After ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession,’ the Summer’s Next Big Horror Movie Deserves to Be ‘Leviticus’

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- Leviticus was acquired by Neon in a reported seven‑figure deal after its Sundance debut.
- Leviticus will open on June 19 in more than 1,000 U.S. theaters, coinciding with its Australian release.
- Leviticus stars Joe Bird as Naim, Mia Wasikowska as his mother, and newcomer Stacy Clausen as Ryan.
- Leviticus follows a queer teen horror premise where two boys are haunted by supernatural doppelgangers of each other during conversion therapy.
- Leviticus was filmed over 30 days in Victoria, Australia, with backing from Causeway Films and includes a Frank Ocean song in an emotional scene.
Why it matters: The film gives LGBTQ audiences a rare mainstream horror romance and shows that major distributors like Neon are willing to invest in queer‑themed genre projects, with a seven‑figure deal and a 1,000‑theater rollout, potentially encouraging more inclusive storytelling in the summer blockbuster market.




