The last time we saw Willa Fitzgerald in the world of horror was when she appeared in filmmaker Mike Flanagan's outstanding Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher. No stranger to a terrifying role, Fitzgerald starred as the younger version of Madeline Usher and gave a captivating performance as the ruthless and multi-layered business tycoon. Before her appearance in the "Flanaverse" - which gained her a whole new legion of fans - Fitzgerald landed her breakthrough role in the Scream television series. Although she's had a years-long, versatile career, it seems the horror genre is where Fitzgerald is eager to make her mark.
Her next project, titled Strange Darling, is set to hit screens very soon, and we can't wait to see her take on the role. The finer details of Strange Darling's plot are shrouded in mystery right now, but the general premise is intriguing: a one-night stand descends into a serial killer's murder spree. Starring opposite Fitzgerald is modern-day Scream King Kyle Gallner, best known for his work in Smile and 2022's Scream. With two horror icons in the leading roles, Strange Darling's release date can't come quick enough. Dive in below to find out everything we know so far.
Keep reading to learn everything we know about Strange Darling.
Strange Darling (2024)
910
R
Horror
Thriller
Romance
A twisted one-night stand spirals into a deadly game of cat and mouse when a relentless predator chases an injured woman through the Oregon wilderness.
- Release Date
- August 23, 2024
- Director
- JT Mollner
- Cast
- Willa Fitzgerald , Kyle Gallner , Jason Patric , Giovanni Ribisi , Ed Begley Jr. , Barbara Hershey , Steven Michael Quezada , Madisen Beaty
- Runtime
- 96 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Horror
- Writers
- JT Mollner
6 Does 'Strange Darling' Have a Release Date?
Strange Darling will be released in theaters in the United States on August 23, 2024. You can find tickets, theaters, and showtimes near you right here. Other movies releasing on the same day include the reboot of The Crow starring Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs, Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut Blink Twice starring Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum, and Greedy People starring Lily James and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Following its wide release in the United States, Strange Darling will premiere at Fright Fest in the United Kingdom on August 24, before rolling out in theaters across the globe until the end of the year. The movie's last known release date so far is December 13, 2024, in Sweden.
Strange Darling had its world premiere at the Fantastic Film Fest on September 22, 2023, where its original twist on the serial killer trope, gripping storyline, and lead performances were met with glowing praise from critics and fans.
5 Where Can You Watch 'Strange Darling'?
As of right now, the only place you can watch Strange Darling is on the big screen. We expect the movie will land on streaming and VOD later this year, but a specific date is yet to be announced.
Regarding which platform Strange Darling will end up, the movie's production company, Miramax, leads us to speculate it'll likely hit Hulu's Miramax Network, available to watch with any Hulu plan starting at $7.99 per month. Keep an eye on this page for further updates.
4 Watch the Official Trailer for 'Strange Darling'
The first trailer for Strange Darling was released in June 2024. These days, it's rare for a trailer to give almost nothing away while still creating a buzz for an anticipated movie, but this two-minute-long video does exactly that. Although the wider plot is still somewhat mysterious, we see The Lady and The Demon talking in a car. In a moment of possible foreshadowing, the subject of what a one-night stand means to women vs. men is discussed: The Lady explains that, for a woman, there's always a possible safety risk. The trailer cuts between the pair's night in the hotel room and the sudden descent into a violent game of cat-and-mouse across the following months. Shot entirely on 35mm film, each and every shot is stunning.
A second trailer for Strange Darling was released in August 2024. Featuring praise from legendary horror staple Stephen King, who calls it "a clever masterpiece;" the preview gives nothing away but the basic premise: "This is a dramatization of the true story of the final known killings of the most prolific and unique American serial killer of the 21st century." We can't wait to see how the captivating story unfolds.
3 What Is 'Strange Darling' About?
Described as a horror-thriller with a touch of dark romance, Strange Darling follows two enigmatic characters known as The Lady and The Demon. When the pair finds themselves pulled into each other's orbit, they engage in an intense, twisted one-night stand - and from then on, everything begins to spiral. An intriguing night of fun quickly descends into an obsessive killing spree, and a violent game of cat-and-mouse unfolds. The non-linear narrative of Strange Darling is presented across six gripping chapters and chronicles "the last known months of a serial killer." Deliciously dark from start to finish, you won't want to miss it.
The official synopsis for Strange Darling from Magneta Light Studios reads:
In Strange Darling, nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.
2 Who Stars in 'Strange Darling'?
Starring as the lead characters known only as The Lady and The Demon are modern horror icons Willa Fitzgerald (The Fall of the House of Usher) and Kyle Gallner (Scream). Also joining them in the cast are Barbara Hershey (Black Swan) as Genevieve, Ed Begley Jr. (A Mighty Wind) as Frederick, Steven Michael Quezada (Breaking Bad) as Pete, Madisen Beaty (Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood) as Gale, Bianca A. Santos (Ouija) as Tanya, Denise Grayson (The Social Network) as Libby, Eugenia Kuzmina (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) as Beth, Giovanni Ribisi (Boiler Room) as Art, and Robert Craighead (Future Man) as Mitchell.
1 Who Made 'Strange Darling'?
Strange Darling is written and directed by filmmaker JT Mollner. Alongside a handful of shorts, Mollner is best known for his feature film, Outlaws and Angels, which was released in 2016. A dark Western, the movie centers on a frontier family's home invasion as a cat-and-mouse game of revenge begins. Outlaws and Angels is Mollner's first on-screen collaboration with Madisen Beaty, who also stars in Strange Darling.
Strange Darling's producers include Bill Block (The Holdovers), Chris Ivan Cevic (Girlfriend 19), Ezra Emanuel (Halloween Ends), Wolfgang Hammer (The Next Three Days), Amanda Harvey (Papa Hemingway in Cuba), Dan Lawler (The Beekeeper), Roy Lee (Barbarian), Michael Milton (Outlaws and Angels), Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity), Bob Yari (Crash), Thom Zadra (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), and Michael J. Zampino (The Beekeeper).
In addition to starring in Strange Darling, Giovanni Ribisi serves as a producer and the movie's cinematographer, with music by Craig DeLeon (A Man in Full).
Strange Darling is produced by Miramax and Spooky Pictures, and distributed by Magenta Light Studios.
