Paramount’s Passenger Trailer Puts a Chilling Spin on the Road Trip Horror Setup
Paramount has officially released the trailer for Passenger, its upcoming horror film set to arrive exclusively in theaters on May 22, 2026. Directed by André Øvredal, the film stars Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, and Melissa Leo, and takes a familiar road trip setup in a darker direction.
According to the official synopsis, the film’s premise specifically centers on a young couple whose van life adventure takes a disturbing turn after they witness a gruesome highway accident. They soon realize they did not leave the crash scene alone. Instead, they become attached to a demonic presence known as the Passenger, a force that will not stop until it claims them both. Not exactly the kind of fun you’re expecting on a typical road trip.
Lou Llobell as “Maddie" in Passenger from Paramount Pictures. | © 2025 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
That setup gives the trailer a solid foundation right away. Instead of overloading the concept, Passenger taps into the elements that usually make road horror click: isolation, distance from safety, and the sense that the danger is no longer tied to one place. There is a classic outdoor horror quality to that, though the trailer also makes room for plenty of jump scares and even a few more predictable genre beats.
What the trailer quickly makes clear is that Passenger is leaning into atmosphere, tension, and the couple’s growing loss of control as their trip takes a darker turn. Of course, the demonic spin on a van life excursion also gives the film a slightly more distinctive personality, adding a faintly campy edge without making the premise feel completely silly.
There is also a strong team behind the project. Passenger is written by Zachary Donohue and T.W. Burgess, with Walter Hamada and Gary Dauberman producing. Paramount Pictures presents the film in association with Domain Entertainment as an 18Hz and Coin Operated production.
With its first trailer now out, Passenger officially looks like a popcorn-worthy genre addition to the late spring horror lineup.
