Interview with "Realm Drifters" By David Kempf

"Realm Drifters, your nightly portal to relaxation, ASMR, and the infinite cosmos of dreams."

1. When did you first become interested in horror?

I’ve been into horror media for as long as I can remember. Even as a young kid, I would embarrass my parents and grandparents on trips to Blockbuster; a six-year-old me running to the counter with a copy of A Nightmare on Elm Street or another slasher wasn’t unusual on a given weekend. The first TV show I remember truly looking forward to watching as it aired was Are You Afraid of the Dark?.


2. Did you always enjoy writing or performing?

Writing remains my strongest creative outlet and I’ve enjoyed it for a very long time. Years back, I wrote short stories for r/NoSleep that were eventually picked up by the Creepypasta community. I was shocked, and honored, when narrators I personally listened to suddenly began reading my stories on their channels without me even submitting them. As for performing... that part is still somewhat new to me!


3. Do you prefer horror TV shows or films?

I prefer horror BOOKS! But if you make me choose between those two, it’s film, hands down. I think episodic shows (unless they are anthologies) can often dilute the underlying terror and dread that a film can sustain. That said, I love Black Mirror, and The Twilight Zone is one of the best shows ever made, even if they don't always fit the strict definition of "horror."


4. Is there another genre that you are interested in?

So many. Sci-fi, westerns, crime, historical/historical fiction, fantasy..good stories can be found in so many other ‘realms’ (forgive me).


5. When did you first start your YouTube Channel? - Realm Drifters

I launched it late last year, but I really found my footing just before Christmas of 2025. I consider the channel to have truly "started" about three months ago. It’s still so young, and I’m amazed at its growth. I just wanted a place to tell my stories, and I’m incredibly grateful there are people who want to listen and visit these worlds with me.


6. Do you do all production and editing yourself for your YouTube Channel?

Yes, it’s a one-man show! I think a lot of viewers assume there’s a full team behind the scenes based on the comments I read, but the truth is, it’s just me. Occasionally, I’ll reach out to a female friend for help with specific roles, as I can’t accurately portray certain voices and I really don't want to break the immersion for the listener.


7. Do you believe viewers need to have spoilers in order to enjoy your work?

No. However, I think the broadcasts and narrations are much more special when you’re already familiar with the "realms" we visit. It provides more context, and it’s fun to hunt for easter eggs. I deliberately avoid spoilers in my content; for example, Resident Evil Requiem dropped recently, and I’ve had to delete comments that might spoil the game for listeners who haven't finished it yet. I’ve also resisted making any Requiem-related episodes until people have had more time to play.


8. Why do you think horror books and movies remain so popular?

It’s fun to be scared. When we’re growing up, we’re scared of the darkness under our bed, the creepy bush or house we have to walk past on our way home from school every day, being the last one to go home after the sun has just set. The monster lurking around the corner, the witch who lives in the house at the end of our street.. or maybe the slasher movie we just watched isn’t just a movie..and something’s waiting for you at the end of the hall…

We lose that as we grow up. Those unknown and primal fears are replaced by something else. We’re scared of losing our jobs. We’re scared of not being able to pay for our insurance or our declining health. Returning to that primitive fear while knowing we are safe under the covers gives us a thrill; it somehow makes us feel more secure once the story is over.


9. Why do you think that people are obsessed with learning something new about classic films like JAWS or The Thing?

Well. One of those (JAWS) changed the way films are made and released forever. I believe JAWS is widely considered the first blockbuster movie. The Thing is now a cult classic..and as I understand wasn’t much of a hit when it was released.

I think JAWS draws both horror fans and film buffs alike. It has master-class acting as well as a hell of a story behind how it was shot and edited, which appeals to film buffs.

The Thing has an amazing original score..as well as gives the viewer this paranoid, isolated, claustrophobic feeling the entire time you’re watching the movie. It also has an ending that is still talked about and debated decades after its release.


10. Who inspires you?

In my personal life? My father.

In my creative work? So many..but if I had to pick a couple I’d say Stephen King and Rod Serling.


11. What are some of your favorite horror books?

How much time do you have? Off the top of my head, I have to mention It, Misery, Revival, The Hellbound Heart, The Road, and The Silence of the Lambs. However, the scariest story I’ve ever read might be King's short story, The Jaunt.


12. What are some of your favorite horror movies?

The Thing, Storm of the Century, Doctor Sleep, Alien, Evil Dead, 28 Days Later, Psycho, and the first two Hellraiser films.


13. What are your current projects?

Right now, I'm focusing on more "Nightline" broadcasts! These take place inside fictional universes we already love, everything from Resident Evil and Jaws to The Thing and Evil Dead. Listeners get to sit alongside radio broadcasters and emergency dispatchers as events unfold in real-time. It’s designed to be immersive whether you're driving or trying to fall asleep. My most recent project was Alien: Nightline, set aboard a ship in deep space.


14. Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.

I am the creator and voice of Realm Drifters, where I craft immersive broadcasts designed for entertainment, focus, and sleep. On a personal level, I’m a dog dad to a very stubborn dachshund, and have a ton of hobbies, including Chess and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I live and grew up in California. I value my privacy, so I prefer to let the work speak for itself. On the channel, we are all "Realm Drifters", I’m just the guide into these experiences. Some folks have started calling me "Mr. Drifter" or "RD," and while I'm not sure how to label myself yet, I’m just happy to be along for the ride.

Check Out Realm Drifters on Youtube at

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8fBHdfXYzHDfLozB7T3irg
And join their Patreon at

https://www.patreon.com/cw/RealmDrifters

NEWS: Ghosts Heads to the Big Screen with a Halloween Release

 

By Jon Donnis

Lionsgate UK has announced that Ghosts: The Possession of Button House will be released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on Friday 23 October 2026. Just in time for Halloween half term, the feature brings the beloved BBC comedy to the big screen for the first time.

Plot details are being kept secret while filming continues at West Horsley Place and other locations in the South East of England. Fans will have to wait to see how Button House and its quirky residents make the leap from television to cinema.

The film will be released in the UK and Ireland by Lionsgate, with global sales managed by BBC Studios. BBC Film presents it in association with BBC Studios as a Monumental Production, keeping the creative team behind the series firmly involved.

Marie-Claire Benson of Lionsgate UK described the film as a chance for families to enjoy a shared Halloween experience, capturing the humour and charm of the series on a larger scale. Producers Alison Owen, Debra Hayward and Alison Carpenter said they are thrilled to bring Ghosts to audiences in a new format, calling it an unmissable continuation of the story.

Directed by Simon Hynd, the cast includes Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, Ben Willbond, Lolly Adefope, Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe, reuniting the ensemble that made the show a success.

BIO: Laura Ellen Wilson - British Actress and Horror Genre Specialist

Laura Ellen Wilson is a British actress and martial artist whose career has grown largely within independent horror film. Born and raised in Chorley, Lancashire, she spent her early years as an only child before her parents became foster carers when she was sixteen.

Growing up in an active household, she trained in Kung Fu with her father and enjoyed outdoor activities such as weekend hikes. From a young age, Wilson showed a flair for performance, often putting on solo shows for her parents, and by thirteen she began taking acting classes and performing in school productions. Studying Musical Theatre at college further cemented her ambition, surrounding her with like-minded peers and confirming that acting was the path she wanted to pursue.

After college, Wilson worked internationally as a singer and dancer in hotels and on cruise ships, balancing these performances with small student film roles. In 2016, an injury forced her to retire from performing on stage, leading her to focus entirely on acting. The following year she landed her first lead role in the book-to-screen adaptation Monster, a pivotal moment that solidified her commitment to an on-screen career and introduced her to international audiences through horror film festivals.

Wilson has largely specialised in the horror genre, drawn to its collaborative nature and the chance to explore intense emotions and complex characters. She enjoys the combination of costumes, makeup, special effects and dramatic storytelling, which allow her to fully inhabit her roles. Among her notable performances are Friday the 13th: Vengeance, Chained, Monster, A Coven of Evil, and Introspectum Motel. Monster remains a standout experience as her first lead role and first feature film, while playing Trinity in Friday the 13th: Vengeance marked her first American project, working alongside original franchise alumni.

Her work in independent horror has been defined by close-knit collaboration, often living with cast and crew during shoots and forming quick, familial bonds. Long, late-night filming schedules are typical, and Wilson thrives in the inclusive, hands-on environment that independent productions offer.

Wilson’s upcoming projects demonstrate her range, including Clown Motel 3, where she plays the military character Sergeant Gunny; Skate to Hell, her first horror-comedy role alongside Eric Roberts; and The Black Sheep, her first antagonist role as the character Elizabeth. She is also cast in Campout Nightmare, portraying a survivor who guides younger characters, reflecting her ongoing interest in slasher and survival stories.

Wilson is drawn to narratives that challenge audiences and keep them thinking long after the film ends. While she is open to many types of characters, she particularly enjoys roles such as first kills or final girls. Looking forward, she aims to continue her work in the United States and hopes to transition into television within the next few years, aspiring to guest or recurring roles in series in the zombie, apocalypse or survival genres.

With a foundation in performance, martial arts, and independent horror filmmaking, Laura Ellen Wilson continues to expand her career while exploring challenging and memorable roles.

PREVIEW: Bad Voodoo (2026 Film) - Grief, Vengeance and Dark Spirits Collide

Horror built around grief often hits a different nerve, and Bad Voodoo leans directly into that uneasy territory. Directed by Andrew Adler and Andre Hepburn, the supernatural revenge story blends folklore, faith and psychological terror into a nightmarish home invasion where the criminals quickly realise they have chosen the worst possible place to hide.

The film stars Cristina Moody, known for Future Justice, alongside Justin Genna of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Manny Pérez from Pride and Glory, and John Fiore, familiar to many viewers from The Sopranos. After first arriving in the United States, the film is set to reach audiences in the United Kingdom on digital platforms from 16 March 2026 through Miracle Media.

At the centre of the story is a desperate group of four convicts who escape prison and break into what they believe will be a safe refuge. Instead, the house they choose carries a dark and deeply personal history. Years earlier, the home belonged to Abigail and John, a couple whose lives were shattered when their two daughters died in a horrific car crash. The tragedy left wounds that never healed.

Consumed by grief and a desire for vengeance, the couple turned to forbidden forces in an attempt to punish those they believed responsible for the accident. Their actions summoned powers that refuse to remain buried. Now those forces linger within the walls of the house.

When the escaped prisoners force their way inside, they stumble into something far more dangerous than the law. Voodoo spirits haunt the property, and Abigail’s hunger for revenge has taken on a life of its own. What begins as a desperate attempt to lie low soon turns into a terrifying fight to survive.

The criminals find themselves trapped in a supernatural snare where guilt and blood seem to feed the curse surrounding them. As the night unfolds and the truth behind the long ago car crash begins to surface, the men realise that escape may no longer be possible. Their struggle is no longer just about avoiding capture. It is about whether they will leave the house with their souls intact.

Bad Voodoo mixes elements of psychological horror with the deeply human pain of loss. The story explores how grief can twist a sense of justice into something far darker, suggesting that the most frightening forces are not always the spirits themselves, but the emotions that summon them.

Bad Voodoo arrives on UK digital platforms on 16 March 2026 from Miracle Media.

Apple TV - https://apple.co/3NzbQmz

REVIEW: Dust Bunny (2025 Film) - Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sheila Atim, David Dastmalchian, and Sigourney Weaver

 

Bryan Fuller’s Dust Bunny arrives as something of an oddity, though in a good way. It is a fantasy action film that feels unlike most current studio releases and carries a strong sense of personal vision for a debut feature. Fuller relies more on atmosphere, fairytale logic and emotional instinct than on neat explanations. That choice gives the film a strange, lingering quality that keeps it engaging even when parts of the story falter.

The film follows Resident 5B, a worn down hit man played by Mads Mikkelsen, who is approached by eight year old Aurora after her family is brutally murdered. Aurora, played by Sophie Sloan, believes a monster under her bed was responsible. In her mind it was a literal bunny made of dust. The assassin suspects a far more human and dangerous explanation. The story that unfolds blends elements of an assassin thriller with childhood fantasy and horror. Much of the action takes place inside a New York apartment building that somehow feels both ordinary and quietly cursed.

Visually the film is often impressive. Fuller shows a confident sense of style, making strong use of colour, shadow and unusual imagery. An early sequence in Chinatown, where armed gang members hide beneath a dragon costume, immediately sets the tone and hints at the film’s strange blend of the fantastical and the grounded. Fuller allows scenes to breathe and is comfortable letting silence carry emotional weight. The film often trusts viewers to follow the feeling of a moment, even if the narrative logic occasionally slips.

Mads Mikkelsen delivers a strong performance. He brings his familiar physical presence and quiet threat, yet also reveals an unexpected softness. The way he moves between sudden violence and a calm, protective bond with Aurora becomes the emotional centre of the film. Sophie Sloan holds her own remarkably well, balancing fear, determination and an unsettling sense of certainty. Their connection gives the story its warmth. Sigourney Weaver also makes an impression as Laverne, adding an edge that strengthens the film’s darker elements.

The film does run into problems with pacing. Despite a running time of roughly one hundred minutes, the middle section begins to feel stretched as the story circles similar ideas. The shift towards larger scale action and mythic horror works in concept, though not every moment lands as intended. Some of the computer generated effects, particularly those involving the creature itself, are uneven and occasionally pull the viewer out of the experience.

The horror side of the story is also more intense than the premise might suggest. A few scenes are unexpectedly brutal, which places the film firmly outside the range of younger viewers despite its child centred perspective and fairytale tone. For some audiences this clash of innocence and violence will be intriguing, while others may find it jarring.

Even so, the ending is where the film truly finds its strength. Fuller closes the story on a note of hope rather than dread, suggesting that compassion and care are the only real protection against the monsters people create or inherit.

Dust Bunny is not without flaws. It begins strongly, slows during the middle, and finishes with confidence. What it offers above all is originality. This is a distinctive piece of fantasy horror supported by strong performances and a clear emotional core. For older teenagers and adults willing to embrace its unusual rhythm and rough edges, it leaves a lasting impression.

I enjoyed Dust Bunny and would give it a solid 8 out of 10. With tighter pacing and more refined visual effects, it might have reached an even higher mark.

Out now.

https://apple.co/4t7TwAK

PREVIEW: Play Dead (2026 Film) - Stars Paula Brasca

By Jon Donnis

A single room, a masked killer, and the thin line between life and death. That is the brutal premise at the centre of Play Dead, an upcoming survival horror thriller arriving on UK digital platforms on 9 March 2026 through Seven Tales.

Directed by Carlos Goitia, known for 100 Candles Game: The Last Possession, the film leans into the grim intensity of classic horror inspirations such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Collector. Early festival screenings have already introduced audiences to its stark and claustrophobic approach, with the story focusing almost entirely on one woman’s desperate attempt to stay alive.

The nightmare begins when Alison, played by Paula Brasca, wakes up inside a decaying basement. Injured, frightened, and surrounded by the bodies of murdered women, she quickly realises that her only chance of survival is to blend in with the dead. Remaining perfectly still becomes a matter of life or death as a masked killer moves through the room.

As more victims are dragged into the basement, Alison is forced to maintain the terrifying illusion while quietly searching for a way out. Every movement carries the risk of discovery, and every moment stretches the tension further. The situation becomes even more disturbing when she uncovers a grotesque ritual taking place in the house above.

What follows promises a relentless game of patience and nerve. Alison must keep up the charade while planning an escape from a place that seems designed for suffering. One mistake could expose her, yet doing nothing means waiting for the same fate that claimed the others.

With its stripped down premise and suffocating atmosphere, Play Dead aims to deliver a tightly wound horror experience built on suspense and dread. If the tension holds as tightly as the premise suggests, this could be a chilling addition to the survival thriller genre when it arrives on digital platforms this March.

Play Dead is on UK digital 9 March from Seven Tales

Apple TV - https://apple.co/40KDcsK

PREVIEW: 1978 (2026 Film) - Directed by Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti

Black Mandala Films presents the horror feature 1978, directed by Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti, the filmmakers behind ABRAKADABRA and WHAT THE WATERS LEFT BEHIND. The film combines political terror with occult horror and takes place during one of the darkest periods in Argentine history.

The film had its world premiere at the Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival, an event widely regarded as the world’s most important festival dedicated to fantasy and horror cinema. From its first screening the film drew attention for its uncompromising tone and its shocking narrative turns.

After its festival debut, 1978 went on to receive theatrical releases across several international territories. The film later became one of the most watched genre titles on HBO Latin America, confirming its strong appeal with both horror fans and mainstream audiences.

The story is set during the 1978 World Cup final between Argentina and Holland, at the height of the country’s military dictatorship. A group of torturers violently storm a house and abduct several young people, taking them to a clandestine detention centre.

What begins as a brutal and inhumane interrogation soon turns into something far worse. The captors have made a fatal mistake. The victims are not who they appear to be and are part of a sinister cult guided by an unknown supernatural force.

As reality begins to fracture and the violence escalates, the detention centre becomes a living nightmare where the torturers find themselves becoming the tortured.

With raw performances, a suffocating atmosphere, and a fearless combination of historical horror and the occult, 1978 presents a disturbing experience.

1978 is now available across major digital streaming platforms in North America, and is also available on DVD and Blu ray, bringing one of Latin America’s most talked about modern horror films to audiences looking for intense and unforgettable genre cinema.

Apple TV - https://apple.co/4sg5cjU