Horror Movie News Report
Freestyle Digital Media has acquired the VOD rights to Influence, a psychological horror feature written and directed by Ryan Moore. According to Horror Society, the film will be released in North America on September 4, 2026, through digital HD internet, DVD, cable, and satellite platforms.
Influence follows Patricia Abro, a filmmaker on the fringes of the entertainment industry who is struggling with her mental health while trying to make a Hollywood film. After encountering Ashley Ortiz, a social media influencer and actress, Patricia becomes obsessed with her and sees Ashley as a potential path toward the project she wants to create.
When Ashley rejects Patricia’s tailor-made film proposal, Patricia obtains a gun, breaks into Ashley’s home, and takes her hostage. The resulting confrontation develops into a psychological cat-and-mouse game that culminates in what the source describes as a surprising and bloody climax.
Moore also produced the film alongside Ben Whalen and KT Kent. The featured cast includes Cheyenne Perez, Grace Kaufman, Emily Hall, David Lengel, and Hilty Bowen.
In a statement included in the report, Moore described Influence as a story about the dangerous intersection between performance and identity. The filmmaker said the conflict between Patricia and Ashley gradually exposes two people constrained by the identities they have constructed, while their struggle for validation, success, and control causes the distinction between public image and private self to break down.
The acquisition agreement was negotiated directly between Freestyle Digital Media and the filmmakers. Freestyle Digital Media is the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group.
