Shudder Acquires Madeleine Sims-Fewer & Dusty Mancinelli’s Psychological Gothic Thriller ‘Honey Bunch’ From XYZ Films Ahead Of Toronto International Film Festival Premiere

Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Jason Isaacs, and Katie Dickie lead cast; following its Berlin world premiere and upcoming U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest, HONEY BUNCH will debut on Shudder in 2026

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NEW YORK, NY - September 2, 2025 - Shudder announced today that they have acquired HONEY BUNCH, the psychological gothic thriller from filmmaking duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, ahead of its North American Premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Written and directed by Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli, HONEY BUNCH stars Grace Glowicki (DEAD LOVER), Ben Petrie (BLACKBERRY), Jason Isaacs ("The White Lotus"), Kate Dickie (THE WITCH), India Brown ("Invasion"), and Julian Richings (BEAU IS AFRAID). The deal includes rights in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. HONEY BUNCH is slated to debut on Shudder in 2026.

HONEY BUNCH, inspired by Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli's longtime partnership, marks the duo's sophomore feature following their acclaimed debut VIOLATION, which was released by Shudder and premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival before screening at Sundance and SXSW. After its world premiere at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival, HONEY BUNCH will make its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest later this month.

In HONEY BUNCH, when Diana (Glowicki) wakes from a coma with fragmented memories, she and her husband (Petrie) seek experimental treatments at a remote facility. As the procedures intensify, their marriage is put to the test and Diana begins to question her husband's true motives.

"We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Shudder with the release of HONEY BUNCH. The film reveals a different side to us as filmmakers, and Shudder are exactly the right partners to present it to audiences," said directors Sims-Fewer & Mancinelli. "HONEY BUNCH celebrates the terrifying, painful, yet intimately rewarding struggles of what it takes to sustain a relationship. It's a twisted love story. Not a fairytale. We can't wait for viewers to experience our weird, macabre film in the way only Shudder can deliver."

"HONEY BUNCH delivers high-stakes suspense while surprising with a tender love story that demonstrates a skilled balancing act," said SVP of Shudder Acquisitions and Production Emily Gotto. "Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli have proven they know how to deliver unforgettable storytelling, and with their sophomore feature they deliver an experience that's both emotional and entertaining, anchored by incredible performances. We can't wait for audiences to experience it."

HONEY BUNCH is produced by Becky Yeboah, Sims-Fewer & Mancinelli for Cat People, and Rhombus Media. Executive Producers include Niv Fichman, Fraser Ash, Kevin Krikst, Ben Petrie, Tenille Shockey, François Dagenais, William Woods, Aram Tertzakian, Nate Bolotin, Maxime Cottray, Todd Brown, Adrian Love, and Mike O'Leary. XYZ Films financed the film in conjunction with IPR.VC and is handling worldwide licensing outside of Canada. The deal was negotiated by Emily Gotto for Shudder with Nate Bolotin and Pip Ngo for XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

About Shudder

Shudder is the leading curatorial voice and cultural destination for genre entertainment, delivering an unparalleled selection of horror, thrillers, and the supernatural. With an ever-expanding library of films, TV series, and exclusive Originals, Shudder is accessible across most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Shudder releases approximately thirty films per year, and has redefined genre streaming with a slate of groundbreaking and critically acclaimed titles, including Rob Savage's HOST, Jayro Bustamante's Golden Globe-nominated LA LLORONA, Phil Tippett's MAD GOD, Coralie Fargeat's REVENGE, Kyle Edward Ball's SKINAMARINK, Christian Tafdrup's SPEAK NO EVIL, Chloe Okuno's WATCHER, Demián Rugna's WHEN EVIL LURKS, and the latest installments in the V/H/S franchise. Shudder also boasts fan-favorite series such as the two-time Emmy Award-nominated THE BOULET BROTHERS' DRAGULA, Mark Duplass' THE CREEP TAPES, Greg Nicotero's CREEPSHOW, and THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS. Notable recent releases include Chris Nash's IN A VIOLENT NATURE, Colin and Cameron Cairnes' LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, Damian McCarthy's ODDITY, and Emilie Blichfeldt's THE UGLY STEPSISTER.

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