HONEY BUNCH: Psychological Thriller From ‘Violation’ Helmers Heads To Shudder In 2026
Psycho goth thriller Honey Bunch is currently set for a North American Premiere this week at the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. In the meantime, horror platform Shudder is announcing its acquisition of the pic. The film will also screen for Fantastic Fest later this month.
Honey Bunch is written and directed by Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer, inspired by their longtime partnership and marks the duo’s sophomore feature following their acclaimed debut, Violation, which bowed on Shudder and premiered in Toronto in 2020. The new film stars 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).
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.
Honey Bunch is slated to debut on Shudder in 2026. The deal includes rights in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.
“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.”
Cat People’s Becky Yeboah produced the film along with Sims-Fewer & Mancinelli, and Rhombus Media. Exec producers are 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.
