Adam Scott is no stranger to the horror genre, but his next movie may be the most terrifying project he’s ever been a part of. The upcoming folk horror movie Hokum from Neon has already captured the attention of horror cinephiles thanks in large part to the haunting first trailer, which was first seen as part of the previews for Osgood Perkins’ Keeper.
The Severance star is the most noteworthy name in the cast by far, and based on the limited shots provided by the teaser, it appears that the story will largely focus on his character. However, it’s difficult to make any assumptions about the size of his role due to Neon’s insistence (thus far) on employing a marketing tactic that’s become a trend in recent years.
Hokum’s First Teaser Reveals Almost Nothing About The Plot
Adam Scott in the Hokum trailer
The first teaser for Hokum lives up to its label, given that it is little more than a series of haunting, unsettling images. There is virtually no information given about what the plot of the movie might entail, save for the fact that Adam Scott’s character appears to be at the heart of the story.
A few details about the movie’s premise have already been made available. Per Deadline, Scott will be playing an author on a dark mission:
The film follows reclusive novelist Ohm Bauman (Scott), who retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, but the staff’s tales of an ancient witch haunting the honeymoon suite take hold of his mind. Soon, disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance draw him into a nightmarish confrontation with the darkest corners of his past.
The trailer doesn’t provide any key plot details to supplement what little is already known about the main narrative. There are plenty of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it images that are equal parts creepy and out of context, and of course the lasting image is the nightmarish rabbit creature seen above.
Hokum’s Damien McCarthy, whose modest breakout came in 2024 with the extremely well-reviewed Irish horror film Oddity, has a modest filmography so far, but the two features he produced before Hokum rely more on slow burn and haunting atmospheres, punctuated by sequences of more intense terror. If the teaser is any indication, we’re in for more of the same with Hokum.
Recent Horror Hits Have Kept Marketing Vague To Great Effect
Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in Weapons
Hokum’s first teaser follows in the footsteps of a slew of high-profile horror movies that have maintained some semblance of mystery prior to their theatrical release. The most famous (and most recent) example is Zach Cregger’s smash hit Weapons, which was entirely predicated on a mystery around a classroom full of missing children.
Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs is also a good comparison for Hokum, as its early marketing was very vague as it built intrigue. Nicolas Cage’s twisted serial killer character was kept hidden almost entirely, resulting in a terrific in-theater reveal. Perkins did the same in late 2025 with Keeper, which employed a similar strategy of letting a scary string of images do the heavy lifting as opposed to plot details.
If our first taste of Hokum’s striking brand of Irish folk horror is any indication, horror fans are in for a genuine surprise when the movie finally releases in May 2026. There are still several months to go, so we may yet get more clarity on the plot in future trailers, but so far McCarthy and the Neon team have done a great job cultivating intrigue.
- Release Date
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May 1, 2026
- Director
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Damian McCarthy
- Writers
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Damian McCarthy