Regal Entertainment’s upcoming horror-slasher Haunted Carnival has unveiled its first look ahead of its December 25, 2026 theatrical release.

The newly released production stills and teaser reel introduce a world steeped in ‘80s nostalgia, from its incandescent string lights and colorful dance floor to the oversized windbreakers, tie-dye pieces, varsity jackets, denim vests, and neon headbands worn by its characters. The aesthetic is deliberately tactile, giving the film a physical quality that recalls the texture of classic Hollywood and local slasher films.

Director Joey De Guzman leans into that period-inspired world without relying on artificial intelligence-generated shortcuts. The result is a carnival that feels built around its retro details doing more than setting the time period. The familiar look becomes part of the film’s tension.

At first glance, everything feels celebratory. Characters dance beneath warm string lights, surrounded by the bright colors and easy energy associated with youth culture. But Haunted Carnival gradually turns that sense of comfort against its characters, transforming a space built for fun into a claustrophobic hunting ground where the carnival rides themselves become deadly traps.

The film’s ensemble brings together generations of familiar faces. Maricel Soriano provides the cast’s veteran presence, with Soriano sharing a warm moment with Fyang Smith, whose silver-screen debut adds a new-generation spark to the lineup.

James Reid is also making his theatrical comeback, rocking a very heartthrob-esque, matinee core fit featuring a tank top and a plaid jacket. This is also a first horror feature for Reid. 

Julia Barretto steps into the horror genre alongside the ensemble, with the seeming retro backwards cap and stripped long sleeved top combi that fits the film’s more grounded visual language.

Smith joins Ronnie Alonte, RK Bagatsing, Charlie Fleming, and Joaquin Arce as part of the younger ensemble, rounding out the group of characters who will have to navigate the carnival once its playful facade gives way to something far more dangerous.

As an official entry to the 2026 Metro Manila Film Festival, Haunted Carnival brings together the pleasures of an old-school carnival and the mechanics of a peak slasher film with bright lights, loud music, youthful energy, and nowhere quite safe to hide.

The nostalgia may get you through the gates. What happens once the rides start is another story.