[Trailer] Popeye the Slayer Man: A Terrifying New Twist on a Classic Icon

On March 21, 2025, Vantage Media will release director Robert Michael Ryan’s anticipated horror film Popeye the Slayer Man in theaters and on VOD, which brings a terrifying new twist to a beloved icon. Since its announcement, the film has created tremendous excitement and ensures a spine-chilling adventure through its inventive transformation of Popeye. 

The horror film Popeye the Slayer Man, a joint effort by Salem House Films, Millman Productions, Ron Lee Productions, and Otsego Media, combines practical horror effects with a gripping narrative to deliver a fresh, terrifying representation of the classic sailor.

Sean Michael Conway and Elena Juliano team up with scream queens Angela Relucio and Sarah Nicklin to portray a group of friends who enter an abandoned spinach canning factory to discover the truth about ‘The Sailor Man” legend before realizing it truly exists.

Ryan, together with producers Jeff Miller and Cuyle Carvin, uses the ’70s and ’80s horror techniques alongside practical effects to deliver a thrilling experience for audiences. Ensure you experience one of the most anticipated film releases of 2025.

Check out the official press release below:

Director Robert Michael Ryan’s much buzzed-about horror feature Popeye the Slayer Man is set to sail into theaters and on VOD via Vantage Media on March 21, 2025.

Directed by Ryan from a screenplay by John Doolan (Remains), the horror feature was filmed in New York State and is a co-production between Salem House Films, Millman Productions, Ron Lee Productions, and Otsego Media.  Jeff Miller (The Toybox), Cuyle Carvin (Ouija Witch), and Ryan also contributed to the story.  Producers include – along with Miller, Carvin, and Ryan – Alexander Tucker, Nathan Todaro, and Alysa Blasetti.

Reads the synopsis for Popeye the Slayer Man, “A group of friends sneak into an abandoned spinach canning factory to film a documentary on the legend of ‘The Sailor Man,’ who is said to haunt the factory and local docks, only to find out that the legend is all-too true.”

Popeye the Slayer Man stars Sean Michael Conway, Elena Juliano, Mabel Thomas, Marie-Louise Boisnier, Jeff Thomas, and Steven McCormack, along with “scream queens” Angela Relucio (Code Black, The Cabining) and Sarah Nicklin (The Black Mass, Garden of Eden). 

Jason Stephens plays the title role. 

Special makeup effects are supervised by R.J. Young with cinematography by Korey Rowe.

Said Ryan of Popeye the Slayer Man, a film which has been featured on Drudge Report, CBS News and outlets around the world since its announcement in November of 2024, “We went old-school with this movie, using practical effects for the horror. I wanted this film to have a more visceral feel reminiscent of the classic horror films of the ‘70s and ‘80s.” 

Added Miller, “We hope audiences will have as much fun with this movie as we had making it.  Grab a can of spinach, sit back, and enjoy!”

Said VMI Worldwide COO and Head of Acquisitions Jessica Russo, who negotiated the deal, “Popeye the Slayer Man’s dark reimagining of the classic Popeye character delivers a fresh take on a beloved icon that audiences will die for.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries