New Retro Horror Movie Turns a 1980s Beach Trip Into a Bloody Nightmare in First Look [Exclusive]

Australia has historically been a hotbed for boundary-pushing new horror films, and this year is no different. Penny Lane Is Dead, a blackly comedic horror film, is set to debut at Fantasia Fest in Montreal, Quebec this summer. Collider is proud to exclusively present a first look at the movie’s new poster.

The new poster for Penny Lane Is Dead spotlights the cast in various stages of mania while an ominous figure lumbers towards a beach house with a woman, unconscious or dead, in his arms, an evocation of a classic horror trope seen on classic horror posters like Creature From the Black Lagoon or Forbidden Planet. The movie is the feature directorial and screenwriting debut of Mia’Kate Russell, who has previously directed several acclaimed short films. It will premiere at Fantasia Fest, which runs from July 16 to August 2 in Montreal. It is set to hit Australian theaters on July 23, courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment; a theatrical release in North America and beyond is forthcoming.

What Is ‘Penny Lane Is Dead’ About?

It’s the summer of 1986, and Penny Lane (Bailey Spalding, Scrublands) is celebrating her admittance to university with her pals, Toni (Tahlee Fereday, Videoland) and Amy (Alexandra Jensen, Talk to Me). Unfortunately, her cousin Kat (Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn, the daughter of fellow actor Ben Mendelsohn), who has a bad drug habit and even badder attitude, is coming along, too. She’s brought along drugged cupcakes for the girls, and even worse, she’s brought along her psycho boyfriend, Angus (Ben O’Toole, Hacksaw Ridge), and a pack of assorted weirdos. Things are about to go from bad to worse, in an orgy of blood, violence, and depravity. But is Penny Lane dead? You’ll have to watch to find out. It also stars Fletcher Humphrys (Chopper), Steve Le Marquand (Deadloch), and Matthew O’Sullivan (Numbered Lives).

Australia has a strong horror tradition. 1971’s shocker Wake in Fright kicked off the Ozsploitation genre, which saw films like Roadgames and Razorback haunt video store shelves. It entered the new century with bleak horror films like Wolf Creek and Lake Mungo, and has continued into the era of “elevated horror” with hits like The Babadook and Bring Her Back.

Penny Lane Is Dead will have its international premiere at Fantasia Fest in Montreal later this summer; it will be released in Australian theaters on July 23, and a North American release is forthcoming. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.