Lola Tung is stepping away from the beach and into a basement cult. IFC Films has released the first trailer for Forbidden Fruits, a horror-comedy that puts a supernatural twist on the “Mean Girls” formula. Tung stars as Pumpkin, a new mall employee who finds herself caught in a performative sisterhood that is literally to die for.
The story takes place in a Dallas shopping mall at a boho-chic clothing store called Free Eden. While the shop looks like a typical suburban boutique by day, the manager, Apple (Lili Reinhart), runs a secret feminine cult in the basement after hours. Tung’s character, the “Cady Heron” of the group, is the new hire who begins to question the group’s intense rituals.
Tung, known for her breakout role in The Summer I Turned Pretty, was immediately interested in the script’s focus on female social circles. Speaking with Teen Vogue, Tung described her character, Pumpkin, as “determined, clever, and guarded.”
“When I first read the script, I was drawn to the characters and their complex friendship dynamics,” Tung said. She noted that she and director Meredith Alloway could “talk forever” about how much people long for a sense of belonging. “It centered around women in a space that feels like it is distinctly their own.”
Director Meredith Alloway, making her debut, cited American Psycho as a major influence on the film’s tone. She aims to balance dark, raw moments with humor, focusing on the “brutality of female relationships.”
The film features a stacked ensemble, including Victoria Pedretti (You), Alexandra Shipp (X-Men), and Gabrielle Union. It also marks the cinematic debut of internet personality Emma Chamberlain. Adding to the horror pedigree, the project is produced by Diablo Cody, the writer behind the cult classic Jennifer’s Body.
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The film promises plenty of 2000s nostalgia, with Britney Spears references and overpriced fashion serving as the backdrop for the bloodshed. Alexandra Shipp teased a wild ending to the film, noting that the cast “really threw ourselves into our finale moments” during production.
Fans can see Lola Tung challenge the coven when Forbidden Fruits hits theaters on March 27, 2026.
