Fantastic Fest 2021: BLACK FRIDAY, Holiday Horror Comes Early in First Look Photos

One of the most highly anticipated indie horror films of the year is Casey Tebo’s Black Friday. Ever since Deadline announced that principal shooting had begun in November 2020, genre fans have been awaiting the arrival of this holiday chiller.

Boasting a cast with genre veterans, Devon Sawa, Michael Jai White, Ivana Baquero and the iconic Bruce Campbell, it is understandable why this production is generating positive buzz. The Andy Greskoviak-penned tale has its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on Friday, September 24. According to Tebo, both screenings are sold out, which isn’t surprising.

Unfortunately, not much information beyond the premise of the film (a group of toy store employees grapple with zombie shoppers on the biggest day in retail) and the shooting location (Boston) was divulged to the media. Of course, in interviews, Sawa and Campbell hinted at their respective roles but beyond a few teasers on Instagram (courtesy of Baquero and Tebo) that was it…until now.

Fantastic Fest dropped a few “first look” photos from the production along with a non-spoiler description of the flick. Writer Logan Taylor even went as far as to compare Tebo’s effort to the late George A. Romero’s terrifying treatise on consumerism, Dawn of the Dead. For those that enjoy holiday horror, it sounds like Black Friday is going to be the hot ticket at the box office this season.

Here is a taste of what viewers can expect from the upcoming release courtesy of Fantastic Fest:

"Everyone knows Black Friday is the worst day to work in retail. Something about a good deal turns even the sanest consumer into a wild animal. But the usual chaos and violence pales in comparison to what the employees of the “We Love Toys” store must face this time around.

Devon Sawa stars as a down-on-his luck father in the midst of divorce, lamenting his job as a low-level toy store employee. He and the other rambunctious, overworked crew of staffers are prepared for a typically exhausting Black Friday full of shoppers hungry for a deal, but they could never have expected the shoppers to turn into blood-hungry maniacs with only one goal: Come together to feed and combine their powers into something full-on Lovecraftian.

While Sawa continues his successful renaissance in the genre world with a refreshing turn as the cynical leader of the employees, it’s the inimitable Bruce Campbell who really surprises as the bumbling, uptight manager, Jonathan: a decidedly less heroic character than we’ve come to expect from him. Add in a healthy splash of outrageous gore and some ooey-gooey creature effects, and this is the soon-to-be-cult holiday horror movie you never knew you needed.

Casey Tebo’s horror-comedy is a delightfully entertaining, witty, and easily the best commentary on the dark side of capitalism since Dawn of the Dead. 'We hope you find the deals you’re looking for this Black Friday, shoppers!'"

As of yet, there has been no official word on when the film will make its debut in theaters, although November 26 would be a great day to see it on the silver screen.