Hammer Presents: A New Home for Restored British Horror Classics
Horror fans can officially start 2026 on a high note, because Hammer Films is expanding its legacy in a big way with the launch of Hammer Presents, a newly curated collection celebrating the very best of British horror.
Rather than simply looking inward, Hammer Presents shines a spotlight on the studio’s peers, honouring the wider canon of British genre cinema and the filmmakers who helped shape it. With Hammer’s own catalogue currently undergoing extensive restoration under the stewardship of award-winning producer and lifelong fan John Gore, this new initiative widens that mission even further, bringing beautifully restored classics to fans eager to revisit old favourites or discover hidden gems for the first time.
Every title in the Hammer Presents range will receive world-class high-definition restorations from Silver Salt Restoration, ensuring the technical polish fans expect from the Hammer name. It’s about giving these films the treatment they deserve, allowing their atmosphere, performances and craftsmanship to truly shine.
Each release will also be packed with newly produced bonus features that explore the context and creation of the film, making Hammer Presents a perfect companion line to Hammer’s existing Limited Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases. Speaking about the new venture, John Gore said:
The Hammer Presents Collection celebrates the full legacy of British horror. For decades, the Hammer name has been synonymous with the genre, so it feels fitting that we are now expanding our restoration programme and becoming curators of other classic British horror titles. Cry of the Banshee is the ideal film to launch this new collection — Vincent Price comes to Hammer at last!
And what a launch title it is. The first entry in the Hammer Presents collection is Cry of the Banshee, arriving on 9th February 2026. Directed by Gordon Hessler (Murders in the Rue Morgue), the 1970 horror classic stars genre icon Vincent Price and makes its worldwide debut in a brand-new 4K restoration.
Newly restored from the original film negatives, this two-disc edition presents Hessler’s original director’s cut in both widescreen and full-frame aspect ratios, alongside AIP’s re-edited theatrical version, all complete with English subtitles. Packaged in a limited O-card with striking new artwork, the set also includes a commentary, expert interviews and original archival assets.
Price delivers a gloriously sinister performance, anchoring the film’s creeping sense of dread, supported by a strong cast including Elisabeth Bergner, Hilary Dwyer, Essy Persson, Hugh Griffith and Patrick Mower. Often grouped under the folk-horror umbrella, Cry of the Banshee tells a dark tale of superstition, cruelty and retribution, as a sadistic magistrate’s brutal treatment of villagers leads to supernatural vengeance when a local witch summons a banshee to enact justice.
With Hammer Presents, the studio isn’t just preserving history – it’s actively curating it. For fans of British horror, this feels like the start of something very special
