And for good reason. In less than 2 minutes, these first images manage to introduce the characters, establish the stakes and create a particularly formidable anxiety-inducing atmosphere. The work on sound and music, absolutely remarkable, raises the tension to its peak. The editing is devilishly effective, the actors seem impeccable and, all things considered, writing this kind of sequence takes real mastery. The result is an explosive cocktail that leaves one hoping for a film worthy of this impressive trailer.
Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Universal Pictures have therefore just unveiled the first images of River, a brutal slasher written and directed by Joshua Giuliano, for whom this is the first feature film.
Not a long, peaceful river
Presented as the opening film of the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto Festival, the film brings together two new queens of horror cinema: Jessica Rothe, revealed by Happy Death Day, and Jane Levy, noticed in Don't Breathe and Evil Dead.
The two actresses portray estranged sisters who reunite with their younger brother (Max Mattern) in their hometown in the countryside, in order to scatter their father's ashes at his favorite spot, along an isolated river. But as night falls, their boat breaks down and their phones no longer get any signal. Stranded miles from any help, they soon spot a motionless figure on the riverbank, watching them. A desperate struggle for survival then begins, as they are relentlessly hunted by an unsettling masked individual, played by Dane DiLiegro.
River: a slasher noticed in Toronto
Originally intended for Shudder, with a theatrical release planned by Independent Film Company, River ultimately changed scale after its praised presentation in Toronto. Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Atomic Monster acquired the film and are now giving it a true nationwide release in U.S. theaters, set for January 15, 2027.
For now, no French release date has yet been announced.
