There's something oddly comforting about monsters who don't quite fit the mold. That's the hook behind Stitch Head, the new animated feature from director Steve Hudson, which just dropped its first teaser trailer and a colorful batch of posters. The film premiered earlier this summer at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and now Briarcliff Entertainment has confirmed a U.S. theatrical rollout for October 29, 2025—timed perfectly for Halloween.
Based on Guy Bass' bestselling novel series, Stitch Head tells the tale of a small creature cobbled together by a Mad Professor in a gothic castle perched above the town of Grubbers Nubbin. Forgotten by his creator, the stitched-up boy shoulders the thankless duty of wrangling other misfit monsters before the villagers below raise their torches. When a traveling freak show arrives, offering him a taste of fame and affection, the story pivots from pure gothic comedy into something more tender—a Frankenstein tale reframed for children who've ever felt invisible.
The teaser doesn't give away much—by design. Instead, it leans into character introduction, highlighting the wide-eyed innocence of Stitch Head himself (voiced by Asa Butterfield) and the menagerie of oddballs that orbit him: from shaggy beasts to squid-headed sidekicks. The tone is whimsical, yet the stitching across his face carries a faint melancholy. It's that tension—between the grotesque and the gentle—that makes the footage stick.
Hudson, working alongside co-director Toby Genkel, is aiming for a storybook quality that plays with gothic archetypes without drowning in cliché. The film is produced by Sonja Ewers and Mark Mertens, with executive producers including Adam Nagle, Mark Rau, Guy Collins, Tom Ortenberg, Ronnie Exley, Jeremy Ross, and Oli Strong. The cast is rounded out by Joel Fry, Alison Steadman, Rob Brydon, Fern Brady, Tia Bannon, and Jamali Maddix, all leaning into the comic-macabre tone.
If the posters are any indication, this isn't the sleek minimalism of Pixar or the hyper-chaos of Illumination. The visuals pop with a tactile, almost handcrafted feel—stitched leather, wooly fur, cracked porcelain. It's like wandering through a toy chest where every figure has a history, every imperfection matters. And yes, the marketing tagline—“He's Frighteningly Friendly”—nails the contrast.
Watching this teaser, I kept flashing back to being a kid sneaking a VHS of The Nightmare Before Christmas and realizing that monsters could be kind. That's the tonal sweet spot here: gothic yet playful, spooky yet safe. Does it risk being too soft around the edges? Maybe. But in an October landscape dominated by recycled horror IP, Stitch Head feels refreshing—its weirdness intact, its heart on full display.
You can watch the teaser here: YouTube link.
What to Know About Stitch Head
A Halloween release locked in
Briarcliff has dated the film for October 29, 2025, setting it up as family-friendly counterprogramming during horror season.
From Annecy with love
The project had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, signaling early confidence in its artistry.
A cast built for quirk
Asa Butterfield leads, supported by Joel Fry, Alison Steadman, Rob Brydon, and others—all lending comic eccentricity.
Not your typical animation polish
The teaser and posters emphasize textures and imperfections, giving the film a handmade, storybook energy.
A Frankenstein fable with a twist
At its core, the movie reimagines Frankenstein as a tale of loneliness, belonging, and quiet heroism.
