James McAvoy is heading back into horror with Blumhouse’s remake of the Danish horror film Speak No Evil. James Watkins (The Woman in Black) will direct and write the film. The Blumhouse and Universal movie has a release date of August 9, 2024, putting it a little more than two years after the release of the original film, which was released in 2022.
The original film followed a Danish family visiting a Dutch family while on vacation. Things start to go grim into a nightmarish holiday for the Danish family. Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafrup co-wrote the film; Christian directed it. No details are known about how this American rendition will play out differently or the role of James McAvoy.
James McAvoy lands unknown role for Speak No Evil remake
The original film was not a big release as it grossed $631,000 worldwide. It was divisive for people who checked it out in theaters or on streaming services. While receiving a high score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics (85%), audiences were more split (57%). By having the backup of Universal and Blumhouse, along with its star power of James McAvoy getting a major role, the Spean No Evil remake has a low bar for box office earnings and a rocky landing spot for its reviews from both audiences and critics.
Remaking an international film this close to its original release is not far off for Hollywood. For example, Train to Busan was a hit 2016 Korean zombie flick that is set for an American remake.
Neither the lead actor nor its director is unfamiliar with horror. The filmmaker caught attention more than a decade ago for The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe. He has also helmed an episode of Black Mirror and every episode of the thriller series The Ipcress File. Meanwhile, the BAFTA-winning actor has starred in Split, its sequel Glass, and It Chapter Two. That all adds to his career across genres from superheroes to dramas.