Passenger (2026) Review: Is Øvredal's Road Trip Demon Worth Seeing?

In a Violent Nature 2: Ry Barrett on Johnny's Kills, Prep & the Sequel

In a Violent Nature 2 is coming, and we got to sit down with the man who makes Johnny tick. Ry Barrett — actor, stuntman, and the face (well, mask) of one of the most talked-about slasher characters in recent horror memory — joins Arthur and Meaghan for a full conversation about what it takes to play a silent killer, how he prepared for the sequel, and what fans should expect when Johnny hits a summer camp. We get into the physicality of playing Johnny: the shoulder-first movement system, the checklist Ry ran through before every take, and the work cinematographer Pierce Derks put in just to keep pace. The bear attack videos that shaped how Ry moved through the first film. The shark attack footage he watched for the sequel — and what that hints at for Johnny's energy in In a Violent Nature 2. Ry talks about the moment of humanity he fought to keep in the original, the Steven Kostanski makeup that made it possible, and why he thinks Johnny works as a slasher villain in a way that stands alongside the classics. We compare notes on Canadian horror icons — Black Christmas, My Bloody Valentine, Ginger Snaps — and what it means to have Johnny take his place in that lineage. There's a panel story involving Kane Hodder, Lee Waddell, and Tom Morga that you'll want to hear. Plus: the plan for a third film, the possibility of a Fantasia premiere, and Ry's personal zombie apocalypse survival strategy (it involves duct tape).   THE PHYSICALITY OF PLAYING A SILENT SLASHER * Ry Barrett built Johnny's movement from a checklist — specific posture elements he ran through mentally before every single take to keep the character consistent across shooting days. * The shoulder-first movement was a collaborative system developed with cinematographer Pierce Derks, who hand-held and followed Barrett through every scene — a physical cue system so Derks could frame correctly without verbal communication on a live take. * Barrett studied bear attack footage to shape Johnny's baseline energy in the first film: smooth and territorial until the moment it becomes an attack, at which point the animal shifts completely. [LINK: In a Violent Nature (2024)] * For In a Violent Nature 2, he switched to shark attack footage — which he hints connects directly to the sequel's tone and pacing, though he's deliberately cagey about the specifics. IN A VIOLENT NATURE 2: WHAT TO EXPECT * The sequel picks up directly after the events of the first film — no time jump — and moves Johnny into a summer camp setting, leaning further into the Friday the 13th tradition while doing something genuinely different with it. * Barrett describes the sequel's Johnny as already operating at the heightened viciousness of the end of the first film, sustained throughout. He estimates there are at least three kills on the level of the yoga scene — and then more. * The script, written by Chris Nash and directed by Nathaniel Wilson, still preserves the mystery around Johnny — the unreliable narration of the mythology remains intact — while adding new angles on the character. * A tentative late summer/early fall 2026 window is discussed; Barrett also floated the possibility of a Fantasia Film Festival premiere without confirming anything. [CONFIRM: release window with IFC Films/Shudder before publishing] CANADIAN HORROR AND THE SLASHER ICON QUESTION * Arthur and Meaghan make the case for Barrett's Johnny as the Canadian answer to Kane Hodder's Jason — a comparison Barrett takes seriously given Hodder's status as the definitive physical performer behind a masked slasher. * Barrett has met Kane Hodder multiple times — including once at a Nashville convention where he found himself on a panel alongside Hodder, Lee Waddell (original Ghostface in Scream), and Tom Morga (the only actor to play Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Michael Myers on screen) and describes mostly just listening in awe the entire time. * The episode touches on the deep bench of Canadian horror films that tend to get absorbed into the general horror canon without their origins being noted: Black Christmas, My Bloody Valentine, Ginger Snaps — and now In a Violent Nature. [LINK: Canadian Horror Film Recommendations] THE HORROR COMMUNITY AND MAKING INDIE FILM * Barrett traces his career in indie horror back to a micro-budget film made with friends in 2002 — which ended up being distributed worldwide through Lions Gate/Alliance Atlantis and basically set the course for everything after. * He talks about the horror community as a self-sustaining ecosystem of fans, filmmakers, and convention culture — more accessible and more genuinely welcoming than most other genre communities he's encountered. * The practical demands of the role: months of physical preparation, the reality of working in the Ontario wilderness near Sault Ste. Marie, and — most memorable for Barrett — the black flies targeting his eyes through the mask. Follow us & Subscribe: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cDXMsw8BCA3wxmRYkFAkA?si=f60fcfebfc26483e] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grave-tone/id1822281566] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@gravetonepod] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gravetonepod/] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@gravetonepod?hl=en] * Grave Tone Horror Podcast Website [https://gravetonepod.com/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Backrooms (2026) Review: Kane Parsons Delivers One of the Year's Best Horror Films

Backrooms is here, and we went on opening night. Kane Parsons, the 20-year-old who built the Backrooms universe on YouTube as Kane Pixels and became A24's youngest feature director in the process, delivers something that genuinely holds up. This is slow-burning psychological horror with real atmosphere, a committed lead performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor, and a level of visual dread that stays with you well after you leave the theater. In this episode, Arthur and Meaghan break down the film in full, including the creepypasta and Kane Pixels YouTube lore that started it all, what it means for the story (and why catching up on the shorts adds a whole other layer), and why the 30,000-square-foot practical set makes such a difference. We get into the cast — Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve carry this thing on their backs — plus some fun horror Easter eggs scattered through the supporting cast, including a Ginger Snaps scream queen sighting and a Tucker & Dale vs. Evil deep cut. We also talk about the "ghost directing" controversy, why Kane Parsons absolutely directed this film, and why the YouTube-to-Hollywood pipeline is producing some of the most interesting horror of the decade. Backrooms scored an 8.5 from both of us — and that number might go up on a rewatch. The Origin: Creepypasta, 4chan, and Kane Pixels * The Backrooms began as a single liminal space image posted to 4chan, which spawned creepypasta lore and a wave of community-built content. * Kane Parsons — now known as Kane Pixels — launched his YouTube series The Backrooms (Found Footage) in January 2022 at age 16, built entirely in Blender and Adobe After Effects. * The YouTube series has amassed over 190 million views across roughly 15–20 episodes and developed a massive cult following, with dedicated lore breakdown videos clocking in at 90+ minutes. * The core lore: a company called Async accidentally created a pocket universe through particle acceleration experiments; that universe began collapsing into our own, trapping people inside — timeline distortions, entities, and all. The Film: Psychological Horror & Liminal Dread * Directed by Kane Parsons (his feature directorial debut), written by Will Soodik, and produced by A24 with executive producers James Wan, Shawn Levy, and Osgood Perkins. * Set in 1990 California; Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a furniture store owner and failed architect, discovers an entry point into the Backrooms in his store's basement through unexplained electrical failures. * The film leans into slow burn psychological horror over conventional scares — eerie atmosphere sustained throughout, with brief moments of levity that land because of how well they're placed. * A 30,000-square-foot practical set was built for production; crew members reportedly got lost in it during filming, which tells you everything about the level of commitment to the physical environment. * The period setting is fully realized — costume design, furniture, the aesthetic of late-eighties elements bleeding into 1990, Clark's pirate-themed furniture commercials — all of it feels deliberate. The Cast: Who's in It and Why It Works * Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark delivers one of the year's best horror performances — a fully formed, deeply flawed human being whose descent across two very different timelines is completely believable. * Renate Reinsve as Dr. Mary Kline (fresh off her Oscar-nominated turn in The Worst Person in the World and her role in Sentimental Value) brings emotional grounding to the film's second half. * Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett (Targaryen fans will clock him immediately), Lukita Maxwell, and Avan Jogia round out the supporting cast. Duplass went on record defending Parsons' directing publicly when the ghost-directing rumors started. * Horror Easter eggs buried in the supporting cast: Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, Freddy vs. Jason) appears briefly as a character named Robin; Philip Granger (the sheriff in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil) plays an electrician; Sawyer Fraser, recently seen as Jude in Netflix's Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, appears in a scene at Phil's house. * Originally, Cristin Milioti was in negotiations for the role of Mary before Renate Reinsve was cast. What We Actually Thought (Mild Spoilers) * Both Arthur and Meaghan landed at 8.5/10 — with both acknowledging the score might move higher on a rewatch once you can catch the Easter eggs and lore callbacks you missed the first time. * The atmosphere is relentlessly maintained; the practical sets mean the actors are physically inside the space, and it shows. You can basically smell the carpet. * Kane Parsons co-scored the film alongside Edo van Breemen. The sound design does more heavy lifting than any traditional score, pulling from what Arthur mentions is a genre called "647" — liminal ambient music that already existed within the Backrooms community. * The scares are quiet and effective, particularly a bulldozer sequence in a childhood flashback and a moment when Mary first finds Clark inside the Backrooms. * Minor note: the music during Clark's very first exploration inside is a touch too forward — but it corrects itself quickly and the sound design takes over from there. The Ghost-Directing Controversy & What It Means * Because Parsons is 20 and the executive producer list includes names like James Wan, Shawn Levy, and Osgood Perkins, a portion of the internet decided he must have been ghost-directed. He was not. * Cast members including Mark Duplass publicly confirmed Parsons directed the film — because they were there. Megan draws a parallel to similar discourse around Coralie Fargeat and other young directors. * The YouTube origin story is relevant here: Parsons had already built this universe, established its aesthetic, and demonstrated a real vision before any studio got involved. That's not a gap that required ghost direction to fill. * This is A24's biggest opening weekend ever in projection — up to $55–65 million domestically — on a $10 million budget. Whatever people assumed about a 20-year-old getting handed a feature, the results speak for themselves. What Comes Next: The YouTuber-to-Horror Pipeline * Backrooms arrives at a remarkable moment: Curry Barker's Obsession (another YouTube-born horror director) is currently posting massive holds in its third weekend; Iron Lung from Markiplier crossed $50M on a $3M budget earlier this year. * Arthur and Megan speculate about a Backrooms sequel or expanded universe — there's enough lore to sustain multiple films — and whether Parsons might branch into entirely different projects now that the door is open. * Curry Barker has a Texas Chainsaw Massacre reimagining already in production. The class of 2026 horror is genuinely exciting. * Next week: the Ry Barrett interview, discussing In a Violent Nature 2 and the horror scene in and around Canada. Follow us & Subscribe: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cDXMsw8BCA3wxmRYkFAkA?si=f60fcfebfc26483e] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grave-tone/id1822281566] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@gravetonepod] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gravetonepod/] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@gravetonepod?hl=en] * Grave Tone Horror Podcast Website [https://gravetonepod.com/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Passenger (2026) Review: Is Øvredal's Road Trip Demon Worth Seeing?

Passenger (2026) review: André Øvredal returns to horror with a supernatural road trip that looks incredible and scares hard, but leaves questions unanswered. In this episode, we dig into the Autopsy of Jane Doe director's latest film, where a young couple's van life adventure turns into a demonic nightmare after they stop at a fatal highway crash. Lou Llobell and Jacob Scipio play Maddie and Tyler, and we talk about what works (the cinematography by Federico Verardi is genuinely stunning), what surprised us (a few jump scares we did not see coming), and where the story falls apart. The religious mythology around the Passenger entity feels half-baked, the character lore is thin, and the whole thing could have come out a decade ago and felt the same. We get into spoiler territory on the hobo code, the Saint Christopher symbology, and what the film does (and doesn't) answer about its own monster. Plus: where Passenger fits in an absolutely stacked May 2026 for original horror, how it compares to Hokum, Obsession, and At the Place of Ghosts, and why Backrooms is the one we cannot wait for next week. Featuring: André Øvredal, Lou Llobell, Jacob Scipio, Melissa Leo, Joseph Lopez, Federico Verardi, T.W. Burgess, and Zachary Donohue.   André Øvredal's Road Horror Legacy *      Passenger is Øvredal's follow-up to The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023), continuing his pattern of never repeating a sub-genre twice. Previous credits include Trollhunter (2010), The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016), and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019). *      Written by T.W. Burgess and Zachary Donohue, produced by Walter Hamada (18Hz Productions) and Gary Dauberman (Coin Operated), distributed by Paramount Pictures.      Cast and Performances in Passenger (2026) *      Lou Llobell stars as Maddie, bringing depth to a character wrestling with abandonment and stability. Llobell is known for her role in Foundation on Apple TV+. Jacob Scipio plays Tyler, the van life enthusiast with a complicated relationship to home and routine. *      Academy Award winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter, 2010) plays Diana, the figure who introduces the couple to the road's mythology. Joseph Lopez plays the Passenger entity itself.      Cinematography and Visual Craft *      Cinematographer Federico Verardi delivers standout sequences: the hazard light flat tire scene, the film projector in the forest (with Roman Holiday overlaying onto the trees), and the continuously rotating parking lot shot where the van drifts further away with each turn. *      The visual work is the strongest element of the film; even mixed reviews acknowledge that Passenger is a gorgeous-looking movie.      Supernatural Rules and Road Mythology *      The Passenger attaches itself to travelers who break the road rules: do not drive at night, and never stop for anything. The hosts dig into the hobo code symbols that appear throughout the film, Saint Christopher as the patron saint of travelers, and the religious symbology that doesn't fully connect to the entity's origins. *      Both hosts agree the lore is undercooked; the exposition feels rushed or possibly edited down from a longer cut.      May 2026: An Insane Month for Original Horror *      Passenger opens in a month stacked with Hokum (Damien McCarthy / NEON), At the Place of Ghosts, Obsession, and the highly anticipated Backrooms (A24, May 29). The hosts discuss how this scheduling may have hurt Passenger's reception. *      Grave Tone:  Horror Podcast crew previews Backrooms and flags Saccharin and Corporate Retreat as additional titles they're tracking for late May 2026.      Ratings and Final Verdict *      Meaghan: 4.5/10 — effective scares and strong cinematography, but generic writing and unresolved mythology pull it down. *      Arthur: 5/10 — solid jump scares and cool transitions, likable characters who make smart decisions, but ultimately middle of the road. Follow us & Subscribe: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cDXMsw8BCA3wxmRYkFAkA?si=f60fcfebfc26483e] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grave-tone/id1822281566] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@gravetonepod] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gravetonepod/] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@gravetonepod?hl=en] * Grave Tone Horror Podcast Website [https://gravetonepod.com/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Obsession Review: The Best Horror Movie of 2026 Just Arrived

Obsession (2026) review: Curry Barker's horror film is terrifying, hilarious, and emotionally devastating. We rate it 9.5/10. Arthur and Meaghan review Obsession, the new supernatural horror from 26-year-old writer/director Curry Barker. We break down Inde Navarrette's award-worthy performance as Nikki, the be-careful-what-you-wish-for premise powered by the One Wish Willow, Barker's rise from YouTube comedy (That's a Bad Idea, Milk & Serial) to a Focus Features horror classic, and why this might be the best horror movie of 2026. We cover the cast (Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter), the TIFF premiere and $15M bidding war, comparisons to Get Out and Talk to Me, the comedy-to-horror pipeline, toxic relationship horror, and every scene that had our hands sweating. Discussed in this episode: Obsession (2026): The Horror Event of the Year *      Written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker; produced by Blumhouse, Tea Shop Productions, Capstone Studios; distributed by Focus Features *      Premiered at TIFF 2025 (Midnight Madness); screened at SXSW 2026; theatrical release May 15, 2026 *      Currently holds 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 83 on Metacritic; sold to Focus Features for over $15 million after a 24-hour bidding war involving A24 and Neon *      We rate Obsession 9.5 out of 10 digs; one of the highest scores we've ever given on the podcast Curry Barker: The Comedy-to-Horror Pipeline *      Co-creator of YouTube comedy channel That's a Bad Idea with Cooper Tomlinson; rose to viral fame with the $800-budget short film Milk & Serial (2024), which hit 2.3 million views on YouTube [LINK: Milk & Serial on YouTube] *      Follows the comedy-to-horror trajectory of Jordan Peele (Get Out), Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons), and the Philippou brothers (Talk to Me) *      Next project: Anything But Ghosts (Focus Features) starring Aaron Paul, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Violet McGraw; also attached to write and direct a new Texas Chain Saw Massacre    The Cast: An Ensemble That Hits Every Note *      Michael Johnston (Teen Wolf) as Bear (Baron); a performance that keeps you locked into his guilt and desperation the entire runtime *      Inde Navarrette (Superman & Lois) as Nikki Freeman; a star-making, award-worthy turn that shifts from charming to demonic in a heartbeat; comparisons to Mia Goth in Pearl [LINK: Inde Navarrette Interview Magazine profile] *      Cooper Tomlinson as Ian, Megan Lawless as Sarah, Andy Richter (Conan) as Carter; the friend group chemistry feels genuinely lived-in    Be Careful What You Wish For: The Horror of the One Wish Willow *      Premise rooted in the monkey's paw trope; Barker cites The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror as direct inspiration *      Bear's wish ("I wish for her to love me more than anyone in the world") triggers a supernatural curse that strips Nikki of her autonomy and replaces her with something terrifying *      Comparisons to Get Out (the sunken place), Black Mirror, Bedazzled, and Fatal Attraction    Psychological Horror and Toxic Relationship Themes *      Obsession explores infatuation versus love, codependence, unrequited feelings, and what it means to remove someone's agency for your own comfort *      Bear's natural chemistry with Sarah's character highlights how forced and artificial his "relationship" with cursed Nikki really is *      The customer support hotline scene condenses everything great about the movie into two minutes: comedy, horror, and devastating emotional stakes all at once    Standout Moments and Horror Craft *      The corner scene: Nikki standing in the dark at 3 AM with a slow, jerky shuffle; the entire theater shifted in discomfort *      The duct tape door and lingering Smile-like grin; the demon-eye lighting at the front door; practical effects and a head-smashing scene that was trimmed to avoid an NC-17 rating *      Barker's editing instincts: knowing when to ramp intensity and when to pull back for quieter character moments is remarkable for a filmmaker this young Follow us & Subscribe: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cDXMsw8BCA3wxmRYkFAkA?si=f60fcfebfc26483e] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grave-tone/id1822281566] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@gravetonepod] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gravetonepod/] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@gravetonepod?hl=en] * Grave Tone Horror Podcast Website [https://gravetonepod.com/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At the Place of Ghosts Review: TIFF Standout Finally Hits Theatres

At the Place of Ghosts is the kind of film that stays with you long after the credits. Bretten Hannam's Mi'kmaq supernatural thriller follows two estranged brothers, Mise'l and Antle, who are forced back together when a malevolent spirit from their shared childhood begins poisoning them from the inside out. Their only option: enter Sk+te'kmujue'katik, the Place of Ghosts, a forest where time folds on itself and the living walk alongside ancestors, future selves, and the traumas they tried to leave behind. Arthur and Meaghan break down everything that makes this Canadian indigenous horror film work so well; the nonlinear storytelling that never loses you, the stunning Nova Scotia cinematography by Guy Godfree, the powerhouse performances from Forrest Goodluck and Blake Alec Miranda, and the way the film explores generational trauma, queerness, two-spirit identity, and Mi'kmaq culture without ever shoving it in your face. Premiering at TIFF 2025 and now hitting Canadian theatres on May 8, 2026 via VVS Films, this is a slow burn supernatural drama wrapped in a ghost story wrapped back into a drama again. Meaghan goes 9/10. Arthur's at a solid 8. Neither of them can find much to complain about, and honestly that almost never happens. In this episode, we cover: • Why the nonlinear storytelling actually works • The film's exploration of generational trauma and two-spirit identity • Stunning cinematography and the technical achievement of shooting in remote forests • How this compares to the current wave of indigenous horror • Red Dress Day, Moose Hide Campaign Day, and indigenous heritage resources • Book recommendations: Highway of Tears, Five Little Indians, Bad Cree, Never Whistle at Night At the Place of Ghosts releases in Canadian theatres May 8, 2026.   ABOUT THE FILM * At the Place of Ghosts (Sk+te'kmujue'katik) directed and written by Bretten Hannam; a Canada/Belgium co-production * Starring Forrest Goodluck as Antle, Blake Alec Miranda as Mise'l, and Glen Gould as their father * Cinematography by Guy Godfree; score by Jeremy Dutcher * World premiere at TIFF 2025 (Platform Prize program); Canadian theatrical release May 8, 2026 via VVS Films * Hannam's previous feature: Wildhood (2021), also exploring indigenous identity and brotherhood MI'KMAQ CULTURE, TWO-SPIRIT IDENTITY, AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA * The Mi'kmaq are indigenous peoples primarily residing in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador) and parts of Maine * The film features dialogue in both English and the Mi'kmaq language * Exploration of two-spirit identity and gender fluidity within indigenous communities * The impact of residential schools and colonialism on generational trauma, identity, and family dynamics INDIGENOUS HERITAGE DAYS AND RESOURCES * Red Dress Day (May 5): Commemorating missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people; originated from a 2010 art installation by Métis artist Jamie Black [LINK: Amnesty International MMIWG resources [https://amnesty.ca/red-dress-day/]] * Moose Hide Campaign Day (May 14): Grassroots movement engaging men and boys to end violence against indigenous women and children [LINK: moosehidecampaign.ca] * National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (September 30): Also known as Orange Shirt Day INDIGENOUS LITERATURE RECOMMENDATIONS * Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid; nonfiction investigating missing and murdered indigenous women along Highway 16 in BC * Five Little Indians by Michelle Good; fiction based on real events about children escaping the residential school system * Bad Cree by Jessica Johns; supernatural indigenous horror novel * Never Whistle at Night edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.; bestselling indigenous dark fiction anthology. Sequel (Back for Blood) coming August 2026 WHAT'S NEXT * Next week: Obsession by Curry Barker (in theatres May 15). Barker recently tapped to direct A24's Texas Chainsaw Massacre reimagining Follow us & Subscribe: * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cDXMsw8BCA3wxmRYkFAkA?si=f60fcfebfc26483e] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grave-tone/id1822281566] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@gravetonepod] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gravetonepod/] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@gravetonepod?hl=en] * Grave Tone Horror Podcast Website [https://gravetonepod.com/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.