Audiences who’re at all times hungry for a singular horror film have one other promising one coming quickly, if the most recent information from Sundance and Rotten Tomatoes is to be believed.
Leviticus premiered near midnight on Friday on the 2026 Sundance Movie Pageant. That is the characteristic directorial debut of writer-director Adrian Chiarella, which follows “Two star-crossed teenage boys [who] should escape a violent entity that takes the type of the particular person they need most — one another” (per competition.sundance.org). After its debut, the horror is seeing nice opinions and a significant distribution deal.
As of January 27, Leviticus has a uncommon 100% approval ranking on Rotten Tomatoes from 10 critics’ opinions. Amongst all of the reward, Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting says that it’s a “tense, atmospheric, and claustrophobic imaginative and prescient of younger love in a hateful world,” whereas a number of critics spotlight the ending. Deadline additionally reviews that “Phrase can be taking place quickly from NEON that they’ve secured world on […] Leviticus for seven figures.“
It is a large win for Leviticus, particularly after the yr NEON has had. In 2025, the distributor launched a powerful variety of critically acclaimed films, a few of which at the moment are among the many 2026 Oscar nominees — Sentimental Worth, The Secret Agent, It Was Simply an Accident, and Arco. NEON can be behind previous Greatest Image winners Parasite and Anora, and this confirmed means to decide on nice movies is one other indicator of Leviticus’ high quality.
Leviticus options the comeback of Alice in Wonderland actor Mia Wasikowska, additionally starring Joe Chicken, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, David McKenzie, Nicholas Hope, and Zhara Newman. No theatrical launch date has been introduced, however it should in all probability be someday in 2026. Sundance additional describes the movie’s themes (and clarifies which two actors are within the lead roles):
An remoted Australian small city hosts the evils of non secular fanaticism and its penalties for queer youth, creating an environment that is chilling and near-claustrophobic. Joe Chicken and Stacy Clausen tenderly embody Naim and Ryan, magnetically attracted teenagers coming into their sexuality, but dealing with bodily and religious violence at each bend.
Director Chiarella beforehand wrote and directed shorts, together with Black Lips and Dwarf Planet. If this debut signifies how the remainder of the rollout for Leviticus will go, we may very well be seeing the emergence of one other staple horror filmmaker. The Sundance Movie Pageant takes place from January 22 to February 1, 2026.
- Launch Date
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January 23, 2026
- Runtime
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106 minutes
- Director
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Adrian Chiarella
- Writers
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Adrian Chiarella
- Producers
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Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings, Hannah Ngo
Forged
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Mia Wasikowska
Uncredited
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