The Fantastic Pavilion presents a weekly recap with the most relevant news about the world of genre cinema.
News
Eli Roth’s company The Horror Section released the official trailer for Dream Eater (2025), the second movie they’re putting in U.S. theaters. According to Roth himself, Dream Eater “will be the scariest film of the year and truly has the potential to break out to be the next Paranormal Activity (2007) or The Blair Witch Project (1999).” Dream Eater lands in cinemas on October 24.
Synopsis: “A filmmaker documents her boyfriend’s violent parasomnia during their holiday at a remote cabin in the woods.”
After having its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Rabbit Trap (2025) is now heading to U.S. theaters on September 12, via Magnolia Pictures (trailer). Sundance’s program indicates that Bryn Chainey’s flick “invokes the eerie spirit of British folk horror.”
Full synopsis: “Seeking new inspiration and a fresh start, married musicians Daphne (Rosy McEwen) and Darcy (Dev Patel) move to the Welsh countryside to finish their new record. While collecting audio samples, Darcy inadvertently creates a field recording of mysterious sound never before heard by human ears. The discovery renews Daphne’s creative energy, but as the echoes of her music bleed into the surrounding landscape, ancient and malevolent woodland forces are disturbed. One day, a stranger arrives on their doorstep. The couple initially embraces the stranger, who helps them navigate and understand their new environment, but Darcy grows suspicious of his obsession. As jealousy and paranoia infect the makeshift family, the line between reality and myth begins to blur.”
S.S. Rajamouli’s two-part film Baahubali – originally released as Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) – has been “seamlessly recut and remastered into one IMAX epic.” This new cut, known as Baahubali: The Epic, hits IMAX screens on October 31.
Another genre movie that will return to the big screen in October is Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects (2005). The second entry in the Firefly Trilogy, starring Sid Haig, Bill Moseley and Sheri Moon Zombie, is set to play at U.S. cinemas on October 6 and 8, thanks to Fathom Entertainment.
Festivals
Fantastic Fest has unveiled their 2025 program, which includes: Scott Derrickson’s Black Phone 2 (World Premiere), Ben Wheatley’s Bulk (North American Premiere), Steven Kostanski’s Deathstalker (North American Premiere), Lil Rel Howery’s Haunted Heist (World Premiere), Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli’s Honey Bunch (U.S. Premiere), Lucile Hadžihalilović’s The Ice Tower (U.S. Premiere), Quentin Dupieux’s The Piano Accident (North American Premiere), Chris Stuckmann’s Shelby Oaks (U.S. Premiere), Jalmari Helander’s Sisu: Road to Revenge (World Premiere), and Corin Hardy’s Whistle (World Premiere). The 20th edition of Fantastic Fest is happening in Austin, Texas from September 18 to 25.
The EFM Frontières Focus – “a showcase of five genre projects in advanced stages of financing, production or post-production” – opened its call for 2026 projects. The deadline to submit is Thursday, November 13. The EFM Frontières Focus is presented by the Fantasia International Film Festival and the European Film Market (EFM) at the Berlinale.
The Sitges Film Festival announced this year’s lineup for two of its sections: Noves Visions and Anima’t. The documentary El último arrebato (2025) – about Iván Zulueta’s Rapture (Arrebato, 1979) –, Mickey Reece’s Every Heavy Thing (2025), Yanis Koussim’s Roqia (2025), and Mattias J Skoglund’s The Home (Hemmet, 2025) are part of Noves Visions. On the other hand, Anima’t features Decorado (2025), I Am Frankelda (Soy Frankelda, 2025), The Girl Who Stole Time (Shi Jian Zhi Zi, 2025), and Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark (2025). The 2025 Sitges is taking place from October 9 to 19.
The Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (FEFFS) revealed the first wave of titles for its upcoming 18th edition (September 26-October 5). Some of the highlights are: The Old Woman with the Knife (Pa-gwa, 2025), Dog of God (Dieva suns, 2025), Death Does Not Exist (La mort n’existe pas, 2025), and Touch Me (2025). Additionally, the festival confirmed that director Alexandre Aja will be the guest of honor.