Fangoria's annual Chainsaw Awards are among horror's most closely watched honors, combining professional nomination selection with open fan balloting. The 2026 edition opened voting on July 2, with polls running through July 15 at vote.fangoria.com.
Two films share the nomination lead: Bryan Fuller's Dust Bunny and Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, each with nine nods. Both earned recognition in Best Wide Release and Best Director.
Dust Bunny's nine nominations include supporting performance recognitions for Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver. The Bone Temple's nine span Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Score, and Best Makeup FX, marking the sequel's strength across craft categories.
Backrooms earned six nominations. Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, Damien McCarthy's Hokum, and The Bride! each received five. Curry Barker's Obsession claimed four, including Best Director and Best Lead Performance for Inde Navarrette.
Nominees were selected by industry tastemakers from 35 eligible films covering a July 2025 through June 2026 eligibility window. The ceremony streams on Shudder on October 25, with 14 film categories plus documentary, television, and video game honors on offer.
