Colman Domingo in ‘Dead Man’s Wire.’ Photo: Row K Entertainment.
The thriller, which has seen script work from Michael Mohan, Marc Guggenheim, and most recently Carly Wray, concerns a high-powered D.C. couple who draw a young, ambitious woman into a dangerous world of sex, power and murder.
Netflix has yet to fully announce when the new thriller will hit its servers, but we’d imagine it’ll be at some time in 2027.
Kerry Washington speaks onstage during Netflix TUDUM 2025: The Live Event at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Netflix.
(L to R) Chloe East, Hugh Grant and Sophie Thatcher in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the co-writers of the original ‘A Quiet Place’ and writers-directors of the Adam Driver-starring dinosaur action thriller ’65,’ have returned to helm a much smaller scale horror tale here – but don’t be fooled by its size. In its own insidious way, ‘Heretic’ is quite the cerebral exercise, powered in its first two-thirds by a malevolently good-natured Hugh Grant and a script that tackles the nature of belief and religion in provocative fashion.
Yet it’s still very much a horror movie, and it’s when ‘Heretic’ begins pulling out the overt shocks and grue that the film kind of loses its way. Yet thanks to the work of Grant and his two co-leads, the film’s setting, and most of Woods and Beck’s script, ‘Heretic’ is still a fun genre exercise with a diabolical edge.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Co-director Bryan Woods, Chloe East, and co-director Scott Beck on the set of ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.
Sisters Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Paxton (Chloe East) are two young Mormon missionaries who are door-knocking in a small mountain town, hitting up homes that have requested further information on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the two women – whose relative innocence is communicated by their pronunciation of words like “porno-ography” in hushed tones – it’s a mostly frustrating day of either no responses or brief exchanges and closing doors.
So when the cheerful Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) opens his door to them as a fierce downpour begins, offering them tea and a slice of blueberry pie that his wife is making back in the kitchen – along with a receptive ear to their pitch – they welcome the respite. And after all, his wife is in the kitchen so it’s okay for the two girls to be in the presence of an older man, right?
It’s not long, however, that the women – particularly Sister Barnes – begin to suspect that something is amiss. Mr. Reed keeps making excuses for his wife not coming out with the pie, even as he good-naturedly begins to listen to their spiel and ever so gently push back on them. For every talking point they roll out about their faith, he responds with a criticism of it, with the conversation gradually expanding into a full-blown back-and-forth on the nature and history of religion itself. And once he manages to lure them deeper into his house – into a library of religious texts and art with two doors on the back wall like something out of a bizarre game show – it’s all too clear that Mr. Reed’s deferential, endlessly well-mannered veneer hides something much more ominous.
(L to R) Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.
From that point on, it’s spoiler territory, but what we can say is that for its first two-thirds, ‘Heretic’ is not your average horror film: it offers up food for thought and intellectual exercise even as Woods and Beck slowly tighten the screws and thicken the miasma of dread that begins to settle on the proceedings not long after the two girls enter Mr. Reed’s abode. Speaking of which, the set design here is superb: as the missionaries are drawn deeper into the house, it gradually seems to become one of those surreal haunted houses that appears much bigger and more labyrinthine on the inside than it does on the outside.
Yet the directors also manage to make the proceedings increasingly claustrophobic: during several of their verbal exchanges, the camera gets closer and closer to Grant’s face with each cut, until his features literally fill the screen to accentuate his growing control over the women’s predicament. Never has Grant’s impish grin seemed so dangerous.
It’s only in the third act that the directors’ precision and control over their own story starts to come loose. While Grant, Thatcher and East all remain on point, the story takes several turns into more conventional horror territory while making Mr. Reed’s eventual endgame more elaborate and a bit harder to swallow. We’re all for leaving things in horror movies unexplained – that’s what makes the genre effective in many instances – but it all ultimately seems like a lot of work for this one man to make his singular point.
The Cast
(L to R) Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.
It’s easy to get into the delights of Hugh Grant’s work here, but let’s first pay tribute to his costars. Sophie Thatcher (best known as the younger version of Juliette Lewis’ character on ‘Yellowjackets’) and Chloe East are quite convincing as two young Mormon women, filled with unquestioning devotion to their faith, who are at first earnestly interested in talking with Mr. Reed. Thatcher’s Sister Barnes is the more worldly of the two, and the more savvy, while East’s Sister Paxton is somewhat naïve, although it’s clear that both have led largely sheltered lives up to this point. Both believably descend into terror as well, occasionally making less-than-wise decisions but not the kind of stupid mistakes that often take you out of horror films.
As for Grant, he’s just marvelous. Polite to a fault, seemingly respectful toward the women (at least at first), and full of both glimmering intelligence and good-humored deviousness, he holds the screen even at his most bonkers (such as his impromptu performance of Radiohead’s “Creep”). The charm of his younger days as a stammering, flustered romantic lead is still in evidence, only Grant curdles it into something darker and more toxic – you’re going to have to hear him out no matter what, only he’s not professing his love but expounding on his twisted worldview as if it’s just as enchanting.
Final Thoughts
Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.
The argument at the center of ‘Heretic’ is a fascinating one that could provide fodder for after-movie debate (we know which side we fall on, but we won’t say more than that). That in itself is somewhat of a rarity in the current horror landscape, which (with some exceptions) has lately tilted toward generational or family trauma as the source of the terrors, supernatural or otherwise, that permeate the stories being told.
If more in-your-face horror shocks are what you’re looking for, ‘Heretic’ may try your patience. But Woods and Beck, with the help of their three leads, have created a mostly absorbing, if imperfect, thriller with loads of creepy atmosphere. Even if it falters toward the finish line, ‘Heretic’ is an intellectual, psychological, and theological cat-and-mouse game that’s as witty as it is wily.
‘Heretic’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Heretic’?
Two Mormon missionaries (Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher) get more than they bargained for when they knock on the door of a jovial older man (Hugh Grant), whose interest in their religious pitch turns into something much more sinister.
Who is in the cast of ‘Heretic’?
Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed
Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes
Chloe East as Sister Paxton
Topher Grace as Elder Kennedy
(L to R) Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.
Other Bryan Woods and Scott Beck Movies and TV Shows:
Sophia Reid-Gantzert in ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Ali Scher, and actors Sophia Reid-Gantzert and Cheryl Hines about their work on ‘Popular Theory,’ developing the screenplay, the themes of the movie, the amusing characters, Erwin’s friendship with Winston, Aunt Tammy’s parental skills, collaborating on set, if they’ve ever had to give up something they loved doing, and if they would chew special gum to make you popular.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
(Center) Sophia Reid-Gantzert in ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
Moviefone: To begin with, Ali, can you talk about developing the screenplay and the themes of adolescence that you wanted to explore as a filmmaker with this movie?
Ali Scher: I grew up as a science nerd, and I was excited to get to tap into that version of myself and the part of me that got made fun of and teased a lot for using big words and for doing well in science. But I think at the crux of the idea, the crux of what excited me about this film is the theme of connection, the idea that you don’t need a ton of friends to be happy, but you do need someone, like someone who gets you, someone that you can relate to, someone that you can talk to, and that someone doesn’t need to be a love interest. This is a family film, and there aren’t a lot. I watch a lot of family films. I would consider myself an aficionado, and they always have love interests. There’s always the popular boy that there’s the crush on. My producers were a little bit nervous. They were like, “Are you sure you don’t want there to be a love interest, or there to be something between Winston and Erwin?” I was resolute on that because I don’t think we need to be sending the message to young girls that there always must be a boy, and that must be the end goal. Erwin’s goal is to work with a particle accelerator. That’s what she wants. She wants to go to work with a particle accelerator, and what’s wrong with that goal?
MF: Sophia, how would you describe Irwin in your own words and what was it like for you to play this character?
Sophia Reid-Ganzert: To me, the character came naturally to me, especially after talking with Ali at a little mini table read. I was like, “Okay, this really helped.” I feel like Erwin, though she has an insanely high IQ, she can be a bit stubborn at times. I think she can be very stubborn. When she’s like, “Well, I didn’t need a partner anyways.” No, you do. You do need a partner. So, I really wanted to show that she has flaws, as well, because I really like it when leads in movies have flaws and they’re not just perfect, and it’s only the side characters that have personal development. I really wanted to be able to show that.
(L to R) Sophia Reid-Gantzert and Cheryl Hines in ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
MF: Cheryl, can you talk about why Aunt Tammy decides to take science away from Irwin and her overprotective parenting skills?
Cheryl Hines: I think as an aunt who’s bringing up her niece, she could see that Erwin didn’t have any friends and was struggling in the world of trying to fit in, and “Who am I?” So, as a misguided attempt, which we do as parents, Tammy decided, “Oh, it’s science that’s really blocking her from being the best person she can be.” So, Aunt Tammy brings down the hammer and says, “No more science,” which is funny, but also speaks to Ali’s writing, because as parents sometimes we don’t really see what’s happening. We think we see what’s happening, and then we think we know the answer of how to fix it, but we’re not always right.
MF: But ultimately, she really loves Irwin, correct?
CH: Yeah, that’s exactly where it comes from because you can see that Erwin needs to emotionally develop and socially develop. That’s part of growing up and going to school, and you want to see that for your kids. You want your kids to be happy, you want them to have play dates and best friends, and you want that for them. As much as you tell them to do it, it just doesn’t work that way.
Sophia Reid-Gantzert in ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
MF: Sophia, how does Irwin feel when Tammy takes science away from her, and can you talk about the friendship she eventually forms with Winston?
SRG: I felt like it was important to show how much science meant to her, and that is very clearly shown in the script, as well. But that scene is kind of very important, because if you don’t really show that, then they’re like, “Okay, well, why is she still trying to hide the fact that she’s doing science? Just don’t do it.” Also, like I said about her being kind of stubborn, she’s like, “I’m not going to be friends with you. We’re just going to be professional partners.” But obviously, they become friends, because they get along so well and they understand each other, no matter how much she wants to deny it. I thought it was just fun to be able to show their friendship arc, how they slowly start understanding each other. That’s also shown through their clothes. I absolutely love the color theory in the movie. When I saw it, and when Ali explained it, I got so excited. I was like, “Oh my gosh, this is so exciting.” Because Erwin’s color is blue, and then Winston’s color is orange. As they slowly start becoming friends, Winston starts wearing blue, and she starts wearing orange, because they get integrated into each other’s worlds, which I love.
(L to R) Sophia Reid-Gantzert and Lincoln Lambert in ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
MF: Ali, can you expand on that and talk about the way you used color in the movie?
AS: The way I like to think of it is, Erwin is an iceberg. She’s blue, and there’s nothing else in the whole world of the movie that’s blue. It’s all a warm color palette. We don’t even really have purples. It’s an entirely warm color palette. The idea is that as she meets and befriends Winston, she slowly melts. Her iceberg melts, and it fuses with his, and it’s not the rest of the world that seeps in, but it’s him that seeps in, his color palette that seeps in. Then when she starts using the gum and she starts having these false connections through the gum, it goes away, and she reverts to all blue. She’s back to being an iceberg, even though she’s trying hard not to be one, but it’s like she’s going about it the wrong way, and the color tells you that. I’m a really big fan of using color as a tool to tell the thematic story of the film. I remember I had a professor in grad school that told me that everything you do in a movie is a choice, even if you didn’t make a choice, so try and make those choices. Use those as opportunities. So, I loved that, and I try. I do my best, at least, to think of everything I could, every choice I can make, and make that choice, because choices are fun. I remember when I initially talked to Sophia about it, she was jumping out of her skin excited about the color story. The scene that you were talking about, when Tammy takes away science from Erwin, and watching that scene being shot, watching it in the monitors, that was the moment I was like, “Oh, this movie is going to work. This film is going to work.” I didn’t even understand how important that scene was until we shot it. First, having an actress like Cheryl, who gives you something completely different on each take, and editing her is so fun, because it’s like you’re just crafting this performance and you have so many choices. I couldn’t even tell you. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with anyone like her before. I haven’t worked with anyone like her before who does that. Then with Sophia, and her tapping into the emotion of that scene, it is everything to her that this is getting taken away. This means so much to her. She sells that in the scene, and you know when you’re watching that, it’s like, “Oh, the stakes are high.” She sets the stakes in her performance. I couldn’t be happier with my casting.
Cheryl Hines in ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
MF: Cheryl, can you talk about collaborating with Ali as a filmmaker and what are you looking for from a director on set?
CH: I loved working with Ali, because I love that she’s very focused on what she wants, how she wants it to look, how she wants it to feel, and at the same time gives you, meaning the actor, your own space to also bring something to it. It’s a fine line with directors. I mean, sometimes you have somebody who’s so controlling and wants to do it only this way, but the idea that she knows exactly what she wants, and at the same time, wants to see what you’re doing, it was fun.
MF: Sophia, did you have fun making this movie?
SRG: Definitely. I don’t think there was ever a moment on set where I wasn’t having fun. That means a lot because during the filming process, I got sick, and even then, I was like, “Woo, we’re on set.” It was so much fun. Every single scene was fun to film. I was just so excited to get the film made and then be able to see it. I was like, “Okay, come on. I want to see it already.”
MF: Cheryl, have you ever had to give up doing something you love, like the way Irwin had to give up science in the film?
CH: Well, this is ridiculous to say but I’ll just say it. When I was in high school, because I’m Catholic, I gave up gossiping for Lent. At the time I thought, “Oh, this is going to be easy.” But it changed my life. But that is something you should give up. Science is something you should not give up. But gossiping is something that, it was a good lesson for me to learn, and I don’t do it anymore. But that was one thing that I did not want to give up, but I did.
A scene from ‘Popular Theory.’ Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
MF: Cheryl, if you were back in high school, would you want to chew a gum that makes you more popular?
CH: I needed it. I was sort of a super nerd. I was in chorus and theater, so that’s a one-two punch. If I could have chewed gum, walked into the cafeteria, sat down wherever I wanted to, I would’ve had so many packs of gum in my backpack. You wouldn’t believe it.
MF: Sophia, would you want to chew Irwin’s special gum? What do you think the advantages and disadvantages of that would be?
SRG: I don’t know, I think if you had asked me that a year ago, I would’ve said yes. But now, I don’t know. I’m a massive believer, especially now, with if you be yourself, the right people will find you or you’ll find the right people, because there’s no point in pretending to be someone else and then surrounding yourself with people that you find boring or that just make fun of you. I don’t think I would use it.
MF: Finally, Ali, is the moral of the movie just be yourself and people will like you for who you are?
AS: I think it’s a lot of what Sophia said, which is the idea that you’ll find the right people if you are yourself. The idea that, like I said, connection is everything, and you don’t need a ton of people, but you need somebody. I think finding that somebody is everything.
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What is the Plot of ‘Popular Theory’?
12-year-old Erwin (Sophia Reid-Gantzert) is a genius, far smarter than any of her high school classmates. But Erwin’s genius has come at a price: isolation. She doesn’t have any friends and even her sister thinks she’s a social leper. Determined to win the State Science Fair, she teams up with classmate Winston (Lincoln Lambert), a fellow outcast and chemistry guru, to create a popularity chemical which they add into sticks of chewing gum.
