T.S. Eliot described April as the cruelest month—and with so many horror movies coming out this April, he might have been onto something! Between Evil Dead Rise, Renfield, and The Pope's Exorcist, you've got plenty of US releases to choose from at the box office. But if you're willing to travel a little further (metaphorically speaking), April is also stacked with some unmissable international titles.
This month's round-up of round-the-world releases spans ten countries, five continents, and even a remake. From folk horror to a Megalodon attack, here's what's on the arrivals board this April.
1. Family Dinner (Austria)
If you thought holiday dinners with your family were awkward, wait until you get a taste of the Austrian horror film Family Dinner! Taking place in the build-up to Easter Sunday, the film centers around overweight teen Simi (Nina Katlein), who goes to stay with her famous nutritionist aunt Claudia (Pia Hierzegger), seeking weight loss support. Claudia agrees, and Simi settles into her strict new routine, but it isn't long before she realizes something is wrong in her aunt's household…
Peter Hengl wrote and directed Family Dinner, which arrived on VOD and SCREAMBOX on April 7. Bon appétit!
2. Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism (Australia)
Aussie horror does not mess around, so don't expect a standard exorcism flick when you hit play on Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism.
From director Nick Kozakis, Godless follows Lara (Georgia Eyers), a woman whose strange and erratic behavior has her husband Ron (Dan Ewing) convinced she's possessed. When Ron's congregation of religious zealots recommends pursuing an unsanctioned exorcism, Lara is thrust into an ordeal far more horrifying than any demon could have concocted. Catch Godless on VOD now, then read up on the film in the latest issue of FANGORIA.
3. Cube (Japan)
A remake of Vincenzo Natali's 1997 shocker of the same name, Japanese horror film Cube hits SCREAMBOX on April 11.
Directed by Yasuhiko Shimizu, Cube sees a group of strangers trapped in a mysterious room with no idea how they got there. In a prison riddled with booby traps, they'll need to work together to survive. But that's easier said than done with so much fear and paranoia in the air.
4. Marry F*** Kill (Canada)
Wanna play a game? Hailing from Montréal and led by an all-Canadian cast, Tubi Original Marry F*** Kill dropped on the free streaming platform on April 7.
In the film, which was directed by Caroline Labrèche, five estranged college friends reunite to attend the funeral of Beth (Devin Cecchetto), who died by suicide. Their friendship was destroyed by betrayal, yet Beth mysteriously left the group a house in her will. Surely, nothing sinister could be waiting for them there…
5. Phenomena (Spain)
Belén Rueda, star of The Orphanage, leads the cast of Phenomena, a horror-comedy coming to Netflix on April 14.
Set in Spain in the late '90s, Phenomena follows three middle-aged women who investigate paranormal events. But when their leader disappears, the ladies' skills around the supernatural are really put to the test. Carlos Therón directed Phenomena, which also stars Gracia Olayo, Toni Acosta, and Emilio Gutiérrez Caba.
6. Nightmare Radio: The Night Stalker (Argentina/New Zealand)
The host of a late-night radio show is tormented by a frequent caller in Nightmare Radio: The Night Stalker. This horror anthology features segments from Charly Goitia, Ryan J. Thompson, Lorcan Finnegan, Nathan Crooker, Adam O'Brien, Mia'kate Russell, and David M. Night Marie.
Arriving on Digital and VOD platforms on April 18, Nightmare Radio stars Paula Brasca as Candy, who hosts the titular call-in show. Candy describes her program as one where "horror stories never end." But if her obsessive fan has anything to do with it, her own story may end in tears…
7. Enys Men (United Kingdom)
Following its limited theatrical release last month, British folk horror film Enys Men hits VOD platforms on April 18. The film was directed by Mark Jenkins, who previously made a splash with monochrome microbudget drama Bait, and centers around a wildlife volunteer (Mary Woodvine) living a strange, repetitive life on an uninhabited island off the coast of Cornwall in the 1970s.
Shot on 16mm with a clockwork camera, Enys Men feels like a true spiritual successor to the British folk horror classics of the era it's set in. It's bold, experimental, and won't give you easy answers, but it's a beautifully disquieting watch if you allow yourself to fall under its hypnotic spell.
8. The Black Demon (Dominican Republic)
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, The Black Demon is here to deliver some truly R-rated Megaladon scares!
In The Black Demon, oilman Paul (Josh Lucas) takes his family to Baja to inspect one of his rigs. The locals are convinced that the offshore platform has awoken "El Demonio"—and the family is about to find out this shark doesn't take too kindly to people drilling for oil in its waters. Catch The Black Demon in theatres from April 28.
Hungry for more international horror? Catch up on March's releases, and be sure to check back next month for a fresh batch!
9. The Tank (New Zealand)
Tick tock, it's creature feature o'clock! New Zealand filmmaker Scott Walker has teamed up with legendary effects studio Wētā Workshop for The Tank, which sees a family accidentally unleashing an ancient creature (whoops!) after inheriting an abandoned coastal property.
Luciane Buchanan and Matt Whelan star in The Tank. The film is set to open in select theatres on April 21 ahead of its digital release on April 25.
10. Night of the Killer Bears (Thailand)
Also dropping on VOD on April 18 is Night of the Killer Bears, a Thai horror film directed by Kanphong Banjongphinij. The flick follows five friends who haven't seen one another for a long time deciding to reunite for a killer getaway. Unfortunately, one of them might have taken that idea a little too literally…
Based on the trailer, it looks like the promised bear is just a guy in a costume, not some deranged version of Ted. Either way, this teddy seems anything but cuddly!
