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Annie Neugebauer Talks The Extra, The Other, and Horror That Won't Let Go05 May 202600:51:16

Annie Neugebauer is a two-time Bram Stoker Award-nominated horror author, and her work gets under your skin the way only the best psychological horror can. In this interview, we sit down with Annie to talk about The Outsiders Sequence, her series of wilderness horror novellas published through Shortwave Publishing, including her debut novella The Extra and the upcoming follow-up The Other, dropping June 9, 2026.

We get into the big questions: what draws a writer to horror fiction in the first place, and why does the genre still carry a stigma when books like Interview with the Vampire and The Shining have been proving otherwise for decades? Annie talks about the power of mundane horror, how grounding a story in everyday life lets it slip past the reader's defenses, and why short fiction gives horror writers the freedom to take risks that longer formats don't always allow.

We also dig into the concept Annie calls the "force field" in horror storytelling: the mechanism every horror writer needs to keep characters trapped in the story. From Stephen King's The Tommyknockers to Cabin in the Woods, and the very real problem that cell phones created for the genre (R.L. Stine agrees, by the way), this conversation covers the craft of building dread in a modern world that makes isolation harder and harder to pull off.

Annie shares the books that stuck with her the most, from A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay to Broken Harbor by Tana French, and we play a round of horror survival scenarios that tells you everything you need to know about her relationship with the genre. She also teases two major unannounced projects that she describes as "dream come true level."

Whether you read literary horror for the slow-burn dread or just want a good popcorn scare, this one is for you.

Annie Neugebauer: Horror Author and The Outsiders Sequence
  • Annie Neugebauer is a two-time Bram Stoker Award-nominated short story author, nationally award-winning poet, and horror novelist
  • Her debut novella The Extra is the first book in The Outsiders Sequence, published by Shortwave Publishing; her short story collection You Have to Let Them Bleed is from Bad Hand Books
  • The Other (Outsiders Sequence #2) drops June 9, 2026; a couple meets their doppelgangers on a hiking trail; The Spare follows in spring 2027
  • Annie teases two major unannounced projects described as "dream come true level" — follow her at [LINK: annieneugebauer.com] and @AnnieNeugebauer on Instagram
Literary Horror vs. Popcorn Horror: The Case for Both
  • Annie makes the case that literary horror and commercial horror both have value; sometimes you need popcorn, sometimes you need to be challenged
  • The conversation covers how Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire was proof that horror can do "important things and deep things and powerful things"
  • Discussion of Ari Aster films (Midsommar, Hereditary) vs. franchise horror like The Conjuring and what each gives the audience
Mundane Horror and the Art of Slow-Burn Dread
  • Annie's approach to mundane horror: grounding stories in real life to get under the reader's defenses before the horror fully lands
  • The horror that stays with you; Annie's "stuck in me" criterion for what separates good horror from unforgettable horror
  • Books that achieved this: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, Broken Harbor by Tana French, The Shining, Salem's Lot, Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
The Force Field Problem and Cell Phones in Modern Horror
  • Annie's concept of the "force field" in horror: every story needs a mechanism to trap characters in the situation
  • From Stephen King's The Tommyknockers to Cabin in the Woods: literal and metaphorical containment strategies
  • R.L. Stine recently called cell phones the worst thing to happen for horror, and Annie agrees; wilderness settings provide a natural force field for modern horror
Short Fiction vs. Novels: Different Beasts, Same Genre
  • Annie writes everything from poems to epic novels, but short fiction lets her take risks with faster reader buy-in
  • The practical side: publishers can gamble on an unknown short story author in an anthology more easily than on a 120,000-word debut novel
  • How The Outsiders Sequence evolved: each novella can stand alone but connects through a shared world; editor Alan Lastufka accidentally planted the seed for the series
Horror Survival Scenarios and Childhood Scares
  • Annie plays a round of horror survival scenarios: would survive the Overlook Hotel, would lose her psyche at Hill House, would make it decently far in Cabin in the Woods, and accepts her fate in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery
  • Childhood horror confessions: Annie was deeply traumatized by both Anaconda and E.T. as a kid (the stuffed animal scene especially)
  • Discussion of horror in the school curriculum: Edgar Allan Poe, Shirley Jackson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from seventh grade through high school

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Hokum Review: Damian McCarthy's Best Horror Movie Yet?01 May 202600:46:53

Hokum review: Damian McCarthy's new horror movie is a near-perfect Irish folk horror film starring Adam Scott. We break down everything.

Hokum just dropped, and we had to talk about it immediately. Damian McCarthy, the director behind Oddity and Caveat, delivered something special here. Adam Scott plays Ohm Bauman, a horror writer who checks into a remote Irish hotel to scatter his parents' ashes and ends up locked in a haunted honeymoon suite with a witch, a missing woman, and a conspiracy that's entirely human.

This is a full spoiler review (with a warning before we get into it). We cover Adam Scott's performance, McCarthy's visual style, the incredible use of lighting and sound design, comparisons to Stephen King's 1408 and The Shining, and why this might be one of the best horror movies of 2026.

 

DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

Hokum (2026) — Dir. Damian McCarthy — Neon

Cast: Adam Scott, David Wilmot, Peter Coonan, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell

Also referenced: Oddity, Caveat, Severance, 1408, Secret Window, The Shining, Amnesia: The Dark Descent

 

Hokum: The Movie and Why It Works
  • Damian McCarthy's third feature after Caveat (2020) and Oddity (2024); currently sitting at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
  • Adam Scott stars as Ohm Bauman, a reclusive horror novelist who checks into a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents' ashes
  • Folk horror meets haunted hotel; supernatural elements wrap a deeply human story about grief, guilt, and who the real villains are
  • Distributed by Neon; premiered at SXSW in March 2026; theatrical release May 1, 2026
The Cast of Hokum: Who's Who at the Bilberry Woods Hotel
  • Adam Scott as Ohm Bauman; David Wilmot as Jerry (you'll love him); Peter Coonan as Mal
  • Florence Ordesh as Fiona the bartender; Michael Patric as Fergal the groundskeeper; Will O'Connell as Alby the bellhop
  • Adam Scott watched Oddity, got obsessed, and essentially cast himself by cold-contacting McCarthy directly
Damian McCarthy: From Electrician to Horror Auteur
  • McCarthy was a working electrician in West Cork while making micro-budget shorts on weekends
  • After festival rejections, he uploaded "He Dies at the End" to YouTube; it went viral and launched his career
  • The character name "Ohm" is a nod to the electrical unit of resistance (and to McCarthy's own resistance to returning to that career)
  • McCarthy edited Oddity himself on weekends over eighteen months; had an early draft of Hokum in the drawer the whole time
Atmosphere and Visual Style: Horror in the Dark
  • Cinematographer Colm Hogan returns from Oddity; heavy use of natural light, oil lanterns, and oppressive shadow
  • The lighting doubles as character work: Ohm's darkness is literal and metaphorical from the opening scene
  • Comparisons to Amnesia: The Dark Descent for the lantern-only exploration sequences
Stephen King Vibes and Genre Comparisons
  • Strong parallels to 1408 (grumpy writer, haunted hotel room), Secret Window (writer psychology), and The Shining (isolated hotel)
  • McCarthy's recurring device: objects from previous films appear (Caveat's bunny in Oddity; Oddity's bell in Hokum)
  • The film's title itself means "nonsense" — reflecting how the characters (and maybe the audience) first treat the witch folklore
Coming Up on Grave Tone
  • Interview with horror author Annie Nugabauer on her upcoming projects
  • Interview with Rye Barrett (Johnny in In a Violent Nature) on the sequel and the Canadian horror scene
  • May 2026 horror slate: Obsession, Saccharine, Corporate Retreat, Passenger, Backrooms, Pitfall

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Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Review: Bigger, Better & Bloodier20 Mar 202600:35:01

Grace is back, her sister's in danger, and the whole world is apparently run by satanic billionaires. Arthur and Meaghan review Ready or Not 2: Here I Come and break down whether this blood-soaked sequel actually earns its place next to the original.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is directed by Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) and picks up exactly where the first film left off — Samara Weaving covered in blood, the mansion in ashes, and everything you thought you knew about that first movie suddenly feels like just the opening act. This time, the game is global.

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The Man Behind Ice Spiders & a Bram Stoker Nomination | Eric Miller on Horror Writing, Hollywood & Whatever Happened to Uncle Ed?19 Mar 202600:49:38

In this special midweek bonus, Arthur and Megan sit down with Eric Miller, a horror writer who's navigated pretty much every corner of the genre across multiple decades and formats. He's written and produced screenplays, including the SyFy Channel's cult creature feature Ice Spiders (yes, the one with the ski resort and the giant spiders), along with Night Skies, Swamp Shark, and Mask Maker.

He's an editor whose anthology Hell Comes to Hollywood earned a Bram Stoker Award nomination. And in January 2025, he released his debut novel, Whatever Happened to Uncle Ed?, a darkly funny, action-packed horror story where a former high school basketball star inherits a mansion, a fortune, and a generational curse that comes with shapeshifting demons and underground battle arenas. Kirkus Reviews called it "simultaneously horrifying and hilarious."

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Undertone: We're A Horror Podcast. They Made a Movie About One. Let's Talk13 Mar 202600:36:58

Arthur and Meaghan review A24's Undertone (2025) — Ian Tuason's directorial debut and one of the most talked-about horror films of early 2026. A paranormal podcast host receives ten mysterious audio recordings at her dying mother's bedside, and what starts as content slowly becomes a waking nightmare.

They break down the film's extraordinary sound design, its slow-burn atmosphere, the meta joy of two horror podcasters reviewing a horror podcast movie, and where it lands on their rating scale (Arthur: 7/10 — Meaghan: 6.5/10). Plus: the Fantasia connection, the A24 deal, and why you really should see this one in Dolby if you can.


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THE BRIDE! (2026) REVIEW | Jesse Buckley Is UNREAL, Christian Bale Delivers, But Does The Third Act Kill It?06 Mar 202600:35:50

We just saw THE BRIDE! (2026) — Maggie Gyllenhaal's punk feminist reimagining of Bride of Frankenstein — and we have a LOT to say. Jesse Buckley gives one of the best performances of the year, Christian Bale is doing full chameleon mode, and the dance sequence alone is worth the price of admission.


Arthur and Meaghan break down the full film — what works (a lot), what doesn't (that third act), and where this sits in the 2026 monster movie renaissance alongside Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein and Lee Cronin's upcoming The Mummy.


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BONUS: The Voice Behind Billy's Inner Demon: Mark Acheson on Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)05 Mar 202600:29:36

In this bonus episode of Grave Tone Podcast, Meaghan and Arthur sit down with prolific character actor Mark Acheson for a wide-ranging conversation about craft, career, and Christmas horror.

Mark is probably best known as the unforgettable Mailroom Guy from Elf (2003), but his career spans four decades, three Emmys (via his role in Fargo), Zack Snyder's Watch, Chronicles of Riddick, Brand New Cherry Flavor, and so much more.

Most recently, he plays Charlie in Mike P. Nelson's Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) — a disembodied inner voice that guides slasher antihero Billy Chapman (Rohan Campbell) on a very specific kind of naughty list. Reviewers have compared the dynamic to Dexter meets Venom, and the performance earned Acheson standout notices from multiple critics.


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From Page to Screen: This Is Not a Test — Did the Courtney Summers Adaptation Nail It?28 Feb 202600:44:42

We just got home from the theatre, and we're breaking down This Is Not a Test (2026), the new zombie horror film directed by Adam McDonald and based on the beloved Courtney Summers YA novel. Meaghan read the book (and the bonus sequel novella, Please Remain Calm). Arthur has a giant zombie-kill knife on his nightstand. We are, arguably, the ideal people to review this.

This Is Not a Test just hit theatres, and we are fresh out of our seats. Based on the beloved 2012 YA novel by Canadian author Courtney Summers — rereleased in January 2026 with the sequel novella Please Remain Calm — this new zombie film is directed by Adam McDonald and stars Olivia Holt (Heart Eyes), Froy Gutierrez, Corteon Moore, Carson MacCormac, and Chloe Avakian.

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Serial Killer Horror That Played It Way Too Safe: Psycho Killer 2026 Review21 Feb 202600:42:20

Psycho Killer (2026) is the first Disney-distributed film to land 0% on Rotten Tomatoes — and we just saw it opening night. Here's our full spoiler review. Written by Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en, Sleepy Hollow), directed by debut director Gavin Polone, and starring Georgina Campbell as a revenge-driven state trooper hunting a ritualistic serial killer, Psycho Killer had everything going for it. So why does it fall so completely flat?

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Sam Raimi's SEND HELP Is His Best Horror Film in 17 Years17 Feb 202600:31:01

Sam Raimi is back in the horror director's chair, and it's glorious. On this bonus episode of Grave Tone Podcast, Meaghan and Arthur break down Send Help (2026), the survival horror thriller starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as corporate co-workers stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash.

They dive into the film's sharp commentary on nepotism and corporate culture, the incredible on-screen chemistry between the two leads, Danny Elfman's perfectly calibrated score, and the moral gray area at the heart of the story — who is really the villain here?

Plus: real survival tips, a Crisco survival debate, connections to Triangle of Sadness, and their final ratings.

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Cold Storage (2026) — David Koepp's Sci-Fi Horror Comedy Is Disgusting Fun14 Feb 202600:29:29

We just got back from the theater to review Cold Storage (2026), the new horror comedy based on David Koepp's 2019 novel.

This film has an absolutely stacked cast — Joe Keery (Stranger Things), Georgina Campbell (Barbarian), Liam Neeson, Leslie Manville, Sosie Bacon (Smile), Richard Brake, and Vanessa Redgrave — all trapped in a self-storage facility when a parasitic alien fungus escapes from a sealed military vault beneath the building.

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Whistle (2026) Review: The Aztec Death Whistle Horror Movie Explained07 Feb 202600:35:45

Megan and Arthur review Whistle (2026), the new cursed-object horror where blowing an “Aztec death whistle” calls in something worse than a demon—your future death.


This episode is spoiler-heavy: we talk kill highlights, what works (and what doesn’t), the movie’s throwback teen-horror vibe, and why it feels like a mashup of Final Destination chaos with Smile-style curse mechanics.


Also: cast notes (hello, Nick Frost), soundtrack/needle-drop appreciation, and a quick myth-vs-reality check on the “death whistle” lore.

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I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) Traumatized Us, Here's Why24 Apr 202600:56:30

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) revisited — the post-Scream slasher that traumatized a generation. Full review and breakdown.

The Childhood Trauma series is back on Grave Tone Podcast. Megan was nine years old when this movie shut her down, and we're going back to figure out exactly why. Wild production history, the convoluted plot decoded, and an honest look at whether this Kevin Williamson slasher holds up against Scream almost 30 years later.

We cover the cast that was almost completely different (Reese Witherspoon, Jeremy Sisto), the reshoot that accidentally created the best jump scare in the movie, Sarah Michelle Gellar's hundred-splinter nightmare, and the original ending that was so bad Jim Gillespie sabotaged it on purpose. Plus Megan's full story of being terrified in a creaky basement at age nine.

Featuring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze Jr., Kevin Williamson, Lois Duncan, the 2025 requel, and the state of the slasher revival in 2026.


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Production History & Behind the Scenes

▸ I Know What You Did Last Summer hit theaters October 17, 1997, less than a year after Scream cracked open the slasher market

▸ Budget: $17 million; worldwide gross: $125 million (7.4x return) — held #1 for three consecutive weekends including Halloween

▸ Kevin Williamson wrote the screenplay before Scream but couldn't get it greenlit until Columbia reversed course after Scream's success

▸ Shot primarily in Southport, North Carolina; opening sequence filmed in Sonoma County, California


The Cast That Almost Wasn't

▸ Reese Witherspoon passed on Julie James; Jennifer Love Hewitt originally auditioned for Helen, switched mid-read

▸ Ryan Phillippe landed Barry after Witherspoon recommended him (they were dating at the time)

▸ Sarah Michelle Gellar was cast two weeks before shooting based on the unreleased Buffy pilot

▸ Freddie Prinze Jr. lost the Billy Loomis role in Scream to Skeet Ulrich, auditioned four or five times for Ray, almost quit after a stunt went wrong

▸ Gellar and Prinze Jr. met on this film and never share a single line of dialogue with each other


Megan's Childhood Trauma: The Full Story

▸ Nine years old, newly moved into a creaky 1960s bungalow, watching alone in the basement on VHS rental

▸ The Helen chase sequence through the family store combined with unfamiliar house noises created real panic

▸ Had to stop the movie; didn't finish it for two years

▸ Revisiting it now: nostalgia carries the film more than genuine scares, but the jump scares remain effective


Script, Plot Structure & the Scream Comparison

▸ Adapted from Lois Duncan's 1973 YA suspense novel [LINK: I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan]

▸ Duncan was critical of the slasher adaptation; the novel features no deaths and focuses on psychological trauma

▸ The Ben Willis / David Egan backstory creates a convoluted puzzle that the film doesn't fully explain on screen

▸ Johnny Galecki's character Max was reshot as a kill to solve a 35-minute pacing gap with no deaths

▸ Original ending (Julie gets an email) was deliberately shot poorly by director Jim Gillespie to force a reshoot


The I Know What You Did Last Summer Franchise in 2026

▸ The 2025 requel brings back Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. alongside a new cast led by Madelyn Cline

▸ In a Violent Nature 2 starring Ry Barrett is in post-production for a 2026 release

▸ Scream 7, also written by Kevin Williamson, continues the 90s slasher franchise revival trend

▸ The broader slasher revival reflects audience fatigue with "elevated horror" and a hunger for visceral, nostalgic genre thrills

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Childhood Trauma Horror Rewatch With Horror Roulette Podcast: Dolls (1987) + Poltergeist (1982)30 Jan 202600:55:52

Childhood Trauma Horror Rewatch of Dolls (1987) and Poltergeist (1982) — with Horror Roulette Podcast.

Evil dolls, haunted suburbia, clown nightmares, and iconic 80s practical effects… what still scares us now?

Meaghan & Arthur (Grave Tone) team up with Nelly & Antony (Horror Roulette Podcast) to revisit two films that hit us at the worst possible age. We break down the moments that caused the damage (porcelain doll terror, the Poltergeist clown, the tree attack, the mirror scene, the skeleton pool) and the stuff we didn’t remember—like how funny Dolls can be on a rewatch.

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Why Universal’s Dark Universe Failed (The Mummy 2017 & the Monsterverse That Never Was)24 Jan 202600:32:15

Universal’s Dark Universe was supposed to be a Monster MCU — and The Mummy (2017) killed it.

We break down Dracula Untold, The Mummy, Dr. Jekyll, and every reason the franchise collapsed.

Universal tried to resurrect its legendary monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Invisible Man, The Mummy) inside one shared cinematic universe… and it cratered almost instantly.


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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Review) — The Zombie Sequel That Blew Us Away17 Jan 202600:42:07

We’re back, for the second time. After seeing 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple on Friday, January 16, 2026, we recorded our full review… and then the audio file vanished into the void. So at 7:00 a.m. (with coffee and pure spite), we did it again, because this movie is worth it.

In this episode of Grave Tone Podcast, Meaghjan and Arthur break down why The Bone Temple is a massive step up and (for us) one of the best zombie/infected films we’ve seen. It doesn’t just rely on gore or nonstop chaos; it blends action, dread, character work, dark humor, and big thematic swings in a way that feels deliberate and shockingly well-balanced.

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Primate (2026) Movie Review | Killer Chimp Creature Feature (Spoilers + Best Kills)09 Jan 202600:30:16

In this episode of Grave Tone, Megan and Arthur record immediately after an early screening of Primate (2026)—a lean, mean creature feature where a beloved chimp named Ben turns deadly after a rabies incident, trapping a group of young friends in a remote cliffside home in Hawaii.


We start with quick first reactions and a spoiler-free verdict on what Primate delivers: hard R gore, strong tension, and surprisingly effective comedic beats that keep the ride watchable even when it’s gnarly. Then we dive into full spoilers, unpacking the movie’s setup (Lucy returning home to a grieving family), the rabies/mongoose catalyst, and how the isolation of the house + pool-cliff geography turns into a survival nightmare.

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We Bury the Dead Review: Ending Explained, The Zombie Baby Twist & What It Means04 Jan 202600:27:52

Today we’re reviewing We Bury the Dead (2026) (written/directed by Zak Hilditch), starring Daisy Ridley as Ava—a woman who volunteers with a body retrieval unit while searching for her missing husband in a devastated Tasmania.

FULL SPOILERS AHEAD: We discuss the movie’s zombie design, the “cognitive undead” idea we wish the film explored more, what worked (shots, tension spikes, performances), what didn’t (pacing + cliché ramp), and the ending that left us arguing all the way home.

If you watched it too: Were you into the metaphor-heavy approach, or did you want more straight-up zombie survival? Drop your take in the comments.

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The Plague (2025) Review: Water Polo Camp Psychological Horror (IFC)02 Jan 202600:32:45

It’s the first Grave Tone episode of the year, and we’re kicking things off with a screener review of The Plague: a brutally realistic, deeply unsettling coming-of-age horror-thriller set at a boys’ water polo sleepaway camp. New kid Ben arrives already anxious… and immediately learns the camp’s “tradition”: the group chooses one boy to label as “the plague,” and everyone treats him as contagious. What starts as a juvenile joke curdles into full-on social exile, escalating Ben’s fear, shame, and survival instincts.

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Top 10 Horror Movies of 2025 (Ranked) | Sinners, Weapons, The Long Walk & More27 Dec 202500:54:19

It’s the end-of-year horror hangover episode: Megan and Arthur reveal their Top 10 Horror Movies of 2025, counting down from #10 to #1—without telling each other their lists ahead of time.

They cover buzzy sequels that actually delivered, festival discoveries that deserve wider distribution, and the movies that hit hardest emotionally (even when the blood was flowing). Expect passionate takes on modern Stephen King adaptations, dark fairy-tale/body-horror energy, the return of big-franchise swings, and why one film absolutely earned the #1 spot for both hosts.

Also included: honorable mentions—the movies that narrowly missed the cut, plus a few genre-adjacent picks that still scratched the horror itch.

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How Stephen King Said “DO IT!!!” - Jonathan Janz Interview: Veil, Stephen King’s The Stand Anthology, and the Horror Renaissance20 Dec 202500:33:43

Horror comes to life with the horror author Jonathan Janz on Grave Tone.

In this episode, Jonathan breaks down how he landed in the officially authorized Stand universe — including the wild behind-the-scenes moment when Stephen King gave the green light for The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand (edited by Brian Keene and Christopher Golden) and why that “DO IT!!!” email changed everything.

We also dig into Jonathan’s newest release, Veil (sci-fi horror), his love of big swings and clear endings, and the early-life ingredients that shaped him: growing up next to a graveyard, horror-loving family TV habits, and even Poe recordings that hit way too early.

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Silent Night, Deadly Night Ranked (1984–2025) + 2025 Remake Review | Killer Santa Franchise13 Dec 202500:45:08

It’s finally holiday horror season… so we did the only sensible thing: watched all seven Silent Night, Deadly Night films and ranked them from worst to best, including the bonkers detours (psychic coma connections, witchy cult chaos, killer toys) and the entries that actually work as slashers.

We also hit the theater for the new 2025 Silent Night, Deadly Night, and—spoiler alert—it’s way better than we expected. We talk about what makes it click, why it feels like a “breath of fresh air,” and which franchise DNA it smartly remixes. The 2025 film is written/directed by Mike P. Nelson, premiered at Fantastic Fest, and was released theatrically Dec 12, 2025.

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Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Review – More Lore, Less Gore?06 Dec 202500:33:27

In this episode of Grave Tone, your hosts break down the sequel’s bigger budget, sleeker Jim Henson Creature Shop animatronics, and why the old, more deteriorated suits are still the truly scary ones. They talk about the PG-13 kills, the tame gore, and how the loudest cheers weren’t for creative deaths but for character reveals, Easter eggs, and fan-service moments pulled straight from the games and creators like MatPat.

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Lee Cronin's The Mummy Review: Is Blumhouse's R-Rated Reboot Actually An Evil Dead Movie?17 Apr 202600:43:33

Lee Cronin's The Mummy review, Blumhouse's R-rated possession horror reviewed, with full spoilers, ending explained, and a spoiler breakdown of what actually happens to Katie Cannon.

Arthur and Meaghan sit down to review Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026), the Blumhouse and Atomic Monster reimagining from the director of Evil Dead Rise. Starring Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Shylo Molina, Billie Roy and Verónica Falcón, this is not a Brendan Fraser sequel; it's something much gnarlier.

We cover first impressions, where the tone breaks down, the wheelchair scene everyone's talking about, the viral May Calamawy wound-prosthetic premiere moment, Natalie Grace's incredible physical performance, and a full spoiler breakdown of the demon, the Magician, the possession, and the ending. Plus Meaghan's Frédéric Bourdin impostor-case spiral, why this feels more like Evil Dead with a mummy filter, and a look ahead at Evil Dead Burn (July 2026), Brendan Fraser's Mummy 4, and Mārama.

⚠ Full spoilers begin around the 22:00 mark.


What we're reviewing

  • Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026) — directed and written by Lee Cronin, released April 17 by Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Produced by Jason Blum (Blumhouse) and James Wan (Atomic Monster) with Cronin's Wicked/Good (formerly Doppelgängers)
  • Rated R, a standalone reimagining (explicitly not connected to the Brendan Fraser films or Universal's 2017 Dark Universe attempt)


What worked

  • The mummy design itself — wrappings as skin, a containment spell written on the underside, genuinely unsettling every time she's on camera
  • Natalie Grace's physical performance (a 22-year-old actress playing a mummified, demon-possessed child)
  • Practical effects across the board — prosthetics designed by Arjen Tuiten, gore work that went viral when May Calamawy wore a wound prosthetic to the April 9 LA premiere and the clip pulled 20 million views
  • Sound design — teeth-tapping, shifts in chairs, small details that amplify every serious moment
  • The house itself — secluded, colonial, almost a character in its own right
  • The kid actors, consistently (Cronin proved this in Evil Dead Rise too)

What didn't

  • The wheelchair-up-the-stairs scene (goes on for almost two minutes, never explains why no one just carries the chair)
  • Unwanted camp — the little girl pulling out her teeth and inserting Abuela's dentures is supposed to be unsettling, lands as funny
  • Silly musical cues dropped on top of brutal deaths
  • The split-diopter shot is used so often it stops being an effect and starts being a distraction
  • The Egypt setting feels shoehorned in once the film relocates to New Mexico — the mummy stuff never fully integrates with the possession story
  • 40 minutes of denial from the parents that Katie is obviously not okay


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2026 Horror Movies We Can’t Wait For 🩸 28 Years Later, Evil Dead Burn, Soulm8te & More29 Nov 202500:48:05

2026 is stacked with horror: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Evil Dead Burn, Soulm8te, Night Patrol, Send Help, new Exorcist and Resident Evil movies, The Bride!, a Robert Eggers werewolf film, and more.

In this Grave Tone episode, we break down the best upcoming 2026 horror movies, from monster reboots and AI horror to sequels, reboots, and gothic nightmares you need on your watchlist.

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Childhood Trauma #3: LINK (1986) Rewatch, Childhood Trauma & 80s Horror Nostalgia22 Nov 202500:28:34

Welcome back to Gravestone, the horror podcast where childhood trauma becomes content. In this episode of our Childhood Trauma series, we dive into LINK (1986), the not-quite-chimp killer ape movie set in a remote English mansion with Elizabeth Shue, Terrence Stamp, and a very badly supervised group of apes.


We start by reading the official IMDb synopsis… and then rewrite it with the honesty it deserves: idiot student, creepy professor, wildly inappropriate assistant job, and a locked room full of experimental apes on the edge of a cliff. From there, we break down the movie’s clunky writing, cursed job offer, and tone problems. Does LINK even know if it wants to be horror, thriller, or slapstick?

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Is Keeper (2025) Any Good? Movie Explained. Gorgeous Folk Horror, Messy Story17 Nov 202500:33:27

On this episode of Gravestone, Meaghan and Arthur talk all things Keeper (2025), Osgood Perkins’ latest folk horror about a couple’s anniversary trip that devolves into a surreal nightmare of toxic romance, creepy cabins, and generational sacrifices.

Fresh out of a Sunday screening (plus a long drive and some seriously annoying talkers in the theater), they break down their spoiler-filled reaction to Keeper (2025): what works, what absolutely doesn’t, and why both of them walked away hovering around 3 digs out of 10.

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Predator: Badlands Review — Yautja POV, Killer Planet, & That Ending08 Nov 202500:27:57

Predator: Badlands might be the freshest take on the franchise yet. We break down why making Dex—the Yautja—our actual protagonist changes everything, how full-CG facial capture makes this the most emotive Predator we’ve seen, and why a story with no humans on screen somehow feels… more human.

We also get into the Weyland-Yutani connective tissue to Alien, the surprisingly funny script beats, and a finale that teases big things to come. Our Grave Tone “digs” rating: Meaghan lands at 8 digs, Arthur at 7.5 digs. Little shovel noises included.

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PITFALL (2025) at ScreamFest LA — Director James Kondelik & Producer Wai Sun Cheng on Brutal FX, How The Horror Movie Was Made & Killer Origin06 Nov 202500:54:48

We caught up with James Kondelik (writer/director) and Wai Sun Cheng (producer) right after the world premiere of PITFALL at ScreamFest LA 2025. They walk us through how a simple premise—a hiker trapped in a spike-lined pit in the woods—became a raw, character-driven survival slasher.

We cover how the movie was made, the team’s emphasis on painful, tactile, practical effects, the cast (including Richard Harmon, Alexandra Essoe, Randy Couture, Marshall Williams, Jordan Claire Robbins), the story DNA behind the killer, and what it took to keep the tension human. Then we end with a quick-fire round of horror-genre questions.

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Trick or Truth: The Chelsea Halloween Murders, a Vanishing at Niagara & a Knife at the Door01 Nov 202500:33:26

It’s a cozy-spooky Halloween at Gravestone: Megan & Arthur hit record on Halloween night and switch things up with a storytelling game, each brings three short scary tales: two based in fact, one pure fiction. The other has to spot the fake…to win the pot of candy. Play along!

Highlights we talk through:

  • Chelsea’s 1981 Halloween murders and those strange Son of Sam prison whispers about a planned double murder. What was real, what was rumor?
  • The bloodied nightgown visitor sitting on a porch swing with a knife—was it a prank, a breakdown…or something worse?
  • A supposed Niagara-side disappearance with puzzling clues and conflicting theories. Coincidence—or cover?
  • The tragic Halloween-night case of Martha Moxley—and why it still lingers.


Tell us which story you think was fake and drop your own creepy mini-tales. We’re @GravestonePod everywhere. Also, expect more than movies here, books, games, and horror in every format are coming. Stay scared and stay tuned.


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Shelby Oaks (2025) Review, What Neon’s Reshoots Changed + Demon Lore Explained (Spoilers)26 Oct 202500:31:28

The most-funded horror on Kickstarter is finally in theaters—here’s what Shelby Oaks gets right after Neon’s reshoots, and why that mockumentary-to-feature opening still rules. We break down the found-footage DNA, Camille Sullivan’s performance, the demon’s slow reveal, and the spoiler-heavy ending.

We also revisit the film’s road from Fantasia to wide release, Mike Flanagan’s light-touch EP role, and how the new edit tightens pacing without overusing sound cues. Stay for our favorite scene-stealers (hey, Norma) and a candid talk about the baby plotline and Mia’s POV.

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Pitfall (Screamfest 2025) – Survival Horror with Brutal Practical FX + Interview Tease25 Oct 202500:20:59

In this episode of Grave Tone, Meaghan and Arthur dig into Pitfall (2025)—a backwoods survival slasher that premiered at Screamfest LA—without spoilers. Think 127 Hours, but make it horror… and give the villain a Rambo-style edge.

We break down why the characters feel capable (not cannon fodder), how the practical work sells the pain, and why the cast chemistry keeps the tension human. We also drop a few interview soundbites from our conversation with writer-director James Kondelik and producer Wai Sun Cheng (full interview coming soon). If you’re in New Orleans, keep an eye out—Screamfest NOLA is on the horizon.

Stay tuned for our full interview with the director, James Kondelik, and producer Wai Sun Cheng!

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Black Phone 2 Review: Is It As Good As the First? Winter Camp Nightmares, Gwen’s Story & The Grabber Returns17 Oct 202500:30:10

The Black Phone 2 (2025) review: Gwen takes center stage as winter-camp horror, dream-phone lore, and a meaner Grabber turn this sequel into a tense, atmospheric surprise. Is it as good as the original?

We go spoiler-free first, then dive into spoilers: the icy setting, Sinister/Elm Street vibes, Ethan Hawke behind the mask, continuity callbacks (Fin vs. Finney), the dad’s big scene, darker cinematography you can still see, and whether this franchise needs a Part 3 or a prequel.


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We Saw del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) Early — No-Spoiler Review (Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi | Netflix Nov 7)13 Oct 202500:29:36

Is Frankenstein (2025) peak del Toro? We break down the performances (Isaac’s swaggering Victor, Elordi’s heartbreaking Creature, Goth’s standout Elizabeth), the jaw-dropping practical sets, and why this adaptation nails Mary Shelley’s themes without feeling dusty.

We also discuss the current Gothic horror wave (hello, Nosferatu) and where this film stands among 2025’s biggest genre releases.


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Exit 8 Review: Japan's Liminal Horror Loop Is Better Than the Game13 Apr 202600:39:45

Exit 8 is a 2025 Japanese psychological horror film directed by Genki Kawamura — the producer behind Your Name and A Silent Voice — and it's based on the 2023 indie video game The Exit 8 by Kotake Create. After earning an eight-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival and grossing over ¥5.2 billion in Japan, it's finally arrived in North American theatres via NEON, and Arthur and Megan are here for it.

This is Part 2 of Grave Tone's Double Feature Weekend, and they come prepared. Unable to get the game running on Arthur's Xbox (a whole saga), they did the next best thing: watched Markiplier's full playthrough, catalogued the anomalies, and then headed to the theatre. The result is one of the most informed discussions you'll hear about this one — game vs. film, anomaly mechanics, what the adaptation does differently, and whether the emotional depth they've layered onto a basically plotless video game actually works.

Spoiler-free section covers the game's premise, the film's setup in a looping Tokyo subway tunnel, the rules the lost man must follow to reach Exit 8, and first impressions from both hosts. Then it's full spoilers: the multiple POV structure (including the Walking Man's storyline), the themes of societal passivity and fatherhood anxiety, the sound design that makes silence terrifying, the tsunami siren sequence, the ambiguous ending, and what they think it all means.

Arthur lands at a 7/10, Meaghan at an 8/10 — and both agree it's a film that earns its Cannes reception. Liminal horror is having a real cultural moment right now, with A24's Backrooms arriving in May 2026, and Exit 8 is exactly the kind of film that shows you why the genre works when it's done right.

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V/H/S/Halloween REVIEW (Shudder): Best & Worst Segments, Fun-Size Terror, and Kidprint Disgust04 Oct 202500:29:19

We meant to cover Shelby Oaks this week… until we double-checked the date and realized the U.S. theatrical release moved to October 24, 2025. So we did what any horror fiend would do on October 3: fired up Shudder and watched V/H/S/Halloween the second it dropped.


Inside the episode, we:

  • Recap the franchise’s evolution and why the anthology/found-footage format still works in 2025.
  • Walk through the new wraparound “Diet Phantasma” (ghost-soda tests gone very wrong) and five segments:
  • Coochy Coochy Coo — feral, grimy Barbarian-adjacent chaos.
  • Ut Supra Sic Infra (Paco Plaza) — daytime dread and slick police-investigation tension.
  • Fun Size — trick-or-treat rules with a lanky candy fiend; the funniest entry.
  • Kidprint (Alex Ross Perry) — deeply upsetting nineties video-ID horror (hard watch, effective).
  • Home Haunt — family haunt gone too real, a love letter to DIY Halloween (plus a fun Rick Baker cameo).
  • Shout out Good Boy opening weekend (yes, the dog lives).
  • Share what’s next on our spooky-season watchlist.



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GOOD BOY Review (Spoiler-Free): The Dog-POV Haunted House That Stole SXSW01 Oct 202500:21:55

In this episode of Grave Tone, Meaghan and Arthur dig into GOOD BOY—a supernatural chiller shot from a dog’s eye-level that’s been turning heads on the festival circuit and heading to a wider release via IFC/Shudder. We keep things spoiler-free, focusing on how the film’s third-person canine perspective reframes haunted-house language: blurred human faces, hand-centric framing, and long, shivery holds on dark corners.


We share anecdotes from the Fantasia screening, craft talk from the post-show Q&A, and why this specific dog (Indy!) makes the film unexpectedly emotional. We also touch on the “does the dog die?” anxiety spike, quick festival stats, and why 73 tight minutes is the perfect length for this kind of dread machine. If you’ve been on the fence, this ep is your nudge to see it cold.


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Childhood Trauma Series Ep2: Revisiting An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)24 Sep 202500:34:37

In this week’s Grave Tone, Meaghan and Arthur continue our Childhood Trauma series with the not-so-beloved sequel An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)—a movie Meaghan adored at 10, but that hits… differently now.

We pit Paris against An American Werewolf in London (1981), break down the werewolf-as-tragedy archetype, and ask why Paris’ sunny ending, choppy rewrites, and then-cutting-edge-now-dated CGI undercut the horror. We also shout out the surprisingly stacked ’90s soundtrack, talk Julie Delpy giving 120%, Tom Everett Scott’s “boy-next-door” casting, and how the film’s club-kid vibe tried to modernize a classic monster.


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Him (2025) Review: Monkeypaw Expectations, Stunning Visuals, Too Many Ideas20 Sep 202500:39:48

“Him (2025)” is a gorgeous, vicious sports-horror about the cult of football—GOAT rituals, fame as religion, and a prospect pushed to the brink. Here’s our spoiler-free take… then full spoilers.

We just left opening night: stunning visuals and killer performances clash with heavy-handed symbolism and a wobbly mid-section. We break down the “Jordan Peele effect” (producer vs director), the blood-rite GOAT mythology, and that gnarly final set piece—plus why we still recommend supporting original horror even when it fumbles the ball.


  • First Impressions (Spoiler-Free): “Too many ideas,” brilliant look & acting, marketing framed as a quasi-Peele film.
  • What Works: Visual design; strong leads (Wayans/Withers); dark humor; set-piece finale that sticks the landing aesthetically.
  • What Fumbles: Overstuffed symbolism, pacing drop mid-film, side characters are underserved, cult thread feels shoehorned.
  • Themes We Chew On (Spoilers): GOAT mythos/“I’m him,” blood heritage, gladiator lineage, the machine/ownership, temptation and image-making.
  • Sports & Body Horror: Brain injury, pressure to perform, hints of CTE anxiety filtered through horror.
  • Verdict & Ratings: Not “worst of the year,” closer to 6–6.5/10; audience will split along expectations.


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The Most Faithful, The Most Frightening: Top 10 Stephen King Adaptations Ranked17 Sep 202500:44:30

Fresh off the release of The Long Walk (Sept 12, 2025), we spiral into a full-on King-verse binge and each bring a Top 5 to make a definitive Top 10 of Stephen King adaptations. Expect praise, side-eyes, and at least one “that ranking will change tomorrow.”


Shownotes:

  • Why the ’97 Shining Works — faithful themes (addiction, family, culpability), the Stanley Hotel, King’s cameo; keywords: The Shining miniseries, Stephen King vs Kubrick, Stanley Hotel.
  • Coming-of-Age KingStand By Me on friendship, class, and change; keywords: Stand By Me, The Body novella, Rob Reiner.
  • One Room, Big Scares1408 and practical-effect disorientation; keywords: 1408 explained, John Cusack, Dolphin Hotel.
  • Group Dynamics in TerrorThe Mist: zealotry vs reason, an ending that haunts; keywords: The Mist ending, Frank Darabont, supermarket siege.
  • 2025’s Dark LaughsThe Monkey: morbid comedy that lands; cast highlights; keywords: The Monkey 2025 review, Osgood Perkins, Theo James, Elijah Wood.
  • Machines With MaliceChristine and Carpenter’s synth dread; keywords: Christine movie, John Carpenter, Plymouth Fury.
  • Fan Obsession as HorrorMisery, parasocial nightmares; keywords: Misery analysis, Annie Wilkes, James Caan, Kathy Bates.
  • Crowning a Modern ClassicIT Chapter One and why it still rules; keywords: IT 2017, Pennywise, Losers’ Club.
  • Lightning RoundGerald’s Game, Creepshow, Haven, Salem’s Lot (’79); keywords: King anthology TV, Mike Flanagan adaptation, 70s miniseries.


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The Long Walk (2025) Movie Review, ENDING Explained & Changes From The Book13 Sep 202500:46:13

Fresh from the theater, we break down Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk (2025)—the new Stephen King adaptation starring Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Mark Hamill, and Judy Greer.

We start spoiler-free with story setup and tone, then move into book vs. movie changes (pace rules, state-by-state selection, and a reworked finale), before a full spoiler discussion on character arcs, themes of authoritarianism, grief, and survival.

We also share production nuggets (yes, the shoot was in Canada) and why the performances had us in tears. Along the way, we place The Long Walk inside 2025’s horror boom and the current wave of King projects.

Shownotes:

  • Spoiler-Free First Impressions
  • Story Setup & World
  • Book → Movie Changes
  • Performances That Wrecked Us
  • Themes That Linger
  • Production Notes & Trivia
  • Where It Lands in 2025’s Horror Wave


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The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) REVIEW, Smurl Haunting & the Conjuring Universe “Phase Two”?06 Sep 202500:33:29

It’s officially spooky-season kickoff, so we caught The Conjuring: Last Rites on release day (Sept 5) and hit record the moment we got home. Expect raw, sleepy-brain honesty and lots of laughs.

We frame where The Conjuring 4 lands in the Conjuring Universe and why folks keep flocking to these movies, plus that “Phase One/Phase Two” chatter that’s circulating.

What we liked: glossy atmosphere, strong performances, stellar makeup/prosthetics, and a few mean jump-scares (yes, including one very large… Annabelle). What didn’t: a long, long runway before the Warrens actually “take the case,” and franchise-familiar beats.


  • Opening-night chaos & set-up
  • Where this sits in the Conjuring Universe
  • What worked
  • What didn’t
  • Smurl-haunting beats
  • Why mainstream horror keeps the blood pumping


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Childhood Trauma Series #1: Screamers (1995) - 90s Sci-Fi Horror Rewatch03 Sep 202500:32:57

We’re launching a recurring mini-series—Movies That Traumatized Us—by revisiting the 90s sci-fi shocker Screamers (1995). Arthur first saw it as a kid, and the infamous teddy bear imprinted hard; Meaghan watched it for the first time as we recorded, and, well… we have thoughts. Expect nostalgia, nitpicks, and a lovingly critical autopsy of 90s genre cinema.

  • Series Kickoff: Movies That Traumatized Us
  • Why Screamers (1995)?
  • PKD & Dan O’Bannon DNA
  • What Aged Well vs. Not
  • Screamer “Types” & Why They’re Creepy
  • That Ending & Arthur’s Stuffy Ban
  • Canadian Connections & Cast Notes
  • What We’d Change


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The Dark Allure of Academic Horror and Dark Academia28 Aug 202500:32:54

School is in session… and so is horror.

In this episode of Grave Tone, Meaghan and Arthur explore the never-ending fascination with academic horror and dark academia in books, films, and television. Why do classrooms, boarding schools, and universities make such chilling backdrops for horror stories? From Stephen King’s Carrie and Christine to cult favorites like The Faculty, Urban Legend, and Happy Death Day, all the way to modern hits like Wednesday and adaptations of Ninth House and Babel, we uncover the tropes, themes, and cultural fears that keep bringing audiences back to campus-based horror.

We also play a creative game of “Build Your Own Dark Academia Horror” — constructing the perfect setting, antagonist, and twist ending for a fictional campus horror movie.

If you love dark academia aesthetics, horror history, slashers, supernatural thrillers, or just the spooky vibes of school hallways after dark, this episode is for you.


🎒 Back to School, Back to Horror

  • Why September always feels like horror season
  • The link between academic calendars and horror media releases

🏫 Academic Horror: A Subgenre That Never Dies

  • What makes schools such an effective horror setting
  • From gothic boarding schools to modern college slashers

📺 Iconic Examples in Film & TV

  • Carrie, Scream 2, Urban Legend, The Faculty, Suspiria, Cry Wolf, The Blackcoat’s Daughter
  • Modern revivals: Wednesday, Happy Death Day, Lisa Frankenstein

📚 Academic Horror in Literature

  • Stephen King (Carrie, Rage, Christine)
  • R.F. Kuang (Babel, Catabasis), Leigh Bardugo (Ninth House), Naomi Novik (A Deadly Education)

🎭 Dark Academia Aesthetics

  • Secret societies, snowed-in libraries, and morally rotten institutions
  • The blurred line between fantasy and horror

🩸 Build Your Own Horror School (Game Segment)

  • Snowed-in libraries, creepy PA systems, varsity jackets, and a killer twist ending

👻 Closing Thoughts

  • Why academic horror keeps resonating with audiences
  • Best of luck to students and teachers heading into a new semester


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Horror Trends 2025: What 10 Years of Data Reveal20 Aug 202500:34:02

Introduction

Arthur and Meghan kick off with the observation that the horror genre has entered a mainstream upswing. More audiences are engaging with the horror genre, and horror movies of 2025 are shaping up to be especially strong.


The Horror Release Calendar

  • Analysis of 140 U.S. theatrical horror films (2015–2025).


Key findings:

  • October dominates releases, especially after the 13th (Friday the 13th effect).
  • July is the second-biggest month thanks to summer slashers and counter-programming against blockbusters.
  • January is a surprising third, while November and December are quieter


Pandemic and Streaming Shifts

COVID-19 disrupted production and theaters, but also reset distribution. Post-pandemic, studios spread horror releases more evenly across the year, with streaming accelerating access.


Indie Power & Breakout Directors

Discussion of how filmmakers like Jordan Peele, Robert Eggers, Ari Aster, Zach Cregger, and Mike Flanagan changed the landscape. Their originality, technical experimentation, and social themes helped push horror forward.


Box Office & Hype Cycles

From sleeper hits (Barbarian) to blockbusters (Weapons), horror is proving it can rival superhero films in ticket sales without billion-dollar budgets.


Legacy & Reboots

How filmmakers balance nostalgia with originality in franchises like Scream, Evil Dead, and Alien. Success requires respecting the past while innovating.


Indie & Fan-Made Horror

Streaming, festivals, and even YouTube opened doors for films like Talk to Me and fan projects like Don’t Hike Alone. These projects prove horror thrives in low-budget, grassroots spaces.


Gateway Horror & Youth Audience

Rising trend of YA and middle-grade horror: Fear Street, Goosebumps, Hell of a Summer, and the upcoming Sketch show studios are nurturing the next generation of horror fans. Check out our Horror Starter Pack episode if you are just getting into the horror genre.


Closing Thoughts

Studios are finally taking more risks on originality, and audiences are rewarding them. With horror covering everything from arthouse to popcorn slashers, the genre looks unstoppable.


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Faces of Death (2026) Review: The Cult Classic Gets a TikTok-Era Upgrade11 Apr 202600:44:29

Faces of Death (2026) review: Arthur and Meaghan break down Daniel Goldhaber's TikTok-era cult horror reimagining, starring Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery. In theatres April 10 via IFC Films / Shudder.

Is the 2026 Faces of Death worth seeing? We went opening night and came back with some thoughts. Here's the honest take, no nostalgia for the original, no safety net, just the movie on its own terms.


⬇️ WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

→ The 1978 original: John Alan Schwartz's mondo horror cult film, its fake-and-real deaths, PSA Flight 182 footage, $450K budget / $35M box office, and why it lives exclusively on old VHS

→ The 2026 reimagining: content moderator Margot (Barbie Ferreira) at short-clip app Kino flags videos appearing to recreate murders from the original film, and the killer, Arthur Spivak (Dacre Montgomery), is filming them for viral fame

→ Dacre Montgomery's performance: Dexter-level methodical, physically built for the role, genuinely disgusted by blood, completely unhinged in the best way

→ Barbie Ferreira's arc: a woman trying to disappear from the internet after her sister's death went viral, slowly forced back into the spotlight

→ The social commentary: content moderation, the algorithm, and the very human fascination with violent video online

→ The kills: more restrained than the marketing implies, visceral because they're realistic, not because they're gratuitous

→ What doesn't work: a third act that over-explains its thesis when the quieter moments were landing just fine


📊 RATINGS Arthur: 6.5 / 10 Megan: 6 – 6.5 / 10


🎬 FILM DETAILS

Title: Faces of Death (2026)

Director: Daniel Goldhaber

Writers: Daniel Goldhaber, Isa Mazzei

Cast: Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, Aaron Holliday, Jermaine Fowler, Charli XCX

Distributor: IFC Films / Shudder

Runtime: 98 minutes | Rated R


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Weapons (2025) Deep Dive: Ending Talk, Hidden Clues, Why 17 Kids Walked Out at 2:17 a.m.11 Aug 202500:31:35

We break down Zach Cregger’s Weapons (2025) — the 2:17 mystery, what the multi-perspective structure adds, where the scares land, and how Brolin and Garner anchor the chaos. We talk themes, filmmaking choices, and whether the ending sticks the landing.

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What is Fantasia Film Festival & Our favorite horror movies04 Aug 202500:39:36

Yet again we attended the Fantasia Film Festival 2025 and saw some amazing horror movies as well as the directors and cast! We recap which horror movies we loved the most and explain what the festival is all about.

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Just Getting Into Horror? The Horror Starter Pack You Can Actually Handle24 Jul 202500:39:58

Horror curious but historically terrified? We got you. This episode builds a gentle-on-the-nerves starter pack: three films, three books, and three video games that bring the chills without wrecking your sleep schedule.

We talk about what each pick does well (atmosphere, story, jump scares you can actually handle), how to match them to your scare tolerance, and why “beginner horror” doesn’t have to mean boring. You’ll leave with a roadmap, a few laughs at our own cowardly moments, and the confidence to try horror again on your own terms. Hit play, keep the lights on if you want, and let’s ease you into the dark.


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I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025 Review| 90s Slasher Vibes Return19 Jul 202500:42:08

Cue the rain‑slick streets and foggy fishing docks, this week we are breaking down I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) from top to bloody bottom. Join us as we unpack every throwback scare, size up the new cast against the ’97 originals, and walk you through the plot (spoilers ahead). Stick around for rapid‑fire trivia that will make you shout, “I still know!” Whether you’re a seasoned slasher fan or a curious newcomer, this episode gives you all the chills, laughs, and Easter eggs you need.

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