Get ready to be spellbound—or maybe even cursed. Lili Reinhart is stepping into the dark and dazzling world of a witchy cult leader in Forbidden Fruits, a horror movie that’s already stirring whispers of controversy. Produced by the fearless Diablo Cody and directed by feature debut filmmaker Meredith Alloway, this isn’t your average spooky flick. But here’s where it gets controversial: the film dives headfirst into themes of female empowerment, toxic sisterhood, and the dangerous line between ambition and obsession. Is it a celebration of women reclaiming their power, or a cautionary tale about what happens when that power turns poisonous? You decide.
Set to hit theaters in 2026 via Independent Film Company and Shudder, Forbidden Fruits follows Apple, a seemingly ordinary employee at Free Eden, a mall store. But after hours, she transforms into the leader of a secret femme cult, joined by her fellow ‘fruits’ Cherry and Fig. Their ‘girl boss’ vibe is challenged when Pumpkin, a new hire, disrupts their carefully curated world. Suddenly, the women are forced to confront their own toxicities—or face a fate far bloodier than any mall sale gone wrong. And this is the part most people miss: the film is actually an adaptation of Lily Houghton’s stage play Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin and Through Her We All Die, co-adapted by Alloway and Houghton themselves.
The cast is a bewitching blend of talent, including Lola Tung (The Summer I Turned Pretty), Victoria Pedretti (The Haunting of Hill House), Alexandra Shipp (Tragedy Girls), Gabrielle Union (Breaking In), and Emma Chamberlain. Diablo Cody, never one to shy away from bold projects, has called Forbidden Fruits ‘one of the craziest, most creative, beautifully bonkers projects I’ve ever worked on.’ But is it too bold? Some might argue its portrayal of female dynamics is either groundbreaking or dangerously divisive.
Behind the scenes, the film boasts a powerhouse team, with producers Mason Novick, Diablo Cody, Trent Hubbard, and Mary Anne Waterhouse, alongside executive producers Charlie Traisman, Katherine Romans, Casey Durant, and Rachel Douglas. The teaser, now available, offers only tantalizing glimpses of the horror to come—leaving us with more questions than answers.
So, here’s the big question: Is Forbidden Fruits a feminist triumph or a cautionary tale about the dark side of sisterhood? Let us know in the comments—this is one debate that’s bound to get heated.
