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First Look at ‘Krampus,’ From the Director of ‘Trick ‘r Treat’!
Be nice… or he’ll be naughty.
Legendary Pictures’ Krampus, in theaters December 4th, a darkly festive tale of a yuletide ghoul, reveals an irreverently twisted side to the holiday.
USA Today has premiered the first images from Trick ‘r Treat director Michael Dougherty’s latest holiday offering that suggest you don’t end up on “his” list. And a quick search online found us the international trailer for the holiday horror film that looks absolutely bonkers!
“It’s one thing to be terrified or enthralled when you’re watching a film,” the filmmaker told the site. “To then leave the theater and realize it’s based on real myths and legends only makes it sink in even deeper.”
In Krampus, “When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max (Emjay Anthony) is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers.
All hell breaks loose as beloved holiday icons take on a monstrous life of their own, laying siege to the fractured family’s home and forcing them to fight for each other if they hope to survive.“
Just the thought of Santa is creepy, Dougherty says: “That there is some sort of supernatural entity that keeps an eye on you all year long and determines if you’re naughty or nice.”
The look and character of the film’s Krampus was distilled from various postcards and illustrations of the creature over the years, adds the site. He was historically tied to St. Nicholas beginning in the 17th century, and that’s the interpretation Dougherty is going with, that Krampus is “judge, jury and executioner” but also the “shadow” of Santa.
Just don’t call him evil, the director says. “He’s more complex and nuanced than that.
“He’s not Freddy (A Nightmare on Elm Street) or Jason (Friday the 13th) or Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), this [isn’t an] unstoppable monster that kicks down your door and rampages and grabs you,” he added. “If you study the myth, there’s something darkly playful about him. He’s having a good time doing what he does and he enjoys the cat-and-mouse aspect of it.”
Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, Conchata Ferrell, Emjay Anthony, Stefania Lavie Owen with Krista Stadler star in Krampus.
We have an exclusive first look at A Man in the Woods With an Axe, a blood-soaked, genre-twisting homage to 1980s slasher films.
Spanning four decades, A Man in the Woods With an Axe begins in the summer of 1987 before pushing into the modern era, weaving together timelines and perspectives in a way that builds both dread and intrigue.
Drawing inspiration from genre standouts like Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Hatchet, and The Cabin in the Woods, the film blends visceral horror with moments of dark humor, creating a uniquely balanced experience that honors tradition while carving its own identity.
Writer-director Dillon Brown (Primal Darkness) aims to deliver everything fans crave from a slasher while boldly subverting expectations with a mid-film twist that redefines the story.
“This is an unapologetic love letter to the films that made me fall in love with horror,” Brown tells Bloody Disgusting. “But I didn’t just want to recreate that feeling; I wanted to challenge it. About halfway through, the film takes a turn that completely changes how you view not only this story, but the genre itself.”
Brown describes the vintage-inspired production as “far and away the bloodiest film I’ve ever made,” with practical effects helmed by Cody Ruch (The Mill, Pig Hill), an instructor at Tom Savini’s Special Make-Up Effects Program.
From Horror Dadz Productions, A Man in the Woods With an Axe is currently in production and targeting an early 2027 release.
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