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The V/H/S franchise is back, and this time the tapes are getting a whole lot louder.
The first trailer for V/H/S/MIXTAPE has arrived, introducing the ninth installment in the long-running found-footage horror anthology. But this isn’t simply another collection of disturbing recordings.
This time, music, rhythm and sound become the source of terror.
The movie is heading exclusively to Shudder on October 9, 2026, making it one of the latest horror releases arriving just in time for Halloween season.
What Is V/H/S/MIXTAPE About?
Like previous entries in the franchise, V/H/S/MIXTAPE is an anthology made up of multiple connected horror segments.
The major difference is the theme.
Each story explores the frightening relationship between music, sound and fear, with the filmmakers taking the concept in very different directions.
According to Shudder, the anthology explores how music and audio can haunt, possess, transform and destroy.
The result appears to include everything from psychological horror and cosmic terror to bloody practical effects and bizarre found-footage sequences.
Four Horror Stories Make Up the Mixtape
The movie features four primary horror segments.
Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance
Directed by Renee Zhan, this segment follows a studio attempting to reboot a long-cancelled puppet show with a mysterious past.
The story also features original puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, giving this particular segment a very different visual style from the usual V/H/S nightmares.
Heartbeat
Directed by David Moreau, this story follows two YouTube urban explorers who become trapped inside a decommissioned military facility.
The location was previously used for sonic experiments, turning sound itself into part of the threat.
The Music of Mr. Sze
Directed by Ernest Dickerson, the segment follows a college film student whose documentary investigation leads to the secluded life of a troubled musician.
What begins as a filmmaking project appears to become something much darker.
Death Tone
Directed by RZA, this story follows a young sound engineer who attempts to create the ultimate track using instructions left behind by her late father.
As you might expect from a V/H/S story, following those instructions comes with consequences.
GWAR Takes Over the Mixtape
One of the strangest additions to the movie is GWAR.
The legendary shock-metal band appears throughout the film, hosting an MTV-style show from hell that connects the various horror segments.
The movie also features music-video interludes directed by Flying Lotus and a new music video directed by Tobias Forge, the frontman of Ghost.
For Forge, the project also marks his first directing credit behind a camera, making his involvement particularly interesting for both horror and heavy-metal fans.
Why Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Is Involved
One of the trailer’s biggest surprises is the appearance of disturbing puppets.
Renee Zhan’s segment features creations from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, bringing practical creature work into the found-footage anthology.
The combination of puppets, practical effects and the franchise’s deliberately rough visual style could make this one of the more unusual segments in the series.
And the trailer certainly isn’t hiding how strange things can get.
Who Directed V/H/S/MIXTAPE?
The film has a particularly eclectic group of directors:
- Ernest Dickerson
- Flying Lotus
- Tobias Forge
- David Moreau
- RZA
- Renee Zhan
The anthology is produced by Josh Goldbloom, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee, Michael Schreiber and Brad Miska.
When Does V/H/S/MIXTAPE Release?
V/H/S/MIXTAPE premieres on Shudder on October 9, 2026.
Before its streaming debut, the film will have its world premiere at Beyond Fest on September 30 in Los Angeles.
That puts the movie directly into the Halloween horror conversation, with only a short gap between its festival premiere and Shudder release.
V/H/S/MIXTAPE: What We Know
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | V/H/S/MIXTAPE |
| Franchise | V/H/S |
| Installment | Ninth |
| Genre | Found-Footage Horror / Anthology |
| Main Theme | Music, sound and terror |
| Directors | Ernest Dickerson, Flying Lotus, Tobias Forge, David Moreau, RZA, Renee Zhan |
| Special Features | GWAR, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop |
| World Premiere | September 30, 2026 |
| Streaming Release | October 9, 2026 |
| Platform | Shudder |
| Runtime | 98 minutes |
Final Thoughts
V/H/S/MIXTAPE looks like another wild experiment from one of horror’s most recognizable anthology franchises.
The combination of found footage, music, sonic experiments, practical puppets, GWAR and filmmakers such as RZA and Ernest Dickerson makes this installment stand out from the previous V/H/S movies.
And with Halloween just around the corner, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate.
The question is:
Can music really become the scariest thing on the tape?
We’ll find out when V/H/S/MIXTAPE arrives on Shudder October 9, 2026.
Which segment from the trailer looks the most disturbing to you? Tell us in the comments.
Stay tuned to GHorror for more horror trailers, upcoming releases and the latest Halloween news.
