Horror Highlights: Bernie Wrightson’s FRANKENSTEIN, SOULM8TE, CAMP

Monster Forge and Unbox Industries Reveal Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein Soft Vinyl Figure at Comic-Con: "Monster Forge Productions and Unbox Industries are proud to announce the debut of the Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein Soft Vinyl Figure, making its world premiere at San Diego Comic-Con.

This premium soft vinyl collectible celebrates the haunting and iconic interpretation of Frankenstein's Monster by the late master illustrator Bernie Wrightson, whose breathtaking illustrations for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein remain among the most revered achievements in fantasy and horror art.

The figure is the result of a collaboration between Unbox Industries, the acclaimed Hong Kong-based producer of designer toys and premium vinyl collectibles, and Monster Forge Productions, the transmedia studio dedicated to creating and celebrating monsters across film, television, publishing, gaming, and merchandising.

The collaboration continues Unbox Industries' celebrated history with the Frankenstein mythos. Most recently, the company produced two Unbox Frankenstein Monsters figures: one inspired by Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein for Netflix and the other by legendary manga creator Junji Ito.

This new collectible takes that connection a step further, serving as the first soft vinyl figure created as a direct tribute to Bernie Wrightson's original illustrations for his landmark adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic novel. It faithfully translates Wrightson's unmistakable pen-and-ink vision into three-dimensional form.

Adding an especially meaningful dimension to the project, the figure is being sculpted by John Wrightson, accomplished sculptor, painter, and visual effects artist, as well as Bernie Wrightson's son. John has built an impressive career at KNB EFX Group, Patrick Tatopoulos Design Studio, and Stan Winston Studio, contributing to productions including Star Trek Beyond, Alita: Battle Angel, The Walking Dead, Fallout and numerous other feature films and television projects. His sculpt brings a deeply personal connection to one of his father's most beloved creations, capturing the spirit, anatomy, and emotion of Bernie's definitive interpretation of Frankenstein's Monster.

"This is more than another collectible," said Shannon Eric Denton, founder of Monster Forge Productions. "It's an opportunity to celebrate Bernie's extraordinary artistic legacy with the people who loved his work most. Bernie was not only an incredible artist but also a longtime friend, and having John sculpt this figure gives it an authenticity and emotional connection that simply couldn't be replicated. Every detail reflects the care, artistry, and respect this project deserves."

Denton also shared his gratitude to Bernie's family.

"I want to personally thank Liz Wrightson for her trust, support, and friendship throughout this project. Bernie's work inspired generations of artists, creators, and monster lovers, myself included. It's an incredible honor for Monster Forge to help preserve and celebrate that legacy, and we're deeply grateful to Liz for making this collaboration possible."

Unbox Industries is internationally recognized for producing some of the world's finest designer vinyl figures, partnering with celebrated artists and creators to transform iconic characters into highly collectible works of art. Their craftsmanship and commitment to quality make them the ideal partner to bring Wrightson's vision into soft vinyl form.

Fans attending San Diego Comic-Con are invited to visit the Unbox Industries display for a first look at the prototype and to learn more about this landmark collaboration. They can also celebrate Bernie Wrightson's legacy at the San Diego Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, where the new documentary on Wrightson will make its Comic-Con debut on Thursday at 2:10 p.m. PT. The film has also been nominated for Best Documentary, making it another must-see event for fans.

Attendees can also hear more from Monster Forge founder Shannon Eric Denton during "Monstrous Rebellion: Building Monster Stories Beyond the Studio System" on Friday, July 24, from 6:30–7:30 p.m. in Room 29CD, where Denton joins Kevin Grevioux, Dirk Blackman, Bill Murphy, Hans Rodionoff, and Thomas Healy to discuss building, expanding, and monetizing original monster and horror IP across comics, film, toys, games, publishing, and beyond.

Additional details, including edition size, production specifications, pricing, and preorder information, will be announced in the coming months."

[Top image via: https://www.nakatomiinc.com/collections/bernie-wrightson]

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BLUMHOUSE ATOMIC MONSTER BRINGS YOUR SOULM8TE HOME AUGUST 1: "From the studio that brought you Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Obsession, Blumhouse Atomic Monster launches the newest android that is sure to light your fire while keeping you on the edge of your seat. Booting up to fulfill your every need, anticipate your every desire, and love you unconditionally, director and co-writer Kate Dolan (You Are Not My Mother) delivers a provocative thriller that blurs the line between coded devotion and obsession in SOULM8TE, premiering at home exclusively on digital platforms to watch with no ads or subscription required starting August 1, 2026 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. 

Unnerving, sexy, suspenseful, and darkly compelling, SOULM8TE follows a grieving engineer tasked with testing a ruthless tech giant’s new artificially intelligent android. But when he attempts to program her to be a truly sentient soulmate, she develops needs of her own - unleashing a relentless spree of precision-engineered mayhem. SOULM8TE features captivating performances from Lily Sullivan (Evil Dead Rise, Monolith), David Rysdahl (“Alien: Earth”, “Fargo”), Claudia Doumit (Where’d You Go, Bernadette, “The Boys”), and Arty Froushan (Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, “Daredevil: Born Again”).

“When Blumhouse Atomic Monster first approached me about an erotic thriller set in the M3GAN-verse, I thought, are you insane? But something drew me in. We exist in a bizarre time where companies sell us ‘connection’ through apps, algorithms, and AI. Yet those are the same forces pulling us apart. The lonelier we get, the more dependent we become on the tools doing the pulling,” states Dolan.  “SOULM8TE is a movie about that vicious cycle. It is a satirical, unhinged movie that explores desire, obsession, autonomy and control. It's a movie that knows how ridiculous it is, and I'd argue it's best watched the way you'd watch Basic Instinct or Showgirls now, with friends, a drink in hand, and zero shame about shouting at the screen.”

Producer and Blumhouse Atomic Monster CEO, Jason Blum says, “Kate Dolan has expertly blended tech paranoia with erotic thriller in SOULM8TE, which is just as fun as that sounds, but also has more on its mind than you might think.""

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CAMP: "Canadian filmmaker Avalon Fast's sophomore feature CAMP, a queer coming-of-age summer camp horror fantasy, world premiered at Austin’s Fantastic Fest, where it took Best Feature in the Next Wave competition. Further festival selections include the Seattle International Film Festival, OutfestNEXT in Los Angeles, San Francisco’s Frameline, Chicago’s inaugural edition of Beyond Fest, TIFF Next Wave, and more.

CAMP follows Emily, a young woman haunted by a traumatic past, who finds solace as a camp counselor while navigating grief, witchcraft, and the power of female friendship. The film stars Zola Grimmer in her screen debut alongside Alice Wordsworth, Cherry Moore, Lea Rose Sebastianis (Castration Movie Part 1 & 2, In A Violent Nature), Ella Reece, Austyn Van de Kamp (This Too Shall Pass), Sophie Bawks-Smith (Honeycomb), Izza Jarvis, and Aiden Laudersmith.

Beautifully lensed by cinematographer Eily Sprungman and hypnotically scored by Max Robin, CAMP is a melancholic and surreal odyssey into female adolescence that Letterboxd called “a bit like Virgin Suicides-era Sofia Coppola if she had grown up in the woods of British Columbia instead of a penthouse in New York City." Drawn from Fast’s lived experience, it’s the second film in the writer-director’s signature style—self-labeled GIRL HORROR—which explores the eerie horrors of growing up, infused with haunted female influence.

The film is produced by Taylor Nodrick (Influencers), Jacob Glickman, Jackie De Niverville, Martin Cadieux-Rouillard, and Maya Cadieux-Rouillard. Executive Producers on the film are Paul Cadieux (The Triplets of Belleville), Milan Chakraborty (My Friend Dahmer), Peter Kuplowsky (In a Violent Nature, Psycho Goreman), Michael Peterson (Harpoon), and Sanjay M Sharma (Four Samosas)."

ARRIVING ON VOD FRIDAY, JULY 10