Catch up on the essentials
  • The first official trailer for the slasher film "River" was released on October 12, 2026, with Bloody Disgusting publishing coverage the same day.
  • The cast also includes Max Mattern ("Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy") and Dane DiLiegro ("Prey").
  • The film is the feature debut of writer-director Joshua Giuliano.

Selected from this article · 2026-10-12

Read on for the full picture

Trailer release and release date

A diverse group of people wearing 3D glasses watching a movie in a theater.

The first official trailer for the slasher film "River" was released on October 12, 2026, with Bloody Disgusting publishing coverage the same day. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on January 15, 2027, and has been rated R for "strong bloody violence, some grisly images, and language." The trailer features pull-quote festival reviews describing the film as "a classic, visceral horror experience" and as drowning viewers "in pure terror," according to Indiewire.

Cast and Blumhouse pickup

"River" stars Jane Levy ("Evil Dead," "Don't Breathe") and Jessica Rothe ("Happy Death Day," "Pulse") as two of three estranged siblings. The cast also includes Max Mattern ("Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy") and Dane DiLiegro ("Prey"). Following the film's festival debut, Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Atomic Monster acquired it, according to The Playlist via starsalert.com.

Director and festival reception

The film is the feature debut of writer-director Joshua Giuliano. "River" premiered last month in the Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness program, and critic Meagan Navarro wrote that the film "doesn't break from convention but instead uses the slasher tropes in its favor to ramp up the tension at a brisk and steady clip." Bloody Disgusting's coverage frames the film as a "classic throwback slasher."

Plot setup and next milestone

According to the Bloody Disgusting plot description, "River" follows three estranged siblings who reunite to scatter their late father's ashes along a remote river, become stranded without cell service, and are stalked by a faceless killer emerging from the woods. The next verifiable milestone is the scheduled January 15, 2027 theatrical opening.

Keywords

River, Jane Levy, Jessica Rothe, Blumhouse, Toronto International Film Festival

Tags

River, Jane Levy, Jessica Rothe, Blumhouse Atomic Monster, Slasher, TIFF Midnight Madness

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