Adam Scott’s Exciting New Folk Horror Movie Continues A Highly Effective Marketing Trend

by

Adam Scott often appears in horror films, but his upcoming movie, Hokum, might be his scariest role yet. The folk horror film from Neon is already generating buzz among horror fans, especially after its unsettling trailer debuted alongside previews for Osgood Perkins’ Keeper.

The star of Severance is definitely the biggest name in the cast, and the teaser suggests the story will center around his character. However, it’s hard to say how large his role actually is, as the studio, Neon, seems to be following a current trend of keeping details under wraps in their marketing.

Hokum’s First Teaser Reveals Almost Nothing About The Plot

The initial trailer for Hokum definitely feels like a teaser – it’s mostly a collection of creepy and disturbing visuals. We don’t learn much about the movie’s plot, except that Adam Scott’s character seems to be central to the story.

Some information about the movie’s story has been revealed. According to Deadline, Scott will play a writer who is on a dangerous and mysterious quest.

The movie centers on Ohm Bauman, a private author played by Scott, who travels to a secluded Irish inn to spread his parents’ ashes. He becomes increasingly disturbed by stories from the staff about a centuries-old witch said to haunt one of the rooms. As strange visions and a mysterious disappearance occur, Ohm is forced to face the most painful memories of his life.

The trailer keeps the main story details under wraps, revealing very little beyond what we already know. It’s packed with quick, unsettling images that are hard to decipher, and the most memorable shot is definitely the frightening rabbit creature shown in the preview.

Damien McCarthy, the director of the acclaimed 2024 Irish horror film Oddity, is gaining recognition. While he doesn’t have a large body of work yet, his previous films, like Hokum, focus on building suspense and a creepy mood, with moments of intense fright. The recently released trailer suggests his new film, Hokum, will follow a similar style.

Recent Horror Hits Have Kept Marketing Vague To Great Effect

The first teaser for Hokum is using a similar strategy to many recent popular horror films, building suspense by revealing very little before the movie comes out. A prime example is Zach Cregger’s successful film Weapons, which captivated audiences with its central mystery about disappearing children.

Osgood Perkins’ film Longlegs is a helpful comparison to Hokum because both movies initially used very little marketing to create a sense of mystery. With Longlegs, they kept Nicolas Cage’s disturbing character largely a secret, making his reveal in theaters particularly impactful. Perkins repeated this approach with his 2025 film Keeper, relying on unsettling imagery to generate interest instead of revealing plot details.

Based on the first glimpse of Hokum, horror fans can expect something truly unique when the Irish folk horror film comes out in May 2026. While there’s still time before the release and we might learn more about the story later, director McCarthy and the Neon team have already done a fantastic job of building anticipation.

Read More

2026-01-05 05:28