The makers of Dies Irae, the upcoming horror thriller directed by Rahul Sadasivan, have unveiled Pranav Mohanlal’s first look from the film on the occasion of his birthday on Sunday. The striking red-themed poster features Pranav lounging on a couch, smoking a cigarette and holding a drink, surrounded by scattered bottles and unconscious figures. A demonic face looming in the background reinforces its sinister tone.

Dies Irae translates from Latin as 'Day of Wrath', a reference to a medieval poem. The film is scheduled to hit theatres on October 31 as a Halloween release. It marks Rahul’s third consecutive horror project following Bhoothakaalam (2022) and Bramayugam (2024), both of which received widespread critical acclaim. Bramayugam, featuring Mammootty, also emerged as a commercial success.

Dies Irae reunites Rahul with several of his regular collaborators, including cinematographer Shehnad Jalal and editor Shafique Mohamed Ali. Ponman director Jothish Shankar handles the film’s art direction, while music is composed by Christo Xavier, and stunts are choreographed by Kalai Kingson of Marco fame. All three had earlier collaborated on Bramayugam, which was produced by Ramachandra Chakravarthy and S Sashikanth under Night Shift Studios and YNOT Studios, who are also backing Dies Irae.

Meanwhile, the Malayalam film industry is witnessing a notable surge in horror projects. Alongside Dies Irae, several other productions are underway, ranging from big-budget ventures like Kathanar – The Wild Sorcerer to horror comedies such as Night Riders, Prakambanam and Karakkam. The slate also includes zombie films like Vala, Manjeswaram Mafia and Jambi, reflecting a growing appetite for the genre among filmmakers and audiences alike.