Faces Of Death Is Being Rebooted, And I’m So Curious How It Will Work

by

Growing up in the Generation X era, the “Faces of Death” video series was the scariest thing you could find at the video store. They were always kept behind the counter, off-limits to kids like me and my friends – both by the store clerk and our parents. We built them up in our minds as something legendary. Now, they’re planning a reboot, potentially releasing a new movie in 2026, and I’m curious if it can recapture that same sense of dread.

They Weren’t Actually Snuff Films, But We Didn’t Know That

For years, the main topic of conversation among kids was a shocking horror movie called Faces of Death. Everyone talked about whether they’d seen it, and there was a definite divide between those who had and hadn’t. The rumor was that it wasn’t acted – it actually showed real people dying, with stories like someone being electrocuted so badly their eyes popped out circulating as proof.

When we were in third grade, we genuinely believed everything we saw in these movies was real. There were four films in total, now available on Shudder, and we thought every terrible thing happening on screen – someone being attacked by an alligator, executed in the electric chair, or even an assassin talking to the camera – actually happened to real people. We hadn’t heard of “snuff films” yet, but we were convinced the movies showed actual deaths.

I Finally Saw The Movies

I finally got to see it one night at a friend’s house. His dad owned the VHS, and we secretly took it into the basement, watching with the lights off. I was terrified for days afterward, and the scenes are still vividly stuck in my memory. It remains the most frightening movie I’ve ever seen.

A few years after that, the fourth installment of Faces of Death came out, and a group of us went to see it at a small, independent cinema late one night. I was sixteen at the time, and for some reason, I hadn’t realized that most of the Faces of Death films weren’t real footage of deaths or actual snuff films. It turned out the movies were mostly recreations, just like any other horror film.

I was horrified when my friend started laughing during the scary parts of the movie. I couldn’t believe he found those traumatic scenes amusing and even wondered if something was wrong with him. Afterward, still shaken up, we went to Steak n Shake, and he told me it was “all fake.” Honestly, that explanation was just as shocking as the movie itself.

He Was Right, It Was Mostly Fake

The movie includes real news footage of terrible events, like the Holocaust and the Air Canada Flight 182 crash, but the most disturbing scenes were actually created for the film. They were designed to look realistic and shocking, but they were simply special effects and filmmaking techniques. My friend was laughing because he understood the difference – he knew those scenes weren’t real.

Growing up in the 1980s and early 90s, before the internet was widespread, things were very different. Today, it’s easy to stumble across disturbing and graphic content online – we’ve all probably clicked on something we instantly regretted. But back then, that wasn’t possible. I’m not sure how much truth there was to the rumors about “snuff films,” but as a teenager, I genuinely believed they existed, and I was shocked that our local movie theater seemed to be showing them.

2026 Brings A New Faces Of Death

A remake of the controversial film Faces of Death is planned for release around 2026, though a distribution company is still being sought. The new version, directed by Daniel Goldhaber (known for How to Blow Up a Pipeline), will star Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria), Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things), and Charli XCX. It’s expected to be a contemporary reimagining, centering on a social media platform similar to YouTube.

As a film buff, I think the core idea behind this movie really resonates. Platforms like YouTube are constantly struggling with authenticity – figuring out what’s real, what’s not, and where the line is. With AI becoming so prevalent, everyone’s grappling with that now. This film seems to be tapping into that same uncertainty, specifically by questioning whether the deaths we see are genuine, which mirrors the ambiguity of the original series. Honestly, if it continues to explore those kinds of big, thought-provoking questions, I think it has a lot of potential.

It’s strange that we seem to be both less shocked by shocking content and more eager to censor it online – things like you see on YouTube. I’m hoping this idea can still resonate with people, though.

How Can It Work?

I’m really curious to see if the new version of Faces of Death can still be as disturbing as the original was. It’s strange to think about, considering everything you can find online these days – truly awful stuff is readily available. But there was something about the original that really got under your skin, and I’m fascinated to see if they can recreate that feeling in 2026, even for people who’ve never seen it before. We’ll find out soon enough!

I used to be drawn in by these films, always clicking on anything related to them. But now I realize it was all just clever filmmaking. Honestly, I haven’t watched them again because once you see behind the scenes, they don’t hold up – they’re not very good movies. They originally gained popularity through buzz among young men and teenagers.

Faces of Death was surprisingly innovative for its time. It aimed to feel like a real documentary, even though it was largely made up. This style wasn’t common back then, which is why it was so disturbing and caused so much controversy. It’s an open question whether a film like that could have the same impact today.

Read More

2025-12-30 19:09