Hokum Trailer Unveils Damian McCarthy’s Chilling Folk Horror Ahead of SXSW Premiere

 Adam Scott faces a sinister mystery at a remote Irish inn in the first trailer for Hokum.

HokumTrailer Unleashes Gothic Folk Horror Ahead of SXSW World Premiere

Just one day after revealing its eerie teaser poster, Neon has now unveiled the official trailer for Hokum—and if early impressions are any indication, director Damian McCarthy may be cementing his place among modern folk horror voices.

The film stars Adam Scott as novelist Oham Baum, a man who travels to a remote inn in Ireland to scatter the ashes of his parents. The location holds deep personal significance—it’s the same hotel where his parents spent their honeymoon.

But what begins as a quiet return steeped in grief quickly spirals into something far darker.

The trailer hints at a deeply atmospheric horror story rooted in folklore and psychological dread. Upon arriving at the inn, Baum encounters a strange group of locals and soon becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of a worker. As he searches for answers, the investigation pulls him deeper into a chilling mystery tied to witchcraft, local legends, and something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface.

Visually, the trailer leans heavily into the gothic tone McCarthy has become known for since his breakout horror feature Caveat. Dimly lit corridors, unsettling folklore imagery, and mounting paranoia suggest that Baum may have walked directly into a carefully laid trap—one that could prove impossible to escape.

The film is already generating strong anticipation ahead of its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival, where audiences will get their first look at McCarthy’s latest descent into psychological terror.

If the trailer is any indication, Hokum looks poised to deliver a blend of creeping folk horror and atmospheric tension—potentially positioning McCarthy as one of the genre’s emerging auteurs in the modern folk horror movement.

Following its SXSW debut, Hokum will open in theaters nationwide on May 1.

For now, the trailer offers a haunting glimpse into what awaits—and fans of gothic horror may want to keep a close eye on this one.