PREVIEW: Dead of Winter (2025 Film) Starring Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson stars in Dead of Winter, a gripping survival drama coming to UK and Irish cinemas on 26 September. She plays Barb, a widow carrying the weight of grief, who travels to northern Minnesota to scatter her husband’s ashes where their story first began. What starts as a journey of remembrance turns into a desperate struggle when a sudden blizzard leaves her cut off in the frozen wilderness.

Her search for refuge leads to a secluded cabin hiding more danger than the storm itself. Inside, a young woman is held captive by a volatile couple, portrayed by Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca. Isolated and surrounded by snow, Barb is forced to confront both the menace before her and the ache she carries within, drawing on memory and resilience to survive.

Combining stark natural backdrops with psychological intensity, Dead of Winter promises an emotional and suspenseful cinema experience this autumn.

Dead of Winter opens in UK and Irish cinemas on 26 September.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon returns for season three on Sky Max and NOW

By Jon Donnis

The wait is almost over. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is back for a third season, and all episodes of the global phenomenon will be available exclusively on Sky Max and streaming service NOW on Friday, 24 October.

Season three, filmed in Spain, follows Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) as they continue their journey to somehow return home and to the ones they love. As they struggle to find their way back, the path takes them further astray, leading them through distant lands with ever-changing and unfamiliar conditions as they witness the various effects of the Walker apocalypse.

Alongside Reedus and McBride, the new series introduces a formidable roster of talent. Eduardo Noriega, Óscar Jaenada and Alexandra Masangkay join as series regulars, while Stephen Merchant makes a guest appearance. Additional cast includes Candela Saitta, Hugo Arbués, Greta Fernández, Gonzalo Bouza, Hada Nieto, Yassmine Othman and Cuco Usín.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 3 premieres in the UK on Friday, 24 October, exclusively on Sky Max and streaming service NOW.

PREVIEW: The Summoning of Baby Blue (2025 Film) - Starring Valeria San Martín

Black Mandala returns with a fresh descent into horror, unveiling The Summoning of Baby Blue at its world premiere during Sinistro Fest. The film arrives from the same creative team behind The 100 Candles Game and The Red Book Ritual, shifting focus this time from folklore to the unsettling landscape of viral creepypasta.

Directed by Sergio Gonzalez, Brandon Piskorik, Felipe Vargas, Corey Benson Powers and Brian Sepanzyk, the story revolves around an eerie ritual whispered across the internet. Speak the words “Baby Blue, Blue Baby” before a mirror and something is said to appear. In this telling, what manifests is far more terrifying than a playground dare.

The cast brings together rising talent and familiar names, with Valeria San Martín, Justina Ceballos, Daniela Flombaum, Xochitl Gomez, Carmela Zumbado and Sara Canning joined by Nannu Spannauss, Giovanni Onetti, Agustín Olcese, Nicolás Onetti and Milagros Ribet. Screenwriter Camilo Zaffora threads the ritual through a series of unnerving short stories that gradually expand into a larger, connected mythology.

At the centre is a babysitting job that descends into chaos. A girl is dared to recite the ghostly phrase in the mirror, sparking what begins as a test of courage and ends as an awakening. Lights flicker, the chant echoes, and a spirit rises. From there the narrative branches into multiple tales, all orbiting the dark figure of Baby Blue and the fury of a restless mother.

Merging the intimacy of an urban legend with the structure of interwoven stories, The Summoning of Baby Blue delivers a chilling exploration of fear and the way stories spread, take hold, and refuse to be silenced.

Coming soon.

Joelle Rae and Emrhys Cooper Lead Peter Stylianou’s Psychological Horror The Nice Ones

Joelle Rae

 

By Jon Donnis

Filming has wrapped on The Nice Ones, a new psychological horror-thriller from writer and director Peter Stylianou. After gaining attention with his 2024 vampire feature Drained, Stylianou returns with a story that blends intimate paranoia with unsettling cosmic dread.

The film stars Joelle Rae (The Witcher) and Emrhys Cooper (Nosferatu) as Kate and Dale, a couple whose countryside trip with friends unravels in terrifying fashion. What begins as a carefree reunion at a chic Airbnb soon turns sinister after Kate spots strange lights in the sky. As paranoia takes hold, tensions within the group fracture, and an unseen force begins to infiltrate their retreat. Kate must face both her past and a threat that feels disturbingly otherworldly.

Emrhys Cooper

The ensemble cast brings together a mix of established and rising talent, including Donna Preston (The Sandman), Ian Whyte (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Daniela Norman (Tiny Pretty Things), Ayvianna Snow (How to Kill Monsters), James Akka (The Sandman), Nick Lavelle (Red XII), Tom Kelsey (National Theatre Live: Dr. Strangelove), and Andrew Lyle-Pinnock (The Little Mermaid).

Stylianou describes the project as an exploration of identity and trust, playing with the fear that those closest to us may not be who they appear to be. Produced by RG Films, Level 33 Entertainment, and Snow Pictures, the feature also marks Ayvianna Snow’s first step into producing, after building a career with more than seventy screen roles. Level 33 will oversee worldwide distribution.

The Nice Ones promises a sharp mix of character-driven tension and eerie, supernatural unease, setting up Stylianou as a filmmaker to watch in the independent horror space.

Ayvianna Snow

NEWS: Mr Whispers Reaches Crowdfunding Goal - What’s Next for The B-Team?

(L) Dorian Todd, (M) Megan Tremethick, (M) Sam MacMillan, (R) Novarro Ramon 

 

Press Release:

The B-Team has closed its debut feature campaign for Mr Whispers with a massive crowdfunding victory, raising £67,492 from 489 backers - 269% of its £25,000 goal - over the course of a 24-day campaign that began on August 5. The campaign was fronted by the film’s producer and star Megan Tremethick, whose previous credits include The Reign of Queen Ginnarra, The Slave and the Sorcerer, and In the Grip of Terror.

Billed as a late-1990s, VHS-era occult thriller, Mr Whispers is a retro horror project about a spooky urban legend. It tells the story of a group of curious film students, led by the goth sleuth Kathryn Hale (Tremethick), as they uncover the secrets that dwell within the shadows of an abandoned cinema linked to a series of child disappearances.

(L) Megan Tremethick as Kathryn Hale and Mr Whispers (R) 

While creating Mr Whispers, the crew drew inspiration from found footage horror, with films like Noroi: The Curse, The Blair Witch Project, and Lake Mungo informing its tone and style.

“Personally, I find genre films of this style to be the most frightening,” director Dorian Todd explained. “When the camera exists in the story, it feels real. With Mr Whispers, I wanted everything to feel raw and genuine. The characters, their reactions and, of course, the scares.”

Although the B-Team is a new creative label under the British Horror Studio umbrella, the production team is an experienced group. Directors Seumas MacNeil, Oliver Revie, and the aforementioned Todd are making moves in the UK horror scene following collaborations with Lawrie Brewster and Sarah Daly’s Hex Studios. The cast also includes Tremethick, Novarro Ramon, Stephen Corrall, and Sam Barclay, who will be familiar to viewers of Brewster and Daly’s brand of scare fare.

(L) Megan Tremethick, (M) Dorian Todd, (M) Novarro Ramon, (R) Sam MacMillan

From Hex Studios to Amicus Productions, British Horror Studio’s output is inspired by the UK’s genre cinema from yesteryear, and The B-Team division is no different. The B Team’s branding references Tigon Productions, the 1960s and 1970s studio behind Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan’s Claw. The label’s logo even pays homage to the legendary studio’s emblem, replacing the tiger with a black cat. Tremethick, who co-leads the new outfit with Paul William Kelly, explained the symbolism:

“The Black Cat is eternally linked to witchcraft and superstition. It is also a beautiful and misunderstood beast, much like the team of underdogs that have come together to form this studio. Our aim is to provide inspiration to indie filmmakers and fans around the world.”

The B Team has stated that it intends to follow Tigon’s model of producing smaller-scale but distinctive horror titles, while also aiming to release three to four features each year. With that in mind, what does the future hold for the imprint?

Mr Whispers’ Crowdfunding Campaign Is an A+ for The Team

Mr Whispers‘ fundraising figures are notable for a debut project. The campaign’s shorter 24-day duration contrasts with the longer windows often used by new independent features. The average pledge of nearly £140 suggests strong uptake at collector levels, with audiences opting for physical media and premium rewards in addition to standard digital tiers.

The project also highlights the regional growth of independent horror production in Scotland. Communities in Fife and across the Central Belt have become active centres for low-budget genre filmmaking, with filmmakers and audiences overlapping through online groups and local networks. In the case of Mr Whispers, social activity from the British Horror Studio contributed significantly to late-stage pledges.

For The B-Team, the next step is production and delivery. The synopsis indicates a story set against the backdrop of late-1990s horror, with an emphasis on a visible central antagonist rather than a purely implied presence. The project will now enter post-production, with further announcements expected once schedules and distribution plans are confirmed.

The B-Team’s creation also reflects a wider shift within independent horror towards direct community engagement. Instead of relying solely on film festivals or traditional distributors, the studio uses crowdfunding as both a financial tool and a means of audience-building. This approach has become increasingly common in the genre, providing early financial data and evidence of audience interest for later negotiations with distributors or streaming platforms.

The independent film market remains competitive, but the B-Team’s debut establishes a foundation for further work. With a clear production target of three to four films annually, and with support from the British Horror Studio community, the label now has both the funding data and an identified audience to sustain ongoing development.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrwhispersfilm/

PREVIEW: Helloween (2025 Film) - Killer Clowns Unleash Carnage in a New Horror Nightmare

 

Preview by Jon Donnis

Killer clowns are rampaging across the nation and one determined doctor is set on finding the truth. Can she save her family and the world from true evil, and a fate worse than death, in a hair-raising new horror

Get ready for one hell of a fright night as the cult of clown descends this spooky season in Helloween.

Featuring Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, Michael Paré and Ronan Summers, this killer chiller comes from writer-director Phil Claydon and is produced by Shogun Films. It makes its UK digital debut on 29 September 2025 courtesy of Miracle Media, followed by a Blu-ray release on 13 October 2025 from 101 Films.

The year is 2016. The ‘killer clown’ craze is in full swing, the streets are in chaos and the media is fuelling the fire with fearmongering headlines. Inside a high security psychiatric hospital, embattled psychiatrist Dr Ellen Marks, played by Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, is facing a very real threat. One of her patients is the notorious child serial killer Carl Cane, portrayed by Ronan Summers.

Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott

Determined to uncover the cause of the anarchistic clown uprising, Marks teams up with American investigative journalist John Parker, played by Michael Paré. Their search for answers pulls them closer to home than she ever feared possible. As Carl Cane’s evil gospel spreads, the pair begin to question whether the murderous inmate could really be orchestrating events from deep within the hospital.

Then he escapes, and he does it in shockingly brutal fashion. Now the doctor is in a race against time to save her daughters from the killer’s maniacal revenge. As bloody carnage rages outside, she is forced into a fight for survival, facing something that may not even be of this world.

Prepare for clownmaggedon this Helloween, as one evil entity is intent on tearing society apart.

https://apple.co/3HRDrwo

Interview with Kirsten McKensie by David Kempf

We caught up with the awesome Kirsten McKensie, a former Customs Officer who is now a full time writer.

1. When did you first become interested in horror?

When I’d first started working, I was ‘conned’ into signing up for a book ordering scheme, where you either could choose the book you received every month, or they would just send you one. Most of the time, I forgot to choose, and that’s how I ended up with a healthy collection of Dean Koontz hardbacks! And that was the beginning. From there it was a very small step into Stephen King, and that was it, I was hooked.

2. Did you always enjoy writing?

Yes absolutely, but I didn’t do anything about it until it was a slow winter’s day in the family antique shop I was working in, and I announced to my brother that I was going to write a novel. He said to me, ‘You never finish anything,’ so as a starter, I was out to prove him wrong. And then I got a publishing contract. The rest is history!

3. Do you have a favorite vampire character?

I’m not ashamed to admit that I love, and will always love, Edward Cullin. Yes, he of the sparkling skin. Twilight remains a guilty pleasure, and I adore both the books and the films. As a more grown up choice, I can’t look past Matthew Clairmont in Deborah Harkness’s ‘A Discovery of Witches’. He is the perfect vampire. 

4. Is there another genre that you are interested in?

Time travel. Stephen King’s ‘11.22.63’ and Ben Elton’s ‘Time and Time Again’ and Connie Willis’ ‘The Doomsday Book’ are the three best time traveling historical mystery books out there.

5. Are there topics in horror that you will not write about?

Child abuse. Or child sexual assault. That should never be used for entertainment purposes.

6. Do you have other favorite monsters besides vampires?

I am quite partial to a good zombie. Ghosts or sea creatures or demons or witches don’t interest me as much as vampires and zombies!

7. If vampires were real-what would be the best way to defend yourself against them?

I think the post accessible way of defending yourself against vampires is a stash of garlic of course. I mean, holy water isn’t readily available in the house, and nor are silver bullets. I suppose I could repurpose some of my bamboo garden stakes, but I’m just not that handy! So garlic cloves it is.

8. Why do you think horror books and movies remain so popular?

Because people like to know that their lives are better than what they could be if vampires were real. Or if the woods really were haunted. It’s a relief to know that while your life might feel a bit shite, it could be much worse!

9. Why do you think that people are obsessed with being scared?

Because you can scream without judgement, and then you get to curl up in your bed and know that you’re safe. 

10. Who inspires you?

Stephen King for sure. The way he creates such well rounded characters. And then George R R Martin for his descriptions of his characters. 

11. What are some of your favorite horror books?

Most recently, it would have to be ‘The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires’ by Grady Hendrix. Absolutely loved it. And again, ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’, also by Hendrix. The scaries book I’ve ever read is Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’. I had to put it down several times and walk away, or I might have had a heart attack. Closer to home I loved ‘The Opposite of Life’ by Narelle Harris, which I hear is being made into a TV series, which is incredibly exciting. And ‘Despatches’ by Lee Murray.

12. What are some of your favorite horror movies?

‘Scream’ (the original one), and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (the original one). And a couple of homegrown ones - ‘The Frighteners’, directed by Peter Jackson. And I want to add in a television series from my childhood - ‘Under The Mountain’, written by Maurice Gee. Earlier this year I read the book, to see if the scares still stack up. They do. Even as an adult, the hairs on my arm lifted and I became just as terrified of the Wilberforces as I was as a child.

13. What are your current projects?

Currently I am working on my 2nd time travel book in collaboration with US author Shawn Inmon (who writes the Middle Falls time travel series). But I always like to intersperse my time travel books with a horror, so I have a small town America story bubbling away too.

14. Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

I used to fight international crime as a Customs Officer in both England and New Zealand. Then, I was held up at gunpoint whilst working in my family antique store. Now I live a very safe life behind my antique desk writing full time. I alternate between writing time travel trilogies and polishing my next horror. Any spare time is spent organising author events and appearing on literary panels at various festivals around the world.

Links:

www.books2read.com/yorktower

www.kirstenmckenzie.com