There’s no question that SXSW has outdone itself this year in terms of genre programming. The festival is kicking off its 31st year this Thursday in Austin, Texas, unleashing a dizzying slate of premieres and events, with a surprising emphasis on horror, sci-fi, and thrillers.

SXSW 2025 has filled its Headliner section, a programming track dedicated to the biggest gala film events and premieres with star power, with highly anticipated genre titles that include Flying Lotus‘s sci-fi horror movie Ash, Christopher Landon‘s ode to Brian De Palma in upcoming thriller Drop, and A24’s nightmare comedy Death of a Unicorn. But there’s so much more to discover beyond the big red carpet premieres. Not even the Midnighter category, which is dedicated to genre film, can contain the sheer volume of offerings.

This year’s SXSW features horror, thrillers, and sci-fi premieres across all categories, ensuring a robust lineup that’s so packed it might be a bit too easy to miss some gems. Here are eight films and two activations to put on your radar for SXSW and the year ahead.

Clown in a Cornfield

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil director Eli Craig helms this R-rated adaptation of  the Bram Stoker Award-winning horror novel by Adam Cesare. That magical sentence should likely be enough to catch your attention, but, if not, perhaps the red band trailer might? Frendo the Clown feels poised to become a memorable new slasher villain. The Clown in a Cornfield movie is said to be a “harrowing, savage, heart-pounding adaptation,” with director Eli Craig recently promising “an insanely fun, action, horror, comedy.” You had us at “Clown in a Cornfield.”

Good Boy

Sometimes all you need to reinvigoate a familiar horror premise or subgenre is a fresh perspective, and Good Boy might offer the haunted house horror movie its most inventive take yet. Writer/Director Ben Leonberg makes his feature debut with a haunted house film set entirely from the perspective of man’s best friend. For those who have ever wondered if there’s something there when your pet barks strangely at empty corners in your home, this is for you. Bonus: the cast includes indie horror stalwart Larry Fessenden.

Hallow Road

Photo credit: Julie Vrabelova

Director Babak Anvari established a knack for chilling atmospherics with feature debut Under the Shadow, followed by the surreal Wounds. The filmmaker’s latest stars Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys as parents who receive a late night phone call from their daughter after she’s caused a tragic accident. An intense race against the clock ensues against an unsettling, lonely stretch of road in the middle of the night. That talent attached alone should put this on your radar.

It Ends

Four friends gather for a final hoorah before parting ways after graduating college only to find themselves instead trapped on a never-ending backroad. Writer/Director/Editor Alexander Ullom’s feature debut dabbles in a few genres, starting with intense thriller that gives way to something far more introspective and meditative. A spiritual cousin of sorts to the time-honored time loop thriller, It Ends‘ innovative approach and innovative journey should be one worth seeking out.

Odyssey

The latest from director Gerard Johnson follows a a coke-fueled London estate agent who hides her crumbling life behind an air of opulence. She gets dragged into the city’s seedy underworld when she’s pulled into a kidnapping plot of a fellow real estate agent. It’s the type of premise that reads more gritty crime thriller than genre, but rest assured that Johnson brings the goods once the simmering tension reaches critical mass in a way that’s loosely reminiscent of Bull.

O’Dessa

“Stranger Things” star Sadie Sink stars as O’Dessa, a farm girl on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom that leads her to a dangerous city. There’s really only four key words here that sums up this upcoming Hulu release and earns its spot on this list: post-apocalyptic rock opera. If you need more, check out the eye-catching, earworm trailer here.

The Surrender

The premise for writer/director Julia Max‘s feature debut reads like an alluring cross betweein A Dark Song and Relic, in which a grieving mother and daughter risk their lives to perform a brutal resurrection ritual that will bring the recently deceased family patriarch back from the dead. With SFX artists Sierra Russell and Josh Russell handling the makeup effects, it’s safe to assume a gnarly ride ahead. If that’s not intriguing enough, “The Boys” actor Colby Minifie and “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Kate Burton star as the mother and daughter coping with grief and a fraught relationship.

The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick

Zoë Chao stars as a woman descending into paranoia after she’s bitten by a tick on vacation in her friend’s idyllic countryside home. The paranoia isn’t exactly unwarranted; the tick bite causes bizarre symptoms and shatters the illusion of the quaint setting. The film is described as a “millennial terror of modern adulthood,” and hails from director Pete Ohs, who helmed supernatural stalker comedy Jethica.

Activation – FX’s Alien: Earth makes impact at SXSW

FX is launching a series of immersive experiences ahead of the highly anticipated premiere of “Alien: Earth” beginning with this SXSW activation that places attendees in the wreckage of a Weyland-Yutani ship. About the immersive experience: “From the moment fans step inside, they will find interactive elements and pulse-pounding thrills that bring the series to life. Visitors will be scanned for alien parasites before receiving credentials and instructions, embarking them on an exploratory mission through the ship wreckage, where they will have the chance to get up close and personal with alien specimens. But beware—not all creatures survived the crash intact, a containment breach has occurred and hidden dangers lurk within.” Details can be found here. 

Activation – Paramount+ The Lodge

Paramount+’s ‘The Lodge’ is back at the fest for its third year to deliver the ultimate fan experience, offering “an unforgettable and immersive journey that lets guests engage with hit content, iconic franchises and beloved characters.” This ski-lodge-inspired activation will let attendees step into the world of “Yellowjackets,” “Dexter: Original Sin,” “School Spirits” and much more. The Lodge runs from March 7-10, and details can be found here.

This is only a fraction of the genre offerings taking place at SXSW. Stay tuned for our coverage.