Movies
Like and Subscribe: 6 Horror Films Where Online Influencers Must Face Reality
Ah, the internet. It’s both an endless gateway to all the knowledge we possess and a bizarre wasteland where the cult of personality reigns supreme. With the abundance of content creators, social influencers, and memes, we’ve come to a time where literally anyone can become famous.
We still have big-name celebrities on the silver screen, but there’s a growing market of YouTube stars, Instagram models, and TikTok… people. Online influencers have boomed in popularity as the next wave of names to know and follow. They’re gathering hordes of followers and popping up in reality shows, movies, and marketing campaigns.
It’s a bizarre concept, where normal people live carefully designed (and heavily produced) lives in the public eye. It’s become such a global (and financially viable) phenomenon that the horror genre has taken interest, creating some shocking situations where online influencers (and aspiring influencers) are forced to face reality. I’ve collected a list of 6 such films that teach micro-celebrities a thing or two about the fame game.
Spree (2020)
Starring Stranger Things’s Joe Keery as Kurt Kunkle, Spree follows a rideshare driver obsessed with increasing his follower count. He’s been operating his channel and handle — KurtsWorld96 — for years, and with only a measly number of subscribers to show for it. Kurt decides to take things to the next level with #TheLesson, his own personal guide to going viral (that stacks up a pretty impressive body count).
Keery is fantastic as Kurt; he seems perfectly pathetic. His desperation to become the next big thing is heartbreakingly evident. Keery and director Eugene Kotlyarenko studied online personalities like Logan Paul and Ninja as research into the caricature of influencers. Through every character, Spree takes time to examine our personal, almost pleading need to be acknowledged and liked and seen, and carefully shines a light on influencer culture and the strange phenomenon of having an online presence.
Spree is a brash satire — it waltzes in the murky waters of spree killers who find their fame online, and the dark celebrity that can be born from their terrible deeds. The film also stars SNL alum Sasheer Zamata as social influencer/comedian Jessie Adams, David Arquette as Kris Kunkle, Kurt’s skeezy DJ dad, and Joshua Ovalle (of Vine’s “Jared, 19” fame)
Where to watch: Hulu, Hoopla
Making Monsters (2019)
A social media prankster, Chris (Tim Loden), and his prime target/fiancée, Allison (Alana Elmer), are invited to a quiet weekend in the country to stay with an old friend. After a night of partying with their host’s partner, the couple wake up with no power, no heat, and a suspicion that something is terribly wrong. They find that they’re trapped in a deadly game on the dark web, where the stakes are life and death.
Though there’s a lot happening in Making Monsters (hallucinations, deception, masks), it goes to some dark places. It’s a deeply twisted “just desserts” for a man who’s made a lucrative living scaring the ever-loving hell out of his poor fiancée. Of course, she’s thrown under the bus in the process, but the main takeaway here is that the internet can be a pretty terrible lure for some awful people.
Where to watch: Available in Canada for rent on Google Play, Apple TV, and YouTube
Shook (2021)
After a tragedy takes the life of a fellow make-up influencer, Mia (Daisye Tutor) decides to cancel her livestream party plans to dogsit for her sister. While looking after canine Chico, she receives a mysterious and disturbing phone call and is pushed into a series of challenges that put the lives of her loved ones on the line. But is it real, or just a game at her expense?
Featuring real-life make-up and social media influencer Genelle Seldon, Shook really emphasizes the shallowness of our online persona and everyone’s personal “brand”. Mia’s friends — fellow influencers — are… kind of the worst. When she decides not to attend their livestream, they continually complain about the loss of her presence, lamenting that she has the most followers. Even Mia’s decision to dogsit is a calculated plan to appear “selfless”. Despite how sincere she may feel, it’s really all about her public image.
Director Jennifer Harrington uses some really clever techniques to bring what’s happening on screen — and in the back of Mia’s mind — to light. It’s pretty neat, but it also really does drive home the point that everything we do online is performative.
Where to watch: Shudder
The Cleansing Hour (2019)
“Father” Max (Ryan Guzman) hosts a wildly popular livestream where he performs an exorcism each episode. Max is a recognizable celebrity (there’s souls to be saved and tasteless merch to be sold) even though his exorcisms are (secretly) totally fake. When he’s about to perform his latest miracle, the possessed/actor never arrives, and the producer’s fiancée, Lane (Alix Angelis) reluctantly steps in to save the show. But as the livestream starts, it becomes evident that somehow Lane has actually become possessed, and it’s up to Max and producer Drew (Kyle Gallner) to stop the demon and save some souls.
The Cleansing Hour is a bit of a spin on the classic possession film, mixing in a modern, egocentric twist. The demon turns Max’s celebrity against him and uses his massive number of followers to its own advantage. It’s a neat way to take the topic of social influencer horror and throw a supernatural edge on it, while highlighting the effect that Max’s celebrity has had on his relationship with Drew, and the way he relates to others.
Where to watch: Shudder
Follow Me (aka No Escape, 2020)
Not to be confused with 2019 British film #Followme (a found footage film, also about a YouTuber), Follow Me follows a YouTuber named Cole who — for 10 years — has hosted #ERL (Escape Real Life), a channel in which he goes on all sorts of wild experiences and films them for the sake of the internet. This time, he’s headed to Moscow with his friends for a surprise adventure (a custom made, personalized escape room). As you can expect, things… do not go well.
Cole — ever the new-experience junkie — gets far more than he bargained for. It strips away all his performing pretense and turns him into a raw, bloody mess of a man. You can probably guess how the film will end (it’s predictable), but it does a good job of showing the shift in Cole’s demeanor when his feed is streaming.
Where to watch: Hulu
Cam (2018)
Alice (Madeline Brewer) is an ambitious camgirl with her sights set on livestream success. Her numbers soon jump and she finds herself quickly climbing the ranks, but while her channel continues to produce content, she’s not the one making it. Her exact likeness is pushing boundaries she’d never cross, and Alice is left to try and regain control of her online identity.
Of all the “influencer horror” out there, Cam is the most empathetic. Written by former camgirl Isa Mazzei, it takes the audience behind the screen to see the highs and lows of life as a camgirl. Behind the lashes and lace, there’s a real person who takes the time to get to know her clients, putting time and energy into building connections and a personal brand.
It’s a respectful contrast to the mindless self-indulgence that we see in other influencer-based horror films (as it should be, all things considered), but still shows how our life online is so much more carefully constructed, and how its overflow into real life can be rather jarring.
Where to watch: Netflix
Honorable Mention: Followed (2021)
To gain more subscribers, a controversial social media influencer stays at a cursed hotel to terrifying results.
Why just an honorable mention? Because it’s not out in Canada yet, so I haven’t seen it. Americans, you can catch this one on Amazon Prime.
Honorable Mention: New Year, New You (Into the Dark, 2018)
A group of old friends — including one popular Instagram influencer — gather for a girl’s night on New Years Eve. But as they begin to rehash old memories, many of the gripes they’ve been harboring manifest in murderous ways.
While — essentially — a self-contained feature-length film, it’s still technically a TV episode, so I’m just adding it as an honorable mention here.
Where to watch: Hulu
For more lists, check out 10 Hilarious Horror Parodies Made on a Microbudget
Movies
5 Horror & Thriller Films Premiering at Cannes 2026
The Cannes Film Festival is widely considered the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held annually in Cannes since its founding in 1946, the invitation-only event showcases new films from across the globe, spanning every genre from auteur-driven dramas to boundary-pushing horror. Taking place at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes remains one of the “Big Three” European festivals alongside Venice Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival, as well as part of the global “Big Five,” which also includes Toronto International Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival.
The 79th annual Cannes Film Festival runs from May 12-23, 2026, with Park Chan-wook (director of Oldboy (2003), The Handmaiden (2016), and No Other Choice (2025)) serving as jury president. French-Malian actress Eye Haїdara will host the opening and closing ceremonies. At the same time, honorary Palme d’Or awards will be presented to Peter Jackson (director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Barbra Streisand. The festival opens with The Electric Kiss, directed by Pierre Salvadori.
But now let’s get to the really good stuff.
Among the lineup this year are several genre entries that should have horror and thriller fans paying very close attention for their theater releases which will be later in the year. Here are five films I’m especially excited about, all of which are premiering at Cannes 2026.
Hope (Korean: 호프)
Directed by Na Hong-jin (The Wailing), Hope looks like one of the most intriguing genre entries in competition for the Palme d’Or.
Set in a remote village near the Korean Demilitiarized Zone (DMZ), the film’s premise appears, at first, to be a contained crisis: a tiger sighting that throws the community into worried chaos. But as the situation escalates, something far more sinister begins to emerge, forcing residents to confront a terrifying unknown.
With a stacked international cast including Hwang Jung-min (Veteran, New World, I, the Executioner), Zo In-sung (A Frozen Flower, The King, It’s Okay, That’s Love), Jung Ho-yeon (Squid Game, Disclaimer),Taylor Russell (Bones and All, Waves), Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), and Michael Fassbender (Shame, Prometheus, X-Men: First Class), this one feels like it could be a major crossover hit.
Her Private Hell
From Nicholas Winding Refn (The Neon Demon) comes a surreal, neon-drenched nightmare that feels perfectly at home within his filmography.
A mysterious mist engulfs a futuristic city, unleashing a deadly and elusive force. At the center is a young woman searching for her father, whose path collides with an American soldier on a desperate mission of his own: rescue his daughter from Hell.
Starring Sophie Thatcher (Companion, Heretic, Prospect), Charles Melton (May December, Warfare, Riverdale), Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms, No Exit, Bleu de Chanel), Diego Calva (Babylon, The Night Manager, On Swift Horses — seriously, I’m so excited to see him in new work!) and more, this out-of-competition premiere could end up being one of the most talked about, and hopefully one of my personal favorites.
Karma
Directed by Guillaume Canet (Tell No One), Karma is a French psychological thriller that leans into moral ambiguity.
The story follows Jeanne, a woman attempting to rebuild her life in Spain while hiding a troubled past. When her young godson disappears, suspicion quickly falls on her, forcing her to flee to a religious community she once escaped. As her partner searches for the truth, the narrative spirals into a tense mystery.
Led by Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose, Inception, Rust and Bone), who always delivers an outstanding performance, Karma appears to be a slow-burn kind of thriller that will really keep audiences captivated.
Colony (Korean: 군체)
Zombie maestro Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan) returns with Colony, a claustrophobic kind of outbreak thriller premiering in the midnight section at Cannes.
Set inside a sealed biotech facility, the film follows survivors trapped during a rapidly mutating viral outbreak. As the infected evolve in unpredictable ways, tensions inside the quarantine zone rise just as quickly as the body count.
This zombie film stars Jun Ji-hyun (Assassination) and Koo Kyo-hwan (Peninsula), and paired Yeon Sang-ho, I’m hoping we get a really great zombie thriller to add to the arsenal.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Yes, the title alone already earns a spot on this list.
Written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow), this meta-slasher follows a queer filmmaker hired to direct a reboot of a long-running horror franchise. Her fixation on the film’s reclusive “final girl” actress leads both women into an increasingly surreal and psychosexual spiral.
Starring Hannah Einbinder (Hacks, Seekers of Infinite Love) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The Fall, Hannibal), this Un Certain Regard entry sounds as though it might be one of the boldest, and strangest, films of the entire festival.
While Cannes isn’t traditionally known for its horror under any circumstances, this year’s lineup continues to show that bold, genre-bending storytelling absolutely has a place on the Croisette.
iHorror will keep you updated on these films’ theatrical and/or streaming releases!
Movies
Which Poster Did It Better?
We have a fun question for you: Who did it better?
Did you ever notice how similar the 1992 poster for Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive is to Wes Craven’s Scream that came out in 1996? They aren’t identical, but they could be considered spiritual sisters.
Not much is known about the Dead Alive poster. It appears to have its lead actress, Diana Peñalver, front and center with eyes wide open and mouth agape. It was a shocking image for a one-sheet at the time, but it was fitting for the film, which used over 300 liters of fake blood in the final scene.
Dead Alive was also controversial. In the UK and Australia, it was shown in its entire 104-minute run. But it had to be cut down to 94 minutes when it hit the German and American markets. Originally titled Braindead, it was renamed Dead Alive in those countries.
As for the Scream poster, we know it’s Drew Barrymore‘s face; she also has her mouth agape and her eyes wide open like Peñalver‘s.
In a classic on-theme misdirect, Barrymore appears to have a major role in Scream, given how prominent she is in the poster. In reality, she is only onscreen for 13 minutes.
Scream’s photo was taken by an unknown photographer. It doesn’t capture Dead Alive’s comedy element, but Scream wasn’t exactly a straight comedy. Its humor was more in the meta references.
Movies
‘Axes and Os’ Is Now Streaming — A Fresh Valentine Slasher With a Savage Creature Feature Twist
It’s happening.
Indie horror fans have a new killer obsession—Axes and Os, the wildly original Valentine-themed slasher that blends classic stalk-and-slash thrills with a monstrous creature-feature surprise. The film is now streaming and delivering blood, laughs, and a brutal new horror icon.
Love Hurts — Literally
Set during a chaotic Galentine’s getaway, Axes and Os follows four young women who escape to a quiet small town for a weekend of romance, friendship, and fun—only to find themselves hunted by the legendary Valentine’s Day Ax Killer, Luther Dremel.
But this isn’t just another masked slasher story. When one of the girls undergoes a shocking transformation, the hunted becomes the hunter, and a brutal showdown erupts that turns the holiday of love into a full-on survival nightmare—a literal fight to the death.
A Cast Packed With Genre Favorites and Rising Stars
Axes and Os features horror icon Jamie Bernadette alongside rising star Cass Huckabay, who won two Best Actress awards during the film’s festival run. Madison M. Bowman and Sara Wimmer round out the ensemble, delivering both laughs and scares designed to appeal to a wide range of genre fans. Brandon Krum brings terrifying intensity as the relentless Axeman, Luther Dremel.
A Fresh Spin on Slasher Tradition
While Axes and Os pays tribute to classic slashers, it flips the formula with a creature-feature twist that sets it apart from typical holiday horror fare. Think traditional masked killer meets monstrous transformation—romance colliding with rage, friendship colliding with fear. The film blends humor, gore, and heart, striking a tone somewhere between Ready or Not, The Final Girls, and classic ’80s slashers—while still delivering modern indie edge.
A Festival Darling With 11 Award Wins
During its festival run, Axes and Os quickly became a standout on the indie horror circuit, bringing home 11 awards, including six Best Feature Film wins, three Best Director awards, and two Best Actress awards for Cass Huckabay. Notable wins include The Freak Show horror film festival, Spooky Empire Horror Film Festival, and the Nashville horror film festival.
The film’s mix of genre-bending horror, strong performances, and crowd-pleasing tone earned praise from festival juries and audiences alike, helping build early buzz ahead of its streaming release.
Why Horror Fans Should Care
Holiday slashers are having a moment again, but Axes and Os brings something rare: a true genre mashup with a female-driven cast, festival pedigree, and a killer premise that doesn’t play it safe.
With festival awards, strong early audience reactions, and a bold creature-driven finale, Axes and Os is poised to become a cult favorite for Valentine’s Day horror marathons.
Now Streaming
Axes and Os is now available to stream on Prime Video and Screamify
Love is in the air. So is the blood.
Four females on a Galentine’s weekend are hunted by legendary ax murderer LutherDremel, until one female turns out to be something otherworldly and battles the iconic axeman.
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