Buckle up, because Master of Horror André Øvredal is about to turn “van life” aesthetic into a high-speed nightmare. And here’s the good news: Paramount has officially shifted the gears on Passenger, bumping the release date up by a week to Memorial Day Weekend.
By moving the film to Memorial Day Weekend, Paramount is basically giving it a massive vote of confidence (and wisely dodging a head-on collision with A24’s The Backrooms, which lands on the 29th).
Worst. Road Trip. Ever.
Øvredal, the mastermind behind The Autopsy of Jane Doe (a personal favorite) and The Last Voyage of the Demeter, is trading dark hallways and the open sea for the open road.
A young couple is a few weeks into their “van life” adventure (probably taking too many sunset photos) when they witness a horrific car crash. The Twist: The driver is dead, but they aren’t alone. They soon realize they’re being hunted by a demonic stalker that is physically impossible to outrun. No matter how many miles they put on the odometer, the entity is always right behind them.
The “In-Theater Only” Teaser
If you’ve been scouring the internet for the trailer, stop refreshing your feed. Paramount has been playing hard to get, keeping the teaser strictly in theaters for now.
Those who have seen it describe a harrowing scene of a man driving down a dark highway, passing eerie figures standing perfectly still on the shoulder. The teaser reportedly ends with a jump scare that’ll make you check your own backseat for a week: He’s not the only one in the car.
A Powerhouse Production Team
Øvredal isn’t riding solo on this one. The film features a solid cast including Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, and the legendary Melissa Leo.
Behind the scenes, the “Horror Avengers” have assembled. Producers include Walter Hamada (the architect of The Conjuring universe) and Gary Dauberman (the writer behind IT). And the script is from Zachary Donohue (The Den) and T.W. Burgess (Mister Howl).
With names like those and Øvredal involved, I think it’s safe to say it’s not a movie you’ll want to miss. So, check your back seat, buckle in, and get ready for a wild ride! Head to theaters on May 22, 2026!
