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Review ‘Creepshow’ Season 2 Episode 3: The Right Snuff/Sibling Rivalry

Published

5 years ago

April 14, 2021

Last week’s episode of Creepshow showed us the frights of the murder tourism business and the high cost of pest extermination. This week’s episode features two tales of terror, one out of this world and another in the horrors of high school while both showcasing that beyond aliens and monsters, the greatest human fears of all are within…

Our first segment is The Right Snuff, following the dual crew-members of a futuristic new space transport called the Occula as it readies for its maiden voyage near the moon. The astronauts tasked with this mission are the optimistic Major Ted Lockwood, (Breckin Meyer, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare) a brilliant scientist who constructed the ship’s revolutionary gravitational well engine. And the embittered Captain Alex Toomey (Ryan Kwanten, True Blood) who is desperately trying to escape from the eclipse of his father’s shadow, the first man to set foot on Mars. As the mission takes an unexpected course after being notified by their mission control, Sandra (Gabrielle Byndloss, The Outsider) tensions run high and Toomey fears that the meek and idealistic Lockwood will steal his glory. But Toomey’s own character flaws may cause cataclysmic consequences in his hunt for fame amongst the stars.

An intense sci-fi thrill ride from director Joe Lynch (Mayhem, Wrong Turn 2) and written by Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series) Stephen Langford (Club Dead) and Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero, The Right Snuff is one giant leap for the horror anthology into the endless vacuum of space. An environment that is just rife for all manner of extraterrestrial terrors and cosmic horror, but the story dwells on how human flaws and insecurities can be far more deadly than the unknown. Ryan Kwanten gives an excellent performance as Captain Toomey, a man reaching for the heavens but still held back by the ghostly weight of his father’s own success which haunts him with a literal shade and voice mocking him. Meyer in turn serves as a great contrast, a man driven by idealism and want to help mankind rather than himself. These two opposite personalities at first acting friendly on the ship and in interviews, but Toomey’s growing rage eventually breaks him and everything they worked for.

This story was more evocative of classic sci-fi anthologies of old such as The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits than the usual karmic Creepshow fare, emphasizing how a lack of humanity could very well doom humans. The aesthetic and style of the story was also befitting of old school science fiction, Joe Lynch even posting this informative Letterboxd list of the idealistic sci-fi influences for his segment via twitter for a more in-depth look into the making of it. Lynch does a great job of balancing the bright and shiny interior of the ship with the grim events that are unfolding between the two astronauts. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of those signature Creepshow twists, turns, blood, and beasties to be had. In many ways, it’s a story as dark as the shadowed side of the moon and one of the most bleak tales to emerge from the franchise.

The latter story of this week’s episode is Sibling Rivalry. Lola (Maddie Nichols, Ann Rule’s A Murder to Remember) seeks help from her guidance counselor Ms. Porter (Molly Ringwald, The Breakfast Club) with a dire case: her brother is trying to kill her! At least, that’s what scatterbrained and easily distracted Lola thinks, going on tangents about a sleepover at her friend Grace’s ( Ja’Ness Tate, Hidden Orchard Mysteries: The Case of the Air B and B Robbery) house and what she had for breakfast much to Ms. Porter’s repeated annoyance. Lola regales a series of events and conflicts with her brother Andrew (Andrew Brodeur, Tall Girl) that led her to suspect he’s trying to take her out, only to realize there’s far wider angles to this tale of possible sororicide.

Directed by Tales From the Hood‘s Rusty Cundief and written by author/podcaster Melanie Dale, Sibling Rivalry is a lot more on the lighter side than the prior segment but with plenty more gore to be had. Cundief and Dale craft a fast paced, funny, and thrilling tale as Lola attempts to prove her case to the increasingly skeptical Ms. Porter as the teenager attempts to backtrack the many different ways she grew suspicious of her brother. Which is why I was a bit disappointed it didn’t keep this format for the majority of the episode. Switching to a more traditional narrative once realization takes over and things come to a head.

Maddie Nichols does a phenomenal job in the role of Lola and attempting to piece together all the different weird events that led her to the guidance counselor’s office, making for a number of particularly funny jokes at the different mindsets of the two. Such as Lola concerned that her brother was planning on buying weapons online, which also concerns Ms. Porter… until Lola says he was buying medieval styled weapons which isn’t as big a deal to the counselor. And while there are some twists and turns, they did feel a bit easy to pick up on if you pay well enough attention. Still, Sibling Rivals is a pretty solid Creepshow story and entertaining to watch unfold. Also featuring some particularly exemplary practical and special FX hybridized once things get brutal. Don’t want to spoil anything, but there were some kill scenes that made me cringe- in the best ways possible!

Overall, another solid deadly duo of Creepshow stories for Season 2 for this halfway point. With three episodes to go, who knows what horrors await us next…

Creepshow airs new episodes every Thursday on Shudder.

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This Week in Horror: Black Phone 2, The Backrooms, and the Return of Scary Movie

Published

3 days ago

May 15, 2026

Luna Gray

A release week. Something in theaters today, something on Netflix tomorrow, a trailer that is going to divide people cleanly down the middle, and a Kane Pixels situation that is either the most exciting thing to happen to A24 horror in years or a complete disaster, and we are about to find out which in two weeks. Here is everything.

Obsession Opens Today

Obsession is in theaters today. Curry Barker directed, Inde Navarrette stars, and the premise involves a supernatural toy called One Wish Willow that does not appear to grant wishes in a way that works out well for anyone. Barker is coming off solid work in the short horror space and this is his feature debut.

The Black Phone 2 Hits Netflix Tomorrow

The Black Phone 2 streams on Netflix starting May 16. Scott Derrickson directed both, Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames are back, and the first one did $132 million on a budget that did not require $132 million to recoup, so this sequel had time to actually be made right instead of being rushed out.

The first Black Phone is one of the better supernatural thrillers of the decade, and the ending left enough room that a sequel is not a stretch. The thing I want to know is whether Derrickson is doing something with that space or just filling it. Tomorrow we find out.

The Scary Movie Trailer Is Here

The Scary Movie trailer is out and June 12 is the release date. Michael Tiddes directs. Anna Faris is back. Regina Hall is back. Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans are back. The whole thing looks exactly as chaotic as you would expect from a Scary Movie film in 2026, which will either be a feature or a problem depending entirely on how you feel about the franchise.

The original Scary Movie came out in 2000 and it was funny. Some of the sequels were funny. I am genuinely not sure what this one is going to be, and I mean that in a way that is not entirely negative. Faris has not been in a wide release in a while. Seeing her back in the thing she was genuinely great at is enough to make me curious even if the whole rest of the movie turns out to be a mess.

Insidious: Out of the Further Gets an August Date

The sixth Insidious film has been officially dated for August 21. Jacob Chase directs, Amelia Eve leads, and Brandon Perea and Lin Shaye are back in the cast. The trailer showed at CinemaCon in April and the response was apparently positive enough that the August date got locked in immediately after.

Shaye has been the connective tissue of this franchise since the beginning and the decision to keep her involved in whatever direction the series goes next is the right one. She is also just an extremely good horror actor who does not get enough credit for how much work she has done making these films feel like they are about something beyond the haunted house mechanics. August 21.

The Backrooms Movie Is a Month Away

The Backrooms opens in theaters May 29 through A24. Kane Parsons directed it. He is 20 years old. He is the Kane Pixels person, which means he built an entire mythology from scratch in YouTube shorts and did it well enough that A24 hired him to make a theatrical feature before he could legally rent a car in most states.

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve star. James Wan and Shawn Levy are producing. The budget exists. The question that has been hanging over this project since it was announced is whether a feature-length Backrooms works or whether the whole thing depends on the specific intimacy of the short format, and we are two weeks from knowing.

American Horror Story Is Going Back to the Coven

American Horror Story Season 13 is coming in October on FX and Hulu, and it is going back to the Miss Robichaux’s Academy setting from Season 3. Sarah Paulson is back. Evan Peters is back. Angela Bassett is back. Ariana Grande is joining the cast.

The Coven season was the last time the show felt like it had a unified identity, and bringing the whole thing back around to that specific world is a reasonable way to remind people why they liked it before the middle seasons started doing a lot of experimental things that did not always work.

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Exclusive: ‘Key of Bones’ Reveals New Poster and Cannes Fantastic Pavilion Gala Screening

Published

4 days ago

May 14, 2026

Anthony Pernicka

The curse is heading to Cannes.

iHorror is exclusively revealing the brand-new poster for Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate ahead of the film’s screening this Saturday at the Fantastic Pavilion Gala during the Cannes Film Festival.

The supernatural horror-comedy will screen as part of the Fantastic Pavilion festivities during Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival, marking another major moment for the indie production as momentum continues building toward the film’s Fall release.

*Actor Jeremy King, Actress Gina Vitori, Writer/Director Tony Armer, & Actress Melissa Chick*

Filmed in Key West, Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate follows a local waitress, a ghost tour guide, and an unlucky tourist who accidentally awaken a pirate curse tied to the infamous Anne Bonny. What follows is a wave of ghosts, supernatural chaos, cursed treasure, and paranormal mayhem spreading across the island.

Written and directed by Tony Armer, the film stars Gina Vitori, Melissa Chick, Jeremy King, Chad Newman, Benjamin Healy, Ty Spann, Kitty Clements and Vincent De Paul.

*Gina Vitori as Mary Read* *& Jeremy King as Christie*

Key of Bones also marks one of the first feature film productions connected to iHorror, expanding the brand beyond horror coverage and into original filmmaking.

The newly released poster leans into the film’s mix of pirate mythology, paranormal horror, cursed treasure, and the eerie atmosphere of real haunted locations in Key West. It offers another glimpse into the movie’s supernatural adventure, comedy, and ghostly chaos.

If you’re attending events in Cannes this weekend and would like to catch the screening of Key of Bones: Curse of the Ghost Pirate, visit Fantastic Pavilion for event schedules and screening information.

For more on the film, visit www.KeyOfBones.com

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Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show Ends 36 Year Run

Published

6 days ago

May 12, 2026

Piper St. James

The Horror Make-Up Show at Universal Studios Orlando has closed its doors after 36 years of entertainment. But not permanently.

The long running show that combines horror, comedy, and interactive demonstrations is next in line for a makeover at the Florida theme park. Besides the E.T. Adventure, The Horror Make-Up Show is the only other remaining attractions at Universal Orlando from its opening day.

A Brief History of the Make-Up Show

The idea for the show originated from an attraction at Universal Hollywood called The Land of A Thousand Faces. Land ran from 1975-1979. The twenty minute show entertained an audience of up to 1,700 visitors in an open air venue. The show taught the audience about movie makeup. Additionally, two volunteers were chosen to be transformed into the Frankenstein monster and his bride.

Despite the show’s popularity, The Land of A Thousand Faces was closed to make room for a new experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

An Era of Gods and Monsters

Lon Chaney

Explained with movie clips, Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show explains the humble beginnings of makeup and special effects in horror movies. Starting with the classic Universal monsters such as Frankenstein’s Monster, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Phantom of the Opera, this era heavily features the work of Lon Chaney.

Lon Chaney’s contribution to the world of horror makeup greatly impacted the industry for decades to come. Many of his creations were the results of self experimentation. In fact, his extreme dedication to his craft earned him the nickname “The Man of 1,000 Faces”.

While we do know how he did some of his makeup effects, Chaney took many of these secrets with him to the grave when he died in 1930.

Rick Baker

Another important name in the industry that Horror Make-Up mentions is Rick Baker. Baker created the incredible werewolf transformation in An American Werewolf in London (1981). It was his work in this movie that earned him his first Academy Award for Best Make-up in 1982. This would be the first win for the make-up artist in a long line of achievements.

Perhaps Baker’s second highest achievement was his work in Michael Jackson’s music video Thriller. Baker’s make-up transforms the pop singer into a werewolf among a hoard of zombies. The makeup artist even makes a cameo in the video as one of the undead.

Other movies Baker helped bring to life with his craft include; The Howling, Men in Black, and The Wolfman (2010).

A Blending of Technologies

As seen in An American Werewolf in London, Rick Baker did not only use prosthetics to create horror movie magic. Baker and his team designed the animatronics and “change-o” heads, limbs, and other props to create the groundbreaking transformation from man to werewolf.

The combination of prosthetics placed directly onto the actor in combination with robotics began the blending of technologies used to create the next generation of monsters.

The Horror Make-Up Show continues its education of the genre as technology expanded into the computer era. The final clips shown on screen demonstrates the latest evolution of horror make-up in Universal’s The Mummy (2017).

Computer generated imagery is layered over physical practical effects to create the amazing hieroglyphics covering the character of Ahmanet, played by Sofia Boutella. It is the partnering of these two technologies that the host of the show claims creates the best and most convincing effects in modern day horror.

Moving Forward

Hardcore horror movie fans of the Horror Make-Up Show will be some of the first to say while entertaining, the show is indeed outdated. The names Lon Chaney, Rick Baker, Dick Smith, and Tom Savini certainly deserve to be immortalized in horror history. However, there is so much new blood that should be acknowledged for their contributions to the genre that continues to propel it forward.

Artists such as Damien Leone (Terrifier), Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead), Todd Masters (Final Destination), and Eryn Krueger Mekash (American Horror Story) are all examples that have continued the evolution of visuals in the genre.

Damien Leone, Philip Falcone, and a victim in the make-up chair!

As touched upon in the original Make-Up Show, the best results in movies is when practical effects are blended with computer generated effects. Using just one style versus the other runs the risk of looking “too fake.” Using both techniques can also be more budget friendly and less time consuming for the actor in the make-up chair during the creation process.

The Future of the Horror Make-Up Show

Universal Studios Orlando is expecting to re-open their doors to the new Horror Make-Up Show during the winter of 2026. However, they have not yet announced what changes will be made, or what the future show will look like. The most the theme park has announced is the show will be:

“featuring classic and modern horror properties along with shockingly fun surprises – all while staying true to the comedic and irreverent vibe that guests love.”

What were your favorite moments of Universal Orlando’s original Horror Make-Up Show, and what do you hope they bring to the table when they reopen? Let us know in the comments!