The eighth V/H/S installment turns a cursed soda experiment into a terrifying Halloween anthology
In short: V/H/S/Halloween is a 2025 found footage anthology film that weaves five distinct horror shorts into a singular, unsettling narrative. Centered on a 1982 experiment involving a soda infused with poltergeist extract, the film explores themes of supernatural possession, ritualistic murder, and the dark side of holiday traditions.
Released on October 3, 2025, by Shudder, V/H/S/Halloween serves as the eighth entry in the long-running franchise. The film is structured around a frame narrative titled Diet Phantasma, directed by Bryan M. Ferguson. This segment documents a 1982 experiment where the Octagon Company tests a new beverage on human subjects, unaware that the formula contains the essence of vicious poltergeists. As the experiment progresses, the subjects suffer gruesome physical transformations, eventually leading to a catastrophic breach that consumes the research facility.
The anthology features five shorts linked by the concept of found VHS footage. These segments range from a supernatural home invasion involving a creature known as The Mommy to a dark tale of a candy-themed parallel reality. One standout segment, directed by Alex Ross Perry, depicts a 1992 killing spree in a small town, where a video store employee uses documentary-style child identification tapes to lure and torture victims. Critics have noted the segment's extreme darkness, with some reviewers calling it the most disturbing moment in the franchise's history.
The film received generally positive reception, holding an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 66 reviews. Critics praised the anthology for its tonal consistency and its ability to capture the innovative, edgy spirit of the series' earliest entries. While the segments vary in stylistic approach, they are unified by a shared sense of malice and dread. The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 19, 2025, and continues the franchise's tradition of blending experimental horror with visceral, practical effects.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: V/H/S/Halloween
- Also: Wikidata — V/H/S/Halloween · CC0
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