2026 marked the 21st edition of Fantastic Fest, a film festival that’s long been at the forefront of defining what a “genre movie” means for the North American market. Like everybody, the festival had a bit of a rebuilding period after COVID shut down festivities in 2020 and 2021. This year, however, Fantastic Fest really found its footing, with the strongest lineup of films in recent memory and a variety of well-run, inclusive events designed to cater to all types of fest-goers, from early risers to karaoke vampires. (Inverse’s Katie Rife had to leave before the GWAR show, which was very sad.)
Highlights included secret screenings Alpha Gang and In A Violent Nature 2, as well as Wild Horse Nine and a special screening of Primetime. Beyond the big-name titles, however, this year’s festival also included a number of excellent under-the-radar movies worth seeking out. Some of them are already scheduled for release, while others will be traveling the festival circuit for the foreseeable future. We’ve rounded up our five favorites below.
