OHe said never to go into strangers’ homes! A24 released the trailer for Heretichis new horror film – with a tendency towards sadism and closed rooms. This new curiosity from the studio after Everything Everywhere All at Once will be produced by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (to whom we also owe 65: the Earth before), and will hit theaters on December 4. On the bill, we will find Hugh Grant (Love at first sight in Notting Hill), the former king of English romantic comedy. Surprising.
The British actor will play a reclusive old man, welcoming into his home two young women (Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher, respectively seen in The Fabelmans et Yellowjackets) came to knock on his door to bring him good news. What was only supposed to be an exchange on the merits of faith will end up becoming a sadistic maze game, supposed to prove the piety of its unfortunate participants.
The first images appear promising while maintaining the mystery of the motivations of this elderly psychopath. The religious motive is obviously implicit. But we feel that the permanent anxiety oozing from these extracts hides something eminently more pernicious. A reminder, moreover, that communication around secrecy is always very well controlled at A24…
Hugh Grant, Hollywood’s new villain
If you pitch Heretic remains very evasive, it at least has the merit of confirming one thing: the turning of 60 will also have been that of reinvention for Hugh Grant. Completely against type for a few years, the actor trades naivety and flirting for the costume of the big bad guy, already. But also, sometimes, for clearly more disconcerting roles.
How far away the days of Love Actually (2003) when we see for example the actor made up as an Oompa Loompa, as tall as three apples and his hair dyed green, in the very candid Wonka (2023). Or, even more so, when he plays a medieval thug without faith or law in the otherwise sympathetic Dungeons and Dragons: lhonor of thieves (2023). Radical.
Even more disturbing, Hugh Grant loses none of his phlegm or elegance in these roles which at first glance require neither. He even retains a little of the charm of the Daniel Cleaver he once was in Bridget Jones, including when committing the worst crimes.
A trickery kindness by which our two young women are fooled in this first trailer for Heretic. And which should give us some nightmares after watching the film…
