The first family of indie horror is back to haunt your winter. After taking home the Best Film trophy at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival, Mother of Flies, from The Adams Family—the DIY powerhouse behind Hellbender—is officially coming to Shudder.
Known for their “all-in-the-family” approach to filmmaking, John Adams, Toby Poser, and their daughters, Zelda and Lulu Adams, have crafted a new folk-horror experience that is as intimate as it is terrifying.
The cast of the upcoming film also stars Lulu Adams, James Lindsay, Noble Wilson-Eiden, and Jessica Beveridge. John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser shared directing duties.
A Deadly Cure
Mickey (Zelda Adams) faces a deadly diagnosis, but she isn’t ready to die yet. Heading into the woods with her father (John Adams), she seeks dark magic at the hands of a mysterious recluse, Solveig (Toby Poser). She has an intimate relationship with death and deep roots in the land. For three days, Mickey endures Solveig’s extreme rituals of death magic. But every cure has its cost, and every curse is another’s gift. As buried secrets claw their way to the surface, the veil between the living and the dead begins to unravel. Mickey soon finds herself facing dark truths that only the dead and the dying can know.
About the Filmmakers: A True Film Dynasty
Since 2010, Wonder Wheel Productions has been proving that you don’t need a massive studio to make an enormous impact on the horror genre. The family has a string of Shudder hits under their belt, including The Deeper You Dig and the critically acclaimed Hellbender. Their films are known for being visceral, atmospheric, and deeply personal, often exploring the dark bonds between parents and children.
It’s more than just filmmaking. If the movie’s score sounds extra gritty, that’s because the music is performed by the family’s own band, H6LLB6ND6R.
We had the pleasure of interviewing family members around the time their film Hell Hole premiered in 2024. In the interview, they discuss not only making the film but also their family’s legacy of horror and how it all works. You can find the interview here.
Why You Can’t Miss It
If you loved the folk-horror vibes of Midsommar or the gritty, handmade feel of The Evil Dead, this is precisely your brand of chaos. This film marks a new peak for the family, blending high-concept death magic with the raw, emotional storytelling they’ve perfected over the last decade. And with the Adams family’s record, it’s guaranteed to get under your skin and on the edge of your seat.
Prepare for the ritual. Mother of Lies begins streaming on Shudder January 23.
