| Influencers | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Kurtis David Harder |
| Written by | Kurtis David Harder |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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Production company | Jackrabbit Media |
| Distributed by | Shudder |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes [1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
Influencers is a 2025 horror thriller film written and directed by Kurtis David Harder. It is a sequel to the film Influencer (2022), starring Cassandra Naud reprising her role from the first film, with Georgina Campbell, Lisa Delamar, Jonathan Whitesell, Veronica Long, and Dylan Playfair also starring. The film is set in southern France, where CW and her new girlfriend Diane are celebrating their first anniversary as a couple until they are bumped from their hotel room and forced to stay in a smaller one because of a popular British influencer, Charlotte, who befriends Diane and won't leave the couple alone, constantly irritating CW, who wants to put an end to that. The film is a co-production between Canada and the United States.
Influencers had its world premiere at the 29th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 26, 2025, and will later be released on Shudder.
In southern France, CW and her French girlfriend Diane are celebrating their first anniversary as a couple when they are bumped from their hotel room and forced stay in a smaller one because of a popular British influencer, Charlotte, who befriends Diane and won't leave the couple alone, which irritates CW, who wants to put an end to that.
On May 6, 2025, it was announced that director Kurtis David Harder had wrapped shooting Influencers, the sequel to his 2022 horror film, Influencer . [3] It was also announced that Cassandra Naud would reprise her role from the first film, and that the ensemble cast includes Georgina Campbell, Lisa Delamar, Jonathan Whitesell, Veronica Long, and Dylan Playfair. [3] [4]
The film is a co-production between Canada and the United States. [1] It was produced by Jackrabbit Media's Jack Campbell, Chris Ball, Taylor Nodrick, Rebecca Campbell, Kurtis David Harder and Micah Henry. [3] Jackrabbit Media also holds worldwide rights [5] and sold the film to international buyers at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. [3]
Deadline described the film as "set in the picturesque landscapes of southern France, the sequel watches as a young woman's chilling fascination with murder and identity theft sends her life into a whirlwind of chaos. Pic deepens a cinematic universe built around themes of deception, online identity, and the darker sides of curated personas, offering an expanded canvas compared to the original." [3]
Harder said about the film:
With Influencers, I wanted to revisit the themes of control and illusion, but from a new angle — one that's more seductive, more dangerous, and more unhinged. It’s a film that plays with perception. Fans of Influencer will feel something familiar beneath the surface, but the real fun is discovering just how deep those connections run. [3]
Filming took place in Bali, Canada and France in 2024. [5]
The film had its world premiere at the 29th Fantasia International Film Festival in the Septentrion Shadows section [2] [6] on July 26, 2025. [1] It will be the closing film at FrightFest where it will make its UK premiere in August 2025. [7] Streaming service Shudder holds distribution rights for English-speaking territories. [3]
On July 21, 2025, Letterboxd released on its social media platforms a clip from the film featuring Naud and Campbell. [8]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 11 critics' reviews are positive. [9]
In his review for Variety , Dennis Harvey said that Influencers is "a worthy sequel that maintains the original's upscale gloss and narrative twistiness while adding a sufficient number of new wrinkles." [10]
Mary Beth McAndrews of Dread Central gave the film 4.5 out of 5 stars and wrote; "Naud once again shines as CW, weaponizing her slight, femme frame to craft your worst nightmare in human form. When she's with Diane, Naud really does let CW shine, smiling bigger and more genuinely than we’ve ever seen from the character. There's a levity and light around her that’s sadly suffocated by her dark, obsessive needs. Both Harder’s script and Naud’s performance bring CW’s character to new heights that highlight her complexity as a character, but never forgive or excuse her violent actions.", and added; "Harder and Naud have made something special here, and with Influencers, they've proved it’s not just lightning in a bottle. Expanding the scope and developing CW’s character into something much more complex and almost sympathetic makes this a stellar sequel that filmmakers of all budget levels can learn from." [11]
Joe Lipsett of Bloody Disgusting called Influencers "a great sequel that takes the series in a fun, satirical, and often deliciously mean new direction." [12]
