An upcoming psychological horror film slated to hit theaters in a couple of months just got an exciting new look. A new report fromTotal Filmrevealed a still fromSpeak No EvilshowingJames McAvoy’s character Paddy, and the report also features interviews with the movie’s star and directorJames Watkins. The remake of the 2022 film of the same name was written byChristianandMads Tafdrup, with director Watkins also given writing credit for the screenplay. When asked about how the new film stacks up to the original, McAvoy assured fans it pays homage while also bringing its own unique ideas to the table:
“Christian [Tafdrup, director of the original] was really pushing the idea of how far people would comply, like an allegory almost. Our film is 100% a remake and it honors the original, but it also does something a little different.”
It’s not every day that you see a remake of a movie two years after the original, but McAvoy promises that the short time between films doesn’t mean the newer installment will rely too much on the original. In addition to McAvoy,Speak No Evilalso starsScoot McNairy,Mackenzie Davis,Aisling Franciosi, andAlix West Lefler. McNairy most recently appeared oppositeGame of ThronesstarKit HaringtoninBlood for Dust, and Davis is best known for her role as Grace inTerminator: Dark Fate.
The ‘Speak No Evil’ Remake Is Less Violent Than the Original
The originalSpeak No Evilis incredibly violent, and unafraid to show itin some of the film’s most tense moments. Particularly at the end, there are several sequences of intense violence, even against children. The remake by Watkins aims to tone this down, focusing more on the psychological element and less on the slasher element, which Watkins elaborated on further when speaking to Total Film:
“Our film is a lot less explicit. It’s a psychological horror thriller with a horrific concept embedded in it. It’s easy to get scares or shocks out of horrific actions. Since I’ve become a parent I guess I am more mindful of not just having clockwork horror.”
You won’t find us complaining about a film diving more into the elements of psychological horror and less into harming children. While the 2024 remake is still rated R, meaning movie fans can expect to see intense scares and sequences not meant for younger eyes, the original film was not rated, meaning nothing was off the table. 2022’sSpeak No Evilwas written by the Tafdrup brothers and directed by Christain Tafrdrup, who now have the chance to tell a different version of their story withan A-list star like McAvoy in the lead role.
Speak No Evilarrives in theaters on September 12. Check out the new image from the film above and watch the originalSpeak No Evilon Prime Video.
