Movies - Hokum : Adam Scott faces ancient Irish terror in Damian McCarthy’s haunting new supernatural horror film

By Mulder, 15 march 2026

The supernatural horror film Hokum marks the return of Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy, whose previous work in atmospheric genre cinema has earned a growing reputation among horror fans looking for slow-burn dread rather than cheap shocks. With this new feature, the director once again dives into the eerie folklore of Ireland, blending psychological unease with traditional ghost-story elements. Produced by Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Derek Dauchy, Ruth Treacy, Julianne Forde, and Mairtín de Barra, the film is backed by Image Nation, Tailored Films, and Spooky Pictures, with additional support from Screen Ireland, confirming the project’s ambition to stand as an international horror production while staying deeply rooted in Irish culture. The film premiered at SXSW on March 14, 2026, before heading toward theatrical releases scheduled for April 29, 2026 in France and May 1, 2026 in the United States, distributed respectively by The Jokers Films and Neon, the latter having acquired worldwide rights during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, a deal that immediately attracted attention among genre observers who had already heard strong word of mouth from early footage screenings.

From the very first images shown in the official trailer, the tone of Hokum makes it clear that Damian McCarthy is once again favoring atmosphere over spectacle, a choice that feels increasingly rare in modern horror cinema dominated by loud jump scares and franchise formulas. The story follows Ohm Bauman, a novelist played by Adam Scott, who travels to a remote region of Ireland to scatter the ashes of his parents, only to find himself staying in an isolated inn rumored to be haunted by an ancient witch linked to a bridal suite. What begins as a quiet mourning trip slowly turns into a psychological descent, as the stories told by the staff start to blur the line between superstition and reality. The premise may sound familiar on paper, but the execution promises something far more unsettling, especially thanks to Colm Hogan’s cinematography, which captures the misty landscapes of West Cork with a cold, oppressive beauty, and to the music composed by Joseph Bishara, known for his work on several modern horror classics, whose sound design already hints at a score built to create tension rather than relief.

The casting also plays a major role in the film’s credibility, with Adam Scott leading the ensemble in what looks like one of his darkest roles to date, far removed from the comedic tone many viewers associate with him. Alongside him, the film features Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell, Michael Patric, Brendan Conroy, and Austin Amelio, forming a cast largely composed of strong character actors rather than mainstream stars, a choice that often benefits horror films by making the story feel more grounded. According to production notes, principal photography took place in West Cork, Ireland, during February and March 2025, with the crew deliberately choosing real locations instead of studio sets to reinforce the feeling of isolation. That decision is visible in the footage already released, where the inn itself almost becomes a character, its narrow corridors and dimly lit rooms echoing the tradition of classic European ghost stories rather than the polished look of contemporary Hollywood horror.

Another interesting detail emerging from the press materials is the creative continuity between Hokum and Damian McCarthy’s earlier work, as the director once again explores themes of grief, guilt, and the way folklore can shape human perception. Several anecdotes from the production mention that the script was written with the Irish setting in mind from the start, with local legends serving as inspiration for the witch mythology seen in the film. The involvement of producers Roy Lee and Steven Schneider, both known for their work on internationally successful horror projects, also suggests a desire to balance artistic identity with global appeal, something that has become essential for independent genre films hoping to reach wide audiences. Early reactions from festival screenings reportedly praised the film’s slow pacing and oppressive atmosphere, with some viewers comparing its tone to classic haunted-house stories while others highlighted the psychological aspect of the narrative as its strongest element.

With a runtime of 101 minutes, Hokum appears to aim for a carefully controlled build-up rather than a relentless barrage of scares, a choice that could make it stand out in a crowded horror landscape. The collaboration between Cweature Features, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Tailored Films, and Spooky Pictures also reflects the increasingly international nature of modern genre cinema, where projects often combine talent and funding from several countries while still keeping a strong local identity. If the early buzz proves accurate, Damian McCarthy may be delivering one of the most atmospheric supernatural films of the year, a movie that relies on mood, folklore, and performance instead of spectacle, and that could easily find its audience among viewers who miss the slower, more unsettling horror films that defined the genre before the era of cinematic universes. With its festival premiere already behind it and theatrical release approaching, Hokum is shaping up to be one of the horror titles worth watching closely in 2026, especially for those who appreciate stories where the real terror comes not from what is seen, but from what might be hiding in the dark just outside the frame.

Synopsis :
Ohm Bauman, a novelist, retreats to an inn in Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes. But the staff’s tales of an ancient witch haunting the bridal suite gradually take hold of his mind...

Hokum
Written and directed by Damian McCarthy
Produced by Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Derek Dauchy, Ruth Treacy, Julianne Forde, Mairtín de Barra
Starring Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell, Michael Patric, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio
Cinematography Colm Hogan
Edited by Brian Philip Davis
Music by Joseph Bishara
Production companies : Cweature Features, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Tailored Films, Spooky Pictures
Distributed by Neon (United States), The jopkers Films (France)
Release dates : March 14, 2026 (SXSW), April 29, 2026 (France), May 1, 2026 (United States)
Running time ! 101 minutes