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Retail witchcraft just got bloody.
The first full trailer for Forbidden Fruits dropped today, and it’s giving us everything we didn’t know we needed. A witchy femme cult operating out of a mall store basement, performative sisterhood turned sinister, and a stacked cast led by Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp. Oh, and Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) produced it, so expect sharp satirical bite alongside the bloodshed.
What’s It About?
Meet Apple (Lili Reinhart), a Free Eden employee who moonlights as the leader of a basement witch cult after the store closes. Her fellow “fruits”, Cherry (Victoria Pedretti) and Fig (Alexandra Shipp), are totally on board with the vibes until new hire Pumpkin (Lola Tung) shows up and starts questioning their whole performative sisterhood act.
The trailer teases chaos erupting as Apple and Pumpkin turn the coven against each other, with plenty of winking humor about Mercury retrograde, pseudo-feminist retail culture, and the dark side of forced positivity. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at corporate “empowerment” slogans while working minimum wage, this film is absolutely for you.
The Talent Behind It
First-time feature director Meredith Alloway wrote the script based on playwright Lily Houghton‘s stage play Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin and Through Her We All Die (incredible title, by the way). Diablo Cody is producing through her company alongside Mason Novick, Trent Hubbard, and Mary Anne Waterhouse.
Cody’s involvement should tell you everything about the film’s tone. The Jennifer’s Body and Lisa Frankenstein writer knows how to skewer cultural trends while delivering genuine horror, and her quote about the script says it all: “It’s one of the craziest, most creative, beautifully bonkers projects I’ve ever worked on.”
The cast is stacked with familiar faces from horror and prestige TV:
- Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) as cult leader Apple
- Lola Tung (The Summer I Turned Pretty) as disruptor Pumpkin
- Victoria Pedretti (The Haunting of Hill House, You) as Cherry
- Alexandra Shipp (Tragedy Girls) as Fig
- Emma Chamberlain (yes, THAT Emma Chamberlain)
- Gabrielle Union (Bring It On, Breaking In)
The Marketing is Already Peak
Independent Film Company and Shudder are having way too much fun with this. They’ve created a fake Free Eden website where you can actually “apply” for a job and find out if you’re cult leader material, hot person material, or just destined to be a cashier. The commitment to the bit is chef’s kiss.
The mall setting also feels perfectly timed. There’s something deeply unsettling about basement retail spaces, fluorescent lighting, and the forced cheerfulness of corporate culture. Add witchcraft and blood rituals to that mix? Yeah, that tracks.
Why This Matters
Horror-comedy about performative feminism and toxic positivity feels incredibly 2026. We’ve spent years watching “girl boss” culture implode, wellness grifters get exposed, and spiritual capitalism eat itself alive. Forbidden Fruits appears ready to dissect all of it while also delivering actual scares.
The fact that it’s adapted from a stage play also suggests the dialogue is going to be sharp and the character dynamics messy in the best way. Plus, any horror movie willing to name its characters after fruit and lean into the absurdity deserves attention.
When Can You See It?
Forbidden Fruits hits theaters everywhere on March 27, 2026 via Independent Film Company and Shudder. Given Shudder’s involvement, expect a streaming release shortly after the theatrical run.
If you’re looking for something that combines witchy aesthetics, biting social commentary, mall horror vibes, and a talented ensemble cast willing to go full cult chaos, this is absolutely worth marking on your calendar.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to go check our horoscope and maybe light some candles. You know, for research purposes.
Watch the full trailer now and prepare for the bloodiest employee discount of your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
