ComicCon@Home ’21: Shudder announces new HORROR NOIRE anthology, V/H/S/94, and more CREEPSHOW

To say Shudder is having a big convention presence in this year’s ComicCon@Home is selling short the amount of new horror they’ve put on display. In three separate panels dedicated to each specific project, the horror streaming service has announced a new V/H/S entry for the fan favorite “found footage” film series, titled V/H/S/94, a new Horror Noire anthology series featuring adaptations of short black horror stories, and the third season of Creepshow.

Each project will stream exclusively on Shudder, a sign of the service’s intention to continue marching towards more original content. V/H/S/94 is slated for release this coming fall and will be the first entry to feature stories that will lead straight into the wrap-around story that’s a been a staple of the franchise since its inception.

Segment directors Simon Barrett, Timo Tjahjanto, Jennifer Reeder, Ryan Prows, and Chloe Okuno offered a few hints as to their stories, which range from militia soldiers stumbling onto a supernatural force that could be used as a weapon to violent urban legend that might carry more truth than some might be prepared for. The wrap-around story follows a botched SWAT-led drug bust that uncovers a new kind of narcotic that leans heavy on terror.

Next up is the Horror Noire anthology series announcement, which came as one of the most pleasant surprises to come out of the three panels given its roots are found in the critically-acclaimed documentary of the same name, which explores the history of black horror cinema.

The new anthology is an extension of the Horror Noire documentary in that it furthers the film’s mission to not just make black horror more visible, but to also open future storytelling doors for black horror creators.

The first set of stories, of which I hope we’ll many more of in the future, contains six black horror adaptations which includes the work of Victor LaValle, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Al Letson, Shernold Edwards, Steven Barnes, and Tanarive Due. Barnes and Due have two stories in the lineup.

Tananarive Due, executive producer of Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, made a strong point on the anthology’s panel regarding the lack of black horror story adaptations and how filling in that gap could lead to the development of a bigger market for these types of stories. Writer Shernold Edwards added that the project also advocates for the creation of new IP, of new ideas that other shows such as Horror Noire could later invest in.

The Horror Noire panel was composed of Steven Barnes, Due, Edwards, and Victor LaValle. The show is set to land on Shudder in the fall.

Rounding out the Shudder trifecta was the Creepshow panel, in which season 3 of the horror anthology series was announced. Showrunner Greg Nicotero presented two short clips from two of the new season’s episodes, one featuring Michael Rooker playing a guard that’s dealing with a kind of creature that entered into U.S. soil without meeting the proper requirements and another one focused on two young women being chased around a hospital facility by strange doctors with green glowing eyes.

The panel included Greg Nicotero, writer Mattie Do, director Rusty Cundieff, and guest cast members Michael Rooker, and James Remar. Nicotero revealed the season 3 premiere date is set for September 23, 2021 and will contain six episodes with two segments each.

Rusty Cundieff (director of Tales from the Hood) expressed his excitement on working with practical effects and things that have to be built by hand to be put in front of the camera. Creepshow has stayed pretty close to this rule and it should no surprise the next installment will follow suit.

Shudder is making a strong case for horror fans who have yet to buy into the streaming service to do so now. The Shudder Originals offering is growing at a fast rate and the names and franchises coming to it are turning out to be bigger and bigger. Looks like the horror streaming service knows quite well horror enthusiasts are always hungry, and that their appetite is voracious.

Miss any of The Beat’s earlier ComicCon@Home coverage? Find it all here!