Blab Entertainment
Fantasia 2026 Unveils Star-Studded Horror Lineup for Montreals 30th Festival
The 30th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival will run from July 16 to August 2, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, and has announced a slate of seven horror titles that will headline the event. The festival, which attracts more than 100,000 attendees each year, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading genre festivals, alongside Sitges and Fantastic Fest.
The lineup includes the world‑premiere of Freaks Part II, which will close the festival, and the Canadian premiere of The Last Temptation of Becky, which will open the program. Other titles—Junction Row, Colony, Recluse, No Rest for the Wicked, and The Eyes—will be screened throughout the run.
The Last Temptation of Becky
Director Jenn Wexler’s latest entry follows Lulu Wilson’s character Becky, who has moved from home‑invasion thriller to CIA field agent. In the film, Becky is sent undercover to a Polish family that runs a tourist operation at Hitler’s former Wolf’s Lair bunker. The plot centers on her discovery of a plot to resurrect a Fourth Reich. The cast includes Kate Siegel and Neil Patrick Harris.
Freaks Part II
The sequel to the 2018 film Freaks will be the festival’s closing feature. Co‑directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, the movie follows Mary (Amanda Crew) and her daughter Chloe as they hide from the Abnormal Defense Force. The film is expected to combine inventive gore with themes of authoritarianism, family, and identity.
Junction Row
Canadian horror actress Katharine Isabelle leads the feature debut of short‑film director Ashlea Wessel. Junction Row follows Juno, a recovering addict who returns to a dangerous housing compound after her friend disappears. The script, written by Adam Cesare, Matt Serafini, and Wessel, mixes creature‑feature thrills with Lovecraftian horror and trauma.
Colony
South Korean director Yeon Sang‑ho returns with Colony, a biotech‑based outbreak story that turns a scientific conference into a fight for survival after a mutating virus unleashes cannibalistic attackers. The film premiered at Cannes 2026 and will be shown in Montreal as its Canadian premiere.
Recluse
Recluse follows a sound recordist who returns to care for her estranged father, a renowned artist rumored to have experimented with the occult. The film marks the feature debut of director Henry Chaisson, who previously wrote Antlers. The cast includes Sasha Frolova, Toby Poser, Xander Berkeley, and Kimball Farley.
No Rest for the Wicked
Director Kasper Kalle’s vampire romance is set in the 19th‑century Faroe Islands. The story blends Gothic romance, folk horror, and religious oppression with a new take on vampire mythology. Danish actor Pilou Asbæk stars.
The Eyes
The Eyes is a psychological thriller inspired by the Spanish film Julia’s Eyes. Directed by Yeom Ji‑oh, the film follows Seo‑jin, who loses her sight while investigating her twin sister’s suspicious death. The narrative is noted for its shifting perspectives and depth‑of‑field manipulation.
The festival’s full schedule was announced on July 2, 2026, and the event will open with Nicholas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell and close with Freaks Part II. In addition to the screenings, Fantasia will host a five‑week retrospective of standout films from its history at the Cinémathèque québécoise from August 7 to September 19.
With a mix of established genre veterans and emerging voices, the 2026 lineup underscores Fantasia’s role as a showcase for horror and science‑fiction cinema worldwide. The festival’s programming highlights the continued vitality of Canadian horror, the international reach of Korean and Danish filmmakers, and the enduring appeal of creature features and psychological thrillers.
The 30th Fantasia International Film Festival will run from July 16 to August 2, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, and will feature the world‑premiere of Freaks Part II and the Canadian premiere of The Last Temptation of Becky among its seven highlighted horror titles.
The lineup includes the world‑premiere of Freaks Part II, which will close the festival, and the Canadian premiere of The Last Temptation of Becky, which will open the program. Other titles—Junction Row, Colony, Recluse, No Rest for the Wicked, and The Eyes—will be screened throughout the run.
The Last Temptation of Becky
Director Jenn Wexler’s latest entry follows Lulu Wilson’s character Becky, who has moved from home‑invasion thriller to CIA field agent. In the film, Becky is sent undercover to a Polish family that runs a tourist operation at Hitler’s former Wolf’s Lair bunker. The plot centers on her discovery of a plot to resurrect a Fourth Reich. The cast includes Kate Siegel and Neil Patrick Harris.
Freaks Part II
The sequel to the 2018 film Freaks will be the festival’s closing feature. Co‑directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, the movie follows Mary (Amanda Crew) and her daughter Chloe as they hide from the Abnormal Defense Force. The film is expected to combine inventive gore with themes of authoritarianism, family, and identity.
Junction Row
Canadian horror actress Katharine Isabelle leads the feature debut of short‑film director Ashlea Wessel. Junction Row follows Juno, a recovering addict who returns to a dangerous housing compound after her friend disappears. The script, written by Adam Cesare, Matt Serafini, and Wessel, mixes creature‑feature thrills with Lovecraftian horror and trauma.
Colony
South Korean director Yeon Sang‑ho returns with Colony, a biotech‑based outbreak story that turns a scientific conference into a fight for survival after a mutating virus unleashes cannibalistic attackers. The film premiered at Cannes 2026 and will be shown in Montreal as its Canadian premiere.
Recluse
Recluse follows a sound recordist who returns to care for her estranged father, a renowned artist rumored to have experimented with the occult. The film marks the feature debut of director Henry Chaisson, who previously wrote Antlers. The cast includes Sasha Frolova, Toby Poser, Xander Berkeley, and Kimball Farley.
No Rest for the Wicked
Director Kasper Kalle’s vampire romance is set in the 19th‑century Faroe Islands. The story blends Gothic romance, folk horror, and religious oppression with a new take on vampire mythology. Danish actor Pilou Asbæk stars.
The Eyes
The Eyes is a psychological thriller inspired by the Spanish film Julia’s Eyes. Directed by Yeom Ji‑oh, the film follows Seo‑jin, who loses her sight while investigating her twin sister’s suspicious death. The narrative is noted for its shifting perspectives and depth‑of‑field manipulation.
The festival’s full schedule was announced on July 2, 2026, and the event will open with Nicholas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell and close with Freaks Part II. In addition to the screenings, Fantasia will host a five‑week retrospective of standout films from its history at the Cinémathèque québécoise from August 7 to September 19.
With a mix of established genre veterans and emerging voices, the 2026 lineup underscores Fantasia’s role as a showcase for horror and science‑fiction cinema worldwide. The festival’s programming highlights the continued vitality of Canadian horror, the international reach of Korean and Danish filmmakers, and the enduring appeal of creature features and psychological thrillers.
The 30th Fantasia International Film Festival will run from July 16 to August 2, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, and will feature the world‑premiere of Freaks Part II and the Canadian premiere of The Last Temptation of Becky among its seven highlighted horror titles.
