10 Best Horror Movie Opening Scenes Of The 2020s (So Far)

Late Night with the Devil kicks off with a faux-documentary preamble, unravelling the infamous legacy of Jack Delroy, a talk show host who's desperately chasing ratings. Shortly after his wife died, Jack set up a special episode he believed would redefine his show. Little did he realise this episode would be his undoing.

Although the film could've opened with something conventionally scary, directors and writers Colin and Cameron Cairnes felt it was sensible that the audience immediately understood Jack's history, relationship with his late wife, and his destructive obsessions.

Throwing a ton of exposition in the beginning can be overwhelming or forced, but it works here, since it allows viewers to fully understand the world they're about to enter. Also, all the old episode clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews look so authentic, you'd swear they were from a real show.

The first four minutes are better in hindsight as they masterfully foreshadow critical moments in the plot. Certain lines and blink-and-you'll-miss-them shots don't register on a first viewing, but their true meaning becomes painfully obvious when all the facts are uncovered.

Most importantly, Late Night with the Devil enraptures viewers immediately without relying on a single jumpscare or gory death. Now, that's great filmmaking.