According to our Editor-in-Chief, Chris Bumbray, Adrian Chiarella’s Leviticus presents one of the cruelest horror concepts in years. Right now, only a select few know how hard Leviticus goes to warrant such comment. Still, this summer, Neon will bring the indie horror experience to theaters, giving everyone a chance to judge for themselves. Earlier today, Neon announced that Leviticus will open in cinemas on June 19, 2026, following its premiere at Sundance last month.
In Leviticus, two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most – each other. Directed and written by up-and-coming filmmaker Adrian Charella, Leviticus stars Joe Bird (Talk to Me, Wolfram, First Day), Stacy Clausen (Crazy Fun Park, True Spirit, Scrublands), Shannon Berry (The Wilds, The Survivors, Watson), and Nicholas Hope (The Invisible Man, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Bay Boy Bubby).
More Plot Details for Leviticus
If you’re looking for a more in-depth description of Leviticus, Chris describes the movie’s grim premise in his review, saying, “The film centers around a kind of supernatural conversion therapy happening in this Christian community, where parents willingly have their gay children infected with a ghostly parasite that’s especially cruel. The presence takes the image of the person the infected individual is most attracted to, and if they give in to their sexual impulses, they are violently assaulted and often killed. It feels cut from the same cloth as It Follows, where the demon was essentially an immortal STD. Leviticus’ demon is even worse, as it guarantees you’ll never be able to actually find love or fulfillment, since it will always take the guise of whomever you love most.”
Leviticus is a Conversation Starter
When Chris wrote his review during last month’s Sundance celebration, Leviticus did not have a distributor. Still, he summarizes his thoughts on the movie by saying, “Leviticus feels like the kind of horror film that has a strong chance of being snapped up by a major distributor, as it will no doubt be much discussed once it’s released. It taps into the current zeitgeist in a very real way and seems like one of those indie horror movies bound to break through, like other Aussie-helmed horror films have in previous editions of the festival.”
I’ll be adding Leviticus to my list of summer films to see in theaters. It’s important to support indie – especially indie horror – when it gets a chance to shine on the silver screen. As interested as I am in the movie, I want to signal to distributors that giving indie films like Leviticus a chance to impress audiences is an integral part of the moviegoing experience.
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