October 2018 VOD & Digital Releases Include HEAVY TRIP, THE NIGHT COMES FOR US, APOSTLE, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE

Hello, readers! October is only a few hours away now, and beyond the fact that most of us have been counting down to the official start of everyone’s favorite month, it also means that we have a brand new batch of horror and sci-fi releases to look forward to on digital and VOD platforms in the coming weeks.

Easily the busiest day of October (and possibly even all of 2018), there are 11 different movies hitting various platforms on October 2nd, with highlights including The First Purge, Tales From the Hood 2, Sleep No More and Molly. On October 5th, one of my favorite films of 2018, Heavy Trip, is making its digital debut, and Knuckleball, featuring Michael Ironside, comes home the same day as well.

Netflix is keeping very busy throughout October, too, with a variety of films and genre-related series that fans are certainly going to want to check out in the coming weeks. On October 12th, Gareth Evans’ Apostle and Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House series both arrive on the streaming service, then Timo Tjahjanto’s action-fueled masterpiece The Night Comes For Us hits on October 19th, and Netflix rounds out the month on the 26th with their new show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Other notable digital and VOD releases for October 2018 include Constantine: City of Demons, Slender Man, Five Fingers for Marseilles, High Voltage, The Dark, and The Legend of Hallowaiian, which is a kid-friendly flick.

Afraid (Well Go USA) – October 2nd

A couple goes on a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods. What starts as a romantic weekend turns into a nightmare when they discover they are being watched by the cabin’s voyeuristic owner.

The Book of Birdie (Reel Suspects) – October 2nd

Introverted Birdie is sent to live in a quaint and isolated convent by her concerned grandmother, in an attempt to change her sobering outlook on life. But left to her own devices she develops a heightened obsession with blood, which seems all too willing to flow from her body, and reoccurring visions and hallucinations that pull her in every direction. Sometimes whimsical and sometimes gory, Birdie passively questions - is she a saint or is she cursed? 

Escaping the watchful eye of Mother Superior and the other nuns Birdie begins an intimate friendship with Julia, the groundskeeper’s daughter, but things begin to spiral out of control when the closing of the convent is announced, and fates must be confronted.

Death Kiss (Uncork’d Entertainment) – October 2nd

DEATH KISS concerns a vigilante with a mysterious past who goes to a crime-infested city and takes the law into his own hands, at the same time protecting a young mother and her child.  

Death Race: Beyond Anarchy (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) – October 2nd

Danny Trejo returns as the ruthless bookie, Goldberg, in the wildest, bloodiest, Death Race ever. After a failed attack on inmate and legendary driver, Frankenstein, Black Ops specialist Connor Gibson (Zach McGowan) infiltrates a super-maximum federal prison with one goal - enter the immoral and illegal Death Race and take Frankenstein down. Connor enlists the help of Baltimore Bob (Danny Glover) and Lists (Fred Koehler), and unexpectedly falls in love with bartending beauty, Jane (Christine Marzano). Connor will have to fight for more than his life in this brutal world of no guards, no rules, no track, and no fear.

Domain (GVN) – October 2nd

After a deadly virus wipes out most of humanity, the survivors are forced to wait alone in self-sustaining bunkers while the viral threat runs its course. Able to communicate through a networked video interface, the survivors wait for years and slowly become a motley family of sorts.  But their fragile social ecosystem is shattered when, one by one, they start mysteriously disappearing from their bunkers.

Extremity (Epic Pictures) – October 2nd

A young woman obsessed with horror subjects herself to hours of grueling torment inside an extreme haunt in an attempt to confront her fears and conquer the tragic past that haunts her.

The First Purge (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) – October 2nd

When the New Founding Fathers of America look to push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, a radical sociological theory that vents aggression is tested among an isolated community. But once the violence of the oppressors clashes with the rage of the marginalized, the contagion of the experiment explodes and rapidly spreads, leading to a revolution. THE FIRST PURGE takes audiences back to where the nightmare all began in this timely and relevant horror-thriller.  

Molly (Artsploitation Films) – October 2nd

Molly is an electrifying and imaginative tale of one young woman's determined struggle to survive in an inhospitable world. In a barren landscape ravished by war, a super-powered young woman roams the violent post-apocalyptic landscape, armed only with a bow and arrow, to confront the dangers around her. When a sadistic ringmaster who runs an underground fight club hears of her supernatural abilities, he sends his sociopathic marauders to capture her and make her a star attraction in his cage fights.

Obsidian Curse (Breaking Glass Pictures) – October 2nd

During a chance encounter with an evil witch, Blair Jensen, a beautiful young woman, becomes cursed with the mark of evil. Like a magnet, every evil creature in existence is drawn to her, intent on destroying her life and those around her. Desperate to break the curse, Blair must survive encounters with vampires, ghosts, ghouls, and zombies, all the while trying to find a way to reverse the witch's spell. Can she break the curse before true evil consumes her, her estranged daughter, and everyone she cares for? Or will she fall to the darkness that surrounds her? 

Sleep No More (RLJE Films) – October 2nd

In SLEEP NO MORE, five graduate students are conducting a study to prove the theory that once you’ve passed 200 hours without sleep, you will never need sleep again. As the hours tick by and their struggle to stay awake intensifies, they each start to have strange and unsettling experiences. Visions from the past, violent impulses and terrifying waking nightmares begin to take hold and turn this experiment into a desperate fight for survival.

Tales From the Hood 2 (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment) – October 2nd

Sequel to the cult classic reunites executive producer Spike Lee and writers/directors/producers Rusty Cundieff and Darin Scott for this horror-comedy starring Keith David. 

Await Further Instructions (Dark Sky Films) – October 5th

It's Christmas Day and the Milgram family wake to find a mysterious black substance surrounding their house. Something monumental is clearly happening right outside their door, but what exactly - an industrial accident, a terrorist attack, nuclear war? Descending into terrified arguments, they turn on the television, desperate for any information. On the screen, a message glows ominously: 'Stay Indoors and Await Further Instructions'. As the television exerts an ever more sinister grip, their paranoia escalates into bloody carnage.  

Heavy Trip (Doppelganger Releasing) – October 5th 

In HEAVY TRIP, Turo (Johannes Holopainen) is stuck in a small village in the Finnish countryside where his greatest passion is being the lead vocalist for the amateur metal band Impaled Rektum. The only problem is that he and his fellow headbangers have practiced for 12 years without playing a single gig. But that’s all about to change when the guys meet the promoter of a huge heavy metal music festival in Norway and decide it’s now or never. Hitting the road in a stolen van with a corpse, a coffin, and a new drummer from a local mental hospital in tow, Impaled Rektum travels across Scandinavia to make their dreams a reality.  

Knuckleball (Freestyle Digital Media) – October 5th

Alone, and targeted on an isolated farm, 12-year-old Henry finds himself at the center of a maelstrom of terror, and a dark family legacy, when his secretive grandfather dies suddenly in the night.

Constantine: City of Demons (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) – October 9th

A decade after a tragic mistake, family man Chas and occult detective John Constantine set out to cure Chas’s daughter Trish from a mysterious supernatural coma. With the help of the mysterious Nightmare Nurse, the influential Queen of Angels, and brutal Aztec God Mictlantecuhtli, the pair just might have a chance at outsmarting the demon Beroul to save Trish’s soul. In a world of shadows and dark magic, not everything is what it seems, and there’s always a price to pay. The path to redemption is never easy, and if Constantine is to succeed, he must navigate through the dark urban underbelly of Los Angeles, outwit the most cunning spawns of hell, and come face to face with arch-nemesis Nergal – all while battling his own inner demons!  

Realms (Paramount Pictures) – October 9th

After a brutal bank robbery gone awry, two thieves find themselves under surreal circumstances in an isolated mansion. As the night unfolds, tension increases and they all believe the mansion holds more secrets than meets the eye.  

Apostle (Netflix) – October 12th – EXCLUSIVELY ON NETFLIX

London, 1905. Prodigal son Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) has returned home, only to learn that his sister is being held for ransom by a religious cult. Determined to get her back at any cost, Thomas travels to the idyllic island where the cult lives under the leadership of the charismatic Prophet Malcolm (Michael Sheen). As Thomas infiltrates the island's community, he learns that the corruption of mainland society that they claim to reject has infested the cult's ranks nonetheless - and uncovers a secret far more evil than he could have imagined. Written and directed by Gareth Evans (THE RAID), APOSTLE is a harrowing occult fable where the only thing more horrifying than madness is the sinister reality behind it.

The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix) – October 12th – EXCLUSIVELY ON NETFLX

A modern reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s iconic novel, The Haunting of Hill House explores a group of siblings who, as children, grew up in what would go on to become the most famous haunted house in the country. Now adults, and forced back together in the face of tragedy, the family must finally confront the ghosts of their past — some of which still lurk in their minds while others may actually be stalking the shadows of Hill House. Created, directed and executive-produced by horror mastermind Mike Flanagan (Hush, Oculus, Gerald’s Game), The Haunting of Hill House is a complex family drama wrapped in a chilling horror story. Trevor Macy serves as executive producer alongside Flanagan. Meredith Averill acts as co-showrunner and executive producer. Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank executive produce, as well.  

Look Away (Vertical Entertainment) – October 12th

LOOK AWAY is a psychological thriller that tells the story of Maria, an alienated high-school student whose life is turned upside down when she switches places with her sinister mirror image. 

Johnny Gruesome (Uncork’d Entertainment) – October 16th

High school students Eric Carter and Johnny Grissom are best friends. Johnny is a heavy metal rebel nicknamed "Johnny Gruesome" by his classmates. When Johnny is murdered while on a drunken joyride, his killer persuades Eric and Johnny's girlfriend to help him make the murder look like an accidental death. Johnny returns from the grave as a murderous, wisecracking zombie hell bent on revenge.

The Legend of Hallowaiian (Cinedigm) – October 16th

When three young friends uncover ancient Hawaiian legends, they unleash a giant pineapple-headed monster wreaking havoc on the island and it’s up to them to save their hometown. 

High Voltage (SP Releasing) – October 19th

A struggling rock band, led by washed-out rock star Jimmy Kleen (David Arquette), strikes a deal with cynical record executive Rick (Luke Wilson). Things take a sinister turn when the band’s lead singer, Rachel (Allie Gonino), and her controlling stage mother, Barb (Perry Reeves) both get struck by lightning and killed. Rachel is brought back to life, but she is different than before: confident, sexy, with an irresistible stage presence. Lightning courses through her veins and she uses her new supernatural electrical powers to drain the life from men and turn it into electrifying stage performances. Her bandmates, including guitarist Scott (Ryan Donowho), discover her dark secret, and have to decide just how far are they are willing to let her go to help them succeed. As Jimmy says, "You can't have rock n' roll without electricity."  

The Night Comes For Us (Netflix) – October 19th – EXCLUSIVELY ON NETFLIX

A former triad enforcer must protect a young girl while trying to escape his former gang, setting off a violent battle on the streets of Jakarta.

Slender Man (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) – October 19th

In a small town in Massachusetts, a group of friends, fascinated by the internet lore of the SLENDER MAN, attempt to prove that he doesn't actually exist - until one of them mysteriously goes missing.

Five Fingers for Marseilles (Uncork’d Entertainment) – October 23rd

Five Fingers for Marseilles takes place in a small town “governed” by dubious local officials, living in fear of a lawless mob; when an exiled outlaw returns home in search of solace and redemption, brotherhood and loyalty are fused with vengeance.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix) – October 26th – EXCLUSIVELY ON NETFLIX

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina tells the story of Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka), a half-witch half-mortal teenage girl. She’s been waiting her whole life for her 16th birthday, but something wicked this way comes, forcing her to choose between the path of light and the path of night.  

The Dark (Dark Sky Films) – October 26th

On the outskirts of a small town lies Devil's Den, a mysterious tract of woods where many have entered but no one has ever left. The local rumor is that the spirit of a young girl who was horrifically murdered there haunts and hunts in this dense forest, brutally slaying anyone who dares to step into her terrain. When a man with a dark past crosses her path, a series of events are set in motion that may lead to a peculiar kind of redemption for two tragically tortured souls.

Killer Kate! (Freestyle Digital Media) – October 26th

Estranged sisters - Kate and Angie - haven’t spoken since Angie went to college and left Kate to care for their ailing father. In a show of reconciliation, several years after moving out, Angie invites Kate to her bachelorette party held at a remote house booked on a home-sharing app. The women are unaware that by booking this house, they’re walking into a trap set in motion by a disturbed family of amateur killers who are out for blood to right a cosmic wrong. They soon become unwitting participants in a savage and often ridiculous life-or-death struggle that pits family against family, and past against present.