Bella Thorne Thriller Find Your Friends Coming to Shudder June 12

Shudder has acquired the thriller Find Your Friends, marking the feature film directorial debut of writer and director Izabel Pakzad. The film is scheduled to begin streaming on the AMC Networks service on June 12, 2026.

The movie is described as a visceral, desert-set thriller that follows the story of Amber and her four closest friends. The group departs Los Angeles for a getaway in Joshua Tree, but their vacation quickly deteriorates as they encounter an environment of barely concealed hostility from the local residents.

According to reporting from Variety and GoreCulture, the narrative focuses on the escalating threats from the townspeople, which in turn triggers deep-seated resentments within the group of friends. This internal friction and external danger eventually drive the trip into a violent struggle for control and survival.

Cast and Production

The film features a lead performance by Bella Thorne, who also serves as an executive producer on the project. Thorne is joined by a supporting cast that includes Chloe Cherry, Helena Howard, Sophia Ali, Zion Moreno, and Chris Bauer.

In addition to Thorne, the film’s production team consists of Allison Friedman, Andrea Iervolino, Luca Matrundola, Monika Bacardi, and Gary Michael Walters.

The production of Find Your Friends follows a successful festival circuit run. The film premiered at the 2025 Fantasia Film Festival and subsequently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest before securing its distribution deal with Shudder.

Creative Inspiration and Direction

Izabel Pakzad drew from personal experience to shape the film’s tension. In an interview with Variety, Pakzad explained that the movie was inspired by a terrifying encounter she had during a similar trip to Joshua Tree with her own friends.

The Airbnb was on a dead end, of course. So you pull out of the driveway, and there’s this green Mustang that’s waiting outside on the street. He puts his brights on, turns his car and blocks me into the dead end. Immediately, I knew something was weird … this feels premeditated, something is wrong.

Izabel Pakzad via Variety

Pakzad stated that she intended to create a film that was raw, unapologetic, and bold, noting that Shudder is a suitable home for work that refuses to follow traditional rules.

Shudder’s Emily Gotto described the project as a descent into psychological warfare where paranoia and resentment collide. Gotto indicated that the film intends to push past standard genre norms and offer a fresh perspective on the final girl trope.

Industry Context

The acquisition of Find Your Friends aligns with Shudder’s history of acquiring independent horror and thriller titles that emphasize psychological tension and visceral storytelling. By securing a film that has already built momentum at major genre festivals like Fantasia and Fantastic Fest, the streamer is positioning the title as a key summer release.

The project highlights the growing trend of actors, such as Bella Thorne, taking on executive production roles to help bring specific directorial visions to the screen. The film’s focus on the volatility of friendship under pressure, combined with a hostile geographic setting, places it within the subgenre of survival thrillers that explore both physical and emotional endurance.

Shudder has already released a first clip of the film to build anticipation ahead of the June 12 premiere date.