Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2024’s First Wave of Programming Includes THE GRUDGE 20th Anniversary Screening, SCARED TO DEATH, “Lost First Cut” of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3, and More!

A tidal wave of cinematic terror returns to South Florida this summer with the tenth edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival, and the first wave of programming is brimming with sun-soaked scares, must-see screenings, special guests, and virtual streamings for horror fans to enjoy, including the "Lost First Cut" of Brian Yuzna's Return of the Living Dead 3, a 20th anniversary screening of The Grudge, the world premiere of Scared to Death, and much more!

You can purchase In-Theater All-Access VIP Badges here and Virtual All-Access Passes here.

Below, we have a look at the full first wave of programming for this year's Popcorn Frights Film Festival. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates, and be sure to visit Popcorn Frights' official website for more information!

Press Release: Popcorn Frights celebrates its 10th anniversary with a first wave announcement headlined by 24 boundary-pushing and mind-enhancing feature films, including eleven world premieres as well as a stacked cult classics lineup that pays homage to horror’s titans, and with many more screams, surprises, delights, and film premieres, yet to come!

To add to the pure mayhem of its anniversary celebration, Popcorn Frights’ in-theater experience will be offered free and open to the public, as a gift back to the community for ten years of their dedicated support and moviegoing love. Popcorn Frights’ free festival is made possible by the generous support of Nightmare Weekend Miami.

Opening Popcorn Frights with a scream is a special double-bill featuring the world premiere of Epic Pictures’ BEEZEL, an unforgiving and utterly frightening morality tale about a cursed home and the sinister secret dwelling beneath its floors — an eternal witch with an insatiable thirst for the souls of the living. The festival will also host the Florida Premiere of the acclaimed cat-and-mouse serial killer thriller STRANGE DARLING starring Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, and Barbara Hershey. Audiences will need to brace themselves for the unhinged chaos that will be released within the eerie confines of Savor Cinema, a state-of-the-art theater that was once a Methodist Church in the 1940s.

Running August 8-18, Popcorn Frights’ first wave of films features horror legends celebrating the festival's anniversary with special screenings of their iconic works. Highlights include the 35th anniversary presentation of Brian Yuzna’s spectacularly insane masterpiece SOCIETY, one of the ickiest, sweatiest, gloopiest, horniest, and most original body horror shockers of all time. The master of horror will also attend the first screening of the “Lost First Cut” of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3, featuring ten minutes of uncovered footage that Brian Yuzna himself hasn’t seen! This exclusive screening event is made possible by filmmakers Dustin Ferguson and Chris MacGibbon, who unearthed this previously unknown cut of the film — a testament to their efforts in uncovering this hidden gem of horror cinema.

Legendary directors William Lustig and Adam Rifkin are set to join Popcorn Frights for two special double-bill events. One program, titled “Right ‘2’ Remain Silent,” will feature MANIAC COP 2 and PSYCHO COP RETURNS, two of the deadliest, outrageously gory, and completely insane film sequels from the 90s. Helping audiences rediscover the maniac inside them, the filmmakers will also host a “Big Sleaze” double-bill showcasing their gruesome and fun-as-hell cult classics THE INVISIBLE MANIAC and MANIAC. As part of the special night celebrating all things “maniac,” they will engage in an extended sit-down conversation with each other about their work in the slasher genre.

Popcorn Frights will take audiences on a Dantean journey across nocturnal Manhattan in Martin Scorsese’s last film set in contemporary New York City — and his last collaboration with TAXI DRIVER screenwriter Paul Schrader — in a special presentation of their out-of-its-mind-horror-comedy BRINGING OUT THE DEAD for its 25th anniversary. A frightening meditation on the fragility of life starring Nicholas Cage as a night-shift paramedic who, in the course of one long dusk-to-dawn voyage, travels through a litany of ghoulish and gristly encounters in a fumbling quest for redemption.

Brimming with encroaching dread, the festival is also unleashing the supernatural horror film THE GRUDGE with a special 20th anniversary screening attended by writer Stephen Susco. Before the screening, a MASTERS OF HORROR PANEL will be moderated by Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting and will feature Brian Yuzna, William Lustig, Adam Rifkin, and Stephen Susco.

A macabre summer pilgrimage for genre lovers from all over where past and present merge, this year’s Popcorn Frights is proudly unveiling eleven feature film world premieres as part of its selection of wild, weird, and badass genre titles that defy categorization. Among the unmissable highlights are the horror comedy SCARED TO DEATH starring Lin Shaye and Bill Mosely with creature creations by Legacy FX, the maestros best known for GODZILLA X KONG, AVATAR, THE SHAPE OF WATER, and ALIEN: ROMULUS.

Additional films receiving world premieres at the festival are the sci-fi thriller THE BUNKER starring Tony Todd, Tobin Bell, and Chelsea Edmundson; the wild descent into a psychedelic Lovecraft nightmare VOIDCALLER; the darkly twisted DRIVE BACK that puts a fresh spin on slasher conventions; the demonically frightening BIRTHRITE about a mother’s ultimate sacrifice; and the mystery riddled LIZZIE LAZARUS, which follows two strangers carrying a corpse through the woods looking for a mythical zone.

Recognized as the largest genre film event in the Southeast U.S. and one of “The World’s 50 Best Genre Festivals” by MovieMaker Magazine, Popcorn Frights will complement its in-theater festival program with an online virtual component, granting audiences across the entire United States the opportunity to immerse themselves in the heart-pounding, adrenaline-fueled experience of the festival, no matter where they are. The festival’s virtual program will be ticketed and virtual passes will also be available offering streaming access to the entire online lineup.

Popcorn Frights’ virtual program is headlined by the world premieres of the found footage anthology film VIDEOTEKA featuring creative, grisly, and chaotic terrors to feed gore-hungry souls; the meta-horror tale THERE’S A ZOMBIE OUTSIDE; the haunted house scarefest CHATEAU; and the found footage-style LGBTQ vampire tale THE NIGHT IS YOUNG; as well as the North American premiere of THE DARK SIDE OF SOCIETY, the incredible story behind director Brian Yuzna and screenwriter Zeph E. Daniel’s subversive cult classic, SOCIETY.

Other highlights playing as part of the festival in-theater program include the international premiere of the new Shudder original THE DEMON DISORDER; the East Coast premiere of the Turkish zombie love story THE FUNERAL; and a special presentation of IFC Films’ beauty revenge thriller SKINCARE starring Elizabeth Banks.

A second wave of Popcorn Frights 2024 titles with more than two dozen additional feature film premieres for in-theater and virtual programming will be announced next week.

Access to the in-theater experience is free and open to the public on a first come first served basis, but a limited number of In-Theater All-Access VIP Badges will be available for guests who would like an all-inclusive experience with reserved seating for all films and special events hosted at the Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale and Paradigm Cinema’s Gateway Theater, Popcorn Frights’ official host venues. Separate virtual passes are also available and will provide access to every film streaming in the festival’s virtual program. To order an In-Theater All-Access VIP Badge, click here, to order a Virtual All-Access Pass, click here.

This year’s Popcorn Frights official poster was created by artist Kent Hernandez, who previously crafted imagery for the event in 2022 and 2023, and has designed a new original poster for the festival.

Submissions to the tenth annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival are still open via Film Freeway with the final deadline set for July 19. Shorts, features, documentaries, animation, film and video — all are welcome and can be submitted at the link: https://filmfreeway.com/popcornfrightsfilmfestival

The tenth edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival is made possible with the support of its generous sponsors, including AGFA, Dark Sky Films, Epic Pictures, Fangoria, Flick Direct, Kino Cult, MVD, Nightmare Weekend Miami, Paradigm Cinemas, Paramount Scares, Savor Cinema, and its loyal fans. For more info about Popcorn Frights, visit PopcornFrights.com

IN-THEATER FEATURE FILM LINEUP

OPENING NIGHT DOUBLE-BILL

Beezel

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 81 Min. | Dir. Aaron Fradkin

A horrifying incident involving a child reveals the malevolent presence of an ancient witch residing within the basement walls.

OPENING NIGHT DOUBLE-BILL

Strange Darling

Florida Premiere

United States | 2023 | 96 Min. | Dir. JT Mollner

Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, and Barbara Hershey star in this acclaimed cat-and-mouse thriller where nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.

 Birthrite

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 100 Min. | Dir. Ross Partridge

*Director Ross Partridge and actress Jennifer Lafleaur expected in person

When a pregnant woman inherits a home from an estranged aunt, she and her girlfriend leave the city to start anew, only to face a karmic debt that endangers their unborn child and reveals their link to the town's cursed history.

The Bunker

World Premiere
United States | 2024 | 91 Min. | Dir. Brian Hanson

*Director Brian Hanson expected in person

 When mysterious alien ships appear in the sky, a scientist is sealed in an underground bunker and must create a bio-weapon to stop the unknown visitors, but paranoia and isolation cause her to question the true intention of her mission. Starring Chelsea Edmundson, Tony Todd, and Tobin Bell.

The Demon Disorder

International Premiere

Australia | 2024 | 85 Min. | Dir. Steven Boyle

Three estranged brothers discover a family secret that transforms their deceased father's garage into a site of supernatural revenge.

Drive Back

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 94 Min. | Dir. Cody Ashford

*Director Cody Ashford, actors Whit Kunschik and Madonna Magee, producer Orlando J. Gomez, and composer Richard Breakspear expected in person

A couple returning from their engagement party must escape a sinister and seemingly endless road.

The Funeral

East Coast Premiere

Turkey | 2023 | 109 Min. | Dir. Orcun Behram

A hearse driver is secretly tasked with transporting a young girl's body, only to hear eerie groans from the back of the truck despite her lack of a pulse.

Lizzie Lazarus

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 91 Min. | Dir. Aviv Rubinstien

*Director Aviv Rubinstien and actors Omar Maskati and Lianne O’Shea expected in person
On the Summer Solstice in 1990, two strangers carry a corpse through the woods in search of a mythical zone they believe can resurrect the dead, only to uncover hidden secrets.

Scared to Death

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 98 Min. | Dir. Paul Boyd

*Director Paul Boyd, producer Eric Barrett, and actor Kurt Deimer expected in person

A group of filmmakers attend a seance at an abandoned children's orphanage in order to do research for a movie… that's their first mistake. Starring Lin Shaye, Bill Moseley, and Kurt Deimer.

Skincare

Special Presentation

United States | 2024 | 97 Min. | Dir. Austin Peters

Famed aesthetician Hope Goldman's skincare business faces sabotage when rival Angel Vergara opens a boutique across the street. Aided by friend Jordan, Hope seeks to uncover who's trying to ruin her reputation. Starring Elizabeth Banks and Nathan Fillion.

Voidcaller

World Premiere

Sweden | 2024 | 85 Min. | Dir. Nils Alatalo

A woman waking up with amnesia realizes she may have been involved in something sinister on a cosmic scale.

VIRTUAL FEATURE FILM LINEUP

Chateau

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 83 Min. | Dir. Luke Genton

While on a French vacation funded by odd jobs, an aspiring influencer covertly films a vlog in a reportedly haunted chateau she's been hired to clean.

The Darkside of Society

North American Premiere

United States | 2023 | 85 Min. | Dir. Larry Wade Carrell

Screenwriter Zeph E. Daniel, formerly known as Woody Keith, steps out of his closet-of-dark-secrets and tells the incredible story behind the subversive oddity of his cult film, SOCIETY.

 The Night Is Young

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 76 Min. | Dir. Patrick Rea

An influencer filming her failed dates with her brother finds herself on a date with a vampire, leading them to become targets of murderous vampire hunters.

There’s A Zombie Outside

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 74 Min. | Dir. Michael Varrati

A struggling artist becomes entangled in the world of cult cinema, blurring his identity with his dark creations as the monster from his films invades his reality, leaving him unable to distinguish fact from fiction.

Videoteka

World Premiere

United States | 2024 | 112 Min. | Dir. Luka Bursac

Running from the police, a small-time thief finds refuge in an abandoned video store and, forced to spend the night there, decides to watch three horror films.

IN-THEATER RETRO LINEUP

Bringing Out the Dead

25th Anniversary Presentation

United States | 1999 | 121 Min. | Dir. Martin Scorsese

Haunted by the patients he failed to save, a monumentally burned-out Manhattan ambulance paramedic fights to maintain his sanity over three increasingly turbulent nights.

The Grudge

20th Anniversary Presentation

United States | 2004 | 91 Min. | Dir. Takashi Shimizu

*Writer Stephen Susco expected in person

An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.

The Invisible Maniac

The Big Sleaze Double-Bill Event

United States | 1990 | 86 Min. | Dir. Adam Rifkin

*Director Adam Rifkin expected in person

An invisible scientist escapes from an asylum and teaches high-school physics to nubile teens.

Maniac

The Big Sleaze Double-Bill Event

United States | 1980 | 87 Min. | Dir. William Lustig

*Director William Lustig expected in person

A psychopathic man goes on a killing and mutilation spree in New York City.

Maniac Cop 2

Right “2” Remain Silent Double-Bill Event

United States | 1990 | 90 Min. | Dir. William Lustig

*Director William Lustig expected in person

A supernatural, maniac killer cop teams up with a Times Square serial killer.

Psycho Cop Returns

Right “2” Remain Silent Double-Bill Event

United States | 1993 | 80 Min. | Dir. Adam Rifkin

*Director Adam Rifkin expected in person

A psychopath cop decides to kill everyone who he thinks has broken the law.

Return of the Living Dead 3

“Lost First Cut”

United States | 1993 | 105 Min. | Dir. Brian Yuzna

*Director Brian Yuzna expected in person

 Having recently witnessed the horrific results of a top secret project to bring the dead back to life, a distraught youth performs the operation on his girlfriend after she's killed in a motorcycle accident.

Society

35th Anniversary Presentation

United States | 1989 | 99 Min. | Dir. Brian Yuzna

*Director Brian Yuzna expected in person

 An ordinary teenage boy discovers his family is part of a gruesome orgy cult for the social elite.

For all further details please visit www.popcornfrights.com

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ABOUT POPCORN FRIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL

Popcorn Frights Film Festival is the ultimate summer celebration of the art of horror, showcasing the finest contemporary genre cinema from around the world. As the largest genre film festival in the Southeast U.S., this ten-day event takes pride in premiering works from both emerging and established filmmakers. By offering a platform for these artists, the festival aims to provide an immersive experience that highlights the captivating power of storytelling through genre film.