Favourite Horror Movies 22 – Simon Says (2026)
Simon Says might only run for 21 minutes, but don’t let its short length fool you. This 2026 horror short packs the tension, scares and personality of a much longer movie into a brilliantly compact package. With a simple but sinister premise and a standout performance from Chance Miller as Simon, it’s an intriguing little horror gem that’s well worth adding to your watchlist.
Here’s why Simon Says deserves the attention of horror fans, without giving away any of its surprises.
⚠️ Spoiler-Free Notice:
This article has been written to avoid spoilers. It discusses the basic premise, performances and highlights of Simon Says without revealing any major plot developments, surprises or twists, so you can read on safely before watching.
Simon Says: The 21-Minute Horror Short That Plays Like a Full-Blooded Movie
There are horror films that spend the best part of two hours building towards their big idea. Simon Says manages to introduce its nightmare, establish a memorable villain and deliver plenty of horror in just 21 minutes.
Technically, Simon Says isn’t a feature film at all. It’s a 2026 horror short directed by Jake Dufner and Kyle Godfrey. But calling it simply a “short” almost undersells it. For horror fans, it works surprisingly well as a compact horror movie, stripping away the padding and getting straight to the reason we’re watching.
It has a wonderfully simple premise, a cast that understands the sort of film they’re making and, most importantly, a villain who has the potential to stick in your memory long after those 21 minutes are over.
A Childhood Game Becomes Something Much Nastier
The premise takes something almost everybody knows and turns it against us.
A group of friends are together for a 21st birthday party when a mysterious entertainer named Simon arrives. He’s there to host a game and, as you might have guessed from the title, that game is Simon Says.
Except this isn’t the version you remember from childhood.
What begins as something familiar quickly takes on a far more sinister meaning. The rules matter, Simon is very serious about people following them and making a mistake can have horrifying consequences. Saying much more would risk spoiling the fun, and Simon Says is definitely a short best approached without knowing exactly where its game is going.
It’s such a straightforward idea that you wonder why it hasn’t been exploited more often in horror. Nearly everyone already understands Simon Says, so the filmmakers don’t have to waste valuable minutes explaining a complicated mythology. We know the basic rule – Simon gives the instructions and you’d better listen carefully.
The film takes that childhood familiarity and makes it threatening.
Short Film, Proper Horror Movie
At only 21 minutes, Simon Says is considerably shorter than a conventional horror movie, it’s more the length of an episode of Tales from the Crypt, albeit a great episode. Although it’s not strictly a movie, that shouldn’t stop horror fans treating it like one.
In fact, the short running time is one of its strengths.
There’s very little room for unnecessary material, the film establishes its situation and starts tightening the screws. It feels like somebody has taken the central idea of a feature-length horror movie and distilled it into its most entertaining elements.
That makes Simon Says particularly easy to recommend. You don’t need to set aside an entire evening. In roughly the amount of time it takes to watch an episode of a sitcom, you can experience a complete little horror story.
Despite the limited running time, it doesn’t feel like a trailer pretending to be a film. There is a beginning, an escalation and a payoff. It leaves you feeling as though you’ve watched something rather than simply been shown an idea for something bigger.
Chance Miller Makes Simon His Own
The biggest reason Simon Says works is Simon himself.
Chance Miller plays the character, and he clearly understands that a horror villain like this needs personality.
Simon isn’t interesting simply because he’s dangerous. It’s the way Miller presents him. There’s an unsettling theatricality to the character, as though the whole nightmare really is a game and Simon is delighted to be the person running it.
Miller doesn’t disappear into the background and let the premise do all the work. He makes Simon the centre of attention whenever he’s on screen. His appearance, mannerisms and unpredictable energy offers a villain the short movie can build around.
Horror has always benefited from antagonists with a distinctive personality. The best aren’t simply threats, they’re characters audiences want to see again. Simon Says understands that and Miller gives the film something more valuable than another anonymous killer – he gives it, and us, Simon.
There’s already been some enthusiastic reaction from horror viewers to the character. In discussions about the short, viewers have particularly singled out Simon’s creepy, playful quality and the potential for the character to return in something bigger.
It’s easy to understand why.
A Solid Cast Around Him
A colourful horror villain still needs convincing victims, and the supporting cast does a solid job of making the increasingly dangerous situation work.
The cast includes Jana Sosic, Kyle Godfrey, Jake Dufner, Kalon Young, Case Lyall, Alejandro Hernandez, Rachel Vander Doelen and Teagan Gage alongside Miller.
With such a short running time, nobody has the luxury of lengthy character development. Instead, the performers have to establish the group quickly enough that we understand the relationships and can get on with the horror.
They do exactly that.
The performances fit the tone without competing with it, while Miller is allowed to push Simon into stranger territory. That’s the right balance. The other actors give the story enough grounding for Simon’s presence to feel even more disruptive when the game takes over.
A Simple Story That Knows What It Is
One of the most appealing things about Simon Says is that it doesn’t appear embarrassed by its premise.
This is a horror story about a deadly version of Simon Says. That’s the hook and the filmmakers commit to it.
Sometimes horror becomes less effective when too many explanations, subplots and twists are piled on top of a perfectly good central idea. Here, the simplicity works in the film’s favour. The audience understands what is at stake almost immediately, which means the tension can come from watching how the rules are used.
Directors Jake Dufner and Kyle Godfrey keep things moving and the film’s brisk pace suits the material. There are also some effectively nasty horror moments along the way, with the short willing to push its concept beyond a harmless spooky party game. Even less enthusiastic reviews about the film overall have noted its body horror, cinematography and lighting as strengths.
This isn’t slow-burn psychological horror. It’s a short, sharp genre piece built around a memorable character and a wickedly simple game. That’s part of its charm.
Why Horror Fans Should Give Simon Says a Chance
The obvious attraction is the commitment required: 21 minutes.
But the better reason to watch is that Simon Says feels like the introduction of a horror character who could have more mileage in him.
The story is good because it doesn’t overcomplicate itself. The acting is solid, the concept is immediately understandable and the film knows when to get down to business. Most importantly, Chance Miller grabs hold of Simon and makes the character his own.
There are moments when you can almost forget you’re watching a short film. You’re simply watching a horror movie that happens to reach the finish line considerably faster than most.
That’s why Simon Says deserves a place on a horror fan’s watchlist alongside feature-length favourites. Horror doesn’t become more legitimate simply because it lasts 90 minutes. If a film can introduce an idea, make you uncomfortable, entertain you and leave you wanting more, it has done its job.
Simon Says does all of that in less than half an hour.
Where Can You Watch Simon Says?
The good news for British horror fans is that Simon Says is currently available to stream free with adverts on Tubi. UK streaming listings also confirm Tubi as the current home of the 2026 short, so make sure you’re selecting the 21-minute version rather than one of several other films that share the Simon Says title.
The short is also listed as streaming free on Tubi in the United States, while international listings indicate Tubi availability in a number of other territories. Availability can vary from country to country and streaming catalogues change, so viewers outside the UK should check their local Tubi service or a local streaming guide before watching.
Look for the 2026, 21-minute Simon Says directed by Jake Dufner and Kyle Godfrey, with Chance Miller as Simon. That will ensure you have the right one.
The Final Word
Simon Says might be short, but don’t mistake its running time for a lack of ambition.
It takes one of the simplest childhood games imaginable and asks the obvious horror question: what happens when you absolutely have to do what Simon says?
The answer is best discovered for yourself.
With a solid ensemble, a straightforward but effective story and Chance Miller throwing himself into the title role, Simon Says is an entertaining little horror discovery. It’s quick, nasty and built around a villain with enough personality to make you wonder what Simon might do if somebody gave him an entire feature film to play with.
For now, though, 21 minutes will do nicely.
MOVIE RATING
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