Phobias, an upcoming anthology horror movie, sets out to delve into the worst fears of five government patients, and here's what we know so far. After a long period spent out of the spotlight, the art of anthology horror has seen a major resurgence in the last decade. Shows like Black Mirror, Channel Zero, and Creepshow have brought horror anthologies back to TV, while films like V/H/S, Southbound, and All Hallows' Eve have shown that horror anthologies are still prime material for the feature format.
Like those films, Phobias is of independent origin, as it appears that major Hollywood studios are still reluctant to make horror anthology movies for wide theatrical release. Considering the current video landscape though, that's not really a detriment, as the indie anthologies that get released are generally easy to partake of, with most only being a streaming service or digital rental away. Plus, in the age of COVID-19, theaters are, sadly, hardly a desirable place to spend time.
Featuring five directors and six credited writers, Phobias looks to activate the fear response in both its characters and its viewers, crafting tales of terror hopefully worthy of nightmares. Here's everything we currently know about it.
On January 27, 2021, Vertical Entertainment officially acquired North American distribution rights to Phobias, which was first screened at Mammoth Film Festival in February 2020. Phobias doesn't yet have a firm release date, but is likely to become available on digital platforms and possibly in limited theaters sometime in March 2021. Directing things are Joe Sill (Strays), Chris von Hoffmann (Monster Party), and three first-timers, Maritte Lee Go, Jess Varley, and Camilla Belle, star of the When a Stranger Calls remake. Radio Silence, makers of 2019's excellent Ready or Not and the upcoming Scream 5, are producing.
Phobias' framing device, a standard feature for horror anthologies, sees five highly phobic patients at a government testing facility get subjected to treatments by a mad doctor looking to make their conditions into a weapon. Since there are five stories in the film, that means each patient gets their own segment. Plot and specific character details beyond that have yet to be fully clarified, but the cast of Phobias includes Westworld's Leonardo Nam, Pitch Perfect's Hana Mae Lee and Alexis Knapp, Lauren Miller Rogen (wife and frequent collaborator of Seth Rogen), Narcos' Martina Garcia, actress/model Charlotte McKinney, and oddly enough, Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray.
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February 06, 2021 at 05:36AM
