Hokum’s Monster Is the Genre’s Most Terrifying Creation

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The 2017 horror film The Ritual is now considered a standout in the genre, largely due to its terrifying creature, Moder. This unsettling monster looks like a severely underweight, giant horse with a human head. Instead of feet, it has long, spindly arms that function like tusks or antlers.

The new horror film, Hokum, features a monster unlike anything audiences have seen recently—definitely not like the creature in Moder, or any other horror movie monster in years. Some early viewers think it might be the scariest creature the genre has ever produced.

Hokum Introduces A Terrifying Human/Rabbit Hybrid

The new horror film, Hokum, starring Adam Scott, is generating a lot of excitement. While initially slated for release in March 2026 through Neon, early buzz began building, but it was the trailer that really captured people’s attention. One particular shot – a disturbingly twisted creature that appeared to be a mix of human and rabbit – caused a huge reaction, frightening viewers before the movie even started. This shocking image quickly made Hokum one of the most anticipated horror films of the year.

The buzz created by this unusual artist couldn’t be tracked by social media alone. Even Den of Geek noticed, publishing a whole article about the surprisingly creepy effects of his work, which featured a strange bunny character.

This incredibly strange animal is the kind of creature that would be difficult for anyone to look at, but you can’t help but stare. The trailer for Hokum has captivated and disturbed viewers with just one striking image, even though it’s unclear how that image connects to the story.

What Role Does This Creature Play In Hokum?

Damian McCarthy’s new film, Hokum, is his third feature, but it’s the first to be released by a well-known independent company like Neon and star a major actor, Adam Scott. Scott, famous for his role in the Emmy-nominated series Severance, plays a horror writer named Ohm Bauman. Bauman travels to an Irish inn – where his parents honeymooned – with the intention of scattering their ashes there.

As a horror fan, I’ve seen a lot of creepy settings, but honestly, even places that seem awful in movies feel welcoming compared to where this new film, Hokum, takes place. The trailer alone gives me the chills! It’s unsettling throughout, even in the quiet scenes, but that last shot of the bunny? Seriously, that bug-eyed bunny is the stuff nightmares are made of – it’s the most terrifying thing in the whole promo, hands down.

I’m still trying to figure out exactly how the creature fits into the story, but the trailer gave us a couple of interesting hints. We see it pretty early on, just glimpsed through the static on a TV in one of the hotel rooms. And later, Bauman finds a woman who looks like she’s passed away inside the hotel’s dumbwaiter – she’s wearing a really creepy, dirty rabbit costume. It’s definitely unsettling and makes me want to know more!

Do these clues mean the creature with long ears is the witch who haunts the inn, or just a sign of the curse affecting it? Regardless, it’s strange to use a rabbit to scare everyone! People have been asking McCarthy this very question even before the game, Hokum, was revealed.

Hokum’s Director Has Turned Rabbits Into Scares Before

Fans of director Damian McCarthy likely won’t be shocked by the creepy rabbit-like creature in his new thriller’s trailer. He seems to be fascinated with rabbits – or maybe even a little obsessed – and particularly drawn to the strange, unsettling feeling they create in his films.

I was completely captivated by McCarthy’s first film! It stars Johnny French as a man who’s lost his memory, and he ends up taking a job from his landlord – looking after his niece in this really isolated house. But the house has a dark history, and things quickly get creepy. What really stuck with me was this unsettling image of a stuffed rabbit. Apparently, it’s supposed to sense ghosts and warns you by tapping a little drum – it’s a brilliant and genuinely spooky detail!

This toy definitely creates suspense, though it’s not as frightening to look at as the creepy, real rabbit from Hokum. This isn’t the first time McCarthy has used unsettling imagery like this in his work, however.

The filmmaker’s movie, which received positive reviews in theaters before becoming available on Shudder in 2024, features a terrifying wooden statue that doesn’t even need to move to haunt viewers. While the rabbit toy from Caveat makes a brief appearance in a story about a medium solving her sister’s murder, Hokum brings back a truly disturbing version of the animal as a central figure – a familiar touch for director McCarthy in a horror film.

Horror Cinema Has A Strange History Of Creepy Rabbits

Damian McCarthy has a unique talent for turning something cute, like a rabbit, into a frightening image. While his approach is very effective, it’s not entirely new – others have explored similar ideas before.

The creepy rabbit in Hokum is reminiscent of the unsettling imagery in Richard Kelly’s cult classic film, Donnie Darko. In that movie, James Duval plays a disturbing figure in a rabbit costume who appears to the main character, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, to deliver a warning about the end of the world on Halloween.

A strange and unsettling scene in the 2016 horror anthology, Holidays, offers a bizarre take on the Easter story. In director Nicholas McCarthy’s segment, a young, anxious girl learns that Easter eggs aren’t delivered by the Easter Bunny, but by a disturbing version of Jesus Christ. This Jesus isn’t as described in the Bible—he’s a frightening mix of human and hare, with soft, floppy ears hidden beneath his crown of thorns.

It’s hard to forget the unsettling opening scene of Jordan Peele’s 2019 horror film, Us, which featured caged rabbits that turned out to be food for shadowy creatures living underground. This is just one recent example of how rabbits – usually seen as peaceful animals – have been used to create fear and tension in movies.

Damian McCarthy has connected his first two films by including the drumming rabbit from Caveat in Oddity. This makes you wonder if Hokum also happens in the same shared universe, and if the rabbit creature has some connection to the toy featured in the film. For now, the creature works well as a puzzling enigma, and it’s effective while its origins remain unknown.

A single, truly scary image can be enough to get people excited about a horror movie, like the terrifying face in the trailer for Insidious. The strange creature in Hokum could be that same kind of iconic, frightening image for today’s audiences.

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Hokum’s Hair-Raising Horrors: Test Your Chills
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2026-03-25 16:08