New Shudder original movie The Host makes a Zoom call look like hell

Filmmakers have been getting creative in quarantine, and Shudder’s latest is here to revamp the found footage genre with some technical know-how and DIY. Unfriended had you shaking in your boots? Allow Host to throw its hat in the ring. The new screen-based horror sees a group of friends meet up for a Zoom seance and, of course, things go terribly wrong. Check out the trailer above.

From director Rob Savage, Host was written, conceptualised, and finished entirely in lockdown. Savage “never set foot in the same room as his actors at any point during production,” according to Shudder, and he “directed them remotely.” Each actor had to handle their own camera, lighting, and practical effects, and the final result is pretty impressive.

“I’m a certified Shudder obsessive,” said Savage. “When lockdown began, I spent weeks bingeing everything on Shudder, so to find myself premiering a new film on the platform only a few months later is incredible. Shudder understood the potential of this mad little film from day one and totally supported us making it in our own way. It was such a rewarding process and the final product is something we’re all so proud of. I hope this is the first of many collaborations.”

Host is just under one hour long, and in that short amount of time, we promise you’ll be reaching for the blanket and switching on all the lights in the house. Starring Haley Bishop, Edward Linard, Jemma Moore, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, and Emma Louise Webb, Host is now available to stream on Shudder.

If you're on the hunt for more lockdown scares, check out the 30 best horror movies of all time.

Millicent Thomas was once a freelance games and film journalist, writing for publications including GamesRadar, Total Film, Space.com, GamesIndustry.biz, Wireframe, Little White Lies, Culturess, SciFiNow, and more. She is now in international PR and marketing.