So this was inevitable. Horror is often a reflection of modern anxieties, and recently there's been a lot of grousing about "the youth" spending too much time on social media, leading to isolation, sociopathy, and fame-seeking as a form of validation – as well as the capitalistic dehumanization of gig economy jobs in general. Merging those two elements seems like a no-brainer, and an extension of "social media horror" ala UNFRIENDED and SEARCHING.
However, the upcoming SPREE at least looks to be a little more tongue-in-cheek and brutal than most of the other films in this burgeoning sub-genre, while also sporting a stacked cast including STRANGER THINGS' Joe Keery and SCREAM's David Arquette. It will also be available on Blu-ray/DVD October 20th!
Here's the official synopsis.
Meet Kurt (Joe Keery), a 23-year-old rideshare driver for Spree, who is so desperate for social media attention that he'll stop at nothing to go viral. He comes up with a plan to livestream a rampage as a shortcut to infamy – coining his evil scheme "#thelesson", he installs a set of cameras in his car and begins streaming his rides. Wildly miscalculating the popularity that would come from his lethal scheme, Kurt’s desperation grows as he tries to find a way to overcome the plan's flaws. In the middle of all this madness, a stand-up comedian (Sasheer Zamata) with her own viral agenda crosses Kurt's path and becomes the only hope to put a stop to his misguided carnage.
Meanwhile, SPREE is directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko and stars Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata, Mischa Barton, John DeLuca, Josh Ovalle, Lala Kent, Frankie Grande with Kyle Mooney and David Arquette.
So what do you guys think? Is "livestreaming" horror the new found footage? If so, is that a good or bad thing? Either way, sound off below!
