Diabolic (film)
A woman confronts a vengeful spirit from her sect's past.
Last updated
Daniel J. Phillips and Mike Harding co-wrote the screenplay for the 2025 Australian supernatural horror film Diabolic, which Phillips also directed.[1] In Diabolic, Elizabeth Cullen portrays a young woman who, after a baptism ritual in her fundamentalist sect unleashed a vengeful spirit a decade earlier, goes back to her former community.[1]
Making and release
Production wrapped on location in Australia in 2024.[2] The film was produced by Silvio Salom, Grant Hardie, Mark Patterson, and Phillips.[2] The South Australian Film Corporation and Sunjive Studios backed the production.[3] It won the award for Best Australian Feature Film at Monster Fest 2025.[3]
Monster Pictures released Diabolic in Australian cinemas from 20 November 2025.[4] Umbrella Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray in May 2026.[4] March 2025 marked the completion of the film.[5]
What the cited sources add
The ScreenHub article describes Diabolic as "everything you could want to make your blood curdle," with "a religious cult, a troubled young woman, hallucinogenic therapy and an evil that refuses to die"[5] Festival audiences praised the film's tension and atmosphere, built by Michael Tessari's cinematography, Hamish Keen's sound design, and Will Spartalis' score.[5] The Cinema Australia article notes the film blends religious mysticism and modern psychological horror, with echoes of The Conjuring and The Ring.[6] The Monster Fest listing states Diabolic also stars John Kim as Elise's husband Adam and Mia Challis as her best friend Gwen.[7]
References
- Wikipedia, "Diabolic (film)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Possession Horror 'Diabolic' Wraps In Australia, Heads To AFM With Film Bridge", Deadline Hollywood, 23 October 2024; "Every Australian feature film screening at Monster Fest 2025", Cinema Australia, 8 September 2025; "Possession Horror 'Diabolic' Wraps In Australia, Heads To AFM With Film Bridge", Deadline Hollywood, 23 October 2024 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "Possession Horror 'Diabolic' Wraps In Australia, Heads To AFM With Film Bridge", Deadline Hollywood, 23 October 2024. facts only, no text reused. deadline.com
- Wikipedia, "Diabolic (film)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Vann-Wall, "Diabolic earns rave reviews and national release after Adelaide Film Festival premiere", ScreenHub, 28 October 2025; "Diabolic", Monster Fest; Vann-Wall, "Diabolic earns rave reviews and national release after Adelaide Film Festival premiere", ScreenHub, 28 October 2025 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Diabolic (film)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Diabolic", Monster Fest; Vann-Wall, "Diabolic earns rave reviews and national release after Adelaide Film Festival premiere", ScreenHub, 28 October 2025; "Diabolic Collector's Edition Blu-ray", Monster Fest (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Vann-Wall, "Diabolic earns rave reviews and national release after Adelaide Film Festival premiere", ScreenHub, 28 October 2025. facts only, no text reused. screenhub.com.au
- "Every Australian feature film screening at Monster Fest 2025", Cinema Australia, 8 September 2025. facts only, no text reused. cinemaaustralia.com.au
- "Diabolic", Monster Fest. facts only, no text reused. monsterfest.com.au
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Diabolic (film) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Diabolic (film) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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