Vertical Entertainment’s Horror Movie ‘In the Forest’ Turns a Family Camping Trip into a Nightmare

Remember Hulu‘s “Bite Size Halloween” shorts? Well today we’ve learned via press release that several of those short films are now being turned into feature length horror movies!

The press release explains, “The partnership between 20th Digital Studio and Hulu is set to include nine horror features over the next few years. The films will expand directly on the shorts from the “Bite Size Halloween” collection, featuring previous writers or directors, or inspired by past shorts. The films deal with topical social issues such as mental health, ecological collapse, reproductive rights, interracial adoption and online hysteria.”

Horror short film APPENDAGE by writer/director Anna Zlokovic and starring Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY) and Eric Roberts, now playing at the Sundance Film Festival, will expand to a Hulu Original feature film with 20th Digital Studio as part of the nine-film slate currently in development.

The first confirmed titles of the horror film collection include…

APPENDAGE is the story of a young fashion designer whose anxiety physically manifests. The film opened season two of 20th Digital Studio’s “BITE SIZE HALLOWEEN” on Hulu, a short film series that ranges from horror comedy to psychological thrillers and everything in between. Zlokovic has signed to write and direct the feature film version and casting is underway.

GRIMCUTTY, written and directed by John William Ross, is a teen tech horror thriller, shot outside Los Angeles in fall 2021 and now in post-production. The film stars Shannyn Sossamon (WAYWARD PINES, SLEEPY HOLLOW), Usman Ally (A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, VEEP), Alona Tal (SEAL TEAM), and newcomer Sara Wolfkind.

WORMEATER, a rural British family trauma body horror from writer/director Ben Steiner, recently completed filming in the UK with stars Kate Dickie (GAME OF THRONES, THE GREEN KNIGHT) and Jemima Rooper (THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, upcoming FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC: THE ORIGIN). The film is a thematic successor to Steiner’s 2018 20th Digital short URN.

THE HUG, will expand on the story of the animatronic “Pandory the Panda” who terrorized children in his Pizza Palace in a viral 2018 short from 20th Digital. The original creators, writing/directing team Jack & Justin (Bishop and Nijm, respectively) have signed on.

CLOCK by writer/director Alexis Jacknow and inspired by the “BITE SIZE HALLOWEEN” 2020 short of the same title will follow a woman’s desperate attempt to fix her broken biological clock.

Additional scripts are currently in development and will be announced at a later date.