‘Hold the Fort’ Mixes Demons, Gore And Neighbourhood Chaos

A suburban homeowners association becomes ground zero for demonic chaos in Hold the Fort, the horror-comedy from director William Bagley that is getting its digital HD release in June, following its UK premiere at FrightFest last year.

Described as a collision between Evil Dead and The ’Burbs, the 2025 feature follows young couple Lucas and Jenny as they move into what appears to be an ordinary suburban neighbourhood. Their fresh start quickly unravels after they are invited to an annual Equinox celebration hosted by the local homeowners association, where residents casually warn guests not to die before a portal to hell opens and unleashes a wave of monstrous creatures.

What begins as awkward neighbourly bonding soon descends into an all-out battle for survival as demons, mythical beasts and supernatural killers pour through the gateway. According to the film’s synopsis, the couple must rely on an eccentric collection of locals to survive the night while confronting the increasingly absurd horrors surrounding their new home.

The film stars Chris Mayers of Creepshow alongside Haley Leary, whose credits include The Walking Dead. They are joined by internet creator and filmmaker Julian Smith, known for The Annoying Orange, as well as Levi Burdick, Michelle Lamb and Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson. Supporting cast members include Mark Ashworth and Tordy Clark.

Bagley co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Hawkins, continuing a creative partnership that previously included The Murder Podcast. The pair lean heavily into practical creature work and retro horror influences, with special effects make-up and creature design handled by Shane Morton of Silver Scream FX Lab, whose past work includes Mandy and Rob Zombie’s Halloween II.

The production also recruited stunt performers associated with Stranger Things and Cobra Kai to stage the film’s large-scale monster confrontations. Hold the Fort aims for maximal chaos, mixing creature-feature mayhem with suburban satire and splatter-heavy action.

Bagley, whose earlier feature The Murder Podcast explored true crime obsession through a horror lens, continues working within independent genre filmmaking rooted in practical effects and character-driven comedy. His latest film premiered at FrightFest 2025, where it screened on the festival’s main screen strand and quickly drew attention for its blend of old-school creature horror and knowingly exaggerated humour.

The premise revolves around the seemingly harmless HOA president Jerry Klein, played by Julian Smith, who introduces the new arrivals to the neighbourhood’s bizarre traditions. The Equinox celebration serves as both a community event and a supernatural defence mechanism against the creatures emerging from the portal.

Hold The Fort is available on Digital HD 29 June. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.