Eli Roth’s latest splatterfest, Ice Cream Man, is officially heading home, setting its digital and streaming release for September.
Set against the backdrop of an idyllic, sun-drenched summer town, the film takes a wholesome childhood staple and twists it into pure, violent insanity. When the neighborhood ice cream vendor starts serving soft-serve laced with homicidal psychosis, the local children instantly descend into a feral, blood-soaked frenzy.
Cast, Crew, and Practical Splatter
Ari Millen (Orphan Black) stars as the titular dessert vendor, donning a vintage paper soda jerk hat to dish out dairy-induced carnage. He leads an ensemble cast that includes Benjamin Byron Davis, who joined us for an interview about the movie. He’s joined by Dylan Hawco, Sarah Abbott, Kiori Mirza Waldman, and Charlie Zeltzer. Also, a trio of actors returns from Roth’s Thanksgiving: Karen Cliche, Shiloh O’Reilly, and Charlie Story.
Roth directed and produced the feature while co-writing the screenplay with Noah Belson. To ensure the practical gore delivers maximum stomach-churning impact, the production enlisted makeup veterans Steve Newburn and Oscar winner Adrien Morot (The Whale). The carnage is set to an original score by Brandon Roberts with additional musical contributions from Snoop Dogg.
Launching The Horror Section Banner
Ice Cream Man serves as the inaugural feature release from Roth’s new production banner, The Horror Section. Founded in 2025, the studio was built to deliver high-intensity genre cinema tailored specifically for hardcore horror fans. The company is already leaning heavily into midnight-movie territory for its follow-up project, the strikingly titled Don’t Go In That House, Bitch!, which will feature Snoop Dogg stepping up as a producer, writer, and featured performer on the soundtrack.
Serving Up Controversy
Ice Cream Man has already raised some eyebrows. We take a deep dive into it in our review, from the huge child cast that was involved in the violence to a scene where a cop is dragged by a car. There is also the fact that it relied on generative AI. There are multiple reasons the film got some not-so-sweet attention. However, that’s par for the course when it’s a movie from Roth. It’s kind of his thing.
Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You
Ice Cream Man is set to unleash chaos on digital and streaming services on September 22. And it’s bringing with it some cool bonus features.
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Ice Cream Man: The Backstory: How do you turn a twisted Pied Piper tale into a killer-kid nightmare? Discover the unlikely road to getting the film made and the classic horror inspirations behind the madness. The Ice Cream Truck: Bug-flavored treats, a suspiciously cheerful mascot, and a jingle that hits differently after dark. Take a closer look at the film’s nightmare on wheels. Kidpocalypse: Who needs toys when you have prosthetic limbs? Go behind the scenes of the gloriously gruesome Kidpocalypse. |
