The great state of Texas has some pretty awesome film festivals each year, bringing a fun variety of movies and talent in to wow audiences ahead of the movies’ distribution plans. One of our personal favorites is FANTASTIC FEST, which is held at the Alamo Drafthouse on Lamar on Austin, TX. This festival usually features genre film in the horror and Sci-Fi categories, or just eclectic indie flicks people will soon be talking about.
For 2026, they’re packed the schedule with some really great offerings, kicking things off on Thursday night (September 17) with RESIDENT EVIL and appearances by director Zach Cregger and star Austin Abrams, and BEWARE BOIUNA with appearances by director Mike P. Nelson and actresses Jessica Rothe and Kiana Madeira. Check out the trailers here:
Satgurday night features films like THE CYCLE with director Jordan Downey and actors Deborah Ann Woll and Jeffrey Donovan, and the movie PLAY HOUSE with appearances by director Nicolas Curcio and actors Will Harrison, James Urbaniak, Jordan Gonzalez and Nina Millan. That day will also feature a special showing of the 1980s action film EXTREME PREJUDICE with legendary director Walter Hill attending to receive the Fantastic Fest Lifetime Achievement Award.
On Sunday, featured film premieres includes WHAT HAPPENED TO DORIS? with appearances by director Nick Simon and actress Heather Graham, and also PATHETIC FALLACY with appearances by director Adam Egypt Mortimer, co-writers Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, stars Kid Cudi and Jessica Rothe, and composer Johnny Jewel.
But that is by no means the complete list, there are many films to choose from on each day of the festival, which runs Thursday (the 17th) through Thursday (the 24th). Other films to note include THE SWALLOW, VICTORIAN PSYCHO, GODMOTHER, INTO THE SKY, SICK, GIRL IN THE NIGHT and KUNG FU DEADLY… to name a few. To see a full list of films, check out the festival’s official film guide here. But word of caution, this is a popular event, so get tickets early and be prepared to wait in line… just know, it’s worth it.
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About Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past, the festival has been home to the world and US premieres of OBSESSION, BLACK PHONE 2, PARASITE, SMILE, JOJO RABBIT, THE BLACK PHONE, JOHN WICK, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE, FRANKENWEENIE, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, APOCALYPTO, ZOMBIELAND, SPLIT, HALLOWEEN, BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE, MID 90s, and SUSPIRIA while the guest roster has included such talent as Tim Burton, Nicolas Winding-Refn, Lilly and Lana Wachowski, Bong Joon-Ho, Halle Berry, Will Smith, Taika Waititi, Robert Rodriguez, Rian Johnson, Bill Murray, Keanu Reeves, Martin Landau, Winona Ryder, Edward Norton, Ryan Reynolds, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Karl Urban, Josh Hartnett, The RZA, Dolph Lundgren, Paul Rudd, Bill Pullman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kevin Smith, Jon Favreau, George Romero, Darren Aronofsky, Mike Judge, Karyn Kusama, M. Night Shyamalan, James McAvoy, Vince Vaughn, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Barbara Crampton, Mick Garris, Don Coscarelli, Ernest Dickerson, and Jessica Harper. Fantastic Fest also features world, national, and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films. Fantastic Fest has seen the acquisition of many titles, including BULLHEAD, KILL LIST, MONSTERS, KLOWN, THE FP, PENUMBRA, HERE COMES THE DEVIL, NO REST FOR THE WICKED, VANISHING WAVES, COMBAT GIRLS, I DECLARE WAR, THE PERFECTION, and TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID. Fantastic Fest is held each year at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas. Alamo Drafthouse has been named the best theater in the country by Entertainment Weekly, Wired, and TIME.
In March 2023, Fantastic Fest joined the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations) as a Competitive Specialized Feature Film Festival alongside Cannes, Berlin and Venice.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
