What is A24’s Heretic (2024) about? Everything to know
A24’s latest horror thriller film Heretic deals with themes like religion, skepticism and morality, among others. Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the film will be theatrically released in the United States on November 8, 2024.
The film stars Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East in the main roles. The two actresses play the role of two young missionaries who are trying to convert Mr. Reed, played by the veteran actor, Grant.
Heretic had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024. On Thursday, October 24, 2024, the film was screened at the 38th annual AFI Fest in Hollywood, California at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
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Exploring the plot of Heretic
The online edition of the Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘heretic’ as ‘someone who has beliefs that are against the principles of a particular religion’. The film explores religious differences through dialogues while laying bare the horrors that might lurk beneath seemingly harmless matters.
The official synopsis of the film reads:
“Two young missionaries 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.”
Sister Barnes (Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (East) are two well-meaning missionaries and are trying to convert people to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church.
Mr. Reed, a Scottish man, had previously expressed his desire to know more about the said Church. So, the two young missionaries go to his residence.
Thanks to a storm, the women have to take shelter in Reed’s home for quite some time. During that time, the elderly man engages the two well-intentioned missionaries in a critical conversation, touching upon subjects like religion, humanity, ethics and the like. By the end of the conversation, the women have had a remarkable experience and start questioning their own faiths.
Commenting on the film’s subject and its treatment of the horror genre, Scott Beck said at the AFI Fest before the screening of Heretic:
“A few years ago, after we (Beck and Woods) wrote A Quiet Place, which was a movie that generated tension through cinematic techniques, we wondered, Could we actually do the opposite? where the horror doesn’t necessarily get generated through monsters or jump scares, but rather, through ideas and discussion – and so, that really was the birthplace for this idea of Heretic.”
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Heretic: Cast and crew
The producers of the film include Beck, Woods, Stacey Sher, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film is edited by Justin Li. Chung Chung-hoon handled the cinematography, while Chris Bacon designed the film’s music.
The cast of the film includes:
- Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed
- Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes
- Chloe East as Sister Paxton
- Topher Grace as Elder Kennedy
- Elle Young as Prophet
Speaking to BuzzFeed on October 29, 2024, Hugh Grant said that the making of Heretic required quite a lot of research, both for the writer-director duo and himself. He mentioned how he studied serial killers and cult leaders to prepare for the role:
“I researched the killers, the cult leaders, and I did some work on the religious side as well although the filmmakers, Scott (Beck) and Bryan (Woods) had kind of done all that fascinating stuff.”
Further, Grant said that the subject of the film is “genuinely fresh and interesting” and he’s impressed by what Beck and Woods say about Christianity.
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Source: Sportskeeda
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