Forbidden temptations can be deadly—and in this upcoming horror tale, the price of curiosity is steep. The new teaser for Forbidden Fruits, produced by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody, gives viewers a tantalizing look at a witchy cult led by Lili Reinhart, best known for her role in Riverdale. The film marks the feature debut of director Meredith Alloway and is set for release in 2026 through Independent Film Company and Shudder.
In Forbidden Fruits, Reinhart plays Apple, a seemingly normal employee at a Free Eden store inside a suburban mall. But after the customers leave and the lights dim, Apple transforms the store’s basement into the den of a secret all-female coven. Calling themselves the “fruits,” Apple is joined by her fellow witches Cherry and Fig in carrying out mystical rituals that blend empowerment and danger. Everything changes when new recruit Pumpkin enters the picture—questioning Apple’s “girlboss” authority and shaking the coven’s toxic hierarchy from within. As personal and supernatural tensions rise, the women must confront the literal—and emotional—poisons that bind them, or face a gruesome downfall. Is this a story about female liberation, or a warning about power gone rotten?
The chilling ensemble cast features Lola Tung (The Summer I Turned Pretty), Victoria Pedretti (The Haunting of Hill House), Alexandra Shipp (Tragedy Girls), Gabrielle Union (Breaking In), and internet personality Emma Chamberlain. Each performer brings a unique energy to this gothic-feminist story that fuses dark humor with dangerous desire.
The movie is based on playwright Lily Houghton’s highly acclaimed stage play Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin and Through Her We All Die, with Houghton and Alloway adapting the script together. Producers Mason Novick, Diablo Cody, Trent Hubbard, and Mary Anne Waterhouse are joined by executive producers Charlie Traisman and Katherine Romans (Madhouse Films), as well as Casey Durant and Rachel Douglas from Range Media Partners.
Diablo Cody raved about the project, saying that Forbidden Fruits “grabbed [her] by the neck” the first time she read it. She described it as one of the wildest, most imaginative, and bizarre yet beautiful stories she’s ever worked on—a perfect fit for Cody, whose style has always celebrated unapologetic female strangeness. “I feel so lucky to collaborate with Meredith and Lily,” she said, praising both creatives as rising stars who have already earned her deep admiration.
The first teaser offers little but promises a lot—quick flashes of blood, ritual, rebellion, and glamour under flickering fluorescent lights. It sets the tone for what might become 2026’s most talked-about horror release.
But here’s where things get interesting: Is this film a dark satire of modern feminism, a subversive take on witchcraft tropes, or both? Horror fans are already split on what Cody and Alloway’s approach will reveal about empowerment, control, and the fine line between devotion and destruction.
What do you think—will Forbidden Fruits cast its spell as a feminist horror classic, or will its themes prove too controversial for mainstream audiences? Let’s hear your take in the comments below.
