Alright, horror hounds and ’80s nostalgia buffs, get ready for a wild ride! Popeye the Slayer Man is slashing its way into theaters and VOD this March, bringing the whole ’80s horror vibe with it. And to really seal the deal, they’ve just dropped the official tie-in song and music video, “Sailor to Slayer.”.
This isn’t just some throwaway tune, either. Written by the trio known as The Man From Alphabet—Kyle Brian Abbott, Dustin Treinen, and Angela Relucio—the music video features vocals by Relucio herself, who also stars in both the video and the film.
Relucio says the song was inspired by really getting into the film’s dark heart, “Knowing the film intimately shaped my approach to the lyrics. I wanted to go deeper than Popeye’s monstrous facade while honoring the other characters’ experiences and capturing the sort of raw chaos that makes you feel on edge. Just a taste of what you can expect from the film.”
Dustin Treinen adds, “Writing a theme song for a horror movie has been a dream of mine ever since I saw ‘Killer Klowns From Outer Space,’ so I was thrilled to pitch to the film’s creative team. I was driven to create a dark mood for the song and head down an energetic and hard-hitting path, with groove and melodies that create the same tension we feel when watching a slasher.”
And Kyle Brian Abbott? He was hooked from the start. “I’m stuck in LA gridlock when I hear this radio show host raving about the movie’s announcement. Coincidentally, Dustin called me up a few hours later and asked me to co-write the music for it. I was, like, ‘Fuck yeah! When do we start?!’ The film’s reputation had clearly preceded itself.”
Robert Michael Ryan directed Popeye the Slayer Man from a screenplay by John Doolan. It’s a team effort, with Salem House Films, Millman Productions, Ron Lee Productions, and Otsego Media all pitching in. Jeff Miller, Cuyle Carvin, and Ryan also contributed to the story. Producers include Miller, Carvin, Ryan, Alexander Tucker, Nathan Todaro, and Alysa Blasetti.
The film’s plot is classic slasher gold: a group of friends sneak into an abandoned spinach canning factory to film a documentary about the legendary “Sailor Man,” only to find out the legend is terrifyingly real.
The cast includes a mix of fresh faces and scream queens, including Sean Michael Conway, Elena Juliano, Mabel Thomas, Marie-Louise Boisnier, Jeff Thomas, Steven McCormack, Angela Relucio, and Sarah Nicklin. Jason Stephens plays the titular role. To really amp up the gore, R.J. Young handles the special makeup effects, and Korey Rowe handles cinematography.
Director Robert Michael Ryan emphasizes the film’s old-school approach: “We went old-school with this movie, using practical effects for the horror. I wanted this film to have a more visceral feel reminiscent of the classic horror films of the ‘70s and ‘80s.”
With its killer theme song, practical effects, and classic slasher vibe, Popeye the Slayer Man is shaping up to be a must-see for horror fans. Get ready for some serious spinach-fueled terror! Watch the trailer and music video below and pre-order the film now ahead of its March 21 premiere.
