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Melissa Barrera has officially branched out into monster movies — but her first hit with a hairy beast isn't the violent slash-fest we've come to expect from the Screamstar. Rather, Your Monsteris an oddly heartwarming horror romance that, despite receiving a somewhat lukewarm reaction upon its theatrical debut in October 2024, is currently climbing the streaming charts over on Max.

An independent project that first premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Your Monster follows Barrera as young actress Laura Franco, who is struggling with her recent cancer diagnosis as well as a brutal breakup with her playwright boyfriend. Upon returning to live in her childhood home, Franco discovers a monster in the closet, whom she appropriately dubs "Monster."

At first frightened by each other, Franco and Monster quickly develop a bond over their shared love of theater, and become even closer when Monster exacts revenge on Franco's ex-boyfriend for dumping her in...

Your Monster, a new romantic comedy by director-writer Caroline Lindy, began streaming on Max on January 24th. The independent film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and climbed to the top of Max's trending charts quickly, currently the fourth most popular movie this week. A classic Beauty and the Beast or Frankenstein-type situation, Your Monster follows a young actress named Laura as she entertains an unexpected romance with a wolfman-like creaturethat lives in her house.

However, the first words that grace the screen are "based on a trueish story." How can this possibly be the case, considering the otherworldly proportions of this love story? Well, the answer is part literal and part metaphorical. Read on to find out the backstory of howYour Monster draws from Lindy's past.

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Melissa Barrera continues to rebound from her Scream firing thanks to her latest film, Your Monster. The romantic comedy-horror flick sees instant success following its recent streaming debut.

Via Screen Rant, the Barrera-led Your Monster ranks 4th on Max's Top 10 movie charts. The film's encouraging viewership returns come three days after it debuted on the HBO-owned streaming service.

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Marking her second post-Scream release after the well-received Abigail, Your Monster sees Barrera portray Laura Franco, a young actress battling cancer and recovering from a bad relationship after her playwright boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan (Edmund Donovan), dumped her during treatment. As she tries to bounce back while recouping at her childhood home, Laura discovers...

Scream star Melissa Barrera literally finds a monster (Tommy Dewey) living in her closet after an awful break-up during Vertical’s Your Monster. Director and writer Caroline Lindy’s horror comedy starts streaming exclusively on Max beginning Friday, Jan. 24. Following the film’s global debut, fans can also watch Lindy and Barrera’s collaboration on HBO’s linear lineup starting Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. Est.

Your Monster originally hit theaters back on Oct. 25, 2024, but flew under the radar and escaped the attention of many moviegoers thanks to the theatrical release of both Venom: The Last Dance and Conclave. Check out the synopsis for Your Monster below, courtesy of the film's official website:

"Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak,...

Fans of former Scream franchise star Melissa Barrera have good reason to shout about the acclaimed actor as one of her less-heralded films nears its streaming debut. Barrera's rom-com horror film, Your Monster, lands a major global premiere online.

Via Deadline, Your Monster, which sees Barrera star alongside Saturday Night's Tommy Dewey, will make its global streaming debut on Max, with the film premiering on Jan. 24. Along with the Max release, Your Monsters is set to air via HBO on Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. Et, allowing non-Max subscribers the chance to watch the movie on cable.

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Produced by independent film distributor, Vertical, Your Monster debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last January to positive reviews, with Barrera receiving widespread praise for her performance. The film,...

Max subscribers are in for a treat this January as Vertical’s “Your Monster” makes its global streaming debut exclusively on the platform. HBO viewers can catch the film shortly after its Max premiere.

“Your Monster” tells the story of Laura Franco, a soft-spoken actor portrayed by Melissa Barrera. After a painful breakup and surgery recovery, Laura retreats to her childhood home, feeling lost and defeated. Adding insult to injury, she discovers her ex-boyfriend is staging a musical they developed together. However, from these challenging life changes emerges an unexpected connection – a monster, played by Tommy Dewey, who encourages Laura to embrace her dreams and inner rage.

This unique tale of self-discovery and unconventional romance features a talented cast including Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster, and Meghann Fahy. Written and directed by Caroline Lindy, “Your Monster” is produced by Kayla Foster, Lindy herself, Kira Carstensen, Melanie Donkers,...

Melissa Barrera stars in the horror romcom Your Monster, and it’s making its way to streaming just ahead of the most romantic holiday of the year: Valentine’s Day.

Look for Your Monster to arrive exclusively on Max on January 24. The film will debut on HBO linear on January 25 at 8:00 p.m. Et.

Kayla Foster, Meghann Fahy, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ike Ufomadu, and Lana Young also star in the film from writer and director Caroline Lindy.

Here’s the full official plot synopsis:

“Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop.

“But out of these gut-wrenching life changes...

Following its theatrical release via Vertical, the Sundance genre-bender Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera (Scream) and Tommy Dewey (Saturday Night), is set to make its global streaming debut exclusively on Max on Friday, January 24. The film will debut on HBO linear at 8:00 p.m. Et on Saturday, January 25.

Marking the feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who adapted the script from her own 2020 short film, Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and...

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2024 has been a great year for romantic movies, as many of the movies that came out this year included some great love stories. The fans of the romantic genre have been patiently waiting for the genre to make a return, and their time is finally here. 2024 saw the release of many romantic movies, including mix-genre movies like The Fall Guy and Fly Me to the Moon. So, let’s check out which of the movies that came out last year are the best romantic movies you should not miss.

Your Monster (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Vertical

Your Monster is a romantic comedy-horror film written and directed by Caroline Lindy. Based on Lindy’s 2019 short film of the same name, the 2024 film follows Laura Franco, a young, soft-spoken actress with a cancer diagnosis, but her life soon changes...

Stars: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Meghann Fahy, Kayla Foster | Written and Directed by Caroline Lindy

What happens if you fall in love with the monster under your bed? That’s the question posed by darkly funny fantasy rom-com Your Monster, the debut feature from writer-director Caroline Lindy.

Melissa Barrera stars as Laura Franco, a wannabe actress who’s dumped by her theatre director boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) while she’s recovering from surgery after cancer. Devastated, Laura returns to her childhood home, where she’s shocked to discover that Monster (Tommy Dewey), the creature she once saw under her bed as a child, still lives there.

Things quickly go from bad to worse for Laura – in addition to Monster gruffly giving her two weeks to leave the house, she finds out that Jacob has started production on a Broadway musical they developed together and, worse, has offered the...

Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera, blends dark humour, romance, and horror in a modern feminist fairytale that reimagines what it means to confront your demons—literally. Directed by Caroline Lindy, this romantic-comedy-horror lands in UK and Ireland cinemas on 29 November, courtesy of Vertigo Releasing.

Barrera stars as Laura Franco, a struggling actress recovering from both a serious illness and a devastating breakup. Returning to her childhood home, she hopes to find solace, but instead discovers a Monster (Tommy Dewey) living in her bedroom closet. Initially terrified, Laura soon realises that the creature is as witty as he is unnerving. As their unlikely relationship develops, the Monster becomes her confidant and ally, helping her to confront her manipulative ex-boyfriend and reclaim her life.

The film explores themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and rage as Laura channels her experiences into a renewed sense of purpose. Supported by standout performances from Meghann Fahy (The...

If you’re more into the idea of staying home than heading out to your local theater, you’re in luck because all of this week’s brand new horror is available from the comfort of home.

Here’s all the new horror that released November 11 – November 17, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

Melissa Barrera (Scream VI, Abigail) is back in Vertical’s new comedy-horror movie Your Monster, and the coming-of-rage horror romcom is now available on VOD at home.

The romantic monster movie puts a new spin on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. In the film, “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.”

“Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Your Monster.Your Monster is a horror rom-com with a dark ending, and Caroline Lindy's directorial debut is now available to rent from home. The film follows struggling actor Laura (Melissa Barrera) as she recovers from cancer treatment. She's also grappling with a broken heart after her writer-director boyfriend, Jacob (Edmund Donovan), dumps her while she's sick. Upon arriving home, she is reunited with her Monster (Tommy Dewey) from childhood, and a romance sparks between them instead.

However, Your Monster is much more than just a romance narrative following the Monster and Laura. More notably, it's a story about finding one's self-worth that has both a twisted and empowering ending; it just depends on how you interpret it. It's hard to say if the Monster killing Jacob is metaphorical or has darker implications for Laura. That's probably the biggest question remaining after watching...

Melissa Barrera (Scream VI, Abigail) is back in Vertical’s new horror-comedy Your Monster, and the coming-of-rage horror romcom is making its way to PVOD platforms tomorrow.

You can preorder Your Monster on PVOD platforms now.

The romantic monster movie looks to be a new spin on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. In the film, “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.”

Here’s the full official plot synopsis:

“Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop.

“But...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Melissa Barrera is one of the most talented rising stars in Hollywood. The Mexican actress began her career in her country with telenovelas like Siempre tuya Acapulco and Tanto Amor, and she debuted in Hollywood with the 2018 coming-of-age drama series Vida and later went on to play one of the leads in a big-budget musical film In the Heights. She is most known for playing the role of Sam Carpenter in the Scream films. So, if you love Melissa Barrera’s performances we have picked out the 7 best films and TV shows starring Barrera, that you should check out.

7. Carmen (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Sony Pictures Classics

Carmen is a musical drama film directed by Benjamin Millepied from a screenplay co-written by Alexander Dinelaris Jr., Loïc Barrère, and Millepied. The 2022 film follows the story of Carmen, a...

I have a soft spot in my cold dark heart for a well-done romantic comedy. When Harry Met Sally, 10 Things I Hate About You, and 500 Days of Summer all manage to be interesting while presenting a fun love story. Well-made ones are few and far between, mind you, but they scratch a certain itch. So to see Scream‘s Melissa Barrera and Casual‘s Tommy Dewey combine forces for one in the horror space, and you’ve got my interest. Then add in a Monster that looks like Ron Perlman from 90’s TV’s Beauty and the Beast and it feels like Your Monster was made just for me.

I was lucky enough to talk to the cast and director about all things Your Monster. Melissa Barrera and I got into what it’s like to maintain a believable romance when your scene partner looks like a monster...

Your Monster is now playing in theaters worldwide and we were recently able to catch up with director Caroline Lindy and producer Kayla Foster to talk about the unique horror romantic comedy that stars Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey in the lead roles. 

Loosely based on a true experience, the film is "the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and fall in love with her inner rage."

Lindy breaks down the cathartic movie making process, between both writing and directing the movie,...

Your Monster is now playing in theaters worldwide and we were recently able to catch up with director Caroline Lindy and producer Kayla Foster to talk about the unique horror romantic comedy that stars Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey in the lead roles. 

Loosely based on a true experience, the film is "the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and fall in love with her inner rage."

Lindy breaks down the cathartic movie making process, between both writing and directing the movie,...

Spoiler Alert: This post contains details from Your Monster.

Your Monster takes audiences on a fun, romantic and spooky ride just in time for Halloween, but some viewers might want clarification on the ending.

Writer and director Caroline Lindy, who makes her feature debut with the film that is now playing in theaters, told Deadline that despite the precarious ending, she imagines Laura (Melissa Barrera) and Monster (Tommy Dewey) “riding off into the sunset together.”

Based on Lindy’s 2019 short, the film follows soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a Monster with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams,...

Melissa Barrera has become a fan favorite in the horror space thanks to her work in the Scream franchise and the recent cult hit Abigail, but her latest entry into the canon is another animal entirely. Your Monster is part rom-com and part (as expected) monster movie, written and directed by Caroline Lindy as her feature film debut. Barrera plays Laura Franco, an aspiring actor who finds a monster living in her closet after going through a mountain of heartbreak.

After an accident that halts her Broadway dreams and a breakup that crushes her spirit, Laura encounters a monster (played by Tommy Dewey) who ironically begins to help her self-esteem recover. While the premise may bear a strong similarity to Beauty and the Beast, Your Monster is more accurately described as an exploration of the self that veers into romance, comedy, and horror with aplomb. The movie also stars the White Lotus's Meghann Fahy,...

We sat down with the cast and crew of Your Monster to discuss the romantic-comedy.

Four years after releasing the short film Your Monster, Caroline Lindy is bringing it to the big screen this holiday season. Your Monster is a multi-genre story about a woman attempting to overcome life and love while speaking to a monster in her closet. We sat down with writer/director Caroline Lindy and the film’s stars, Melissa Barerra, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, and Kayla Foster.

Your Monster is a breath of fresh air in the rom-com space that doesn’t follow the same typical tropes we are used to seeing. Lindy’s script is refreshing, and her attention to detail in developing Laura (Barrera) allows audiences to relate to her arc while also rooting for her. Barrera, who acts, sings, and dances her way into our hearts, continues to show she is a bonafide star.

Just as its female lead is letting her inner rage come bubbling to the surface, the movie Your Monster, about this young woman, is also crying out from the inside to become a full-blown Broadway musical and not just the cult midnight movie it inevitably will be.

A sometimes awkward combo of horror/rom-com/musical elements that don’t always mesh perfectly but still blend well enough makes writer-director Caroline Lindy’s own feature-length adaptation of her short film a fun ride, as well as a terrific showcase for its stars Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey. In some ways it is also reminiscent of the current Demi Moore-Margaret Qualley horror comedy The Substance from director Coralie Fargeat, which also finds its main character going deep into herself in order to change the trajectory of her life all the way to a desperate and stunning denouement on a theatrical stage (albeit...

Melissa Barrera and Meghann Fahy hit the red carpet for the premiere of their new movie Your Monster on Thursday night (October 24) in New York City.

The 34-year-old Scream alum wowed in a cheetah print dress on the red carpet at Metrograph. She paired it with black heels and a dramatic furry coat. Meanwhile, Meghann opted for a black minidress with sheer cutouts.

Keep reading to find out more…

They were joined at the event by costars, including Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Megan Haley, Kayla Foster and Taylor Trensch. Director and writer Caroline Lindy was also there. We’ve got photos of all of them in the gallery!

Your Monster premiered in theaters on Friday (October 25). Here’s a synopsis of the romantic-comedy-horror: “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actor Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet.”

Have...

This review was originally published during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Movies are often visual media through which filmmakers can tell diverse, unique, and personal stories about life experiences. Alternatively, films can serve as an escape to forget about the real world by submerging ourselves in various emotions expressed onscreen. Every so often, there comes a film that manages to do both. And the latest to do so for me is Caroline Lindys charming and comically savvy Your Monster. The film stars Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey as the perfect unlikely pair in this dazzling, genre-defying romantic comedy. It's a fantastical experience that reminds us of the magic of movies.

Your Monster

Your Monster is a romantic-comedy-horror film by writer-director Caroline Lindy, released in 2024. The film follows a shy actress named Laura, recently diagnosed with cancer, who regains her voice after meeting a kindly monster that lives inside her closet.

Director...

The trick to genre-mixing within a movie is making sure all the disparate parts are equally great. Shaun Of The Dead, American Werewolf In London, and even Splash get it right when they make major tonal shifts, or blend the seemingly unblendable. Writer-director Caroline Lindy’s Your Monster aspires to that equilibrium,...

In theaters tomorrow is Your Monster, written and directed by Caroline Lindy, and starring Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, and Edmund Donovan. Just for Daily Dead readers, we have an exclusive "Hallowen Party" preview you can watch right now!

"Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Tommy Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and fall in love with her inner rage."

Written and Direted By Caroline Lindy Produced By Kayla Foster, Caroline Lindy, Kira Carstensen, Melanie Donkers, Shannon Reilly Executive Produced By Bob Potter,...

Right from its opening minutes, Your Monster is walking a tightrope. It somehow manages to keep a light touch through a sequence where aspiring Broadway star Laura (Melissa Barrera) is diagnosed with cancer before her partner Jacob’s (Edmund Donovan) new musical can come to the stage with a role specifically written for her. Jacob, though, doesn’t have the spine or stamina for being a caretaker, and dumps Laura while she’s in the hospital, leaving the poor woman calling after him while attached to her chemo bag.

To writer-director Caroline Lindy’s credit, she pulls it off in the first act, especially with the sequence that follows, with Barrera committing to the comedy in all the drama as Laura eats her feelings. Barrera is Your Monster’s trump card, with Lindy pulling a lively performance out of her while still keeping Laura feeling like a real girl trying...

Melissa Barrera has another horror movie in 2024, but this one is more comedic and romantic, and there are options for where to watch Your Monster. After becoming a modern scream queen with the Scream franchise, the actress has made a habit of returning to the horror genre. Directed by Caroline Lindy, Your Monster is the latest Melissa Barrera horror movie and follows her character, Laura Franco, who finds a charming monster living in her closet. With the romantic tone between the human and monster leads, it understandably draws comparisons to Beauty and the Beast.

Whereas Barrera's previous horror movies were from known franchises or more well-known horror filmmakers, Your Monster represents a different approach to the genre for the actress. Anticipation for the low-budget independent film grew following its debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered in one of the coveted Midnight selection slots. That led to Your Monster...

“Your Monster” is a new live-action comedy-horror feature, written and directed by Caroline Lindy, based on her 2019 short film, starring Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster and Meghann Fahy, opening October 25, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Laura Franco’ (Barrera), a young actress enduring an upsetting relationship breakup…

“…discovers a terrifying, yet weirdly charming ‘Monster’ (Dewey) living in her closet…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

“Your Monster” is a new live-action comedy-horror feature, written and directed by Caroline Lindy, based on her 2019 short film,1st starring Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster and Meghann Fahy, opening October 25, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Laura Franco’ (Barrera), a young actress enduring an upsetting relationship breakup…

“…discovers a terrifying, yet weirdly charming ‘Monster’ (Dewey) living in her closet…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Scream (2022) and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera – who was fired from Scream 7 when comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war didn’t go over well with executives at Spyglass Media – has the lead role in the film Your Monster, a project she had previously described as a “horror rom-com musical.” JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to see the movie at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and wrote a 6/10 review you can read at This Link. A wider audience will be able to see the movie when Vertical gives it a theatrical release on October 25th – and with that date just one month away, a trailer is now online. You can check it out in the embed above.

The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco,...

Nothing like a little decapitation to ring in the spooky season! Expanding on one of its most beloved showcases, “Mind F*ck Night” the Lower East Side Film Festival is unveiling a new, three-day pop-up festival called “Off/Season.” The series will focus on terrifying, mind-altering, genre-defying cinema and feature a curated selection of advanced screenings, retrospectives, short films, as well as filmmaker Q&As and receptions, all held at the Alamo Drafthouse, Lower Manhattan location from October 2-4.

In honor of the film’s 60th anniversary, “Off/Season” is proud to present “Strait-Jacket” from B-Movie horror master William Castle. Featuring screen legend Joan Crawford, this “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” follow-up continued the star’s decent into hagsploitation, but has become a cult classic in its own right, with her madly swinging an axe becoming one of cinema’s most iconic images. Castle’s daughter, Terry Castle, will be...

Vertical has released the first trailer for a new horror comedy titled Your Monster, which stars Scream and Abigail actress Melissa Barrera in the lead role as a woman who falls for the literal monster in her closet.

Directed, written and produced by Caroline Lindy, this Beauty and the Beast-inspired tale is based on Lindy's short of the same name, and also stars Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan and Kayla Foster. Producers include Kayla Foster, Shannon Reilly, Melanie Donkers, and Kira Carstensen.

Barrera was asked about the comparisons to Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve's classic fairytale in a recent interview with Rolling Stone.

"So many people have been asking about the Beauty and the Beast reference, and it didn’t begin as that at all. Originally, in the script, it was more of a banter-y comedy with this monster as a guide. But once we got on set, the...

Melissa Barrera is falling for a monster of a man — literally.

The “Abigail” and former “Scream” star leads the Sundance-selected feature “Your Monster,” which was written and directed by Caroline Lindy and based on her 2020 short film of the same name. Barrera plays Lindy’s stand-in Laura, an actress who is reeling after being dumped. She realizes that her rage actually manifested into a new beau, who just so happens to be a monster creature.

The official synopsis reads: “‘Your Monster’ tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Tommy Dewey) with whom she finds a connection,...

"I'm a mess!" "No you're not!" Ahaha listen to the monster! Vertical has unveiled the official trailer for an original horror comedy musical called Your Monster, created by the filmmaker Caroline Lindy. This first premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year in the Midnight section, earning some rave reviews (I saw it there - it's a very good time!). After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actor Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet. A romantic-comedy-horror film about falling in love with your inner rage. The monster is an actual giant, hairy, big guy kind of like a live-action Beast from Beauty and the Beast. But he's also just a metaphor for her "inner rage" – or maybe he really is real? Watch the film and find out. Your Monster stars Melissa Barrera as Laura, with Tommy Dewey as the beast,...

Melissa Barrera (Scream VI, Abigail) is back in Vertical’s new horror-comedy Your Monster, and the distributor has released the film’s charming official trailer this morning.

Vertical will release Your Monster only in theaters October 25, 2024.

The romantic monster movie looks to be a new spin on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. In the film, “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.”

Here’s the full official plot synopsis:

“Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop.

“But...

Sundance Asia has officially kicked off in Taipei, Taiwan.

Over the next five days, 15 feature films and six shorts will screen at the Sundance Film Festival Asian edition, with Taiwanese American filmmaker Sean Wang’s “Didi” as the opening night selection.

Before Wang’s film (which won the audience award and a special jury prize for its ensemble at the Park City festival) made its Taiwan premiere, the Legacy Taipei played host to the opening ceremony gala. Hollywood creatives mingled with local filmmakers and actors: “Fancy Dance” producer Nina Yang Bongiovi, “Joker 2” cinematographer Lawrence Sher, “Porcelain War” director Brendan Bellomo, “Your Monster” director Caroline Lindy and producer Kayla Foster, Wang and Esther Liu, Chen Yi-Wen, Hank Chen and Aviis Zhong were just some of those in attendance.

With many having flown in from Toronto or Los Angeles, attendees swapped tips on jetlag survival. Wang and “Little Death” director Jack Begert...

Melissa Barrera has already established herself as a scream queen with her roles in the movies Scream and Scream VI. We can't wait to see her take on a new role in the upcoming romantic comedy horror Your Monster, which is set to be released in theaters on Oct. 25, 2024, by Vertical Entertainment

Your Monster is an indie horror film written and directed by Caroline Lindy. It's based on Lindy's 2019 short film of the same name and centers around a young, soft-spoken actress named Laura Franco, who, after a cancer diagnosis and bad breakup, discovers a weirdly charming monster living in her closet.

Barrera stars in the leading role of Laura Franco. Besides Scream and Scream VI, you might also recognize Barrera from her roles in the movies In the Heights and Abigail. She also starred as Lyn Hernandez in the Starz drama series Vida.

Joining her in the cast...

Scream (2022) and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera – who was fired from Scream 7 when comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war didn’t go over well with executives at Spyglass Media – has the lead role in the film Your Monster, a project she had previously described as a “horror rom-com musical.” JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to see the movie at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and wrote a 6/10 review you can read at This Link. A wider audience will be able to see the movie when Vertical gives it a theatrical release on October 25th – and the marketing for that release has begun with the unveiling of a teaser poster! You can check it out at the bottom of this article.

The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster tells...

Melissa Barrera (Scream VI, Abigail) has taken to Instagram to share the official poster for her next movie Your Monster, which also reveals the horror romance’s release date.

Vertical will release Your Monster only in theaters October 25, 2024.

Love can be a beast, indeed. Check out the official art below and sign up for updates here.

The romantic monster movie looks to be a new spin on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. In the film, “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.”

Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan and Kayla Foster also star. Producers include Kayla Foster, Shannon Reilly, Melanie Donkers, and Kira Carstensen.

The movie is based on Caroline Lindy’s short film from 2019.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her Sundance review for Bloody Disgusting, “A wholesome, whimsical...

Stars: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Meghann Fahy, Kayla Foster | Written and Directed by Caroline Lindy

What happens if you fall in love with the monster under your bed? That’s the question posed by darkly funny fantasy romcom Your Monster, the debut feature from writer-director Caroline Lindy.

Melissa Barrera stars as Laura Franco, a wannabe actress who’s dumped by her theatre director boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) while she’s recovering from surgery after cancer. Devastated, Laura returns to her childhood home, where she’s shocked to discover that Monster (Tommy Dewey), the creature she once saw under her bed as a child, still lives there.

Things quickly go from bad to worse for Laura – in addition to Monster gruffly giving her two weeks to leave the house, she finds out that Jacob has started production on a Broadway musical they developed together and, worse, has offered the...

Scream (2022) and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera – who was fired from Scream 7 when comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war didn’t go over well with executives at Spyglass Media – has the lead role in the film Your Monster, a project she had previously described as a “horror rom-com musical.” JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to see the movie at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and wrote a 6/10 review you can read at This Link. We still don’t know when a wider audience is going to have the opportunity to watch the movie, but it has just taken a positive step forward: Deadline reports that Vertical has acquired the North American distribution rights.

The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster centers on soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is...

Fresh off the film’s premiere at Sundance earlier this year, Your Monster starring Melissa Barrera (Scream VI) has been acquired for U.S. release by Vertical, Deadline reports.

We don’t yet have a release date but we expect one soon. Stay tuned.

“We were captivated by Caroline Lindy’s film at Sundance and thrilled it has made a home here at Vertical,” Vertical’s Peter Jarowey said in a statement. “Marking her directorial feature debut, she has created a fantastic, fresh, genre-defying film that perfectly balances the mix of comedy, romance, and horror topped off with a dash of musical theater that will captivate and delight audiences later this year.”

Lindy added in her own statement, “I’m beyond thrilled to collaborate with Vertical on the release of Your Monster. Their strategies and commitment to innovative distribution aligns perfectly with our movie, and their passion for the film...

Exclusive: Following its world premiere at Sundance, the horror rom-com Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) and Tommy Dewey (The Mindy Project), has landed at Vertical for North American distribution.

Marking the feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who adapted the script from her own short film, Your Monster also stars Edmund Donovan (Gossip Girl), Kayla Foster (Call Jane) and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus). No word yet on a release date.

The pic tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams,...

Exclusive: Bankside Films has boarded international sales rights to Caroline Lindy’s Sundance Midnight movie Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera (Scream).

In Your Monster, after her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco (Barrera) finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.

Barrera stars with Tommy Dewey (Perry Mason), Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus), Edmund Donovan (Hightown) and Kayla Foster (The Deuce).

The film is a feature debut for Lindy, who directs and also wrote the screenplay. Lindy’s previous short Aspirational Slut received the 2022 SXSW Narrative Shorts Audience Award.

Bankside Films will be screening the film to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin following its Park City debut last month. WME Independent is handling domestic.

The Merman Films production was financed by Bombo Sports & Entertainment. Producers are Kayla Foster and Lindy, along with Shannon Reilly of Bombo,...

Scream (2022) and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera may have been fired from Scream 7, but she is in Universal Pictures’ upcoming “Dracula’s Daughter” film Abigail, which was directed by her Scream directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and is set to reach theatres on April 19th. Even beyond that film, Barrera told The Hollywood Reporter that she has no intention of leaving the horror genre behind.

Barrera, who has also starred in a horror movie called Bed Rest, said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to get away from horror, and I also don’t want to. I love the genre so much. It’s so much fun to make. Also, I think a genre that people show up to the theaters for no matter what. No stars have to be in the movie for people to show up. I think that just goes to show how big it is,...

Traditionally, the concept of "the monster under the bed" is seen as a universal childhood fear, the most prominent example of our collective primal fear of the dark. For boys and young men, this mythical creature is typically seen as something to conquer, to stand up to. As fantasy, horror, and genre fiction continue to mutate into phases of postmodernism, this trope has expanded, where the monster isn't necessarily a threat to be subdued but rather a secret, special friend.

But what does this creature signify for girls and young women? If the horrific version represents the encroaching world of the patriarchy, might a cuddlier version see such a creature take the form of a confidant, companion, and protector? Where would he (assuming they're male) fit amongst the horror movie trope of survivor women being "paired" with their supernatural counterpart — is there something between "La Belle et la Bête" and...

While fans used to play six degrees of Kevin Bacon at the Sundance Film Festival (or anywhere for that matter), in 2024, it’s all about connecting the dots of alumni from Mike White’s The White Lotus. The stars of the Emmy Award-winning vacation anthology series have returned to the mainland and clocked back in on a flurry of independent films. Below is a roundup of all the White Lotus stars making the Park City rounds this year and why they’re here.

Aubrey Plaza

The actress and producer returns to the festival on the heels of a critically acclaimed turn in Emily the Criminal to star in Megan Park’s comedy My Old Ass opposite Maisy Stella, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks and Percy Hynes White. The plot follows bright-yet-irreverent Elliott (Stella) as she comes face-to-face with her older self (Plaza) during a mushroom trip. The encounter spurs a funny...

Did Beauty kill the Beast? Or was it the other way around? Or maybe they lived happily ever after? Writer-director Caroline Lindy plays with classical expectations in her enjoyable debut feature Your Monster. Actress Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera) is just out of surgery when the film starts. We quickly learn she’s survived some unnamed cancer and, in the tough year of treatments, her theater-director boyfriend of five years Jacob (Edmund Donovan) broke up with her. To make matters worse, he also moved forward with producing a Broadway musical that they developed together, one with a lead role he’d promised to Laura.

Her only friend is fellow actress Mazie, played well by Kayla Foster, who lifts up a thinly written supporting character. Mazie’s unreliability leaves Laura alone in her transient mother’s New York City apartment, crying and eating pies. Until, that is, an upstairs neighbor reveals himself.

Scream heroine Melissa Barrera shines in Caroline Lindy‘s feature debut, Your Monster, an expansion of her short film. A wholesome, whimsical romance befitting of a classic Hollywood musical but with dark underpinnings, Your Monster lets Barrera showcase her range and singing chops, even when it can’t quite decide on a cohesive approach to its monstrous metaphor.

Erstwhile Broadway actress Laura Franco (Barrera) finds her life in shambles when cancer derails her career ambitions and her longtime boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) unceremoniously dumps her. Abandoned by her mother and ignored by her self-involved best friend Mazie (Kayla Foster), Your Monster introduces its protagonist at her lowest point, all wails and self-pity. Enter Monster (Tommy Dewey), a beast that’s lived in her childhood closet for years and took a liking to having the house to himself. Love eventually blossoms between the pair, exposing Laura’s inner Monster in the process.