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- MovieWeb's Tyler Geis guests βπ», 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' absolutely rules πΆπ», & more!
MovieWeb's Tyler Geis guests βπ», 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' absolutely rules πΆπ», & more!
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Tyler Geis | Instagram | Letterboxd
Hello everyone! Tyler Geis here on this week's Horrorverse Newsletter. I'm a journalist, film critic, filmmaker, and massive sports fan. Sometimes, those don't intersect, but I've found a way to make it work over the last few years while writing hundreds of articles on my love for cinema and sports. You can find my work at ComicBook.com, MovieWeb, CBS Sports, The Review Geek, TV Guide, and many more. I've been an avid reader of Horrorverse since it was announced. I gave Bee and Brett's newsletter a social media shoutout, and the next thing I knew, they asked me to contribute as a guest writer. I'm happy to be here and let my freak flag fly a bit, and I am glad to write about the genre that I've loved since I was a little kid growing up in New England. Thank you both for having me on here.
I'm also very excited about this week's newsletter for the sole reason that we all made our picks for a horror subgenre we can all identify with: Workplace Horror. Everyone who has ever had to file taxes and prove that they contribute to society knows very well that work is hell. So, of course, there needs to be horror films about it.
I've always strived to have a good work ethic, show up, and do my best at any job I've ever had. Whether it is writing for a major news site or cooking chicken at Costco. However, there has always been fear and anxiety attached to clocking into a job. The fear of loss of income if I screw up and lose my job always looms or something tragic happens, like a disgruntled customer trying to cause harm to someone. Or there's the common fear of conformity, giving in to being a company man, and losing one's individuality to a paycheck and health benefits.
There are so many great Workplace Horror films out there that embody just how scary punching in and out for 40 hours a week can really be. Be sure to check out our picks, seek them out over the weekend for a watch, and consider calling out on Monday morning.

By Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | X
After releasing her feature debut, Devon, JWOWW is back behind the camera to direct Nanny Cam. More details at Fangoria.
The Last Drive-In returns to Shudder TONIGHT at 9pm ET!
One of Bee's favorite actresses, Kathryn Newton, has joined the Ready or Not 2 cast. We can't wait to learn more about her role in the film!
The Monkey had the highest debut for a horror film in 2025 (the year has technically just begun), raking in over $14 million and becoming the #1 film in the U.S.
The Scream VII casting news wonβt stop. Now, David Arquette is returning to the series, despite being killed in Scream (2022). More details on Variety here.
On May 17-18th, head on over to Mount Airy, North Carolina to watch Eli Roth's 2002 feature Cabin Fever at the location it was filmed at/in. Learn more about the event here.
The Terrifier 3 Limited Edition Collector's Box Set is now available through Amazon. It includes not only the 4K UHD and Blu-ray of the film, but also an Art the Clown mini mask, pin, barf bag, ornaments, and more.

Bee Delores | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd and Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | X
Cut to the summer of 2021: The Fear Street trilogy became a blockbuster release. Netflix released one film per week in the month of July, and the hype train was real. And 1994, 1978, and 1666 all lived up to expectations. Nearly four years later, we're getting more Fear Street - can you believe it? Part of me wishes we were getting another trilogy, but we're at least getting another entry. The teaser for Fear Street: Prom Queen feels totally connected to the trilogy, yet carries a spookiness and style all its own. Count me in! Watch the trailer. [written by Bee]
Blumhouse has put out a few misses over the years (We're looking at you, Night Swim and Imaginary). However, Sweetheart was different (and great). The 2019 film, like the Tom Hanks-starring Cast Away, takes place on a remote island... but there's something going on at night (and no, it's not Wilson). There's a creature that resurfaces every evening, look for food (and people to consume). While the trailer gives too much away (if you haven't seen the film, avoid the trailer!), do know that Kiersey Clemons delivers one of her best performances of her career, carrying the film from beginning to end as she learns how to survive long enough to potentially escape. Watch the trailer. [written by Brett]
It's not often I get quoted in a horror movie trailer, but when I do, I still can't believe it. The trailer for Irish film An Taibhse (The Ghost) dropped this week, and it's a beauty. Having seen the film, it absolutely lives up to the spooky, yet cinematic, promo clip. "One of the year's finest cinematic moments" is the quote they used from me. And I can't recommend the film enough. Watch the trailer. [writte by Bee]
The Poohniverse expands with the upcoming release of Bambi: The Reckoning. The trailer is about what you'd expect: a monstrous deer on a rampage for bloodthirsty revenge. That's pretty much it. If you loved Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (or its sequel), you'd probably get giddy from this. Watch the trailer. [written by Bee]
Speaking of childhood stories-turned-terrifying, the trailer for Rumpelstiltskin promises to scare you awake with its creature design and harrowing story. But, much like Bambi, it looks to be as you might expect. A period piece, the film dots through the story beats (remember the original story?) with a heavy dose of murder and mayhem. Check it out... if you dare. Watch the trailer. [written by Bee]

Bee Delores | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd and Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | X

The thing about What Happened to Suzy? is itβs so enticing that youβre left wanting more. As far as mockumentaries go, itβs good. Like really good. Director James Ersted stages his story in typical true crime fashion: a relative cracks open a decades-old cold case to discover the truth. What they happen across, as in the case of a similarly-themed and structured Hunting Matthew Nichols (2024), is far more sinister than they imagined. [Read Bee's review]
Michael Varrati's There's a Zombie Outside is what indie horror is truly made of. When a filmmaker begins to lose a grip on reality, he believes he sees a zombie, well, outside his cabin window. What ensues is a terrifying, gooey fever dream - and includes a scene with a zombie that'll leave a mark on your brain. Support indie horror! You won't be disappointed! [written by Bee]
Move over Longlegs, we have another weirdo in town. In The Rule of Jenny Pen, John Lithgow plays Dave Crealy, who has an obsession with a baby doll named Jenny Pen he wears on his hand. Set in a nursing home, the film celebrates cruelty (in an I Care a Lot kind of way) to make an uncomfortable (maybe even infuriating) watch. But that's not to say the film isn't stunningly sinister and terrifying. Because it is. Lithgow, known for performances onstage and on TV, slips into the role with devilish precision. When the lights go out at night, Dave terrorizes the other residents. When lawyer Stefan Mortensen suffers a debilitating stroke, he becomes a resident and a new target for Dave. Writer/director James Ashcroft languishes in the misery, forcing the audiece to sit front row in a psychologically strenuous exercise. The fictional terror is puctuated with the real-life horrors of late-life residency. Elder abuse is ripped from real lilfe, and perhaps, that's most horrifying. [written by Bee]
When Steamboat Willie entered public domain last year, it was just a matter of time before we got a flood of Mickey Mouse horror. Well, I Heart Willie (directed by Alejandro G. Alegre) arrives and tells the "origin" story of one of the most beloved characters of all time. And... it's certainly a film that was made. From stilted acting to mediocre cinematography, the film isn't exactly a masterpiece. If you enjoy dumb fun, this might scratch that itch. At least the killer is shirtless covered in blood - we need more of that. [written by Bee]
Coming off the delicous mystery of Offseason (which is legitimately great), Mickey Keating nosedives into home invasion territory with his latest film, Invader. With a frustrating 40 mintues of build-up, the good stuff arrives in the third act and unfortunately only lasts 15 minutes before ending with a thud. When a young girl arrives in town, she finds herself stranded and decides to walk to her friend's house, which has just been crashed by an unknown pyschopath. There's virtually no backstory given to the lead, making it difficult to root for her survival. What's even more, the finale confrontation cuts off with no real punch or satisfaction. Invader is a film with so much potential but falls way short. [written by Bee]

Bee Delores | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd and Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd | X
Let's be honest: Has a work colleague ever wronged you, and you thought of getting sweet revenge on them? Obviously, keep those thoughts to yourself and watch (and live vicariously through) these films instead. Check out the list on Letterboxd.

Tyler Geis | Instagram | Letterboxd
Since there was no newsletter last week, it's only fitting that we pay our respects to Michelle Trachtenberg this week (because the Oscars seemingly forgot to). Anyone who got to witness her arrival to the world of television and movies knew she was something special. As a child actor on Nickelodeon shows like The Adventures of Pete & Pete and the film Harriet the Spy, you knew Michelle was going to be going places over time.
It turns out she had quite an impact on the horror genre, too. Michelle would wow us on the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She joined the cast in 2000, playing Dawn Summers, Buffy's younger sister. Around the same time, she would win a daytime Emmy for hosting the show "Truth or Scare," where she got to tell stories of ghosts, haunted houses, and strange occurrences, and then left it to the audiences to decide if the stories were real or not.
Lastly, how can we forget her contribution to the overlooked remake of the classic slasher film Black Christmas? The 2006 remake had Michelle playing opposite Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Katie Cassidy, and Lacey Chabert and deserves a second chance if you happened to pass on it back in the mid-2000s.
If you haven't yet, go revisit these gems of the genre. Michelle Trachtenberg had a screen presence like no other and will be deeply missed.

We've all had coworkers that we enjoyed working with, as well as those who definitely needed to be taught a lesson or two. That's where The Belko Experiment comes into play. Greg McLean's (Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek II) workplace horror film, which was penned by James Gunn, is takes both the good and bad about a workplace setting (or a setting where others are forced into, and then have to, in one way or another, fight their way out... while possible eliminating others from the mix). Check out the list on Letterboxd.
Netflix has finally confirmed the release date for the next installment in the Fear Street series. Fear Street: Prom Queen will be available on Netflix on May 23, 2025. Watch the teaser trailer here.
A&P Productions are currently shooting the follow-up to last year's Murdercise. Their new film, OnlyFangs, is shooting new scenes in Las Vegas with some well-known faces (and special guests). Expect a late 2025 release date.
Your childhood continues to be ruined. Bloody Disgusting has the exclusive trailer to Rumpelstiltskin, which hits VOD on April 8, 2025.
Robbie Joe Banfitch's new film, Tinsman Road, will premiere at this year's Unnamed Footage Festival.
Popeye the Slayer Man (not to be confused with the already-abailable Popeye's Revenge) comes to VOD on March 21st.


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