Founded in 2001 by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross martin, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is the largest and longest-running horror festival in the United States. Screamfest Horror Film Festival 2026 will run Tuesday, October 6th – Thursday, October 15th at the TCL Chinese 6 Theaters in Hollywood, California. The festival invites horror fans to experience twisted tales and terrifying ο¬lms on the big screen. For its 26th season, the festival has announced an exciting lineup of features and shorts from around the world.Β
This year’s lineup delivers an exciting slate of genre ο¬lms, featuring 8 world premieres, 6 North American premieres, 1 US premiere, and 3 West Coast premieres. Highlights include the world premieres THE CAGED, by Jeffrey Scott Collins and starring Edmund Kingsley (Capsule), Callen Carter, and Raο¬ Chapman (Vesper); GROW, by Brian Gottlieb and starring Annet Mahendru (The Americans) and Philip Tabor (Heights); WOUNDS, by Ron Krauss and starring Jack Kilmer (Palo Alto) and Paris Jackson (Swarm). The lineup also includes the Los Angeles premiere of SERENA, directed by Rob Alicea and starring Andi Matichak (Halloween), Steve Strait (The Expanse), and Ashley Murray (Riverdale), and the North American premiere of SLAY by Kyra Gardner, starring Zoey Luna (Hauntology), Aya Cash (The Boys, The Brink of War), Shawnee Smith (Saw II), Malina Pauli-Weissman (ICK).
Screamfest 2026 will launch with the World Premiere of Jeremy Weissβ THE NIGHT DRIVER, starring Josh Lucas, David Arquette, and Alyssa Milano. This gripping, twist-ο¬lled thriller takes audiences on a terrifying journey where one fateful night on a lonely stretch of highway becomes a relentless ο¬ght for survival.Β
Acclaimed ο¬lmmaker Michael Dougherty (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Trick ‘r Treat, Krampus) will be in attendance for a special screening of TRICK ‘R TREAT with the brand-new 4K restoration of Michael Doughertyβs SEASONβS GREETINGS, the Screamfest 2003 Best Animated Short winner that ο¬rst unleashed the iconic burlap-masked Sam on the world. After the screening, Dougherty will join attendees for a Q&A, giving fans a chance to hear directly from the ο¬lmmaker about the making of these iconic works. As part of the celebration, 50 lucky random attendees will receive a copy of Legendary Comicsβ TRICK βR TREAT: WITCHING HOURS, featuring four brand-new stories starring Sam, and will be invited to an exclusive Screamfest Lounge signing with Michael Dougherty (creator/writer/director), Todd Casey (writer), Zach Shields (writer), Curtis Waugh (writer), El Garing (artist), and Breehn Burns (artist). The graphic novel will also be available for purchase ahead of its oο¬cial release, and all attendees will receive exclusive TRICK βR TREAT stickers and posters.
Expanding beyond the traditional theater setting, Screamfest is also teaming up with Ovation Hollywood for a free outdoor screening of Ghostbusters (1984). The special event will invite festival attendees and the wider public to gather in Ovation Hollywoodβs courtyard for an evening celebrating one of the most beloved and enduring sci-ο¬ comedies in ο¬lm history. Presented at no cost, the centerpiece screening will create a communal big-screen experience for horror and ο¬lm fans of all generations in the heart of Hollywood.
My personal favorite parts of the festival are the shorts. Screamfest Horror Film Festival 2026 will screen over 80 short films during its run. From independent shorts, student shorts, and animated shorts, there are terrors for everyone in this year’s lineup. Here are some of the shorts I can’t wait to see:
Adding to this yearβs lineup of exciting initiatives, Screamfest is partnering with ScareScore, an innovative app that measures moviegoersβ real-time biometric reactions and transforms them into a personalized score that fans can share, compare, and compete with. Available across most festival features, ScareScore offers audiences an entirely new way to experience horror and, for the ο¬rst time, one ο¬lm will receive an award for generating the festivalβs highest biometric scare response, determined not by what audiences say, but by how their bodies actually react.
As part of this yearβs Screamfest Horror Film Festival, Yulissa Morales and Ahbra Perry are spearheading two dedicated Industry Days designed to bring the genre community of Los Angeles together beyond the screenings. Taking place October 7th and 8th, the programming will bring ο¬lmmakers, executives, producers, distributors, and other industry voices together for candid conversations about the business and craft of horror, alongside mentorship opportunities and networking events.
Drawing on Morales and Perryβs extensive backgrounds across genre ο¬lmmaking, acquisitions, sales, distribution, programming, and live events, the Industry Days are designed to be both useful and fun, creating a space for emerging and established ο¬lmmakers to connect directly with the people shaping the genre and for the horror community to talk openly about where the business is headed. Programming highlights include an in-depth panel with writer-director-producer Chris Marrs Piliero and Bill Vergos, Head of Digital Film Distribution at Magenta Light Studios, exploring how to successfully navigate packaging, ο¬nancing, distribution, and marketing for independent ο¬lms. The discussion draws directly from the journey of Pilieroβs APPOFENIACS, which celebrated its West Coast premiere at Screamfest 2025 ahead of its October 2, 2026 theatrical release.
Dates: Tuesday, October 6th – Thursday, October 15th, 2026
Location: TCL Chinese 6 Theaters, 6801 Hollywood, Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Festival Badges: Full Festival Badges are $300, All Movie Badges are $200, Weekend of Scream Badges are $125, and Single-Day Saturday or Sunday Screening Passes are $50. Purchase your badges here.
Single-Screening Tickets: Tickets are $16 per film block. To order your ticket, select your movie from the Film Guide and click on “Order Tickets” on the film’s page.
Schedule: View the full festival calendar here.Β
Film Guide: View the list of all Features and Shorts here.
Social Media: Learn more on Screamfest’s official Facebook & Instagram.
I hope to see you there!
Founded in 2001 by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross martin, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is the largest and longest-running horror festival in the United States. Screamfest Horror Film Festival
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