If you were a teenager with an internet connection and a strong stomach in the late '90s or early 2000s, you probably ran into Faces of Death at some point. The original from the late '70s was one of those VHS tapes that got passed around like an urban legend, this supposed documentary showing real (and mostly fake) death footage. It was basically a rite of passage for kids who wanted to prove they could handle anything.

The reboot had its theatrical run earlier this year, pulling in $1.65 million at the weekend box office, and now it's getting a home video release. The new Faces of Death, which carries an R rating, stars Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery and Aaron Holliday among others, and it arrives on Blu-ray and digital platforms on September 22nd, according to Collider.

I haven't caught this one yet but the premise is intriguing enough. Rather than just remaking the original's loose compilation format, the reboot apparently reimagines the concept as a narrative film. Which makes sense, because nobody in 2026 is going to sit through a pseudo-documentary about death footage and take it at face value. The world has moved on. You can find actual horror on your phone in about ten seconds.

What made the original Faces of Death compelling wasn't the gore itself but the mythos around it. The whispered schoolyard rumors about whether it was real. The ritual of watching something forbidden. A modern reboot can't recreate that so the smart play is to do something different with the idea entirely.

Casting Ferreira, Montgomery and Holliday suggests they're going for something with actual performances rather than just shock value. Ferreira proved she can bring real depth to messy characters on Euphoria, and Montgomery brought genuine menace to Stranger Things. There's a foundation here for something more than a lazy nostalgia cash-in.

An R rating is also a good sign in its own way. Horror reboots sometimes sand off the edges to chase a wider audience, and a hard R suggests someone behind the scenes wasn't interested in playing it safe. Get in. Get uncomfortable. Get out.

If you missed it during its theatrical run, the September 22nd Blu-ray and digital release gives you a second chance. And if you're a physical media person, which I suspect many of you reading this are, here's hoping the Blu-ray comes with some worthwhile special features. No details on that front yet but a cult property like this feels like a natural fit for behind-the-scenes extras.

Jess Wingo would probably tell me I'm overthinking a movie that exists to make people squirm, and she might be right. But the best horror reboots respect what made the original resonate while finding a new frequency to play on. We'll see if this one pulls it off.