One of the most anticipated horror movies of 2025, Bring Her Back, is coming to theaters very soon. The film focuses on a foster mother, Laura (Sally Hawkins), who takes in children at her secluded home. However, she is not as kind-hearted as she may initially seem, as she forces children to take part in a violent ritual. The movie is produced by A24 and features a leading performance by Hawkins. The cast also had supporting performances from Billy Barratt, Mischa Heywood, Jonah Wren Phillips, and Stephen Phillips.
Bring Her Back is co-directed by brother-directing duo Danny and Michael Philippou. This pair previously worked with A24 on a different horror, Talk to Me, which went on to be successful in theaters. For horror audiences, this is an exciting return for these directors, as they take on a new subject with a powerful lead actor. In addition to Talk to Me, there are several key films that audiences should check out before watching Bring Her Back.
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The Shape Of Water (2017)
Directed By Guillermo Del Toro
Based on the trailers for Bring Her Back, the film will really ride on the lead performance by Hawkins. Among her filmography, one of her most critical roles is in the Oscar-winning movie The Shape of Water. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the movie meshes fantasy and history to tell a story about outcasts and overcoming barriers, and eventually went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
In this movie, Hawkins is presented with a huge acting challenge since her character is mute. She expresses a lot through her eyes and body language despite not having a dialogue on which to rely, making it a huge acting feat. While she does speak in Bring Her Back, The Shape of Water offers a good baseline for what Hawkins is capable of acting-wise.
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Vera Drake (2004)
Directed By Mike Leigh
Hawkins does not have a lot of horror films on her resume before Bring Her Back, but that does not mean that she has not gone without her fair share of intense projects. While The Shape of Water is what earned her the most widespread critical acclaim, she had a strong early role in Vera Drake. The 2004 period drama is directed by Mike Leigh and follows a real-life human horror as it chronicles a 1950s abortionist and her clashes with the British government as she performs her work in the name of reproductive freedom.
While a different genre, Hawkins’ role as Susan shows her apтιтude for maintaining weighty drama, an element critical to Bring Her Back.
Hawkins has a small but memorable role in Vera Drake, playing Susan, a young woman who is the subject of one of the main subplots. Susan experiences horrific things in her life that lead her to where she is. While a different genre, Hawkins’ role as Susan shows her apтιтude for maintaining weighty drama, an element critical to Bring Her Back. It is also a chance to take a closer look at the actor’s early work, as it was released just a few years into her blossoming career.
5
Speak No Evil (2024)
Directed By James Watkins
Speak No Evil is a remake of the Danish-Dutch movie of the same name. While it does not have any overlapping actors or directors with Bring Her Back, the film contains some similar plot elements. The thriller focuses on an American family who visit another family that they recently befriended, only to discover the couple are not what they seem.
Like Bring Her Back, Speak No Evil has a secluded setting for its characters. This is key in the James Watkins film, and will likely factor heavily into Bring Her Back as well. It also features strong performances from its child actors, one of whom has a similar mysterious aura as Oliver in the Bring Her Back trailers. These overlapping elements make the film an interesting watch going into Bring Her Back.
4
Heretic (2024)
Directed By Scott Beck And Bryan Woods
A24 has become one of the leading distributors of horror movies over the past few years. Last year, Heretic received great reviews and a successful box office run, as well as mᴀssive recognition for its lead, Hugh Grant. This movie follows the story of two Mormon missionaries who arrive at the home of one of their potential converts only to become trapped inside. The Heretic house takes on a character of its own, and is the focus of most of its horror, likening it to Bring Her Back‘s use of its secluded environment.
The cast structure also makes the film similar to Bring Her Back. Heretic is led by an award-nominated actor in Grant, but surrounded by younger and rising talents. This creates an important acting challenge for both films, as the horror movies are centered around one key performance within a stripped-down setting. For those looking to check out another A24 horror before Bring Her Back, Heretic is a good way to go.
3
Blaze (2022)
Directed By Del Kathryn Barton
Bring Her Back is the return of the collaboration between the Philippous and A24, and they have also brought some other key members of the production team with them. This includes producer Samantha Jennings. Unlike Danny and Michael Philippou, Jennings is well-established in the field, having years of career history to her name. She has carved out a particular niche in the horror genre, producing her first feature film with the zombie horror movie Cargo in 2017 before coming back for more in the genre.
Blaze features a leading cast including Josh Lawson, Simon Baker, and Yael Stone.
A few years ago, Jennings produced the psychological fantasy drama Blaze. Its plot concerns a young girl who has to make sense of her life after accidentally witnessing a violent crime. While the movie is more fantastical than horrific, its plot also concerns a child contending with violence and fear that is out of their control, connecting it with Bring Her Back. Behind-the-scenes talents such as producers can shape a story’s creative vision, and Blaze gives a good sense of Jennings’ sensibilities.
2
Green Room (2015)
Directed By Jeremy Saulnier
Green Room came out in 2015, when A24 was still rising as a studio, and definitely nascent within the horror niche. Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, the movie focuses on a punk-rock band who get sabotaged by skinhead neo-Nazis after witnessing a murder. Green Room received strong reviews and is known for being the most renowned movie by actor Anton Yelchin, who pᴀssed away from a freak accident a year after its release. The film also includes Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, and Joe Cole.
Green Room is classified as splatter horror, meaning that there is a lot of blood on screen. According to the previews, Bring Her Back is rated R for a variety of elements, but among them are “strong disturbing bloody violent content” and “some grisly images.” As such, it seems like some of this new movie’s tendencies align with that of Green Room, making it another good A24 movie to check out before watching the studio’s latest.
1
Talk To Me (2023)
Directed By Danny And Michael Philippou
Talk to Me is the most essential pre-Bring Her Back viewing. It is the debut feature of the Philippou brothers and the movie that put them on the map in the horror genre. Talk to Me ended up making $91.9 million worldwide, cementing it as one of A24’s highest-grossing movies of all time. The movie’s plot concerns a group of friends who discover an embalmed hand that will help them conjure spirits, but end up taking things too far.
The Philippous are also re-teaming with Talk to Me writer Bill Hinzman for Bring Her Back.
Both Philippou films involve some kind of ritual, creating a throughline in their horror work so far. Furthermore, Talk to Me is incredibly scary, giving a sense of the kind of thrills these directors can accomplish. Both in technical success and at the box office, it will be hard for Bring Her Back to top Talk to Me, but watching both films will make it interesting to track the directors’ evolution.
