River 2027 Trailer Is Here — Two Scream Queens, One River, No Survivors
Official teaser poster for River (2027).
You’re standing on a riverbank at dusk. The water’s black. Somewhere upstream, a twig snaps. You came here to scatter ashes — a quiet goodbye for a complicated man — but the woods have other plans. The cell signal died two miles back. And there’s something in the trees that has no face at all.
Sound like your kind of family reunion? Good. Turn off the lights and press play — the official trailer for River just dropped.
Watch the Trailer
Quick Specs
- Film: River (2027)
- Studio: A Shudder Original Production, presented by Universal Pictures, Blumhouse–Atomic Monster, and Independent Film Company — acquired by Blumhouse–Atomic Monster and Universal after its TIFF premiere
- In theaters: January 15, 2027
- Runtime: 92 minutes
- Director: Joshua Giuliano (writer-director, feature directorial debut)
- Cast: Jane Levy as Lucy, Jessica Rothe as Carla, Max Mattern as Drew, Dane DiLiegro as the masked killer
- Rated: R — strong bloody violence, grisly images, language
The premise is lean and mean: three estranged siblings reunite to scatter their late father’s ashes at a remote river. Their boat breaks down, there’s no cell service, and they realize they’re being stalked through the night by a masked killer. To survive, they have to put their grudges aside and fight together. Classic setup, knife-sharp execution — and with two certified scream queens leading the charge, the final-girl math looks promising. (Or should we say final-sibling? Sorry. Had to.)
Full disclosure, up front: Harper hasn’t seen River yet — it’s still festival-circuit-only for now. But the early word is strong. Bloody Disgusting’s Meagan Navarro calls it “lean and efficient,” praising the cast and the river setting, while IndieWire warns it “will drown you in pure terror.” When a debut slasher earns that kind of ink on the festival circuit, horror hounds should pay attention.
Trivia & Facts
- River marks the feature directorial debut of writer-director Joshua Giuliano.
- Jane Levy (Evil Dead 2013) and Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day) star as Lucy and Carla — two of the three estranged siblings. The third sibling, Drew, is played by Max Mattern.
- Dane DiLiegro plays the one masked killer — he previously went feral as the Predator in Prey.
- River premiered at TIFF Midnight Madness on September 10, 2026, and sits at around 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- After that TIFF premiere, Blumhouse–Atomic Monster and Universal acquired River in the biggest sale of TIFF 2026 — a reported eight-figure deal — with Jason Blum on board as an executive producer only.
- It’s rated R for strong bloody violence and grisly images — no watered-down PG-13 here.
Harper’s Extras
- Our Evil Dead (2013) review — revisit Jane Levy’s most punishing performance.
- Happy Death Day and more in the Horror Movies wiki
- More slasher coverage in the Horror News archive.
Where to Watch
Theaters only — River splashes down exclusively in cinemas January 15, 2027. Streaming plans unannounced.
FAQ
- When does River come out? January 15, 2027, in theaters.
- Who stars in River? Jane Levy as Lucy and Jessica Rothe as Carla star, with Max Mattern as Drew and Dane DiLiegro as the masked killer.
- Who directed River? Joshua Giuliano, in his feature directorial debut.
- Is the River trailer out? Yes — the official trailer dropped today, October 12, 2026.
- Is River connected to any franchise? No — it’s an original slasher, a Shudder Original Production acquired by Blumhouse–Atomic Monster and Universal after its TIFF premiere.
Keep your axes sharp and your siblings close, fiends. Harper out — lights out.
(Spotted via Bloody Disgusting.)
