THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL 2025: A TERRIFYINGLY STACKED FIRST WAVE

It is our FAVORITE FILM FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR! New Orleans is about to get a whole lot spookier as the Overlook Film Festival 2025 returns for its ninth annual descent into horror. Taking place April 3–6 at the historic Prytania Theatres, this year’s festival is packed with genre-heavyweights, spine-chilling debuts, and immersive experiences that will leave audiences gasping for breath (or begging for more).

A Nightmarish Opening

Kicking off the mayhem is Drop, the latest thriller from Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky). This nerve-shredding whodunit follows a widowed mother whose first date in years takes a sinister turn when her phone becomes the vessel for a series of anonymous, terrifying messages. Following the screening, the festival will throw an opening night bash honoring the 10th anniversary of horror streaming giant Shudder, featuring a horror-infused second line parade through the French Quarter. Expect eerie surprises, iconic horror guests, and enough scares to make even the bravest scream queen clutch their pearls.

Cronenberg, Cannibals, and Clowns (Oh My!)

As always, Overlook delivers a lineup stacked with the most exciting new horror films. David Cronenberg returns to his body horror roots with The Shrouds, starring Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, and Guy Pearce in a tale of grief, technology, and the grotesque. 40 Acres, a pulse-pounding survival horror from director R.T. Thorne, sees Danielle Deadwyler battling marauding cannibals in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, while Clown in a Cornfield, directed by Eli Craig (Tucker & Dale vs Evil), adapts the cult novel into a blood-soaked slasher that will have coulrophobes checking their closets.

Legends & Retro Horrors

Horror icons will also be honored in style. Director Ernest Dickerson (Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight) will receive the festival’s coveted Master of Horror Award, while Re-Animator celebrates its 40th anniversary with a new 4K restoration, introduced by none other than Barbara Crampton. Meanwhile, a newly restored version of The Phantom of the Opera (1925) will feature a live score performance by New Orleans’ Think Less, Hear More.

Flying Lotus: Guest Curator Extraordinaire

Grammy-winning musician and filmmaker Flying Lotus steps in as Overlook’s first-ever Guest Curator, bringing his personal selection of horror classics, including The Descent, Death Becomes Her, and Lost Highway (in honor of the late David Lynch). He’ll also be showcasing his own mind-bending sci-fi nightmare Ash, starring Eiza González and Aaron Paul.

Horror Beyond the Screen

More than just a film fest, Overlook’s immersive experiences push horror into new dimensions. This year’s offerings include Spooky Tales with Cowboy Dale, an interactive ghost story from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’s Jason Woliner, and The Severance Theory: Welcome to Respite, a deeply personal psychological horror experience. For those looking for something even more unhinged, The Manikins: A Work in Progress offers a one-on-one psychedelic thriller where the lines between performance and nightmare blur.

Final Destination: Overlook 2025

Whether you’re a seasoned horror aficionado or a fresh-faced scream junkie, the Overlook Film Festival promises four days of pure, unfiltered terror. With screenings, live performances, and immersive nightmares lurking around every corner, this is one horror fest you won’t want to escape from.

Passes and tickets are on sale now for The Overlook Film Festival 2025 at OverlookFilmFest.com. Don’t miss out—this year’s Overlook is shaping up to be a scream.