Trailer and Release Date Announced for ‘Slayground,’ A24’s Haunted Attraction Film

voice film logo squareArthur S. Poe
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Every haunted attraction operates on a fundamental agreement: the monsters are merely acting, and the bodies on the floor will rise and leave when the night ends. ‘Slayground,’ the latest film from writer and director Jeremy Saulnier, is based on the chilling concept of breaking that pact. A24 has been teasing this project for weeks with their signature marketing flair.

Previously titled ‘October,’ the film’s new identity was hinted at in September with a mysterious teaser that aired in theaters ahead of ‘Resident Evil.’ Composed mainly of security-camera footage from a haunted house, it resembled an ad for a real attraction and only hinted at a vague ‘this fall’ release. A website named runlikehell.com added a countdown, but little else.

Now, the mystery has been unveiled. A24 has dropped the first official trailer for ‘Slayground,’ confirming that the movie will hit theaters exclusively on January 29, 2027, a date revealed on a new poster styled like a workplace sign counting the days since the last homicide.

The trailer provides insight into the plot. Cory Michael Smith stars as ‘Metal Mike’ Graves, a scare actor who awakens inside a haunted attraction surrounded by the lifeless bodies of his colleagues, with no recollection of how they ended up there. As a statewide manhunt intensifies, he races to uncover the truth, even if it leads back to him.

According to the synopsis, the story kicks off on the night of October 24, during a mass-casualty incident within the attraction. The title refers to the haunt itself, which is also the building that the main suspect knows best. It’s important to note that this film is not related to the 1983 movie of the same name or the novel that inspired it.

Smith leads a diverse ensemble cast, including Chase Sui Wonders, Sophie Wilde, Young Mazino, Stephen Root, James Badge Dale, Matty Matheson, Stanley Simons, and Imogen Poots, along with Chris Sullivan. Macon Blair has a minor role, and the film features music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

The combination of dramatic and comedic actors suggests that the film may not take its scares too seriously. Poots and Blair both appeared in Saulnier’s ‘Green Room,’ and Blair’s collaboration with the director dates back to ‘Blue Ruin.’

For fans of Saulnier, this marks a highly anticipated return to genre filmmaking. He is known for ‘Blue Ruin,’ ‘Green Room,’ and the Emmy-winning ‘Rebel Ridge,’ with ‘Slayground’ being his first feature since the latter. After the more methodical ‘Rebel Ridge,’ he is back to a narrative centered on pursuit, survival, and escalating violence, all set against a Halloween backdrop.

A24 secured the project just over a year ago after a competitive bidding war that included Netflix. Reports indicate the runtime will be approximately 2.5 hours, with the new title emerging in September after the film was initially called ‘October.’

The release date has a humorous twist. A film centered around Halloween will debut three months after the last plastic skeleton is marked down, aligning with the studio’s penchant for unconventional approaches. The September teaser even hinted at a seemingly real ‘Slayground’ experience rather than the film itself, blurring the lines between the movie and a fictional haunted house.

The marketing campaign has been enigmatic from the outset. The teaser’s black-and-white surveillance footage depicted terrified visitors confronting creatures ranging from a werewolf-like figure to an ax-wielding masked assailant, all set to a haunting remix of Drowning Pool’s ‘Bodies.’

With a trailer now available, a date confirmed, and one of horror’s most reliable directors at the helm, ‘Slayground’ has transitioned from a mystery to one of the most anticipated releases of early 2027.

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