Heretic: release date, reviews, trailer, cast and everything we know about the Hugh Grant psychological thriller

Hugh Grant in Heretic
Hugh Grant in Heretic (Image credit: A24)

Remember the charming, aloof Hugh Grant that was the star of so many romantic comedies back in the day? Yeah, that Hugh Grant is nowhere to be found in the 2024 new movie Heretic, a psychological thriller from A24 that sees Grant make a creepy villain turn.

Heretic is just one of many thriller/horror movies coming out from A24 this year. It joins a lineup that includes Love Lies Bleeding, I Saw the TV Glow, MaXXXine and The Front Room.

To find out more about Heretic, read on to for all the information we have on the movie, including when it is coming out, who stars alongside Grant and its trailer.

Heretic release date

Heretic is now playing exclusively in movie theaters in the US, UK and elsewhere around the world. Here's what you need to know about how to watch Heretic.

Heretic cast

As we mentioned, Hugh Grant is best known for his roles in many classic romantic comedies, including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love, Actually, but in recent years he has been embracing a darker side, playing the villain role in a number of movies. This included his acclaimed performance in Paddington 2, but also movies like Cloud Atlas, The Gentlemen and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

Starring opposite Grant in the movie are two young actresses, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Thatcher's credits to date include a four-episode stint on Chicago Med, When the Streetlights Go On, The Book of Boba Fett and, most notably, playing Natalie/Atalie in Yellowjackets. East, meanwhile, has starred in Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Generation and the Steven Spielberg movie The Fabelmans.

Heretic plot

An original script co-written by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, here is the official synopsis for Heretic from A24:

"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."

Heretic trailer

Get a preview of Grant's wicked performance and the psychological torment his character wages in the Heretic trailer directly below: 

Heretic | Official Trailer HD | A24 - YouTube Heretic | Official Trailer HD | A24 - YouTube
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Additional trailers for Heretic is now online. Check them out right here:

Heretic | Official Trailer 2 HD | A24 - YouTube Heretic | Official Trailer 2 HD | A24 - YouTube
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Heretic | Official Trailer 3 HD | A24 - YouTube Heretic | Official Trailer 3 HD | A24 - YouTube
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Heretic reviews

You can read WTW's Heretic review to find out what we thought about the movie. But if you're curious about the overall reception of A24's latest, as of November 8 the movie is "Certified Fresh" with an impressive 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods movies

Beck and Woods are also directing Heretic. The pair are long-time collaborators as both writers and directors. Here is a list of the feature movies that they have directed together: 

  • The Bride Wore Blood (2006)
  • Nightlight (2015)
  • Haunt (2019)
  • 65 (2023)

Together they also directed the TV movie Spread and three episodes of the TV series 50 States of Fright. They also famously wrote the screenplay for the original A Quiet Place with John Krasinski and, more recently, the script for the 2023 horror movie The Boogeyman

Heretic poster

(Image credit: A24)
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Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.