Sony Pictures' trailer for the new horror featureThe Unholyteases a visitation from The Virgin Mary unlike any other.Evan Spiliotopoulosserves as writer-director in his feature directorial debut, with legendary horror iconSam Raimiproducing. Spiliotopoulos is known best for his screenplays, including his work onThe Huntsman: Winter’s War,Beauty and the Beastand the recentElizabeth Banks-directedCharlie’s Angels.The Walking Dead’sJeffrey Dean Morganleads the film as a journalist investigating the works of a young woman performing holy miracles, withKatie Aselton,William Sadler,Diogo Morgado,Cricket BrownandCary Elwesstarring.
The Unholystarts with a young hearing-impaired girl named Alice (Brown) who can one day inexplicably hear, speak and heal the sick after a supposed visit from the Virgin Mary. A disgraced journalist (Morgan) hopes to revive his career by investigating this story. As terrifying events begin to escalate, he starts to question if these are the works of the Virgin Mary or something more sinister.
The Unholytrailer sets up the premise nicely, with Morgan arriving in a New England town to report on a girl performing miracles after being blessed by the Virgin Mary. A lovely version of Schubert’s “Ave Maria” plays in the background, but slowly becomes more and more menacing as ghastly events begin to occur. I am a sucker for the uncanny and gruesome imagery of Catholic horror movies — the bleeding Virgin Mary statues, shadowy nun figures, corrupt priests, and burning crosses. This certainly doesn’t seem like a good movie to recommend to my mother, who is terrified by “devil stuff” — which means that it’s right up my alley!
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Adapted from the 1983 horror novelShrine(the film’s original title),James Herbert’s best-seller has great source material to pull. His book deals with themes of religious ecstasy, mass hysteria, faith healing and good ol' demonic possession. Herbert is a terrific and prolific horror writer on the other side of the pond, often considered the UK’s version ofStephen King.
Spiliotopoulos, Raimi and Morgan have some highly anticipated additional projects currently in development that prove this is a god-tier level combo. Spiliotopoulos is billed as the writer for theupcomingG.I. Joespin-offSnake EyeswithHenry GoldingandSamara Weaving. Raimi iscurrently filmingDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with our recently seen distressed mother/grieving widow/powerful witchElizabeth Olsen. And, it looks like Morgan may be joining hisSupernaturalTV sonJensen Acklesin thethird season ofThe Boys
The Unholyarrives at theaters on April 2, which also happens to be Good Friday (love that irony). Take a look at the official trailer below.
Here’s the official synopsis and poster forThe Unholy:
‘The Unholy’follows Alice, a young hearing-impaired girl who, after a supposed visitation from the Virgin Mary, is inexplicably able to hear, speak and heal the sick. As word spreads and people from near and far flock to witness her miracles, a disgraced journalist (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hoping to revive his career visits the small New England town to investigate. When terrifying events begin to happen all around, he starts to question if these phenomena are the works of the Virgin Mary or something much more sinister.The Unholyis produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Evan Spiliotopoulos, written for the screen and directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos, and is based upon James Herbert’s best-selling book ‘Shrine’.
