What Is Amityville: A New Generation About?
The premise of Amityville: A New Generation in 306 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the dim, rain‑slick streets that border a forgotten Skid Row, a struggling artist makes his living capturing moments that most people would rather ignore. Keyes is a successful photographer whose eye for the gritty beauty of the city has earned him both admiration and a precarious place among the building’s eclectic tenants. He shares the cramped, low‑budget boarding house with a handful of fellow creators—a painter who finds solace in color, a sculptor whose hands are forever stained with clay, and Llanie, his steady‑hearted girlfriend whose optimism is a quiet counterpoint to the surrounding decay.
One evening, a solitary homeless man offers Keyes an odd, antiquated mirror—a piece that seems to pulse with a strange allure despite its tarnished surface. The photographer, compelled by an inexplicable fascination, persuades the man to sell it, bringing the tarnished glass into his cramped studio. From that point, the mirror becomes an unsettling presence, its reflective surface inviting more than ordinary contemplation. As the weeks pass, Keyes begins to notice subtle shifts in his own demeanor; the line between the images he captures and the reality he inhabits starts to blur, hinting at a deeper, self‑reflective unease.
The boarding house itself feels almost like a character, its faded walls echoing whispers of past ambitions and hidden anxieties. Within this close‑knit community, the camaraderie among the artists is tinged with an undercurrent of tension, each individual subtly affected by the mirror’s inexplicable pull. The film swirls with a moody, atmospheric dread that leans heavily on visual texture—shadows lengthening across cracked windows, the soft click of a camera shutter, and the low hum of the city outside. As Keyes wrestles with the growing disquiet that settles over his life, the story invites the audience to wonder just how far one can look into a reflection before the image starts looking back.
What Happens in Amityville: A New Generation?
The complete story of Amityville: A New Generation, from the first scene to the last, in 317 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Before the DeFeos moved into 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, the house was occupied by the Bronners. In 1966, the Bronner family’s eldest son, Franklin, killed his parents and two siblings during Thanksgiving dinner. Franklin, who had a long history of mental illness, claimed to have acted at the behest of otherworldly forces that resided within the house, and was committed to Danamore State Hospital. Years later, Franklin’s wife and their young son, Keyes Terry Ross Partridge, visited him. Despite being sedated, Franklin killed his wife in front of Keyes. Keyes repressed the memory of visiting Danamore, and never received any notification about his father being discharged from it in 1986.
In 1993, Keyes Terry Ross Partridge—now a photographer—lives in an inner city boarding house with his girlfriend, Llanie Lala Sloatman. The boarding house is owned by Dick Cutler David Naughton, and its other tenants include a painter named Suki Julia Nickson, and a sculptor named Pauli. Franklin tracks down Keyes, and gives him a mirror that he took from the house in Amityville. The mirror is demonic, and it kills Suki and her ex-boyfriend, Ray Robert Rusler. After Franklin is found dead, Keyes begins looking into his past, and realizes that Franklin was his father after visiting Danamore.
The demon in the mirror assumes Suki’s form to kill Dick David Naughton, and then begins tormenting Keyes by turning into Franklin. Keyes gets sucked into the mirror, which brings him to a Hellish version of Danamore where he encounters undead versions of Raymond, Suki, Dick, and Franklin. The demon then returns Keyes to the real world, and makes it clear that it wants Keyes to reenact the massacre of the Bronner family by shooting Llanie, Pauli’s wife Janet at the boarding house’s Thanksgiving art show. Keyes resists the demon’s influence and breaks the mirror, prompting his friend Detective Clark Terry O’Quinn to quip, > Seven years bad luck.
Amityville: A New Generation Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Bronner family occupies 112 Ocean Avenue” to “Keyes breaks the mirror”. 14 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Bronner family occupies 112 Ocean Avenue
The house at 112 Ocean Avenue is occupied by the Bronner family prior to the DeFeos arriving. The peace is shattered when Franklin Bronner murders his parents and two siblings during Thanksgiving in 1966.
When:before 1966 Where:112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville
- 2
1966 Bronner family massacre
Franklin Bronner kills his parents and two siblings during Thanksgiving. He claims otherworldly forces inside the house compelled him to commit the murders. After the killings, he is committed to Danamore State Hospital.
When:1966 Where:Bronner home, Amityville
- 3
Franklin Bronner committed to Danamore
Franklin Bronner is institutionalized at Danamore State Hospital following the 1966 murders. His treatment is described as a response to chronic mental illness, affecting the memory of the house's dark history.
When:1966 Where:Danamore State Hospital
- 4
Visit to Danamore ends in murder
Years after the initial killings, Franklin's wife and their young son Keyes Terry visit him at Danamore. Despite being sedated, Franklin murders his wife in front of Keyes. This traumatic visit plants the seeds for Keyes's later unraveling of his paternity.
When:unknown year (post-1966) Where:Danamore State Hospital
- 5
Franklin discharged from Danamore
Keyes later learns that his father was discharged from Danamore in 1986, though he never received formal notification. The mystery of Franklin's fate lingers and stirs questions about Keyes's own identity. The past's shadow continues to influence Keyes's life.
When:1986 Where:Danamore State Hospital
- 6
Keyes moves into the boarding house
In 1993, Keyes Terry, now a photographer, lives with his girlfriend Llanie in an inner-city boarding house. The new setting places Keyes among a small, tense community that will soon be haunted by the house's legacy. The arrangement includes a shared space with other tenants and artists.
When:1993 Where:Inner city boarding house
- 7
Boarding house residents introduced
Dick Cutler runs the boarding house, while tenants include painter Suki and sculptor Pauli. The dynamic among the residents creates a claustrophobic, creative atmosphere that the demon can exploit. This setup foreshadows the personal dangers to come.
When:1993 Where:Inner city boarding house
- 8
Franklin delivers the demonic mirror
Franklin tracks Keyes and arrives with a demonic mirror taken from the Amityville house. The mirror becomes a vessel for malevolent forces, ready to manipulate the people around Keyes. Its arrival signals the start of the supernatural threats at the boarding house.
When:1993 Where:Boarding house / Keyes's location
- 9
Mirror kills Suki and Raymond
Using the mirror, the demon kills Suki and her ex-boyfriend Raymond, making clear that the mirror's powers are lethal. The victims' deaths demonstrate the creature's reach and willingness to target the living. The murders escalate the sense of danger around Keyes.
When:shortly after 1993 Where:Inner city boarding house
- 10
Keyes discovers Franklin was his father
After Franklin is found dead, Keyes begins investigating his past and discovers that Franklin was his father during a visit to Danamore. The revelation tightens the eerie link between Keyes, his family history, and the house's evil presence.
When:post-1993 Where:Danamore / Amityville
Show the other 4 events of Amityville: A New Generation Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Demon uses Suki to kill Dick
The demon, in Suki's form, murders Dick Cutler, demonstrating its ability to shapeshift and target Keyes's circle. The haunting intensifies as the threat expands to multiple people within the boarding house. The embodiment of Suki's identity intensifies the psychological horror for Keyes.
When:1993-1994 Where:Inner city boarding house
- 12
Keyes is pulled into the mirror
The demon returns Keyes to the real world after pulling him into the mirror, showing him a Hellish version of Danamore. He confronts undead versions of Raymond, Suki, Dick, and Franklin before being returned to sanity, but the threat remains tangible.
When:during the haunting Where:Inside the mirror / Hellish Danamore
- 13
Demon's plan to reenact the Bronner massacre
The demon reveals its intent to force Keyes into reenacting the Bronner family massacre by shooting Llanie, Pauli, and Janet at the boarding house's Thanksgiving art show. The threat pushes Keyes toward a final decisive act to resist possession.
When:end of story Where:Boarding house Thanksgiving art show
- 14
Keyes breaks the mirror
Keyes finally breaks the mirror, ending the immediate terror. Detective Clark dryly adds, 'Seven years bad luck,' underscoring the lingering curse of the house and the unresolved horror surrounding Keyes's life.
When:end Where:Boarding house
Who Are the Main Characters in Amityville: A New Generation?
8 characters, among them Keyes Terry (Ross Partridge), Llanie (Lala Sloatman) and Suki (Julia Nickson): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Keyes Terry (Ross Partridge)
Played by Ross Partridge
Keyes is a photographer living in a cramped inner-city boarding house who carries a heavy legacy from his father’s brutal past. He confronts the supernatural threat of the mirror demon, navigating fear, memory, and a stubborn resolve to uncover the truth. His survival hinges on resisting the demon’s attempts to manipulate him into reenacting the family massacre.
- 🎭 Drama
- 🔎 Mystery
- 🧭 Self-discovery
- L(
Llanie (Lala Sloatman)
Played by Lala Sloatman
Llanie is Keyes's girlfriend sharing the boarding house life and a fragile, supportive bond with Keyes. She becomes an indirect target of the demon’s plans, drawing danger into their home as the haunting escalates.
- ❤️ Romance
- 🏚️ Boarding life
- 🌀 Vulnerability
- S(
Suki (Julia Nickson)
Played by Julia Nickson
Suki is a painter and fellow boarder whose presence injects creativity into the house. She falls victim to the mirror demon when it borrows her form to kill Dick, revealing the breadth of the haunting’s reach.
- 🎨 Art
- 🔍 Mystery
- 🩸 Tragedy
- DC
Dick Cutler (David Naughton)
Played by David Naughton
Dick is the boarding house’s owner who becomes a victim of the mirror demon, illustrating how the haunting tears through the core of the tenants’ daily lives.
- 💼 Landlord
- 🔪 Murder
- 🩸 Horror
- JC
Janet Cutler (Barbara Howard)
Played by Barbara Howard
Janet is Dick's wife who faces danger as the demon’s plan targets the boarding house during the Thanksgiving art show, placing her in harm's way as the haunting intensifies.
- 🎭 Drama
- 🎯 Danger
- 🕯️ Supernatural
- FB
Franklin Bronner (Jack Orend)
Played by Jack Orend
Franklin is the Bronners’ patriarch whose 1966 killings set the house’s dark history in motion. In the present, his memory is weaponized by the demon to torment Keyes and reveal the true horror of the past.
- 💔 Family Tragedy
- 🕳️ Haunted Past
- 🌀 Mind Games
-
Detective Clark (Terry O'Quinn)
Played by Terry O'Quinn
Detective Clark is a pragmatic investigator who helps pursue the strange killings and eerie happenings. He delivers a wry, skeptical voice, punctuating the metalogical horror with a hint of dry humor as Keyes resists the demon.
- 🕵️ Detective
- 🔍 Investigation
- 👁️ Supernatural
-
Ray (Robert Rusler)
Played by Robert Rusler
Ray is Suki’s ex-boyfriend who becomes one of the demon’s victims when the mirror demon assumes Suki’s form to kill him, illustrating the horror’s indiscriminate reach.
- 💔 Tragedy
- ⚰️ Murder
- 🩸 Horror
Where and When Is Amityville: A New Generation Set?
Amityville: A New Generation is set in Amityville, New York, Danamore State Hospital and inner-city boarding house (1993). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1993
The present-day events unfold in 1993, with Keyes living as a photographer in a crowded urban boarding house. The backstory spans the 1966 massacre and the 1986 discharge, underscoring a long, unresolved trauma that resurfaces through the mirror demon. The era combines early 90s urban sensibilities with a gothic horror framework that anchors the haunting in a tangible, real-world setting.
Where
Amityville, New York, Danamore State Hospital, inner-city boarding house
The primary setting centers on the infamous Amityville house in Amityville, New York, where the Bronner family massacre history fuels the haunting. The plot also moves to the Danamore State Hospital, the site of Franklin Bronner's confinement, and to a cramped inner-city boarding house where Keyes and other tenants live. These locations merge suburban legends with contemporary urban life to heighten the film's supernatural atmosphere.
- 🏚️ Haunted
- 🌆 Urban setting
- 👁️ Supernatural
What Are the Themes of Amityville: A New Generation?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Demon Haunting, Family Legacy and Memory vs Reality.
-
01
Demon Haunting
A malevolent mirror acts as a conduit for a demon that manipulates the living, blurring the line between reality and the supernatural. The film explores how a malevolent force feeds on fear, misdirection, and past crimes to torment the living. The haunting expands from a single object to a pervasive threat that crosses generations.
-
02
Family Legacy
The story traces a brutal family history—from Franklin Bronner's 1966 massacre to Keyes's present-day struggle—to show how trauma can be inherited and re-enacted. The demon's power feeds on cyclical guilt and secrecy that taints relationships within the boarding house. The past repeatedly surfaces to shape current choices, testing loyalty and courage. Family trauma becomes the catalyst for the horror.
-
03
Memory vs Reality
The plot pivots on memories that resurface through the demon's manipulation, forcing Keyes to confront his paternity and the house's dark history. Illusions and transformations (such as the demon taking on others' forms) challenge what is real. Repressed memories drive characters toward dangerous actions, and breaking the mirror becomes a symbolic act of reclaiming agency.
What Kind of Film Is Amityville: A New Generation?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A steadily escalating, high-intensity supernatural horror that creates a dark and oppressive atmosphere as a man is psychologically tormented by a demonic mirror, leading to a tense confrontation with his family's cursed past.
- terrifying
- erratic
- demonic
- oppressive
- unhinged
- anxious
- demonic possession
- inherited trauma
- supernatural horror
- mental illness
Content notes: murder, family massacre, mental illness, psychological torment, demonic possession.
Quiz
How well do you remember Amityville: A New Generation? Test yourself on the story.
