Conversion Therapy Unleashes a Demonic Force in Official Trailer for NEON's 'LEVITICUS'

Summary

• Indie powerhouse NEON has released the official trailer for LEVITICUS, a highly anticipated queer horror film written and directed by Adrian Chiarella
• The Australian thriller follows two star-crossed teenage boys who are subjected to a violent conversion ritual that accidentally unleashes a malevolent entity
• Starring Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, and Mia Wasikowska, the Sundance darling will hit US theaters exclusively on June 19, 2026

NEON is setting the stage for what critics are already calling the most “mercilessly upsetting” horror movie of the year. The acclaimed indie distributor has officially released the official trailer for LEVITICUS, an Australian supernatural thriller that took the 2026 Sundance Film Festival by storm. Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella in his feature film debut, the chilling allegory tackles the horrors of religious bigotry and conversion therapy, promising an unrelenting and bone-chilling cinematic experience when it arrives in theaters this summer.

LEVITICUS centers on Naim (played by Talk to Me breakout Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen), two teenage boys exploring a budding, forbidden romance within their deeply repressive, conservative rural community. After their relationship is discovered, the boys are forced to undergo a violent religious exorcism designed to “cure” them of their desires. Instead of cleansing them, the botched ritual accidentally unleashes a dark, malevolent spirit with a uniquely cruel hunting method: it takes the physical form of the person they desire most—each other.

The new trailer offers a visceral look at the film’s suffocating atmosphere, contrasting tender moments of young love with the terrifying, seizure-inducing realities of the church’s ritual. Drawing heavy comparisons to modern classics like It Follows, the entity relentlessly stalks and tortures the boys, forcing them to question reality and fear the very person they love.

Following its rapturous Midnight premiere at Sundance earlier this year, NEON quickly swooped in to acquire the US distribution rights in a reported seven-figure deal. Praised for its tight 86-minute runtime, exceptional lead performances, and uncompromising approach to queer social horror, the film currently sits at a stellar 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Adding to the pedigree, the film also marks the highly anticipated screen return of Mia Wasikowska (Crimson Peak), who stars alongside an impressive ensemble cast.

As Hollywood continues to embrace queer-led genre filmmaking, Leviticus is poised to become a defining entry in the modern horror canon. Blending raw emotional resonance with jump-scare-heavy dread, this harrowing tale of survival will thoroughly test audiences’ nerves. Fans can prepare to face the curse when LEVITICUS releases exclusively in theaters on June 19, 2026.