Exclusive: 'Slay Day' Interactive Slasher Movie to Hit Theaters in Fall 2026, Followed by Gaming Console Release

The interactive horror movie Slay Day is scheduled to premiere in theaters next fall, brought to audiences by Kino Industries CtrlMovie. The film allows viewers to collectively make decisions via their smartphones, shaping the narrative in real time as it unfolds.

With over twenty distinct endings, no two screenings will be alike. Some showings may see a new Final Girl survive, while others might end with no characters left alive. The movie transforms the traditional slasher experience into a participatory social event, challenging audiences to navigate horror by taking control of the story themselves.

Following its theatrical debut, CtrlMovie plans to release Slay Day across multiple platforms, including Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, blending traditional viewing with interactive gameplay.

Directed by John David Buxton in his feature film debut, the story is set on Friday the 13th, 1987, in the idyllic town of Belle Falls. Six teenagers prepare for the annual Sadie Hawkins dance, but when the town uncovers the body of the original Sadie Hawkins to solve the mystery behind her violent legacy from fifty years prior, a sinister force awakens.

The cast features Jayden Bartels (Goosebumps, Side Hustle), Shelby Simmons (Bunkd), Emma McNulty (FBI: Most Wanted), Caleb Brown (Mothers Day), Luke Mullen (V/H/S/99), Corrado Martini (Circles), and Lyndon Smith (National Treasure: Edge of History). Casting was overseen by Danielle Aufiero and Amber Horn of Aufiero/Horn.

The screenplay was written by Andrew Matisziw (Goliath, The Firm), with producers including Mark Dragin (Law & Order), Michael Kagan (Night Patrol), and Scott C. Silver (The Pyramid, Wheelman, BornStars). Executive producers are Eric Schneider, Angela Kay, and Chaz Barsamian.

Financing comes from BasePoint Capital under a partnership with CtrlMovie. Buxton commented, Horror has always invited audience participationscreaming, shielding eyes, daring the killer. Slay Day transforms those impulses into direct action, letting the audience determine the fate of every character.

Silver added, Years of development led to CtrlMovie, which blurs the line between viewer and story. Slay Day allows the audience to influence the plot in real time. Each decision affects who lives and who dies, making horror intensely personal.

Kagan noted that Utah provided the ideal filming environment with a skilled crew, robust infrastructure, and diverse locations ranging from intimate town streets to expansive landscapes, all supported by a welcoming local film community.

Legal representation includes Buxtons attorney Jesse Nord at The Nord Group and lead counsel Chaz Barsamian of Entertainment Law Partners for the production.

Author: Ethan Caldwell