Sundance announces 2026 lineup, including Midnight horror features

The Sundance Film Festival just announced its 2026 lineup, including seven feature films that will screen as part of the Midnight category, which is traditionally reserved for horror movies. The festival will be held from January 22-February 1, 2026, in person at Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. In total, the festival will screen 90 feature films and seven episodic projects, with an online, at-home screening option available from January 29-February 1.

The Midnight section always warrants attention from horror lovers. Past entries have included The Blair Witch Project, Get Out, Hereditary, Mandy, I Saw the TV Glow, among many others. Here are the seven Midnight feature films slated for Sundance 2026.

The Best Summer (U.S./Directed by Tamara Davis)

Music fans, especially 90s alternative rock lovers, should definitely put this one on their radar. This immersive, POV camera footage includes performances, interviews, and intimate backstage scenes with the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Pavement, Rancid, Beck, The Amps, and Bikini Kill. Sundance's press documents describe the documentary as an "all-access view inside an era-defining moment in music." The doc will be available to screen in person and online.

Buddy- Courtesy of the Sundance Film Institute

Buddy (U.S./Directed by Casper Kelly)

So far, Buddy is one of the buzziest horror films slated for Sundance. The movie tells the tale of a brave girl and her friends who must escape a children's TV show. The cast includes Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Topher Grace, Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt. The premise sounds wild, and there's some real comedic talent among the cast, so it's probably safe to assume this is a twisted horror-comedy. Buddy is slated to premiere in person.

Leviticus (Australia/Directed by Adrian Chiarella)

In this feature, two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most. In this case, it's each other. This premise sounds all kinds of intriguing. The cast includes Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Mia Wasikowska, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, and Davida McKenzie. Leviticus will screen in person.

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant (New Zealand/Directed by THUNDERLIPS)

This one sounds like another wild horror-comedy, or maybe, in this case, a sci-fi comedy. The synopsis states that an underachieving millennial gets "alien-pregnant." Then, she must overcome skeptical doctors, a lazy baby daddy, and her mom. This is one heck of a premise, with a cast that includes Hannah Lynch, Yvette Parsons, Arlo Green, and Jackie van Beek. The movie will screen in person.

Rock Springs - Courtesy of the Sundance Film Institute

Rock Springs (U.S., Canada/ Directed by Vera Miao)

This feature definitely sounds a bit heavier than some of the other Midnight selections. Following the death of her father, a grieving young girl moves to an isolated house with her mom and grandmother. Once there, they discover there's something monstrous hidden in the nearby woods behind their new home and within the town's history. The cast includes Kelly Marie Tran, Benedict Wong, Jimmy O. Yang, Aria Kim, and Fiona Fu. The film will screen both online and in person.

Saccharine (Australia/Directed by Natalie Erika James)

After the haunting and effective Relic and last year's Rosemary's Baby prequel, Apartment 7A, Natalie Erika James returns with her third film. Saccharine's synopsis is short and simply states that a hungry ghost terrorizes a lovelorn med student named Hana. This occurs after Hana partakes in a weight loss craze that involves eating human ashes. The cast includes Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald, and Madeleine Madden. James is one of the most exciting young directors in the game, so this is definitely a must-see. The movie will screen in person.

Undertone (Canada/Directed by Ian Tuason)

Undertone already played the Fantasia Film Festival in 2025 and earned a whole lot of hype, to the point it's already been acquired by A24. The film involves the host of a paranormal podcast (Nina Kiri) who becomes haunted and terrified by mysterious recordings sent her way. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one. It's an unsettling feature that crawls right under the skin and makes you question what you're actually seeing and hearing on the screen. The film will screen in person.

The upcoming festival will be the last in Park City, Sundance's long-time location. Beginning in 2027, the festival will move to Boulder, Colorado.

In-person and online ticket packages and passes for the 2026 festival are currently on sale, while individual ticket sales open on January 14. The complete program, along with additional ticket information, can be accessed via Sundance's website.