Lesbian Influencers Wreak Havoc Post-Cancellation in The Rebrand (PANIC)
Title: The Rebrand
First Non-Festival Release: TBD
Director: Kaye Adelaide
Writer: Kaye Adelaide, Nancy Webb
Runtime: 79 Minutes
Starring: Naomi Silver-Vézina, Andi E McQueen, Nancy Webb
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Panic Film Festival in 2025.
What happens in real life and on social media has long been dissected by film, especially influencer related horror films, for the last decade or so. There’s plenty of takes on the baffling nature of this second reality that brings out the worst in people. The Rebrand may not have much new to say in that space, but it does offer some interesting ideas on how this affects a smaller community: the lesbian community.
Eight months pregnant, Nicole (Naomi Silver-Vézina) takes a job with popular influencer couple Blair (Andi E McQueen) and Thistle (Nancy Webb) to shoot a rebrand documentary following their recent cancellation. The shoot starts awkward enough with a few social faux pas but Nicole soon learns that there is more bubbling beneath the surface of the seemingly perfect lifestyle creators. Her discomfort turns to fear when one half of the couple continues to escalate her behavior until it turns deadly.
Hilarious queer found footage film The Rebrand makes familiar story engaging with unpredictable characters.
To make a good found footage film, you either need an interesting hook with its story or characters, and thankfully The Rebrand has both. In an age where the concept of cancellation exists, the visceral horror of being mass rejected by the public is a new concept for the average person compared to any point in history. Blair and Thistle are understandably wanting to course correct to sway public opinion, even though it is entirely their faults: Thistle for making derogatory comments in the first place and Blair for not having the brains to turn off the damn livestream. The idea that their brains may be savagely re-wired after the humiliation of being cancelled makes for an interesting, if not hilarious villain origin story. From there, The Rebrand recalibrates and follows a more familiar story.
While its low budget charm lands sometimes, The Rebrand does find itself stumbling through typical found footage failings. Nicole cannot help herself from filming for the fat paycheck, even when the weirdness on display is evident. Unlike movies like Creep, where the antagonist deftly uses charm and manipulation tactics to coax his victim into staying, Thistle, the more domineering of the couple, steamrolls Nicole. Sure, there are a few reasons why Nicole can’t just leave without explanation but when it gets to her breaking point the ship has already long sailed. There are many moments in The Rebrand where the story doesn’t quite flow well, especially after threats of violence are made. Believability can always be a hard sell in horror, but in The Rebrand it’s not closing any deals with how many times it seemingly passes that line of no return.
Without its three capable leads, The Rebrand would not hit as well as it does, especially in its more comedic moments. Mostly behind the camera, Naomi Silver-Vézina gives the right amount of trepidation and professionalism to make Nicole feel real, from her need for money to her generally nice demeanor. This niceness is particularly tested by Nancy Webb’s diabolical Thistle. Webb is clearly having a ball playing the psychotic influencer, making every slight, jab, and attack drip with the sickly-sweet venom anyone online can correlate to influencers like her. Andi E McQueen has a harder job playing the aloof but suspiciously brooding Blair. McQueen does it well enough to put on and take off suspicion from Blair. While the trio is mostly on the same page, there are a few moments throughout The Rebrand where they do fall short. The comedic timing can linger just a bit too long or the sharpness in a joke comes across as too flat. Otherwise, the cast does a great job with the material presented.
For an indie film, The Rebrand does plenty to make its familiar setup memorable. Leaning heavily on its more comedic aspects, The Rebrand will have audiences in stitches at the lengths Thistle particularly takes to get over cancellation. Plenty of horror films released in the last five years have lampooned influencers and correctly identified many of the negative aspects of the job. The Rebrand takes this further by showing how brutally out-of-touch Thistle is in her quest for the appearance of redemption, taking Blair and Nicole on the ride with her. Her focus on aesthetics over substance becomes the focal point of The Rebrand while her and Blair’s antics take a backseat. Taking it further, by focusing on queer content creators, the story allows for some naturally unique dynamics to take place between the three women. The niche may not appear to be all that different, but when put under a microscope it really shows how keyed in The Rebrand is on its story and audience.
Queer horror fans have plenty to rejoice in the clever and fun premise of The Rebrand. Gut-bustingly hilarious at times and locked in on its purpose, the indie found footage film makes for a solid entry in the sub-genre. Fans of camp will rejoice in the silliness the film takes in service of its familiar story. There’s no need to rebrand here, as The Rebrand is on track to steal your heart and change your mind on influencer horror once it drops.
Overall Score? 6/10
