‘Haunted Carnival’ finds horror in the unlikeliest of places
Think of a carnival, and one would picture a place of fun, excitement, adventure—and… horror. A place where people think there’s safety in numbers couldn’t be farther from the truth, especially when darkness falls.
It is along these thoughts that Filipino-Kiwi film director Joey de Guzman wanted to anchor “Haunted Carnival,” his new horror flick for Regal Entertainment.
“Haunted Carnival” is the third installment in the “Haunted” franchise, after “Haunted Mansion” in 2015 and “Haunted Forest” in 2017. It is the official entry of Regal Entertainment to the 2026 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) this December.
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The movie boasts of a powerhouse cast consisting of Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, John Arcilla, Julia Barretto, James Reid, Fyang Smith, Joaquin Arce, RK Bagatsing, Charlie Fleming, Prince Carlos, among others.
Set in the 1980s at a mysterious and dilapidated carnival, the film aims to blend elements of local Filipino folklore and the fatalistic appeal of Hollywood supernatural horror franchise “Final Destination.”
Asked why he thought of using the carnival as an imagery of horror, de Guzman said he was thinking of something that will be a source of horror from the unlikeliest of places.
“The carnival should be fun, not horrifying. So that’s where the tension comes from. It becomes uncanny because, you know, as a kid, I’ve always been afraid of clowns,” he said.
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“So that’s where I’m coming from, that’s my childhood fears. Just flipping something that we think is safe and fun. You flip it and make it dangerous, and it’s the gap between that is where [the horror element] comes from,” he added.
Memorable role, cast
John Arcilla said that while he is not particularly fond of watching horror movies, his character gave a certain appeal that he thought would naturally connect to the audience and make it a memorable role.
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Without giving too much about his role, Arcilla hinted that he would be playing a villain role in “Haunted Carnival” after disclosing what de Guzman told him about wanting to create a “horror character” in the Philippines.
“For me, that is a compliment, not a challenge. Because sometimes it’s in the tying. Is the story tying me to the psyche of the audience? But I will not ever blame it to myself or to direct if it does not happen, but of course that is the goal,” he said.
“I always look for something interesting and something human within the character so that it will naturally connect to my audience, rather than them watching a movie and a caricature that is not related to them. The character is somehow fantastic but it was beautifully told by the director. It came from his past, his passion about something. So if you’re going to relate that to a real person, you can get a lot of resources. So it cannot just be a caricature or an imagined character,” he further said.
RK Bagatsing, meanwhile, said that aside from the film having a memorable cast, it is also going to be a memorable experience for him as an actor.
“I’m a big fan of horror and slasher films. Andami nating napapanood na palabas na ino-offer ng ibang countries. So I’m looking forward to showcase kung ano yung kaya naman natin, not just here but also internationally,” he said.
He said that even in carnivals there are certain horrors that can be considered entertaining for some, such as riding the roller-coaster or Ferris Wheel, so that too would be a good element to the movie.
Just like his cast, De Guzman said that he is excited to see how each of the characters would contribute their own “strokes” to make the final outcome of the movie.
“Like I said before, I only write the blueprints of it, the pages in the film, but then, who’s gonna make it memorable? Who’s gonna put the colors in? Because I’ve got the big strokes, and I know their body of work, and It just seemed like it was made for them.