'Leviticus' Release Date, Cast & Plot, Explained
While some horror movies are fun, plenty explore heavier material beneath the monsters. Films like Dawn of the Dead (1978) are about consumerism, American Psycho (2000) is a harsh satire of the 1980s Yuppie culture, and Get Out (2017) is about systemic racism.
Another great recent example of that “horror with meaning” approach is Leviticus (2026), an emotionally devastating and deeply unsettling horror film. Focusing on two teenage boys falling in love while reckoning with a mysterious creature set to kill them, the movie isn’t afraid to tackle the underlying horrors of cultural homophobia, all while telling a really sweet love story in the face of impossible odds. Here’s everything you need to know about Leviticus.
What Is ‘Leviticus’ About?
Leviticus largely focuses on Naim, an Australian teenager who has just moved to a small town alongside his mother, Arlene. While Arlene has found a place in the conservative church that most of the town seems to be a part of, Naim only really wants to go because of his bond with another local teen, Ryan. As the pair quietly grow closer and begin to explore their feelings for one another, a faith healer is brought into town to “exorcise” the “demonic influence” that is leading to young men in the community entering same-sex relationships. This prompts both a murderous entity that only they can see—and that only ever appears as the person they are most attracted to—to haunt them.
While the creature can’t attack them if they’re with people, it means they’re in mortal danger any time they are alone with the person they love the most. Playing at times like the fusion of Love, Victor (2020) and It Follows (2014), Leviticus is a grounded horror film that never loses sight of the underlying horror of the situation—both the actual supernatural threat and the subtextual elements that it stands for. The fact that the romance is so key to the film is what makes it so effective, as neither element is ever sacrificed for the sake of the other. The result is a movie that carries the same kind of thematic richness, Australian bluntness, and grounded horror of something like Talk To Me (2022) or Bring Her Back (2025).
The ‘Leviticus’ Cast, Explained
It’s no coincidence that Joe Bird stars in Leviticus, given his breakout role in Danny and Michael Philippou’s Talk to Me. Although he had previously appeared in the film Rabbit (2018), Talk to Me was his breakout role. This set him up to appear in the Australian teen drama First Day (2020), as well as the Western film Wolfram (2026).
Opposite Bird—both as his romantic interest and as the embodiment of the creature hunting after him—is Stacy Clausen. After making his TV debut as a bit character in Preacher (2016), Clausen found prominence after starring in the Australian horror/comedy series Crazy Fun Park (2023). Since then, he’s been a consistent figure in the Australian film and television scene, appearing in shows like Scrublands (2023) and High Country (2024). He’s also set to star in Wolf Creek: Legacy, suggesting that the actor has a future in horror.
The film also features Jeremy Blewitt as Hunter, another boy with a romantic connection to Ryan, who is best known for his work in shows like The Clearing (2023) and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (2023). The biggest established name in the film is Mia Wasikowska, who appears as Naim’s mother, Arlene. After finding her big break with the HBO series In Treatment (2008), Wasikowska became a global star thanks to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010) before going on to star in Jane Eyre (2011), Crimson Peak (2015), and Bergman Island (2021).
When (And Where) Can You Watch ‘Leviticus’?
Leviticus had its premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it earned rave reviews. At the time of writing, the film has a very impressive 97% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film will be released in Australia by Maslow Entertainment, while Neon, which has made a real name for itself lately with creative indie horror films like Cuckoo (2024), Longlegs (2024), and The Monkey (2025), is handling the United States release.
The film will debut on June 18, 2026, in Australia and on June 19, 2026, in the United States. If you’re a horror fan or love a good romance, then you need to make sure to check out Leviticus when it hits theaters.
