Indie Horror 'Dream Eater' Hailed as Scariest Film of 2025 by Eli Roth

In October 2025, the independent horror film "Dream Eater" is generating significant buzz, thanks in part to the praise of horror icon Eli Roth. Roth, who recently viewed an early screening of the film, was deeply impressed, calling it "the scariest movie I've seen in a long time" and stating that the last 15 minutes feature "the scariest ending" of any 2025 release.

What makes this news even more remarkable is the film's modest $40,000 budget. Roth was shocked to learn the low production cost, saying, "When they told me they made the movie for $50,000 CAD, which is like $40,000 USD, my jaw was on the floor." The filmmaker trio behind "Dream Eater" - Mallory Drumm, Alex Lee Williams, and Jay Drakulic - have clearly crafted a chilling and innovative horror experience on a shoestring budget.

The filmmakers also discussed their approach to the found-footage genre, noting their efforts to avoid common tropes. They wanted to create a cinematic feel while justifying the high-quality camerawork, so they made the main character a documentarian. Additionally, they consciously avoided overusing the "review footage" technique, instead focusing on character development and new scares.