One of the most popular casino card games to date is poker. Aside from being very popular in physical and online casinos, poker has also become a common motif in fiction — including films, TV series, books, or and even video games. Specifically, the high-stakes nature of playing poker makes the game a great tool for horror.
In 2024, Neil Gibson, owner and head writer at Neil Gibson's Twisted Comics, co-wrote the poker comic 'Trapped' with poker commentator and professional player Joe Stapleton. 'Trapped' follows a successful poker commentator — based on Stapleton —who wants to be famous. However, his desire for fame gets him into some very dodgy situations. Through its 150 pages, 'Trapped' is a comedy thriller about passion and desire. At the same time, illustrations by CVS, Agnese Pozza, and Saida Temofonte help capture the adrenaline-pumping thrill of playing high-stakes poker.
'Trapped' showcases how poker can be used for horror fiction comics, but further connections exist between poker and horror across mediums. Below, we'll look at some of these intersections, from horror-themed poker games to poker-based horror-thriller films:
Horror-themed poker tournaments
Whether you prefer physical or online casinos, themed casino games are fairly common. Many casino games have overarching concepts such as an ancient Egypt or Wild West setting or even storylines involving characters, quests, and plot twists commonly seen in digital casino games.
One of the standout horror-themed poker events today is the Venom tournament from top US online poker, ACR Poker. The site debuted its $5 Million Venom tournament in 2019, doubling the prize two years later. True to its name and reminiscent of Spider-Man's nemesis, Venom, the tournament relies on dark and horror imagery to help immerse players. Today, the Venom is only one of ACR Poker's many offerings, including various other tournaments and satellites to major events. Other online poker platforms have also joined in on the horror fun, including GGPoker, which launched its $1 Million Halloween Party promo in 2024, mixing the thrill of poker with significant cash prizes.
Actress and poker pro, Jennifer Tilly
Known for her signature, breathy voice and her iconic portrayal of Tiffany Valentine in the 'Chucky' horror movie franchise, Jennifer Tilly is also a skilled professional poker player. Along with boyfriend and fellow poker pro, Phil Laak, Tilly is a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, becoming the first celebrity to win such a tournament in 2005. As of 2019, her live poker tourney winnings were at over $1 million.
Aside from her acting and poker prowess, Tilly is perhaps most known for her voice, which she used to bring the character of serial killer Tiffany Valentine to life. First introduced in the 'Bride of Chucky' film, Tiffany is one of the most iconic horror character villains, paired with her murderous soulmate and killer doll beau, Chucky. Later in the franchise, Tiffany switches bodies with a fictionalized version of Jennifer Tilly. Aside from her 'Chucky' stints, Tilly is also inseparable from the horror genre, starring in films like 'The Haunted Mansion', 'Far From Home', and 'Hide and Seek' throughout the years.
Poker Night (2014)
If you aren't familiar with this film, it's because it had a limited theatrical release in December 2014 and was also released straight to video on demand in the same month. The film, released in the UK as 'The Joker,' is a crime thriller following a rookie detective who attends an annual poker night held by veteran police officers, where each one shares how they captured a murder suspect in their careers.
Taking place through voiceover narration and flashbacks, the film can be disorienting at times, although it does make for a visually compelling torture porn movie. It draws its stylistic inspirations from Tarantino's penchant for onscreen blood and a charming B-grade ensemble to the tune of crime thriller 'The Usual Suspects'. While only using poker as a setting and flashback template, the film is a fun nod to the more casual, banter-filled side of poker nights with friends instead of the glitz and glam of high-stakes, professional poker.
Dead Money (2024)
Another heavily poker-based crime thriller, poker thriller 'Dead Money' follows poker-obsessed Andy. The film opens with Andy playing an illegal poker game, and he isn't doing well. Soon after, the film immediately ramps up and ups the ante for Andy and the audience.
Through taut shots and tight pacing, 'Dead Money' seemingly gives viewers the feeling of playing a poker game and potentially losing big money. The film's shots help provide tension and guide the viewer to hang onto each of Andy's anxiety-inducing decisions. Throughout the film and Andy's increasingly troublesome day, viewers grow an understanding of his character. Despite his skills and wit, the film's character study reveals Andy as someone addicted to the rush of gambling more than he is addicted to poker specifically.
Poker Face (TV series)
Finally, Peacock's mystery whodunit, Poker Face, stars Natasha Lyonne under the direction of Academy Award nominee Rian Johnson. In a previous post, we highlighted the renewal news for the second season of 'Poker Face' — set to air in spring of 2025. While it isn't an explicit horror story with monsters and ghosts, 'Poker Face' is a character-driven exploration of real-life evils — mostly murderers and criminals.
Instead of using poker as a mere setting, 'Poker Face' reads like a crime mystery road trip story following Charlie, who has an almost supernatural gift for knowing when people aren't telling the truth — or bluffing.
Naturally, this makes her a gifted poker player. Still, due to unforeseen and criminal circumstances beyond her control in the first season, Charlie is forced to leave the high-stakes glamor of Las Vegas or face retribution from a Vegas mobster. Instead of using her gift to win chips at poker tables, Charlie uses her natural bluff detector to solve crimes throughout the United States.
Ultimately, the rules and nature of high-stakes poker make it a comfortable setting for fear, tension, and horror. Whether horror-based poker tournaments or writing poker-based tension in horror, it's certainly interesting to see how poker and horror can take advantage of our capacity for dread and anxiety.