Carved (2024 film)

Last updated

Carved
Carved film poster.jpg
Official release poster
Directed byJustin Harding
Written by
  • Justin Harding
  • Cheryl Meyer
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySevdije Kastrati
Edited byPamela Bayne
Music by
Production
companies
  • WorthenBrooks
  • Inner Child Productions
Distributed by Hulu
Release dates
  • October 17, 2024 (2024-10-17)(SHFF)
  • October 21, 2024 (2024-10-21)(online)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Carved is a 2024 American horror comedy film directed and written by Justin Harding and starring an ensemble cast including Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Corey Fogelmanis, Carla Jimenez, Elvis Nolasco, Jonah Lees, Wyatt Lindner, Sasha Mason, Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur, Jackson Kelly, Matty Cardarople, Ted Ferguson, DJ Qualls and Chris Elliott. Based on the 2018 short film of the same name, the film follows a group of teenagers on Halloween who become trapped in a historical reenactment village and are stalked by a killer pumpkin.

Contents

Carved premiered at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival on October 17, 2024, and was released on Hulu on October 21, 2024, as part of the platform's annual Huluween lineup. Upon release, the film quickly became the #1 movie on Hulu, ranking as the most-watched title on the service during its opening weekend. [1]


Premise

Set in 1993, a teenage playwright, her younger brother, and a group of survivors become trapped in a historical reenactment village on Halloween night, they come together to survive an attack by a vengeful killer pumpkin. [2] [3]

Cast

Production

Carved is based off of the short film of the same name (2018), which was also written and directed by Justin Harding. The short won Hulu's 2018 Huluween short film contest. [4] In July 2024, it was announced that Peyton Elizabeth Lee would be the lead in the feature-length Carved film, with the rest of the cast also being revealed. [5]

Director Justin Harding stated that the film "was made as a low-budget callback to these low-budget movies … very handmade," and deliberately used "classic 90s-style film techniques" including puppets and reverse-photography to anchor the monster in practical effect rather than pure CGI. [6]

On set, the team worked with a real pumpkin creature puppet, allowing actors to "work off of something tactical" rather than pretend with tennis balls. "This big giant pumpkin is right in front of you and vines are really grabbing me," said cast member Jackson Kelly. [7]

One kill sequence involving a puppet hand required a fully practical execution. Actor Jonah Lees had his last day on set dedicated to that scene, which wrapped smoothly because "the blood spray worked, and the prosthetics worked. … It was fun to shoot, worked in-camera, and was practical." [8]

Harding credited 1980s and 1990s monster-horror films such as Tremors, Gremlins, and Evil Dead as key inspirations, emphasizing that each kill was written with a clear visual roadmap in mind. "This is a foam latex in-camera practical effect," he noted, describing the practical creature work. [9]

Release

Carved premiered at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival on October 17, 2024. [10] [11]

The film was released on Hulu on October 21, 2024, as part of the platform’s annual Huluween lineup. [12] [13] Upon release, Carved became the #1 movie on Hulu, topping the platform’s daily streaming charts in both the United States and Canada during its opening weekend. [14]


Reception

Carved premiered at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival on October 17, 2024, and was released on Hulu on October 21, 2024, as part of the platform’s Huluween lineup. Upon release, the film quickly became the #1 movie on Hulu in the United States and Canada. [15]

Writing for Dread Central, Tyler Doupe praised the film as "a glorious send-up of ’80s horror that deftly executes as both a genre picture and a slapstick comedy," noting that "there were multiple scenes that made me jump and laugh simultaneously." The review described the killer-pumpkin premise as "the most fun you’ll have with a sentient gourd this season," commended director Justin Harding for building atmosphere around an absurd threat, and compared the creature’s design to the early work of Sam Raimi. Doupe rated the film 3.5 out of 5 and called it "a fun, gory, outrageous seasonal romp" and "a campy love letter to B-grade cinema." [16]

Writing for Decider, John Serba described the film as playful, with "visual creativity" and "comically gory kills," and recommended it for viewers seeking light-hearted horror entertainment. [17]

Internationally, Carved was released on Disney+ on October 21, 2024, reaching audiences across multiple territories—including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada—during the Halloween window. [18] [19] The film maintained visibility on Disney+ charts in several regions following its debut, appearing in daily Top 10 rankings in multiple international markets according to FlixPatrol’s tracking. [20]

Carved went on to win the **Best Horror Comedy Feature** award at the Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio, in 2024, where it was recognized for its blend of practical effects, humor, and classic monster-movie spirit. [21]

References

  1. ↑ Hulu (October 22, 2024). "Huluween 2024: 'Carved' Debuts as #1 Film". Hulu Press. Hulu. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  2. ↑ "A Group of Teens Spills Blood and Pumpkin Guts in First 'Carved' Images". Collider. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Hulu's New Horror Comedy Surprisingly Ends 2 Tiring Genre Tropes". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  4. ↑ "8 Biggest Differences Between Hulu's Carved Movie & The Original Short Film". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Peyton Elizabeth Lee To Topline Hulu-Bound Horror Comedy 'Carved' From WorthenBrooks". Deadline. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  6. ↑ "'Carved' Interviews". Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom. October 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  7. ↑ "'Carved' honors classic 80s and 90s horror movies, filming with a 'real' killer pumpkin". ABC7 Los Angeles. ABC7 Los Angeles. October 21, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ "'Carved' Interviews". Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom. October 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  9. ↑ "'Carved' Interviews". Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom. October 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  10. ↑ "'Mr. Crocket,' 'Carved' & 'Dead Mail' Among Horror Films Set To Screen At Screamfest 2024". Deadline. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  11. ↑ "'Carved' honors classic 80s and 90s horror movies, filming with a 'real' killer pumpkin". WABC . Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Hulu Halloween Movie 'Carved' Pits Kids Up Against a Sinister Pumpkin Monster [Images]". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  13. ↑ "The 7 Best New Movies on Hulu in October 2024". The Wrap. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  14. ↑ Hulu (October 22, 2024). "Huluween 2024: 'Carved' Debuts as #1 Film". Hulu Press. Hulu. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  15. ↑ Hulu (October 22, 2024). "Huluween 2024: 'Carved' Debuts as #1 Film". Hulu Press. Hulu. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  16. ↑ Doupe, Tyler (October 21, 2024). "'Carved' Review – Killer Pumpkin Film Recalls the Insanity of Early Sam Raimi". Dread Central. Dread Central. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  17. ↑ Serba, John (October 22, 2024). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Carved' on Hulu, a Deeply Silly Mutant-Pumpkin Slasher-Comedy". Decider. Decider. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ Palmer, Roger (October 21, 2024). "What's New On Disney+". What's On Disney Plus. Retrieved November 1, 2025.{{cite web}}: Text "Carved (UK/IE/CA/NZ/AU)" ignored (help)
  19. ↑ "Carved". Disney+ (Canada). Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Carved – Top 10 history" . FlixPatrol. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Nightmares Film Festival 2024 Award Winners Announced". Nightmares Film Festival. Nightmares Film Festival. October 27, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
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