THE WEEKLY SHIVER

FRESH CUTS 🩸

Alien: Earth Drops First Trailer—Xenomorphs Invade TV! FX and Hulu just unleashed the first full trailer for “Alien: Earth,” the long-awaited TV entry in the legendary sci-fi horror series. Noah Hawley is at the helm, and the story is set to terrify us with facehuggers, synthetic soldiers, and shadowy corporate experiments—right before Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic. Premieres August 12 on Hulu. Blumhouse Makes a Bloody Deal for Saw Franchise Rights It’s official: Blumhouse is set to acquire the Saw franchise rights from Twisted Pictures, though Lionsgate keeps 50%. And rumors swirl that James Wan, who started it all, may return for another twisted round. Can you hear the traps snapping shut? Ready or Not: Here I Come—Sequel Wraps and Sets Release The second Ready or Not film, subtitled “Here I Come,” just wrapped filming! Radio Silence returns to direct, Samara Weaving’s bloody bride wakes up to a whole new nightmare, and yes—the Le Domas family’s curse isn’t over. Searchlight Pictures will drop it in theaters April 10, 2026.

DEEP DIVE 🔪

When Horror's "Event TV" Changes Everything: Sci-Fi Horror Goes Serial There’s something magical—and a little bit terrifying—about horror’s biggest franchises invading our living rooms as TV series. “Alien: Earth” is about to explode the boundaries between episodic slow-burn and blockbuster spectacle. Key points: For decades, horror franchises like Alien were considered “too big” for television—now, cinematic budgets and streaming hunger for content mean anything’s possible. Serialized horror gives space to expand lore, deepen characters, and really let the dread marinate (think Hannibal, The Haunting of Hill House, and now an Alien prequel). Horror on TV taps into our modern anxiety—constant connectivity, unending cliffhangers, and that delicious, shared anticipation week after week. When our nightmares become serialized, they linger longer, and collective fear feels strangely... cozy. Are you ready to invite the Xenomorph into your house each week?

HORROR HISTORY 👻 

Celebrating 40 Years of “Day of the Dead” George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead hit theaters in 1985—and 2025 marks its zombie-soaked, gut-chomping 40th anniversary! Legacy impact: Cemented the apocalyptic gloom and gruesome gore that define modern zombie cinema. Its social commentary (on militarism and humanity-in-crisis) pushed horror’s boundaries beyond simple scares. Introduced the world to Bub—the most soulful zombie in movie history—and inspired countless filmmakers and series (The Walking Dead, anyone?). Four decades in, Romero's zombies are still gnawing at our nerves and at pop culture's brains.

MONSTER MANUAL 🧟 

The Killer Doll: Innocence Corrupted, Terror Unleashed Is there anything more unsettling than a child’s plaything on a murderous rampage? The “killer doll” preys on one of our oldest fears—the comfort of childhood turned deadly overnight. Evolution: Rooted in ancient beliefs of cursed effigies and haunted toys, dolls have long been at the center of ghost stories and folklore. Horror films from Magic (1978) to Child’s Play (1988) made dolls iconic villains, with Chucky and Annabelle leading the charge. The new century gave us M3GAN (and her viral TikTok dance) and ramped up the “AI gone rogue” angle—our love of tech and terror, fused. Killer dolls endure because they tap into trust betrayed, innocence perverted, and the horror that sometimes, our protectors become predators.

WHAT TO WATCH 📺 NEW RELEASES

The Ritual: Al Pacino and Dan Stevens are priests locked in a soul-shredding exorcism thriller—with a messy twist, as the film was panned, nabbing a rare 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Out now in theaters. Presence: Steven Soderbergh’s haunted house chiller—filmed entirely from the ghost’s POV! Starring Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan, it’s drawing crowds on Hulu after a strong festival run and a unique, eerie vibe. Streaming now on Hulu.

HIDDEN GEMS

Best Wishes to All: This twisty, unexpected Japanese horror story about dark family secrets is a stylish jolt of weirdness—cap it off with a Shudder debut June 13 and you’re in for a treat. LEAVING SOON No major updates this week for this section.

READING LIST 📚 NEW RELEASES

No major updates this week for this section. CLASSIC REVISITED Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House” remains a masterclass in psychological horror. Its exploration of isolation, unreliable perception, and haunted spaces continues to influence genre fiction and film.

GAME OVER 🎮

Nioh 3: Samurai Souls like Roars Back for 2026 Team Ninja just dropped the bomb: “Nioh 3” is officially coming in 2026 for PlayStation 5, and (if you’ve got nerves of steel) the alpha demo is live now! Expect more brutal yokai, slick samurai action, and haunting Japanese folklore.

HORROR HAPPENINGS 🎭

Fantasia International Film Festival Location: Montreal, Canada Dates: July 17–August 3, 2025 Highlight: Second wave programming confirmed—including Ari Aster’s “Eddington” and a Takashi Miike triple feature! The 29th year promises delirious premieres, packed genre sidebars, and more.

FINAL THOUGHT 💀

Another week, another wave of possessed dolls, killer sharks, and body-snatching xenomorphs. And aren’t we lucky for it? Horror’s true power isn’t just in the jumps and the gore; it’s in the way these stories bind us together, deep in the darkness, waiting for something to lurch from the shadows. So whether you’re binging the newest haunted POV film, doomscrolling festival news, or braving that Nioh 3 demo—remember: in horror, there’s always something worse around the corner, and that’s why we keep coming back. Sweet dreams, Shiver-ites. See you in the abyss.