A timely Halloween announcement for thrill seekers of the scary kind is that FrightFest is coming to Newcastle next year.
The festival of screen horror, fantasy and sci-fi has formed a new partnership with the Tyneside Cinema for a two-day film event on May 1 and 2, 2027.
The venture is one of the attractions lined up for the 90th anniversary celebrations of the much-loved former newsreel cinema on Pilgrim Street.
FrightFest, sponsored by Tubi, will take over the Tyneside for what the organisers are calling “a blood-soaked weekend of exclusive film premieres and special guest appearances”.
Dan Lauder, head of cinema and operations said: “Tyneside Cinema is incredibly excited to work with Tubi FrightFest in bringing the dark heart of cinema to Newcastle for the very first time.
“Horror is a unique and fascinating genre that can scare and mesmerise in equal measure, and there is no better way to celebrate it than by hosting one of best horror film festivals around.
“Combining our historic independent cinema in its 90th year with FrightFest’s superb programming, Tubi FrightFest Newcastle promises to be a devilishly good time.”
Ian Rattray, co-director of FrightFest, added: “We’ve long known that the North East has an incredibly passionate and dedicated community of horror fans, so expanding Tubi FrightFest to Newcastle feels like a natural next step.
“To be partnering with a venue as iconic and rich in cinematic history as the Tyneside Cinema is an exciting privilege.
“We can’t wait to take over their screens next May and unleash a terrifying weekend of genre cinema upon Newcastle’s audiences.”
You have been warned.
FrightFest was conceived by Ian, along with Paul McEvoy and Alan Jones, at the turn of the century and staged its first event in 2000 at the Prince Charles Cinema, just off London’s Leicester Square.
There have been changes of venue over the years but its August bank holiday weekend event has remained a fixture ever since.
The stated objective of FrightFest in the early days was to provide the UK with a horror fantasy festival similar to the market leaders in Europe – at Sitges, in Spain, and in the Belgian capital, Brussels.
Nowadays people travel from all over the world to savour the event’s special edgy atmosphere.
As well as its main August event in London, FrightFest also stages a Halloween extravaganza and hosts a regular two-day ‘terrorthon’ at Glasgow Film Festival.
Dates for those have been announced on the FrightFest website with the inaugural Newcastle event now added to the list.
The Tyneside Cinema promises details of the line-up early in 2027.