SCORCH MARKS Is Now Streaming Exclusively on Dekkoo

The wait is over. Scorch Marks, the haunting new Dekkoo Original starring Brandon Shypkowski and Chris Salvatore, is now streaming exclusively on Dekkoo.

Just in time for Halloween season, Dekkoo is heading somewhere darker.

Scorch Marks is a bold new queer horror film blending psychological terror, supernatural horror and post-apocalyptic suspense with an intensely personal story about trauma, toxic relationships and survival.

WATCH SCORCH MARKS NOW


Brandon Shypkowski and Chris Salvatore star in the Dekkoo Original queer horror film Scorch Marks

A Queer Horror Story About Surviving More Than the End of the World

When Beckett awakens to scorched skies and an eerie silence, he fears he may be the last person left alive after a mysterious global catastrophe.

But the end of the world may not be the most terrifying thing waiting for him.

Isolated in a remote rental, Beckett’s fragile grip on reality begins to unravel when he is confronted by the ghost of his abusive ex-husband, Joel. As an ancient, otherworldly force draws closer, Beckett is forced to confront the trauma of their relationship and decide whether survival means running from his demonsโ€”or finally facing them.

Written and directed by Brendan Haley, Scorch Marks takes the familiar language of apocalyptic and supernatural horror and places a distinctly queer relationship at the center of the nightmare.

For viewers looking for something darker among today’s gay movies streaming online, Scorch Marks brings queer storytelling into territory rarely explored in LGBTQ+ cinema.

WATCH SCORCH MARKS ON DEKKOO


Brandon Shypkowski as Beckett in the gay psychological horror movie Scorch Marks

Brandon Shypkowski Takes Us to the End of the World

At the center of Scorch Marks is Brandon Shypkowski as Beckett, a man whose fight for survival quickly becomes something far more personal.

Beckett isn’t simply trying to determine what happened to the world outside. He’s being forced to reckon with the emotional scars left behind by his relationship with Joel.

That gives Scorch Marks an intimacy that sets it apart from a traditional end-of-the-world thriller. The destruction outside Beckett’s door is terrifying, but the memories and trauma inside may prove even harder to escape.

Shypkowski carries that emotional journey through fear, isolation, vulnerability and rage, grounding the supernatural elements of the movie in something painfully human.


Chris Salvatore Like You’ve Never Seen Him Before

Chris Salvatore has long been a familiar and beloved face to gay audiences, but Scorch Marks gives viewers the chance to see him in a dramatically different kind of role.

Salvatore stars as Joel, Beckett’s abusive ex-husband, whose return transforms Beckett’s isolation into a psychological nightmare.

It’s a darker and more unsettling turn for an actor many LGBTQ+ viewers know from romantic comedies and gay cinema, and that contrast makes Joel’s presence even more unnerving.

The relationship between Beckett and Joel ultimately becomes the beating heart of the film. Beneath the blood, supernatural terror and apocalyptic imagery is a story about what happens when love, control, resentment, fear and trauma become impossible to separate.


Chris Salvatore stars as Joel in Dekkoo's queer horror film Scorch Marks

Queer Horror Gets Apocalyptic

Horror has always had a special relationship with queer audiences.

Stories about outsiders, identity, transformation, secrets, isolation and survival naturally lend themselves to queer interpretation. Scorch Marks takes that connection and makes it explicit.

This isn’t simply a horror movie that happens to feature gay characters. The relationship at its centerโ€”and the wounds it leaves behindโ€”are essential to the story.

The result is a gay psychological horror movie that combines the scale of an apocalypse with the claustrophobia of a damaged relationship.

And things only become stranger from there.

The film also stars Vander Von Odd as Tiamat, alongside Peter Stickles and horror favorite Tiffany Shepis, as Beckett’s increasingly terrifying reality expands beyond anything he could have imagined.


Supernatural terror in the Dekkoo Original LGBTQ horror movie Scorch Marks

Another Original Story You Can Only Find on Dekkoo

Scorch Marks is part of Dekkoo’s continuing commitment to bringing audiences distinctive LGBTQ+ stories and supporting filmmakers telling stories centered on queer lives.

From romance and comedy to drama, thrillers and now apocalyptic horror, Dekkoo Originals continue to push gay cinema into new territory.

You can discover more Dekkoo Originals and exclusive LGBTQ+ movies or explore our guide to where to watch gay films online.

But if you’re ready for something considerably darker, there’s only one place to start.


Watch SCORCH MARKS Now โ€” Exclusively on Dekkoo

The apocalypse has arrived.

Scorch Marks is streaming now exclusively on Dekkoo.

Watch Brandon Shypkowski and Chris Salvatore face the end of the worldโ€”and the ghosts that refuse to stay buried.

WATCH SCORCH MARKS NOW

Looking for more? Browse gay movies on Dekkoo and discover hundreds of LGBTQ+ films, series, documentaries and exclusive originals available to stream.

Fangoria Spotlights Dekkoo Films’ Upcoming Queer Horror Film Scorch Marks

Dekkoo Films’ upcoming queer horror feature Scorch Marks has been featured by horror industry powerhouse Fangoria, which recently unveiled a collection of new images from the film and highlighted its completion of post-production ahead of its September 2026 release.

Written and directed by Brendan Haley, Scorch Marks is an apocalyptic survival horror story that blends psychological terror, supernatural dread, and queer storytelling. The film follows Beckett, a man who awakens to a world seemingly devastated by catastrophe, only to find himself trapped with the haunting presence of his abusive ex-husband as an even greater force approaches from beyond the horizon.

Fans of intense character-driven stories and gay drama movies may find Scorch Marks offers a darker and more suspenseful take on LGBTQ storytelling.

Fangoria’s coverage praised the film’s ambitious premise and showcased several newly released production stills featuring stars Brandon Shypkowski, Chris Salvatore, Tiffany Shepis, Peter Stickles, and Vander Von Odd.

According to Haley, Scorch Marks explores themes of identity, grief, and survival while confronting the impact of heteronormative culture on LGBTQ+ lives. Drawing inspiration from the works of Clive Barker and Samuel Beckett, the film aims to deliver both visceral horror and emotional depth.

The Fangoria feature also highlighted the film’s soundtrack, which includes music from Thomas Dekker and an original song by Sean Doherty written exclusively for the production.

As DEKKOO continues expanding its library of gay movies, Scorch Marks represents one of the platform’s boldest ventures into genre storytelling, combining horror, suspense, and queer representation in a way rarely seen on screen.

Scorch Marks is scheduled to premiere in September 2026.

Read Fangoria’s full coverage here!

Related on Dekkoo:

Gay Movies

Gay Drama Movies

Dekkoo Originals

Both Seasons of the Dekkoo Original Series Soul Mate are Now Available

Soul Mate is a new two-season, ten-episode episode Dekkoo Original Series series from writer-director Kevin James Thornton, the filmmaker behind the indie sci-fi drama How to Get from Here to There and the romance series Stranger Hearts.

Starring Daniel Mark Collins and Anthony Granda, Soul Mate infuses the story of a strange romance with elements of of horror and suspense. As Eliot and Bryan settle into a new life with each other, one of them develops strange powers. This sets off an imbalance of energy that they must struggle to restore before itโ€™s too late.

Watch the trailers for Seasons 1 and 2 of Soul Mate below. Both seasons are now available on Dekkoo.

Buddies is an intensely personal study of love, death, and the need for activism

David (David Schachter), a naive graduate student, has volunteered to work as a ‘buddy’ for people dying of AIDS. Assigned to the intensely political Robert (Geoff Edholm), a lifelong activist whose friends and family have abandoned him following his diagnosis, the two men, each with notably different world views, soon discover common bonds, as David’s inner activist awakens and Robert’s need for emotional release is fulfilled.

The first narrative feature film made about the AIDS crisis, acclaimed independent filmmaker Arthur Bressan Jr’s (Passing Strangers, Abuse) Buddies is an intensely personal study of love, death, and the need for activism during the earliest years of the LGBTQ community’s fight for survival.

Structured like a filmed play, Buddies turned out to be Bressan’s final film, as he too would fall victim to AIDS barely two years after its completion.

Nearly impossible to see following its brief theatrical release and never officially released on home video, Buddies is available now on Dekkoo, newly restored from a long-lost 16mm negative. You can watch the original 1985 trailer below.

The Love & Distance Short Film Challenge

VOTING IS NOW OPEN!

Check out the video above!

Dekkoo.com understands the hardship the COVID-19 pandemic has put on Queer filmmakers. To help creators, Dekkoo launched a one-week short film challenge. Submissions had to use the theme of ‘Love & Distance’ and could be no more than 5-minutes in length. All submissions had to be sent into Dekkoo no later than Sunday, May 10.

While our grand prize (a $2500.00 reward and $5000.00 budget to make a Dekkoo-original short film) will be selected by the Dekkoo staff, there are four $1000.00 prizes that will be awarded to the films that receive the most comments on Dekkoo.com. That’s where YOU come in!

Visit Dekkoo.com to watch the submissions!

After you’ve watched them all, leave a comment on the film(s) that you like best. Remember, 1 comment = 1 vote!

Only comments left on Dekkoo.com will be counted.

Voting ends Sunday, May 17 at 11:59 PST. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, May 20!

ATTENTION QUEER FILMMAKERS!

Dekkoo understands the hardship the COVID-19 pandemic has put on you. To help creators, Dekkoo is launching a one-week short film challenge. You could win a cut of $10,000.00 in prizes! Interested? Read on!

THE THEME: LOVE AND DISTANCE

Dating from a distance. Home alone and loving it. Dealing with romance and heartbreak while social distancing. Far-away flirting.

The pandemic has put a spotlight on our relationships with others and ourselves. What do relationships in the time of quarantine look like? How do they function? Shoot and submit a 5-minute maximum length short film telling a story from a Queer perspective that deals with LOVE AND DISTANCE. It can be funny, sad, romantic, sexy โ€“ anything.

PRIZES

  • The Dekkoo Jury Award โ€“ One film will be selected. The winning film will be decided by the Dekkoo staff based on artistic merit. The winner will receive a cash award of $2500.00 and the opportunity to direct a Dekkoo-original short film with a production budget of $5000.00.
  • Audience Favorites โ€“ Four films will be selected. The four films that receive the most comments on that films page on Dekkoo.com will win $1000.00 each! Filmmakers are encouraged to ask fans to comment often!

Voting will be tallied through May 18th. Winners will be announced May 20th.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM

Submissions must be no more than 5-minutes in length and submitted via Dekkooโ€™s Dropbox Folder or a password-protected URL between Monday, May 4 and Sunday, May 10, 2020. All submissions are due no later than Sunday, May 10 at 11:59pm Eastern.

Submission specifications:

  • All films should be 1920×1080 or higher, H.264, preferably no vertical video. All submissions uploaded to Dropbox should be clearly labeled with the film title and director (ex: Avengers_Whedon.mp4)
  • All films should be in English or have English subtitles.

To submit your film:

RULES & TERMS

It is FREE to submit your film. There is no entrance fee! As an added bonus, all filmmakers who submit a film to the challenge (as long as it is accepted by Dekkoo) will receive a free 6-month Dekkoo-subscription.

  • Entrants must abide by laws and guidelines concerning quarantine and self-isolation according to their local regulations.
  • Films must be submitted as an online streaming video via the Dekkoo Dropbox Folder or a password-protected streaming URL.
  • If you change the password or link after submitting, you must email Dekkoo at digital@dekkoo.com immediately with that change so we may update accordingly. If the Festival is not notified of the change and the link is found to be inactive or the password to be incorrect, the submission may be deemed ineligible.
  • If a film is accepted, the filmmaker agrees to allow Dekkoo to edit beginning and/or ending credits down for the purpose of time as well as use film footage and audio for promotional purposes.
  • The submitter must be entitled to submit the film and the legal rights to screen it.
  • Submission does not guarantee acceptance. Dekkoo will review all submissions and the submitter will be notified if the film has been approved. Submitter will then be required to sign a Dekkoo Licensing Agreement before the Submission is accepted.
  • By submitting your film you agree to grant Dekkoo exclusive streaming rights to the film for a period of three (3) months. Winners agree to grant Dekkoo exclusive streaming rights to the film for a period of three (3) years.
  • Dekkoo reserves the right to use stills and images for promotional or press needs.
  • Films must be original work. Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights.
  • We just want to say this clearly, one more time, MUSIC MUST BE ORIGINAL or you must have express consent to use the music in your film.
  • Dekkoo expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, I/WE HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYSโ€™ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Watch now! ‘Stranger Hearts’ official trailer.

The Dekkoo-original series ‘Stranger Hearts‘ debuts on March 12.

From writer-director Kevin James Thornton, ‘Stranger Hearts’ is a thoughtful, sexy and deeply heartfelt new series following three queer characters of wildly different backgrounds. First, there is Andre, a shy young African-American man struggling with his sexual identity. When his mother finds a stack of gay porn hiding in his closet, the truth starts inching ever closer to the surface. Then there is Luka, a gender non-conforming photographer who has fallen on hard financial times. In need of a steady job, Luka decides to dip their toe into the potentially risky world of online escorting. Lastly, there is Billy, a smooth-taking media mogul who finds his life turned upside down when heโ€™s diagnosed with an incurable heart disease. While waiting for a transplant, he begins reevaluating his life and learning to appreciate the people closest to him. Though they donโ€™t know it, all three of these disparate characters are soon to be connected โ€“ through fate, work, family, loveโ€ฆ and donuts.

Check out the official trailer below!

The award-winning short film ‘Trophy Boy’ arrives on Dekkoo!

The award-winning short filmย Trophy Boy is now available on Dekkoo. Theย short film about James, a sexy NYCย #bestlife poser who must face the harshย reality of creating a life without a hashtagย after he is dumped by his wealthy benefactor.

The film was directed by actor and directorย Emrhys Cooper, written by co-star Anthonyย Johnston (a writer on the CBS series โ€œInstinctโ€)ย and co-stars Gerald McCullough, who manyย know from the โ€œBear Cityโ€ movies.

Trophy Boy, premiered onย Sunday October 21st in theย private screening room at theย exclusive members club SoHoย House New York. Drawing aย glamorous crowd including actorsย likeย Zachary Quinto and hisย partner Miles McMillan.ย Instagram star Eric Rutherfod,ย well known artist and authorย Oliver Jeffers, actress andย influencer Sofia Belhouari and theย full cast of Trophy Boy.

WATCH TROPHY BOY NOW ON DEKKOO!

Check out some photos from the premier below!

Emrhys Cooper at the premiere of his short film, 'Trophy Boy'
Emrhys Cooper (Director, James)

Zachary Quinto and Emrhys Cooper at the premier of 'Trophy Boy'
Zachary Quinto and Emrhys Cooper @zacharyquinto

Emrhys Cooper and Anthony Johnson at the premiere of 'Trophy Boy'
Emrhys Cooper and AnthonyJohnston (Writer, Andy)

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Gerald McCullouch (Mark), Donal Brophy (Tom), Emrhys Cooper (James), Anthony Johnston

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Emrhys Cooper and Instagram star Eric Rutherford @mr.rutherford

Production of ‘I’m Fine’ Season 3 underway!

Brandon Kirby, creator of the Dekkoo-original series ‘I’m Fine’, sent us two photos this morning from this past weekend’s table read for the upcoming season of ‘I’m Fine’.

As we previously reported, ‘I’m Fine’ returns to Dekkoo in 2019. Season 3 is currently in production around the Los Angeles area.

I'm Fine Season 3 Table Read
From top left: Ryan Fisher, Alise Willis, Andrew Ceperley (DP/director), Brandon Kirby (showrunner), Michael Varrati (writer/producer), Albert Payano (writer/producer), Clay Pruitt (writer/producer), Paloma Rabinov, Maria Lingbanan, Kylie Sparks, Frankie Rodriguez, Brittney King.

I'm Fine Season 3 Table Read
Clockwise from left: Monson Douglas (sound mixer), RJ Aguiar, Perry Powell (“Nate”/director), Lee Doud, Richard Stokes, Will Gressman, Clay Pruitt (writer/producer), Michael Varrati (writer/producer), Brandon Kirby (showrunner), Albert Payano (writer/producer), Peter Wylie, Geoffrey Kennedy, Jennifer DeFilippo (writer/director), Frankie Rodriguez

Watch I’m Fine Season 1 on Dekkoo!

Watch I’m Fine Season 2 on Dekkoo!

‘I’m Fine’ Season 3 begins pre-production!

Season 3 of the Dekkoo-original series, ‘I’m Fine’ is currently in pre-production with filming set to begin next month in and around the city of Los Angeles.

Writer/Director Brandon Kirby sent us this little tease photo this morning and our hearts went all aflutter!

New episodes of ‘I’m Fine’ will arrive in 2019.

Watch ‘I’m Fine’ Season 1 on Dekkoo.com

Watch ‘I’m Fine’ Season 2 on Dekkoo.com