Bite Club: Barbara Crampton Stars in New Vampire Horror Series Premiering October 27

Bite Club Brings Vampire Horror to a New Generation

Vampires have been terrifying and seducing audiences for generations, but a new supernatural horror series is preparing to bring the creatures of the night to an entirely different format.

Bite Club, a new vampire thriller starring horror favourites Barbara Crampton and Russell Todd, is set to launch exclusively on the vertTV mobile app on 27 October 2026.

Directed by Sam Irvin and written by Michael Varrati, the series combines a mysterious university murder, a secret society and centuries-old vampire bloodlines.

However, what makes Bite Club particularly unusual is how audiences will experience it.

Rather than following the traditional television format, the production has been created as a vertical micro-drama, with short episodes designed specifically for smartphone viewing.

The series made its festival debut at New York City's inaugural ALZA Festival on 17 October, giving audiences an early opportunity to experience the complete story before its mobile release.

And with two familiar faces from the cult horror classic Chopping Mall reuniting, the project has an additional attraction for longtime genre fans.

What Is Bite Club About?

The story takes place at Weddington University, an elite academic institution harbouring a terrifying secret.

A scholarship student arrives at the university determined to uncover the truth behind the suspicious murder of her best friend.

However, her investigation leads her into a dangerous world hidden beneath the institution's prestigious reputation.

At the centre of the mystery is The Crimson Circle, a secret society concealing ancient vampire bloodlines.

As the student attempts to discover who was responsible for her friend's death, she becomes increasingly entangled in the society's secrets.

Complicating matters further are two mysterious individuals.

One is a fellow student who appears to be hiding something important.

The other is a charismatic insider whose connection to The Crimson Circle runs much deeper than initially suspected.

Caught between dangerous secrets, forbidden attraction and an investigation that could cost her life, the protagonist must determine whom she can trust.

The premise combines elements of vampire horror, murder mystery and dark academia, a style of storytelling that frequently explores sinister secrets within prestigious educational institutions.

Rather than focusing entirely on supernatural violence, Bite Club appears designed to balance suspense, romance and an unfolding conspiracy.

Barbara Crampton and Russell Todd Reunite After Chopping Mall

One of the biggest attractions for established horror audiences is the reunion of Barbara Crampton and Russell Todd.

The actors previously appeared together in the 1986 cult classic Chopping Mall, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Directed by Jim Wynorski, that film follows a group of young shopping-centre employees who find themselves trapped inside a mall after its robotic security system malfunctions.

What begins as an evening of partying quickly turns into a fight for survival as the supposedly protective robots become deadly.

Although Chopping Mall was produced as a low-budget science-fiction horror film, it gradually developed a devoted following.

Its combination of practical effects, outrageous violence and distinctly 1980s atmosphere helped establish it as a favourite among fans of cult horror.

Four decades later, Crampton and Todd are sharing the screen again.

This time, however, the threat comes from vampires rather than malfunctioning machines.

The reunion provides a nostalgic connection for older horror audiences while introducing both performers to viewers who may be unfamiliar with their earlier work.

Their precise roles within Bite Club have not been detailed in the available announcement, leaving their connection to the vampire society as something audiences will discover when the series arrives.

Barbara Crampton's Horror Legacy

Barbara Crampton has enjoyed one of the most enduring careers in modern horror.

She became a genre favourite through her performances in several influential films during the 1980s, particularly those associated with director Stuart Gordon.

Her appearance in Re-Animator (1985) helped establish her reputation among horror enthusiasts.

Based loosely on the work of H. P. Lovecraft, the film follows medical student Herbert West and his increasingly horrifying experiments involving the reanimation of dead tissue.

Crampton portrayed Megan Halsey, a character caught in the middle of West's disturbing obsession.

The film became a cult classic thanks to its combination of extreme practical effects, dark humour and outrageous performances.

She subsequently appeared in From Beyond (1986), another Stuart Gordon production inspired by Lovecraft's fiction.

Other notable horror credits include Castle Freak, You're Next, We Are Still Here, Jakob's Wife and Suitable Flesh.

Throughout her career, Crampton has remained closely associated with independent horror, frequently supporting emerging filmmakers and unconventional genre projects.

Her involvement in Bite Club continues that tradition.

While the series uses a newer form of storytelling, its connection to established horror talent provides a bridge between the genre's past and its evolving future.

Russell Todd Returns to Vampire Horror

Russell Todd is another familiar name for fans of classic horror cinema.

He is particularly well known for portraying Scott in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981).

The sequel introduced audiences to an early version of Jason Voorhees as the franchise's central killer, helping establish the formula that would define many later instalments.

Todd also appeared in Chopping Mall, where he played Rick, one of the young people attempting to survive the shopping centre's deadly security robots.

His reunion with Crampton in Bite Club is therefore especially appealing for viewers who remember the era of video-store horror.

While the actors' involvement is an obvious attraction, the series also introduces several younger performers who will help carry its central mystery.

Who Stars in Bite Club?

Alongside Barbara Crampton and Russell Todd, the principal cast includes Casie Maghran, Jonah Walker and Kyle Michael.

The confirmed cast brings together performers representing different generations of screen entertainment.

The younger actors are positioned within the university-based story, which centres on dangerous secrets, relationships and supernatural intrigue.

The inclusion of experienced horror performers provides an additional connection to the genre's history.

However, detailed character descriptions for the entire cast have not been publicly confirmed.

For now, the official synopsis concentrates on the unnamed scholarship student, her murdered friend and the mysterious members of The Crimson Circle.

Those relationships appear likely to drive the series' central conflict.

Sam Irvin Directs the New Vampire Thriller

Bite Club is directed by Sam Irvin, a filmmaker whose career spans horror, comedy, television and independent cinema.

Horror audiences may recognise his work on Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001), the gothic horror comedy starring Cassandra Peterson as her iconic character Elvira.

The film affectionately parodies traditional haunted-castle movies and the elaborate gothic productions associated with earlier generations of horror cinema.

Irvin also directed episodes of the supernatural television series Dante's Cove, which blended horror, fantasy and romantic drama.

His broader career includes numerous television films and other productions across several genres.

That experience could prove useful for Bite Club, particularly because the series needs to establish characters, develop relationships and deliver dramatic developments within unusually short episodes.

The director's familiarity with gothic storytelling and heightened genre entertainment makes him an interesting choice for a vampire mystery built around secret societies and forbidden attraction.

Michael Varrati Writes Bite Club

The screenplay comes from Michael Varrati, a writer, filmmaker and horror commentator with a longstanding connection to genre entertainment.

Varrati has worked across horror television, independent filmmaking and genre-related programming.

He is also associated with The Boulet Brothers' Dragula, the horror-themed competition series combining drag performance, alternative culture and elaborate monster-inspired imagery.

His involvement suggests that Bite Club is being developed by creators familiar with the traditions and expectations of horror audiences.

The series has been produced by a team including Jeffrey Schenck, Peter Sullivan, Brian Nolan, Barry Barnholtz and Ben Rosenthal.

Together, the production team is bringing vampire storytelling into a format that has become increasingly popular with mobile audiences.

What Is a Vertical Micro-Drama?

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Bite Club is its presentation.

Unlike conventional television programmes, which are usually produced for widescreen displays, vertical micro-dramas are filmed in portrait orientation.

This means the image is designed to fill a smartphone screen when the device is held upright.

The format has grown rapidly in popularity, particularly through short-form drama platforms and mobile entertainment services.

Episodes are typically much shorter than conventional television instalments, often lasting between one and three minutes.

Rather than spending forty minutes or an hour developing a single episode, creators must establish the situation, introduce conflict and deliver a compelling reason to continue watching in a fraction of that time.

This frequently results in stories built around cliffhangers, sudden revelations and emotionally charged confrontations.

The format has become especially popular with romance, melodrama and mystery productions.

However, Bite Club represents an attempt to bring a more recognisable supernatural horror story into that environment.

The series is being promoted as a production aimed at younger viewers interested in dark academia, vampire mythology and suspense.

Could Vertical Horror Become More Popular?

Horror has always adapted to new technologies and viewing habits.

From theatrical releases and television broadcasts to VHS, DVD and streaming services, the genre has repeatedly found new ways to reach audiences.

Vertical micro-dramas represent another potential development.

For filmmakers, the format creates unusual creative challenges.

Traditional horror frequently relies on carefully composed widescreen images, background details and the gradual build-up of tension.

A portrait-shaped frame changes how scenes must be constructed.

Characters occupy more of the available space, while filmmakers have less room to establish threats lurking at the edges of the image.

However, the narrower format could also create opportunities.

Close-up performances, confined environments and sudden appearances may become particularly effective when presented on a smartphone screen.

The short running times could encourage creators to concentrate on immediate tension and frequent surprises.

Whether that approach can sustain the atmosphere and character development associated with memorable vampire stories remains an open question.

Bite Club will provide an interesting example of how the format might work for supernatural horror.

Bite Club Premiered at the ALZA Festival

Before its mobile release, Bite Club received a festival presentation at the inaugural ALZA Festival in New York City.

The festival is dedicated to vertical storytelling and the growing world of micro-drama entertainment.

The screening took place on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at AMC 19th Street.

The festival programme listed the production with a total running time of approximately 67 minutes, providing audiences with an opportunity to experience the story as a longer presentation rather than individual short instalments.

The screening was also accompanied by a planned question-and-answer session with the creators.

Its inclusion in a festival dedicated to the format highlights the increasing interest in vertical productions as a distinct form of screen entertainment.

Rather than treating them simply as disposable social-media content, events such as ALZA are attempting to establish micro-dramas as a legitimate storytelling medium.

When and Where Can You Watch Bite Club?

Bite Club premieres exclusively on the vertTV mobile app on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.

The series is designed for smartphone viewing, with episodes presented in a vertical format.

Its festival debut took place on 17 October, ten days before the scheduled app release.

The announced launch date is confirmed, although specific details about UK availability, subscription requirements and whether all episodes will be released simultaneously have not been established in the reporting available at publication.

UK viewers should therefore check the platform's availability before assuming they will be able to watch the series on launch day.

An official teaser trailer has also been released, providing an early look at the production's visual style and supernatural mystery.

A New Chapter for Vampire Horror?

Vampires remain among the most adaptable creatures in horror.

Over the decades, they have appeared as terrifying monsters, tragic immortals, seductive aristocrats and members of elaborate supernatural societies.

Bite Club continues that tradition by placing ancient vampire bloodlines inside a modern university setting.

Its story combines familiar genre ingredients, including a suspicious murder, forbidden attraction and a secret organisation hiding dangerous truths.

What distinguishes the production is its delivery.

By embracing vertical storytelling, the creators are attempting to introduce vampire horror to audiences accustomed to consuming entertainment through short, mobile-friendly episodes.

The reunion of Barbara Crampton and Russell Todd adds a welcome connection to the genre's history, while director Sam Irvin and writer Michael Varrati bring experience with supernatural and cult entertainment.

Whether the format becomes a lasting home for horror remains to be seen.

However, Bite Club offers an intriguing opportunity to explore how traditional genre storytelling can evolve for a different generation of viewers.

Bite Club launches on vertTV on 27 October 2026, following its festival premiere in New York City on 17 October.