Reel Horror News Roundup: July 7 - 13, 2025

 🔪 This Week in Horror

Strings of Death: Teen’s Bizarre Sleepwalk Ends in Fatal Drop

Springwood, OH — A teenage patient was found dead outside Westin Hills Psychiatric Hospital early Wednesday morning after what officials are calling a “severe sleepwalking accident.”

Phillip Anderson, 17, had reportedly been struggling with recurring nightmares and was undergoing experimental group therapy at the time of his death. 

According to hospital staff, Phillip’s body was discovered in the courtyard directly beneath a locked tower window. 

While the official report lists the cause as suicide, several patients in the ward claim the teen had been asleep moments before his fall — and that his movements were “not his own.”

“We saw him moving through the hallway like a puppet,” one anonymous source told Reel Horror News. “It was like… something was controlling him.”

Hospital administrators have declined to comment on the security breach or the presence of any physical injuries beyond blunt-force trauma.

👁️‍🗨️ Based on A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

Critical Bloodbath: 2025 Horror Releases Face Brutal Reviews

A wave of box office shrieks turned to groans as critics handed out some of the year’s nastiest reviews, and not for the reasons horror fans hoped.

According to a new roundup from ScreenCrush, 2025’s horror slate has been plagued by creative misfires and squandered potential. 

While horror often thrives on low budgets and big ideas, this year’s worst offenders missed both marks, leaving viewers more bored than bloodied.

🎞️ Want the gory details? Read: The Worst Horror Movies of 2025 (So Far)

New ‘Halloween’ Edition Slashes Onto Shelves

🎃 Evil never dies… but it does get reissued. Halloween fans, get ready to stalk the aisles: a new edition of John Carpenter’s 1978 slasher classic is on the way.

This collector’s release of the genre-defining Halloween promises enhanced packaging, fresh extras, and the kind of glossy treatment that makes your current Blu-ray feel like a forgotten babysitter.

Timed to capitalize on enduring fan loyalty and Michael’s immortality, this edition gives horror collectors one more excuse to double (or triple) dip.

🎞️ Thinking about upgrading your copy before the next fog rolls in?
Here’s how to get your hands on the new Halloween release

🎥 VHS Vault: Monkey Shines (1988)

When a gifted athlete is confined to a wheelchair, he forms a bond with an intelligent helper monkey. But behind its calm, curious gaze lies something deeper and darker. 

Whispers of psychic connection and hidden intent begin to surface. Every shared glance carries a spark of unease. You’ll find yourself wondering just who—or what—is in charge.

📼 Looking for a new companion? Stream Monkey Shines now on Amazon Prime Video.

📚 Vault Fact File: Monkey Shines (1988)

• Directed by: George A. Romero
• Screenplay by: George A. Romero
• Starring: Jason Beghe, Kate McNeil, John Pankow
• Filming Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• VHS Release: Orion Pictures (1988)
• Cult Legacy: A rare psychological horror entry from Romero, blending science fiction with terror
• Did You Know? The film's monkey, Ella, was portrayed by a trained Capuchin monkey named Boo

🎬 VHS Vault: Child’s Play (1988)

 “Hi, I’m Chucky. Wanna play?”

Vault Notes:
A quiet rental-store staple that hid pure evil in a doll’s grin. You’d pick up Child’s Play for the creepy nightmares provided by a pint‑sized killer. 

That cheerful “Good Guys” doll on the shelf hid something far more sinister. With its bright packaging and friendly grin, Child’s Play became the go‑to late‑night rental when you wanted your childhood nightmares in living color. Every flicker, pop, and tape hiss feels like a dare: Are you brave enough to let this doll into your home?

📼 Looking for a new playmate? Stream Child’s Play now on Amazon Prime Video.

📚 Vault Fact File: Child’s Play (1988)

• Directed by: Tom Holland
• Screenplay by: Don Mancini
• Starring: Catherine Hicks, Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif (voice of Chucky)
• Filming Location: Chicago, IL
• VHS Release: Vestron Video (1988)
• Cult Legacy: Spawned 8 sequels, a 2019 remake, and a TV series
• Did You Know? The name “Chucky” was coined by Brad Dourif during ADR, not in the original script

🎬 VHS Vault: Night of the Demons (1988)

"You’re invited to Angela’s party... but it’s gonna be hell."

This one sat on the lower shelves of every decent horror section.  Black clamshell case, glowing demonic face, and a promise: Angela’s throwing a party, and you’re dying to get in. It was a sleepover rental rite of passage, the kind of movie you popped in after midnight with chips, soda, and the lights off.

You came for demons, but you stayed for Linnea Quigley’s infamous lipstick moment and the synth-soaked soundtrack that made Hull House feel like a rave hosted in purgatory.

🎃 Halloween horror with teeth, teased hair, and tar-black humor? Night of the Demons never lets you forget what decade it came from or how much it enjoyed being bad.

📼 Feel like raising a little hell? Hit rewind or stream this gory goth cult classic Night of the Demons now.

📚 Vault Fact File: Night of the Demons (1988)

• Directed by: Kevin S. Tenney
• Budget: ~$1.2 million
• Filming Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Original VHS Release: International Video Entertainment (IVE)
• Signature Scene: The lipstick tube… you know the one
• Cult Legacy: Spawned 2 sequels and a 2009 remake

Reel Horror News Roundup: June 30 - July 6, 2025

YOUNG WOMAN KILLED BY SPEAR GUN AT ABANDONED LAKEFRONT

HIGGINS HAVEN, NJ — Authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a woman found late Friday evening with a harpoon lodged through her eye at the former Higgins Haven summer property.

The victim, identified as Veronica Sanchez, 20, was reportedly on a weekend retreat with friends when she was last seen near the boathouse. 

“It looked like a joke at first,” said one teen. “Then we saw the blood.”

Law enforcement has not released details on suspects, but the murder weapon — a speargun — was recovered near the dock. 

Investigators noted the weapon appeared aged but functional, suggesting it may have been brought to the scene intentionally. 

The Higgins property, long considered cursed, has now been cordoned off once again.

“It was supposed to be a fun weekend.”

🎞️ Based on a scene from Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982), directed by Steve Miner. 

Edgar Wright’s Running Man Is a Full-Throttle Reimagining

Edgar Wright is taking Stephen King's dystopian nightmare for a wild new spin. His upcoming take on The Running Man isn’t just a remake — it’s a high-octane reimagining that aims to get closer to the novel’s grim core, with Wright’s signature kinetic style at the helm.

🎬 Ready to run? Take a peek at the first teaser trailer over at Stuff.

Jack Bender to Bring Stephen King's The Institute to the Screen

Stephen King's world keeps expanding — and this time, it’s The Institute. Jack Bender, director of Mr. Mercedes, returns to bring another terrifying King tale to life, blending dark government secrets and psychic kids into what could be the next prestige horror-thriller series.

Learn more about the eerie adaptation in the works from Mr. Mercedes director Jack Bender, via Screen Rant.

Killer Kites Is Streaming Now — And It's as Absurd as It Sounds

What do you get when airborne toys turn homicidal? Killer Kites might just be the weirdest horror flick of the decade — and it's finally streaming. Leaning fully into absurdity, this lo-fi indie oddity delivers paper-thin terror with a deadly twist.

🪁 Ready to get tangled in terror? Killer Kites is now streaming — catch the full story at Dread Central.

Stephen King's The Long Walk Might Be His Most Terrifying Story Without a Single Monster

No vampires, no clowns, no killers — just a brutal march and a line you don't want to cross. Stephen King’s The Long Walk strips horror down to its most human core, where survival becomes the scariest game of all. This cult favorite might be King’s quietest — and cruelest — nightmare yet.

🚶Think you could outwalk the rest? Dive into why The Long Walk still haunts readers decades later via CBR.

VHS Vault: The Blob (1988)

A gelatinous nightmare unleashed on a small town, The Blob remake delivers gooey, gruesome terror with a modern ’80s twist. This isn’t just an oozing monster; it’s a relentless force of nature that swallows everything in its path, sparking panic and chaos.

Director Chuck Russell infuses the film with slick practical effects and a killer synth-rock soundtrack that screams late ’80s horror vibe. The VHS cover art alone, with its pulsating red mass and terrified faces, is a classic eye-catcher from the rental store shelf.

Vault Notes:
This tape was a must-grab for fans of body horror and creature features. The VHS release came wrapped in a lurid, blood-red slipcase, making it a standout in any horror collection.

💀 Horror fans, beware:
This Blob isn’t your childhood jelly — it’s viscous, violent, and downright unforgettable.

📼 Dive into the nightmare. Watch The Blob... if you dare.

📚 Vault Fact File: The Blob (1988)

• Directed by: Chuck Russell (directed A Nightmare on Elm Street 3)
• Remake of: 1958 classic sci-fi horror
• Budget: Approximately $8 million
• Filming Location: Arizona deserts and California studios
• VHS Release: Universal Pictures Home Video (1988)
• Special Effects: Pioneering goo effects using silicone and stop-motion animation
• Cult Status: A blend of teenage angst, gore, and ’80s synth soundtrack 

VHS Vault: Pumpkinhead (1988)

“For each of man's evils, a special demon exists...”
In the dim, fog-choked woods of rural Appalachia, vengeance takes monstrous form. Pumpkinhead isn’t just a movie; it’s a backwoods fable soaked in grief, guilt, and Southern Gothic dread.

Stan Winston’s directorial debut is a showcase of practical effects mastery. The titular demon—all sinew, hate, and ritual—crawls straight from the VHS shelves of 1988 into your nightmares. No quips. No camp. Just pain. And a price.

Vault Notes:

This was a staple in the creature-feature aisle. MGM’s VHS release came in a moody clamshell or slipcase, often worn soft by repeat rentals. You'd rent it for the monster... then feel gut-punched by Lance Henriksen’s haunted performance and that dusty, funeral-like score. 

💀 Still haunted by childhood rentals?
You’re not alone. Pumpkinhead is horror with weight — and one of the few ‘80s monster movies that doesn’t wink at the camera.

📼 Return to the woods. Revisit Pumpkinhead... if you dare. 

📚 Vault Fact File: Pumpkinhead (1988)

• Directed by: Stan Winston
• Creature Design: Winston Studios — behind Aliens, Predator, The Terminator
• Budget: ~$3.5 million
• Filming Location: Southern California as Appalachia
• VHS Release: MGM/UA Home Video (1989)
• Cult Legacy: Spawned 3 sequels and a comic book
• Did You Know? The demon subtly mirrors the man who summons it