation in the franchise? Do you think it would be remembered as one of the better installments in the “Friday the 13th” series? Let us know in the comments!

Sources Used

https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/friday-the-13th-cheech-and-chong crossover-1201900645/

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TxJmCLQvHFGNvOwnSu2LE

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

It’s that time of the year again, and no, we aren’t talking about summer or the heat, or at least not heat in the temperature sense. No, it’s Fantasia International Film Festival time! Easily one of the best times of the year for us here at Macabre Daily, and this year is no different as Fantasia celebrates 30 years of bringing genre films to the masses from all over the world! This year’s program is absolutely stacked with features and shorts, animated and live-action, and a dazzling array of genres from gritty action to bloody af horror. Macabre Daily is honored to be able to cover this year’s program, and we hope you enjoy our coverage. Now, onto our reviews of…”Insectasy,” “Corpus,” and “The Last Footage.”

“Insectasy” (2026)

Writer/Director: Angus Silver

Some film festivals have a certain aura to them, and Fantasia’s is one that often feels like a unique blend of youth and angst. Films like last year’s “Sugar Rot” and “Lucid” come to mind when I think of a Fantasia film, which is oddly where something like Angus Silver’s “Insectasy” slots right in. A confused story about a woman whose obsession with bugs becomes slightly sexual, while at the same time she is trying to discover her own sexuality in a post-pandemic world of hourly wages and awkward hookups. It’s the kind of movie that is often germane to Fantasisa (complementary), even when it doesn’t entirely work and is doing way too much while feeling almost exclusively personal.

The “comedy” in “Insectsay” is pretty subtle and mostly relies on a series of awkward moments between people trying to be sexy who come across as anything but. It’s hard to know what Silver is trying to accomplish with this story, which at times feels like a primal insect-laden scream about letting your kink flag fly, but also contains confusing characters with supremely anti-vax takes that are hard to read as parody or personal belief. As I said, it’s a confused film, and while it’s technically well-made, infusing some trippy dream-like visuals throughout on occasion, it never congeals into the chrysalis of strangeness that it hints at. Still, it’s entirely possible that I just don’t get it, and what’s great about Fantasia is that what’s not for me is certainly for someone!

“Corpus”

Director: Corrin Evans

Writers: Corrin Evans & Lily Cowles

It’s not every day that you get a film that is directly inspired by Tony Scott’s “The Hunger,” but this is Fantasia, baby! “Corpus” takes the queer energy of the 1983 film and doubles down on it while keeping the dreamlike experience fully intact, if not periodically accurate in 1998. The setup finds Sayo (Jeff Wahlberg), a young photographer in NYC, and his friend Ross (Michael Vlamis) being whisked away by their now-model friend, Vince (Brodie Townsend), to a dilapidated villa in upstate New York. What awaits them is none other than three women of three different generations who entice them with a party for St. John the Baptist and possibly more. As the night continues, it becomes clear that there’s something far more sinister at hand, but just as sensual.

It’s hard to go into specifics around how things turn out in the third act, but the influence mentioned at the start should offer some clues about what may be in store. It’s the perfect kind of homage in that it won’t be obvious to anyone unawares, but it never feels like it’s simply retreading ground once covered either. The pacing can be a bit on the slower side, but the camera work from Charlie Cole and the documentary-style editing (courtesy of Evans) help keep you engaged visually when the narrative is slowly building. Perhaps the only sore spot in the film is that it introduces absolutely captivating lore that isn’t explained, and begs for just a glimpse of intention or reasoning. It doesn’t bring the film down to not have this; rather, it’s more of a “would’ve been nice,” and overall “Corpus” is a pleasant surprise that is both steamy and mysterious in the best of ways!

“The Last Footage” (2026)

Writer/Director: Arkar Soe Oo

“The Last Footage” is the first horror film from Myanmar to hit the festival circuit, so naturally we had to make it part of our coverage. Hell, it was even one of my personal favorite films featured in our curtain-raiser, and I’m happy to report that fans of found footage are in for a treat with Arkar Soe Oo’s first-person frightfest. The setup is pretty familiar; a group of friends goes into a forest to see some property left to one of them, and despite warnings not to go, they do, and horror hijinks ensue. “The Last Footage” isn’t challenging any norms as much as conforming to them, and perhaps its “twist” is that the footage is all captured via glasses à la those anti-privacy Meta aboninations. Even though “The Last Footage” isn’t innovating much, it’s an impressive look into some of the traditions, myths, and culture for an area of the world that most don’t know much about, save for the current genocide that’s still ongoing.

Those who avoid found footage won’t find anything here to change their mind, but as someone who finds themselves in the middle of the road with most of them (at best), I was thoroughly entertained due to the characters and performances being largely believable. Hell, they’re not all likable characters either, which adds complexity to seeing them sacrifice themselves against the foe they unfortunately face. The creature design in here is great, and despite not having a big budget, there’s a sleekness here that is admirable, as well as the commitment to being genuine found footage with no fancy cuts, sans heavy editing, and just the sounds of terror as the score. Let’s hope that this film finds an audience so we can get more Myanmar horror in the pipeline!

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

“When a famous person dies, blame the year, and make it about YOU” - John Mulaney

My classmates stared at me. “Seriously, who cares about Jim Carrey? Haven’t you seen ‘Dream Warriors!?’”  Of course they hadn’t.  The parents of Center Street Elementary School weren’t as lenient as mine when it came to horror movies.  Though they didn’t seem to care about their fourth graders watching Carrey go to a Cannibal Corpse show and speaking out of his ass (that’s to say nothing about forcibly outing a trans criminal, but hey, it was 1994 you did NOT…go in there).  All the kids on the playground were excited to see Jim Carrey’s next film after “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective:” a comic book adaptation called “The Mask,” which looked every inch the CGI bonanza it was.  I had nothing against Jim Carrey, but I couldn’t understand why nobody, from the swingset to the jungle gym, knew it was made by Chuck Russell, director and co-writer of “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors," and so much more.

Chuck Russell scared me.  Thoroughly, and often, in a variety of ways.  He was never afraid to kill children on screen, and not just twenty-somethings pretending to be teenagers.  His wit, imagination, and anti-authoritarian streak lent themselves beautifully to continue Wes Craven’s vision for “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”  When the opportunity came to interview him for my book “Nightmare Autopsis: A Return to Elm Street,” how could I say no?  What if he said no?  I was scared all over again.

I’ve written about discovering horror movies at a young age and wanting to know all about the people who made them, many of whom I’ve been lucky enough to talk with.  Chuck was high up on that list, but I could never imagine a scenario where it could actually happen.  I still remember watching “Never Sleep Again,” the documentary on the “Nightmare” franchise, which painted him in a light that wasn’t always favorable.  I love the doc, but I was given the impression that he was difficult to work on “Dream Warriors" and maybe not the best at communicating with actors at that point.  In all fairness, it was his directorial debut after years as a producer and screenwriter, so maybe he was getting the lead out.  But what a debut it was.

The third “Elm Street” venture featured institutionalized teens discovering their own hidden talents that help them to survive and defeat Freddy Krueger, the scarred murderer who kills you when you’re at your most vulnerable.  At a time when horror films were all about dispatching teens in creatively brutal ways, the kids of Westin Hills stood up and fought back without the help of their disbelieving parents.  While also being dispatched in creatively brutal ways. Craven birthed the film’s concept and co-wrote the original draft of “Dream Warriors,” but Chuck directed it with a keen eye and a verve for the phantasmagorical. With all the talk of a new “Nightmare” film coming from Paramount, some have speculated it might be a (barf) “re-quel:” a direct sequel to Craven’s original that erases all sequels and creates a new timeline.  If you ever saw “Dream Warriors,” you’d know what a terrible idea that is.  Not only is the film a high watermark in horror fantasy and one of the best sequels ever made, but it also builds on the original in ways that resonate to this day.  I hope Chuck knew that.  I was about to find out when he said yes to an interview.  Sort of.

When I called Chuck, his politeness was undercut by a slight suspicion. He had no idea who I was.  Just that I was some journalist reaching out to talk about his first film.  Not “The Scorpion King,” where he directed box office superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in his breakout role. Not “Eraser,” one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's last hits before he entered politics. Not his beloved 1988 remake of “The Blob” (co-written, like “Dream Warriors" with future Oscar nominee Frank Darabont), which featured mind-blowing practical effects.  Not even “Collateral,” one of the best films Jamie Foxx, Tom Cruise, and Michael Mann ever made (I say “one of” so Joe Lynch doesn’t fight me, but…we’ll talk, Joe), which Chuck produced.  Not his last film, the “Witchboard” remake, which he was proud of. No, I wanted to dive deep into “Dream Warriors.”  But he said yes.  And he asked not to be recorded.

Maybe it was because he’d been burned by the press before. I didn’t pry.  All my interviews were recorded on Zoom for eventual transcription.  I couldn’t craft something worthwhile from frantically scribbled notes, but this was Chuck Russell.  My only hope was to make the interview worth his time and hope he’d come back in the future and allow himself to be recorded.  No pressure.  I just needed to get something.  

Effortlessly funny and effusive, he answered questions I’ve had since I understood what movies were and what they could do.  He spoke fondly of the cast, and as I got deeper into interviewing actors from the films, they spoke highly of him as well.  My image of him as a drill sergeant was shattered as I kept asking and he kept giving.  I wrote what I could, as fast as I could, like Salieri in “Amadeus” until he paused and asked:

“Hey, are we recording this?”

“...no Chuck, I thought you didn’t want me to.”

“Oh, you know, I think we should. It’ll be helpful.”

So my plan worked a little too well.  I scrambled to open my laptop and hit “record.” When we finished, I was flying.  Until I exported the file and it crashed.  One of the best interviews I’d ever done, a definite highlight of my first-ever book, was gone.  After shaking off the humiliation, I waited a few weeks to email Chuck, asking if we could…do it again? He said, “Sure! Where were we again with it?”

It was meant to be.  For round 2 (recorded from the beginning this time), I was more relaxed, and he was more trusting.  I built upon questions he forgot I asked, and his answers were better and more expansive. We were just two professionals talking.  The results are in the book.

I interviewed a lot of incredible people for “Nightmare Autopsis.”  I’ve had conversations that will stick with me forever.  But there’s one moment I always return to.  After our first interview ended, he told me, with the casual sincerity of someone finishing a slice at their local pizza place:

“Yeah, that was great.  Those were some good questions.  I can tell you’re a fan, not a fanboy.”

Can you even imagine? Eat your heart out, Jim Carrey.

We just lost Chuck Russell at 74.  We never met face-to-face, but I’ll never forget him for what he gave me.  What an artist.  What a guy. What a rush…

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

One of the most incredible things about the world of “Hellboy” is the ludicrous range of stories that get told within it. This year alone, in addition to his standard monster hunting, Mike Mignola has put out a palace intrigue comedy (“The Crown: A Tale of Hell”), a western (“Carmen Red Claw: The Belly of the Beast”), and now a smashing kaiju adventure with “Giant Robot Hellboy Returns.” So if you’re a Hellboy fan but you really want more “Pacific Rim” in your life, Giant Robot Hellboy is back to kick some ass!

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

The year is 1967, and a sub trawls the waters of the African coast, looking for treasure. Now that treasure is not gold or silver, but Enkeladite, a powerful substance capable of opening dimensional doors. The Enkeladite floating at the bottom of the ocean has created a rift between worlds, and the scientists intend to close it. Lurking in the shadows of the sea are threats even they can’t anticipate, and only Giant Robot Hellboy, resting on the ocean floor, can save the day!

How is it?

“Giant Robot Hellboy”’s first run was almost three years ago at this point, and I’ll admit that I thought it was a gimmicky one-off at the time, a fun little ride but not something particularly spectacular. This is not a popular opinion, so I tried to approach the return of Big Red’s bigger, metal form with an open mind. I have to say, for the first ten pages, I really was not sold. For only a two-part mini, far too much time is spent recapping the events of the previous series. Perhaps it was useful, because I honestly did not remember what happened in the prior series, but this could’ve been a two-page info-dump recap. To be doing flashbacks to a three-issue miniseries ten pages into a two-issue one simply feels unnecessary. 

I generally love the story of Hellboy, and enjoy the details and the world building that Mignola comes up with for his tales, but like with the first miniseries, it just doesn’t feel right here. The two hundred-plus issues of “B.P.R.D.”, “B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth”, and “B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know” were a perfect place to slowly build one of the greatest and most massive mythologies in the history of comics. A two-issue miniseries with the words “Giant Robot” in the title is just not the place to do that. I don’t want much of a plot, and I really don’t want a recap of previous plots. I want to see big monsters and big robots, and I want to see them fight! Thankfully, I can report that this does eventually happen, but it really does take a while for Issue #1 to pop off.  

When the action does eventually kick in, it is indeed everything I would want it to be. Duncan Fegredo is a top-tier sci-fi/fantasy/horror artist, and his Hellboy work on “Darkness Calls” and “The Wild Hunt” is among the most beloved from Hellboy’s initial run. His “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi” covers in the 90s are a striking part of 90s pre-prequel “Star Wars” iconography, and he’s made a mark on me for decades. Fegredo has a real knack for drawing monsters and aliens, coming up with real weird but realistic-looking stuff, and his work is the highlight here just as it was in the first run of “Giant Robody Hellboy”. 

Fegredo’s work is immensely detailed, and his panels always feel absolutely packed to the brim in a very Jack Kirby way. Whether it’s schools of fish fluttering by the sub, growths of algae sticking out of rocks, or a stack of papers flying in the background as the sub gets knocked, Fegredo always puts in maximal detail. His monsters are craggy and gross; there’s one panel that legitimately made me squirm in the absolute best way. Dark Horse is excitedly advertising “Giant Robot Hellboy Returns” almost as if it’s titled “Duncan Fegredo Returns”, and I can’t blame them. Fegredo art in the world of Hellboy is not to be missed.  

Dave Stewart is also back coloring his first Hellboy comic this year, as he’s been busy following Mignola and Ben Stenbeck into “The Lands Unknown”. There’s been excellent color work done on plenty of “Hellboy” comics this year, especially by Michelle Madsen, but seeing Stewart’s vision again is a reminder of just how defining his coloring is to the world of “Hellboy”. His sickly purple monsters, garish yellow diving suit, and ethereal emerald Enkeladite feel so uniquely him, and so uniquely Hellboy. It’s a very special thing to get these two artists reunited. The final few pages of this comic are genuinely so cool; I hope Mignola will leap straight into the action in issue #2 and let Fegredo loose on his readers.

LAST RITES

Despite a slow start, “Giant Robot Hellboy Returns #1” eventually delivers the rollicking sci-fi horror kaiju action that the title promises. Duncan Fegredo’s triumphant return to the world of Hellboy is a strong reminder of why he’s so beloved by fans, and Dave Stewart is a very welcome presence too. Hopefully, with the exposition out of the way, Issue #2 can really soar. 

“Giant Robot Hellboy Returns #1” is on sale now in comic shops and digitally from Dark Horse Comics.

THE GORY DETAILS

STORY BY 

MIKE MIGNOLA

ART BY

DUNCAN FEGREDO

COLORS BY 

DAVE STEWART

LETTERS BY

CLEM ROBBINS

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

It’s that time of the year again, and no, we aren’t talking about summer or the heat, or at least not heat in the temperature sense. No, it’s Fantasia International Film Festival time! Easily one of the best times of the year for us here at Macabre Daily, and this year is no different as Fantasia celebrates 30 years of bringing genre films to the masses from all over the world! This year’s program is absolutely stacked with features and shorts, animated and live-action, and a dazzling array of genres from gritty action to bloody af horror. Macabre Daily is honored to be able to cover this year’s program, and we hope you enjoy our coverage. Now, onto our reviews of…” When You Open the Door” and “Unholy Night”

“WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR” (2026)

Writer/Director: Eriko Katagiri

Imagine getting bitten by a wolf on your lunch break in a country where wolves are extinct. This is the story of Miki, who works at an architecture firm. After the bite, Miki goes back to work, but she starts feeling different and more distant from those around her. No one believes her story at work or at home except for the viewer who witnessed what happened to her. We instantly know that the bite will change her life forever.

I’m usually not a huge fan of werewolf movies because they are pretty predictable. But “When You Open the Door” offers a unique and feminist take on this subgenre, and this film approaches the werewolf trope through a powerful lens. It’s not the typical werewolf story of someone getting bitten, physically transforming, and going on a rampage. It’s more subtle as it focuses on the metamorphosis of a woman tired of her monotonous life and hungry for a drastic change.

Since wolves are extinct in Japan, Miki is not believed, and no one takes her experience seriously until she is invited to the moon-watching gathering, where she meets a group of like-minded women who welcome her and hold space for her. During that gathering, she is invited to “open the door” to her life’s transformation. This scene uses shadows and light, foreshadowing the drastic change that is about to happen in her life following this.

Around these women, we see a different side of Miki, one that is more joyful and more herself. She is shedding layers of different versions of herself as she transitions from a lone wolf to a werewolf. There is not a lot of dialogue in the film, and this precisely makes it stand out more because Serena Motola, through facial expressions, can portray the different emotions the character experiences throughout this intense journey. She doesn’t need to verbally say much because her face says it all. The sound design and score are essential elements, orchestrating a captivating experience for the audience.

Even though the film is slow-paced, there wasn’t a moment when I was bored. In fact, I was constantly craving more as I was intrigued by the suspense and anticipation created by the atmosphere. The whole time I was watching the film, Shakira’s “She Wolf “ song was playing in my head. There is a parallel between both stories, highlighting women seeking freedom and unleashing their feral side.

Japanese filmmakers are masters of horror storytelling, and in her feature debut, Eriko Katagiri continues this legacy, proving that she is able to create an impactful addition to the genre. “When You Open the Door” sets a new standard for werewolf movies.

“UNHOLY NIGHT” (2026)

Writer/Director: Michael Gabriele

Holiday horror is my favourite subgenre. There’s something cathartic about creating horror during a cheerful season. And honestly, holidays are the perfect territory for scary stories: think of all the drama that happens at the dinner table; the awkward conversations, the criticism, the confrontations. These are all the main ingredients for a good horror movie.

“Unholy Night” came at the perfect time because we’ve been craving a good holiday horror film for a while. The story follows Gino, who is about to have the wildest Christmas dinner of his life. He thought the biggest issue they’d have would be the butter accidentally left in the freezer or the fruit cut into squares instead of slices. But that fear escalates pretty fast when his dead nonna shows up alongside other relatives to haunt the town and go on a murder rampage. They are called “i ritornati”, and they’re back for blood. Will Gino be able to send them back to where they came from?

I ritornati want to ensure family traditions are followed accurately and passed down through generations. All they ask is that these traditions remain intact rather than being changed or messed with. I ritornati are funny and not fully malicious, which is what makes this a fun and entertaining watch. This holiday horror film doesn’t feature the typical Christmas monsters like Killer Santa or Krampus, but it’s deeply rooted in Italian traditions and highlights the complexities of family relationships. Unlike zombies, I ritornati have feelings and memories and are able to communicate.

The set design and the colour grading are remarkable, reflecting an authentic vintage Italian home aesthetic. Any grandparent’s household in real life would look exactly like that. It is a well-crafted film overall, with music that evokes a nostalgic Italian era and reminds us that we can’t disconnect from our past. Behind all the chaos and the drama lies a commentary on the stress surrounding family and cultural expectations, and the challenges Gino faces to prove that he is satisfied with where he is in his current life.

It is not easy to balance horror and comedy, but thanks to the strong script, Michael Gabriele delivers an exceptional feature debut. Marc Bendavid and Jacqueline Robbins offer compelling performances that combine the stress and anxiety of the holiday season and the love that bonds them. I loved everything about it. I laughed, I cried, and I have to admit, this is one of my top five horror movies of 2026 and will be a staple of the holiday horror library for years to come.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!

There’s an Emergency Department nurse in suburban Las Vegas who’s concealing a reality-shattering secret. As trauma patients are wheeled in, her senses twitch with the overwhelming scent of blood. Hidden in her locker, a vial of stolen blood awaits her. She’ll inject it directly into her veins during her break. She has to—or her body will transform into something dangerous she might not be able to control.

This is the premise that opens “The Flayed Man,” a thoroughly impressive debut from author Chloe Lauter, who delivers precise continuity, lived-in sensory details, and a genuinely fresh take on vampire lore. From the opening scene through its thrilling conclusion, the novel’s propulsive action never lets up, taking readers on a sweeping tour from seedy Vegas suburbs to the unforgiving Mojave Desert.

“The Flayed Man” is out on July 21, 2026, from Soft Skull Press.

Synopsis

A complex mother-daughter relationship is taken to a new level in this fresh and propulsive novel of family curses, blood-thirsty ghouls, and budding romance set against the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas.

Ellis Karsten spends nights working triage in the ER and days having the same conversation with her mom. The early onset dementia is exhausting, but the real challenge is their curse—Ellis’s family must feed daily on blood, or risk becoming mindless, skinless killing machines. When Ellis’s uncle, who supplies their blood, vanishes, she takes it upon herself to find a new source, aided by a prickly paramedic who’s equal parts unpredictable and intoxicating. But as Ellis fights to balance her bloodthirsty nature with a new relationship, her mom’s impossible demands transform into panicked warnings that a fabled monster, “The Flayed Man,” is stalking them.

As she traverses the desert in search of blood, Ellis risks her safety and her family’s secret, until it becomes clear that her mom is right: something ancient and hungry is hunting them, and it has come for her mom. Blood hunger begins to overtake Ellis, transforming her body into something ghoulish and frightening—exactly what The Flayed Man wants. In the end, she must decide who to trust, what she’s willing to sacrifice, and whether she is worthy of a life, and love, beyond her curse—or if she’s going to succumb to instinct and ravage the world.

Proof It’s Still Possible to Write a Thoroughly Original Vampire Story

In 1872, Irish author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu published a novella that altered the course of literary history. “Carmilla” is a sapphic vampire tale in which the vampiric Carmilla insinuates herself into an isolated Austrian castle, where she seduces and preys upon virginal Laura.   

Today, more than 150 years later, vampire media continues to captivate audiences—but it’s perhaps more difficult than ever to put an original spin on the subgenre. That’s what makes Lauter’s debut so astounding. “The Flayed Man” both engages and evolves vampire mythology, resulting in a modern, unique story that pushes vampire tropes into new territory.  

At the heart of Lauter’s vampire tale is the Flayed Man, a monstrous creature of her own invention: An inverted corpse who wears his bones on the outside of his skin. The original Flayed Man’s sins have cursed his modern-day bloodline, burdening his scattered descendants with a craving for human blood. If Ellis and her family members are deprived of blood for too long, their bodies ache to flay open and unleash terrible, uncontrollable violence on anyone who strays near.

Lauter imbues the Flayed Man’s origin story with a timeworn complexity. Her characters discuss and debate variations on the story’s details, mirroring the way real-world fairy tales are distorted through generations of retellings. 

Beyond their central mythology, Lauter’s vampires diverge from common tropes in other ways. You won’t find wealthy counts or landed gentry in her dusty, scuffed Las Vegas suburbs. Like Stephen Graham Jones’s “Mongrels” and Kathryn Bigelow’s “Near Dark,” Lauter envisions a world where vampires subsist on the fringes of society. 

Ellis and her mother face all the maddening, expensive challenges of being poor in the US. One of the novel’s major problems involves car troubles that Ellis can barely afford. Elements of addiction and family trauma build rich layers of meaning that ground the more supernatural struggles Ellis faces. The novel revels in this friction, building constant tension between the Flayed Man’s otherworldly curse and mundane reality.

Lauter Offers Unflinching Insights Into Difficult Relationship Dynamics

At its emotional core, “The Flayed Man” is a story about love—who receives it, who deserves it, and how fragile or durable it can be. 

Ellis already has a difficult, codependent relationship with her mother when early-onset dementia begins to further warp their dynamic. As her mother slips in and out of lucidity, Ellis engages in a daily struggle. She loves her mother and feels a deep sense of responsibility for her care, but she can’t ignore the decades of betrayal and resentment that simmer under the surface of their interactions. Love is a daily action. An obligation. The heaviest, most oppressive weight.

But love is also a spark of attraction in the Emergency Department where Ellis works as a nurse. A paramedic named Veer catches her eye, and as the two begin a cautious courtship, they begin to realize that they have more in common than they could ever expect. 

“The Flayed Man” is ultimately a hopeful story about the way love can challenge and expand our sense of what’s possible. Under the right circumstances, it might even be capable of radically reframing our deepest, darkest curses into something we can manage to live with.   

A Lean, Propulsive Novel Where Every Word Counts

At just 240 pages, “The Flayed Man” unfolds at an urgent pace that’s punctuated by Ellis’s need to inject human blood at rigid intervals. The tight timeline and high stakes build natural momentum that rapidly accelerates as the novel hurtles toward its explosive conclusion.

Lauter is a precise writer who makes every detail matter. She builds a world populated by characters with distinct, conflicting motivations. Her scenes are rich with sensory details that bring lesbian dive bars, house parties, roadside diners, and dusty desert highways to life. Best of all, lines that seem like throwaway details have a way of boomeranging back with unexpected weight and importance. 

“The Flayed Man” ultimately offers the simplest, greatest pleasure a reader can hope for: A well-crafted story with deeply satisfying conflicts and character development. We’re looking forward to seeing what stories Lauter will tell next.  

You can purchase “The Flayed Man” here.

You can follow Chloe Lauter on TikTok and Instagram.

Stay up to date by following Macabre Daily on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky!