Heretic: Everything We Know About the New A24 Film

What would you do if you were trapped in a house with a madman? In A24’s newest horror film Heretic, two Mormon missionaries must fight for their survival after knocking on the wrong door.

The Plot

Heretic is A24’s latest gripping horror movie that follows two young Mormon missionaries who find themselves in a terrifying predicament. After knocking on the wrong door, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton become trapped in the clutches of the enigmatic Mr. Reed. While the two missionaries wait for Mr. Reed’s supposed wife to finish a blueberry pie, things become stranger and stranger and the Sisters realize everything may not be as it seems in this quaint household. Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton have to rely on their faith to escape the clutches of evil, will they live to tell the tale? You’ll have to watch Heretic to find out!

The Cast and Crew

Heretic stars a talented cast of rising stars and seasoned actors! Sophie Thatcher, known for her roles in Yellowjackets and MaXXXine, takes on the role of Sister Barnes. Joining her as Sister Paxton is Chloe East, who recently starred in The Fabelmans. The terrifying Mr. Reed is portrayed by one of the kings of romantic comedies, Hugh Grant, known for his roles in films like Notting Hill and Love Actually. Additionally, Topher Grace, from That ‘70s Show, will play the role of Elder Kennedy. 

Heretic is written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. The filmmaking duo are best known for writing A Quiet Place, but have also written and directed Haunt and 65, starring Adam Driver. Heretic will be their latest dive into the horror genre and their fans couldn’t be more excited!

The Fans

Fans are raving about A24’s marketing for Heretic that is only adding to the movie’s intrigue! At the beginning of October 2024, fake missing person ads for Paxton and Barnes popped up at the Salt Lake City Airport. The ads are reminiscent of horror classic The Blair Witch Project, and fans are complimenting the clever and eerie marketing strategy that has heightened anticipation for the film. Also, in some early screenings of Heretic the scent of blueberry pie was dispersed in the theater or attendees were given scratch and sniff cards. How cool!

Fans of Hugh Grant are also excited to see him in a darker role, after a career full of lovable characters! Especially since A24 is producing Heretic, because A24 has produced instant horror classics like Hereditary and Midsommar!

The Critics

At the time of writing this article, Heretic boasts an impressive 94% on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes! After screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024, critics raved about A24’s newest horror venture. Collider’s Ross Bonaime praised Heretic as “a clever twist on the religious horror genre, bolstered by three strong performances, particularly Grant’s gregarious yet haunting Mr. Reed.” Critics and fans alike are loving seeing Hugh Grant in a darker role!

The Release Date

Get ready for some holy horror! A24 moved up the release date of Heretic to November 8, 2024, so fans won’t have to wait much longer! Although a streaming release date has not been announced yet, it is anticipated that Heretic will eventually be available to stream on Max.