Grimmfest 2026 Manchester returns to Manchester from 8–11 October 2026 for four packed days of horror, thrillers, sci-fi and genre cinema at ODEON Great Northern — and the latest programme update gives this year’s festival a particularly strong Gothic edge.
Latest Update
The 2026 festival will open on Thursday 8 October at 2pm with a special advance screening of Hammer Films’ definitive uncensored 4K restoration of Dracula (1958), starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. The restored film includes footage previously missing from UK and US versions and will screen at Grimmfest ahead of its wider UK cinema release later in October.
The festival will close on Sunday 11 October at 9:20pm with the UK premiere of Victorian Psycho, starring Maika Monroe, Thomasin McKenzie, Ruth Wilson and Jason Isaacs. The film is adapted by Virginia Feito from her own novel and mixes Gothic melodrama, dark humour and horror.
Overview
Grimmfest is Manchester’s International Festival of Fantastic Film, bringing together new horror and genre cinema, premieres, filmmaker appearances, Q&As, signings and market stalls. The 2026 festival runs across four days at ODEON Great Northern.
What’s Screening
Alongside Dracula and Victorian Psycho, the published 2026 programme includes a wide selection of new features and shorts across horror, thriller, science fiction and dark comedy.
- Thursday 8 October: Dracula, Shorts Programme One, The Fog, Evil Dress, Never After Dark and Under Your Feet
- Friday 9 October: Grind, Motherwitch, Reversion, Oddities, Ithaqua, Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon and Sicko
- Saturday 10 October: Shorts Programme Two, Disforia, Ivan, Mārama, Crawlers, The Glorious Dead, The Room Below and Terrestrial
- Sunday 11 October: Shorts Programme Three, Boxcutter, They Always Come at Night, The Ones Who Grieve, Stronger Than the Devil, Victorian Psycho and The Whisper
Dracula 4K Restoration
The opening screening is a particularly interesting one for classic horror fans. Hammer’s 1958 Dracula, directed by Terence Fisher and written by Jimmy Sangster, has been restored by Hammer Films and Silver Salt Restoration in collaboration with Warner Archive Collection.
Grimmfest says this is the most complete version yet seen by UK and US audiences, restoring footage that had previously been cut by censors. The film has a listed running time of 81 minutes and a 12A rating.
Victorian Psycho UK Premiere
Victorian Psycho closes the festival on Sunday night. The 2026 film is directed by Zachary Wigon and adapted by Virginia Feito from her novel. Grimmfest lists the running time as 102 minutes, with an 18 rating still to be confirmed.
Guests, Q&As and Market Stalls
Grimmfest also includes filmmaker guests, Q&As and signings, plus a festival market with horror and cinema-related traders. The 2026 market is being organised with Stockport Alternative Market.
Dates and Venue
- Dates: 8–11 October 2026
- Venue: ODEON Great Northern, Manchester
- Opening screening: Dracula — 2pm, Thursday 8 October
- Closing screening: Victorian Psycho — 9:20pm, Sunday 11 October
Tickets
Festival passes and individual screening tickets are available through Grimmfest. Check the official festival website for current availability, ticket prices and any programme changes before booking.
Accessibility
Because screenings take place within ODEON Great Northern and may use different screens, check the individual screening and venue access information when booking if you need wheelchair spaces, companion seating, captioning, audio description or other access support. Clarissa’s Corner will only add specific access details once they are confirmed for the relevant screening or screen.
Why See It
This year’s programme has a particularly strong Clarissa’s Corner crossover: classic Hammer horror, Dracula, restored cinema, new UK genre premieres, independent filmmaking and a Gothic book-to-screen adaptation all in one festival.
More Horror on Clarissa’s Corner
Grimmfest is already included in our Horror Events guide. You can also browse Chill & Thrill for horror films, thrillers, dark history and spooky experiences.
