Being careful who you spend your time with on vacation appears to be one of the big warnings in the 2024 new movie Speak No Evil. The latest Blumhouse production, the home of many of the best horror/thriller movies in recent memory, Speak No Evil is actually an English-language remake of a Danish movie, Gæsterne, that earned raves and awards. Can the Hollywood version do the same?
While we'll always support people watching foreign movies, Hollywood has had success taking international movies and remaking them in English for US audiences. Some examples include Best Picture winners The Departed and CODA, as well as horror movies The Grudge and The Ring. So Speak No Evil is in a long and proud tradition.
Here is everything that you need to know about Speak No Evil, from when it is releasing to who stars in it and the movie's trailer.
Speak No Evil release date
Speak No Evil is set to come to movie theaters worldwide on Friday, September 13 (quite fitting for a horror movie).
If you're interested in watching the original Danish movie before Speak No Evil releases, it is available to stream on AMC Plus or rent via digital on-demand in the US; it is available to stream on Shudder in the UK.
Speak No Evil cast
Headlining the Speak No Evil cast is James McAvoy as Paddy, the charismatic but troubling estate owner. McAvoy has played heartthrobs (Atonement) and superheroes (the X-Men franchise), but some of his best performances have come in the horror genre, particularly in the M. Night Shyamalan movie Split.
The other half of the questionable hosting couple is Aisling Franciosi (The Last Voyage of the Demeter, The Nightingale) as Ciara.
Playing the American couple invited to stay with Paddy and Ciara are Mackenzie Davis (Station Eleven, Happiest Season) as Louise and Scoot McNairy (Blonde, Argo) as Ben.
Also starring in the movie are Alix West Lefler (The Good Nurse, Fire Country) as Louise and Ben's daughter Agnes, while Dan Hough is making his acting debut, playing Paddy and Ciara's mute son Ant.
Speak No Evil plot
Adapting the original screenplay from Christian and Mads Tafdrup, here is the official synopsis for Speak No Evil written by James Watkins:
"When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare."
Speak No Evil trailer
Watch James McAvoy become completely unhinged in the trailer for Speak No Evil directly below:
James Watkins movies
In addition to writing the screenplay, James Watkins also directs Speak No Evil. Most recently, Watkins has been working in TV, directing an episode of Black Mirror ("Shut Up and Dance") and multiple episodes of McMafia and The Ipcress File, but he also has experience with feature-length movies, and the horror genre specifically. Here is his list of big-screen directing credits:
- Eden Lake (2008)
- The Woman in Black (2012)
- The Take (2016)
