Editorial · Article
Parasomnia (2026): Shudder Release Date, Trailer, and What We Know
Streaming on Shudder from September 4, 2026 · James Ross II's feature debut · Jasmine Mathews
By Alan Willey ·
Parasomnia premieres exclusively on Shudder on Friday, September 4, 2026. It is the feature debut of writer-director James Ross II. Jasmine Mathews plays Riley, a young woman tormented by night terrors and an unresolved tragedy in her past. When her best friend goes missing, she begins to suspect that the demonic figure in her sleep has crossed over into the real world.
The film is not new to festival audiences. It premiered at FrightFest in London on August 22, 2025, played the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival that October, and screened at the Overlook Film Festival in April 2026. Shudder acquired it ahead of the Overlook screening, and its September 4 premiere opens the streamer's Season of Screams programming, announced August 19, 2026.
We have not seen it, because we score films only after watching them. With a free account you can add it to your watchlist.
Release Date & Where to Watch
Parasomnia streams on Shudder from September 4, 2026, as a Shudder exclusive. No US theatrical run, digital rental date or physical release has been announced.
The date is the opening slot of Shudder's Season of Screams, the four-month programming block the streamer announced on August 19, 2026, which runs weekly premieres from September through December.
Some listings date the film differently. IMDb, Letterboxd and TMDB all carry it as a 2025 film, dated from its festival premiere at FrightFest London on August 22, 2025, and TMDB holds a US entry of October 21, 2025, from its festival run. Those screenings were festivals. September 4, 2026 is the first date the film is available to watch at home.
This page and the film page will be updated if a digital or physical release is announced.
The film, and the people who made it
Parasomnia is written and directed by James Ross II, and it is his first feature. Jasmine Mathews leads as Riley, with RJ Brown as Cam, Sally Stewart as Mama, Stephen Barrington as David, and Simon Longnight as The Seer. The runtime is 85 minutes.
The night terror sequences are the film's calling card. Festival reviews describe a first-person, found-footage-styled treatment of Riley's episodes, with the demonic figure surfacing in the frame the way it would in a sleep paralysis account, set against conventionally shot waking scenes. Dread Central's review from Brooklyn Horror rated it 4 out of 5, called the supporting cast natural and engaging, and framed the film as a debut that announces a director.
The film spent a full year on the festival circuit before Shudder picked it up: FrightFest London in August 2025, Brooklyn Horror in October 2025, then the Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans in April 2026. Shudder announced the acquisition ahead of the Overlook screening, alongside Goody Goody and New Group.
Is Parasomnia scary?
Unknown until it is seen. We score films only after watching them, so its Fear, Gore, Atmosphere, Intensity and Overall values will be published on the film page once we have.
The premise is sleep as the unsafe place, which is the structure where a film cannot rely on its characters running away. On our five axes that shape tends to move Fear and Atmosphere first. Whether it does here is a measurement, not a premise, and festival reception is a signal rather than an answer.
No jump scare count has been published for Parasomnia in either of the databases we compile from. We log a first-hand count on the film page when we watch a film ourselves, and a premiere-night viewing is the most likely path for this one.
Trailer
Shudder released the official trailer on August 5, 2026. It leans on the night terror sequences and the film's tagline, "Don't fall asleep."
Related films on Watch Darkly
A Nightmare on Elm Street(1984)
The canon film about sleep as the place where the threat lives. Parasomnia works the same boundary from the sleep paralysis side. Scores 8.1 overall.
Insidious(2010)
A demonic entity that reaches people through their sleep, and the comparison festival reviewers made most often. Scores 7.8 overall.
The Babadook(2014)
An entity that arrives at night and feeds on unresolved grief. Parasomnia's premise pairs its demon with a tragedy in Riley's past the same way. Scores 7.3 overall.
Skinamarink(2022)
The recent reference point for horror built from the texture of being awake at night, shot in fragments and grain. Not yet scored in our catalog.
Common questions
- When does Parasomnia come out?
- It streams exclusively on Shudder from Friday, September 4, 2026, as the opening premiere of Shudder's Season of Screams programming.
- Is Parasomnia a 2025 or a 2026 film?
- Both dates are in circulation. IMDb, Letterboxd and TMDB date it 2025 from its festival premiere at FrightFest London in August 2025. Its release to the public is September 4, 2026, on Shudder. Same film.
- Where can I watch Parasomnia?
- On Shudder from September 4, 2026. It is a Shudder exclusive, and no theatrical run, digital rental date or physical release has been announced.
- Who directed Parasomnia?
- James Ross II, who also wrote it. It is his feature directorial debut.
- Who is in the cast of Parasomnia?
- Jasmine Mathews plays Riley, with RJ Brown as Cam, Sally Stewart as Mama, Stephen Barrington as David, plus Danny Brown and Simon Longnight as The Seer.
- Is Parasomnia scary?
- Unknown until it is seen. Festival reception was strong, and Dread Central rated it 4 out of 5 at Brooklyn Horror, but a review is not a measurement. We score films only after watching them, so its Fear, Gore, Atmosphere and Intensity values will go on the film page after release.
- Does Parasomnia have jump scares?
- No jump scare count has been published for it in the databases we compile from, which is normal for a film that has not released. If we count first-hand while watching, the count goes on the film page with that provenance stated.
- How long is Parasomnia?
- 85 minutes.
- Is Parasomnia rated R?
- TMDB lists the film as R, but no MPA rating descriptor has been published, which is common for streaming exclusives. We will update this page if one is.
- Is there a trailer for Parasomnia?
- Yes. Shudder released the official trailer on August 5, 2026. It is embedded above.
- When do predictions on Parasomnia close?
- Predictions on Watch Darkly close when the film releases, on September 4, 2026. Until then, signed-in users can predict the Watch Darkly score. After release, the film moves to rating.