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Category: Entertainment

  • Jennifer Garner was almost Ben Affleck’s ‘Animals’ co-star – but she had one warning for him

    Jennifer Garner was almost Ben Affleck’s ‘Animals’ co-star – but she had one warning for him

    Ben Affleck is proving he is a master at his craft both in front of and behind the camera. After starring in and directing Air back in 2023, fans will get to see his duality once again, but this time he’s putting himself in the middle of a family crisis.

    ANIMALS. (L to R) Kerry Washington as Abigail and Ben Affleck as Mark in Animals. Cr. Warrick Page/Netflix © 2026. © Warrick Page/Netflix
    Kerry Washington as Abigail and Ben Affleck as Mark in Animals

    On Tuesday, Netflix dropped the trailer and first images for Animals, giving viewers a first look at the action-packed and spicy-looking film, with steamy moments between Affleck and Washington. It follows the Kimballs through a night that forces them to question the people around them and each other.

    In Animals, which was co-written by Affleck and Connor O. McIntyre, Affleck plays Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose life changes overnight when his son is kidnapped. Then, polished and seemingly perfect, Mark and his wife, Abigail (Kerry Washington), start falling apart.

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    ANIMALS. (L to R) Kerry Washington as Abigail and Chris topher Woodley as Denny in Animals. Cr. Warrick Page/Netflix © 2026.© Warrick Page/Netflix
    ANIMALS. (L to R) Kerry Washington as Abigail and Chris topher Woodley as Denny in Animals. Cr. Warrick Page/Netflix © 2026.

    As they raise the ransom money, the couple has to figure out who they can trust as their personal secrets begin to unravel. With their family in danger, there is no way to control what happens next.

    The film stars Mexican Luis Gerardo Méndez as Ramon and Adriana Paz as Cecilia© Warrick Page/Netflix
    The film stars Mexican Luis Gerardo Méndez as Ramon and Adriana Paz as Cecilia

    It’s a diverse cast with Mexican actress Adriana Paz and Mexican actor and producer Luis Gerardo Méndez among the stars. Steven Yeun, Gillian Anderson, and Ray Fisher are also part of the cast. 

    Steven Yeun as Sam© Warrick Page/Netflix
    Steven Yeun as Sam

    The role was almost going to be Jennifer Garner’s 

    Jennifer Garner opens up about difficult family chapter after Ben Affleck divorce: 'No such thing as balance'© Getty
    Ben initally had Jennifer Garner and Matt Damon in mind

    Affleck’s ex-wife Jennifer Garner was initially going to play Abigail, with Matt Damon starring as Mark. He told Entertainment Weekly, “I thought, God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role.” “It also has the added benefit of, like, both of us will see our kids more because we do a week and a week and back and forth. I thought, well, we can coordinate our schedules around it.”

    But after the film got scrapped, once they decided to bring it back to life, Damon was off filming the Odyssey. Once Affleck decided he would step in as Mark, Garner advised him, “We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage.” 

    That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to work with her in the future; he told the outlet he “would love to work with her, frankly.” “She’s fabulous, and we’re really good friends, and I’m profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing. I still would wanna work with her in the future, but what you don’t wanna do is take the audience’s baggage and have it work against you, you know?”

    Animals premieres on Netflix Oct. 9.

    Media Image© Netflix
  • 5 PBS KIDS shows in Spanish to stream for Hispanic Heritage Month

    5 PBS KIDS shows in Spanish to stream for Hispanic Heritage Month

    Hispanic Heritage Month is officially here, giving families a full month to celebrate Hispanic and Latino cultures, histories, traditions, and contributions. Observed annually from September 15 through October 15, the celebration can also be an opportunity to bring more Spanish-language entertainment into kids’ everyday routines.

    For parents looking for educational Spanish-language shows that children may already recognize, PBS KIDS on Prime Video has a lineup worth adding to the family watchlist.

    PBS KIDS on Prime Video has a lineup worth adding to the family watchlist.© Getty Images
    PBS KIDS on Prime Video has a lineup worth adding to the family watchlist.

    The streaming channel features a dedicated “En Español” carousel filled with Spanish versions of familiar children’s series. That means kids can follow favorite characters while hearing stories, conversations, lessons, and adventures unfold in Spanish.

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    PBS KIDS itself is also marking Hispanic Heritage Month with programming centered on Hispanic and Latino communities. Its 2026 lineup includes new episodes of Alma’s Way and Rosie’s Rules, both available in English and Spanish. Alma’s Way follows a Puerto Rican girl growing up in the Bronx, while Rosie’s Rules centers on a Mexican American preschooler and her family.

    'Sesame Street' icon Sonia Manzano set to premiere modern-day series 'Alma's Way'© Agencies
    Alma’s Way showcases Latino cultures through elements including music, food, and language

    For families who want even more Spanish-language viewing options, here are five PBS KIDS favorites currently offered in Spanish through Prime Video.

    PBS KIDS Spanish-Language Shows to Watch With Children

    The Berenstain Bears en Español

    The beloved Bear family brings its everyday adventures to Spanish-speaking and bilingual households in The Berenstain Bears en Español.

    Set in Bear Country, the series follows the Berenstain family as they encounter the kinds of problems, disagreements, responsibilities, and funny situations young children can recognize from their own lives.

    The Berenstain Bears en Español© PBS KIDS
    The Berenstain Bears en Español

    At the center of the stories are family, loyalty, humor, and figuring things out together. For children already familiar with the characters, watching the Spanish-language version can offer a comfortable introduction to hearing familiar concepts expressed in another language.

     Dinosaur Train en Español

    Dinosaurs plus trains is already a strong preschool combination. Add Spanish-language storytelling and Dinosaur Train en Español becomes another option for families interested in bilingual screen time.

    The series follows Buddy and the Pteranodon family as they travel aboard the Dinosaur Train, meet other prehistoric creatures, and explore the dinosaur world.

    Dinosaur Train en Español© PBS Kids
    Dinosaur Train en Español

    The adventures give young viewers plenty to talk about after an episode, whether the conversation is about a newly discovered dinosaur, a Spanish word they heard, or where the family should travel next.

    Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español

    For preschool families, Daniel Tiger probably needs little introduction.

    Inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood uses everyday situations to help young children understand emotions, relationships, routines, and social skills.

    Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español© PBS KIDS
    Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español

    Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood en Español brings those lessons to children in Spanish. Because the show focuses on recognizable childhood experiences, from dealing with feelings to interacting with other people, its Spanish-language episodes can make useful vocabulary part of a story children understand.

    It is a particularly practical pick for families who want Spanish-language kids’ shows that combine entertainment with social-emotional learning.

    Cyberchase en Español

    Older kids who like problem-solving can head into Cyberspace with Cyberchase en Español.

    The long-running educational series combines adventures with challenges that encourage children to think through problems. In the Spanish-language episodes available through PBS KIDS on Prime Video, viewers can follow the characters as they deal with Hacker and his latest schemes.

    Cyberchase en Español© PBS KIDS
    Cyberchase en Español

    Among the adventures highlighted in the collection are Hacker’s malicious letter campaign and his attempt to use the wish-granting Ring of Radopolis.

    The result is a Spanish-language streaming option with plenty of action for children who have moved beyond preschool programming but still enjoy learning while they watch.

    Caillou en Español

    Caillou en Español brings another recognizable children’s character to the Spanish-language lineup.

    The featured adventures include Caillou eagerly waiting for the first snowfall of winter, imagining building the biggest snowman in the world, and singing Christmas carols with his family for the first time.

    Caillou en Español© PBS KIDS
    Caillou en Español

    For families introducing Spanish to younger children, familiar everyday experiences and seasonal activities can provide helpful context for new vocabulary. Instead of treating language learning like a formal lesson, children get to hear Spanish while following a story.

    Spanish-Language Kids’ Shows Can Fit Into Hispanic Heritage Month

    Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the histories, cultures, achievements, and contributions of people with heritage connected to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. PBS KIDS notes that the celebration runs from September 15 through October 15 and offers families additional ways to mark the month through books, recipes, music, and other activities.

    Spanish-language children’s programming can be one piece of that larger celebration.

    Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with five PBS KIDS shows in Spanish that make bilingual learning, family streaming, and screen time more engaging for kids. © Getty Images
    Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with five PBS KIDS shows in Spanish that make bilingual learning, family streaming, and screen time more engaging for kids.

    For bilingual households, Spanish episodes can help make the language part of everyday entertainment. For children learning Spanish, watching a familiar show in another language may give them useful context as they listen. And for Spanish-dominant families, having recognizable educational programming available in Spanish provides more choice.

    Of course, Hispanic Heritage Month extends far beyond language alone. Hispanic and Latino communities encompass many countries, cultures, traditions, identities, and experiences. Families can pair screen time with books by Latino authors, music, recipes, conversations about family heritage, museum visits, and stories about influential Hispanic and Latino figures.

    Modern Mami is a parenting and lifestyle column by ¡HOLA! Senior Writer Shirley Gómez, a Latina millennial mom raising a toddler. Focused on the realities of modern motherhood through a Latina lens, the column covers topics ranging from wellness and culture to parenting tips and expert advice.

  • JustWatch Is Launching Its Own Streaming Service

    JustWatch Is Launching Its Own Streaming Service

    Soon, you can watch on JustWatch.

    JustWatch Group, which operates the popular streaming guide, is launching JustWatch TV next month within the main app and its website. JustWatch TV, which will offer free ad-supported or paid ad-free viewership as well as rentals, will be available across the U.S. and Canada, the U.K. and Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

    “Every day, millions of people come to JustWatch searching for simpler ways to watch and discover hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows,” David Croyé, founder and CEO of the JustWatch Group, said at the Toronto International Film Festival’s new content marketplace TIFF: The Market. “For over a decade, our mission has been to connect fans with their favorite films and shows, particularly the hard-to-find and previously unavailable titles. With the launch of JustWatch TV, we aim to make content discovery, access and engagement even easier.”

    JustWatch TV’s content launch partners include Paramount, New Regency, Fremantle, Bleecker Street and Vortex Media. The JustWatch app boasts more than 50 million monthly users and includes the programming for more than 1,500 streaming services worldwide.

    Quentin Carbonell, JustWatch’s senior vice president of global content acquisitions and strategy, added, “JustWatch TV is designed to meet that demand head-on, offering a straightforward solution at a time of fragmentation. We are curating film and TV hits and hard-to-find gems that you can watch for free or rent on JustWatch, or easily rediscover them on your favorite services. This way, JustWatch TV aims to support the whole industry, from filmmakers to distributors to streaming platforms across the world.”

    JustWatch — The Streaming Guide points 140 markets to where they can find more 500,000 movies and TV shows. It’s data is shared with more than 1,400 partner websites and apps. JustWatch also has a media division that creates ad campaigns across social media platforms like YouTube, Meta and TikTok. The JustWatch Group employs more than 200 people worldwide. It is headquartered in Berlin with offices in Los Angeles, London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Munich, Dubai and Sydney.

  • Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2026 Unveils Lineup: Premieres Include Parisian Vampires, Body Horror and More Wild Genre Tales (EXCLUSIVE)

    Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2026 Unveils Lineup: Premieres Include Parisian Vampires, Body Horror and More Wild Genre Tales (EXCLUSIVE)

    This year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is back and spookier than ever!

    Variety can exclusively reveal this year’s stacked lineup, which is set to run from Oct. 15—22, with all screenings taking place at Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg.

    Vampire mockumentary “I Love Paris” opens the fest, with the New York premiere of “Species (Sanguine)” as the centerpiece film and the action-horror feature “Kick On” as the closing night film. Throughout the festival are plenty of world and regional premieres, special events, retrospective screenings, documentaries and many more films of note.

    Badges are now on sale, and a limited number of tickets are set to go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

    See the full lineup below.

    Films

    I LOVE PARIS
    OPENING NIGHT FILM
    PRESENTED BY MUBI
    Australia, France | 2026 | 120 Min. | Dir. Nicky Murphy
    Aspiring underground singer Paris is bitten and turned into a vampire but, instead of letting her dreams of music stardom die, her hustle only goes harder and bloodier.

    SPECIES (SANGUINE)
    CENTERPIECE FILM
    New York Premiere
    France | 2026 | 103 Min. | Dir. Marion Le Corroller
    A young intern at a prestigious ER struggles to keep up with the fast-paced environment, and when a strange disease begins appearing in a number of her patients, she starts suffering from her own bodily symptoms.

    KICK ON
    CLOSING NIGHT FILM
    New York Premiere
    Australia | 2026 | 91 Min. | Dir. Nick Kozakis
    What starts off as a wild night of partying devolves into a brutal fight for survival when four friends cross paths with a mobster’s unhinged son in this gruesome new entry in the single-location siege horror canon.

    THE GLORIOUS DEAD
    Presented by Arrow Video
    Leviathan Award
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 80 Min. | Dir. John Adams, Toby Poser
    What should be a typical day in the life for a small-town sheriff quickly turns sinister as people begin to disappear and fleshy creatures begin popping up all around them.

    AMERICAN DOLLHOUSE
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 87 Min. | Dir. John Valley
    A woman living a drama-riddled life returns to her childhood home for what she hopes can be a clean start but, no thanks to her psychotic and homicidal new neighbor, doesn’t go as planned.

    CORPUS
    Presented by MUBI
    USA | 2026 | 102 Min. | Dir. Corrin Evans
    A photographer takes a trip to Upstate NY with his longtime friend and unrequited love, but the trip takes a turn when their three mysterious hosts begin to show they have ulterior motives.

    THE CYCLE
    East Coast Premiere
    UK | 2026 | 112 Min. | Dir. Jordan Downey
    When her estranged father’s corpse is discovered at a grisly crime scene, Meg is dragged into the investigation to uncover why — when he’s been missing for over three decades.

    THE DEN
    USA | 2026 | 77 Min. | Dir. Zachary Donohue
    While studying the behaviors of webcam users, a sociology student witnesses a murder and becomes the killer’s next target in this early and underrated entry in the “screenlife” horror canon.

    ERIE
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 89 Min. | Dir. Alison-Eve Hammersley
    Aided by her skeptical older brother, a young girl launches her own investigation into their sister’s mysterious death, connecting it to a string of local suicides whose explanations may or may not be supernatural.

    FULL MOON RISING: THE CHARLES BAND STORY
    North American Premiere
    UK | 2026 | 94 Min. | Sarah Appleton
    From his days revolutionizing the home video market to producing classics like FROM BEYOND and RE-ANIMATOR and running the influential Full Moon Features, indie maverick Charles Band’s illustrious career is front and center in this entertaining and inspiring documentary.

    GHOST IN THE MACHINE (35mm)
    USA | 1993 | 95 Min. | Dir. Rachel Talalay
    After he’s killed in a car accident, a serial killer’s soul is uploaded into a computer system, enabling him to find technological ways to try to kill the woman he was targeting before his death.

    GODHEAD
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 98 Min. | Dir. Mark H. Rapaport
    A pair of oddball, possibly dangerous twins force a priest to make a series of painful and potentially Biblical decisions in this singular blend of pitch-black comedy and surrealist horror.

    J.D.’S REVENGE (35mm)
    USA | 1976 | 95 Min. | Dir. Arthur Marks
    Hell-bent on getting some long-overdue revenge, the ghost of a New Orleans gangster inhabits the body of a young black law student in this Blaxploitation horror gem.

    LITTLE DOORS
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 77 Min. | Dir. Anthony Oberback
    A woman doing her best to survive day to day in an apocalyptic world finds a small door on the side of her body and contemplates opening it to see what’s inside.

    MOUNTAIN KING
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 94 Min. | Dir. Gabrielle Christensen
    Surprising her boyfriend unannounced at his family home in Scandinavia, Hannah is determined to prove she can be part of the family no matter how increasingly dark their traditions seem to be.

    NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 86 Min. | Dir. Josh Lobo
    When his fellow security guard vanishes, Andy is overwhelmed with paranoia about their enigmatic workplace’s intentions and the disturbing phenomenon kept hidden in the building’s new wing.

    THE ONLY ONE
    World Premiere
    Australia | 2026 | 99 Min. | Dir. Michael Schwarz
    When her exes are suddenly being murdered one by one, suspicion falls on Zoe and it’s up to her and a ragtag team of old friends to prove her innocence and figure out the identity of the masked Prince Charming killer.

    OPI
    North American Premiere
    Poland | 2026 | 96 Min. | Dir. Marta Giec
    Shortly before her 18th birthday, a young woman’s already complicated home life gets upended by the arrival of an aunt and grandmother she’s never met before, triggering her family’s downward spiral into nightmarish folk horror.

    THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (with live score)
    France | 1928 | 81 Min. | Dir. Carl Theodore Dreyer
    A towering achievement of the silent-film era, THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC equals and oftentimes eclipses the horror of any other masterwork from the 1920’s. Live music accompaniment by The Flushing Remonstrance.

    THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS
    USA | 1991 | 103 Min. | Dir. Wes Craven
    Two criminals and their teenage accomplice find themselves stuck inside the booby-trap-riddled home of their ghetto neighborhood’s evil landlords in Wes Craven’s massively entertaining marriage of horror-comedy and social commentary.

    POSTHUMOUS
    East Coast Premiere
    Australia | 2026 | 110 Min. | Dir. Josh Tanner
    After returning to her childhood home, a troubled woman becomes enamored with VHS birthday tapes left behind by her late mother that gradually reveal a secret family connection to the occult.

    ROMA ELASTICA
    Presented by MUBI
    New York Premiere
    France, Italy | 2026 | 107 Min. | Dir. Bertrand Mandico
    A struggling French actress travels to Rome to work on a science fiction film which sends her spiraling and threatens to make this the last film she makes.

    RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & MONSTERS OF STEVE JOHNSON
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 106 Min. | Dir. Nick Taylor
    Tracks the spectacular rise and swift fall of practical SFX master Steve Johnson while taking viewers on an impressively candid and revealing overview of the glory days of special effects makeup.

    SENDER
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 94 Min. | Dir. Russell Goldman
    A newly sober woman begins to find a disturbing amount of daily packages she never ordered on her doorstep, setting her off on a paranoid and dizzying investigation to discover her tormentors.

    SLAY
    East Coast Premiere
    Presented by MUBI
    USA | 2026 | 89 Min. | Dir. Kyra Elise Gardner
    After her friend is brutally murdered, a young social media star heads to a cabin in the woods with friends for what’s meant to be a distracting good time but turns into a bloodbath when a masked killer crashes the party.

    SPLIT ROCK
    North American Premiere
    Canada | 2026 | 98 Min. | Dir. Ryan Glover
    A group of geologists discover a strange anomaly in the desert and as they continue their research their thirst for knowledge threatens to put them in grave danger against an ancient horror.

    SUNDOWN
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 79 Min. | Dir. Rebekah McKendry
    A trio of blood-related women seeking vengeance kidnap a man only to discover that his darkest secret is far worse than what they thought.
    Screening with: Bloodsuckers, dir. Rosie Brear (USA, 10min)

    TRAUMA, OR MONSTERS ALL
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 118 Min. | Dir. Larry Fessenden
    Larry Fessenden’s down-and-dirty, blue-collar universe of Universal-Monster-inspired films (HABIT, DEPRAVED, BLACK OUT) comes to its masterful conclusion in this clash of nightmarish titans set in a small town harboring its own dark past.

    TRICK ’R TREAT (35mm) w/ SEASON’S GREETINGS
    USA | 2007 | 86 Min. | Dir. Michael Dougherty
    It’s the ultimate Halloween season event with everyone’s favorite little pumpkin-headed demon, Sam: a special 35mm screening of Michael Dougherty’s classic Samhain-minded omnibus gem TRICK ’R TREAT (2007), preceded by the filmmaker’s handmade animated short that inspired it, SEASON’S GREETINGS (1996), and capped off by a conversation with Dougherty to discuss it all.

    WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR
    USA | 2021 | 86 Min. | Dir. Jane Schoenbrun
    A teen loses her sense of reality as she is drawn into a popular online role-playing game.

    Secret Screening
    ??? | 2026 | > 100 Min. | Dir. ???
    Get your best guesses ready, scary movie lovers — Brooklyn Horror is excited to present a mystery film that, trust us, you won’t want to miss! And, sorry, we won’t give any easy-to-solve hints for all of you proud cinema sleuths out there!

    Okay, fine, we’ll give you a little something: Our “Secret Screening” film will be a must-see new gem that’ll make NYC’s horror fans kick themselves for missing if they aren’t in the building for it at Nitehawk. Sorry, that’s all you’re going to get. Now let the speculation begin!

    Short Films

    NIGHTMARE FUEL
    These frightening folktales, body horrors, and monsters in the machine will haunt your dreams and make sure you never sleep again!
    Bagman, dir. Connor Gaston, Vaughn Gaston (Canada); Stuck, dir. Jan van Gorkum (Netherlands); Wax, dir. Alexandre Forgues, (Canada); Breeder, dir. Sapphire Sandalo (USA); YAOGUAI, dir. Mimi Lee (USA); Don’t Go, dir. Talon Darren Winsnes, (Norway); Tsume Kill: The Clapper Claw, dir. Shinsuke Fujioka (Japan); Ceiling King, dir. Mats Udd (Sweden).

    HEAD TRIP
    Open your mind to genre-bending terror and find the fear in everyday things like your sewing projects, mancaves, and headphones. Embrace the bizarre.
    Man Eating Pussy, dir. Emily Lawson (Canada); Summer Project, dir. Yuki Hara (Japan); Headphones, dir. Steven Arriagada (Australia); Rusalka, dir. Mykita Bulgakov, Vlad Fishez, Oleg Batrakov (Ukraine); Prosthetika, dir. Brandon Chi-Wei Chen (USA); Needle, Sofie Somoroff (USA); Mancave dir. Fredrik S. Hana (Norway)

    CULTURE SHOCK
    Our latest and permanent program section strives to uplift Black filmmakers and aims to be a launchpad for new excellence in genre cinema. Join us in celebrating Black stories with our very first Culture Shock: Black Horror shorts block.
    The Inheritance, dir. Destinee Stewart (USA); Night Feeds, dir. Rana Roy (USA); Angels Pull Your Hair, dir. Gabby Beans (USA); Dread, dir. Loren Loubser, Gabe Gabriel (South Africa, UK); The Keeper, dir Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes (USA); Grampa, dir Justice Smith (USA)

    SLAYED
    Presented by MUBI
    Brooklyn horror explores the gamut of queer experiences in this shorts block, from messy lesbian relationships to taboo sexual experiences.
    By Yourself, dir. Elaine Frost (USA); Crash Season, dir. Audrey Rosenberg (USA); Four Itchy Boys, dir. Andrew Hebert (USA); Internet Boy, dir. Joseph Demaria (USA); Embrace, dir. Matthew Rush (USA); Tooth, dir. Max Wren (USA); Mine, dir. Jaclyn Moore (USA); Scissors, dir. Hannah Alline (USA)

    LAUGH NOW, DIE LATER
    Horror and comedy are sisters — both build up tension for a satisfying relief. Afterall, isn’t death the final punch line?
    Knitting Club, dir. Diogo Abrantes, João Rito (Portugal); Baby Fever, dir. Katrina Vergara (USA); Udders!, dir. Michael Spencer (USA); CHÄIR, dir Chris McInroy (USA); A Stable Marriage, dir. Josephine Decker (USA); Matches, dir. Jake Delaney (USA); Open Mic, dir. Jano Pita (Spain); Vape Glow, dir. Steven Schloss (USA); Gloss, dir. Leah Shore (USA); House Cat, dir. Kyle Spleiss (USA)

    DEATH GRIP
    These shorts will grab a hold of you, won’t let go, and love to watch you squirm. Enjoy slow-burn horror and explore the dark recesses that hide in quiet moments.
    Bruised Sky, dir. Gary James Kent (UK); Down the Length, dir. Milo Ed (UK); Primus the Robot, dir. Max Delagrave (France); Devourer, dir. Nirvana Nagi; Living Grounds, dir. Émile Lavoie (Canada)

    HOME INVASION 1
    Hometown heroes and fresh faces alike showcase their newest works. Enjoy the work of our locals and let their creativity inspire you!
    The Crying Man, dir. Emily Bennett; Richard Goes On a Date, dir. Johnny Frohman; Imprint, dir. Ran Jing; PRIME, dir. Meagan Coyle; Viewfinder, dir. Clay von Carlowitz; Packages, dir. Nick Barat; Crib Club, dir. Jordan Freeman Klaja; Walter Wuz Here, dir. Ben Duff

    HOME INVASION 2
    The category so nice, we made it twice. Our community is bursting at the seams with talented creatives, we can’t fit everything into one block.
    Echelon, dir. Sebastian DiNatale; Book U Can Ask ???s, dir. Casimir Nozkowski; No Free Brains, dir. Ciara Sergi; Behind This Locked Door, dir. Matthew Brennan; Carousel, dir. Christopher Kosakowski; Hand, dir. Jennifer Winterbotham; The Fool, dir. Adjahni Dèsirè; In My Blood, dir. Alex Bendo

    Special events

    Final Exam Horror Trivia
    Presented by Dark Sky Films
    Do you think you know more about horror films than the rest of Gotham? Then it’s time to prove it via five blistering rounds of expert level creepy trivia with hosts Ted Geoghegan (director of We Are Still Here and Shudder’s Brooklyn 45) and journalist Michael Gingold (of Fangoria and Rue Morgue fame)! Meet new friends, win amazing prizes, and learn more about horror cinema exclusively at Final Exam!

    Certified Forgotten Podcast
    Certified Forgotten is a 60-minute bi-weekly horror movie podcast with a focus on underseen films. Hosts Matt Donato and Matt Monagle speak with creators, filmmakers, and critics about their lifelong relationships to the horror genre. Each episode also highlights another unique genre title with ten-or-fewer reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes that’s picked by the guest, letting them champion each episode’s title to their heart’s content.

    The Leviathan Award

    Presented by Arrow Video, Brooklyn Horror’s first and only tribute award was created in 2023 to honor the luminaries of horror and acknowledge their monstrous contributions to the genre. The 2026 Leviathan Award goes to the incomparable and prolific filmmaking family, the Adams Family. Since their breakout film in 2019, THE DEEPER YOU DIG, the Adams Family have conquered the indie horror world through unbridled creativity and an ever apparent adoration for all things bloody, goopy and monstrous. Never playing the same tune twice, these literal rockstars have sharpened their family’s craft over the past 13 years while displaying a deep reverence for the classic horror canon and lending their incredible talents on other filmmaker’s projects. Toby, John, Zelda, Lulu and the greater extended Adams Family have not only carved out a place of their own but have paved a new roadmap for future filmmakers to follow their dreams — one of passion, ingenuity and community. With their Lovecraftian apocalyptic creature feature THE GLORIOUS DEAD now hitting screens, sky’s the limit and the future is bright with these modern day folk heroes leading the cinematic charge.

    See this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival poster below.

  • Nick Reiner Won’t Face Death Penalty If Convicted In Parents’ Murder Case

    Nick Reiner Won’t Face Death Penalty If Convicted In Parents’ Murder Case

    Nick Reiner will not face the death penalty for the slayings of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, in their Brentwood home last year.

    Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said on Tuesday that he reached the decision after consulting Reiner’s siblings.

    “They made their views very clear,” Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters outside the courthouse, per NBC News.

    Reiner has been held in custody without bail since pleading not guilty to the murders in February. He was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances relating to multiple homicides, meaning the maximum sentence he faces is life without parole.

    Last month, prosecutors added another added another special circumstance allegation that Reiner committed the murders by means of lying in wait, signaling that they believe the killings were premeditated. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Prosecutors have yet to detail their case against Reiner. They’ve alleged that he stabbed his 78-year-old father and 70-year-old mother in the early morning of Dec. 14 in their Brentwood home. He allegedly fled the scene and checked in to the Pierside Santa Monica hotel hours later. Law enforcement arrested him later that night in South Los Angeles near a gas station.

    A pretrial hearing is also scheduled for Tuesday.

  • FocusFest Immersive Fan Event Sets Screenings of ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ ‘Elsinore’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    FocusFest Immersive Fan Event Sets Screenings of ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ ‘Elsinore’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    After the success of the inaugural immersive event last year, FocusFest returns to the Universal Studios Lot on Oct. 10. for a day full of screenings, special guests and immersive fan experiences.

    Television host Justin Sylvester will host. The event will spotlight Focus Features films, old and new, along with themed food and beverage offerings, exclusive merchandise and interactive activations. Tickets are available at the Focus Features website and Focus Insiders will receive exclusive early access to purchase tickets.

    Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles are set to attend an early advance screening of Georgia Oakley’s new take on Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” In the film, the women play sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood navigating love, heartbreak and financial hardships in 19th-century England.

    For classic romance lovers, Joe Wright’s take on Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” and Autumn de Wilde’s “Emma” will also be shown.

    Focust Fest 2026

    Focus Features

    Alexander Payne’s 2023 film “The Holdovers” will be screened along with an early advance screening of “Elsinore” from Simon Stone, starring Andrew Scott. “Elsinore” tells the story of the actor Ian Charleson (Scott) who faced incredible odds while preparing to give the performance of his life in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London.

    Thrill seekers can settle in for Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” and Curry Barker’s “Obsession,” which was screened at last year’s FocusFest and has become Focus Features’ highest-grossing film of all time.

    Focus’s 2026 slate includes “Obsession,” Eggers’ “Werwulf,” “The Uprising” from Paul Greengrass, “Elsinore” and “Sense and Sensibility.”

    Focus Features is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal.

  • JustWatch Group to Launch AVOD Streaming Service This October

    Streaming guide JustWatch Group will debut its Advertising-Based Video on Demand (AVOD) streaming service, JustWatch TV, this October.

    “Every day, millions of people come to JustWatch searching for simpler ways to watch and discover hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows,” said David Croyé, the founder and CEO of the JustWatch Group. “For over a decade, our mission has been to connect fans with their favorite films and shows, particularly the hard-to-find and previously unavailable titles. With the launch of JustWatch TV, we aim to make content discovery, access and engagement even easier.”

    JustWatch TV can be accessed directly through the JustWatch app and website, becoming available to all existing JustWatch users in October. The streaming service will also feature rental and ad-free subscription options, and, with its unique model, will encourage viewers to watch titles both directly on the streaming platform or on their preferred streaming services. 

    “JustWatch TV is designed to meet that demand head-on, offering a straightforward solution at a time of fragmentation,” said Quentin Carbonell, the senior vice president of global content acquisitions and strategy at JustWatch. “We are curating film and TV hits and hard-to-find gems that you can watch for free or rent on JustWatch, or easily rediscover them on your favorite services. This way, JustWatch TV aims to support the whole industry, from filmmakers to distributors to streaming platforms across the world.”

    Serving as the operator of the world’s largest streaming guide, JustWatch Group is partnering with Paramount, New Regency, Fremantle, Bleecker Street, Vortex Media and additional companies for the launch of JustWatch TV. The streaming guide announced the news at the Toronto International Film Festival’s new content marketplace, TIFF: The Market.

    JustWatch TV will be available across the U.S., Canada and in select European countries. 

  • Oldenburg Adds Ned Crawley’s ‘Drop Dead’ to Line Up

    Oldenburg Adds Ned Crawley’s ‘Drop Dead’ to Line Up

    The Oldenburg Film Festival has made a late edition to its line-up, adding Ned Crawley‘s Drop Dead to its official selection. The film will have its world premiere at Oldenburg, Germany’s leading indie film fest.

    The high-concept horror thriller, according to the movie’s publicity material, follows a group of eight strangers who „board a freight elevatorn and find themselves trapped in an ever-worsening life-and-death predicament that ultimately reveals they are all linked together in a sinister, supernatural, or even biblical nightmare.”

    The low-budget feature is Crawley’s follow up to his supernatural Western Killing Faith (2025) starring Guy Pearce, DeWanda Wise, and Bill Pullman, which has been a major streaming success, reaching number 2 on HBO Max’s worldwide movie charts and hitting number one in several territories, including Argentina and Brazil.

    Killing Faith got a boost from fan Stephen King, who, shortly after its premiere at Beyond Fest, posted a review on X, calling it “a quasi-supernatural Western that has echoes of Cormac McCarthy.” King ranked it as one of his favorite films of the year.

    For Drop Dead, Crawley said he decided to shift away from “sweeping landscapes and A-list actors” to “create something equally compelling within the confines of a locked, claustrophobic 15 foot steel box, driven by the performances of relatively unknown actors.”

    ‘Drop Dead’

    Ned Crawley

    The film features an ensemble cast including Melissa Neal, Daniel Adeosun, Victor Rivera, Christina Tam, Alexandra kate, Roger Ajogbe, John O’Mahony, and Elijah Craft.

    Drop Dead is Crawley’s third feature as a director after Killing Faith and his 2016 debut Middle Man, a crime comedy starring Jim O’Heir, Andrew J. West, and Josh McDermitt.

    The 33rd Oldenburg International Film Festival runs Sept. 16-20.

  • Chicago Film Festival Sets International Competition Lineup With New Films From Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore-eda and Lee Chang-dong

    Chicago Film Festival Sets International Competition Lineup With New Films From Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore-eda and Lee Chang-dong

    The Chicago International Film Festival has unveiled the international competition selections for its 62nd edition, with new films from Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore-eda and Lee Chang-dong among the highest-profile titles in the lineup.

    Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, Kore-eda’s Look Back and Lee’s Possible Love will compete for the Gold Hugo in the International Feature Competition. The 13-film section also includes Radu Jude’s The Diary of a Chambermaid, Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, Valeska Grisebach’s The Dreamed Adventure and Andrea Pallaoro’s The Echo Chamber, which will have its North American premiere in Chicago.

    The festival, which runs Oct. 14-25, said the competitive program includes 25 North American or U. S. premieres across its International Feature, New Directors, Documentary and OutLook sections. Films from Germany, Japan, Spain, the Central African Republic, Brazil, Nigeria and Turkey are represented.

    Four selections have been submitted by their countries for the best international feature Oscar: All of a Sudden, Sandra Wollner’s Everytime, Ahmed Hassouna’s documentary Citizen Osama and Lee’s Possible Love. The festival’s fourth annual International Contenders Panel, bringing together filmmakers behind national Oscar submissions, will be moderated by The Hollywood Reporter‘s Seth Abramovitch on Oct. 17.

    The New Directors Competition includes Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri’s Clarissa, Ashgan El-Hamus’ Al Baraneya, Rafiki Fariala’s Congo Boy, Gessica Geneus’ Marie Madeleine and The Riverbank from Enock Carvalho and Matheus Farias. Other selections include Anna Foglietta’s A Common Story, Valentina Maurel’s Forever Your Maternal Animal and Bruno Santamaria Razo’s Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building.

    Documentary contenders include Alessandra Sanguinetti’s The Illusion of an Everlasting Summer, Erik Shirai’s Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing and Mila Aung-Thwin’s The Ultra Runner. Citizen Osama, Mariinka, Summer Drift and Tricontinental, Letter to Open in Case Of will make their North American premieres.

    The festival’s OutLook Competition, devoted to LGBTQ+ stories and perspectives, includes Ira Sachs’ The Man I Love, Kōji Fukada’s Nagi Notes, Corrin Evans’ Corpus, Abinash Bikram Shah’s Elephants in the Fog and Kris Rey’s Trash Mountain. The Riverbank, Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building and Summer Drift will compete in both OutLook and another international section.

    Recent Chicago winners that went on to Academy Award recognition include Sirat, The Voice of Hind Rajab, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Close, Drive My Car and The Worst Person in the World, all nominated for best international feature, as well as best documentary nominee Four Daughters.

    The complete festival lineup will be announced Sept. 17. Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid will open the festival, while Mouse, from filmmakers Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, has been selected as the centerpiece presentation. Tickets for the remaining programs go on sale Sept. 28, following a Cinema/Chicago members presale beginning Sept. 18.

  • ‘Reacher’ Spinoff ‘Neagley’ Shows the Franchise Doesn’t Work Without Reacher: TV Review

    ‘Reacher’ Spinoff ‘Neagley’ Shows the Franchise Doesn’t Work Without Reacher: TV Review

    This may be the most obvious observation of all time, but it must be said: “Reacher” works because of Reacher. The hit Amazon Prime Video series, based on the novels by Lee Child and currently wrapping up its fourth season, is a vessel for star Alan Ritchson and his remarkable physique, which his drifter character puts to use by clobbering numerous bad guys across the United States in a variety of inventive ways. (Before Ritchson, the eponymous action hero was played in two movies by Tom Cruise, who may lack his successor’s bulk but made up for it in star power.) There’s a difference between formulaic pulp that’s disposable and the kind that’s a comforting delight, and on “Reacher,” that difference is Ritchson.

    All this to say is that Frances Neagley (Maria Sten, also of “Reacher”) is no Jack Reacher, and therefore the new spinoff “Neagley” is nowhere near as fun to watch as its flagship show. The most enjoyable scenes by far in the eight-episode season are the first few, when Reacher stops by to pass the baton to his ex-military comrade, now a private investigator in Chicago. Reacher helps Neagley foil a kidnapping attempt; then the two attend a Cubs game for some bestie bonding where Reacher’s mass and Neagley’s glower makes them stick out like sore thumbs. Cute!

    But then Reacher splits off for his next adventure and Neagley is left to shoulder an entire show on her own. Co-created by Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton, “Neagley” begins with the heroine’s childhood friend Tommy Crane (Jhaleil Swaby) stripping naked and walking calmly in front of an L train. The mystery his death introduces proves flat and uninteresting, with none of the buzzy elements stuffed haphazardly into the plot — cults! Big Pharma! maimed penises! — executed with enough verve to inject any life into the proceedings. And while Sten performs capably in the (sporadic, perfunctory) action scenes, her taciturn protagonist declaring that “I don’t have trauma” can’t reverse psychology the viewer into genuine curiosity.

    That’s because Neagley is a collection of hard-surface, soft-heart tropes that never achieve independent momentum. Some shortcuts to emotional weight even feel counterproductive: in addition to Tommy, Neagley gets both an ailing father — an ex-cop who showed her the ropes — and a couple of mentees as loved ones with built-in stakes. But it’s hard to watch these thinly sketched relationships and not think of “Reacher,” which partly works because its hero is so free of roots or baggage. One of that show’s insights is that such exposition can get in the way of pure, brainless entertainment; it’s odd to watch a spinoff discard such inherited wisdom.

    Other details simply fail to inspire much intrigue. Neagley doesn’t like to be touched, a quirk that doesn’t become any more effective a hook for how often characters use the condition’s medical name (haphephobia — the more you know!) when discussing it. “Neagley” tries to pad out the investigation into Tommy’s death with a look at Neagley’s own past, but neither her backstory nor that of her reluctant partner Hudson (Greyston Holt), a Chicago PD detective attempting to distance himself from his criminal family, make much of an impact beyond filling space.

    Even Echo Canyon, the shady communal farm where Tommy spent his final days, is oddly banal for a messianic cult. “Neagley” sometimes flirts with comedy in the form of leader Lawrence Cole (Damon Herriman), a dime-store Manson who forces his followers to listen to his bad rock covers and unironically quotes Depeche Mode in declaring himself a “personal Jesus.” (Lawrence’s financial backer Pierce, played by Matthew Del Negro, gets his own chance to gnash his teeth when he informs a victim that “watching you die, I’m hard as a rock.”) But besides these flashes of fun, the show proves reluctant to lean into either camp or distinctive detail. Lawrence’s chief deputy Judith (Rebecca Liddiard) has awfully composed hair and makeup for a hippie who’s left polite society; street kid Keno (Jasper Jones), who Neagley recruits to infiltrate the farm, has an immaculate six-pack despite not having access to a hot shower, let alone a gym. The viewer remains acutely aware they’re watching professional actors impersonate vague stereotypes of cult members rather than an immersive take on the genre.

    In light of this ersatz feel, the constant invocations of Neagley’s military record for authenticity ring hollow. (When she reminds a scene partner that “I’ve been in combat” halfway through the season, it’s hard to resist shouting back: “We know!”) The rough outline of what happened to Tommy is apparent within a few episodes, and without that source of suspense, “Neagley” quickly loses steam. With “Reacher,” the show’s namesake has become a reason to watch in and of himself. That’s simply not the case here.

    All eight episodes of “Neagley” will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 16.