V/H/S/MIXTAPE Trailer Cranks the Horror to 11 With GWAR, Killer Puppets, and Bloody Mayhem
The V/H/S franchise is turning up the volume and making a hell of a lot of noise with its next collection of found-footage nightmares.
A new trailer has arrived for V/H/S/MIXTAPE, the music-themed installment of the long-running horror anthology franchise, and this one looks like a wonderfully deranged combination of killer sound, puppets, stop-motion animation, practical effects, and bloody mayhem.
The directing lineup includes Ernest Dickerson (Demon Knight), Flying Lotus (Ash), Ghost frontman Tobias Forge, David Moreau (MadS), RZA, and Renee Zhan. The anthology also features GWAR and effects work from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, which is pretty cool.
The trailer comes loaded with puppet and stop-motion carnage, while GWAR provides some very important instructions about how loud you should be watching it.
Shudder describes the movie: “V/H/S/MIXTAPE cranks the signature found-footage horror up to eleven with an electrifying new anthology where music and sound become the source of terror.
“United by a theme that explores the power of music, rhythm, and audio to haunt, possess, and destroy, the film blends cosmic horror, psychological suspense, outrageous splatter, and groundbreaking practical effects into one unforgettable mixtape of nightmares.”
The first segment, “DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, DANCE,” comes from Renee Zhan and follows a studio attempting to resurrect a long-canceled puppet show with a mysterious history. The segment features work from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and based on what we're seeing in the trailer, these aren't exactly the kind of puppets you want showing up at a kid's birthday party.
Moreau directs “HEARTBEAT,” which follows two YouTube urban exploration influencers who become trapped inside a decommissioned military facility once used for sonic experimentation. Considering the anthology’s obsession with dangerous sound, wandering around that place probably wasn't the greatest content strategy.
Dickerson takes on “THE MUSIC OF MR. SZE,” centered on a college film student whose documentary project leads them into the isolated world of a tormented musician.
RZA directs “DEATH TONE,” following a young sound engineer who uses instructions left behind by her late father in an attempt to create the ultimate track. In the universe of V/H/S, pursuing the “ultimate” anything usually comes with an extremely unpleasant price.
Holding the madness together is GWAR, who hosts skits and music videos through an MTV-style show from hell. The wraparound also features music videos directed by Forge and Flying Lotus, giving the whole anthology the feel of some cursed late-night broadcast you probably shouldn't be watching.
The series started with V/H/S in 2012, followed by V/H/S/2 in 2013, V/H/S: Viral in 2014, V/H/S/94 in 2021, V/H/S/99 in 2022, V/H/S/85 in 2023, V/H/S/Beyond in 2024, and V/H/S/Halloween in 2025.
The franchise isn't slowing down, either. Its tenth installment, V/H/S: SCP, is set to become the first entry in the series to receive a theatrical release when it arrives in 2027.
For now, crank up the speakers and check out the wonderfully nasty trailer for V/H/S/MIXTAPE. This looks like it could be one hell of a horror playlist.
The film premieres on Shudder on October 9.
