Arrow Video August 2026 Releases Include Killer Party and Stéphane
Arrow Video have unveiled their August 2026 line-up, and while the month features everything from ancient warfare and Hong Kong action to time-travelling stoners, horror fans will immediately have their eyes drawn to two standout releases: the long-overdue Blu-ray debut of cult slasher Killer Party and the UK Blu-ray premiere of French found-footage oddity Stéphane.
Both arrive packed with new extras and collector-friendly packaging, continuing Arrow’s reputation for rescuing overlooked genre gems and giving them the deluxe treatment they deserve.
Let’s be honest. Brad Pitt storming the beaches of Troy is impressive. Bill and Ted meeting Death remains excellent. John Woo blowing things up is always welcome. But if you’re reading Stalk & Slash, chances are you’re more interested in demonic fraternity houses and deeply unsettling amateur filmmakers.
And August delivers both.
The horror highlight of the month is undoubtedly Killer Party, arriving on Limited Edition Blu-ray on August 10.
Released in 1986, Killer Party occupies a fascinating place in slasher history. Directed by Canadian genre veteran William Fruet, whose horror credentials also include Funeral Home and the giant snake nightmare Spasms, the film arrived during the golden age of the slasher boom but never quite achieved the recognition of contemporaries such as My Bloody Valentine, The Burning or April Fool’s Day.
Which is a shame, because Killer Party is gloriously strange.
The story follows three college friends who join a sorority and find themselves preparing for an annual April Fool’s celebration. The chosen venue happens to be an abandoned fraternity house where, years earlier, a pledge named Allan died during what everyone insists was “an accident.” Horror fans can probably guess that Allan isn’t especially interested in accepting the official explanation.
As the party preparations begin, strange events start occurring, people begin disappearing, and an increasingly supernatural threat emerges from the shadows.
What makes Killer Party stand out is how wildly it shifts gears. It starts almost like a campus comedy, throws in musical numbers, embraces classic slasher tropes, and eventually morphs into something closer to supernatural horror. It is the sort of film that could only have emerged during the wonderfully chaotic 1980s, when horror filmmakers were willing to throw absolutely everything at the screen and hope for the best.
The script came from Barney Cohen, who also penned Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, while the cast includes cult favourite Paul Bartel, beloved by genre fans for Eating Raoul, Piranha and countless other offbeat classics.
Arrow’s new release includes a brand new audio commentary, new visual essays, archival interviews, a collector’s booklet and reversible artwork. For fans of weird slashers that never received the attention they deserved, this is one of the easiest recommendations of the year.
The other major horror release is Stéphane, which arrives on Limited Edition Blu-ray on August 3.
Written and directed by Timothée Hochet and Lucas Pastor, Stéphane has quietly built a reputation among horror fans who enjoy films that leave them feeling slightly uncomfortable and not entirely sure whether they should be laughing.
The film follows aspiring filmmaker Tim, who encounters the eccentric Stéphane while working on a project. Claiming to be an experienced stuntman and special effects expert, Stéphane quickly wins Tim over with his enthusiasm and homemade pyrotechnics. Before long, the pair set off to Stéphane’s private island alongside a mostly mute actress named Bianca to make an ambitious World War II film.
Naturally, things become increasingly strange.
Very strange.
Then uncomfortable.
Then genuinely unsettling.
The film has drawn comparisons to Mark Duplass’ Creep, the Belgian cult classic Man Bites Dog and even The Cable Guy, which sounds like somebody threw three completely unrelated films into a blender and somehow produced something coherent.
What makes Stéphane particularly effective is that the relationship between its two central characters feels believable. The awkward friendship develops naturally, making the gradual descent into darker territory all the more effective. The film often feels improvised, yet never appears sloppy. Instead, it creates an authenticity that helps sell both its humour and its increasingly sinister turns.
Arrow’s release includes a new commentary track, previously unseen deleted scenes and a collector’s booklet.
Non-Horror August 2026 Releases From Arrow Video
Away from the horror titles, Arrow’s August slate remains impressively varied.
Wolfgang Petersen’s epic Troy arrives on Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray on August 17, featuring brand new 4K restorations of both the theatrical and director’s cuts. Starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, Brian Cox and Brendan Gleeson, the adaptation of Homer’s Iliad remains one of the largest-scale historical epics of the modern era.
John Woo’s stylish action-comedy Once a Thief receives a new 4K UHD and Blu-ray release on August 3. Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Cherie Chung and Leslie Cheung, the film combines Woo’s trademark action choreography with heist movie thrills and plenty of humour.
Rounding out the month is Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, arriving on Limited Edition 4K UHD on August 17. The much-loved sequel sees Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter journey through the afterlife while attempting to stop their evil robot doubles. Featuring William Sadler’s scene-stealing performance as Death, the film remains one of the most inventive comedy sequels of the 1990s.
Still, for horror fans, August belongs to Killer Party and Stéphane.
One is a bizarre, underrated slasher that throws demons, sororities and April Fool’s chaos into a blender. The other is a darkly comic found-footage nightmare about filmmaking obsession and increasingly questionable life choices.
In other words, exactly the sort of releases Arrow Video were put on this earth to rescue.
