Popcorn Frights’ Wicked Weekend annual event rings in the Halloween season this year with a densely packed slate of horror featuring upcoming titles from Mike Flanagan, Joe Lynch, Scott Derrickson, and more.
The event, running October 4-8 at the historic Gateway Theater, will feature eight film premieres and special presentations.
Wicked Weekend is headlined by a special presentation of the first two episodes of Netflix’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”, genre maestro Mike Flanagan’s hotly anticipated new horror series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe starring Mark Hamill, Carla Gugino, Kate Siegel, and Henry Thomas, as well as Paramount+’s terrifying prequel Pet Sematary:Bloodlines, based on the untold chapter from Stephen King’s chilling novel that reminds us why sometimes dead is better.
Rewind back to the 1980s with Bloody Disgusting and Shudder’s V/H/S/85 showcase featuring Popcorn Frights alumni galore from Scott Derrickson, David Bruckner, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Natasha Kermani, and more. Wicked Weekend also celebrates the 25th anniversary of Halloween H20, the bone-chilling legacy sequel that features the return of original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis and an ensemble of 90s rising stars including Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as an appearance by Hollywood legend Janet Leigh.
Access to Popcorn Frights’ Wicked Weekend in-theater experience is available through an all-access pass, which will provide an all-inclusive experience for films and special events hosted at the historic Gateway Theater in Fort Lauderdale. To order an all-access pass, click here.
The full lineup includes:
The Fall of the House of Usher
Special Presentation
United States | 2023 | 114 Min. | Dir. Mike Flanagan
From Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, comes a wicked horror series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.
Halloween H20
25th Anniversary Presentation
United States | 1998 | 86 Min. | Dir. Steve Miner
Laurie Strode, now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, must battle the Shape one last time, as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
Special Presentation
United States | 2023 | 87 Min. | Dir. Lindsey Anderson Beer
In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to Ludlow. Banding together, Jud and his childhood friends must fight an ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding, and once unearthed has the power to destroy everything in its path.
Suitable Flesh
Florida Premiere
United States | 2023 | 100 Min. | Dir. Joe Lynch
Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering extreme personality disorder. But it leads her into dark occult danger as she tries to escape a horrific fate.
Totally Killer
Special Presentation
United States | 2023 | 106 Min. | Dir. Nahnatchka Khan
When the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.
V/H/S/85
Florida Premiere
United States | 2023 | 110 Min. | Dirs. David Bruckner, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Natasha Kermani, Mike Nelson, Scott Derrickson, Mike P. Nelson
An ominous mixtape blends never before seen snuff footage with nightmarish newscasts and disturbing home video to create a surreal, analog mashup of the forgotten 80s.
When Evil Lurks
Florida Premiere
United States | 2023 | 99 Min. | Dir. Demián Rugna
In a remote village, two brothers find a demon-infected man just about to give birth to evil itself. They decide to get rid of the man but merely succeed in helping him to deliver the inferno.
Your Lucky Day
East Coast Premiere
United States | 2023 | 89 Min. | Dir. Dan Brown
After a dispute over a winning lottery ticket turns into a deadly hostage situation, the witnesses must decide exactly how far they’ll go — and how much blood they’re willing to spill — for a cut of the $156 million.
Artwork by Jason Sheppard