Would you pay $10 million for a slasher from a first-time director? Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Atomic Monster are reportedly closing a deal worth north of $10 million for Joshua Giuliano’s River following its world premiere at TIFF. The feature debut follows three estranged siblings trying to scatter their father’s ashes who become stranded along a rural waterway — with a masked serial killer hunting them. Also on today’s The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror: • Zach Cregger reveals why he removed much of the comedy from Resident Evil after test screenings • Resident Evil arrives in theaters September 18 • Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi writes, directs, stars in and scores his first horror film, Wrong Number • Barbie Ferreira co-stars • Today’s Take • Fantastic Fest programming update PROGRAMMING NOTE: There will be no Thursday edition of The Final Cut while we travel to Fantastic Fest. The goal is a special short Final Cut Friday morning, live from Fantastic Fest on Day Two. Follow @HMUNCUT for Fantastic Fest coverage, horror news, reviews and festival updates.

What if Jason Voorhees was never the most interesting person at Crystal Lake? Peacock has released the full trailer for Crystal Lake, the Friday the 13th prequel series starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees. Set in 1971, the series explores Jason’s drowning and the events that send his mother down a murderous path. Also on today’s The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror: • Lily James and Jack Reynor lead Seasons, arriving November 12, 2027 • Ancient spirits force a couple through disturbing seasonal rituals • Severance producer Nicholas Weinstock boards Indian fantasy-horror Tongue • Tongue follows two estranged sisters trapped inside their grandmother’s mansion • Today’s Take • Spotify Poll The Final Cut is officially back from break. Check out Bloodstream, the streaming partner of Horror Movies Uncut and The Final Cut, for horror available now and coming soon. Follow @HMUNCUT for horror news, reviews, trailers and festival coverage. #CrystalLake #FridayThe13th #PamelaVoorhees #LindaCardellini #HorrorNews #TheFinalCut #HMUNCUT

He said it in the driveway. He said it at the basement. He said it when the radio died. 🏅 400+ bad feelings. 100% accuracy. Zero departures. A Legends of the Genre profile: The "We Should Leave" Guy — the most correct man in cinema, and the least effective. #HorrorMovies #HorrorTok #HorrorTropes #HorrorComedy #WeShouldLeave #MovieTropes #HorrorCommunity #HorrorMoviesUncut

Ethan Hawke and Scott Derrickson are officially working on another horror project after Sinister, The Black Phone and Black Phone 2. Also on today’s The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror: • Sony and Spyglass are developing a new reimagining of Pulse • Parker Finn is producing through Bad Feeling • Focus Features launches a major Oscar campaign for Obsession • Inde Navarrette will campaign for Best Actress • Curry Barker is being positioned for Best Director, Original Screenplay and Film Editing This is our final episode before the Labor Day break. The Final Cut will be off beginning Friday, September 4, through next week. While we’re away, follow @HMUNCUT for continued horror news, reviews and coverage. And check out Bloodstream, the streaming partner of Horror Movies Uncut and The Final Cut, for horror available now and coming soon. #TheFinalCut #EthanHawke #ScottDerrickson #Obsession #Pulse #HorrorNews #IndeNavarrette #CurryBarker #HMUNCUT

One of 2026’s biggest horror success stories is now facing a legal fight behind the scenes. An executive producer on Obsession has sued Tea Shop Productions and producers James Harris and Mark Lane, alleging she was denied a promised share of the film’s profits. Also on today’s The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror: • Josh Duhamel joins psychological horror Speak • Satan’s Slaves: Origin takes Joko Anwar’s franchise back to the 1500s • Today’s Take • Spotify Poll Check out Bloodstream, the streaming partner of Horror Movies Uncut and The Final Cut, for horror available now and coming soon. Follow @HMUNCUT for horror news, reviews, trailers and festival coverage. #TheFinalCut #Obsession #HorrorNews #SatanSlaves #JoshDuhamel #Speak #JokoAnwar #HMUNCUT

David F. Sandberg is returning to psychological horror with Mommy’s Home, a Lionsgate project about a 24-year-old woman who is unfrozen decades later — only to discover her son is now older than she is. Also on today’s The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror: • Isabelle Huppert stars as Elizabeth Báthory in The Blood Countess • Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence sets its October PVOD release • Today’s Take • Spotify Poll Check out Bloodstream, the streaming partner of Horror Movies Uncut and The Final Cut, for horror available now and coming soon. Follow @HMUNCUT for horror news, reviews, trailers and festival coverage. #TheFinalCut #HorrorNews #MommysHome #DavidFSandberg #TheBloodCountess #IsabelleHuppert #KillerTomatoes #HMUNCUT

How strong is your horror knowledge when the clues are real Jeopardy! questions? Today on The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror, we’re putting horror fans to the test with actual Jeopardy! clues covering A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Blair Witch Project, Little Shop of Horrors and more. Plus: • Can scary movies actually help kids build resilience? • Australian supernatural horror Effigy wraps production and takes its haunting back to 1989 • Today’s Take • Spotify Poll This is also our final week before The Final Cut takes its Labor Day break beginning Friday, September 4. Check out Bloodstream, the streaming partner of Horror Movies Uncut and The Final Cut, for horror available now and coming soon. Follow @HMUNCUT for daily horror news, reviews, trailers and festival coverage. #TheFinalCut #HorrorNews #Jeopardy #HorrorMovies #Effigy #ScaryMovies #HMUNCUT

Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor makes his feature directorial debut with Tap Twice, a supernatural horror film about an isolated estate where the walls record everything — and something learns to speak using its victims’ voices. Plus, Obsession is taking Halloween Horror Nights even further as Nikki roams Universal Studios Hollywood and directly interacts with guests, while Tara Reid and Johnny Pemberton board the Southern Gothic horror film Scissor Mouth. On today’s Final Cut: • Andrew Bachelor directs and stars in Tap Twice • Obsession brings an interactive Nikki to Halloween Horror Nights • Tara Reid and Johnny Pemberton join Scissor Mouth • Today’s Take 🎙️ The Final Cut — Your Daily Pulse in Horror Check out Bloodstream, the streaming partner of Horror Movies Uncut and The Final Cut, for horror available now and coming soon. Follow @HMUNCUT for horror news, reviews, trailers and festival coverage. #TheFinalCut #HorrorNews #TapTwice #KingBach #Obsession #HalloweenHorrorNights #ScissorMouth #HorrorMovies #HMUNCUT

The Donnie Darko universe is expanding. Richard Kelly has written The Philosophy of Time Travel, an approximately 800-page novel continuing the mythology 25 years after his cult classic — and it could be the beginning of a much larger sequel plan. Also on today’s The Final Cut: Your Daily Pulse in Horror: Richard Kelly reveals his plans for the future of Donnie Darko. Nataša Urban explores motherhood and psychological horror with Vagina Dentata. Sony lands Wolf’s Belly, John August’s twisted Little Red Riding Hood reimagining, with Alfonso Cuarón producing. 🎧 Streaming partner: Check out Bloodstream for horror available now and coming soon. 🩸 More horror news, reviews and coverage at Horror Movies Uncut. Question of the Day: Should Richard Kelly continue Donnie Darko, or should the original remain untouched? #DonnieDarko #HorrorNews #TheFinalCut #HorrorMovies #RichardKelly #VaginaDentata #WolfsBelly #AlfonsoCuaron #HMUNCUT