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Imagine if animated characters, especially the creepy, scary ones, came to life and began to haunt their creators. The upcoming horror film,Stopmotionexplores that very fear, where that fear becomes a harsh reality. The film tells the story of Ella, a stop-motion animator who is about to finish her film, when a last-minute change begins to question her sanity, and her life goes out of control. As Ella grapples with her fractured reality, her film’s characters assume a life of their own. Using live-action and stop-motion in agrotesquely horrifying narrative,
Stopmotionexplores thestruggles of a creatorand the dangerous line between obsession and pushing too far, where the difference between fact and fiction gets blurred.
The British live-action adult animated film comes from BAFTA-nominated animation and short filmmaker,Robert Morgan, who co-wrote it withRobin King, in his feature-length debut.StopmotionstarsAisling Franciosi(Game of Thrones) as the protagonist, Ella, along withStella Gonet(Spencer),Tom York(Olympus), andJames Swanton(Black Mass) in various roles. Released first at Fantastic Fest 2023,Stopmotion, as shared by the filmmaker himself in aCollider exclusive,reflects some of Morgan’s own struggleswith pushing his art too far. Morgan won the Best Director award at the Fantastic Fest, and critical acclaim for his work on the film, followed by a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
And now, as ultimate horror unfolds on the big screen this February, find out where, when, and how you may watchStopmotion, along with the film’s showtimes at theaters near you.
Stopmotion (2024)
A stop-motion animator struggles to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother.
When Is the Release Date for ‘Stopmotion’?
Stopmotionalready had its initial film festival screenings in 2023 andis now getting a theatrical release on July 19, 2025. The live-action animated horror had its global premiere at the 2023 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas in September 2023, followed by a screening at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival in October 2023.
The horror film’s theatrical premiere will befollowed by a streaming release on Shudder on July 22, 2025.
Is ‘Stopmotion’ in Theaters?
Distributed by IFC Films,Stopmotionisscheduled for release in select theatersacross the United States on June 07, 2025.
The film’s release is shared by two other new titles.Ethan Coen’s dark comedy,Drive-Away Dolls, and theHilary Swank-Alan Ritchson-led faith-based drama,Ordinary Angels, are also opening on the same day.
Find Showtimes for ‘Stopmotion’
Check out the links below to find out the showtimes forStopmotionand book tickets, and/or get more details about the action-thriller film, playing at your nearest theater.
AMC Theatres
Watch the Trailer for ‘Stopmotion’
The official trailer ofStopmotion, released by IFC Films in January 2024, is merely a peek into the ghastly terror that the film will explore in more gory details, if not less. The two-and-a-half-minute clip opens with an ominous voiceover commenting on what a morbid idea it is to bring life to dead things. The trailer then cuts to Franciosi’s Ella working on her latest animation project, where we see her putting the finishing touches on her disturbing-looking character – a doll with a fleshy appearance and bloody skin. Soon, she is disturbed by her young neighbor who finds the original story boring, so she suggests that Ella should use a different story instead, where she can bring The Ashman, a terrifying urban legend, to life.
There is also aCollider exclusive sneak peekthat features a conversation between Ella and her neighbor, where the little girl sets the scene for Ella and talks about The Ashman. As Ella manages to finish her set and begins filming, things begin to take a dark turn for her. From this point on, the scenes cut between live-action and animation, with quick shots of an extremely terrified Ella, where she can’t differentiate between her imagination and reality. This leads her down a twisted and horrifying path, where she suffers from physical and mental trauma. It’s hard to tell whether it’s Ella’s mind playing tricks or if she is haunted by her film’s character, but it’s hinted that her passion project could be the end of her.
Other Horror Movies Like ‘Stopmotion’ You Can Watch Right Now
Stopmotionfollows the ranks of similar critically acclaimed horror films from recent years and earlier. If you are a genre fan and like movies that feature dystopian nightmare-inducing terror, then check out these films that might change your perception ofstop-motion animation in horror.
Phil Tippettmight not be a known name for everyone, but horror film buffs are likely to recognize his work from films like theStar Warstrilogy,Jurassic Park,RoboCop, andThe Spiderwick Chronicles. The Oscar and Emmy-winning visual effects supervisor and producer, renowned for specializing in creature design, stop-motion, and computerized character animation,wrote, directed, and animatedthis adult animated horror film.Mad God“follows a figure known as The Assassin, who descends from the heavens into a nightmarish pit full of monsters, titans, and cruelty.” Quite likeStopmotion, the film also features disturbing but incredible visual effects, monstrous characters, and ethereal settings, coupled with a spine-chilling narrative. The film, which took 30 years to make, is a definite visual treat for fans. On its release,Mad Godearned critical acclaim and became themost-watched premiereon Shudder.
Watch it on Shudder
The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb
Though it’s easy to confuse the title with the popular English folklore character of the same name,The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumbonly uses the character and has nothing folksy about it. This 1993 adult animation sci-fi film is a dystopian take on Tom Thumb and explores his nightmarish adventures. Written, directed, and animated byDave Borthwickand starringNick Upton, the film follows the story of tiny Tom Thumb who is abducted from his parents and taken to an experimental lab, where he discovers the horrors of other people like him. The film is mostly without dialogues but features non-verbal vocalizations, which adds to the greater impact of the visual effects. The unsettling, surreal atmosphere of the film, rendered by the old-school stop-motion/pixilation techniques, is sure toleave you with a creepy feeling.
Watch on YouTube
One of Netflix’s recent horror offerings,The Houseis perhaps one of the unique narratives of horror that we have seen in a long time. The British stop-motion animated anthology series revolves around a house, which remains the common denominator for the entire film. Each of the film’s segments is a different story, featuring the same house across different timelines and with a new set of characters that range from humans to anthropomorphic animals.The Houseis scripted byEnda Walsh(Hunger), with different directors and writers contributing to thefilm’s three segments. In its overall narrative, the film features surreal tales of the characters, with unsettling and sometimes, eerie visual effects and art style. But the film’s focus on themes of obsession and pursuit of happiness also makes it oddly alluring and humane. On its release,The Housewas critically acclaimed and earned an Emmy forKecy Salangad, for the animation.
