The world’s greatest genre film festival, Fantastic Fest, is just about to finish its 20th anniversary event and io9 was on the ground to watch movies over the past several days. The aim, as always, is to find, or at least be able to recommend, great genre movies coming out in the next few months, and, in that aim, we were successful.
Over the course of about four days, we watched 15 movies, which is but a mere fraction of what the festival has in store. Out of those 15, though, about half of them were films we liked, with a select handful being the true standouts. That’s what you’ll read below. Five films we saw, loved, and want you to be ready for as they come out in the coming weeks, months, or maybe even years.
A few of these you’ve definitely heard of, a few you haven’t, but we can safely say that each is worth seeing and getting excited about.
Obsession
Be careful what you wish for. You may just get it. That’s the moral of Obsession, the best film we saw at Fantastic Fest this year. It follows a man who wishes for his crush to like him, and it works. He just doesn’t consider the consequences. What happens next are some of the most intense, terrifying, and even occasionally hilarious things you’ve seen in a recent horror movie. Filmmaker Curry Barker announces himself as a writer and director to reckon with. Read our review here.
When can I see it?: Obsession was picked up for distribution by Focus Features, so expect it sometime in 2026.
Black Phone 2
Sequels in general usually suck, and horror sequels in particular can be atrocious. With Black Phone 2, though, the team behind the original figured out a way to not just evolve the story of an evil kidnapper and the child who defeated him, but elevate it too. There’s more horror, more lore, more mystery, and more excitement. It’s an excellent sequel that takes everything you liked about the first movie and makes it even better. Read our review here.
When can I see it?: Black Phone 2 opens in theaters October 17.
Beast of War
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