Parenthood is already a complete nightmare, but Finnish filmmaker Hanna Bergholm is making it officially terrifying.
Shudder just snapped up the rights to Nightborn, Bergholm’s highly anticipated follow-up to her grotesque 2022 indie horror darling, Hatching. The streaming giant secured the rights for the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The dark, visceral fable debuted in competition at Berlinale. It will celebrate its North American premiere at the Fantasia Festival on July 22, before streaming exclusively on Shudder this July.
A Bad Baby
Written by Bergholm and Ilja Rautsi, Nightborn follows Saga and her British husband, Jon. The couple moves into an isolated house deep in the woods to build a perfect, picturesque family.
But the second their baby is born, Saga realizes something is deeply, horribly wrong with her newborn son. Everyone tells her she is just stressed, but Jon watches their marriage fracture as Saga uncovers a truly disturbing truth about their little bundle of joy.
“NIGHTBORN is a film made for genre enthusiasts, parents, and anyone who has ever asked themselves: Why do I feel different?” Bergholm teased.
Ron Weasley Faces the Monsters
The cast features a brilliant mix of international talent, most notably Harry Potter alum Rupert Grint (Servant), who is trading his wand for baby wipes. Seidi Haarla (Compartment Number 6) stars as the terrified mother, Saga. The cast also includes Pamela Tola, Pirkko Saisio, Rebecca Lacey, and John Thomson.
Practical Monster Magic
If you loved the creepy animatronics in Hatching, you are in for a treat. Bergholm brought in the absolute best industry heavyweights to design her new nightmare, including Gustav Hoegen (Star Wars, Andor, Prometheus), who serves as the Animatronics Designer. Conor O’Sullivan (The Dark Knight, Game of Thrones), a two-time Oscar nominee, serves as the SFX Makeup Designer.
Shudder’s Unstoppable Slate
The acquisition was negotiated by Emily Gotto, Shudder’s SVP of Acquisitions and Production. Gotto promised the film delivers “tension and shocking moments surrounding parenthood—with a touch of humor.“
Nightborn joins Shudder’s elite library of genre-defining hits like Late Night with the Devil, In a Violent Nature, and When Evil Lurks.
Clear your schedule for July 31. Just make sure the baby is locked in the nursery first when you hit play on July 31, 2026, exclusively on Shudder.
