“The darkness has teeth.” That line isn't just a tagline—it's a warning. The official poster for Coyotes doesn't hold back: a blood-stained snarl fills the frame, dwarfing Justin Long and Kate Bosworth, who stand below, dazed and desperate. It's primal marketing—no nuance, just a promise of carnage. The red-orange haze suggests wildfire ash, but the real fire is in the eyes of the beast staring straight down at us. And just to the side, three words: Eat the Rich. That's not exactly subtle, but horror rarely thrives on subtlety.
Aura Entertainment has dropped the official trailer for Coyotes, the new horror-comedy from Colin Minihan, the Canadian genre craftsman behind Grave Encounters and What Keeps You Alive. It's set to premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025 in Austin later this month before opening in select U.S. theaters on October 3, 2025. The film will then expand under Aura's rollout strategy, positioning it squarely for the Halloween corridor.
A Poster That Bites
The key art is an exercise in blunt force. The coyote's maw isn't metaphor—it's a mission statement. The couple at the bottom of the frame, lit like cornered prey, are swallowed by the scale of the animal looming above. It's a design choice that echoes the imbalance at the core of the film: humans may believe they're at the top of the food chain, but fire and famine have a way of rewriting the rules.
The Trailer: Fire Outside, Fear Inside
The trailer (watch it here) plays like a two-pronged attack. First: wildfire panic, streets blocked, power out, communications down. Then: the coyotes close in. This isn't just an eco-horror—it's a home-invasion thriller where the invaders are nature itself. Long and Bosworth, a real-life couple, bring a lived-in tension to the roles of parents trying to shield their kids. The interplay of panic and deadpan humor—Minihan's specialty—keeps the tone unpredictable.
Minihan's Return to Claustrophobia
Minihan has always worked best when trapping characters in tight spaces (It Stains the Sands Red remains his leanest, meanest exercise in survival dread). Here, the Hollywood Hills home becomes a pressure cooker. Every frame pulses with inevitability: the fire will spread, the coyotes will break through, the bonds between family members will fray. The question isn't whether they'll escape, but how much they'll lose in the attempt.
What to Know Before Coyotes Hits Theaters
- Premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025
The world premiere takes place later this September in Austin, a fitting launchpad for offbeat, feral genre work. - U.S. Theatrical Release October 3
Aura Entertainment positions Coyotes right before Halloween, a slot that can make or break a horror film's legs. - Poster Imagery
The snarling predator above Long and Bosworth isn't subtle—it's designed to sear into your mind and your nightmares. - Eco-Horror Meets Home Invasion
Minihan combines wildfire disaster with animal siege tactics, making survival both primal and absurd. - A Cast With Teeth
Alongside Long and Bosworth, the film features Katherine McNamara, Brittany Allen, Mila Harris, and Norbert Leo Butz.
So, is Coyotes just a midnight-movie curiosity—or does Minihan have a sharp enough bite here to break through the cluttered October lineup?
References:
- Official trailer via YouTube
- Aura Entertainment press release
- Fantastic Fest 2025 schedule
