Have you ever joked with your best friend about how you’ve watched enough Dateline to commit the perfect crime? The new South African horror-thriller Dinner to Die For is here to make you rethink that hobby.
A Recipe for Disaster
The story follows Hannah, a culinary photographer, and her friend Evan. The duo shares a deep, slightly too intense fascination with all things morbid. Evan pitches a “harmless” role-playing scenario involving a killer meal and the unsuspecting girl next door.
Naturally, things escalate. What starts as a game quickly devolves into a messy “lust triangle.” However, the lines between fantasy and reality get completely blurred. It’s less of a dinner party and more of a psychological power struggle fueled by desire, validation, and some seriously dangerous appetites.
Behind the Scenes
The film features some familiar faces for fans of international hits: Shamilla Miller (Troy: Fall of a City), Steven John Ward (who you’ll recognize as Mihawk from One Piece), and Nina Erasmus.
This marks the feature directorial debut for Diana Mills Smith, who co-wrote the script with Cameron Scott and Orr Koren.
Seduction Meets Suspense
Smith didn’t just want to make a standard slasher; she wanted something that felt visceral and atmospheric. She describes the film’s tension as a slow burn, saying:
“We wanted the film to feel seductive. For me, that meant approaching tension like foreplay: building it gradually, holding it just long enough, and releasing it at precisely the right time.”
She also leaned into the irony of the title, noting that while the audience knows someone will die, the real fun is in the “how” and the “who.” It’s a cat-and-mouse game where the audience is kept guessing until the very last course is served.
Dinner to Die For is produced by Scott, Koren, and Andea de Jager. The executive producer team includes Kagiso Rabada and Ahbra Perry.
If you’re looking for a stylish, seductive horror thriller to kick off your weekend, keep an eye out for Dinner to Die For. It’s out on digital platforms tomorrow, January 30.
