Dread Central’s Most Anticipated Films From Fantasia 2025
The 2025 edition of Fantasia has just begun and we cannot wait for the next three weeks of international genre cinema that’ll shock, terrify, and entertain. With so many films playing, it’s hard to determine what to make time for in your schedule. But never fear, because we’re here to help by sharing some of our most anticipated titles playing at this year’s festival. It feels impossible to narrow down ALL of our favorites, but we’re shining a spotlight on those that have particularly caught our genre-loving eyes over here at Dread Central.
Anything That Moves (dir. Alex Phillips)
Fantasia alum Alex Phillips is back, fresh off his debut feature All Jacked Up and Full of Worms with a new perverted tale. And as someone who loves perverted cinema, I simply cannot wait. In his sophomore features pizza boy who has sex for money is swept up in a series of murders by a serial killer stalking his town. The opening sentence of the festival descriptions reads, “A psychosexual dark comedy thriller about a bike-courier sex worker, Liam, who delivers snacks and orgasms to his clients.” Immediately I was hooked. Phillips has a knack for the weird yet strangely endearing, so it’ll be interesting to say the least to see what he does with his sexy serial killer thriller. —Mary Beth McAndrews
The Book of Sijjin And Illiyyin (dir. Hadrah Daeng Ratu)
I’m an Indonesian horror freak, so when I saw Hadrah Daeng Ratu’s new film, The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin, on the Fantasia lineup, my ears perked up. The festival description compares this to the works of Lucio Fulci and also includes the words “bring a raincoat” in reference to just how bloody this film is about to get. Consider me pumped. The new horror film tells the story of a young woman who, after watching her mother kill her father, is working as a servant to a cruel family. But then, she finds out how she can enact her sweet revenge… I can’t wait to see what devastation awaits! —Mary Beth McAndrews
Dollhouse (dir. Shinobu Yaguchi)
Killer dolls don’t hold the cultural cache they once did. Even M3GAN, that lovable, sassy synthetic, failed to capture audience hearts her second go-round. Shinobu Yaguchi’s Dollhouse, which is having its Canadian premiere at this year’s Fantasia Festival, looks to change that. With a story that blends grief, social commentary, and one really scary doll, Dollhouse is one of my most anticipated films of the entire festival.
As a certified J-horror fan, I’m eager to see how Yaguchi balances the terror with the undoubtedly big, big feelings at Dollhouse’s core. I’m more eager to see Masami Nagazawa (Shin Ultraman) carry Dollhouse on her shoulders. As the grieving woman whose life-size doll returns at the worst possible time, Nagazawa is going to need to internalize a lot of conflicted emotions. I have no doubt she’ll put it off, and I can’t wait to take up residence in Dollhouse during the fest. —Chad Collins
Good Boy (dir. Ben Leonberg)
A film that earned tremendous goodwill and buzz from genre fans at earlier festivals this year, including SXSW, Good Boy promises a lean, mean, gripping horror story told from the point-of-view of a dog named Indy. At just 73 minutes, it’s not a movie that’ll waste time, and the recommendations it’s earned make it irresistible. Plus, it features one of the great luminaries of modern indie horror, Larry Fessenden, in a support role. What’s not to like? —Matthew Jackson
Fucktoys (dir. Annapurna Sriram)
I caught this incredible title out of SXSW and I can’t wait to see it on the big screen. Writer and director Annapurna Sriram’s directorial debut is equal parts sexy and disgusting, an incredible world full of freaks who love to fuck and get themselves into trouble. It’s dreamy, it’s fun, and it’s gay as hell as we follow AP, a sex worker living in Trashtown trying to raise $1000 so she can pay someone to lift her curse. Pastel-colored chaos ensues, and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted from my genre cinema. —Mary Beth McAndrews
Hellcat (dir. Brock Bodell)
You’ve never seen a creature feature like this one, I guarantee it. Writer and director Brock Bodell’s feature film debut is a lo-fi tale contained almost entirely in the back of a man’s camper. Single location horror is always a favorite of mine, but to see Bodell use this to take on monster mythos? Sign me up, because I’m craving a creature feature that I can really sink my teeth in to. Hopefully Hellcat delivers just that. — Mary Beth McAndrews
I Live Here Now (dir. Julie Pacino)
Yes, you read that right, Julie Pacino, daughter of Al Pacino, is debuting her first feature film at Fantasia this year. And she’s not playing it safe. No, she’s crafted a psychedlic descent into hell centered on one women trapped inside a motel. It’s drawn comparisons to the works of David Lynch, so of course it’s skyrocketed to the top of our viewing list. It seems like a film that needs to be experienced to be fully understood. —Mary Beth McAndrews
It Ends (dir. Alexander Ullon)
Sometimes a concept just gets its hooks in you and won’t let go until you’ve experienced everything it has to offer, and that’s the case with Alexander Ullom’s It Ends. Ever since I first heard about this film – about four friends who are somehow stuck on an unending road in a car that no longer needs gas – I’ve wanted to see it, and now I finally get my chance. The recommendations from fellow critics who caught the film and loved it at SXSW are just a bonus. —Matthew Jackson
Mother of Flies (dir. The Adams Family)
The Adams Family (made up of parents John Adams and Toby Poser and daughters Zelda and Lulu) are back at Fantasia with their latest horror feature. After debuting their first international production Hell Hole at last year’s festival, the family is back together to craft a new lo-fi tale of desperation and black magic. Zelda plays Mickey, a young woman grappling with her recent cancer diagnosis. Grasping for answers, she and her father wander into the woods searching for the help of a witch… But, her help comes at a grave cost… The filmmaking team is at their best when they’re all together and we can’t wait to see what hell they unleash this time. —Mary Beth McAndrews
Night of the Juggler (dirs. Robert Butler and Sidney J. Furie)
I’ll be honest, I hadn’t heard of Night of the Juggler until a few days ago, when the great Jason Bailey (who quite literally wrote the book on New York City movies) heralded the arrival of its new 4K restoration on social media. A grimy crime saga from 1980 starring James Brolin as an ex-cop tearing through the city to try to rescue his kidnapped daughter, this film will no doubt be an experience in unhinged exploitation fare from a different time for genre film, which is exactly what’s so appealing about it. Repertory screenings at Fantasia are always special, and I’m putting my money on this one to be extra special. —Matthew Jackson
Noise (dir. Kim Soo-jin)
Everyone’s been woken up in the middle of the night by a strange noise. Often, it’s innocuous. Maybe the A/C is jittering, or the floorboards are stretching their legs. Still, we all go to the worst place imaginable. What if it’s a monster? A killer? A spooky, scary ghost? Kim Soo-jin’s Noise, the South Korean shocker making its North American debut at this year’s Fantasia Festival, is firmly in that “worst place” territory. Joo-young (Lee Sun-bin) and her younger sister Ju-hee (Han Soo-a) move into a new apartment. It’s not long before Joo-young starts hearing strange noises in her house. Things take a turn for the worse when Ju-hee goes missing.
Noise’s Fantasia blurb promises a horror movie the audience will never see coming, and you’ve got to know that’s irresistible for me. Korean horror is always pushing boundaries, and I’m so pumped to see how Kim Soo-jin reimagines the haunted house. —Chad Collins
The Undertone (dir. Ian Tuason)
As a podcaster, any horror film that tackles that world immediately piques my interest. Here, writer and director Ian Tuason crafts a tale of two podcasters who become the center of their own paranormal nightmare. It’s drawn comparisons to both Skinamarink and I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House, which can only mean a dread-filled slow burn that’ll have me scared of shadows. Let’s hope that’s the case! —Mary Beth McAndrews
The Wailing (dir. Pedrom Martin-Calero)
My penchant for the supernatural is coming through here. Pedro Martín-Calero’s The Wailing is a generational shocker that’s among my most anticipated of the fest. Three women across different timelines are haunted by the same terrifying entity, one whose trademark wail is poised to shatter their sanity. With an expensive multi-POV approach to, The Wailing looks like the fest’s most assuredly scary movie. With comparisons drawn to Kiyoshi Kurosawa and REC’s Jaume Balagueró, my excitement is through the roof. The Wailing looks as heavy on the subtext as it does the scares, and I’m looking forward to wailing myself when I get the chance to catch it. —Chad Collins
Have any of these titles caught your eye? What are you most excited to see? Let us know on X, Instagram, or Bluesky @DreadCentral!
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