‘Witchboard’ Red-Band Trailer Delivers the Bloody Goods

If you thought that the first trailer for Witchboard was pretty good, wait until you see the red-band trailer for the remake of the 80s cult favorite, because it’s even better. Hitting theaters on August 15, this updated version looks nothing like the 1986 original, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it takes things to a whole other level to deliver a horror movie that you won’t soon forget.

While the new red-band trailer (seen below) does have a lot of the same imagery as the first one that was released a few weeks ago, this one is a heck of a lot bloodier, as we see things like a cat eating a severed hand, someone’s throat being cut, and the pièce de résistance: someone ripping their face off to expose all the muscle and sinew that lies underneath. There’s also a lot more sexuality, which was really only hinted at the first time around.

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Directed by Chuck Russell, who in the past has given us such hits as A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob remake in 1988, and the Jim Carrey smash, The Mask, Witchboard stars Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez, Melanie Jarnson, Charlie Tahan, Antonia Desplat, and Jamie Campbell Bower. While the original movie had a Ouija board as the main focal point, this one features an ancient pendulum board that’s equally scary, and leads to the film having a richer backstory that affects the main characters:

“In New Orleans, Emily (Iseman) and her fiancé Christian (Dominguez) are opening their new dream café. But their dreams are dashed when Emily finds an ancient, cursed Witchboard, an ancient artifact that once served as a gateway to the spirit world. As Emily becomes increasingly captivated by the board’s ability to summon spirits, Christian seeks the expertise of Alexander Babtiste (Bower), an enigmatic occult scholar. As Emily’s grip on reality weakens, Babtiste’s true intentions come to light, and the line between temptation and terror blurs as Emily and Christian find themselves trapped in a deadly web of witchcraft and dark desires.”

Is a ‘Witchboard’ Remake Really Necessary?

We can argue all day about whether a remake of Witchboard is really something the world needs, but when it comes right down to it, the 1986 film is severely dated and flawed in many ways. The appearance of Tawny Kitaen aside, it was filled with clunky dialogue, pretty slow pacing, and performances that were either flat, or way too over the top – there was no in between.

We realize that’s part of the charm of the cult-classic, but by updating it for a modern audience and telling a whole new story, Russell and company are able to deliver something fresh that doesn’t just rehash the beats of the original. Critics think so, too, as the movie premiered at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival last year and currently sits with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Think of it not as a remake, but rather a companion that sits alongside the 1986 version.

Look for Witchboard to hit theaters on Aug. 15, 2025 courtesy of The Avenue and Atlas Distribution.