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‘Hokum’ Starring Adam Scott Opens U.S. Theaters May 1

5/2/2026

40 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Scott Confronts Witch

Hokum opened in U.S. theaters on May 1, 2026.
Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy directed the film, in which Adam Scott’s novelist Ohm Bauman travels to a remote Irish hotel to scatter his parents’ ashes and confront a witch.
The movie premiered at SXSW on March 14 before its wide release.
During a post-production breathing-track recording, Scott yelped after being startled by his character’s mother’s ghost.

Summary

Scott Embraces Horror

Comedian Adam Scott stars in Hokum, joining a growing group of comedians moving into horror.
He says laughter and fear both trigger involuntary reactions and that each genre builds tension before release.
He adds comedy and horror aim to create tension then break it with a scare or laugh.
The piece cites the comedy-horror series Widow’s Bay on Apple TV as another recent crossover example.

History

Historical Context

After Ivan Reitman's 1984 release of Ghostbusters—an $282 million worldwide hit that married slapstick comedy with supernatural horror—studios embraced genre-blending as a profitable formula. The film’s success spawned a multimedia franchise and inspired later hybrids such as Men in Black. Adam Scott’s 2026 horror-comedy Hokum follows that legacy, echoing Bill Murray’s iconic ghost-busting role.

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Scott Confronts Witch

Hokum opened in U.S. theaters on May 1, 2026.
Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy directed the film, in which Adam Scott’s novelist Ohm Bauman travels to a remote Irish hotel to scatter his parents’ ashes and confront a witch.
The movie premiered at SXSW on March 14 before its wide release.
During a post-production breathing-track recording, Scott yelped after being startled by his character’s mother’s ghost.

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