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Harry Potter this is not. A decade after quietly slithering into cinemas, Horns – a genre-bending horror-fantasy starring Daniel Radcliffe and a teenage Sabrina Carpenter – is finally getting its due.
The film is landing on Pluto TV for free streaming on July 21, giving horror fans and Radcliffe loyalists a chance to revisit one of his strangest, darkest roles.
Based on Joe Hill’s bestselling 2010 novel (yes, Stephen King’s son), Horns follows Ig Perrish (Radcliffe), a young man whose life implodes after his girlfriend Merrin (played by Ted Lasso star Juno Temple) is brutally murdered.
Everyone thinks he did it, but Ig’s reality becomes even stranger when he wakes up with horns sprouting from his forehead, granting him the sinister ability to compel people to reveal their darkest secrets.
Using this terrifying power, Ig sets out to find the real killer while grappling with the town’s suspicion and his own grief.
Directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Crawl), Horns is a twisted blend of supernatural horror, dark comedy, and psychological thriller, unafraid to push boundaries and lean into its bizarre premise.
It explores guilt, vengeance, love, and transformation with a darkly humorous edge, making it stand out in a landscape often dominated by formulaic horror.
Sabrina Carpenter, who was just 15 during filming, plays the young Merrin in flashbacks, years before she would top charts and sell out stadium tours.
The cast also includes The Handmaid’s Tale’s Max Minghella as Lee Tourneau, Ig’s childhood friend whose secrets add further layers to the film’s mystery.
At its 2014 release, Horns received a mixed reception, with critics unsure how to handle its shifts in tone and genre. But over the years, the film has gained a cult following for its originality, gothic visuals, and Radcliffe’s fearless performance as a man teetering between heartbreak and hellish fury.
Fans on IMDb have praised the film’s unusual concept, calling it “an underdog movie that combines horror, fantasy, drama and psychological suspense.” On X, one viewer wrote, “So many regrets not watching Horns earlier. Daniel Radcliffe you twisted mother!!”
i just found out this was daniel radcliffe with sabrina carpenter😭 pic.twitter.com/A0XG54Z6FW
— jude⸆⸉ (@karmaissebby) May 11, 2024
Radcliffe’s post-Potter career has often veered into the eccentric, from Swiss Army Man to Guns Akimbo, but Horns remains one of his boldest swings, showcasing his commitment to playing characters who are both tormented and darkly funny.
The film also captures Carpenter at the start of her career, years before her current pop star superstardom, adding another layer of intrigue for her fans.
In an era of safe remakes and jump-scare-heavy horror, Horns offers something different: a story about grief and rage dressed in supernatural horror, wrapped with dark humour and led by a committed Radcliffe who grows literal horns as his world collapses around him.
Whether you’re in the mood for a cult horror you missed, a dose of dark fantasy, or a reminder of Radcliffe’s willingness to take risks, Horns delivers. It is a film that leaves an impression – sometimes shocking, sometimes emotional, always strange.
With its arrival on Pluto TV, Horns is ready to haunt a new generation, proving that even a decade later, its twisted tale of love, loss, and the monstrous truths we hide is worth the watch.
