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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the 2024 film. For other similarly-named films, see Heretic (disambiguation) § Film and theatre.

For Christian theological concept, see Heresy.

Heretic
Theatrical release poster
Directed byScott Beck
Bryan Woods
Written byScott BeckBryan Woods
Produced byStacey SherScott BeckBryan WoodsJulia GlausiJeanette Volturno
StarringHugh GrantSophie ThatcherChloe East
CinematographyChung Chung-hoon
Edited byJustin Li
Music byChris Bacon
Production
companies		Beck/WoodsShiny Penny ProductionsCatchlight Studios
Distributed byA24
Release datesSeptember 8, 2024 (TIFF)November 8, 2024 (United States)
Running time111 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10 million
Box office$59.5 million[2][3]

Heretic is a 2024 American psychological horror film, written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. It stars Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East as Mormon missionaries who visit the home of an eccentric man, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), after he expresses interest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Mr. Reed’s intentions become evidently more sinister when they enter his home.

Heretic premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, and was released in the United States by A24 on November 8. It received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $59 million worldwide. For his performance, Grant received Best Actor nominations at the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Awards, and the BAFTA Awards, while Beck and Woods received an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Screenplay.

Plot

[edit]

Two young missionaries from the LDS Church, confident Sister Barnes and timid Sister Paxton, arrive at the home of a reclusive middle-aged man, Mr. Reed. He invites them in, assuring them that his wife is preparing a blueberry pie in the back of the house. They begin to discuss religion, and Sister Paxton playfully expresses a desire to visit others, after death, as a butterfly that appears on the hands of her loved ones. During the conversation, Reed makes several uncomfortable comments about their faith. When Reed steps out of the room, Barnes realizes that the smell of blueberry pie is from a candle, the front door is locked, and they have no phone signal.

They follow Reed to his study, where he gives them a threatening lecture arguing that all religions are adaptations of one another and claims to have found the one true religion. The girls are told that the front door is latched and will not open. He gives the girls a choice of two doors to go through to exit the house: one if they still believe in God, and one if they do not. Barnes rebels, repudiating several of his claims. They enter the “Belief” door, but discover both doors lead to the same dungeon.

A decrepit woman appears, eats a poisoned pie, and dies. Reed claims that she is a prophet of God and the pair will witness her resurrection. A church elder arrives looking for the girls but leaves without hearing their screams. Paxton notices that the position of the prophet has changed. The prophet apparently comes back from the dead and describes the afterlife. Barnes rejects the prophet’s description, noting its similarity to common hallucinations from near-death experiences. When Barnes gives Paxton a signal to attack Reed, he slashes Barnes’s throat. He then claims that she will also rise from the dead.

With Barnes bleeding heavily, Reed removes a metal object from inside her arm, claiming it is a microchip that proves that Barnes was not real and the world is a simulation. Paxton recognizes the object as a contraceptive implant. Paxton realizes that everything was orchestrated by Reed; while the girls were distracted by the elder’s arrival, a second woman hid the prophet’s corpse, took her place and delivered the afterlife description as scripted by Reed, adding an unplanned comment: “It’s not real.” Reed’s killing of Barnes and attempt to convince Paxton of a simulated reality was an improvisation to cover the plan going awry. Paxton discovers an underground chute in which the Prophet’s corpse was hidden and climbs down, with Reed promising it will show her the “one true religion”.

Paxton passes through a series of chambers, the last of which is locked with the bicycle lock she used before entering Reed’s house. The final chamber is full of emaciated women in cages. She realizes Reed’s personal belief: that a desire to control others is the root of all religions. Paxton stabs Reed with a letter opener, but Reed stabs her as she tries to escape. As they bleed in the basement, Paxton prays, telling Reed that it is done to think about others rather than to produce material results. Reed prepares to finish her off. Barnes, who is still alive, kills him with a plank of wood with protruding nails before dying. Paxton climbs out of a window and a butterfly lands on her hand, presumably representing Barnes.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

In June 2023, it was reported that Scott Beck and Bryan Woods wrote and would direct the film for A24. Hugh Grant and Chloe East were cast in lead roles, with Sophie Thatcher joining later.[6] Beck and Woods said the film was inspired by the films Contact and Inherit the Wind, as films that discuss religion seriously but “in a kind of popcorn movie context”. The writing of the film was prompted by the death of Woods’s father from esophageal cancer, and the questions it prompted about what happens after death.[7] Wanting to ensure the missionary characters were as genuine and authentic as possible and not clichés, the filmmakers consulted various Mormon friends during the writing and production, as well as Thatcher and East, who are ex-Mormons themselves.[8]

According to the directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods they chose Hugh Grant for the lead role of Mr. Reed due to his six multiple roles in Cloud Atlas for the lead role in the film as during the interview over their discuss about the development of the film.[9]

The production was granted an interim agreement allowing filming during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[10] On a budget of under $10 million,[11] principal photography took place in Vancouver from October 3 to November 16, 2023.[12][13] The film was shot in chronological order.[14]

Thatcher performs a cover version of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” set to the tune of “Fade Into You”, which plays in the end credits.[15]

Release

[edit]

Heretic premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024.[16][17] The film was scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on November 15, 2024,[18] before it was moved up to November 8.[19] It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland a week earlier on November 1.[1]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

As of February 17, 2025, Heretic has grossed $28 million in the United States and Canada, and $31.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $59.2 million.[3][2]

In the United States and Canada, Heretic was released alongside The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Elevation, Weekend in Taipei, and the wide expansion of Anora, and was projected to gross around $8 million from 3,221 theaters in its opening weekend.[20] The film made $4.3 million on its first day, including $1.2 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $11 million, finishing second behind holdover Venom: The Last Dance.[21] The film made $5 million in its second weekend (a drop of 54.1%), and then $2.2 million in its third, finishing in fourth and seventh place, respectively.[22][23]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 274 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website’s consensus reads: “Hugh Grant has infectious fun playing against type in Heretic, a religious horror that preaches the gospel of cerebral chills over cheap shocks.”[24] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 71 out of 100, based on 49 critics, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.[25] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “C+” on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 70% overall positive score.[21]

Peter Bradshaw, in a review for The Guardian, described the film as “gruesome and bizarre and preposterous” and highlighted the performance of Hugh Grant, calling him “suave, dapper and evil”.[26]

McKay Coppins, in The Atlantic, described the film as “A Horror Movie About an Atheist Who Won’t Shut Up”.[27]

Filmmaker Rich Peppiatt named it one of his top 10 feature films of 2024, praising Grant’s performance.[28]

The essayist Stephen Silver criticized the film, opining that “It’s got one excellent idea, and that idea is making a horror movie villain out of a smug, obnoxious atheist.”[29]

Church responses

[edit]

The LDS Church released a statement condemning the film’s portrayal of violence against women. They then posted an article on missionary safety, intended to “assist journalists and the public with questions and concerns regarding the safety and well-being of missionaries”.[30] A number of former Latter-day Saints praised the film for its realistic and nuanced portrayal of missionaries.[8]

Writing in The Christian Post, the Christian apologist Robin Schumacher noted that Mr. Reed became “his own god and asserting control over those around him — something that is indeed frightening”.[31] Schumacher concludes that Mr. Reed’s behaviour in the film was consistent with Fyodor Dostoevsky‘s dictum: “Without God all things are permitted.”[31] The apologist did criticize the film, however, for Mr. Reed spouting the ahistorical claims of the Christ myth theory.[31] In the same vein, Bret Eckelberry in his review for Plugged In, critiques Heretic for presenting this “poorly evidenced fringe hypothesis widely rejected by both Christian and secular scholars” as “something new and shocking.”[32]

Accolades

[edit]

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Astra Film AwardsDecember 8, 2024Best Horror or Thriller FeatureHereticNominated[33]
Best Performance in a Horror or ThrillerHugh GrantNominated
Michigan Movie Critics Guild AwardsDecember 9, 2024Best ActorNominated[34]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society AwardsBest ActorNominated[35]
Best Horror/Sci-FiHereticNominated
Phoenix Critics Circle AwardsDecember 12, 2024Best Horror FilmNominated[36]
St. Louis Film Critics Association AwardsDecember 15, 2024Best Horror FilmNominated[37]
Best ActorHugh GrantNominated
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association AwardsDecember 18, 2024Best Actor5th place[38]
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle AwardsDecember 21, 2024Best ActorRunner-up[39]
Online Association of Female Film Critics AwardsDecember 23, 2024Best Male LeadNominated[40]
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association AwardsJanuary 4, 2025Best ActorNominated[41]
Golden Globe AwardsJanuary 5, 2025Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or ComedyNominated[42]
Austin Film Critics Association AwardsJanuary 6, 2025Best ActorNominated[43]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists AwardsJanuary 7, 2025Best ActorNominated[44]
Music City Film Critics Association AwardsJanuary 10, 2025Best Horror FilmHereticNominated[45]
Utah Film Critics Association AwardsJanuary 11, 2025Best Performance in a Science-Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror FilmHugh GrantNominated[46]
Hawaii Film Critics Society AwardsJanuary 13, 2025Best ActorNominated[47]
Best Horror FilmHereticNominated
Chicago Indie Critics AwardsJanuary 18, 2025Best ActorHugh GrantNominated[48]
Houston Film Critics Society AwardsJanuary 22, 2025Best ActorNominated[49]
Satellite AwardsJanuary 26, 2025Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated[50]
Critics’ Choice Movie AwardsFebruary 7, 2025Best ActorNominated[51]
Artios AwardsFebruary 12, 2025Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Feature Studio or Independent Film (Comedy)Carmen Cuba, Charley Medigovich, Tiffany MakNominated[52]
Society of Composers & Lyricists AwardsFebruary 12, 2025Outstanding Original Score for an Independent FilmChris BaconNominated[53]
British Academy Film AwardsFebruary 16, 2025Best Actor in a Leading RoleHugh GrantNominated[54]
Independent Spirit AwardsFebruary 22, 2025Best ScreenplayScott Beck and Bryan WoodsNominated[55]

References

[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b “Heretic (15)”. British Board of Film Classification. September 25, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b “Heretic – Financial Information”. The Numbers. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b “Heretic (2024)”. Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Jump up to:a b c Grobar, Matt (June 25, 2024). “Heretic Trailer: Hugh Grant Lures Pair Of Missionaries Into Cat-And-Mouse Game In A24 Horror Film From A Quiet Place Duo”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  5. ^ “Heretic”. A24 Publicity. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Galuppo, Mia (June 9, 2023). “The Fabelmans Breakout Chloe East in Talks for A24 Thriller from Scott Beck, Bryan Woods (Exclusive)”. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Lussier, Germain (November 8, 2024). “New Horror Movie Heretic Was Inspired by Robert Zemeckis’ Contact”. Gizmodo. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  8. ^ Jump up to:a b Horton, Adrian (November 12, 2024). “‘I feel like that was me’: how have Mormons reacted to Hugh Grant horror Heretic?”. The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  9. ^ Robinson, Tasha (September 24, 2024). “Heretic’s directors knew Hugh Grant had horror villain potential after Cloud Atlas”. Polygon. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  10. ^ Hipes, Patrick (August 16, 2023). “SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreements: Full List Of Movies And TV Series”. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  11. ^ Coyle, Jake (November 10, 2024). “Heretic and Hugh Grant debut with $11 million, but Venom: The Last Dance tops box office again”. Associated Press. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  12. ^ “In Production British Columbia”. Creative BC Film Commission. August 18, 2023. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Kay, Jeremy. “Directors Scott Beck, Bryan Woods talk courting Hugh Grant for their TIFF religion horror Heretic“. Screen Daily. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  14. ^ Wittmer, Carrie (October 28, 2024). “‘Heretic’ Star Chloe East Talks Working With Hugh Grant”. L’Officiel USA. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  15. ^ Martoccio, Angie (November 7, 2024). “Sophie Thatcher channels Mazzy Star on her cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”. Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  16. ^ “Heretic”. Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  17. ^ D’Alessandro, Anthony (July 22, 2024). “TIFF Galas & Special Presentations Lineup Includes World Premieres From Angelina Jolie, Mike Leigh, Gia Coppola; Starry Pics With Jennifer Lopez, Lily James, Dave Bautista; Int’=’l Premieres Conclave & Piece By Piece, More”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  18. ^ D’Alessandro, Anthony (May 30, 2024). “A24 Dates Fall & Holiday Slate With ‘The Front Room’, ‘A Different Man’, ‘We Live In Time’, ‘Heretic’ & ‘Baby Girl'”. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  19. ^ Navarro, Megan (September 19, 2024). “Heretic 2nd Trailer Brings New Release Date and Closer Look at Hugh Grant’s Sinister Villain”. Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  20. ^ “Hugh Grant’s ‘Heretic’ Could Scare Off ‘Venom 3’ This Weekend; Curtains Lift On ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ – Box Office Preview”. Deadline Hollywood. November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  21. ^ Jump up to:a b “‘Venom: The Last Dance’ $18M+, ‘Christmas Pageant’ & ‘Heretic’ Remain In Dead Heat For No. 2 With $12M+ Apiece – Veterans Day Box Office”. Deadline Hollywood. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  22. ^ D’Alessandro, Anthony (November 17, 2024). “Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans’ $200M+ Christmas Action Movie ‘Red One’ Opening To $34M: Is It A Bomb Or A Streamer’s Rounding Error? — Saturday AM Box Office”. Deadline. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  23. ^ D’Alessandro, Anthony (November 24, 2024). “‘Wicked’ & ‘Gladiator II’ AKA ‘Glicked’ Fuel $205M Combined Weekend, Best Pre-Thanksgiving Frame In 11 Years — Sunday AM Box Office Update”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  24. ^ “Heretic“. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 13, 2025. 
  25. ^ “Heretic“. Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  26. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (October 31, 2024). “Heretic review – religious horror with a suave, dapper and evil Hugh Grant”. The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  27. ^ Coppins, McKay (November 26, 2024). “A Horror Movie About an Atheist Who Won’t Shut Up”. The Atlantic. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  28. ^ “Kneecap Director Rich Peppiatt Top Ten Feature Films of 2024”. Director’s Notes.
  29. ^ Silver, Stephen (November 6, 2024). “‘Heretic’ is a silly horror film with fake religious profundity”. The SS Ben Hecht. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  30. ^ Kessler, Mori (November 16, 2024). “‘Heretic’ film prompts LDS church response from Utah officials regarding missionary safety”. St. George News. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  31. ^ Jump up to:a b c Schumacher, Robin (November 13, 2024). “‘Heretic’: Decent horror film with surprisingly deep religious belief talk (review)”. The Christian Post. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  32. ^ Eckelberry, Bret (November 8, 2024). “Heretic”. Plugged In. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  33. ^ “2024 Astra Film Awards Nominations”. November 25, 2024.
  34. ^ “Michigan Movie Critics Guild Announces Winners for the Best of 2024”. December 9, 2024.
  35. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 13, 2024). “The 2024 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Winners”. Next Best Picture.
  36. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 13, 2024). “The 2024 Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) Winners”. Next Best Picture.
  37. ^ “The 2024 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations”. Next Best Picture. December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  38. ^ “Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association – Official site of the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association”. December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  39. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 21, 2024). “The 2024 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) Winners”. Next Best Picture.
  40. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 20, 2024). “The 2024 Online Association Of Female Film Critics (OAFFC) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  41. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 23, 2024). “The 2024 Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  42. ^ Barnard, Matthew (December 9, 2024). “NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 82nd ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES®”. Golden Globes. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  43. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 27, 2024). “The 2024 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  44. ^ “The 2024 EDA Award Nominees”. Alliance of Women Film Journalists. December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  45. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 3, 2025). “The 2024 Music City Film Critics Association (MCFCA) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  46. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 21, 2024). “The 2024 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  47. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 6, 2025). “The 2024 Hawaii Film Critics Society (HFCS) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  48. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 6, 2025). “The 2024 Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) Windie Award Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  49. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 7, 2025). “The 2024 Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) Nominations”. Next Best Picture.
  50. ^ “2024 Nominees”. International Press Academy.
  51. ^ Grein, Paul (December 12, 2024). “‘Wicked’ & ‘Conclave’ Lead 2025 Critics Choice Awards Nominations: Full List”. Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  52. ^ Rice, Lynette (December 17, 2024). “‘Wicked’ & ‘Gladiator II’ Among Film Nominees For 40th Annual Artios Awards; Casting Nods Also Go To ‘Saturday Night’ & ‘Moana 2”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  53. ^ Pedersen, Erik (December 18, 2024). “Society Of Composers & Lyricists Cues Up 2025 SCL Awards Nominations”. Deadline. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  54. ^ “Baftas 2025: The nominations list in full”. BBC. January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  55. ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (December 4, 2024). “Spirit Awards 2025 Nominations: ‘Anora’ and ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Lead Film Categories, ‘Shōgun’ Rules TV”. Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

[edit]

hidevteFilms by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
Written and directedUniversity Heights (2004, Beck only)Impulse (2010)Nightlight (2015)Haunt (2019)65 (2023)Heretic (2024)
Written onlyA Quiet Place (2018)The Boogeyman (2023)
RelatedBluebox Films

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