Bryan Bertino has already left a lasting mark on horror as creator of The Strangers, spawning a sequel and a brand new trilogy. He also did the underrated 2016 film, The Monster. He’s remained loyal to the genre, and in two days will be at Fantastic Fest for the world premiere of his new horror, Vicious, starring Dakota Fanning.
In Vicious, Fanning plays a young woman who engages in a strange ritual involving a mysterious box received by a stranger, sending her into a waking nightmare.
Joining Fanning in the cast are Kathryn Hunter, Mary McCormack, Rachel Blanchard, Devyn Nekoda, Klea Scott, and Emily Mitchell. It’s an interesting group that Bertino has put together. Hunter has been doing a lot of horror lately, including in The Front Room. Blanchard will always be the Clueless TV show’s version of Cher, at least as far as I’m concerned.
SYNOPSIS: When Polly (Dakota Fanning) receives a mysterious Box from an unexpected late-night visitor, it comes with a simple instruction: place three things inside: something you need, something you hate, and something you love. What begins as a strange ritual quickly unravels into a waking nightmare. Trapped in a terrifying world where reality bends and memory betrays, Polly must navigate a series of impossible choices. As time slips away, she’s forced to confront the darkness not just around her, but within her—before it consumes everything and everyone she’s ever known.
Vicious will open simultaneously on Paramount+ and digital on October 10th.
