A serial killer obsessed with opening the gates of hell. A grieving police officer determined to stop him. A screenplay from the writer of Se7en. On paper, Psycho Killer sounds like the next great horror thriller. So what went wrong?

This week on The Commentary Booth, host Jamie Apps and Corrina Mabey dive into the 2026 horror thriller Psycho Killer, directed by Gavin Polone and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. The film follows police officer Jane Archer as she hunts the infamous "Satanic Slasher" after witnessing the brutal murder of her husband.

The pair break down what makes the film's opening act so effective, from its tense atmosphere and intimidating villain to Georgina Campbell's compelling lead performance. They also discuss why the film's promising setup slowly unravels as increasingly complicated storylines, political undertones and shocking twists pull the narrative away from its strongest elements.

Jamie and Corrina dig into why a script with this much pedigree behind it still managed to fall apart, and how a movie originally set to be directed by Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst somehow ended up worse off without him.

Highlights Breakdown:

- Why are the opening 30 minutes the strongest part of the film?

- The terrifying presence of the Satanic Slasher

- How the film's twists and subplots derail the central story

- The surprising history of Fred Durst's involvement

- Comparisons to Se7en and other iconic serial killer thrillers

- The film's controversial ending and sequel possibilities

Was Psycho Killer an underrated horror gem, or another example of a promising thriller that couldn't stick the landing

Tune in for our spoiler-filled review!

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