Family fun turns to terror in exclusive clip from Shudder's new horror movie 'Z'

If you subscribe to the horror streaming service Shudder, then you know they have a knack for debuting just the right movies at just the right time. So it's no surprise that, as Mother's Day weekend approaches, the folks at Shudder have a new film about a terrifying parental dilemma to show us, and SYFY WIRE has an exclusive clip to get you ready. 

Directed and co-written by Brandon Christensen (Still/Born), Z is the story of Elizabeth (Keegan Connor Tracy), a mother with a quiet, introverted son named Joshua (Jett Klyne) who has an imaginary friend. On the surface there might not be anything wrong with that. After all, introverted kids are known to invent worlds of their very own to play in. But the more Elizabeth learns about her son's new friend "Z," the more she realizes something is very, very wrong. 

In the clip below, Elizabeth and Joshua head out for a little playdate at a local fun center. Everything seems to be going well until Elizabeth notices that her son has a little company amid all the tunnels and slides. What's particularly gripping about this clip is the way it slowly builds, from the domestic tranquility of the opening seconds right up until the moment when ... well, just watch. And make sure you watch all the way to the end. 

“When Still/Born premiered on Shudder on Mother’s Day in 2018, it was clear that they understood what the film was going for and allowed it to shine,” Christensen said in a press release. “With Z, we once again have a film about a tortured mother and father, diving into the psyche of what it’s like to have a child with a mind of their own. I’m thrilled to be teaming with Shudder and once again releasing a film on Mother’s Day, where we can both celebrate and terrify mothers once again.”

If the rest of the film is anything like the clip we just showed you, it's going to make for an interesting weekend for mothers of young children who also happen to be horror fans. 

Written by Christensen and Colin Minihan and also starring Sean Rogerson, Sara Canning, and Stephen McHattie, Z premieres Thursday on Shudder.