Eli Roth and Leonardo DiCaprio Expose America's Death Industry In New Documentary "DEATH BOOM" [TRAILER]

Written by: Sam Santiago

If you've ever wondered what happens after the hearse leaves the cemetery gates, a new documentary premiering next week plans to take viewers behind the curtain of one of America's least discussed industries.

As first reported by Variety, the documentary Death Boom has unveiled its first trailer ahead of its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 9. The film comes from director Jessica Chandler and is backed by an impressive team that includes horror filmmaker Eli Roth, Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions, and QC Entertainment, the company behind genre favorites like Get Out and Us.

For horror fans, the subject matter alone is enough to grab attention but for weirdos like us, we're flat out intrigued and excited. 

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "DEATH BOOM" BELOW

Rather than focusing on fictional death, Death Boom examines the real-world business built around it. The documentary investigates the modern deathcare industry as America prepares for a demographic shift unlike anything it has experienced before. With millions of Baby Boomers entering their final years, the film asks whether the current system of embalming, cremation, and traditional burial is prepared for what's coming.

Roth serves as both producer and narrator, guiding viewers through what the filmmakers describe as the environmental, financial, and emotional consequences tied to the business of death. The documentary also explores alternative burial methods and examines the political, religious, and corporate interests that critics argue have slowed their adoption.

What's particularly interesting is that this isn't Roth's first foray into documentary filmmaking. In 2021, he teamed with Appian Way on Fin, a documentary that investigated the global shark fin trade and environmental destruction. Death Boom appears to continue that same investigative approach, turning its attention toward an industry most people rarely think about until they are forced to confront it firsthand.

From a horror perspective, the film taps into something deeper than jump scares or masked killers.

Death has always been the genre's most enduring subject. Whether it's zombies, ghosts, vampires, or funeral homes lurking in the background of countless horror films, our fascination with mortality has fueled nightmares for generations. Death Boom appears ready to explore the real-life systems surrounding death itself, and in many ways, reality may prove more unsettling than fiction.

The documentary will make its world premiere as part of Tribeca's "Escape From Tribeca" lineup on June 9 before seeking wider distribution later this year.