Kelly Marie Tran Battles a Parasitic Demon in Trailer for Hulu’s Control Freak
In the context of a horror movie, repetitive actions and seemingly inconsequential health problems are never a good sign. So forgive us for getting a little anxious about all the back-of-head scratching in the newly released trailer for Hulu’s upcoming original horror film Control Freak, but it’s painfully clear that no good will come of it. Perhaps we have a Malignant-inspired reveal in store for us, if Hulu has the guts to go that far? Regardless, the Kelly Marie Tran-starring horror film hits the streamer on March 13, 2025.
Control Freak stars Tran as a successful and camera-ready motivational speaker/influencer who seems to be stalked by some kind of demonic force linked to her cultural background, manifesting as an itch that just can’t get sufficiently scratched. Or as the official synopsis puts it:
“A motivational speaker is tormented by an unrelenting itch on the back of her head. This intriguing premise leads into a terrifying journey as she battles a parasitic demon from her homeland, bringing a fresh and thrilling perspective to the horror genre.”
Control Freak is directed by Shal Ngo, who is essentially adapting his own short from “Control,” which aired in 2021 during the second season of Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween. This is Ngo’s sophomore film, after 2023’s Lord of the Flies-style free-for-all The Park. It’s also a starring opportunity for Star Wars alumnus Tran, who memorably portrayed Rose Tico in Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi before having her role significantly downgraded in The Rise of Skywalker as Johnson and J.J. Abrams engaged in an incredibly petty game of franchise demolishment. Tran subsequently voiced the title character of Raya and the Last Dragon as well.
The actual trailer for Control Freak, which you can watch below, does feel a bit on the rote side for the current shape of the horror genre–like a diet Hereditary, although presumably with some kind of Vietnamese mythological accoutrement. Still, it all does feel rather familiar–although structuring some of the horror imagery around ants is a nice touch that could give the film a weird, squirmy niche. Check out the trailer below–Control Freak arrives on March 13, 2025.