The Reveille 06-15-26

LSU athletics is in the midst of recruitment. See who’s staying and who’s entering the transfer portal.

SOUTHERN SCENES

This Louisiana based artist is featured in the LSU Museum of Art for his surealist paintings.

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ART REIMAGINED

Artist Edgar Cano draws inspiration from experiences in Louisiana

BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff Writer

The LSU Museum of Art from now until Sept. 6 is home to the touring South Arts Southern Prize & State Fellowships for Visual Arts exhibition.

Since 2017, the non-profit South Arts has been rewarding artists across the American South with its Southern Prize & State Fellowships program. Each year, a national jury chooses an artist from nine Southern states that most reflects the region from which they are from in their visual art.

The nine selected artists from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee receive a fellowship of $5,000 and a chance to win one of two Southern Prizes.

These Southern Prizes are a first-place prize of $25,000 and a runner-up prize of $10,000; both winners will also get the opportunity to attend a two-week residency at the Hambidge Center. This past year’s prize winners were Tabitha Arnold of Tennessee and Gonzalo Fuenmayor of Florida, winning first and second place, respectively.

Even without winning the grand prizes, artists will get their works featured in a traveling exhibition from January 2026 to January 2027. For the 2025 winners, there are three stops throughout the year, including the LSU Museum of Art at the Shaw Center for the Arts.

Throughout the exhibition, one can witness a wide array of visual art. From Arnold’s mesmerizing tapestries, Fuenmayor’s intricate and imposing charcoal murals to the wood collages of South Carolina’s Felicia Greenlee, there are unique art pieces around every corner.

One artist to look out for is

Louisiana’s very own fellowship winner Edgar Cano. Hailing from Veracruz, Mexico, Cano always had an interest in drawing, but he grew up in a town with very little artistic expression.

It was not until he read an article in a magazine highlighting famous Mexican painter Francisco Toledo that he had considered a career in art as a possibility. After finding a degree program at the Universidad

Veracruzana, he worked many odd jobs for four years after high school to get into college but Cano was always thinking about art.

“I remember that I keep in mind the idea of ‘keep drawing, keep drawing, keep drawing,’” Cano said.

He applied to college three times before finally getting accepted on his fourth attempt. From then on, he did well in school, got a residency overseas, got married and has been making a career as an artist ever since.

In early 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Cano came to Natchitoches, Louisiana, to pursue a master’s degree in art at Northwestern State University. After driving about 2,500 miles from Mexico City to Natchitoches, he said that the change of setting and culture would be a new direction for his artistic style.

“Thinking of that, I decided to change the subject, or the system, that I was using before, into my painting,” Cano said. “If I decide to change geographically, why I don’t change intellectually, or in the practice of my painting? That’s what I did.”

Before the move, Cano had a very classical style, featuring many realistic nude figures. Coming to Louisiana, he began

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to be inspired by the loud and bright colors of Mardi Gras and emergency vehicles.

While he may incorporate more traditional elements from previous moments in his life, such as personal photographs and archival images, Cano sees it as important to keep updating his style for wherever he is in his life.

“I am not an artist who sets in one way or in a formula and I stay there all the time. Because for me, that will mean my death,” said Cano. “And I don’t want that because I am a very, very active guy. That’s what I think about me. But what I’m trying to do is move forward every time between lithography, between painting, between drawing.”

He intends to keep moving forward and creating new and challenging art, regardless of where it comes from.

“What I really enjoy about my art is the capability that as a human being, I have to create something from nothing, from zero. To develop an idea, a narrative, a concept into a visual identity,” said Cano.

For more information about the South Arts Southern Prize & State Fellowships for Visual Arts exhibition and Edgar Cano’s art, you can check out the LSU Mu-

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE

The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

STORM PREP

Experts give tips on hurricane preparedness

BY MADELYN LONG Staff Writer

With the 2026 hurricane season beginning on June 1, LSU experts have been working to provide predictions and preparation tips for residents of Louisiana.

There are many factors that meteorologists use to make predictions for a storm season, including La Niña or El Niño patterns, sea surface temperatures and even precipitation anomalies in West Africa.

Most forecast groups, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Colorado State University models, agree that there is a below or near-normal hurricane season to be expected. Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grymes explained that this prediction would mean this season would produce 12 named storms, compared to the 30-year average of 14 named storms per year.

The driving factor in this prediction, according to Grymes, is this year’s El Niño pattern.

“El Niño is a period when water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are warmer than normal,” Grymes said. “By changing, literally changing, the physical structure of the surface temperatures in the Pacific, we change the dynamics of the atmosphere above it.”

This change in atmospheric conditions creates an increase in wind shear above the Atlantic Ocean, making it harder for storms to develop.

Meteorologists are also expecting higher-than-normal surface sea temperatures, which

are known to increase storm numbers when considered alone.

“We’ve got an El Niño year, which would reduce numbers, but a tendency in the last couple of decades for the Atlantic to be warmer than normal, which increases the numbers,” said Grymes. “So, it’s kind of a tugof-war between which of those two is going to be more dominant.”

The combination of El Niño patterns and elevated sea surface temperatures creates a below-average prediction for the 2026 storm season by 10% to 20%.

LSU researchers, like Doctor. Paul Miller, have also developed forecasting models to create stronger predictions for storm seasons. From work with Gulf forecasting to Artificial Intelligence-created forecast models, LSU is also able to produce information to directly assist Louisiana citizens.

But both Miller and Grymes agree that a below-average forecast does not mean that Louisiana residents should let their guard down.

Miller said, “A slow year might have fewer storms, but the ones that do form can be just as potent and dangerous as those during a busy year. In the Gulf of America, storms can develop quickly, sometimes with only a few days’ warning before landfall, so staying weather aware is important.”

Grymes remarked that 29 storms have impacted Louisiana in the past 25 years, which he considers incredibly active. During the past 25 years, there were two seasons in which four storms impacted the state.

PUZZLES

“So the first thing I tell people right there is that there should be enough information that lets you know you need to be prepared this year, regardless of what the storm frequency count from the experts is,” said Grymes.

Grymes also added that many notable storms to have made landfall in Louisiana have taken place during El Niño years, such as Betsy, Camille, Danny and Audrey.

“You have to be ready,” Grymes said. “Most folks have had enough experience in the last five or 10 to 20 years to know what the potential storm impacts will be for their community, so you just plan for that, and then part of the planning process is to also evaluate your own family’s needs.”

Photos by Evan Touchet | Design by Alexandra Gerstner

WHO

LET THE DOGS OUT?

Dogs explore the grounds of the Raising Cane’s Dog Park and the Burbank Dog Park on June 12 and 13 in Baton Rouge.

ENTERTAINMENT

BY PAUL TIBBETS

Cherrybomb Coffee Co. serves up summer sips with seasonal menu PAUL’ S PLATE

Cherrybomb Coffee Co. is serving up something sweet with its brand-new summer menu.

With the heat cranking up, summer finally feels like it is in full swing. A natural part of the change of seasons is for restaurants to debut their new summer menus. Whether you are getting cocktails, coffee or ice cream, any number of local spots are debuting refreshing and bright items to combat or complement the summer season.

One such location is the popular local coffee spot Cherrybomb Coffee Co., located at 136 W. Chimes St. Ever since opening a little over a year ago, Cherrybomb has offered LSU students and staff alike quality coffee, tea and lemonade.

The Cherrybomb summer menu has four seasonal drinks for your clinking pleasure.

As far as coffee goes, there are two new lattes featuring special cold foams to choose

from. First, there is the ube coconut cream pie latte with an eye-catching purple ube coconut cold foam over a hazelnut latte. Second, there is a strawberry shortcake latte, which flaunts a white mocha latte with a strawberry drizzle and strawberry cold foam.

In terms of non-coffee-based drinks, a new basil lemonade and the returning banana pudding matcha, made up of a white chocolate matcha with banana cold foam, round out the menu.

Personally, I wanted to get a variety of flavors from the menu. Thus, I tried the ube coconut cream pie latte as well as the basil lemonade.

For a refreshing and light summer treat to enhance a day in the sun, look no further than the basil lemonade. While a classic lemonade is no stranger to a hot summer outing, this is a fine twist on the recipe.

Adding the herbaceous basil syrup to the tangy and sweet lemonade melds together immaculately. Initially, I was wor -

ried that the basil flavor might overtake the mix, or vice versa with the lemonade; however, both flavors are strong enough while not being too overwhelming to provide a satisfying experience.

On the other hand, the ube coconut cream pie latte delivers a comparatively creamy and coffee-forward palate.

The striking violet color of the coconut ube cold foam is not where the fun of it ends. Its sweetness and silkiness are a superb complement to the nutty nature of the latte underneath. Regardless of whether you are braving summer showers or Louisiana sun rays, this drink will not disappoint.

Cherrybomb’s summer menu, in spite of its brevity, has something for everyone. Whether you need a caffeine fix or simply something crisp to drink.

For information on Cherrybomb Coffee Co.’s summer menu and hours, you can follow the company on Instagram or visit its website.

New alien movie ‘Disclosure Day’ remains decidedly human

Staff Writer BY PAUL TIBBETS

Staff Writer

Director Steven Spielberg’s newest outing, “Disclosure Day,” shows that the iconic filmmaker still has it in him 55 years into his career. Science fiction is a realm in which Spielberg is quite comfortable; since his third major feature film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” in 1977, he has rotated in and out of the genre for decades.

While this newest movie does show him dipping his toes back into the genre, it aligns more with a “Minority Report” than “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” The alien aspect of the story takes a backseat to a slower burn political thriller.

This works to the film’s advantage. Despite being a film about aliens and their impact on the world, the story is decidedly human. Every character, no matter the size of their role, brings a unique and realistic perspective to the idea of finding out these unearthly beings are, in fact, real.

What I find most interesting about the narrative is its focus on the intersection between the extraterrestrial and the spiritual. Eve Hewson as Jane brings in a compelling storyline judging the alien reveal through a Christian lens. Her phone call between her and a nun from her past is gripping and presents an intriguing take on how the faithful can coexist with

the idea of other life in the universe.

Despite its meditative nature, the movie rarely leaves you feeling bored. The pacing of some scenes throughout the middle feel drug out, but they are broken up by tense and exciting car chase scenes. There is one in particular with a train that had me on the edge of my seat.

Hewson is just one of many great performances in the film, but she surprised me the most as I was not familiar with her before this. It was quite frustrating that she was sidelined a bit in the second half when she had some of the best moments. Unsurprisingly, Colman Domingo shines in his supporting role; at this point, you can put him in anything, and I will see it.

The real stars of the show are Emily Blunt and Colin Firth. Both bring their own fun energy to their roles in different ways, and they have the most intriguing storylines of all the characters. Blunt should undoubtedly receive a leading role nomination for this.

I am unfortunately underwhelmed by Josh O’Connor. In the past, he has blown me away in films such as “Challengers” or “Wake Up Dead Man,” but here it was as if he was on autopilot. Not bad, per se, but not particularly great comparatively.

Spielberg is no question still a pro behind the camera. His blocking in this film is done in a way that

seems so simple yet so inspired. There are so many moments that lesser filmmakers would have shot in a way to just get coverage, but you feel the intentionality about the way the camera is placed and how it moves. The constant movement of the actors paired with the camera aids in this sense of urgency and panic of the characters and the world around them.

Not to mention, his work with longtime collaborator and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski is just outstanding. The grounded color palette with cool blues combined with flashing lights and glares made me think back to the aforementioned “Minority Report” in the best way possible. What resonated with me the most in this movie is its level of

sentimentality. Spielberg is known for being a bit schmaltzy at times, but especially here it works to his advantage. In a time where people are bored of ironic humor and are craving something truly authentic, he gives them that. It is rare to see a film that believes so much in itself and the world it has created.

Score: 8/10

SPORTS

Top-ranked transfer Bino Watters joins Tigers for upcoming season LSU baseball lands two new commits, loses one TRANSFER TRACKER

BY ALEX SHEESLEY Staff Writer

LSU baseball has had some early wins in the transfer portal, but its lat est add may be the big gest one it has all cycle. The Tigers landed a com mitment from outfielder Bino Watters on Wednesday morning, the rising junior announced through social media.

A target from many SEC schools, Watters chose LSU over Texas after LSU head coach Jay Johnson reportedly made a strong push to land the Michigan native.

Watters is ranked in the top five transfer portal targets from every major rating service, and he tops the list on several.

That ranking is thanks to a very strong sophomore campaign at Notre Dame where the lefty played in all 53 games and hit at a 1.057 OPS clip, driving in 51 runs and hitting 10 hom ers in a very tough ACC.

LSU got to get a look at Watters in person dur ing its early-season trip to Jacksonville; Watters earned a hit off of the Ti gers in LSU’s eventual 9-4 win.

Those results were good enough to earn Watters a selection on the First Team All-ACC honors in 2026 and for him to begin climbing draft

boards, where he’s projected currently as a late first round pick in 2027.

Now, he’ll push to take a leap forward and continue his rise in his draft year in an organization that is one of the best in the country at turning transfers into

Beyond Watters’ talent, his addition fills a critical need for the Tigers in 2027 by getting a surefire starting outfielder on the roster.

Even though draft-eligible superstar Derek Curiel has floated the idea of a 2027 return, the odds of LSU needing to replace all three of its 2026 opening day outfield starters is more likely than not. Mason Braun’s strong play in relief of the injured Jake Brown at the end of the 2026 season could be the answer for one spot, but Watters’ commitment definitely is. Watters is the third player to come to LSU out of the transfer portal this cycle. Earlier in the week, LSU landed top pitching target Landon Hood from Gonzaga and upsideheavy infielder Dawson Park from Texas

BY ALEX SHEESLEY Staff Writer

The baseball transfer portal is heating up, and LSU baseball is in the thick of the action. Recently the Tigers lost another member from their 2026 roster to the portal and landed their first two new players from it.

Ethan Clauss departs

LSU lost another name to the transfer portal last week; infielder Ethan Clauss’ exit comes after a quiet freshman season in 2026.

He appeared in 11 games last season, but was primarily limited to a role as a defensive replacement in the late innings of games. He stepped up to the plate just four times, getting one hit, a triple against Northeastern, and a lone RBI on a groundout against Kentucky.

A shortstop in high school, Clauss’ departure may be due to the logjam on the left side of the infield in 2026 while simultaneously complicating the math to possibly replace shortstop Steven Milam in 2027.

LSU lands RHP Landon Hood News of Landon Hood heading to Baton Rouge surfaced on June 4, the first add for LSU this transfer cycle.

The addition of Hood is significant after a season that saw underwhelming results. Hood was listed as one of the top arms in the 2026 transfer portal, a fine start to satisfying that need for 2027.

Hood transfers in from Gonzaga and took home West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2026. He threw 54 1/3 innings across 16 appearances — mostly in

relief — to the tune of a 2.48 ERA, mainly out of the bullpen.

His profile should make him excel under pitching coach Nate Yeskie. LSU sits tied at the top of the national leaderboard for strikeouts per nine innings with 12.1. Even without playing in the postseason, LSU is seventh in the column this year ahead of the College World Series.

Hood is a power-first, strikeoutheavy pitcher. He generated 12.9 strikeouts per nine last season at Gonzaga and can get his fastball into the upper 90s.

While his walks were far from out of hand, he hit six batters and threw eight wild pitches, both things that limited LSU pitchers from reaching their full potential. Hood won’t be draft eligible until after the 2028 season, meaning LSU will get at least two seasons with him.

SS Dawson Park commits to LSU

After Hood’s commitment, former Texas State shortstop Dawson Park announced he would be heading to LSU as well. Park entered the portal after leaving Texas State. Baggage aside, there’s no doubt that Park can play at an SEC level. The rising junior took a step forward last season, hitting 24 extrabase hits and belting 13 homers to drive home 52 runs and achieve an OPS of .962.

Park has shown skill in the field, but it’s by far his biggest area of improvement as he moves into his draft-eligible season. His fielding percentage was up last season, but he still made 10 errors across 48 games in 2026. The addition of Park helps replenish a depleted middle infield.

Star shortstop Steven Milam withdraws from the MLB draft

BY RAMI BURKS Sports Editor

LSU baseball’s search for a shortstop ended before it even began as Steven Milam announced he has withdrawn his name from the MLB draft and is staying at LSU for the 2027 season.

Multiple reports confirmed on Friday that the star shortstop has withdrawn his name from the MLB draft. Milam has been a steady staple in the Tigers’ lineup for three seasons, boasting a .305 career average at the plate. He has also been a defensive standout, making only

14 errors in three seasons.

However, his junior season at LSU was one of his lower-performing seasons at LSU, which most fans speculate is his reason for pulling out of the draft. During LSU’s tough 2026 season, Milam made four defensive errors and batted .296 while knocking in 49 runs.

During the Tigers’ roughest stint of the season, head coach Jay Johnson said that most of his challenges at the plate were just having bad luck in the batters box.

“[Milam] can’t play better shortstop,” Johnson said during a midweek press conference in April.

“I’ve never seen this before in my entire career.”

Johnson also said that Milam was struggling statistically, but not due to any mechanical or mental issues. He described the challenge by saying he wasn’t getting hits, but he wasn’t striking out significantly either. Milam was making unlucky, hard contact, and getting out.

Milam’s return to the Alex Box Stadium and LSU in 2027 will be crucial to the Tigers’ goal of a third national championship under Johnson. With four staples of the lineup graduating or moving on to the big leagues, retaining Milam at shortstop will be great for the program’s leadership and expectations, as well as the outcome of future games.

LEAVING LSU

Eight LSU softball players have entered the transfer portal so far

BY RAMI BURKS Sports Editor

LSU softball had eight players enter the transfer portal after the 2026 season ended in a heartbreaking loss to Alabama in the NCAA Super Regional round.

The Tigers showcased significant growth in the 2026 season, and many fans were excited to see where the veteran players would take the program in 2027. This expectation crumbled after several returning players announced they were entering the transfer portal before it even opened.

The first Tiger to enter the transfer portal was Maddox McKee. McKee is entering her senior season and committed to Texas A&M on Wednesday. While at

LSU, she pushed her way into the starting lineup several times during her freshman and sophomore years as an infielder and outfielder.

During her freshman campaign, she started at third base after Danieca Coffey’s seasonending ACL injury. Her sophomore year was a mix of defensive and offensive production from second base, left field and the designated player position.

However, McKee couldn’t crack the starting lineup in 2026, and as the first LSU player to enter the transfer portal, she probably was thinking about this happening during her senior years well.

Jada Phillips was the second LSU softball player to enter the transfer portal. Phillips’ primary position is catcher, and she would have been very fitting in the catcher position after Maci Bergeron graduated in Spring

FOOTBALL

However, she entered the portal on May 31 and has not yet named her next university.

The first widely-known player to enter the portal was Jayden Heavener on June 1.

Heavener announced on Saturday that she will be heading to Texas Tech. .

Destiny Harris also entered the portal on June 1 after two seasons at LSU. She wasn’t a consistent starter, but she managed to boast a .304 career batting average at LSU. LSU softball’s head coach Beth Torina has said that Harris is the fastest Tiger on the roster.

Harris also hasn’t revealed where she will be going for her junior season.

The second well-known player is redshirt sophomore Tori Edwards. Edwards had a breakout season in her redshirt freshman year. Hitting 18 home runs and batting 73 runs. In her sophomore year, she hit 12 home runs and scored 45 RBI. Her bat was a staple in the LSU lineup during both seasons.

However, Edwards has not announced her commitment for 2027.

Freshman pitcher Lauryn Soeken did not have an appearance at LSU, but received a

Heavener was the first lefthanded LSU pitcher since 2008, and she quickly made herself a big part of the LSU pitching rotation from her first outing. In the first appearance of her career, Heavener threw a perfect game against Charlotte on Feb. 7, 2025.

redshirt for the season. She is entering the por tal with no LSU stats, but she did win a USSSA Gold Glove award in high school.

Soeken also hasn’t an nounced the next stop in her collegiate career.

Gradie Appling was the next Tiger to enter the transfer portal. Appling was a freshman in the 2026 season, and she played in eight games. She recorded three hits dur ing her freshman season, and she has not said where she will be go ing for the remain der of her colle giate career.

The final Tiger to enter the portal as of June 2 was Jadyn Laneaux. Laneaux’s best season at LSU was her sophomore season. She started 52 games that season, batting .307; She didn’t play in 2026, presum ably for an injury.

Laneaux has not announced where she will be going for 2027. Neither LSU athletics nor the softball team has given a cause for the mass migration in early June. LSU athletic direc tor, Verge Ausberry, said that Torina’s spot as head coach

is safe. What began an offseason of hope for fans has shattered, and the 2027 season appears as uncertain as the 2026 season did in the beginning.

LSU football adds four commits ahead of early signing day

BY ALEX SHEESLEY Staff Writer

LSU football and head coach Lane Kiffin have pushed hard on the recruiting trail, and it is paying off.

The program is hosting a number of top recruits on its official visits to LSU, and the Tigers landed a pair of commitments off of these visits on June 7: five-star edge rusher KJ Green and three-star running back Brennen Lacey.

The Tigers landed another two recruits on June 8, getting commitments from Markez Davis and Cade Cooper.

KJ Green is ranked as the eighth best recruit in the country by 247 Sports and announced his commitment through social media on Sunday. The Georgia native chose LSU over Oregon, Texas and Alabama.

“All Aboard The Lane Train,” Green captioned his post.

He also rounds out what is an incredible group of young defensive linemen. If he signs, Green would join blue chip 2026 signees Richard Anderson, Deuce Geralds and Lamar Brown on the defensive front in time for the 2027 season.

Sunday also saw three-star running back Lacey commit to LSU. Lacey is the first running back in this recruiting class to commit to LSU in the 2026.

Lacey is fairly new to his position and played as a skill utility option during his last season in high school, perhaps contributing to his modest rating. He carries plenty of talent, though, and chose LSU over a glut of other schools, including Florida, Miami, Notre Dame, TCU, Texas Tech and Ohio State.

Markez Davis is a three-star athlete from Opelousas, Louisiana, and is ranked by 247Sports as Louisiana’s 15th best recruit in the class of 2027. LSU hosted him for an official visit on May 29 after extending him an offer earlier that month.

Coming off of a visit with Houston the weekend before, Davis made his decision to stay at home to continue his athletic career. He described LSU as his dream school while speaking with 247Sports.

“Every kid dreams of going to LSU. Nothing is bigger than LSU,” Davis said.

Davis played on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and cornerback in high school.

It appears that LSU will elect to utilize him as a defensive back, incorporating LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond in its efforts to recruit Davis.

The Tigers also landed the commitment of three-star wide receiver Cade Cooper. Cooper is ranked in the top 20 of wideouts in his home state of Pennsylvania and in the top 80 in his position nationally.

Cooper had generated interest from several powerhouse schools, including Ole Miss, Notre Dame and Auburn. Cooper had taken a trip to Oxford, Mississippi, for an official visit with the Rebels to end May, but LSU’s push to start the month was enough to turn the tables and get a commitment

Cooper was impressed by the style of play at LSU, historically a wide receiver-producing powerhouse, and LSU has a current wide receiver corps that lives up to that lineage. While speaking about his decision with 247Sports, Cooper also noted that even with the large amount of talent at his position he’s not worried about a logjam of talent holding his opportunities back.

“I think they spread the ball

around enough where you could have two receivers pushing for 1,000 [yards] and another two pushing for 700 [yards],” Cooper said.

There are still six months left

until early signing day, leaving plenty of time for LSU to add to its first recruiting haul under Kiffin. Still, the early returns in the cycle have been promising for the Tigers.

OPINION

Young directors are saving the face of Hollywood horror

WARREN’S WAY

JEANNE WARREN

Columnist

In 2025, the global film industry had an annual revenue of nearly $34 billion. Despite this, viewers worldwide seem to have their fair share of issues about the industry as a whole. More specifically, who directs them.

People are tired of endless reboots, remakes and rewinds. It seems that the horror genre specifically tends to have the same cookie-cutter plots. Viewers are tired of masked killers, overused gore and predictable jumpscares. Much of this can be attributed to studios reusing the same directors, with those older directors then recycling the same plots and ideas conned from other films.

Among all of this, however, a new wave of younger directors has created blockbuster movies with their innovative ideas.

Recently, “Backrooms” and “Obsession” have performed exceptionally well at the box office despite being directed by generally young and “inexperi-

enced” filmmakers.

Kane Parsons was a teenager with a camera and a Wi-Fi connection when he started filming “Backrooms” on YouTube. He didn’t have top-of-the-line equipment, a crew or a budget.

He wasn’t coming out of a prestigious film school either. He just had a passion for cinema and decided to share that hobby online. Then A24, one of the most prominent labels in modern cinema, called.

Parsons hadn’t even finished high school. Thanks to platforms like YouTube, young directors can be scouted due to online exposure. Additionally, there is a digital footprint of these directors’ trial and error, as well as their success.

This footprint fosters a closer connection between creator and viewer that isn’t seen in the more traditional old guard of cinema. It makes movies so much more personal and compelling.

These young directors are becoming the new voices of horror and were trained by the unforgiving feedback loop of social media, the internet and fandom spaces — which, to me, sounds scarier than any horror

movie around.

They bring a new, raw talent to horror that film school can’t necessarily teach: years of real feedback from real people in real time. The results are undeniable.

Parsons attracted millions of views online from his series. For years, he learned how to build dread and simultaneously have people lean into it instead of looking away.

“Obsession,” a new and wildly popular horror film, also encompassed this perfectly. This film was made on a $1 million budget and has grossed more than 80 times that at the box office. Mathematically, it is a 7,900% return on investment.

These two movies are just one strain of this upcoming horror movement. In a world where people scroll through 15-second shorts every single day, these creators know how to quickly hook an audience. If they didn’t, those people would’ve already clicked onto something else.

Another group, Corridor Digital, built a massive following on YouTube with its intense horror concepts, which caught the eye of studio executives.

Australian twins Danny and Michael Philippou, better known online as RackaRacka, made high-energy YouTube shorts, which boosted their reputation in Hollywood. They spent years creating these action-packed horror-comedy videos on YouTube before directing “Talk to Me.” This, like “Backrooms,” was released through A24.

These directors have proven that the future of cinema doesn’t have to be a repeated cycle. The future of cinema belongs to anyone with a passion for film and a camera. Young directors have become underdogs and idols for young adults everywhere.

This trend continues to expand past these recent breakout stars. David F. Sandberg first gained attention online with his short horror film “Lights Out,” which later became a Hollywood feature and propelled his career further.

What makes these directors so unique is that there isn’t a shared style of directing, despite them generally being in the horror genre. Instead, they built their craft in the public eye with massive amounts of scrutiny along the way. They learned

how to make everything with nothing: limited money, limited equipment and limited time. With such scarce resources, they had to think outside the box.

What these creatives have discovered is that fear of the unknown can often be scarier than showing the villain on screen. The scariest thing ends up being what you can almost see, not what you normally see, like your everyday horror movie villain. These talented directors are able to work with significantly less funding, but provide the same shock value, if not more.

These directors, now that they’re given more resources, are able to bring new aspects to cinema because they’ve been working with almost nothing for years and found a way to make it scary anyway.

This new wave of talented directors will carry the flame of cinema into a fresher era. For young adults everywhere, these new filmmakers are an inspiration.

Jeanne Warren is a 20-year-old mass communications major from Baton Rouge, La.

Editorial

EDITORIAL BOARD

Laura Allen Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor Garrett McEntee

Sports Editor Rami Burks

Emily Boudreaux Production Editor