Australia’s horror scene is about to get a fresh injection of nightmare fuel. Following its electrifying debut at the Adelaide Film Festival, the homegrown psychological horror ‘Diabolic’ will hit cinemas nationwide for a special three night event from November 20 to 22, courtesy of Monster Pictures.
Directed by Daniel J. Phillips, ‘Diabolic’ is already generating serious buzz among genre fans for its slow burn intensity and unnerving realism, the kind of horror that crawls under your skin and stays there. The film’s chilling new trailer, cut exclusively for this theatrical run, teases a descent into madness that blends the aesthetic grit of Australian cinema with a psychological twist straight out of the arthouse horror playbook.
At its heart, ‘Diabolic’ follows a young woman (played by Elizabeth Cullen) whose reality begins to fracture after a traumatic event, leading her down a spiral where the supernatural and psychological blur. Phillips, best known for his previous genre work on Awoken, has described the film as his most personal and daring project to date, pushing both narrative and visual boundaries to create something truly unnerving.
Diabolic trailer
Cullen’s performance has already drawn acclaim for its raw vulnerability and visceral edge, with early audiences at Adelaide Film Festival calling it “a masterclass in slow, suffocating terror.” Critics praised the film’s haunting cinematography, practical effects, and nerve twisting sound design, hallmarks of the resurgent Australian horror movement that’s been making waves internationally.
For Monster Pictures, ‘Diabolic’ represents everything they stand for, bold, uncompromising genre filmmaking that refuses to play it safe. With the film’s limited cinema run, fans have just three nights to experience the terror where it’s meant to be seen, on the big screen, surrounded by strangers, heart racing in the dark.
‘Diabolic’ screens across Australia on November 20, 21, and 22. Check local listings and participating cinemas here.
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