Jenna Ortega’s upcoming A24 film Death of a Unicorn likely won’t have a bigger box office than Beetlejuice 2 but it could end up being the more critically acclaimed movie of the two. Ortega, known for her starring roles in Netflix’s Wednesday and two recent installments of the Scream franchise, will appear in her first movie made by A24, the renowned independent film production company and distributor. Ortega is also slated to star alongside The Weeknd in the 2025 Trey Edward Shults film Hurry Up Tomorrow.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was one of the most highly anticipated films of 2024 and it did not disappoint, earning a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 75%. While Michael Keaton’s classic character led the ensemble cast, Ortega was an unmissable aspect of that film. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice went on to gross just under $452 million worldwide and cracked the top 15 highest-grossing movies of 2024, a feat that Death of a Unicorn has a very small chance of accomplishing upon its March 28, 2025, theatrical release.
Death Of A Unicorn Has A Chance To Be A Better Received Horror Comedy Than Beetlejuice 2
A24 Has A Proven Track Record Of Making Critically Acclaimed Films
A24 consistently puts out some of the best and most innovative movies of the 21st century, including Best Picture winners Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All At Once and other instant classics such as Hereditary, Lady Bird, Uncut Gems, and The Brutalist.
Death of a Unicorn looks to become yet another exceptional and highly original offering from A24.
While not every A24 movie is a surefire hit, most are sought-after and have developed a large cult following based on the prestige of the brand name. Death of a Unicorn looks to become yet another exceptional and highly original offering from A24.
Because Death of a Unicorn looks hilarious and comes from A24, expectations are high for Ortega’s latest film, which, like Beetlejuice 2, is also considered a supernatural dark comedy. Death of a Unicorn, which is written and directed by Alex Schartman in his feature film debut, will premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival. It also features an impressive comedic cast, including Paul Rudd (Anchorman), Will Poulter (Midsommar), Richard E. Grant (Saltburn), Anthony Carrigan (Barry), and Téa Leoni (Only Murders in the Building).
Death of A Unicorn & Beetlejuice 2 Can Start A Favorable Jenna Ortega Rotten Tomatoes Trend
Ortega Hasn’t Starred In Back-To-Back Critically Acclaimed Films In Years
Although A24 has released several dozens of films with Rotten Tomatoes scores higher than 75%, Ortega herself doesn’t carry a similar track record of critical acclaim. She had three straight “Rotten” movies before Beetlejuice 2 was released in September 2024, so Death of a Unicorn could give her two straight “Fresh” movies for the first time in a few years. It just may become her most critically acclaimed movie to date if it can beat the 94% Rotten Tomatoes score of X – another A24 film.
Ortega’s other notable “Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes movies include 2023’s Scream VI and 2022’s X, but she has also been in a handful of “Rotten’ films over the last few years, such as 2024’s Miller’s Girl, 2023’s Finestkind, and 2022’s American Carnage. Miller’s Girl and Finestkind both had RT scores lower than 30%, which will almost certainly not be the case for Death of a Unicorn.
