Welcome to Horror Explorer, a curated column showcasing the month’s best movies, series, books and everything else spooky worth checking out. I’m William Earl, the editor of Variety.com and the publication’s resident horror enthusiast. Please drop me a line at wearl@variety.com if there’s something I should check out for next month’s missive.
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Marquee Madness
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection “Hell of a Summer” (Opening in theaters on April 4 from Neon) — Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk wrote and directed this throwback slasher, with the duo also co-starring in the film. When a masked killer targets a sleepaway camp, the counselors — including Fred Hechinger, Abby Quinn and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai — have to survive the night.
“Sinners” (Opening in theaters on April 18 from Warner Bros.) — The vampire period piece features some major talent, as it was written and directed by Ryan Coogler and stars Michael B. Jordan playing twins. Plus, it’s the rare big-budget horror movie that isn’t based on existing IP. What a concept!
“Until Dawn” (Opening in theaters on April 25 from Sony Pictures) — The popular video game heads to the big screen courtesy of “Lights Out” and “Annabelle: Creation” director David F. Sandberg. The film’s time loop murder plot sounds ambitious, but if anyone can pull off the concept, it’s Sandberg.
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Off the Beaten Path
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection “Screamboat” (Opening in theaters on April 2 from Iconic Events Releasing) — After “Steamboat Willie” entered the public domain, it seemed inevitable there would be a horror spin on Disney’s iconic mouse, in the wake of bizarro gory tales like “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” and “Bambi: The Reckoning.” But compared to those titles, “Screamboat” pushes for a more comedic tone, anchored by “Terrifier” star David Howard Thornton as the killer rodent.
“The Ugly Stepsister” (Opening in theaters on April 18 from IFC) — This alternate take on the Cinderella story takes plenty from the surprisingly dour Brothers Grimm tale, reframing one of the stepsisters, Elvira, as a desperate figure who is willing to undertake any 1800s beauty regime to win the adoration of the prince. Consider doing a double feature with this body horror cautionary tale alongside “The Substance.” (Click here to read Variety’s review.)
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Killer Series
Image Credit: ©Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection “The Bondsman” (Debuting on Amazon Prime Video on April 3) — Kevin Bacon is an undead, demon-chasing bounty hunter in this fun and gory update on monster of the week series like “Ash vs Evil Dead” and “Stan Against Evil.”
“Black Mirror” (Debuting on Netflix on April 10) — Season 7 of the technophobic anthology series features a ton of major guest stars (including Issa Rae, Rashida Jones, Paul Giamatti and Tracee Ellis Ross) and a feature-length sequel to one of the series’ biggest hits: “USS Callister.” Giamatti’s tale “Eulogy” is an early favorite, which mixes the warm embrace of nostalgia with dispassionate AI.
“The Last of Us” (Debuting on HBO on April 13) — The second season of the prestige zombie series returns, with fans eager to see how closely it follows the second chapter of the video game. Kaitlyn Dever, Danny Ramirez and Jeffrey Wright are among the new cast members.
“You” (Debuting on Netflix on April 24) — The fifth and final season of the serial killer drama follows Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) as he returns to New York City and does whatever he can to keep his marriage intact — and yes, that involves murder.
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Bloodcurdling Books
Image Credit: Courtesy of Tor Nightfire “Mapping the Interior” by Stephen Graham Jones (releasing on April 29 via Tor Nightfire) — This reissue of Jones’ creepy novella about a young boy whose dead father returns features new cover art that should give fresh life to the 2017 Bram Stoker Award winner for Long Fiction.
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Frightening Festivals
Image Credit: ©Roadside Attractions/Courtesy Everett Collection Panic Fest (now through April 6 in Kansas City; click here for tickets) — The genre event includes world premieres of titles like “It Feeds,” “Marshmallow,” “The Hedonist” and “Don’t Let The Cat Out,” as well as buzzy screenings of festival favorites like “Clown in a Cornfield” and “The Surfer.”
The Overlook Film Festival (April 3 – 6 in New Orleans; click here for tickets) — With 56 films from 15 countries over four days, there’s plenty to love for every stripe of horror fan, from documentaries (“Chain Reactions,” “Predators”) to buzzy indie fare (“Touch Me,” “Good Boy”) and even work from icons like David Cronenberg and David Lynch.
