What happens when you finally land your dream home only to find out it’s at the center of a turf war between a demonic invasion and a power-hungry Homeowners Association?
That’s the hellish setup teased in the first trailer for Hold the Fort, a new horror comedy premiering this month at the 2025 Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal.
Directed by William Bagley (The Murder Podcast), Hold the Fort follows Lucas and Jenny, a young couple whose excitement over their first house turns into sheer terror when they realize their quiet suburban cul-de-sac has a nasty little secret—namely, “a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell.”
The film looks like a bloody mash-up of The ‘Burbs and Army of Darkness, with monsters of every shape and size descending on suburbia while the HOA keeps up its fight for total neighborhood control.
Here’s how the film is officially described: “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch.
“Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.”
Bagley seems thrilled to bring his latest horror-comedy to Fantasia, calling the premiere a personal milestone: “It has been a goal of mine since The Murder Podcast and to finally have the opportunity to play there is a dream come true!”
The film stars Chris Mayers, Haley Leary, Julian Smith, Mark Ashworth, and Levi Burdick, and is based on a story by Scott Hawkins.
Hold the Fort is being released by Blue Finch Films sometime later this year. No wide release date has been announced yet, but it looks like a funhouse of blood, bureaucracy, and suburb demon slaying.
