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News.com.au
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
These are the scariest movies ever, according to science
Scare Score: 70 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 122 BPM. A father and son coroners uncover increasingly bizarre and terrifying secrets while examining an unidentified body. Its confined setting and layered mysteries keep tension high and heart rates spiking with each revelation. Photo: IFC Midnight Scare Score: 71 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 123 BPM. This sequel ramps up the tension from the original, expanding the world but keeping the life-or-death silence. Perfectly crafted set-pieces and the constant threat of monsters make viewers hold their breath. Photo: Platinum Dunes Scare Score: 72 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 119 BPM. Grief, mental illness, and a sinister children's book collide in this Australian classic. The Babadook delivers unease with every frame, with its dread building relentlessly until it becomes nearly unbearable. Photo: Causeway Films Scare Score: 73 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 115 BPM. The found-footage phenomenon that reignited the genre. Simple setups, realistic acting, and those perfectly timed jump scares kept audiences glued to their seats while their BPMs shot up. Photo: Blumhouse Productions Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 121 BPM. Claustrophobia meets creatures in the dark. This cave expedition gone wrong uses pitch-black tunnels and brutal gore to keep viewers in fight-or-flight mode. It's a relentless stress test that rarely lets up. Photo: Pathé Pictures Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 88 BPM. Bleak and relentless, this film follows siblings returning to their dying father's farm only to face an unspeakable evil. It is a masterclass in slow-burn dread that unsettles viewers deeply. Photo: RLJE Films Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 81 BPM Highest Spike: 96 BPM. A curse that walks slowly but never stops. It Follows creates tension by making every background figure a threat. Its originality and unrelenting pacing keeps you constantly scanning the frame, heart racing. Photo: RADiUS-TWC Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 116 BPM. Ed and Lorraine Warren head to England to investigate the Enfield haunting in this sequel. With the terrifying nun Valak and a relentlessly creepy atmosphere, The Conjuring 2 delivered big BPM spikes. Photo: New Line Cinema Scare Score: 75 Average Heart Rate: 81 BPM Highest Spike: 107 BPM. Found-footage done right. A documentary crew investigates the deadly failure of a haunted house attraction. The result? Footage full of pitch-dark corridors, eerie clown mannequins, and slow-building dread that had audiences' heart rates steadily climbing. Photo: Terror Films Scare Score: 75 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 106 BPM. A fresh Australian horror hit. Teens discover an embalmed hand that lets them speak to spirits, but the price is steep. Gritty, emotional, and genuinely scary, Talk to Me combines possession horror with real human stakes that keep BPM readings elevated. Photo: Causeway Films Scare Score: 76 Average Heart Rate: 82 BPM Highest Spike: 96 BPM. Part courtroom drama, part demonic possession horror, this film tells the tragic story of Emily Rose with chilling performances and terrifying exorcism scenes. Jennifer Carpenter's contorted physical acting remains nightmare fuel. Photo: Screen Gems Scare Score: 78 Average Heart Rate: 83 BPM Highest Spike: 114 BPM. Trauma, curses, and that unsettling grin. Smile takes a simple concept and executes it with creeping dread and shocking visuals. It proved to be one of the biggest heart-rate drivers of recent years, with watchers holding their breath waiting for that next terrifying smile. Photo: Paramount Pictures Scare Score: 81 Average Heart Rate: 82 BPM Highest Spike: 104 BPM. Ari Aster's debut shocked audiences with its portrayal of grief, family trauma, and satanic cults. Toni Collette delivers an unforgettable performance, while the film's visuals and sound design keep viewers squirming, heart rates steadily high throughout. Photo: A24 Scare Score: 88 Average Heart Rate: 84 BPM Highest Spike: 132 BPM. The film that launched a franchise. Based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring nails classic haunted house scares. With expertly crafted jump scares and a relentless sense of foreboding, it's no wonder it gets pulses racing. Photo: New Line Cinema Scare Score: 90 Average Heart Rate: 85 BPM Highest Spike: 133 BPM. When their son falls into an unexplained coma, a family discovers demons in another realm trying to invade our world. James Wan's creative visuals, nerve-jangling sound design, and perfectly timed jump scares kept BPMs sky-high. Photo: Blumhouse Productions Scare Score: 91 Average Heart Rate: 84 BPM Highest Spike: 113 BPM. A low-budget Canadian indie that turned viral sensation. Two kids wake to find their father missing and their home's windows and doors gone. With minimal lighting, unsettling audio, and lo-fi visuals, it delivers an atmosphere that burrows into your nightmares. Photo: IFC Films Scare Score: 95 Average Heart Rate: 88 BPM Highest Spike: 130 BPM. Filmed entirely over Zoom during the pandemic, Host follows friends who hold an online seance that goes horribly wrong. It's lean, mean, and terrifying, making excellent use of the found-footage style to keep viewers' BPMs peaking. Photo: Shadowhouse Films Scare Score: 96 Average Heart Rate: 86 BPM Highest Spike: 131 BPM. The champion once again. Ethan Hawke stars as a true-crime writer who discovers horrific home movies in his attic. The grainy, snuff-like footage, unsettling sound design, and slow-burn dread make Sinister the most scientifically terrifying movie ever tested. Viewers experienced consistent, elevated BPMs with massive spikes at the scariest moments. Photo: Blumhouse Productions Tested as a new addition in 2024 but didn't crack the Top 50. This return to the Alien universe brings back claustrophobic sci-fi horror with plenty of xenomorph terror for fans. Photo: 20th Century Studios Another 2024 newcomer that didn't make the Top 50 but still delivered unsettling psychological horror, proving social tension can be just as scary as monsters. Photo: Blumhouse Productions Also tested in this year's experiment but landed outside the Top 50. Known for shocking body horror and disturbing visuals, it's one for those who want their scares truly grotesque. Photo: Universal Pictures Well, that's the full rundown of the scariest movies ever tested. Whether you're into classic haunted houses, brutal slashers, or unsettling dread, there's something here guaranteed to get your heart racing. So grab a blanket, turn off the lights, and pick your next fright-night favourite. Sweet dreams.
Gizmodo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Could Nubia Be Joining James Gunn's DCU?
Cynthia Erivo and Michael Bay may be teaming up for a new sci-fi thriller. Somehow, the public domain horror movies have returned. Ivanna Sakhno talks about her hopes for a M3GAN 3.0. Plus, what's coming on Revival. Spoilers, away!According to Deadline, Universal and Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes have teamed with Cynthia Ervo's production company, Edith's Daughter, on a film adaptation of Adrian Tchaikovsky's sci-fi/action/thriller, Saturation Point. Adapted for the screen by Minnie Schedeen, the story concerns Dr. Jasmine Marks as she 'leads a search and rescue mission into 'The Zone,' a section of rainforest along the equator with a climate inhospitable to intelligent life. As she pushes further into the wilderness, Dr. Marks discovers the Zone is far deadlier than initially believed and not all forms of intelligent life are necessarily human…'. It's currently unclear if Bay or Erivo will play roles in the movie beyond producing. Speaking with Pay Or Wait (via Superhero Hype), James Gunn suggested Nubia is set to make her live-action debut in his DCU sometime 'in the not-too-distant future.' I'm very aware of Nubia. Yes, we are very much talking about that. I want to have all sorts of people represented in the DCU. And, yeah, you might be happy in the not-too-distant future. Bloody-Disgusting reports Demián Rugna (When Evil Lurks, Terrified) is attached to direct a new vampire horror-comedy titled FELIX: A Complex Puzzle. The story is said to follow Omin, 'a hard-partying vampire playboy and leader of the notorious 'Blood-Suckers' clan. After falling into a river during a wild yacht bender, Omin is presumed dead and sent to the morgue, where doctors mistakenly harvest all his organs, including a lung. Waking up the next morning, disoriented and dismembered, Omin rallies vampire bounty hunters from across the globe—from Romania to Indigenous American clans—to track down his missing body parts. Meanwhile, in the Big City, we meet Felix, a hypochondriac night tour guide unknowingly about to become part of the bloody puzzle.' Deadline also has word filming has already wrapped on Minnie's Midnight Massacre, a Minnie Mouse-inspired horror film produced by Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey's Stuart Alson and Nicole Holland. Starring Hannah Hueston, the story concerns 'Steamboat Willie's first mate, Minnie,' as she goes 'on a killing spree when seeking revenge against the childhood bullies who tortured her as a teenager.' During a recent interview with Empire, director Dan Trachtenberg revealed the main Predator of Badlands is named Dek, is considered to be the 'runt of [his] litter,' and audiences will hopefully root for him. He's a thing of few words, pretty blunt. He cuts straight to the point. Literally and figuratively. That feels like a big idea, not just within Predator, but in sci-fi generally. In most sci-fi universes, the 'creatures' are either bad guys or sidekicks. In [Badlands] it's: 'What if you were with the creature on this crazy mission to prove itself, seeing everything through its eyes?' After Prey, I had three ideas. One was Killer Of Killers, one was Badlands and one… I haven't done yet. So, there are other awesome ideas and time periods it'd be exciting to explore, and all that's been part of our discussion for [what's next]. Speaking with Screen Rant, AMELIA actress Ivanna Sakhno stated she hopes the M3GAN franchise continues to explore new genres with each sequel. The M3GAN Universe seems to take a new genre every time they're making a new film. So who knows? Maybe it is going to be like a little romantic comedy or whatever. Love story of M3GAN and AMELIA, or AMELIA finding a soulmate. Jason Blum, I hope he sees that because I'm all ready to dance. We have Amie (Donald), who is ready to also guide me into that world. So Jason, please. I'm here. I'm ready. Finally, Spoiler TV has images from 'Run Along Little Lamb,' this week's episode of Revival. Click through to see the rest. A new mandate targets Revivers as Em's memories spark a violent reckoning with brutal costs. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Perth Now
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Cynthia Erivo teams up with Michael Bay for sci-fi thriller Saturation Point
Cynthia Ervio and Michael Bay are to collaborate on a movie adaptation of Saturation Point. The 38-year-old actress has teamed up with the Transformers director, 60, for a film version of author Adrian Tchaikovsky's 2024 sci-fi novel of the same name for Universal Pictures. Erivo will be producing under her Edith's Daughter banner alongside Solome Williams, while Bay and Brad Fuller will produce through Platinum Dunes. Saturation Point is a gripping climate thriller set in a future where parts of Earth have become so hot and humid that human survival is nearly impossible. When a mission goes into one of these extreme zones, Dr. Jasmine Marks is tasked with leading the high-stakes search and rescue effort. But the deeper she ventures, the more she realises the dangers are far greater than expected - and her corporate employers may be hiding the truth. To make matters worse, not all intelligent life in the zone is human. Minnie Schedeen is set to write the script for Saturation Point alongside Tchaikovsky, while Alex Ginno is due to executive produce for Platinum Dunes. Erivo was last seen in the 2024 movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical Wicked, in which she starred as Elphaba. In the film, Elphaba (Erivo) forms an unlikely friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande) and the pair travel to the Emerald City to meet with the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), only to discover he is hiding a dark secret. Erivo, Grande and Goldblum are set to reprise their respective roles in the upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, which will adapt the second half of the Broadway musical. Director Jon M. Chu recently teased Wicked: For Good would focus and expand on the bond between Elphaba and Glinda. He told Vanity Fair: 'I think the meat of what Wicked is all about happens in movie two. To me, this is why this story exists. This is where our childhood dreams collide with our adult selves.' The Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker added 'the temperature is up' for Elphaba and Glinda, whose relationship is pushed to its breaking point thanks to the actions of the Wizard. Chu said: 'Our heart was broken when Glinda can't make the choice that we want her to so badly at the end of movie one, and it feels empowering for Elphaba to fly away from society. 'In movie two, we get to see the consequences of those choices. The temperature is up.' Wicked: For Good is also set to introduce Dorothy Gale - famously portrayed by Judy Garland in 1939's The Wizard of Oz - though Chu stressed he had been 'delicate' with the character. Speaking about Dorothy and her crew's journey down the Yellow Brick Road, he explained: 'That intersection is the place that we were first introduced to Oz. 'We tread lightly, but try to make more sense of how it impacts our girls and our characters than maybe the show does.'
Geek Tyrant
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Jason Segel to Star in James Ponsoldt's Twisted Recovery Thriller SPONSOR — GeekTyrant
Jason Segel is taking a sharp turn from comedy and heartfelt dramedy into full-blown psychological darkness. He's set to lead Sponsor , a new thriller from director James Ponsoldt, his collaborator on Shrinking . This time around, Segel isn't playing a lovable everyman with emotional baggage. In Sponsor , he plays Peter, a man whose life derails after a DUI crash and who must either serve prison time or enter a court-mandated recovery program. He chooses the latter, and that's where the real nightmare begins. The program pairs him with Jerry, a mysterious 12-step mentor whose 'support' becomes something far more sinister. That role is still being cast. Segel and Ponsoldt co-wrote the script, and the duo released a joint statement that gives a taste of the tone they're aiming for: 'We set out to explore what happens when support becomes control — when the person you turn to for salvation slowly becomes your worst nightmare. 'After collaborating on Shrinking, we were excited to channel that same emotional intimacy into a psychological thriller, where the stakes are darker, more dangerous, and deeply personal. We can't wait to bring this unsettling story to life with such an incredible team.' Backing the project is Platinum Dunes, the producing powerhouse behind A Quiet Place and The Purge . Producer Brad Fuller added: 'We loved the twists and turns as well as the inside look at the world of recovery. Moreover, Jason and James' work together speaks volumes.' Between Segel stepping into darker territory and Ponsoldt's ability to capture raw, intimate performances, this could be the kind of story that fans will be interested in watching. Source: Variety
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Drop serves killer looks
DROP, the American thriller directed by Christopher Landon, arrives with an irresistible premise: a first date that spirals into a nightmare of anonymous threats, escalating dangers and rising suspicion. Add in the backing of genre powerhouses Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes and expectations naturally soar. But while Drop delivers gorgeously polished visuals and performances, its narrative leans heavily on familiar tricks, asking viewers to stay patient as it unfurls its tangled threads. There is no denying that Drop is a feast for the eyes. Cinematographer (who deserves applause here) bathes the upscale restaurant setting in moody lighting, gleaming surfaces and just the right touches of noirish shadow. Every glass of wine, flicker of candlelight and nervous glance is captured with surgical precision. This is a film where even a cell phone notification looks cinematic. But as sharp as the visuals are, the plot sometimes struggles to keep pace. Familiar recipe (but still tasty enough) Let us be clear: Drop does not reinvent the thriller wheel. The core premise: a protagonist trapped in a confined, elegant space while an unseen tormentor pulls the strings, echoes everything from Phone Booth to Panic Room. Add in a widowed protagonist with a tragic backstory, a too-charming date and a parade of suspicious side characters and the setup feels more comfort-food familiar than groundbreaking. Yet despite the sense of déjà vu, Drop remains a solid watch. This is thanks largely to Meghann Fahy's magnetic presence as Violet, the frazzled yet determined single mom trying to navigate both dating jitters and escalating danger. Fahy brings an emotional vulnerability that grounds the more outlandish moments, making the audience root for her even when the plot feels like it is jogging in place. Brandon Sklenar's Henry, meanwhile, plays the charming date with just the right amount of 'Is he or isn't he?' ambiguity. The supporting cast, including Violett Beane as Violet's sister and Gabrielle Ryan as the sharp-eyed bartender, fill out the ensemble with texture, even if many of them serve more as set dressing for Violet's rising paranoia. Let tension build Here is the key to enjoying Drop: approach it knowing that it is not a nonstop thrill ride. This is not one of those breathless, edge-of-your-seat thrillers where the plot fires off twists every ten minutes. Instead, Landon crafts a deliberately slow burn, teasing out the tension piece by piece. For some, this will be a treat, a rare thriller that luxuriates in mood, atmosphere and simmering dread. For others, it might test their patience. There are stretches where the movie seems to coast on its vibes rather than push the story forward and the central mystery occasionally feels padded out to stretch the runtime. But for viewers willing to sink into the slow-building unease, Drop offers a satisfying payoff. Visual that outshines its plot It bears repeating: the real star of Drop is its visual design. The film's upscale restaurant setting is a living, breathing character, full of reflective surfaces, shadowy corners and a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere. Director Landon, known for stylish genre hits like Happy Death Day and Freaky, brings his playful touch here, making even the most mundane objects: a phone, a cocktail glass, a note scribbled on a napkin, pop with cinematic flair. The visuals are so compelling that they often distract from the more predictable beats of the story. There is a sense that Landon and his team know they are working with a somewhat familiar script, so they lean hard into the atmosphere, ensuring the film at least looks fresher than it reads. For thriller fans who value aesthetics and mood, this attention to detail makes Drop worth the ticket price alone. Worth a watch, with right expectations Drop is not the most original thriller to hit screens this year, but it does not need to be. It knows what it is doing, delivering a tense, visually stunning cat-and-mouse game wrapped in a glossy package and it does it well enough to satisfy. Sure, the plot relies on familiar tropes and the pacing demands a patient viewer, but the overall experience is polished, suspenseful and anchored by strong lead performances. Audiences looking for groundbreaking twists or adrenaline-pumping action might walk away wishing for more. But for those content to settle in for a stylish, slow-burning thriller with a killer aesthetic, Drop delivers just enough thrills to keep them watching and admiring how good it all looks along the way. DIRECTOR: Christopher Landon CAST: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Violett Beane E-VALUE: 7/10 PLOT: 7/10 ACTING: 8/10
