Sean Gunn's New Horror Thriller With a Silent Killer Officially Debuts First Trailer [Exclusive]

2 weeks ago 8

Published Aug 6, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

In addition to being a die-hard fan of filmmaking, television, video gaming, and anything else with a gripping narrative, Aidan Kelley is also a passionate and detail-oriented writer and journalist at Collider.com. In addition to his work as a Senior Resource Writer, Aidan has also contributed to Collider's features and news reporting sections. He has covered major industry events, such as San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Expo, and has had the privelege of interviewing industry stars like Bruce Campbell, Maggie Q, Chad Stahelski, and more. This sincere love for the art of storytelling began at a young age, with Aidan making video movie reviews for the news program at his local high school. That love only increased over the years, with an ongoing career in independent filmmaking and screenwriting after graduating with a degree in Film and television from DePaul University.

Long before the technology became a villain in real life, AI has been the bane of science fiction heroes for as long as one can remember. Whether it's the misaligned intentions of HAL-9000 (Douglas Rain) in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the genocidal might of Skynet in Terminator, or the mustache-twirling supervillainy of Ultron (James Spader) in the MCU, the fear of technology surpassing and even subjugating humanity was purely trapped in the sci-fi realm. That is, until recently, and while the idea of AI getting access to the nuclear codes is maybe a bridge too far right now, there is still a wealth of reasonable concerns about AI's long-term impact on the environment, job growth, and more.

To many, the prospect of AI dominance is genuinely terrifying, so it was only a matter of time before a topical horror movie came along to channel that fear into a damn good film. That film is Appofeniacs, which previously debuted at 2025's Fantastic Fest and Screamfest to critical acclaim and currently sits at a more than respectable 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, Collider can exclusively reveal the newest trailer for director Chris Marrs Piliero's critical darling, which turns the wildly ubiquitous and controversial topic of AI into something profound, interesting, and above all else, scary.

Taking place in a world not too dissimilar from our own, Appofeniacs is a loose horror anthology that is tied together by one person's selfish misuse of AI. This individual, Duke (Aaron Holliday), uses deepfake technology as if it's nothing more than a toy, not realizing or simply not caring about the real-world implications it could have on just about anybody. What starts out as a mere way to get short-term amusement becomes a devastating domino effect that changes the lives of several people, mostly for the worse.

Who Stars in 'Appofeniacs'?

Leading the cast of Appofeniacs as the main antagonist, Duke, is Aaron Holliday, best known for his work in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects. Also in the lineup is Guardians of the Galaxy alum and Superman star Sean Gunn as well as Sorry to Bother You and Only Murders in the Building actor Jermaine Fowler. Rounding out the cast are Will Brandt (Animal Kingdom), Paige Searcy (Days of Our Lives), Simran Jehani (Feels Like Ishq), Harley Bronwyn (The Moonlight Murders), and Michael Abbott Jr. (Killers of the Flower Moon).