V/H/S/2 Gets Release Date And Your Summer Horror Anthology Quota Is Met

Unless a horror movie is filled to the brim with sunshine and nudity, as was Piranha 3D, a summer release probably isn't the most viable option to get your audience in the right state of mind. But this isn't an essay on "How to Avoid Comparisons to Piranha 3D." It’s good news for horror fans.

V/H/S/2, the sequel to 2012's surprise hit found-footage horror anthology V/H/S, has June 6 set as the release day for the VOD version, according to The Hollywood Reporter,with a limited theatrical run opening for July 12, where it will hit 20 markets. The film, formerly called S-V/H/S, premiered successfully at the Sundance Film Festival this past January and screened at SXSW this past weekend.

The film will follow roughly the same format as the first film, which wrapped a loose narrative around a series of oddities found on a bunch of video cassettes. The segments have been cut down to five, though a couple of pair-ups raises the director count to seven. Returning from V/H/S are Adam Wingard (You’re Next), who wrote and directed the segment “Clinical Trials,” and Simon Barrett, writer of You’re Next and frequent collaborator of Wingard’s, with his “Tape 49” portion. Rounding out the list are Eduardo Sánchez The Blair Witch Project and Gregg Hale’s (FreakyLinks) “A Ride in the Park,” which was written by Jaime Nash (Lovely Molly), “Safe Haven,” which was written and directed by Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre) and Gareth Evans (The Raid: Redemption), and finally Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun)with his fantastically titled “Alien Abduction Slumber Party.”

Adding this to The ABCs of Death, The Profane Exhibit, and a blood bucket full of straight-to-video releases, horror anthologies haven’t been this abundant since 1980s television. And though the found footage genre in general has been stretched thin, it’s still interesting to see groups of young talented directors showcasing their ideas in this way. It’s probably better than anything I’d find on the V/H/S tapes stored in my closet.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.