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Best Horror Movies to Watch on Halloween

Jack Nicholson in ‘The Shining’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Halloween is here again and in-between putting on your costume and eating candy, you may want to sit down and watch a scary movie!

Moviefone has assembled a list of the 35 scariest movies ever made to help you celebrate All Hallows’ Eve!

Let’s begin!

Related Article: The 20 Most Terrifying Horror Films of the Last Decade Ranked!

35. ‘Event Horizon‘ (1997)

Sam Neill in ‘Event Horizon’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

In 2047, a group of astronauts are sent to investigate and salvage the starship ‘Event Horizon’ which disappeared mysteriously 7 years before on its maiden voyage. With its return, the crew of the ‘Lewis and Clark’ discovers the real truth behind the disappearance of the ‘Event Horizon’ – and something even more terrifying.
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34. ‘Insidious‘ (2011)

A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son (Ty Simpkins) inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
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33. ‘The Purge: Anarchy‘ (2014)

One night per year, the government sanctions a 12-hour period in which citizens can commit any crime they wish — including murder — without fear of punishment or imprisonment. Leo (Frank Grillo), a sergeant who lost his son, plans a vigilante mission of revenge during the mayhem. However, instead of a death-dealing avenger, he becomes the unexpected protector of four innocent strangers who desperately need his help if they are to survive the night.
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32. ‘Terrifier 3‘ (2024)

Five years after surviving Art the Clown’s (David Howard Thorton) Halloween massacre, Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they’re safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.
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31. ‘Let the Right One In‘ (2008)

Set in 1982 in the suburb of Blackeberg, Stockholm, twelve-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a lonely outsider, bullied at school by his classmates; at home, Oskar dreams of revenge against a trio of bullies. He befriends his twelve-year-old, next-door neighbor Eli (Lina Leandersson), who only appears at night in the snow-covered playground outside their building.
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30. ‘28 Days Later‘ (2002)

Cillian Murphy in 2002’s ’28 Days Later.’ Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Twenty-eight days after a killer virus was accidentally unleashed from a British research facility, a small group of London survivors are caught in a desperate struggle to protect themselves from the infected. Carried by animals and humans, the virus turns those it infects into homicidal maniacs — and it’s absolutely impossible to contain.
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29. ‘Saw‘ (2004)

Obsessed with teaching his victims the value of life, a deranged, sadistic serial killer abducts the morally wayward. Once captured, they must face impossible choices in a horrific game of survival. The victims must fight to win their lives back, or die trying…
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28. ‘The Ring‘ (2002)

Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is a journalist investigating a videotape that may have killed four teenagers. There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. Rachel tracks down the video… and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the Ring so she can save herself and her son.
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27. ‘The Blair Witch Project‘ (1999)

In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.
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26. ‘The Monkey‘ (2025)

When twin brothers (Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
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25. ‘Scream‘ (1996)

Drew Barrymore in ‘Scream’. Photo: Dimension Films.

A killer known as Ghostface begins killing off teenagers, and as the body count begins rising, one girl (Neve Campbell) and her friends find themselves contemplating the ‘rules’ of horror films as they try to survive a real-life one.
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24. ‘Midsommar‘ (2019)

Several friends travel to Sweden to study as anthropologists a summer festival that is held every ninety years in the remote hometown of one of them. What begins as a dream vacation in a place where the sun never sets, gradually turns into a dark nightmare as the mysterious inhabitants invite them to participate in their disturbing festive activities.
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23. ‘It Follows‘ (2015)

When carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her older boyfriend for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay’s friends don’t believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her defend herself.
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22. ‘The Descent‘ (2005)

After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition. Their adventure soon goes horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground and they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty creatures. As their friendships deteriorate, they find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive the creatures and each other.
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21. ‘The Black Phone‘ (2022)

Finney Blake (Mason Thames), a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer (Ethan Hawke) and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
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20. ‘M3GAN‘ (2023)

(L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

A brilliant toy company roboticist (Allison Williams) uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a life-like doll programmed to emotionally bond with her newly orphaned niece (Violet McGraw). But when the doll’s programming works too well, she becomes overprotective of her new friend with terrifying results.
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19. ‘The Strangers‘ (2008)

After returning from a wedding reception, a couple (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.
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18. ‘The Conjuring‘ (2013)

Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
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17. ‘Poltergeist‘ (1982)

Steve Freeling (Craig T. Nelson) lives with his wife, Diane (JoBeth Williams), and their three children, Dana (Dominique Dunne), Robbie (Oliver Robins), and Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke), in Southern California where he sells houses for the company that built the neighborhood. It starts with just a few odd occurrences, such as broken dishes and furniture moving around by itself. However, when he realizes that something truly evil haunts his home, Steve calls in a team of parapsychologists led by Dr. Lesh to help before it’s too late.
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16. ‘Hereditary‘

When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry.
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15. ‘Heretic‘ (2024)

Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
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14. ‘Friday the 13th‘ (1980)

Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp that was the site of a child’s drowning.
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13. ‘The Omen‘ (1976)

Immediately after their miscarriage, the US diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) adopts the newborn Damien (Harvey Stephens) without the knowledge of his wife (Lee Remick). Yet what he doesn’t know is that their new son is the son of the devil.
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12. ‘Psycho‘ (1960)

When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) cares for his housebound mother.
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11. ‘Rosemary’s Baby‘ (1968)

A young couple, Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes), moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.
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10. ‘Longlegs‘ (2024)

Maika Monroe in ‘Longlegs’. Photo: Neon.

In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.
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9. ‘Alien‘ (1979)

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
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8. ‘The Substance‘ (2024)

A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
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7. ‘The Thing‘ (1982)

Members of an American scientific research outpost in Antarctica find themselves battling a parasitic alien organism capable of perfectly imitating its victims. They soon discover that this task will be harder than they thought, as they don’t know which members of the team have already been assimilated and their paranoia threatens to tear them apart.
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6. ‘The Shining‘ (1980)

Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd), must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren’t prepared for the madness that lurks within.
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5. ‘The Silence of the Lambs‘ (1991)

Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. Photo: Orion Pictures.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is a top student at the FBI’s training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
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4. ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street‘ (1984)

Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop’s daughter, Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger (Robert Englund), who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers’ children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen (Johnny Depp), must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world…
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3. ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre‘ (1974)

When Sally (Marilyn Burns) hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family’s old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.
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2. ‘The Exorcist‘ (1973)

12-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) begins to adapt an explicit new personality as strange events befall the local area of Georgetown. Her mother (Ellen Burstyn) becomes torn between science and superstition in a desperate bid to save her daughter, and ultimately turns to her last hope: Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a troubled priest who is struggling with his own faith.
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1. ‘Halloween‘ (1978)

A scene from 1978’s ‘Halloween’. Photo: Compass International Pictures.

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
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October 31, 2025
The 20 Most Terrifying Horror Films of the Last Decade

Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott in ‘A Quiet Place.’

Horror movies have two speeds: Slasher and terrifyingly intense. At the risk of sleeping with the lights on for the next forever, we’re looking at the latter.

With Halloween fast approaching, Moviefone is counting down the most terrifying horror movies that were released between 2015 and now.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: 35 Scariest Horror Movies of All-Time, Ranked

20. ‘Nosferatu‘ (2024)

Lily-Rose Depp stars as Ellen Hutter in director Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’, a Focus Features release. Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.

Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) and the terrifying vampire (Bill Skarsgård) infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
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19. ‘Immaculate‘ (2024)

An American nun (Sydney Sweeney) embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
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18. ‘Speak No Evil‘ (2024)

When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.
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17. ‘Nope‘ (2022)

Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny, chilling discovery.
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16. ‘Barbarian‘ (2022)

In town for a job interview, a young woman (Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man (Bill Skarsgård) is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.
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15. ‘The Menu‘ (2022)

The cast of ‘The Menu.’ Photo by Eric Zachanowich. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

A young couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
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14. ‘Doctor Sleep‘ (2019)

Still scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) faces the ghosts of the past when he meets Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a courageous teen who desperately needs his help — and who possesses a powerful extrasensory ability called the “shine”.
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13. ‘Smile‘ (2022)

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain.
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12. ‘The Monkey‘ (2025)

When twin brothers (Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
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11. ‘Talk to Me‘ (2023)

When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
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10. ‘Longlegs‘ (2024)

Maika Monroe in ‘Longlegs’. Photo: Neon.

In pursuit of a serial killer (Nicolas Cage), an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.
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9. ‘Weapons‘ (2025)

When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
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8. ‘The Substance‘ (2024)

A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
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7. ‘Midsommar‘ (2019)

Several friends travel to Sweden to study as anthropologists a summer festival that is held every ninety years in the remote hometown of one of them. What begins as a dream vacation in a place where the sun never sets, gradually turns into a dark nightmare as the mysterious inhabitants invite them to participate in their disturbing festive activities.
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6. ‘Get Out‘ (2017)

Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) go upstate to visit her parents for the weekend. At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.
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5. ‘Heretic‘ (2024)

Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
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4. ‘A Quiet Place‘ (2018)

A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.
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3. ‘It‘ (2017)

In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
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2. ‘It Follows‘ (2015)

A young woman (Maika Monroe) is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.
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1. ‘Hereditary‘ (2018)

Toni Collette in ‘Hereditary’. Photo: A24.

Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie (Toni Collette) and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.
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October 27, 2025
Best Horror Movie Duos of All Time Ranked

(L to R) Alison Brie and Dave Franco star in ‘Togther’. Photo: Neon.

Opening in theaters on July 30th is the new horror movie ‘Together‘, which was written and directed by Michael Shanks.
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The film stars real-life married couple Dave Franco (‘Now You See Me‘) and Alison Brie (‘Somebody I Used to Know‘) as a couple who move to the countryside but find themselves encountering a mysterious force that horrifically causes changes in their bodies.
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Throughout the history of cinema there have been many great horror movie duos including married couples like the Woodhouses from ‘Rosemary’s Baby‘ and the Warrens from ‘The Conjuring‘ , partners like the Gecko brothers from ‘From Dusk Till Dawn‘ and Shaun and Ed from ‘Shaun of the Dead‘, or villains and heroes such as Freddy Krueger and Nancy Thompson from ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street‘ and Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling from ‘The Silence of the Lambs‘.

In honor of ‘Together’s release, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best horror movie duos of all time!

Let’s begin!

20. Seth Gecko and Richie Gecko – ‘From Dusk Till Dawn‘ (1996)

(L to R) Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney in ‘From Dusk till Dawn’. Photo: Miramax Films.

After kidnapping a father and his two kids, the Gecko brothers (George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety, unaware of its notorious vampire clientele.
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19. Gerry Lane and Karin Lane – ‘World War Z‘ (2013)

Life for former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) and his family seems content. Suddenly, the world is plagued by a mysterious infection turning whole human populations into rampaging mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to go on a mission to investigate this disease. What follows is a perilous trek around the world where Lane must brave horrific dangers and long odds to find answers before human civilization falls.
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18. Annie Graham and Peter Graham – ‘Hereditary‘ (2018)

Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie (Toni Collette) and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.
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17. Jerry Dandridge and Charley Brewster – ‘Fright Night‘ (1985)

Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale), a high school student, accidentally discovers the true and creepy nature of Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon), his dashing and enigmatic new neighbor; but no one seems willing to believe him.
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16. Ash and Evil Ash – ‘Army of Darkness‘ (1993)

Ash (Bruce Campbell), a handsome, shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk, is time warped backwards into England’s Dark Ages, where he romances a beauty and faces legions of the undead.
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15. ‘Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees – ‘Freddy vs. Jason‘ (2003)

(L to R) Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) and Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) in ‘Freddy vs. Jason’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

Freddy (Robert Englund) enlists Jason (Ken Kitzinger) to kill on his behalf on Elm Street, after realizing that he can’t haunt dreams because people no longer fear him.
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14. ‘George Lutz and Kathy Lutz – ‘The Amityville Horror‘ (1979)

George Lutz (James Brolin), his wife Kathy (Margot Kidder), and their three children have just moved into a beautiful, and improbably cheap, Victorian mansion nestled in the sleepy coastal town of Amityville, Long Island. However, their dream home is concealing a horrific past and soon each member of the Lutz family is plagued with increasingly strange and violent visions and impulses.
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13. Candyman and Helen Lyle – ‘Candyman‘ (1992)

The Candyman (Tony Todd), a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student (Virginia Madsen) researching the monster’s myth.
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12. Father Karras and Father Merrin – ‘The Exorcist‘ (1973)

When a charming 12-year-old girl (Linda Blair) takes on the characteristics and voices of others, doctors say there is nothing they can do. As people begin to die, the girl’s mother (Ellen Burstyn) realizes her daughter has been possessed by the Devil. Her daughter’s only possible hope lies with two priests (Max von Sydow and Jason Miller) and the ancient rite of demonic exorcism.
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11. ‘Dracula & Renfield – ‘Renfield‘ (2023)

Having grown sick and tired of his centuries as Dracula’s (Nicolas Cage) lackey, Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) finds a new lease on life — and maybe even redemption — when he falls for feisty, perennially angry traffic cop Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina).
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10. Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton – ‘Heretic‘ (2024)

(L to R) Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
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9. Rosemary Woodhouse and Guy Woodhouse – ‘Rosemary’s Baby‘ (1968)

A young couple, Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavettes), moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.
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8. Chucky and Andy Barclay – ‘Child’s Play‘ (1988)

An innocent-looking doll (Brad Dourif) is inhabited by the soul of a serial killer who refuses to die.
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7. Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley – ‘Scream‘ (1996)

A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl (Neve Campbell) is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
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6. Elisabeth Sparkle and Sue – ‘The Substance‘ (2024)

A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
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5. Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren – ‘The Conjuring‘ (2013)

(L to R) Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in ‘The Conjuring’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
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4. Shaun and Ed – ‘Shaun of the Dead‘ (2004)

Shaun (Simon Pegg) lives a supremely uneventful life, which revolves around his girlfriend, his mother, and, above all, his local pub. This gentle routine is threatened when the dead return to life and make strenuous attempts to snack on ordinary Londoners.
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3. Michael Myers and Laurie Strode – ‘Halloween‘ (1978)

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
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2. ‘Freddy Krueger and Nancy Thompson – ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street‘ (1984)

Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop’s daughter, Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger (Robert Englund), who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers’ children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen (Johnny Depp), must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world…
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1. Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter – ‘The Silence of the Lambs‘ (1991)

(L to R) Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. Photo: Orion Pictures.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is a top student at the FBI’s training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
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July 17, 2025
‘Dogma’ 25th Anniversary Interview: Director Kevin Smith
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‘Dogma,’ which Kevin Smith made and released back in 1999, is back in theaters on June 5th.

Written and directed by Smith (‘Clerks’), the film stars Ben Affleck (‘The Accountant’), Matt Damon (‘The Martian’), Linda Fiorentino (‘The Last Seduction’), Alan Rickman (‘Die Hard’), Jason Lee (‘Almost Famous’), George Carlin (‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure’), Salma Hayek Pinault (‘Frida’), Chris Rock (‘Top Five’), Jason Mewes (‘Clerks’) and Alanis Morissette (‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’).

Kevin Smith Says He’s Started Developing a Sequel to 1999 Religious Comedy ‘Dogma’

Director Kevin Smith talks ‘Dogma’ 25th Anniversary rerelease.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kevin Smith about reclaiming ‘Dogma’ from the hands of the Weinstein brothers (the film has been unavailable for theatrical or streaming release for two decades), how he’s changed as a filmmaker and the reaction to the once-controversial movie this time around.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

(Lto R) Salma Hayek Pinault, Alan Rickman and Chris Rock in ‘Dogma.’ Photo: Triple Media Film.

Moviefone: To begin with, what does getting ‘Dogma’ back mean to you?

Kevin Smith: It comes at the right time in my career because right about now people are like, “No, he sucks.” So it’s nice to be able to bring out an old movie where it’s, “Well, he didn’t suck then, there was hope!” Generally when I bring out a new movie it’s like I’ve got to convince people, “No, really I should still be doing this,” and they’re, “you should have stopped a long f****n’ time ago!” Coming out with this old movie that they liked back in the day and still like today is like going out there with a shield.

(L to R) Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in ‘Dogma.’ Photo: Triple Media Film.

MF: How do you view it now through the lens of who you are today?

KS: We’ve been touring it for 20 cities, then we just also played at Cannes. Every night I’ve been watching the movie and interacting with a vision of a young Kevin Smith. The kid who made that movie, believed in everything that’s up there. He’s not talking about Christian mythology, he’s not raising a hairy eyebrow or coming out with sharp teeth and claws the way Monty Python would on ‘Life of Brian.’ He believes in everything, so it’s been charming to sit back and watch the movie and be, “Aw, young Kevin Smith is so adorable.” I don’t have those same beliefs anymore so it’s like we say in the movie, beliefs are tricky to get around because once you have a belief you’re mired in it, but it’s more important to have good ideas, and now I think I have good ideas.

(L to R) Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith and Matt Damon in ‘Dogma.’ Photo: Triple Media Film.

MF: ‘Dogma’ was protested upon its release. Do you think the reactions would be the same today?

KS: What an interesting question. I think if we would have done it for the first time now and it was a streaming series I don’t think people would bump into it that hard. I mean, look, last year ‘Heretic’ came out and granted it went through the prism of the Latter-Day Saints, the Church of Mormon, and the Book of Mormon, so it wasn’t as big a polemic perhaps in the Mormon community. But that was a movie where watching it, I was leaning forward going, “Oh, a kindred spirit, of sorts.” The movie came and was respected and nobody got in trouble or nearly got killed.

Alan Rickman in ‘Dogma.’ Photo: Triple Media Film.

MF: Have you seen any protests at all this time around?

KS: I’ve only seen one or two protests, one of which was as I was driving into the AMC movie theater in Dallas where we were doing our screenings. So I’m going to pull into the mall and I’m at the light. I look over at the median and there’s a kid, 18, 19 years old and he’s holding a placard, like big white cardboard, has the current ‘Dogma’ poster in the middle of it and it says, “AMC blasphemes” or something like that. So I was, “Oh my God, how adorable.” So I laid on the horn, give support and the kid is so excited and he looks around and he sees me, and then he sees who I am and he looks away. He f****n’ shunned me! So that’s as bad as the protest has been this time around. I’ll take that, that’s fine.

(L to R) Linda Fiorentino, Jason Mewes, Salma Hayek and Chris Rock in ‘Dogma.’ Photo: Triple Media Film.

MF: Finally, how else has the rerelease reaction been different compared to the original release?

KS: Last time the protests were loud and vicious because people hadn’t seen the movie so the people who were making hay over it did so without anyone seeing what the movie is. Once people saw the movie, they’re, “this doesn’t go after the faith, this movie’s so reverent it’s crazy.” I now know years later, people may have heard about, “oh, you guys went through it.” But I’m seeing current reviews, people going, “can you believe that this movie took s**t back in the day and almost got people killed?” It seems to have aged better and plays way better now although, oddly enough, it feels like there’s less freedom in 2025, religious or otherwise, than there was in 1999.
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What is the plot of ‘Dogma’?

An abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loophole and re-enter Heaven.

Who is in the cast of ‘Dogma’?
- Ben Affleck as Bartleby
- Matt Damon as Loki
- Linda Fiorentino as Bethany
- Alan Rickman as Metatron
- Jason Lee as Azrael
- George Carlin as Cardinal Glick
- Salma Hayek Pinault as Serendipity
- Chris Rock as Rufus
- Jason Mewes as Jay
- Kevin Smith as Silent Bob
- Alanis Morissette as God
(L to R) Chris Rock, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes and Linda Fiorentino in ‘Dogma’. Photo: Lionsgate Films.

List of Kevin Smith Movies:
- ‘Clerks‘ (1994)
- ‘Mallrats‘ (1995)
- ‘Chasing Amy‘ (1997)
- ‘Dogma‘ (1999)
- ‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back‘ (2001)
- ‘Jersey Girl‘ (2004)
- ‘Clerks II‘ (2006)
- ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno‘ (2008)
- ‘Cop Out‘ (2010)
- ‘Red State‘ (2011)
- ‘Tusk‘ (2014)
- ‘Yoga Hosers‘ (2016)
- ‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot‘ (2019)
- ‘Killroy Was Here‘ (2022)
- ‘Clerks III‘ (2022)
- ‘The 4:30 Movie’ (2024)
Buy Tickets: ‘Dogma’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Kevin Smith Movies on Amazon
June 5, 2025
Movie Review: ‘Companion’
(L to R) Jack Quaid as Josh and Sophie Thatcher as Iris in New Line Cinema’s ‘Companion,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

‘Companion’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

Opening in theaters on January 31st is ‘Companion,’ directed by Drew Hancock and starring Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, and Rupert Friend.

Initial Thoughts

Jack Quaid as Josh in ‘Companion’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

The feature debut of writer and director Drew Hancock, ‘Companion’ is a sci-fi satire with a seasoning of horror and a sharp edge of social criticism. Set in a near future that’s not too far removed from our own present day, the story touches on dysfunctional relationships, the nature of consciousness, issues of control, toxic masculinity, and modern-day alienation, all wrapped up in one tightly-written 100-minute package.

Our advice? Skip the latest trailer for the movie, which gives away one major plot twist that, even though it occurs relatively early in the movie, abruptly and wholeheartedly changes the fabric and genre of the film. We’ll try to write around it here, although it may be difficult and you might find some arguable spoilers ahead. But even if you know or guess that reveal, there are still others in the film that keep it suspenseful, invigorating, often funny, and sometimes horrifying. Either way, ‘Companion’ is a clever genre mash-up that keeps solid control of its tone and thematic undercurrents almost all the way to the end.

Story and Direction

Sophie Thatcher as Iris in New Line Cinema’s ‘Companion,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“There have been two moments in my life when I was happiest. The first was the day I met Josh.” So says Iris (Sophie Thatcher) as ‘Companion’ opens on their meet-cute in a supermarket. Iris is poised, beautiful, a bit timeless; Josh (Jack Quaid) is awkward, yet seemingly warm and funny. Iris also describes the second happiest moment in her life – but we’ll leave that out for now.

Cut to the now happy, loving pair cruising in their self-driving car to an isolated lake house, where they join two other couples: the sarcastic Eli (Harvey Guillén) and gentle Patrick (Lukas Gage), and the more caustic Kat (Megan Suri) and Sergey (Rupert Friend), the latter a rather shady, solicitous Russian who happens to own the house – and treats Kat as just another possession, according to her. Iris, meanwhile, is positive that Kat hates her and even asks her why during a moment alone. “Because you make me feel replaceable,” Kat says, her words more pregnant with meaning than they might seem at first.

After their first night of partying and drinking, the next morning sees one houseguest subjected to an unwanted, overly aggressive advance – which then leads to bloodshed. And that in turn leads to the first big twist of ‘Companion,’ which – as we noted earlier – has already been telegraphed in the film’s trailer and marketing. It establishes a plot conceit that isn’t exactly original – it’s been used in plenty of films and TV shows before – but develops it in a way that slyly says something about relationships and gender dynamics today that is both hilarious and depressingly true.

(L to R) Jack Quaid as Josh and Sophie Thatcher as Iris in New Line Cinema’s ‘Companion,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

That first major reveal, however, is not the whole of the story. From that point, ‘Companion’ turns into a combination of crime, farce, and sci-fi thriller as more twists are revealed, including the reason why everyone has assembled at Sergey’s peaceful house in the first place and what some members of the group have been hiding from others. That leads to complication upon complication, as the situation grows even more bizarre and each potential solution to the problem leads to more disastrous consequences. By the time we get to the end – kind of a funnier take on the close of an Alex Garland film – no one and nothing is left undamaged.

‘Companion’ perhaps labors a bit toward that ending, and there are certain plot and motivational holes that come to the surface the more you think about them, but that’s a minor distraction at best. Another minor quibble is that, while Hrishikesh Hirway’s original score – an eerie play on strings and female vocals that echoes ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ – and Hancock’s needle drops are on the money, the latter are deployed perhaps one or two times too often, leading to an aural predictability that feels a little manipulative. Nevertheless, the song cues for the most part evoke a dreamy mix of nostalgia and folk horror that provide a terrific counterpart to the vicious onscreen action.

And make no mistake, it’s vicious, all right, as is the futuristic critique of certain social and gender dynamics that are increasingly present in the real world. “The world is rigged against people like me,” rages one character toward the end, and while they may be right in some ways, their anger and frustration are taken out in the entirely wrong direction. ‘Companion’ has a whole lot going on under the surface about relationships, love, self-identity, and self-worth, and how all those things can be poisoned and perverted by the technological tools made available to us.

The Cast

(L to R) Lukas Gage and Sophie Thatcher as Iris in ‘Companion’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Sophie Thatcher delivered a striking performance late last year in ‘Heretic,’ and she’s impressed us as well in ‘Yellowjackets’ and others. As Iris, she initially evokes a kind of timeless, throwback beauty and a beguiling sense of a woman fully open to the idea of love and pleasing someone else – until those ideas are all upended by what happens to her. Iris goes on a voyage of self-discovery that’s not always in her control, and Thatcher handles the character’s evolution with subtlety and a growing sense of outrage that portends more for both her and the world of the film. It’s terrific work from this rising young actor.

Jack Quaid is already a genre favorite thanks to his lead roles on ‘The Boys’ and ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks,’ making his mark in both with characters that start out on the back foot and eventually find their way toward something resembling confidence in themselves. His character here, Josh, is revealed here in layers, each one peeling off to expose an increasingly complicated man whose view of the world is ultimately transactional and dark. Drew Hancock’s excellent script gives him and Thatcher a lot to work with, and even the supporting players – especially Harvey Guillén (‘What We Do in the Shadows’), Lukas Gage (‘Smile 2’), and Megan Suri (‘It Lives Inside’) — get their moments to shine.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Jack Quaid as Josh and Megan Suri as Kat in New Line Cinema’s ‘Companion,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hopefully we’ve managed to get through this review without spoiling ‘Companion’ for you, for while it does touch on issues and concepts that aren’t new, it remixes them in a way that is best experienced without knowing much going in. And it lands its themes without hitting the viewer over the head with them, subtly leaving certain questions unanswered while still taking the viewer on a twisty, entertaining, morbidly funny ride.

‘Companion,’ while tackling different ideas, might pair well with ‘It’s What’s Inside,’ the overlooked sci-fi thriller from last year that also threw six friends into a situation where modern technology and social behavior toss all of them into complete emotional and psychological turmoil. There are notions about sex, control, and maturity that crop up in both, and while the latter film was a bit over-stylized in some ways, ‘Companion’ has an uncluttered directorial and writing style that bodes well for Drew Hancock’s future in feature films. ‘Companion’ has a lot on its mind, but skillfully presents Hancock’s argument in a lively genre mash-up that’s thoroughly satisfying.
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What is the plot of ‘Companion’?

Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher) join four other friends at a remote lakeside cabin for a weekend of fun and relaxation. But things quickly take a bad turn, leading to shocking revelations about who Josh and Iris really are and what their relationship is based on.

Who is in the cast of ‘Companion’?
- Sophie Thatcher as Iris
- Jack Quaid as Josh
- Lukas Gage as Patrick
- Megan Suri as Kat
- Harvey Guillén as Eli
- Rupert Friend as Sergey
New Line Cinema’s ‘Companion,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Sophie Thatcher Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘Prospect‘ (2018)
- ‘The Tomorrow Man‘ (2019)
- ‘When the Streetlights Go On‘ (2020)
- ‘Yellowjackets‘ (2021 – 2023)
- ‘The Book of Boba Fett‘ (2021 – 2022)
- ‘Blink‘ (2024)
- ‘The Boogeyman‘ (2023)
- ‘MaXXXine‘ (2024)
- ‘Heretic‘ (2024)
Buy Tickets: ‘Companion’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Sophie Thatcher Movies on Amazon
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January 22, 2025
Best Movies of 2024

Moviefone counts down the 24 best movies of 2024.

As we start to close the book on 2024, it’s time to look back at the 24 best movies of the year!

2024 saw new films from acclaimed filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola (‘Megalopolis‘) and Sean Baker (‘Anora‘), fantastic musicals such as ‘Wicked‘ and ‘Emilia Pérez‘, the animated hits ‘The Wild Robot‘ and ‘Moana 2‘, box office record breakers like ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ and ‘Inside Out 2‘, horror movies such as ‘Heretic‘ and ‘Longlegs‘, long-awaited sequels like ‘Gladiator II‘ and ‘Dune: Part Two‘ and the awards contenders ‘A Complete Unknown‘ and ‘The Brutalist‘.

With the year quickly coming to a close, Moviefone has assembled its list of the 24 best movies of 2024.

Let’s begin and Happy New Year!

24. ‘Love Lies Bleeding‘ (2024)

(L to R) Katy O’Brian and Kristen Stewart in ‘Love Lies Bleeding.’ Photo: A24.

From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) falls hard for Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.
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23. ‘Civil War‘ (2024)

(L to R) Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.

Directed by Alex Garland, in the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.
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22. ‘The Last Showgirl‘ (2025)

Pamela Anderson in ‘The Last Showgirl’. Photo: Roadside Attractions.

Opening in limited release in December 2024 and directed by by Gia Coppola, ‘The Last Showgirl’ stars Pamela Anderson as Shelly, a glamorous showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.
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21. ‘Megalopolis‘ (2024)

Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, genius artist Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) seeks to leap the City of New Rome into a utopian, idealistic future, while his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.
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20. ‘Longlegs‘ (2024)

Maika Monroe in ‘Longlegs’. Photo: Neon.

Directed by Osgood Perkins, in pursuit of a serial killer (Nicolas Cage), an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.
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19. ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga‘ (2024)

Chris Hemsworth in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jasin Boland. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Directed by George Miller, as the world falls, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
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18. ‘Piece By Piece‘ (2024)

Pharrell Williams stars in director Morgan Neville’s ‘Piece By Piece’, a Focus Features release. Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.

Directed by Morgan Neville, ‘Piece By Piece’ is a unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds.
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17. ‘Juror #2‘ (2024)

Nicholas Hoult as Justin Kemp in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Juror #2,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Claire Folger. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, family man Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict—or free—the accused killer.
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16. ‘The Wild Robot‘ (2024)

Roz (Lupita N’yongo) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Wild Robot’, directed by Chris Sanders. © 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose (Kit Connor).
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15. ‘Gladiator II‘ (2024)

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.

Directed by Ridley Scott, years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle (Joaquin Phoenix), Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
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14. ‘The Substance‘ (2024)

Demi Moore in ‘The Substance’. Photo: Mubi.

Directed by Coralie Fargeat, a fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
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13. ‘Rebel Ridge‘ (2024)

Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond in ‘Rebel Ridge’. Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netflix © 2024.

Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, a former Marine (Aaron Pierce) confronts corruption in a small town when local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin’s bail.
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12. ‘Emilia Pérez‘ (2024)

Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.

Directed by Jacques Audiard, Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an underrated lawyer working for a large law firm more interested in getting criminals out of jail than bringing them to justice, is hired by the leader of a criminal organization.
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11. ‘Heretic‘ (2024)

Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
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10. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ (2024)

(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

Directed by Shawn Levy, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) returns to save the Marvel Cinematic Universe with help from a new version of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).
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9. ‘Saturday Night‘ (2024)

(L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Directed by Jason Reitman, at 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live‘.
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8. ‘Challengers‘ (2024)

Zendaya stars as Tashi in director Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Challengers,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Niko Tavernise. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, ‘Challengers’ stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
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7. ‘September 5‘ (2025)

(L to R) Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), Hank Hanson (Corey Johnson), Jacques Lesgardes (Zinedine Soualem), Geoff Mason (John Magaro), Carter (Marcus Rutherford), Gladys Deist (Georgina Rich), Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), Marianne Gebhard (Leonie Benesch) star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘September 5’ the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, during the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American broadcasting team is thrust from covering sports to reporting a dramatic hostage situation involving Israeli athletes. A young producer (John Magaro), unexpectedly leading the live broadcast, faces difficult decisions as time runs out, rumors spread, and the hostages’ lives hang in the balance.
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6. ‘The Order‘ (2024)

Jude Law in ‘The Order’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.

Directed by Justin Kurzel, an alarming surge in violent bombings and bank robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads a weathered FBI agent (Jude Law) into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a charismatic domestic terrorist (Nicholas Hoult) plotting to overthrow the US government.
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5. ‘Wicked‘ (2024)

(L to R) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, in the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda (Ariana Grande) at Shiz University, and the two’s unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
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4. ‘Conclave‘ (2024)

Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

From director Edward Berger, ‘Conclave’ follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
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3. ‘Dune: Part Two‘ (2024)

(L to R) Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
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2. ‘A Complete Unknown‘ (2024)

Timothée Chalamet in ‘A Complete Unkown’. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Directed by James Mangold, set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, ‘A Complete Unknown’ follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan‘s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
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1. ‘Anora‘ (2024)

(L to R) Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.

Sean Baker‘s Palme d’Or winner ‘Anora’ is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison captivates as Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire. However, when Vanya’s parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York.
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December 27, 2024
Movie Review: ‘Heretic’
Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

Opening in theaters November 8th is ‘Heretic,’ directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, and Topher Grace.

Related Article: Hugh Grant to Star in ‘Heretic’, a Horror Movie from the Writers of ‘A Quiet Place’

Initial Thoughts

(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:
- ‘Nightlight‘ (2015)
- ‘A Quiet Place‘ (2018)
- ‘Haunt‘ (2019)
- ‘50 States of Fright‘ (2020)
- ‘65‘ (2023)
Buy Tickets: ‘Heretic’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Bryan Woods and Scott Beck Movies on Amazon
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November 7, 2024
Hugh Grant Heads for Horror Movie ‘Heretic’
(L to R) Hugh Grant plays Forge in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.

Hugh Grant, a man not normally known for starring in horror movies –– please, no jokes about ‘Nine Months’ or ‘Mickey Blue Eyes’ –– is taking a rare dip into scary territory for a new film.

He’s boarding ‘Heretic’ which has a script from, and will be directed by, ‘A Quiet Place’ duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods for arthouse movie specialists A24.

(L to R) Andie MacDowell and Hugh Grant backstage during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

What’s the story of ‘Heretic’?

With the details and deals still all coming together, ‘Heretic’ is still mostly a mystery at this point. Still, Deadline has heard that it is rumored to center on two young women of faith who are lured into a cat-and-mouse game in the home of an eccentric man.

Grant, unless he’s really taking a chance this time, is most likely playing the eccentric. We can well imagine him switching from charming to creepy.

It’s the latest project from Beck and Woods, who last co-wrote and co-directed sci-fi movie ‘65’, which saw Adam Driver as an astronaut from another planet crash-landing on Earth during the time of the dinosaurs.

A24 might appear an unlikely landing spot for their new outing, but the company has never shied away from genre, and saw ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ take off to box office and Oscar success.

When he’s not busy being snarky and obscure on red carpets, Grant has been enjoying something of a renaissance in his career of late, thanks partly to a vanity-free and sometimes showstopping turn as preening performer Phoenix Buchanan in 2017’s ‘Paddington 2’ and his switch to a more villainous side with the likes of Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Gentlemen’ and ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre’. He also tapped into a darker aspect in HBO miniseries ‘The Undoing’ playing the cheating husband of Nicole Kidman.

Hugh Grant in StudioCanal’s ‘Paddington 2.’

Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’

More recently, he was smooth-talking conman Forge Fitzwilliam in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, chewing the scenery and proving to be one of the highlights of a movie not short of them.

The fun career choices are continuing as later this year, he’ll be seen as, of all things, an Oompa-Loompa, opposite Timothée Chalamet in Warner Bros.’ origin story prequel film ‘Wonka’. That movie, due out on December 15th, was directed by ‘Paddington’s Paul King.

In keeping with the quirkiness, another movie awaiting release (this time via Netflix) is Jerry Seinfeld’s ‘Unfrosted’ the story of rival cereal companies vying to create what became the Pop-Tart.

Grant will also be back on HBO with ‘The Regime’, a drama with satirical underpinnings starring Kate Winslet that follows the unravelling of an authoritarian regime. That one is set to arrive next year but doesn’t have a specific date yet.

Like ‘The Regime’, it’s too early for ‘Heretic’, but we can’t imagine it much before late 2024 at the earliest, particularly with the writers’ strike still in full swing.

(L to R) Regé-Jean Page, Sophia Lillis, Michelle Rodriguez, Chris Pine and Hugh Grant from Paramount’s ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

Other Movies Starring Hugh Grant:
- ‘The Remains of the Day‘ (1993)
- ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral‘ (1994)
- ‘Sense and Sensibility‘ (1995)
- ‘Nine Months‘ (1995)
- ‘Notting Hill‘ (1999)
- ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary‘ (2001)
- ‘Two Weeks Notice‘ (2002)
- ‘About a Boy‘ (2002)
- ‘Love Actually‘ (2003)
- ‘Cloud Atlas‘ (2012)
- ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ‘(2015)
- ‘Florence Foster Jenkins‘ (2016)
- ‘Paddington 2‘ (2018)
- ‘The Gentlemen‘ (2020)
- ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery‘ (2022)
- ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre‘ (2023)
- ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves‘ (2023)
Buy Hugh Grant Movies On Amazon
June 12, 2023