Deadline's Read the Screenplay continues its journey with A24's psychological horror film, Heretic, crafted by the duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, known for their work on A Quiet Place. Hugh Grant takes on a remarkable role, shattering his reputation as a charming actor by embodying the sinister Mr. Reed. This homeowner initially appears friendly while discussing the Lord with two devout missionaries from the Church of Latter Day Saints, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher from Yellowjackets) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East of The Fabelmans).

Uncover the Subversive World of Heretic

Evoking a Fairy Tale Atmosphere

The movie begins by creating a distinct feeling of a fairy tale. As Sister Paxton and Barnes walk up to the house, one can clearly identify that it holds a fairytale quality. Beck, when speaking to Deadline last month before the script received a Spirit Awards nomination and Grant scored acting nods from the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, explained, "I think there's a degree to which, since we're dealing with religious discourse, much of holy stories are parables. They have relationships to fairytales. You could even argue that many of them are fairytales as there is a story that may not be provable but can offer valuable lessons. And I think that's how we view Heretic to a certain extent. The depictions of the story, even the reality of Mormon missionaries going door to door, we're telling a story rather than a factual tale."This initial evocation of a fairy tale sets the stage for the unique horror experience that unfolds in Heretic.

The Game of Cat-and-Mouse

The two young missionaries, Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes, are then thrust into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with Mr. Reed. As they try to prove their faith, they find themselves entangled in a web of danger. Deadline's Damon Wise describes the movie as "a genuinely different kind of horror, one that combines conventions from various horror genres - from the old dark house movie to the straight-up slasher flick - and uses them to serve a playful script that makes some seriously subversive comments about the world today."This game of cat-and-mouse adds an intense layer of suspense to the story, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.

From A Quiet Place to Heretic

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who previously broke out with the original screenplay for A Quiet Place and shared writing credits with John Krasinski on the 2018 action thriller that grossed $341 million worldwide and spawned a sequel, now direct Heretic from their own script. Their writing skills are evident as they adeptly blend genre elements. Their writing credits also include Sony's 65 starring Adam Driver and 20th Century Studios' The Boogeyman based on the Stephen King short story and also starring Thatcher.This shows their versatility and ability to create compelling stories across different genres.The writing-producing duo, along with Julia Glausi, Stacey Sher, and Jeanette Volturno, produced Heretic. It made its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and hit theaters in early November.Check out the Heretic script below.