Cristin Milioti’s Pulse-Raising R-Rated Horror Movie Buddy Is Releasing At The Perfect Time

Published Aug 22, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT

It's interesting to note how the horror genre has in some ways developed and in some ways stayed the same over the course of its history. Though classic horror figures like vampires and werewolves are still used in horror movies aplenty, the kind of specific stories that engage and intrigue audiences most are of course ever-changing, and reflect modern concerns as much as horror movies of the past reflected contemporary fears of the time.

Horror's next upcoming theatrical release does appear to be a clear reflection of this trend, both in that it mirrors concerns around media and technology in the present day, and in that it bares striking parallels with some other well-received horror films in recent history, which could help spell success for the upcoming release.

Buddy Is A Perfectly Timed Horror Movie

Buddy delves into the surrealist horror movie scenario of a group of children finding themselves trapped in a sinister television show akin to Barney & Friends albeit with its own titular unicorn mascot host Buddy, with its Buddy's trailer revealing a story that looks to be half a harrowing escape narrative for the kids, and half a horror mystery as Cristin Miloti's Grace attempts to uncover what has happened to these missing children seemingly at the same time.

With this all in mind, Buddy being on the horizon for a theatrical debut on August 28, 2028 seems particularly well-timed. The interest in mascot horror as a particular genre has grown increased interest thanks to the popularity of the Five Nights at Freddy's series and other similar game series.

However, with the Five Nights at Freddy's film series garnering mixed results even from fans - in part because of how it holds back on many of its most harrowing horror aspects to keep a 15 rating - there's a clear gap in the market for Buddy's more intense seeming setup.

Similarly, the recent history the horror genre has had with movies made by those with online prominence for various reasons seems as though it also bodes well for Buddy, thanks to Buddy's director and writer, Casper Kelly.

Buddy's Impending Release Looks Even More Promising Given Horror's Latest Movie Hits

Buddy writer and director Casper Kelly is currently perhaps best known for his prior work on Too Many Cooks, a horror-comedy short film that gained major internet virality after release on Adult Swim's Infomercials in 2014. Too Many Cooks garnered this reputation for its genre and convention-bending approach to its storytelling, with its narrative being told via an extended credits section wherein a machete-wielding slasher villain begins killing off members of the cast in dramatic fashion.

With recent horror hits like Obsession, Backrooms, and even Iron Lung coming from figures who built up their initial talents with their own viral internet releases before releasing a movie in theaters, the history of Buddy's director and writer seems all the more promising, and speaks to the movie having a creator who has already had notable success crafting a story that has resonated with audiences in a major way.

Combine this with Buddy's star-studded cast - which includes not only Cristin Miloti, but also Keegan-Michael Key, Topher Grace, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt - and it's clear the film holds some real promise for the world of horror, which it should hopefully be set to capitalize on in just a few days.