Streaming has been a positive for many independent filmmakers who want exposure (especially for the horror genre), but there has always been a downside. The lack of physical release of these films has haunted the industry, something that is starting to be rectified. According to Variety, some Shudder horror films will get a proper release for some limited editions. The horror streaming service has joined Arrow Video to get their films to fans who may not have a Shudder subscription. Many titles slated for release include Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s early work in Nightwatch, the 2024 sequel, Nightwatch: Damons Are Forever, and the prolific Adams family’s inventive supernatural film, Hellbender. Other titles released are The Sadness, Deadstream, Speak No Evil, Huesera: The Bone Woman, and Perpetrator. Most of the films are getting US and UK releases except for Hellbender, which is only getting released in the United States.
“Arrow’s stellar work is a staple of our shelves. To see Shudder films get the treatment is a privilege and a delight,” said Sam Zimmerman, the Shudder vice president of programming. Arrow sales and marketing director Dean Lawson also showed his support for an earlier deal that made this possible. “After years of working with the AMC team licensing many films from the Arrow Video catalog for the vaunted Shudder platform, it’s fantastic to now showcase a selection of their Originals on physical media in 2025.” This release of great films on Shudder will be a new opportunity for horror fans to get the scares they have been looking for.
'Hellbender' Is a Gruesome Twist On Witchcraft
Shudder is chock-full of hidden gems for all types of horror fans. Ole Bornedal's Danish film, Nightwatch, was originally released in 1994 and has been rare to find physically. The film follows Martin (Coster-Waldau), a night watchman for the Forensic Medical Institute, who gets caught in the crosshairs of a serial killer. The film was remade for American audiences in 1997, starring Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, and Josh Brolin, and also directed by Bornedal and eventually a sequel showcasing Coster-Waldau's return to the horror franchise. The film is a classic that many should be excited to get their hands on.
The most exciting newer release, however, is Hellbender. Couple Toby Posner and John Adams make independent films with their daughter, Zelda in some of the most unique finds on Shudder. Released in 2021, the film stars Zelda Adams and her mother, Poser, as mother and daughter from a terrifying family. Similar to Raw, Izzy (Adams) is raised vegan for fear of what consuming flesh would do to her. After eating a worm on a dare, she awakens Hellish powers within her, and her mother (Poser) is forced to tell her she comes from a long line of witches. Hellbender delves into the most primal aspects of witchcraft, a la Robert Eggers’s The Witch, and offers twists and turns until the very end. Viewers can catch this inventive film when Arrow Video releases it on Blu-ray in the summer of 2025.
Hellbender and all the other mentioned films that are coming to Blu-ray are also available to stream on Shudder.
Hellbender
Hellbender is an independent horror film directed by Toby Poser, John Adams, and Zelda Adams. The narrative follows a young girl and her reclusive mother, who share an enigmatic connection to dark powers. As the girl's curiosity about her lineage grows, she uncovers unsettling truths about her family's occult legacy. The film explores themes of isolation and the dread of inherited evil.
Release Date September 28, 2021
Director John Adams , Zelda Adams , Toby Poser
Cast Zelda Adams , Toby Poser , Lulu Adams , John Adams , Rinzin Thonden
Runtime 83 Minutes
Writers John Adams , Zelda Adams , Toby Poser
English (US) ·