Alone At Night - What We Know So Far
It's safe to say that slasher films have been a staple of horror cinema for over nearly 50 years, first rising to prominence in the 1970s when a slew of gory horror flicks began hitting the theaters. Most prominent amongst these is John Carpenter's 1978 classic "Halloween," which ushered in a slew of similar films featuring psychotic killers who are hell-bent on murdering as many people as possible in 90 minutes.
The slashers that followed "Halloween" included prolific horror films like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," and of course "Friday the 13th." The impact that the slasher movement had on horror cinema cannot be overstated, as dozens of slashers continue to populate the theater each year. 2022 alone saw the release of prominent slashers like "Halloween Ends," Mia Goth's "X," the Pete Davidson-led "Bodies Bodies Bodies," and another reboot of the "Scream" franchise.
The majority of these modern slashers adapt the themes and content of their predecessors to the ways of modern society, sometimes to the point where something like an Airbnb can become a focal point of the horror story itself. This trend continues with the upcoming slasher film "Alone at Night," the synopsis of which reads, "Quarantine leads to a night of terror" (via IMDb). Here's everything we know so far about the getaway-inspired slasher "Alone at Night."
When will Alone at Night be released?
Thankfully, horror aficionados won't have to wait long for "Alone at Night." Its release date is currently set for January 20, 2023, at which time it will premiere both in theaters and on Video-On-Demand services (via Deadline). Although this imminent release date is certainly good news for any fans of the slasher genre, it's worth noting that the film itself was technically already released — albeit, under some remarkably strange circumstances.
Indeed, "Alone at Night" was actually released for the first time back in August 2022, at which time it was named "18 & Over." Like the film's subject matter, it's clear that this novel release is a product of our times, as "Alone at Night" was released in the form of a $263 NFT, which included exclusive art of characters from the film itself (via Variety). 10,000 of these NFTs went on sale starting August 5, and anybody who owned one would have two months of access to the "collector's cut" of "Alone at Night." Although it's unclear how many of these NFTs were actually sold, the entire ordeal marks one of the most unique film premieres in recent memory — especially now that the film itself is coming to theaters this upcoming January.
What is the plot of Alone at Night?
Entertainment Weekly indicates that the film will primarily focus on a woman named Vicky (Ashley Benson) who works for the adult streaming website "18 & Over." Following a breakup, Vicky retreats to an isolated cabin in the woods where she continues to provide content for her followers — only to find herself in grave danger once a masked killer shows up on the property.
If that synopsis sounds like your stereotypical slasher, there's a good reason for that, since director Jimmy Giannopoulos is taking inspiration from some of his favorite slashers of the past. "With 'Alone at Night,' I wanted to make the kind of movie I would have snuck into as a teen: slasher, stoner, sexy thriller with killer music," explained Giannopoulos. "Playing on the nostalgia of my favorite B-horror/90's slasher films ... The themes of isolation and obsession are as old as time, but culture always breeds new ways for them to manifest."
It's clear that "Alone at Night" will be a love letter to the slasher genre as a whole.
Who is starring in Alone at Night?
Although the synopsis makes it clear that much and more of "Alone at Night" will focus on Ashley Benson's character Vicky, the film itself features an ensemble cast stacked with some pretty major stars — including several prominent musical artists. Several of the most notable cast members from "Alone at Night" include the prolific Luis Guzmán, who plays a character named JazzyLou; "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson, who plays a bumbling sheriff who tries to help bring down the killer; and Paris Hilton, who stars as the host of a fictitious show called "Trap Stars" (via IMDb).
In addition, the film also features rapper A$AP Nast playing the deputy to Anderson's sheriff and marks the feature film debut of fellow rapper G-Eazy, who plays a character named Tom Montana and who is also credited with providing the film's score. Other members of the cast include Sky Ferreira, Jake Neary, Winnie Harlow, John Robinson, Cassius Corrigan, and Tyler Dean Flores.
"Alone at Night" boasts an impressive ensemble cast that can rival even the best indie horror films out there — even if most of these characters are likely to perish before the film is over.
Who is directing Alone at Night?
The upcoming erotic slasher "Alone at Night" will be directed by Jimmy Giannopoulos, who (prior to his work as a director) is perhaps most well known for being one of the founding members of the R&B-electropop duo "LOLAWOLF," which he created alongside fellow actor and musician Zoë Kravitz.
Giannopoulos made his feature-length directorial debut back in 2021 with "The Birthday Cake" — a crime thriller that focuses on a young man named Giovanni who is forced to honor his family's tradition of bringing a birthday cake to the house of "Uncle Angelo" (a local crime boss played by Val Kilmer) once a year. While delivering the said cake, he witnesses a murder that sets his life spiraling out of control, and eventually leads him to uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death (via IMDb). Despite receiving poor reviews, "The Birthday Cake" is notable for featuring an absurdly star-studded cast, featuring the talents of actors like Lorraine Bracco, Ewan McGregor, Jeremy Allen White, and one of the last performances by the legendary Paul Sorvino prior to his death.
As such, it's safe to say that Giannopoulos has plenty of experience directing some of the world's biggest actors, despite the fact that "Alone at Night" marks just his second time being behind the camera — and one has to hope that experience will translate into a slasher worth remembering.
Is there a trailer for Alone at Night?
Yes, there is a trailer for "Alone at Night," which was posted to YouTube courtesy of Vertical Entertainment US. The trailer for "Alone at Night” begins with a woman being stabbed to death in her home, before cutting to Ashley Benson's Vicky as she enters her friend's cabin — promising to "spend the next week webcamming and making some money."
We then get a brief glimpse of Luis Guzmán's JazzyLou (who turns out to be one of Vicky's subscribers) as well as a scene in which a mysterious voice asks Vicky "how much will it take to make you mine?" The rest of the trailer is rounded out by appearances from Pamela Anderson's goofy sheriff who, along with her partner, explains that a killer used to roam this area, and a variety of shots showing a mysterious masked killer stalking Vicky through the cabin.
In classic slasher form, we also get plenty of quick glimpses of this masked killer stabbing people left and right, intercut with some tongue-in-cheek comments from Paris Hilton on the set of her show. The trailer itself certainly poses a lot of new questions about the story of this film, including who this mysterious client and killer actually is and what Hilton's character has to do with Vicky's dire situation. In any case, the trailer does an excellent job of keeping the audience in suspense without giving too much away, and is certain to attract plenty of horror fans looking for a brand-new slasher.