Story perspectives

Paramount's “Passenger” Horror Release Thrills, Lacks Climax

5/22/2026

Summary

Paramount Releases

Paramount Pictures released the horror film “Passenger” in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2026.
André Øvredal directed starring Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell and Melissa Leo as a couple who trade their apartment for a van, encounter a fatal crash, and are pursued by a demonic highway stalker called the Passenger.
Critics praised the jump-scares, sound design and cinematography while saying the story relies on familiar road-horror tropes and lacks a memorable climax.

Summary

Donohue Turns 40

Zachary Donohue, from Shoreham, New York, turns 40, marking 30 years of horror filmmaking.
He shot his first scary shorts on a Super 8 camera with his father in local graveyards during third grade.
After NYU film school, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked with horror veterans Kevin Williamson, James Wan and Nick Antosca.
He co-wrote Passenger with T.W. Burgess, describing horror as “comfort food” and saying the genre is entering a new golden age.

Summary

Paramount Unveils Teaser

Paramount released a full-length teaser that reveals the film’s cold-open haunting scene.
The teaser shows Tyler projecting “Roman Holiday” before Gregory Peck’s face becomes a flashlight.
The same moment flashes the Paramount logo, prompting criticism for overt corporate branding.
Critics argue the film’s mythological rules are vague, leaving viewers unsure of the antagonist’s limits.
Øvredal’s focus on showmanship shines through the deliberate use of classic cinema clips to amplify tension.

History

Historical Context

Universal’s 1977 horror film *The Car*, directed by Elliot Silverstein, introduced a driverless black sedan that terrorized a small town and sparked a wave of vehicular-monster movies such as *Duel* and *Maximum Overdrive*. Its mixed reviews and later cult status, and the 2015 Blu-ray edition, have inspired later productions like André Øvredal’s *Passenger*.

1 of 4

Paramount Releases

Paramount Pictures released the horror film “Passenger” in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2026.
André Øvredal directed starring Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell and Melissa Leo as a couple who trade their apartment for a van, encounter a fatal crash, and are pursued by a demonic highway stalker called the Passenger.
Critics praised the jump-scares, sound design and cinematography while saying the story relies on familiar road-horror tropes and lacks a memorable climax.

1 / 4