Locally made feature film Texas Cult House celebrated its worldwide premiere exclusively at EVO Cinema yesterday, Thursday, October 2, 2025, following its festival premiere at the Austin Film Festival in 2024. Written and directed by Julia Barnett, the film stars Friday Night Lights regular and The Orville actress Adrianne Palicki, as well as fresh faces Julius Royale Duenas Cruz and Lydia Tracy.
A group of teenagers explores a not-so-abandoned property filled with mysterious oils, ’90s videos of killer exorcisms, and an unexplainable creepiness. For fans of Texas horror, this low-budget but creative independent film was shot in Dripping Springs, TX, and examines themes of religious fanaticism, exploitation, and revenge.
In an after-show Q&A, writer/director Barnett shared that the idea behind the film was based on a true story, specifically a family member who experienced the horrors of growing up in a Texas cult at an early age, much like the film’s main character, portrayed by Duenas Cruz. The film feels aptly timed in the current political and cultural climate, and introduces some bright young talent from right here in central Texas.
Barnett also reported that the film’s sequel, titled Texas Cult House: 1989, is set to be shot in 2026, with support from The Coven, a production company associated with the most recent Terrifier films. “It’s a sister-wives-get-revenge type of story,” Barnett explains. Barnett assures that with this second installment comes a higher budget, allowing the local team to bring the screams and horror up a notch.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the prequel, which will surely bring scares and shudders to an even wider Texas audience in 2026.
See photos from the red carpet premiere below:
Great pics