Attendees at FANGORIA’s First in Fright panel at San Diego Comic-Con were met with an unexpected spectacle Friday night when a Victorian mourning procession overtook the room, transforming the presentation into an immersive celebration of Bleecker Street’s upcoming psychological horror-thriller, Victorian Psycho.
Produced by FANGORIA in partnership with Bleecker Street Media, the live activation unfolded moments after moderator Sean Abley welcomed the audience. The ballroom doors burst open with a bloodcurdling scream as mourners dressed in period Victorian attire silently wound through the aisles, led by a stoic figure in a towering black top hat. The eerie procession made its way toward the front of the room, leaving the audience momentarily unsure where the performance ended and reality began.
As the procession exited, Victorian Psycho director Zachary Wigon emerged, joking that the mourners “follow me everywhere” before joining the panel for a surprise conversation about the upcoming film.
Based on Virginia Feito’s acclaimed 2025 novel, Victorian Psycho stars Maika Monroe (Longlegs) as Winifred Notty, an enigmatic governess whose arrival at a remote English manor in 1858 coincides with a series of increasingly sinister disappearances. The film also stars Jason Isaacs, Ruth Wilson, and Thomasin McKenzie.
Following the guest appearance, the panel shifted to another major reveal as FANGORIA officially announced that horror icon Devon Sawa (Final Destination, Chucky) will host the 2026 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards. The announcement drew one of the loudest ovations of the evening as Sawa joined the panel to discuss his enduring relationship with horror and preview this year’s celebration of the genre.
The 2026 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards will premiere Sunday, October 25, streaming exclusively on Shudder.
Victorian Psycho opens in US theaters nationwide September 25, 2026.
