19 Premieres, 9 Special Presentations, and a Star-Studded Lineup of Horror Icons Descend on South Florida This August.
Horror fans, sharpen your machetes and ready your nerves. The 11th annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival is returning to South Florida from August 7–17, and it’s shaping up to be bigger, bloodier, and bolder than ever. With 19 premieres and 9 special presentations revealed in its first wave of programming, this year’s hybrid in-theater and virtual celebration promises 11 nights of unfiltered, unrelenting terror.
The festival kicks off with a bang opening, for the first time ever, with a World Premiere Double-Bill from acclaimed genre director and two-time Popcorn Frights award-winner Brandon Christensen. First up is Bodycam, a supernatural police procedural gone demonic, followed by Night of the Reaper, a synth-driven slasher soaked in blood and ’80s nostalgia.
Horror Royalty, Cult Icons, and Scream Queens Take the Stage
Horror icon Barbara Crampton headlines a triple-feature “Straight Outta Crampton” event, including the 40th anniversary 4K restoration of Stuart Gordon’s classic Re-Animator, the grotesque cosmic terror of From Beyond, and the East Coast Premiere of her newest chiller Teacher’s Pet.
Not to be outdone, cult legend Lloyd Kaufman brings Troma madness to the big screen with Mr. Melvin — a monstrous fusion of The Toxic Avenger Part II & III. Fans can expect a pre-show trivia event hosted by Kaufman himself, promising chaos, prizes, and plenty of radioactive laughs.
Meanwhile, ’80s scream queen Linnea Quigley returns to the silver screen in a triple-bill retrospective featuring Silent Night, Deadly Night, Night of the Demons, and the freshly restored The Return of the Living Dead, celebrating its 40th anniversary with punk-fueled gore and brains galore.
Bold Premieres & Unforgettable Experiences
Popcorn Frights continues to champion emerging voices in horror with multiple world premieres, including Blood Shine, a twisted folk horror from Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks, and Bennett’s single-take short Affirmation. Also debuting is To All the Books, an intimate documentary from Bird Box author Josh Malerman, who will appear in person alongside filmmakers Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (Heretic) for a post-screening discussion.
The trio reunites for a special screening of A Quiet Place featuring live commentary by Beck & Woods and moderated by Malerman himself. The event includes a themed interactive game — “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” — with exclusive horror-themed prizes.
Another unmissable night is “A Tale of Two Phantoms,” honoring a century of The Phantom of the Opera with a live score by genre-bending composer Slavvy (Terrifier 2 & 3), followed by a wild screening of Phantom of the Paradise complete with a mystery surprise sure to thrill even the most devoted fans.
Local Legends & Beachside Scares
South Florida talent takes center stage in the Florida Focus program, which includes the world premiere of American Cryptids from Popcorn Frights alum Erynn Dalton, starring Anne Bobby (Nightbreed). Also featured are the folkloric underwater horror Mermaid and the Tampa-set techno-thriller Hacked, starring Chandler Riggs (“The Walking Dead”). Adding to the local flair, an outdoor beach screening of ’80s cult slasher Nightmare Beach will take place on the very sands where it was originally shot.
Virtual Program: Terror at Home
For horror lovers nationwide, Popcorn Frights’ acclaimed virtual lineup boasts more than 20 films, including the world premiere of Chile’s emotionally raw What the Tide Dragged In and the US premiere of the Spanish psychological horror El Instinto. Other highlights include Southeast US premieres of Alan at Night, The Editing, Head Like a Hole, Itch!, and Tomorrow I Die, as well as premieres of Psyche, House of Ashes, and In the Mouth — each pushing the boundaries of genre storytelling.
More Frights to Come
A second wave of programming — featuring over two dozen additional feature premieres — will be announced next week. In-theater screenings will be hosted at Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale and Cinema Paradiso Hollywood, with All-Access Badges and Virtual Passes currently available for purchase.
Film submissions remain open via Film Freeway through July 18, welcoming features, shorts, documentaries, animation, and video projects of all kinds.
Popcorn Frights 2025 is supported by a who’s who of genre champions, including AGFA, Blue Underground, Fangoria, Flick Direct, Kino Cult, MVD, Paramount Scares, Radiance Films, and Troma, alongside its die-hard fanbase. For tickets, trailers, and terror, visit PopcornFrights.com.
