‘Forbidden Fruits’ Delivers Campy Horror and a Powerful Performance from Lili Reinhart

Forbidden Fruits, a 2026 American comedy horror film, premiered at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 16, 2026, and was released on March 27, 2026, by Independent Film Company and Shudder. The film stars Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Chamberlain, and Gabrielle Union.

A Witchy Tale in a Mall Setting

Directed by Meredith Alloway, and co-written by Alloway and Lily Houghton, Forbidden Fruits is based on Houghton’s stage play, Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die. The film centers around Apple, an employee at a Free Eden store, who secretly leads a “witchy femme cult” with fellow employees Cherry and Fig. The dynamic is disrupted by the arrival of a new hire, Pumpkin, who challenges the group’s established order, forcing them to confront their internal conflicts and a potentially deadly fate.

Lili Reinhart on Embracing a Complex Character

Lili Reinhart, known for her role in Riverdale, spoke with Deadline about her experience portraying Apple. She described the character as a significant departure from her previous work, noting Apple’s “control, manipulative” nature and “powerful” presence. Reinhart emphasized the collaborative process, highlighting the extensive research and creative input involved in developing the character, including a 200-pin Pinterest board and close work with the costume designer, Sarah Millman. Reinhart stated, “I wanted to play a b-tch named Apple.”

SXSW Premiere and Critical Reception

The film’s premiere at SXSW generated buzz, with reviews highlighting its blend of horror, comedy, and exploration of toxic feminist themes within a nostalgic mall culture setting. A review in Deadline described the film as Meredith Alloway’s “fun camp debut.”

Cast and Crew

• Directed by: Meredith Alloway
• Screenplay by: Lily Houghton and Meredith Alloway
• Based on: Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die by Lily Houghton
• Starring: Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Chamberlain, Gabrielle Union
• Cinematography: Karim Hussain
• Edited by: Hanna Park
• Music by: Anna Drubich
• Production Companies: MXN Entertainment, Quadrant Motion Pictures, Lollipop Woods
• Distributed by: Independent Film Company, Shudder
• Running Time: 104 minutes