“The inverse of A Quiet Place” was the pitch for Hugh Grant’s new horror movie Heretic, directors say

Exclusive: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods talk the concept of Heretic

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Heretic directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods say their new horror movie is the direct opposite of A Quiet Place, which they co-wrote.

“The concept was the inverse of A Quiet Place, which was, can we tell a story and scare people with no dialogue?” Woods tellsSFX magazinein the new issue, which features Wicked on the cover and hits newsstands on November 1. “Heretic was, can we tell a story and scare people with just dialogue?”

The initial concept of the film involved two Mormon missionaries who knock on the wrong door, and a discourse begins. From there it evolved into a simple three-character study of Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) responding to an inquiry at the peculiar home of one Mr Reed (Hugh Grant).

The pair worked with production designer Philip Messina (The Hunger Games), DP Chung Chung-hoon, and costume designer Betsy Heimann to create a “claustrophobic, puzzle box environment.”

TheA24film was announced in 2023, with Grant to star as the pic’s main antagonist. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film has garnered generally positive reviews and currently stands at a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Topher Grace and Elle Young also star.

Not a subscriber to SFX? Thenhead on over here to get the latest issues sent directly to your home/device!

Heretic releases on November 8. Read more inthe latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Wicked on the cover and will be available from Friday, November 1.

Sign up to the SFX Newsletter

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!

For even more from SFX, sign up to ournewsletter, which delivers all the latest exclusives straight to your inbox. Check out the covers below…

Fellow Ozians! Let us rejoicify at the announcement of our exclusive #WickedMovie issue, on sale from 1 November with two thrillifying covers to collect! pic.twitter.com/z8ywneNWdbOctober 28, 2024

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent’s Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

Matthew Lillard thinks the Scream franchise is in a “good place,” but that the movies got “too violent”: “I don’t think Ghostface ever needs a shotgun”

Mike Flanagan is producing a new horror movie with Midnight Mass and Oppenheimer stars

Metaphor ReFantazio’s Count Louis finally gives Atlus a Sephiroth-level villain