"EXCLUSIVE: The L.A.-based Screamfest Horror Film Festival has unveiled the first wave lineup for its 24th edition, taking place at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood from October 8-17.

Among the films to look out for at this year’s festival are two produced for Hulu by WorthenBrooks (formerly 20th Digital Studio), on which we were first to report: Screamfest alum Brandon Espy’s Mr. Crocket and Justin Harding’s Carved, both of which will premiere on Hulu later this year.

A supernatural horror film starring Jerrika Hinton and Elvis Nolasco, Mr. Crocket follows Summer Beverly (Hinton) as she embarks on a chilling journey to rescue her son from a sinister children’s show host with otherworldly powers. Starring Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Carved is a fun romp centered on a group of survivors trapped in a Halloween village battle with a sentient, vengeful pumpkin.

In addition to Carved, world premieres at this year’s fest will include Drained, from filmmakers Sean Patrick Cronin and Peter Stylianous, and Dario Germani’s ALO – Antropophagus Legacy. Among other films to see is Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s SXSW title Dead Mail, in which an ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.

Highlights from this year’s shorts program include filmmaker Felipe Vargas’s Hive starring Xochitl Gomez; Dakota Daulby and Harrison Houde’s Adjoining starring Brenna D’Amico; Jake Bradbury and Toni Blando’s Disfigura, featuring Hellboy‘s Doug Jones; Fresh Blood starring Clara Mcgregor (American Horror Story) and directed by Emma Westenberg; and The Underground from director Rachel Talalay. Tickets will be on sale soon at the link.

Stated Rachel Belofsky, who founded Screamfest in 2001, “We’re excited to offer horror fans a diverse selection of terrifying films from across the globe.”

For Screamfest’s full feature line-up, read on..."