The horror film, Night of the Reaper, is directed by Brandon Christensen and was released on Shudder on September 19, 2025. The film features Jessica Clement as the protagonist Deena, with supporting roles played by Ryan Robbins, Summer H. Howell, and Matty Finochio. The film's plot is set in a quiet 1980s suburb.
It follows college student Deena as she reluctantly takes a babysitting job. This same night, a local sheriff receives a cryptic package, forcing him on a sinister scavenger hunt to find a killer known as the Reaper. Deena's babysitting job turns into a struggle for survival as the mystery grows and she finds herself in the middle of a terrible game of survival.
The film's ending reveals that the entire series of events is an elaborate revenge scheme orchestrated by two characters with a shared history of grief, whose true identities are tied to a past, unresolved crime. Deena lures the killer, Elizabeth Talbot, to a house to avenge the murder of her sister, Emily. It is also revealed that Elizabeth's accomplice is Chad, who filmed all the murders on VHS tapes.
Night of the Reaper ending explained: Who is the killer and what It really means

The plot of Night of the Reaper is set in the 1980s. It takes place in a seemingly peaceful suburb, centers on Deena (Jessica Clement), a college student who has returned home and unwillingly accepts a last-minute babysitting job, unaware that a terrifying and carefully orchestrated sequence of events is taking place in her neighborhood.
Simultaneously, the local sheriff, Rodney "Rod" Arnold (Ryan Robbins), receives a cryptic package, a series of clues on VHS tapes, that pulls him into a desperate scavenger hunt. The recordings reveal gruesome murders committed by a mysterious figure in a Grim Reaper mask, suggesting a connection to an earlier, unsolved crime.
The two storylines build chaos as Deena's night of babysitting becomes a fight for survival, while Sheriff Arnold races to decipher the killer's macabre puzzle before another victim falls. Initially, the killer is a singular, supernatural-like threat, but as the plot progresses, it is revealed that the horror is far more personal and calculated. Ultimately, it is shown that the “Reaper” is not one, but two killers with a shared, deeply personal agenda.
It turns out that the main killer in Night of the Reaper is actually Elizabeth Talbot (Keegan Connor Tracy), a forest services official who has been thoroughly organizing a series of killings with the motive of revenge. Her accomplice is a young man named Chad (Ben Cockell), who has been recording the heinous acts on VHS tapes. Additionally, they aren't random killers, they are systematically targeting people they hold responsible for past tragedies.

The clues sent to Sheriff Arnold were not just a taunt; they were a deliberate attempt to lead him on a wild goose chase, keeping him occupied while the killers carried out their bloody scheme. The Night of the Reaper conclusion unfolds in a tense confrontation where Deena, having discovered the killer's identity, manages to lure Elizabeth to a house.
It also becomes clear that Deena's purpose for doing so is quite personal: she wants to exact revenge for the death of her sister Emily Goulding, who was one of the murderers' victims. Notably, Deena had been sending the tapes to Sheriff Arnold herself, using him as a pawn to expose and ultimately trap the killers. Deena confronts Elizabeth; however, their debate is interrupted by a sudden, violent turn of events.
Chad's walkie-talkie, which he was using to communicate with Elizabeth, explodes, and kills him. With her accomplice dead and her plan in jeopardy, Elizabeth tries to kill Deena when Sheriff Arnold arrives and shoots her dead. The ending of Night of the Reaper gives no clean resolution.
Instead, it concludes with a chilling understanding between Deena and Sheriff Arnold, as he fabricates the police report to cover up the details of the night, reporting Elizabeth as "missing" and planting Chad's body at her house. The film ends with Deena and Sheriff Arnold sharing a dark secret, having both found their own ways to grieve and remember their loved ones.
Night of the Reaper was released on September 19, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.