Fantastic Fest 2026 opens tonight: world premiere of ‘Beware Boiúna’ and ‘Resident Evil’ gala in Austin

The 21st edition of Fantastic Fest, the legendary genre-cinema festival, opens tonight, 17 September 2026, at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, Texas, and will run until 24 September.

The festival opens with the world premiere of Lionsgate’s “Beware Boiúna” — a creature feature about a giant snake in the depths of the Amazon, from director Mike P. Nelson (“Silent Night, Deadly Night”), starring Kiana Madeira, Jessica Rothe and Logan Marshall-Green.

This year’s programme is among the festival’s most ambitious: a special gala screening of Zach Cregger’s “Resident Evil”, the horror “River” — which Universal and Blumhouse bought for over 10 million dollars after its TIFF premiere — the gothic thriller “Victorian Psycho” with Maika Monroe, the US premiere of Mike Flanagan’s “Carrie” series for Amazon Prime, and the North American premiere of the horror “The Blood Countess” with Isabelle Huppert.

The programme also includes a tribute to director Walter Hill, while the festival closes with the film “The Swallow”, followed by a concert from the legendary gore-rock band GWAR.

Festival director Lisa Dreyer said this year’s focus is on discovering new genre-cinema talent.

Source: TheWrap