Movies
See and Smell ‘Heretic’ Early with Advanced Multi-Sensory Screening This Month
Get ready to smell the blueberry pie in person. A24, in partnership with Joya Studio, announced multi-sensory experience screenings of Heretic exclusively at Alamo Drafthouse theaters nationwide for one night only on October 30.
A24 will release Heretic in theaters on November 8, 2024.
This unique, scent-sational experience will fully immerse audiences in the cinematic journey by activating their sense of smell. That means you can expect to smell the delightful aroma of blueberry pie, inviting viewers to savor the scent wafting through the theater during this moment in the film. Fans can also look out for exclusive treats and scratch-and-sniff cards at all other advanced screenings nationwide on October 30, allowing them to actively participate in the experience and enjoy the aroma during this pivotal scene.
Joya Studio is known for its innovative candles and fragrances and has been a long-time collaborator with A24. Joya Studio produced the line of genre-themed candles to the Auditor Trophy candle inspired by the award-winning film Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Hugh Grant (D&D: Honor Among Thieves), Chloe East (The Fabelmans), and Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”) lead the cast of the upcoming horror movie from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
In the film, “Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.”
The initial trailer teased that Mr. Reed would prompt his captives to choose between two doors: Believe and Disbelief. While the new trailer doesn’t reveal much, it gives a glimpse of the horrors that await. Moreover, it teases that Mr. Reed might have savvier prey than he accounted for.
Heretic made its world premiere at TIFF, resulting in the first reviews hitting the internet. Critics are united on one thing: Hugh Grant shines as the devious Mr. Reed. I wrote in my review that Heretic is “a movie that’s ultimately carried on the back of its villain, and Grant’s daffy, amused portrayal of Mr. Reed might be enough to make you a convert.”
The A24 film has been rated “R” for “some bloody violence.”
In the wake of Backrooms and Obsession, everyone is prowling YouTube for horror shorts to adapt and horror filmmakers to scoop up, so don’t be surprised to see a whole bunch of upcoming articles about YouTube success stories crossing over into theaters. One horror short that’s already been picked up for expansion is Dolly director Rod Blackhurst’s Alone Time.
The 12-minute short was uploaded in 2014 and has amassed nearly 2 million views at the time of this article being written, and Deadline reports that it’s getting a feature adaptation.
Witchcraft Motion Picture Company & Fever Dream will turn the viral short into a feature film.
Alone Time follows Ann Saunders, a young NY professional whose carefully constructed life begins to unravel following a devastating personal loss. “Seeking refuge from a collapsing relationship, a deteriorating family situation, and mounting emotional trauma, Ann reluctantly joins her closest friend on a remote camping trip deep in the Adirondack wilderness.”
The synopsis continues, “When her friend mysteriously disappears, Ann becomes convinced that an unseen figure is stalking her through the forest. What begins as a survival nightmare slowly transforms into something far more disturbing as fractured memories, conflicting realities, and hidden truths force Ann to confront the possibility that the greatest threat may not be lurking in the woods at all, but buried deep within her own psych.”
“Alone Time has quietly followed me for over a decade,” director Rod Blackhurst said in a statement. “What began as a short film about isolation and the weight of life now feels more relevant than ever. The original short found its audience organically online long before that was considered a legitimate path for filmmakers. Bringing it to life as a feature allows us to explore those themes on a much larger and more psychologically unsettling canvas.”
Blackhurst is directing the feature length expansion.
You can watch the original Alone Time short film below.
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