Movies
‘Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls’ – SCREAMBOX Gets Silly With 80s-Inspired Horror-Comedy!
Bloody Disgusting is going to satisfy your nostalgia sweet tooth with the brand new SCREAMBOX Original Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, which gives loving homage to classic gateway horror like Monster Squad, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Ernest Scared Stupid, and Beetlejuice.
First reported by Variety, Cinedigm announced today they have acquired all North American rights to the buzzed-about horror-comedy Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2023 Midnight Section to rave reviews.
Our very own Meagan Navarro attended the World Premiere, writing in her review that Onyx is an “endearing comedy-horror [that] embraces the ‘80s horror kid,” while RogerEbert.com called the film “a handmade horror gem.”
Based on writer, director and star Andrew Bowser’s viral internet character of the same name, Onyx tells the story of an amateur occultist who learns that sometimes when you raise HELL…you get a little burned.
“Misunderstood by all who know him, Marcus J. Trillbury (Bowser), aka Onyx the Fortuitous, is struggling to find purpose in his soul-devouring side gig. But just when it seems he’s ready to throw in the towel, he receives a coveted invitation to the mansion of his idol Bartok the Great (Jeffrey Combs; Re-Animator) for a ritual to raise the spirit of an ancient demon. Ecstatic, he joins Bartok, his mysterious delegate Farrah (Olivia Taylor Dudley; “The Magicians,” Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension) and a collection of fellow devotees as they prepare for the ceremony, but quickly it becomes apparent things are not what they seem. As Onyx and his new friends fight to keep their souls, he must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice in order to meet his destiny.”
The film also stars Barbara Crampton (You’re Next, Re-Animator), Ralph Ineson (The Witch, The Green Knight), Rivkah Reyes (School of Rock), TC Carson (Final Destination 2), Arden Myrin (Insatiable, Shameless) and Melanie Chandra (Code Black). Bowser (Worm, Jimmy Tupper vs. the Goatman of Bowie) also produced the film along with Clark Baker, Michael Mobley and Olivia Taylor Dudley.
The popular viral character Onyx the Fortuitous has garnered over 300M views online and has over 1M followers on TikTok, catapulting him to fame and cementing his status as a pop culture icon. Onyx fearlessly blends spine-chilling monsters with side-splitting humor, infusing the dark arts with a playful and lighthearted energy.
“Get ready to be transported back in time with this hilarious throwback to 80s horror that will have you laughing and screaming in equal measure,” said Brad Miska, Managing Director of Bloody Disgusting/Cinedigm. “It’s Elvira: Mistress of the Dark meets Fright Night, Beetlejuice, and even Ernest Scared Stupid with practical effects that will leave you speechless. If you’re a fan of the viral sensation that is Onyx, you won’t want to miss this uproariously fun adventure on the big screen this fall.”
When asked about the distribution news and his vault to stardom, Onyx the Fortuitous had this to say:
“I cannot wait to partner with Cinedigm and step into my destiny as the next horror icon! I’m a lot like Art the Clown from Terrifier 2 in ways. We both wear silly hats, and we both carry around large black trash bags. Except his bag is filled with murder tools, and mine is filled with mommy issues and social anxiety.”
The deal was negotiated by Brandon Hill, Director of Acquisitions, on behalf of Cinedigm and Pip Ngo, on behalf of XYZ Films. Bowser is repped by Heroes and Villains Entertainment.
The film also recently played at Fright Fest at the Glasgow Film Festival and the Calgary Underground Film Festival and will continue its festival run at the Chattanooga Film Festival, the Dark Bridges Film Festival and Fantasia International.
Cinedigm plans to release the film in theaters this fall followed by an exclusive launch on the Company’s horror streaming service SCREAMBOX.
ONYX Poster illustrated by Lukas Ketner
Judging from the unprecedented box office success of Kane Parsons’ Backrooms adaptation, you’ve likely already seen the liminal horror hit that managed to make audiences afraid of empty hallways and bad wallpaper. And now that so many of us have already entered the yellow labyrinth (some of us more than once), the time has come to discuss the spoiler-filled details that make the movie so fascinating in the first place.
And if there’s one element here that makes the Backrooms movie stand out from any previous lore/mythology, it has to be the genius addition of the Still Life entities. Warped recreations of real people that somehow wandered into the Complex, these misremembered creatures are responsible for some of the most disturbing imagery of 2026 – as well as laugh-out-loud memes created by one of the film’s very own concept artists.
However, true to Parsons’ word that the movie would rely heavily on practical effects, each of these distorted monsters was brought to life by real actors under heavy layers of makeup and prosthetics (with the occasional splash of CGI enhancements). While Anora and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You actress Ivy Wolk wasn’t among these performers, despite what Letterboxd might have you believe, the creature cast did benefit from veteran players with plenty of genre experience.
For starters, Alien: Romulus alumni Robert Bobroczkyi (who previously brought that film’s horrific Offspring to life during its most memorable sequence) plays the flick’s main antagonist, the Still Life version of Captain Clark. And though there was some obvious CGI involved in making the character’s peg-leg and nightmarish face more believable, Bobroczkyi’s monstrous performance and his natural 7’7″ frame helped to make that final chase sequence a clear highlight among this year’s genre offerings.
The film’s Texas-Chain-Saw-inspired “dinner” scene also features a freaky collection of less-aggressive Still Life creatures in the form of the Bearded Man, the Red-Headed Woman and, strangest of them all, the cheekily named “Archibald Leland Sutter Still Life” (who earned this title among fans and crewmembers as a reference to his apparent affinity for lamps).
While this was the first major horror outing for both Patrick Baynham (The Bearded Man) and Dana Mahmood (Archibald), Rhiannon Roberts has worked as a stunt performer in everything from Yellowjackets to HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation – which is probably why The Red-Headed Woman is the most active out of Clark’s impromptu “family.” That being said, the Archibald Leland Sutter Still Life is my personal favorite of the bunch simply because his anachronistic outfit suggests that the Backrooms phenomenon might be a lot older than the Async Foundation. I also love how hard he tries to be helpful with that little light of his!
That might be it for the Still Life entities, but I think horror fans will also be pleased to hear that the film’s Found Footage prologue stars none other than Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City star Avan Jogia as Naren Warne – and American Mary herself Katharine Isabelle also shows up in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo at Mary’s house party towards the middle of the story (though I have a feeling that she originally had a bigger part that was likely cut for time).
At the end of the day, Parsons’ Backrooms may have been an auteur-driven project motivated by the young director’s unique take on the classic creepypasta, but film has always been a collective artform, so it’s fun to see just how many talented performers it takes to bring this kind of supernatural nightmare to life in a way that connects with so many people.
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