Downtown Toronto is preparing to be frightened this Halloween season, as the Toronto After Dark Film Festival is set to kick off its 12th annual edition. Beginning tonight, and running until next Friday, October 20, 20 critically acclaimed and anticipated new horror, sci-fi, action and cult movies from this year’s international film festival circuit will screen at the Scotiabank Theatre (259 Richmond Street West) in the Canadian city.

Shockya is happy to be promoting and covering this great genre festival again this year, after attending Toronto After Dark in 2015 and 2016! With the festival commencing tonight, we’re honoring the top five films that we’re the most excited to see.

Tonight, Thursday, October 12 – Opening Night

7:00pm – ‘My Friend Dahmer’ (USA) Opening Gala Film and Toronto Premiere – First Screening – Hurry to buy tickets here – Final block of 50 tickets released

Second Screening – Saturday, October 14, 11:59 pm – Buy tickets here

Directed by Marc Meyers

Based on the acclaimed graphic novel about the infamous serial killer’s teen years, Toronto After Dark’s Opening Gala’s movie, ‘My Friend Dahmer,’ is a riveting, dark, coming of age tale. Before he turned to kidnapping and murder, young Jeffrey seemed like just another awkward teen trying to impress his high school peers. But a series of disturbing events, at home and at school, soon begin to turn him towards another very dark path.

The brilliant cast includes Ann Heche and in a break out leading role, former Disney Channel star Ross Lynch. Set in 1970s small town America, the crime biopic has mesmerized audiences on the festival circuit, and has won numerous awards along the way, including most recently Best Picture at Fantastic Fest.

Watch the trailer for ‘My Friend Dahmer’ below.

Friday, October 13 – Slasher Night

7:00 pm – ‘Victor Crowley’ (USA) Canadian Premiere – Buy tickets here

Directed by Adam Green

Filmmaker Adam Green returns with a crowd-pleasing update to his retro-slasher inspired ‘Hatchet‘ series, which features full of fresh blood and creative kills. After a small plane crashes one night in the Louisiana swamps, the corpse of an infamous local serial killer, Victor Crowley, awakens from his deathly slumber. It’s not long before Victor sets off in search of fresh victims for his signature sharp slaying tools.

Horror icon Kane Hodder (‘Friday The 13th’) both terrifies and delights with a menacing performance as the titular killer, who unleashes murder and mayhem on an unwitting group of crash survivors. Fans will be torn between cheering for the vicious villain and rooting for the endearing underdog Perry Chen to survive the ensuing swamp carnage.

Watch the teaser trailer for ‘Victor Crowley’ below.

First Screening – 9:15pm ‘Cult of Chucky’ (USA) Special Presentation – Buy tickets here for both screenings – Expected to sell out soon

Exclusive photo opp: Bring a copy of your purchased ticket or valid festival pass to the screening at the theatre from from 7:30-8:30pm to get a free photo with the original Chucky doll and series creator-writer-director Don Mancini.

Second Screening – 11:59pm

Directed by Don Mancini

**Mancini, the Chucky doll, lead actress Fiona Dourif and additional select cast and crew members will be in attendance for an introduction and Q&A**

Killer doll fans are in for a special treat, as Toronto After Dark will be hosting the exclusive Canadian theatrical unrated screening of ‘Cult of Chucky,’ the latest movie in the fan favorite horror series. This time around, Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif) returns to terrorize his past victims at an asylum for the criminally insane, and Jennifer Tilly returns for added mayhem.

Playing right before the feature will be a special bonus ‘Chucky’ short, which is titled ‘The Dollhouse.’ The short tells the true life tale of the girl who grew up in a creepy house full of Chuckys dolls, as her dad designed the dolls for the movie series.

Watch the trailer for ‘Cult of Chuck’ below.

Tuesday, October 17

7:00pm – ‘Mayhem’ (USA) Toronto Premiere – Buy tickets here – Expected to sell out soon

Directed by Joe Lynch

‘Mayhem’ is a virus outbreak horror-action comedy crowdpleaser that’s been a huge audience hit at other festivals its played at, including SXSW. Young lawyer Derek Cho (Steven Yeun) is having a very bad day. He just got fired by his middle manager for an innocent mistake. Now he just wants a chance to talk to the CEO on the top floor to ask for his job back. There’s only one problem: the building just got put on a lockdown, due to an outbreak of a rare psychotic rage virus that’s known for turning humans into uninhibited homicidal maniacs. If Derek’s going to survive and make it to the top, he’s going to have to kill a lot of his raging coworkers by using whatever office products he can get his hands on.

Thursday, October 19

9:30pm – ‘The Endless’ (USA) Toronto Premiere – Buy tickets here

Directed, written by and starring Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

**Benson and Moorhead will be in attendance for an introduction and Q&A**

Filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead won many fans with their first two sensational horror films, ‘Resolution’ and ‘Spring.’ Now they raise the bar even higher with their third feature, ‘The Endless,’ which is a masterful blend of horror, sci-fi and mystery, and winning them awards.

In ‘The Endless,’ a pair of brothers goes in search of their missing friend, who last seen residing at a creepy desert commune. Since the locals seem friendly, the siblings decide to stay a few nights. It’s not long before they notice that there’s something very eerily off about the place, with numerous inexplicable phenomena happening around them that defy any laws of science. Soon these benign events give way to something far more sinister.

Watch the teaser trailer for ‘The Endless’ below.

For more information on Toronto After Dark, visit the film festival’s Facebook, Facebook Events, Twitter and Instagram pages.