Daisy Ridley and Joel Edgerton Star in Indie Horror Films “We Bury The Dead” and “The Plague” – What to Expect in 2026
The apocalyptic thriller We Bury The Dead, starring Daisy Ridley, makes its debut this weekend across 1,172 screens. This marks one of the few new releases following the conclusion of the 2025 holiday movie season, which saw a variety of Hollywood tentpoles and awards contenders released for Christmas and New Year’s.
The Plague, from Independent Film Company, expands its reach to over 500 screens after a limited release at two theaters in New York and Los Angeles on December 24.
As the awards season heats up with the Golden Globes on January 11 and Oscar nominations on January 22, independent films continue to make their mark in theaters. Noteworthy titles this January include A24’s Marty Supreme by Josh Safdie, Focus Features’ Song Sung Blue from Bradley Cooper, and No Other Choice by Park Chan-wook, among others. Additional highlights include Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent, Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On, and Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother.
In We Bury The Dead, after a disastrous military event on the Australian island of Tasmania, the dead rise and begin hunting the living. While the military claims the undead are harmless, Ava (played by Ridley) enters a quarantine zone searching for her missing husband, only to find that the undead are becoming more violent and dangerous. The film also stars Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, and Matt Whelan. Ridley’s promotional activities for the film included a tour and special Q&A events, while participating theaters are featuring themed cocktails such as the We Bury The Red Margarita.
Independent Film Company’s The Plague, which premiered at Cannes, has achieved 100% certification on Rotten Tomatoes. Set in the summer of 2003, the film follows Ben (Everett Blunck), a socially anxious twelve-year-old navigating a ruthless water polo camp hierarchy. He befriends Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), an outcast, and becomes embroiled in a troubling cycle of scapegoating and fear.
The film features young actors Rasmussen, Blunck, and Kayo Martin, with Joel Edgerton acting as a counselor. The Plague has been nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature and Best Lead Performance, and Blunck has received a Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Young Actor.
The film has also garnered several accolades, including the Grand Prize and Jury Prize at the Deauville American Film Festival, the Sitges Best Actor award for its ensemble cast, and Best Picture at Fantastic Fest, among others.
