A new “V/H/S” movie has become something of a Halloween tradition for horror lovers, as a new entry in the ongoing anthology franchise has debuted on Shudder every October since 2021. This year, the series is leaning into holiday connection by releasing its first explicitly Halloween-themed film, appropriately titled “V/H/S/Halloween.”
In true “V/H/S” fashion, the new film will feature six standalone horror shorts, loosely connected under the guise of being lost video tapes. The franchise has long been known for serving as both a launchpad for rising filmmakers and a creative sandbox for more experienced names, and “V/H/S/Halloween” appears to be no exception. Notable directors include Alex Ross Perry, who directs the “Kidprint” segment, and “Too Many Cooks” and “Adult Swim Yule Log” writer/director Casper Kelly, who lends his talents to a segment titled “Fun Size.” Other directors include “REC” franchise co-creator Paco Plaza, music video veteran Bryan M. Ferguson, married filmmaking team Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman, and “Appendage” director Anna Zlokovic.
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An official synopsis for the film promises that a “collection of Halloween-themed videotapes unleashes a series of twisted, blood-soaked tales, turning trick-or-treat into a struggle for survival.”
First launched in 2012, “V/H/S” has become one of Hollywood’s most reliable genre franchises thanks to the elasticity of its subject matter, which affords filmmakers the freedom to tell virtually any horror story they want so long as it connects to a loose theme. The original film premiered at the 2012 film festival and became a breakout hit, quickly spawning the theatrical sequels “V/H/S/2” in 2013 and “V/H/S Viral” in 2014. The franchise then went dormant for 7 years (though Gregg Bishop’s 2016 film “SiREN” was adapted from a segment in the original “V/H/S” before returning as an annual streaming release in 2021. More recent entries have focused on capturing the nostalgic vibes of different decades (such as “V/H/S/94,” “V/H/S/99,” and “V/H/S/85”) or specific genres, as was the case with the science fiction-centric “V/H/S Beyond,” which was released in 2024.
“V/H/S/Halloween” will have its world premiere at Fantastic Fest before streaming exclusively on Shudder beginning Friday, October 3. Watch the trailer below.
