In the wake of five new horror movies this past Tuesday, including the at-home debuts of Christopher Landon’s Drop and the Jenna Ortega-starring Death of a Unicorn, another NINE new movies were unleashed today. They include a period piece shark attack film, the return of David Howard Thornton, and a sun-soaked psychological freakout starring Nicolas Cage.
Here’s all the new horror that released on Friday, May 2, 2025.
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Felipe Vargas (Milk Teeth) makes his feature directorial debut with the horror movie Rosario, which is now playing in limited theaters beginning today from Mucho Mas Releasing.
Alan Trezza (We Summon the Darkness, Burying the Ex) wrote the film, which explores the weight of generational secrets and the price we pay for the dreams we inherit.
Emeraude Toubia (“Shadowhunters”) and David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil) star.
“Wall Street stockbroker Rosario returns to her grandmother’s apartment after her sudden death. While sorting through her Grandmother’s belongings, Rosario uncovers a horrifying secret—a hidden chamber filled with occult artifacts tied to dark generational rituals.
“As supernatural occurrences plague her, Rosario must confront her family’s buried secrets and face the truth about the sacrifices and choices they made.”
Paul Ben-Victor (“The Wire”), José Zúñiga (Constaine), Diana Lein (“Fear the Walking Dead”), Emilia Faucher (Snow White), and Guillermo García (“Mayans M.C.”) round out the horror movie’s cast. Shot on location in Bogotá, Colombia and New York City, Rosario is produced by Silk Mass’ Jon Silk and Mucho Mas’ Javier Chapa and Phillip Braun.
From director Matthew Holmes (The Legend Of Ben Hall, The Cost), Fear Below does something a little different with the tried-and-true shark attack horror movie, transporting us back in time to the deep, dark waters of 1940s Australia. It’s now available on VOD.
In the shark movie, “A team of professional divers in ’40s Australia are hired to locate a sunken car in a river whose efforts are thwarted by a deadly bull shark hunting in the waters.
“When the divers discover they are working for ruthless criminals trying to recover their stolen gold bullion, the bank robbers prove to be as treacherous as what lurks beneath the surface.”
Hermione Corfield (Sea Fever), Will Fletcher (The Rings Of Power), Jake Ryan (Wyrmwood: Apocalypse), Clayton Watson (Matrix Revolutions), Josh McConville (Elvis), Kevin Dee (Road To Boston), Sam Parsonson (Transfusion), Jacob Nayingul (Higher Ground), and Arthur Angel (The King’s Daughter) star.
Did we do good this time, Matthew? Any objections? Sound off below.
After an exclusive theatrical run earlier this month, Steven LaMorte’s Screamboat starring David Howard Thornton is now available at home from DeskPop Entertainment.
You can rent the film for $19.99 or purchase it for $24.99.
David Howard Thornton stars as Steamboat Willie in Screamboat, a twisted version of the black-and-white Mickey Mouse that was introduced in Disney’s animated short in 1928.
In the film, “Be our guest on a NYC ferry ride that turns into a hilarious nightmare when a mischievous mouse named Steamboat Willie becomes a monstrous reality. As passengers set sail, their trip turns deadly when the tiny terror unleashes murder and mayhem.”
From the producers of Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3, Screamboat is written and directed by Steven LaMorte (The Mean One). Quantum Creation FX, Inc. (The Last Voyage of the Demeter) created the creature from designs by concept artist Christian Cordella (Spider-Man: No Way Home).
The cast includes Allison Pittel (Stream), Amy Schumacher (The Mean One), Jesse Posey (Selena), Jesse Kove (Cobra Kai), Kailey Hyman (Terrifier 2), Rumi C Jean-Louis (Hightown), Jarlath Conroy (George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead), and Charles Edwin Powell (The Exorcist III), with cameos from Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Brian Quinn (Impractical Jokers), and stand-up comedian Joe DeRosa (Better Call Saul).
Director Joshua Erkman’s feature debut A Desert blends nihilistic neo-noir and horror, and it’s now playing in select theaters only in Los Angeles from Dark Sky Films.
The film comes to NYC theaters on May 9 and gets a wider release on May 16.
In the noir horror thriller, “A past his prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him.”
David Yow (The Toxic Avenger), Kai Lennox (Green Room), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn), Zachary Ray Sherman (“Under the Banner of Heaven”), Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity), Rob Zabrecky (A Ghost Story), and S.A. Griffin (Vegas Vacation) star.
Meagan Navarro wrote in her review out of Tribeca Film Fest, “A Desert reaches a fitting conclusion, thematically and tonally, but the steadfast refusal for tidy answers may polarize. Still, the refreshingly unpredictable journey and richly textured worldbuilding establish Erkman as a bold new voice, one that deftly blends genres with stunning precision.”
The Nicolas Cage psychological thriller The Surfer from director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium, Nocebo) is now playing in theaters from Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.
When a man (Nicolas Cage) returns to his beachside hometown in Australia, many years since building a life for himself in the U.S., he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a local gang of surfers who claim strict ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood.
Wounded, he decides to remain at the beach, declaring war against those in control of the bay. As the conflict escalates, the stakes spin out of control, taking him to the edge of sanity.
Julian McMahon, Nic Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak, Rahel Romahn, Finn Little and Charlotte Maggi star alongside Nicolas Cage.
Thomas Martin wrote the screenplay for The Surfer.
Vampire lore gets reimagined in Daydreamers, a groundbreaking genre-bender set in modern-day Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Vietnamese film is now playing in limited theaters.
Daydreamers will later sink its fangs into digital platforms on June 3.
The film follows Nhat, a young vampire raised in a secluded river community that suppresses its thirst for human blood in hopes of regaining lost humanity.
When his long-lost brother Marco returns with stories of vampires thriving in the big city amongst humans, Nhat is drawn into a dangerous world that tests his loyalty, beliefs, and survival. His fate takes a turn when he meets Ha, a rebellious schoolgirl who uncovers his secret—forcing Nhat to break vampire law in an act of forbidden protection.
As Trieu, a ruthless vampire queen, orders their execution, the city erupts into chaos, setting the stage for a final battle between brothers—one embracing the monster within, the other fighting to hold onto his last shred of humanity.
Tran Ngoc Vang (Nhat), Thuan Nguyen (Marco), Trinh Thao (Ha), and Chi Pu (Trieu) star in the film that blends horror and fantasy, written and directed by Timothy Linh Bui.
From Freestyle Digital Media, the psychological horror/thriller Room Six is now available on all major VOD outlets. The film is written and directed by Hobart Miller & Michael Panico.
Room Six tells the story of Maxx — a college student working the night shift for her summer job at a rural, vacant rundown motel before the late-night arrival of two brothers.
After a few suspicious incidents, Maxx’s curiosity (or paranoia) gets the best of her, and she decides to investigate. Maxx quickly finds herself in danger as she uncovers what lies hidden in the brothers’ room. Sophia Echendu, Mickey O’ Sullivan, and Jack Ball star.
“Room Six is a raw, gritty thriller that takes place across one eventful night at a rural motel. We wrote this story after reflecting on our own self-destructive tendencies and coping mechanisms,” said the directors. “The intention is to highlight how unresolved trauma in one’s past can shape their future and to explore what it means to reach the point of no return.”
In the wake of Disney’s Snow White movie starring Rachel Zegler, indie horror mockbuster The Death of Snow White was released in select theaters beginning today, May 2.
We understand the theatrical release from Atlas Entertainment is extremely limited, with The Horror Collective bringing the film home to Digital outlets later this year.
Stay tuned for an at-home release date and check your local listings.
“After the mysterious death of Snow White, her closest friends embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind her demise. As secrets unravel and betrayal surfaces, they realize the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of their seemingly idyllic kingdom. With twists and turns, they must navigate through danger to seek justice and avenge their friend’s tragic end.”
Sanae Loutsis, Chelsea Edmundson, Tristan Nokes, Meredith Binder, Colin Miller, and Dillon Moore star in the indie mockbuster from Real Fiction and STL Productions.
Jason Brooks directed the film, written by Brooks and Naomi Mechem-Miller.
Train to Busan breakout star Don Lee (The Roundup franchise) continues his streak for playing tough guys with Holy Night: Demon Hunters, now playing in select theaters.
In the occult action-horror film, “Seoul descends into chaos as a devil-worshipping criminal network emerges. In a desperate plea for salvation, the police turn to ‘Holy Night’—a secretive trio of demon hunters armed with supernatural powers.”
Lim Dae-Hee directed the film from a story by Don Lee. Seohyun (K-Pop group Girls’ Generation), David Lee (“Squid Game“), Kyung Soo-Jin, and Jung Zi-so also star.
Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-Seok, leads as Ba Woo. He’s joined by Sharon (Seohyun), who can detect and exorcise demons, and Kim-kun (David Lee), their loyal support. When psychiatrist Jung-Won (Kyung Soo-Jin) begs for help to save her possessed sister Eun-Seo (Jung Ji-So), the team faces a terrifying force unlike any they’ve seen before.