We are excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition. These exceptional short screenplays and short stories were selected from over 1,000 submissions. Congratulations!
Browse loglines and request to read unproduced horror short screenplays and stories in the new Killer Shorts Script Directory.
Main Category
Overall Winner
THE COCKATRICE by Taylor Shofner
A cocky salesman attempts to scam a lonely woman in her strange suburban home, but his routine pitch is derailed when he hears a terrible sound coming from the back of her house.
“Really cool world-building and 3D characters. Taylor Shofner definitely knows how to weave a compelling story.” – Jed Shepherd, Writer (Host, Dashcam)
“As if going door to door speaking to strangers wasn’t scary enough, salesman Randy Rundus learns that he is no king-of-the-con in the face of his next customer. Taylor Shofner’s The Cockatrice will genuinely surprise you.” – Chelsea Lupkin, Sr. Programmer (Short of the Week)
“It’s weird, funny, specific, and memorable. This is a writer with real potential.” – Aaron B. Koontz, Producer (Paper Street Pictures)
“Gloriously unhinged and clever. Completely well written beginning to end and wonderfully visual.” – Melody Cooper, Writer (Two Sentence Horror Stories, Law & Order: SVU)
“Such a scary, smart, fun, and hilarious ride… I’d be excited to watch the short film whenever it is made.” – Xavier Burgin, Director (Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror)
2nd Place Winner
ANSWER MAN by Lucy Foster
Maisie thinks the Answer Man is just a silly slumber party game, but when a mysterious man appears on the other end of her phone, she begins to worry that it is actually something much, much more…
“Urban legend gone horrifically wrong, Lucy Foster’s Answer Man is a disturbing coming-of-age about girlhood and the importance of loyalty. To me, this feels like the 2026 update we all needed to this kind of genre flick.” – Chelsea Lupkin, Sr. Programmer (Short of the Week)
3rd Place Winner
WHAT REMAINS by Sam Das
After mercy-killing her terminally ill husband, a grieving woman seduces an old flame—only to ensnare him in a deadly ritual where desire fuels resurrection.
“We need more stories like this.” – Jed Shepherd, Writer (Host, Dashcam)
“There’s a fine line between horror and love story in Sam Das’s What Remains and you won’t know whether or not to feel disgusted or sentimental about it.” – Chelsea Lupkin, Sr. Programmer (Short of the Week)
1-Page Category
Overall Winner
GUESS AGAIN by Liam Fitzpatrick
A simple game of cups between a boy and his cruel grandfather takes a deadly turn.
2nd Place Winner
WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY by TJ Berry
When a man’s smart home refuses to let him leave until he achieves his “ideal” body, his pursuit of perfection spirals into a nightmarish struggle between flesh, willpower, and programming.
3rd Place Winner
NOTHING YET by Colby Helton
A relentless ghost hunter goes to extreme lengths to prove there is life after death.
Short Story (Prose) Category
Overall Winner
DOGGY IN THE WINDOW by Akuorkor Allotey
Dogs love unconditionally. Buddy is no exception, though his murderous owner leaves much to be desired.
2nd Place Winner
TEXAS TEA by Brooke Solomon
An oil man’s prodigal daughter visits home, unprepared for the toll her family’s lineage wishes to extract from her young son.
3rd Place Winner
RENDERED SPEECHLESS by Shannon Weston
A wife’s devotion turns sinister when she learns of her husband’s indiscretion.
We’d like to thank again our esteemed jury that included: literary managers John Zaozirny (Bellevue Productions) and Glenn Cockburn (Meridian Artists); author and educator Tananarive Due, creative director Sophie Carroll (ALTER), senior programmer Chelsea Lupkin (Short of the Week), horror filmmakers and producers Julian Terry, Jed Shepherd, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Xavier Burgin, Jenn Wexler, Aaron B. Koontz, Melody Cooper, and Jason Tamasco; plus legendary horror icons Barbara Crampton and Gregory Nicotero.
Congratulations to these winning writers, and thank you to our judges and to everyone who submitted projects. You may now Submit to Season 8, browse The Scream List, or Purchase Feedback On Your Short Script. Get exclusive contest updates via Substack.
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