2025 didn’t go according to the script. After a major health scare and production setbacks, we had to find a new way forward.

Check out our end-of-year blog post to see how we’re fueling the completion of Z*Con through our new project, Arbor Day: The Root of Evil. No more crowdfunding—just pure indie grit and a brand-new horror icon.

Horror anthology Arbor Day: The Root of Evil debuts at the legendary Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, NJ. The film, a personal triumph for co-owner Michael Jayne following a stroke, explores terrifying Pine Barrens legends. Join the premiere on April 24, 2026, and help the environment: for every ticket sold, a tree is planted in a forest of need through the Arbor Day Foundation.

The moment Darkstone Entertainment fans have waited for has arrived! Three of the studio’s most influential independent horror films, including the notorious The Fright Before Christmas series and the fan-favorite The Jester, are officially available to stream on Relay: Stream Movies and TV. Dive into this trio of cult classics that helped define a particular era of fearless, DIY indie horror.

Episode 22 of The Big Damn Podcast explores how Big Damn Films shaped a new horror icon while finishing production on Arbor Day: The Root of Evil.