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EXCLUSIVE: First Look The Weeknd in HURRY UP TOMORROW and the Top Ten Horror Soundtracks Featuring Musicians as Themselves

One of the most anticipated releases of 2025, Hurry Up Tomorrow, promises to be a genre-bending descent into psychological horror. Directed by Trey Edward Shults and co-written by Shults, Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd), and Reza Fahim, the film stars Tesfaye himself alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. The plot follows a musician tormented by insomnia who becomes entangled with a mysterious stranger, unraveling his very sense of reality. With Tesfaye not only leading the cast but also serving as producer, and likely lending his musical genius to the film’s sonic palette, Hurry Up Tomorrow is poised to deliver a hauntingly immersive soundtrack experience when it premieres in theaters on May 16, 2025. This film exemplifies the growing trend of musicians stepping directly into horror narratives—not just as characters, but as driving creative forces behind the music and mood. Here are a few others that manage to channel that spirit.

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye as Abel and Writer/Director Trey Edward Shults in Hurry Up Tomorrow. Photo Credit: Andrew Cooper
Jenna Ortega as Anima in Hurry Up Tomorrow. Photo Credit: Andrew Cooper
Barry Keoghan as Lee and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye as Abel in Hurry Up Tomorrow. Photo Credit: Andrew Cooper

10. Idle Hands (1999) – Featuring The Offspring

You can’t talk horror-comedy without mentioning Idle Hands. The film blends teen slacker humor with splatter horror, and The Offspring’s cameo (where they perform at a Halloween dance before being gruesomely attacked) is legendary. The soundtrack is peak late-‘90s alternative, with tracks from Blink-182, Rob Zombie, and yes—The Offspring themselves. Their presence and music underscore the film’s anarchic tone and youth-centric horror.

Highlight Track: The Offspring – “Beheaded (1999)”

9. Queen of the Damned (2002) – Featuring Jonathan Davis (Korn)

Aaliyah may have starred as the titular vampire queen, but Korn’s Jonathan Davis lurked behind the soundtrack. Although legal restrictions prevented Davis from singing the songs himself on the official release, his musical DNA is everywhere. The film’s soundtrack became an early 2000s staple, shaping the nu-metal meets gothic horror aesthetic. Davis’ brooding, seductive sound transformed Queen of the Damned into a cult favorite.

Highlight Track: “Slept So Long” – Jay Gordon (written by Jonathan Davis)

8. Slumber Party Massacre II (1987) – Featuring Atanas Ilitch

This slasher sequel is pure camp, but what sets it apart is the Rockabilly Driller Killer—played by real-life musician Atanas Ilitch. Ilitch performs several musical numbers throughout the film, blending Freddy Krueger-esque charm with hair-metal absurdity. It’s part horror, part concert, and completely unforgettable.

Highlight Track: “Let’s Buzz”

7. Trick or Treat (1986) – Featuring Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne

This cult classic is basically Footloose for metalheads—only Satan’s in the mix. Featuring real-life rock legends Gene Simmons (as a DJ) and Ozzy Osbourne (ironically playing an anti-metal preacher), Trick or Treat is packed with metal tracks from the fictional band Sammi Curr, performed by Fastway. The soundtrack is wall-to-wall headbanging bliss.

Highlight Track: “Trick or Treat” – Fastway

6. Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008) – Featuring Sarah Brightman and Ogre (Skinny Puppy)

A goth-industrial opera with eyeball theft and organ repossession? Yes, please. Featuring Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre and soprano Sarah Brightman, Repo! blends dystopian tragedy with rock opera flair. The soundtrack is bombastic, bloody, and absolutely theatrical. Brightman’s “Chromaggia” is a haunting highlight, showcasing her operatic power in a horror context.

Highlight Track: “Chromaggia” – Sarah Brightman

5. Green Room (2015) – Featuring The Ain’t Rights (played by real punk musicians)

Green Room captures the terror of being trapped in the wrong place at the wrong time. What makes it so visceral is its commitment to punk authenticity. The Ain’t Rights—a fictional band—are played by actors with real musical chops, and the soundtrack features fierce punk and hardcore, reflecting the subculture under siege in the film. The opening set of “Nazi Punks F*** Off” is both a protest and a death sentence.

Highlight Track: “Toxic Evolution” – Corpus Rottus

4. House of 1000 Corpses (2003) – Featuring Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie isn’t just a musician in a horror film—he’s the auteur of this one. House of 1000 Corpses is a violent, psychotropic homage to grindhouse horror, and the soundtrack is a hellride through Zombie’s twisted musical imagination. With tracks from Zombie himself, as well as classic rock and exploitation soundbites, the film is a full sensory experience.

Highlight Track: “House of 1000 Corpses” – Rob Zombie

3. True Stories (1986) – Featuring David Byrne (Talking Heads)

Though not traditionally “horror,” True Stories is an uncanny trip through a fictional Texas town that veers into surrealism and existential dread. David Byrne stars as himself—sort of—and scores the entire film with Talking Heads tracks. The line between satire, sincerity, and quiet horror is razor-thin. It’s a soundtrack that lingers in the psyche.

Highlight Track: “Dream Operator” – Talking Heads

2. We Are the Flesh (2016) – Featuring No Somos Marineros

This Mexican arthouse horror nightmare is polarizing but unforgettable. Known for its explicit content and bleak themes, We Are the Flesh features a live, uncut performance by Mexican punk band No Somos Marineros, who appear as themselves. The blending of underground punk with apocalyptic imagery gives the film a feral energy. The soundtrack is noisy, raw, and deeply political.

Highlight Track: “Sangre” – No Somos Marineros

1. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) – Featuring Third Eye Blind (uncredited)

Wait—hear us out. This is horror (zombies, voodoo cats, and actual danger), and it features a now-legendary late-’90s rock/pop soundtrack. Though not officially credited, several tracks were created by members of Third Eye Blind, contributing to the movie’s eerie, infectious tone. It was a formative horror-lite experience for millennials—and the music is a key reason why.

Highlight Track: “It’s Terror Time Again”

Final Thoughts: When Horror and Harmony Collide

Musicians playing themselves in horror films add authenticity, chaos, and a unique emotional resonance. Whether they’re slashing on guitar or dodging slashers on screen, these artists deliver double the drama—musically and narratively. Their soundtracks aren’t just accompaniment; they’re essential ingredients to the atmosphere and identity of the films.

So next time you’re building a Halloween playlist or hunting for a horror deep cut, check out one of these artist-led horror films. Because when musicians bring their sound to the slaughter, it’s a killer combo.