Screamfest Horror Film Festival, America’s longest-running horror film festival, is thrilled to announce nine additional films joining its highly anticipated 2026 lineup. The latest wave brings a diverse mix of international genre filmmaking, bold new voices, and highly anticipated premieres to this year’s festival. Screamfest Horror Film Festival runs October 6–15, 2026, at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood.
From haunted family secrets and deadly influencers to venomous spiders, social-media-fueled nightmares, twisted Christmas cheer, and a fast-food nightmare gone horribly wrong, these new selections showcase the breadth, creativity, and boundary-pushing spirit of contemporary horror.
Closing out the festival is Briarcliff Entertainment’s Christmas at the Kringles, directed by Kevin Lewis and starring Ron Livingston (Office Space), Rachel Bilson (The O.C.), Rob Riggle (The Hangover), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911), Arden Myrin (Insatiable), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Beverly D’Angelo (Vacation) and David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer). In Christmas at the Kringles, the Severson family moves into a seemingly idyllic suburban neighborhood, only to discover that their new neighbors, the Kringles, celebrate Christmas year-round. But beneath the cheerful decorations and festive traditions lies a sinister plan to hypnotize and indoctrinate the unsuspecting family.
The latest additions span Argentina, Spain, Thailand, Australia, Belgium and the United States, and include three World Premieres, two North American Premieres, one International Premiere, and two West Coast Premieres
Among the new titles is Roadside Attractions’ North American Premiere of Crawlers, directed by Angel Gómez Hernández and starring Matilda Lutz (Revenge), Gary Stennette (The Infernal Machine), Andrea Scott (The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon), Isabella Egizi (Sugar Town), Sam Lucas Smith (The Hurler: A Campion’s Tale), Gregg Sulkin (Six Triple Eight), Melina Matthews (Black Beach), William Miller (The 100), Lexey Salvador (La increíble historia de Julia Pastrana, Chris Rogers (Dumbo), and Estela Aniorte (Don’t Listen). In Crawlers, a catastrophic infestation of venomous, deadly spiders locks down an apartment building. Trapped inside by a police-mandated quarantine, building manager Serena (Lutz) and her fellow residents must fight to survive as the creatures multiply by the second. Armed with her intimate knowledge of the complex, Serena may be the only one who can keep them alive, if she can first confront her deepest fear.
The newly announced films join an already packed 2026 lineup, bringing the total to 13 World premieres: 8 North American, 1 International, 1 US, and 5 West Coast! Further cementing Screamfest’s reputation as a destination for discovering the next generation of horror filmmakers alongside established genre favorites. Screamfest 2026 will bring filmmakers, talent, fans, and industry professionals together for 10 days of premieres, special screenings, filmmaker Q&As, special events, and plenty of scares, with additional programming, special guests, and festival events.
For more information or the latest news, visit screamfestla.com
SECOND WAVE FEATURES LINEUP:
Bonded – Argentina (2026) – World Premiere
Directed by John Mathis
Written by Emilia Cotella, John Mathis
Produced by Pablo Bobadilla
Cast: Clara Kovacic, Bianca Mitnik
When two sisters return to their childhood home after their elderly parents’ untimely death, they are forced to confront the disturbing truths hidden in the walls of the house, which threatens their lives and sanity.
Christmas At The Kringles – US (2026) – World Premiere – Closing Night
Exclusively In Theaters October 30, 2026
Distributor: Briarcliff Entertainment
Directed by Kevin Lewis
Written by Zack Imbrogno
Cast: Ron Livingston, Rachel Bilson, Rob Riggle, Thomas Lennon, Arden Myrin, Donald Faison, Beverly D’Angelo, David Wain
Produced by Andrew Ortenberg, Tom Ortenberg, Liam Finn, Kevin Lewis and Jordan Dykstra
The story follows the Seversons, a family starting fresh in a quiet suburban neighborhood, whose next-door neighbors, the Kringles, celebrate Christmas year-round. What begins as charming quickly turns unsettling, as Mark and Julie grow concerned about their son’s growing attachment to the family. After a heated confrontation, Mark heads next door to bring his family home only to uncover the Kringles’ true intentions: to hypnotize and indoctrinate them. What follows is a life-or-death rescue mission, as Mark teams up with a rogue, badass Santa in a high-stakes, action-packed fight to save his family.
Crawlers – 2026 – North American Premiere
Directed by Angel Gómez Hernández
Written by Jayson Rothwell
Cast: Matilda Lutz, Gary Stennette, Andrea Scott, Isabella Egizi, Sam Lucas Smith, Gregg Sulkin, Melina Matthews, William Miller, Lexey Salvador, Chris Rogers, Estela Aniorte
Produced by Scott Strauss, Peter Welter, Jayson Rothwell, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Alexandra Milchan, Josh Weinstock
In CRAWLERS, a catastrophic infestation of venomous and deadly spiders sends an apartment building into lockdown. Trapped inside by a police-mandated quarantine, building manager Serena (Lutz) and her residents battle to survive as the creatures multiply by the second. Armed with her intimate knowledge of the complex, Serena may be the only one who can keep them alive—if she can confront her deepest fear.
The Crimson Order – Belgium – (2026) – World Premiere
Directed by Thomas Ancora
Written by Thomas Ancora
Produced by Stéphane Lhoest
Cast: Mentissa, Janelle Vanes, Nicolas Godart, Fantine Harduin, Bernard Yerlès
During an initiation ritual at an elite Belgian university, a young student is killed. Panicked, the other participants, young, brilliant, privileged, decide to cover up the incident. Silence, lies, and a blood pact. For a year, everything remains buried. A year later, Octave and the other students who were present on the night of the tragedy receive a disturbing package: someone knows what happened… and wants revenge. This time, their social status and privileges won’t be enough to protect them. The hunt is on. Who is the mysterious killer? And more importantly… who will still be alive at the end of the weekend? Welcome to The Crimson Order!
dATE – US (2026) – World Premiere
Directed by Scott Milam
Written by Scott Milam
Produced by Tara Craig
Cast: Olivia Rose Keegan, Maddie Phillips, Mishel Prada, Alexander Bertrand, Michael Pare, Zach Tinker, Dot-Marie Jones, Derek Mears
A horror pulp fairy tale, dATE tells the story of a gorgeous model whose looks come with a gruesome secret. It stars Olivia Rose Keegan (Scary Movie 6, High School Musical), Maddie Phillips (Teenage Bounty Hunters, Gen V), Mishel Prada (Vida, The Continental) and Alexander Bertrand (The Surfer). The movie also features Michael Paré (The Virgin Suicides, Streets Of Fire), Zach Tinker (Fire Country, Big Sky), Emmy nominee Dot-Marie Jones (Glee, Bros) and Derek Mears (Friday the 13th, Swamp Thing)
Flapjax – US (2026) – West Coast Premiere
Directed by Rocko Zevenbergen
Written by Rocko Zevenbergen and Estevan Muñoz
Produced by Rocko Zevenbergen, Aerin Chaklai, George Jones, Jefferson Moneo, Patrick Hackett, Fabiola Caraza
Cast: Gabriel Cagan, Georgia Kate Haege, Madeline Barbush, Estevan Muñoz, Kaoru Koide, Takumi Mitobe, Daniel Berkey, Ty Anderson
An over-eager fast-food manager is tasked with reviving a highly addictive menu item called “FLAPJAX” to save his fast-food company from bankruptcy. He pulls his estranged mother, a faded pop-star known as Popo, out of retirement to promote the item. However, he soon becomes ensnared by the company’s true intentions and his deeply rooted mommy issues.
Gummy – Spain (2026) – International Premiere
Directed by Javi Prada
Written by Rubén Tejerina
Produced by Gamera Studios, Newcom Productions Canarias
Cast: Jan Cornet, Macarena Gómez, Rubén Tejerina, Fernando Soto, Mario Mayo, Sara Jiménez, Héctor Montoliú, Ruth Armas, Carla Nieto, Daniel G. Canal, Javier Bayón,
Mauro (Javier Botet) is a serial killer who sets out yet another night in search of a victim. At a roadside bar, he runs into Amaranta (Clara Alvarado), a young woman who, at first glance, seems like a defenseless and easy target.
Kick On – Australia (2026) – West Coast Premiere
Directed by Nick Kozakis
Written by Phil Kilmek
Produced by Stephanie Troost, Simon Bell
Cast: Markella Kavenagh, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Ras Samuel, Jacek Koman
When a night of partying leads four friends to an extravagant drug-fueled lair of a mobster’s reckless son, they find themselves fighting for their lives amidst a brutal spiral of paranoia, violence and ultimate betrayal.
Killer Cut – Spain (2026) – World Premiere
Directed by Stiff Sullivan
Written by Stiff Sullivan
Produced by María Luisa Gutiérrez and Álvaro Ariza
Cast: Pedro Casablanc, Eva Llorach, Miguel Iriarte
Seven young friends set out on a road trip. One of them, a social media influencer, decides to record everything… What begins as trivial content soon turns into a nightmare captured second by second.
Now that footage is at the center of a murder trial, and it reveals a truth far darker than any follower could imagine. In the court of law and the court of public opinion, the deadly line between judicial evidence, confession and entertainment begins to blur.
Rinrada The Influencer – Thailand (2026) – North American Premiere
Directed by Arm Athit Ariyawongsa
Written by Artistaya Arriyawongsa, Karnthi Phothidara, Ariya Chunprathipthong, Areeya Suwannaphaporn, Aekawitch Longcharoen
Produced by Huttayakan Arriyawongsa
Cast: Yoshi Rinrada Thurapan, Khunnarong Prathetrat, Natcha Nina Jessica Padowan,
Sutirod Seepach
Rinrada, a star influencer, takes her own life after a brutal wave of cyberbullying. However, her digital soul refuses to rest. Returning as a vengeful ‘Digital Wraith’ for seven days, she hacks into every screen in Bangkok to hunt down the trolls who destroyed her. Amidst the neon-lit chaos, a humble noodle vendor named Por tries to save her humanity before she is consumed by her own darkness. A terrifying reflection on social media toxicity and the high price of a viral lie.
SOCIALS
Hashtag: #ScreamfestLA
Twitter: @screamfest
Instagram: @screamfestla
Facebook: /Screamfest
YouTube: /Screamfestla
ABOUT SCREAMFEST HORROR FILM FESTIVAL:
Formed in August 2001 by film producer Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a female-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that gives filmmakers and screenwriters in the horror and science fiction genres a venue to have their work showcased in the film industry. Among the numerous films that have been discovered and/or premiered at the festival include “Monolith”, “Lord of Misrule”, Steven Soderbergh Presents Divinity”, “Faceless After Dark”, “Tigers Are Not Afraid.”, “The Wretched”, “We Summon the Darkness”, “The Master Cleanse’, “ “American Mary”, Paranormal Activity,” “30 Days of Night,” “Trick ‘r Treat” and “The Human Centipede.”
ABOUT 2026 SCREAMFEST PARTNERS:
Screamfest is sponsored by Ovation Hollywood, ScareScore, American Film Market® (AFM®) ShotDeck, Tubi, Birns & Sawyer, ELMA, Deadly Grounds, Screenplay.com and InkTip. Screamfest is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture. Screamfest is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs. This project is supported in part by Creative West which receives support in part from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more atwww.arts.ca.gov.
Thomas Miller is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Seat42F, covering television, movies and streaming entertainment. He launched Seat42F in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades covering the entertainment industry.
