Meta and director Eli Roth present The Faceless Lady: a Meta-exclusive VR horror series set in a haunted castle
VR is the next step into immersive viewing, arguably more so than even IMAX. Meta partnered up with horror film director Eli Roth and Crypt TV, and the result is The Faceless Lady: his latest show filmed for VR. If you don’t have a headset the show can be viewed in 2D on Crypt TV’s Facebook page.
The Faceless Lady takes place in Ireland. Its plot revolves around three young couples invited to a castle to partake in a competition. However, soon into the first of six episodes, it becomes quite clear that there is something much more sinister going on.
Director Eli Roth took inspiration from the urban legend of Lady Margaret Hodnett, a ghost said to haunt the Belvelly Castle in Cork. The first two episodes of The Faceless Lady are available to watch on Meta Quest TV and the remaining four will be released one by one every Thursday.
The show can be streamed in Meta Horizon Worlds, and is the third VR horror show produced by Eli Roth and Crypt TV for Meta’s Quest headsets, like the Quest 3. His first two shows were ‘Haunted House: Trick-VR-Treat’ and ‘Be Mine: A VR Valentine’s Slasher’.
Haunted House: Trick-VR-Treat is a 30-minute film about a teenager who gets invited to the “Dollhouse”, a horrific and nightmarish place. Be Mine: a VR Valentine’s Slasher is also a 30-minute film, this time about a woman throwing a Valentine’s Day party to help her catch her stalker: a dangerous person wearing a Cupid mask.
The Faceless Lady takes place in Ireland. Its plot revolves around three young couples invited to a castle to partake in a competition. However, soon into the first of six episodes, it becomes quite clear that there is something much more sinister going on.
The show can be streamed in Meta Horizon Worlds, and is the third VR horror show produced by Eli Roth and Crypt TV for Meta’s Quest headsets, like the Quest 3. His first two shows were ‘Haunted House: Trick-VR-Treat’ and ‘Be Mine: A VR Valentine’s Slasher’.
The Faceless Lady is a VR show done right
So what makes The Faceless Lady worth your time? Eli Roth, with his experience making the previous two VR films, has gained valuable insight into what makes a VR show exciting. The Faceless Lady is shot in crisp detail – not that the last two shows weren’t – that brings every little pixel to life.
With a viewing angle of 180° and shot in stereoscopic 3D, The Faceless Lady transports you to an entirely different world. Most of the show takes place in front of the viewer, though you can look around to an extent. And the VR makes everything look as if you were actually there.
If you’ve ever played Phasmophobia in VR, you’ll feel right at home watching The Faceless Lady. Being chased down by terrifying ghosts in ancient hallways seems to be a common theme between the two.
The show also has another thing going for it. It doesn’t simply rely on the “gimmick” of being in VR. According to initial reviews, the story is paced properly and the characters and the overarching plot is introduced when it makes sense. In all aspects but the VR it is like a normal horror show you would’ve found on your favorite streaming service.
With a viewing angle of 180° and shot in stereoscopic 3D, The Faceless Lady transports you to an entirely different world. Most of the show takes place in front of the viewer, though you can look around to an extent. And the VR makes everything look as if you were actually there.
The show also has another thing going for it. It doesn’t simply rely on the “gimmick” of being in VR. According to initial reviews, the story is paced properly and the characters and the overarching plot is introduced when it makes sense. In all aspects but the VR it is like a normal horror show you would’ve found on your favorite streaming service.
In fact, the series takes its time to gradually acclimates [sic] audiences to the texture of the show.
— William Earl, Variety review, April 2024
There are a lot of new possibilities open to film producers following the release of The Faceless Lady.
I want people to know that the potential for storytelling has just been blown open in a way that has never been possible before. If you’re a storyteller, you can now write for VR in a way you couldn’t before. If you’re a director, suddenly there’s a world of possibilities available for what you can shoot.
— Eli Roth, Meta Quest Blog, April 2024
Director Eli Roth thinks VR entertainment is fantastic, and I’m inclined to agree. If you’re new to VR, be sure to check out our list of the best VR games you can get.
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