ComingSoon is exclusively revealing the trailer for I Hate Myself and Want to Die. This is the second film from writer-director J. Davis. The film originally premiered at Austin Film Festival, followed by screenings at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and winning the Best Feature award at Wilmington International Film Festival.
The movie follows Mike Castle as Jacob, an unrealized, depressed artist who has recently been broken up with. As he arrives home to end his life, he’s thrown into chaos that pushes him to think about the fragility of life and maybe walk back on his plan to kill himself.
Watch the I Hate Myself and Want to Die trailer below (watch more trailers):
What happens in the I Hate Myself and Want to Die trailer?
The trailer starts with Jacob getting berated by his mother for his failures. Jacob leaves emails for his friends that are supposed to serve as a suicide note. However, his plans get derailed as he meets a young woman, who he starts getting attached to. A montage of shots shows Jacob getting into trouble with various people, but with a whimsical undertone. As Jacob starts connecting with the people around him, he starts to reconnect with his emotions.
Davis said the film is “a story of transformation. True to its title, it’s about a young guy who hates himself and wants to die. But it’s also about the people around him who don’t want him to die. His family and friends see his warmth and humanity even when he’s blinded to it. Our film has a lot of heart, and we’re thrilled that Freestyle recognized that.”
The film is produced by Leonora Pitts, Mark Myers, Bert Kern, John Hermann, Rick Rosenthal, Doug Matejka, and Samuel Henry Miller. Besides Castle, the film stars Ali Gallo, Andre Hyland, Meredith Salenger, and Leonora Pitts. Salenger voiced Supergirl in 2018’s Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. The film’s digital distribution rights were picked up by Freestyle Digital Media, the film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group.
“We’re grateful to the team at Freestyle for championing indie film, and we’re excited to have both a digital and a limited theatrical release for I Hate Myself and Want to Die,” said Pitts. “The provocative humor of our dark comedy is one that I think will resonate with so many audiences.”
I Hate Myself and Want to Die will be released on VOD platforms on October 6, 2026. It will begin its limited theatrical run in October at Vidiots in Los Angeles.