THE WEEKLY SHIVER

The horror fan’s Friday ritual—news, recs, and the weirdest finds from across the Horrorverse.

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FRESH CUTS

1. Predator: Badlands Trailer Drops

The first look at Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands debuted April 24, recasting the Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) as an outcast antihero alongside Elle Fanning’s synthetic, Thia. With Weyland-Yutani tech front and center, this November 7 release aims for a darker, existential tone rather than a fan-service crossover .

2. Sarah Michelle Gellar Passes on ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Reboot

Gellar confirmed she won’t reprise Helen Shivers—“Definitively dead, and proudly frozen,” she quipped—but is consulting behind the scenes. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. will return, joined by Madelyn Cline and Lola Tung .

3. David Arquette’s Scream 7 Return Spoiled Early

Arquette revealed his Dewey Riley resurrection in Scream 7 was meant as a surprise—leaked online instead—and praised Kevin Williamson’s directorial debut. Scream 7 hits theaters February 27, 2026 .

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CREATOR SPOTLIGHT

Dan Trachtenberg – Sci-fi Horror Visionary

After revitalizing Predator with Prey (2022), Trachtenberg’s Badlands trailer shows his gift for mood-driven scares. He’s openly discussed wanting “to reposition an iconic monster as a sympathetic outsider” and deepen the shared universe with synthetic-human tension.

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DEEP DIVE

When Friendly Faces Turn Fatal: The Killer Doll Trope

From Chucky’s voodoo-possessed vendetta in Child’s Play (1988) to M3GAN’s algorithmic rebellion, dolls tap into childhood innocence corrupted.

Body & Soul: Charles Lee Ray transfers into a “Good Guy” doll via voodoo—Child’s Play premiered November 9, 1988 .

AI + Uncanny Valley: M3GAN 2.0’s trailer leans into fears of sentient toys gone rogue .

Psychological Sting: We fear what we once trusted most—when our playthings betray us, the terror is personal.

HORROR HISTORY

Videodrome (1983)

David Cronenberg’s hallucinatory critique of media obsession follows Max Renn decoding a pirated TV signal that literally reshapes flesh. Released February 4, 1983, it defined “tech-horror” and still influences practical-effects artists today .

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MONSTER MANUAL

Wendigo: Hunger Incarnate

An Algonquian cautionary spirit born from cannibalism and starvation. Emaciated, antlered, it grows with every victim.

Origins: Oral traditions warned against greed and isolation .

Modern Guide: Turned up in The Ritual, Until Dawn, and Hannibal.

Psychology: It embodies our own insatiable desires—and the dire cost of letting them run unchecked.

WHAT TO WATCH

M3GAN 2.0 (June 27, 2025) – Theatrical; official trailer streaming now

Predator: Badlands (Nov 7, 2025) – Theatrical; trailer just released

Screamboat (Apr 2, 2025) – Indie slasher reimagining Steamboat Willie in theaters now

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HORROR HAPPENINGS

Monsterpalooza, Pasadena Convention Center (May 30–June 1, 2025) – Panels, creature FX demos, and celebrity guests

Mad Monster Party Arizona, Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel (July 11–13, 2025) – Pro photo-ops with Robert Englund, Saraya, and more

FINAL THOUGHT

When our creations—be they dolls, androids, or hunted predators—turn on us, the boundary between play and peril vanishes. This week’s top stories remind us horror lives in the things we build to comfort ourselves.