The Fantastic Pavilion presents a weekly recap with the most relevant news about the world of genre cinema.
News
Netflix released the artwork for Frankenstein (2025), which stars Oscar Isaac as Victor and Jacob Elordi as The Creature. The streamer also confirmed that Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic horror film will play in select theaters in countries like the U.S. (from October 17) and Mexico (from October 23). It’ll be available to stream on Netflix from November 7.
Ben Leonberg’s Good Boy (2025), the notorious horror movie starring a dog, has gotten an official trailer, ahead of its U.S. theatrical release on October 3. Good Boy is also heading to UK cinemas on October 10.
Synopsis: “A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner Todd, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.”
The new trailer for Alexandre O. Philippe’s documentary Chain Reactions (2024) features Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama talking about Tobe Hooper’s influential horror masterpiece The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Chain Reactions screened last year at such films festivals as Sitges, Mórbido and Venice – where it won the Venice Classics Award for Best Documentary on Cinema –. It’ll now open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on September 19, and nationwide on September 26.
Full synopsis: “50 years after The Texas Chain Saw Massacre shocked the world and forever changed the face of global cinema and popular culture, Chain Reactions charts the film’s profound impact and lasting influence on five great artists – Oswalt, Miike, Heller-Nicholas, King, and Kusama – through early memories, sensory experiences, and childhood trauma. By crafting a dynamic dialogue between contemporary footage and never-before-seen outtakes and delving into personal impressions triggered by distinct audiovisual formats (16mm, 35mm, VHS, digital), Chain Reactions goes to the heart of how a scruffy, no-budget independent film wormed its way into our collective nightmares and permanently altered the zeitgeist.”
Kiah Roache-Turner’s Beast of War (2025) is a survival flick set in “the Timor Sea during WWII,” about a group of Australian soldiers who “must confront the advances of one very large, very hungry great white shark.” Well Go USA Entertainment is putting Beast of War in theaters and on digital on October 10 (trailer).
Fantastic Fest selection The Fantastic Golem Affairs (El fantástico caso del Golem, 2023) is getting a limited theatrical run in the U.S., from August 29. You can watch here the trailer for this Spanish absurdist comedy.
Synopsis: “The story begins with Juan and David playing a movie guessing game on a rooftop. During an animated round, David strips naked, mimics a monkey and accidentally falls to his death. However, instead of a conventional fatal impact, his body inexplicably shatters into ceramic-like fragments. Juan, devastated and confused, attends David’s funeral, where his remains are treated with eerie indifference. As Juan attempts to process his grief, he is bombarded with bureaucratic nuisances, including funeral expenses and insurance claims for the damaged car David landed on. Determined to uncover the truth behind his friend’s bizarre demise, Juan embarks on an investigation.”
Festivals
The Popcorn Frights Film Festival announced the winners of its 11th edition, which took place in South Florida from August 7 to 17. Annapurna Sriram’s Fucktoys (2025) took home the Jury Prize for Best Feature Film, while Tina Romero’s Queens of the Dead (2025) earned the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. The list of winners also includes Night of the Reaper (Scariest Feature Film Prize) and Good Boy (New Nightmare Prize for Best Debut Film).