Star of new horror movie The Watched says it features things she’s never seen in a film before
Exclusive: Dakota Fanning says Ishana Night Shyamalan’s debut mixes the real and surreal in a unique way
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Ishana Night Shyamalan’s debut feature, The Watched (called The Watchers internationally), is coming to theaters soon, and Dakota Fanning, who plays protagonist Mina, says the movie features things she’s never seen before in a film.
Adapted fromthe novel by A.M. Shineandvisually inspired by The Witch and Antichrist, The Watched sees Mina become stranded in a dense Irish forest. It’s no ordinary woodland, as inside it there’s a strange cabin where other stranded souls are trapped. Each night they must allow themselves to observed by mysterious creatures. As long as they follow the rules, and don’t try to escape, there’s hope for their survival.
“I really like that it’s an Irish fairytale, rooted in folklore and the mythological world,” Fanning says of the film. The Ripley actor elaborates that Ireland is a place that’s familiar to her and she was glad to go back there to shoot the movie. “I’d worked in Dublin before so I was thrilled to get to go back – I have a lot of friends there.”
As for what drew her to the character of Mina, who – no spoilers! – may have a complicated past, Fanning liked blending her grounded story with the supernatural elements of the film.
“I really like how the real humanness of the story is mixed with the unreal, surreal elements, how they’re woven together,” she explains. “I found it really cool and it felt like something I hadn’t really seen before.”
As well as starring in The Watched, Fanning has also recently wrapped filming on another horror film, Vicious. Directed and written byThe Strangers' Brian Bertino, it’s currently scheduled for release in the US on 8 August 2025.
The Watched opens in cinemas on 7 June. For more, check out our guides to all theupcoming horror movies on the way and our picks of the best horror movies of all time.
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I’m the News Editor of Total Film magazine, overseeing the Teasers section of every issue where you can read exclusive previews of the biggest films. I was previously Staff Writer, then Contributing Editor at Film Stories, where I covered everything from blockbuster movies to independent British films - although admittedly big sci-fi and fantasy movies are my favourites! I’m always waiting for a new film by my favourite directors Guillermo del Toro and Tim Burton, and am enthusiastic about all things dark and gothic.
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