Don Coscarelli Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Masters of Horror
This year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin (September 18–25, 2025) is already making waves and not just for the slew of world premieres and immersive genre experiences. One of the most anticipated moments? A special 20th Anniversary panel honoring Masters of Horror, featuring Mick Garris, Don Coscarelli, Ernest Dickerson, and Joe Dante.
Fans were abuzz afterward, calling the reunion a highlight of the festival, a rare chance to see some of the most influential voices in horror sharing the same stage.
From Dinner Table to Showtime Anthology
Imagine having a Masters of Horror Dinner with this crew of legends!
The roots of Masters of Horror are as informal as they are inspiring. In the early 2000s, director Mick Garris began hosting dinners in Sherman Oaks, California, inviting fellow horror filmmakers to gather, talk shop, and swap stories. That initial gathering included names like John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, Don Coscarelli, Joe Dante, Guillermo del Toro, Stuart Gordon, Tobe Hooper, and John Landis. Over time, the dinners grew, expanding to include other horror and genre filmmakers such as Dario Argento, Eli Roth, Wes Craven, Robert Rodriguez, and Ernest Dickerson. From those dinners, the idea sparked: what if each “master” directed a short, standalone horror film? By 2005, Masters of Horror was born—an anthology series that gave these filmmakers the freedom to unleash their creativity on cable television.
The Panel & the Filmmakers: Spotlight on Contributions
Masters of Horror 20th Anniversary Panel at Fantastic Fest Austin
At Fantastic Fest, the panel celebrated both the friendships that birthed the series and the landmark episodes that defined it. Each filmmaker on stage had a distinct role in shaping the anthology’s legacy.
Phantasm creator Don Coscarelli directed the very first episode of Masters of Horror, “Incident On and Off a Mountain Road,” which premiered in October 2005. His contribution set the tone for the series bold, unsettling, and unapologetically rooted in genre storytelling. Already famed for Phantasm, Coscarelli’s work here helped establish the anthology as essential viewing for horror fans. And there was a great cameo by the Tall Man himself.. Mr Angus Scrimm!
The Fantastic Fest panel wasn’t just about nostalgia it was a reminder of how Masters of Horror changed the game. It gave seasoned directors a platform for bold, uncompromising stories, and it reignited the spirit of horror anthologies on television.
