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10 things we can't wait to see at SXSW 2019
This week, SXSW kicks off with a film and TV festival stocked with world premieres, studded with stars, and staggering in its treasures for genre lovers! Over the coming weeks, SYFY will be reporting out of the fest, sharing the very best SXSW has to offer when it comes to fantasy, horror, and sci-fi.
SYFY FANGRRLS will be bringing you breaking news, overviews, and interviews. But before the lights go down and the queso heats up, we're sharing what has us most stoked to be in attendance at SXSW 2019. Bring on the child-chasing zombies, kooky vampires, alien baby mamas, goofiness, gore, and more, more, more!
Us
Between his scorching directorial debut, Get Out, and his upcoming Twilight Zone reboot, Jordan Peele is staking his claim as the modern master of horror. And he's poised to make his mark on SXSW's Opening Night with the world premiere of Us. All we know about this inventive and hotly anticipated follow-up is that it stars Black Panther's Lupita Nyong'o and Winston Duke as parents whose happy home is invaded by intruders who disturbingly familiar and undeniably menacing. Last year, A Quiet Place was the opening night thriller that drove audiences wild. This year, we predict Us will bring down the house!
What We Do In The Shadows
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi had critics raving in 2014 over their outrageous and quirky mockumentary about vampire roommates "living" together in a small New Zealand community. Now, they've reconceived this bloody fun horror-comedy as a deliciously outlandish sitcom, set in modern Staten Island, New York. And SXSW audiences will have the chance to sink their teeth into this weird romp, weeks ahead of its premiere on FX! But no "energy vampires" allowed.
Little Monsters
Us isn't the only place you can see Lupita Nyong'o relishing in horror at SXSW! Writer/director Abe Forsythe is bringing his Sundance hit to the fest. This biting zombie comedy stars Nyong'o as a kindergarten teacher who loves to sing songs and impart life lessons to her adorable students. But when the class field trip to a petting zoo is overrun by zombies, Miss Caroline must protect her kids from literal ankle biters. And if that weren't wild enough, Josh Gad co-stars as an oversexed and obnoxious TV personality, Teddy McGiggle.
NOS4A2
Based on the Joe Hill novel, NOS4A2 (pronounced "Nosferatu") is a new AMC series that stars Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, and former SYFY contributor Jahkara J. Smith (A.K.A. Sailor J)! The story centers on Victoria "Vic" McQueen (Cummings), a young woman who has the strange power to open portals to find missing things. As she opens this door to the world of "inscape travelers," she will find not only allies but also a dangerous enemy, who achieves immortality by feasting on the souls of children. NOS4A2 hits AMC April 30, but SXSW attendees will get a sneak peek at this freaky horror show.
Body At Brighton Rock
The Midnighters section is where this FANGRRL likes to search for undiscovered treasures. And this year's slate offers a string of world premieres with promising premises. First up, writer/director Roxanne Benjamin offers Murderinos another reason to stay out of the forest with Body at Brighton Rock. Karina Fontes stars as a young park ranger desperate to prove herself. But a wrong turn into the backcountry leads her to stumble onto a potential crime scene. With the night coming on too fast to escape, she's left in the darkness with her fears… and possibly something much scarier.
Tales From The Lodge
Another world premiere in the Midnighters slate, writer/director Abigail Blackmore's horror movie sounds like The Big Chill meets Are You Afraid of the Dark? Inching ever closer to their 40s, a band of college friends reunite to scatter the ashes of their dearly departed pal, Jonesy. It begins as a weekend of remembrance and fun, scaring each other with scary stories of murder, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. But as the night envelops them, they realize that true horror is knocking at the lodge's door.
Snatchers
Pregnancy scare just reached new heights! In this sci-fi comedy helmed by Stephen Cedars and Benji Kleiman, a teen girl caves to peer pressure and sleeps with her boyfriend. But no sex talks or pamphlets could have prepared her for the morning after. She awakes nine-months pregnant, probably with an alien baby. Thankfully, she's got her BFF by her side to see her through the blood, birthing, and out of this world mayhem of motherhood!
Them That Follow
It was the unusual cast of this thriller that first caught my eye. Comedian Jim Gaffigan. English ingénue Alice Englert. Beloved character actor Walton Goggins. Newly minted Academy Award-winner and master of tragedy and comedy, Olivia Colman! I was hooked right there. Writers/directors Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage reeled me in with their curious concept. Intrigued by the branch of American Pentecostalism that expresses their faith in God through the handling of deadly snakes, the pair created an original horror story about a pastor's daughter, deep in the thick of the Appalachian wild, who harbors a secret that could poison her community.
Good Omens
Based on the celebrated novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Good Omens is a new mini-series from Amazon Prime Video that follows a most unlikely pair of bffs, an angel and a demon who join forces to prevent the apocalypse. At "Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate SXSW Event," attendees will get a sneak peek at the show that's got fantasy fans geeking out. Plus, director Douglas Mackinnon and stars Michael Sheen, David Tennant, and Jon Hamm will be on hand to give insight into the behind-the-scenes magic that brought Good Omens to life. And SYFY will be there to report the highlights!
Pet Sematary
Closing out SXSW's film festival is this slick remake of Stephen King's seminal scary novel. Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer resurrect a tale of local lore turned too-real horror. The Creed family was looking for peace and quiet In their cozy new town. But when tragedy strikes with all the force of a tractor-trailer, their happy home life will never be the same. A creepy cat, haunting memories, and the eerie advice of a wizened neighbor (John Lithgow) lead family man Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) down a dark path of grief, blood, and doom.
