How To Watch The Blackening At Home

"We can't all die first." The tagline for the horror-comedy "The Blackening" is a reference to a longstanding horror trope where the typically tokenized Black character in a horror film is the first to go. The concept is so well-known, Shudder's phenomenal documentary "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror" dedicated an entire segment to breaking it down. Based on 3Peat's 2018 short film of the same name, "The Blackening" pokes fun at slashers and delivers one of the strongest satires of the genre in decades. But the film is not just looking to play with the conventions of horror films, it's also a solid-as-hell exploration of Black American culture.

/Film's own Ryan Scott even had the opportunity to interview director Tim Story about the film, who explained that it took over four years to bring the movie to the big screen. The transition from short film to full-blown feature was a raucous success and made for one of the best comedies of 2023. Here's the official synopsis:

"The Blackening" follows a group of Black friends reunited for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a masked killer who forces them to play a twisted board game by his rules, which they soon realize ain't no motherf***ing game. The Blackening skewers genre tropes and poses the sardonic question: If the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first?

With a screenplay by Tracy Oliver ("Girl's Trip") and Dewayne Perkins ("The Amber Ruffin Show"), "The Blackening" stars Grace Byers ("Empire"), Jermaine Fowler ("Coming 2 America"), Melvin Gregg ("House Party'), X Mayo ("American Auto"), Dewayne Perkins ("The Upshaws"), Antoinette Robertson ("Dear White People"), Sinqua Walls ("White Men Can't Jump"), Jay Pharoah ("Saturday Night Live"), Yvonne Orji "Insecure"), and Diedrich Bader ("Veep").

If you somehow missed "The Blackening" in theaters, never fear, because the film will soon arrive at home.

"The Blackening" will be available on digital and on-demand starting August 15, 2023. A reminder that this is for rental and purchasing, and it will not available on a streaming service on this date. Lionsgate has yet to announce a date for streaming. However, the arrival on VOD and on-demand means we can anticipate "The Blackening" leaving theaters after a solid 60-day run. The film was released on Juneteenth earlier this summer and has already brought in nearly $17 million against an estimated $5 million budget. Original horror continues to reign supreme at the box office!

In even better news for the physical media connoisseurs out there, "The Blackening" is getting a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (+Blu-ray & Digital), Blu-ray (+DVD & Digital), and DVD release from Lionsgate on August 22, 2023. While prices will vary depending on the resellers, the suggested retail prices are $29.96 for DVD, $39.99 for the Blu-ray Combo pack, and $42.99 for the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack. Even better, the physical releases include bonus features, ensuring your purchase is well worth the price tag. Here's what you can expect:

• Audio Commentary with Director Tim Story and Writers Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins
• Do the Write Thing
• They Can't All Talk First
• Shall We Play a Game?
• Cabin in the Woods
• "Who's the Blackest?" Game Show
• Theatrical Trailer
• And more!