Nerd Horror Newscast | Ep. 4
Zombie Kids, Cursed Lovers, and Nerd Horror Explained
March 20, 2025 | Hosted by Justine Norton-Kertson
What’s up, you fright-loving freaks and midnight movie maniacs?
We’re back with another earful of blood-soaked headlines and horror nerdery. In today’s episode, your scream shepherd Justine Norton-Kertson dives into the genre’s latest madness—from cursed relationships to zombie kids, underwater horror to the return of Hannibal (maybe? PLEASE?).
Also: we define Nerd Horror, list the 10 must-watch films that define it, and explore the current crop of terror tearing through your screens and shelves.
Let’s get into it.
Today in Horror History
March 20 marks the release of two genre-defining cult favorites:
Two Thousand Maniacs (1964) – Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Southern ghost revenge splatterfest that made grindhouse history with banjos, blood, and buckets of gore.
Basic Instinct (1992) – Not quite horror, but it did more psychological damage to ‘90s sexuality than most slashers ever could.
Nerd Horror: What the Hell Is It?
Let’s break it down. Nerd Horror isn’t just “horror for nerds”—it’s horror that rewards obsession. It’s packed with lore, packed with references, and it isn’t afraid to demand 30 hours of fan theory YouTube rabbit holes. This is horror for the genre-obsessed—the people who know what year The Thing came out and how many steps are in the final girl arc.
Top 10 Nerd Horror Essentials:
🎬 The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
🎬 The Thing (1982)
🎬 Videodrome (1983)
🎬 Scream (1996)
🎬 Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
🎬 Annihilation (2018)
🎬 Becky (2020)
🎬 Evil Dead II (1987)
🎬 Re-Animator (1985)
🎬 Psycho Goreman (2020)
Guts & Gaming
Chasmal Fear is coming for your lungs on April 17. This underwater FPS looks like Dead Space and SOMA had a baby that screams at you in the dark. Submerged terror, malfunctioning tech, and things with too many teeth? We’re drowning in hype.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is headed to consoles. That’s right—Harlan Ellison’s legendary psychological horror game is back to ruin lives in 4K. AI torment, moral trauma, and vintage point-and-click existential horror? Sign us up and log us out of humanity.
Literary Bloodletting
Texarcanum is an upcoming Heartland Horror comic anthology set to launch summer 2025. It’s all haunted cornfields, rural cults, and moonshine demons. Think Evil Dead meets Southern Gothic—with a splash of folk metal.
The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu is real. Hemingway meets Lovecraft. Bullfighting, booze, and brain-melting eldritch nightmares. We don’t know what this mashup did to deserve existence, but we are absolutely here for it.
Movie Mayhem
The Surrender (May 3, IFC/Shudder) – A psychosexual horror that makes Possession look like a rom-com. Sofia Black-D’Elia stars in a story of obsession, control, and relationship trauma so twisted it should come with a therapist.
Rosario – New trailer dropped. Gothic Catholic vibes, ancestral curses, and David Dastmalchian doing that hot-creepy thing he does. Hereditary meets La Llorona and we’re here for it.
If It Bleeds – Based on Stephen King’s novella. Lucy Liu, Christian Convery, and Jovan Adepo investigate supernatural horror—probably making everything worse. King fans, prepare to lose your minds.
It Ends – The final It Lives Inside entry is being pummeled by critics (27% on Rotten Tomatoes). Flat, cliché-heavy, and nowhere near as creepy as the original. RIP potential.
Together – Alison Brie and Dave Franco star in this romantic body horror nightmare. Think The Fly meets Marriage Story, with extra flesh-melting tension. NEON strikes again.
Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse – Spanish-language zombie horror from a child’s POV. Bleak, emotional, and terrifying. Not your typical undead flick—this one aims for the soul.
TV Terrors
School Spirits renewed for Season 3. Think The Sixth Sense meets The Breakfast Club, but everyone’s dead and full of teen angst.
Strange New Worlds is bringing full-on horror to Star Trek Season 4. Xenomorphs? Killer tribbles? We're strapped in.
Mads Mikkelsen wants a Hannibal revival. And so do we. Get Bryan Fuller on the phone.
Karma (Netflix) – A dark, psychological Korean thriller from Squid Game’s Park Hae-soo. Secrets, vengeance, and emotional damage incoming.
Jessica Lange says no more AHS. The Supreme has spoken. We grieve.
Dexter Funko Pops are here. They’re adorable. They’re stabby. We need them all.
That’s a Wrap
That’s your horror fix for March 20, 2025. From submerged nightmares to psychosexual spirals, pop culture’s dark side is thriving—and we’re watching with bloodshot eyes and popcorn.
Hosted by Justine Norton-Kertson
Produced by Nerd Horror Media
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