James McAvoy reteamed with his Split and Glass producers at Blumhouse for a psychological thriller called Speak No Evil, which Universal Pictures gave a theatrical release earlier this month – on September 13th, to be exact. In the two weeks since that release, Speak No Evil has earned over $57 million at the global box office, on a budget of $15 million. And now it’s time for its digital release. The film will be available to rent or purchase through digital platforms (including Apple TV, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Comcast Xfinity, Cox Microsoft Movies & TV, and Movies Anywhere) as of tomorrow, October 1st, with a Blu-ray and DVD release to follow on November 19th.
James Watkins, whose previous credits include Eden Lake and The Woman in Black, wrote and directed the film, which centers on a family who takes a dream holiday to an idyllic country house, only to have the vacation turn into a psychological nightmare. Speak No Evil is a remake of a 2022 Danish film called Gæsterne (read our review HERE), which was directed by Christian Tafdrup. The director wrote the screenplay for the film with his brother Mads Tafdrup. Gæsterne was nominated for eleven Danish Film Awards, which are the equivalent to what the Oscars are in the United States. That film had the following synopsis: A Danish family visits a Dutch family they met on a holiday. What was supposed to be an idyllic weekend slowly starts unraveling as the Danes try to stay polite in the face of unpleasantness. And if you’re interested in checking it out, it’s on the Shudder streaming service under the title Speak No Evil.
Christian Tafdrup let it be known he was not a fan of the remake, but JoBlo’s own Tyler Nichols gave it an 8/10 review you can read HERE. You can also watch our interviews with Watkins, McAvoy, and other cast members at THIS LINK.
Blumhouse founder Jason Blum produced the Speak No Evil remake. Christian Tafdrup served as executive producer alongside Paul Ritchie, Jacob Jarek, and Bea Sequeira.
McAvoy is joined in the cast of the remake by Mackenzie Davis (Terminator: Dark Fate), Scoot McNairy (Monsters), Aisling Franciosi (Stopmotion), and Alix West Lefler (The Good Nurse).
The new Speak No Evil comes home with the follow bonus features, when you buy at participating retailers: – NUCLEAR FAMILIES: Learn what drew James McAvoy and the rest of the cast to this film, discover what methods they used to embody their roles, and listen as they provide insight into the subtle intricacies surrounding the film’s two families. – A HORRIFYING CRESCENDO: Director James Watkins and cast members take you down a dark corridor of psychology as they discuss the navigation of social spaces, dwelling in discomfort, and the grounded horror elements which escalated the story to its formidable final act. – THE FARMHOUSE OF HORRORS: Immerse yourself in the farmhouse and learn how this location was reimagined into a place of nightmares as cast and crew walk you through the different production design and camera elements that added to the eeriness of the film. -FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR JAMES WATKINS
Will you be watching the Speak No Evil remake now that it’s getting a digital release? Let us know by leaving a comment below – and if you’ve caught the movie during its theatrical run, let us know what you thought of it.