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Trailers are fascinating because they’re at war with themselves. It’s a short clip aimed to get people to see a movie and the easiest way to do that is to show all the best things in the movie. Unfortunately, showing the best things in a movie often ruins a person’s enjoyment of it. What to do? Well, sometimes studios don’t care. They just want you to buy a ticket and will show you everything to do so. Other times, they care too much, and a trailer doesn’t quite sell what a movie is.
I mention that because this new trailer for Heretic really tiptoes on that line beautifully. It’s much, much more revealing than the previous trailer but—having seen the movie at Fantastic Fest last month—I can confirm it still holds back almost every big secret in the film. There are teases in there if you know what to look for. Fleeting, unexplainable shots. But, for the most part, the team at A24 has crafted just about the perfect trailer—giving away more than you may want, but not even close to showing everything. Check it out.
So from this trailer, you see a few things that weren’t previously obvious. Like, for example, that the story takes the characters into several different environments. We also see the crucial decision at the center of the movie: belief or disbelief. There are even shots that are clearly in some sort of basement area so we can assume the women do make some kind of decision. But what do they decide? Why? And what, exactly, is this all about? As Grant so deliciously says, “Have you figured it out yet?” And you certainly have not.
In Heretic, Grant plays Mr. Reed, a seemingly harmless, goofy old man who is interested in learning more about the Mormon religion. That’s why Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher of Yellowjackets and The Book of Boba Fett) and Sister Paxton (Chloe Reid from The Fabelmans) show up. They think they’re at his house trying to bring a new member into the church. But, really, Mr. Reed has other plans. Plans that involve a lot of dissection and analysis of not just The Book of Mormon but religion in general.
Basically, if you like creepy mysteries and also to be challenged by lots of dense, fascinating arguments about the nature of life, you are going to really enjoy Heretic. We certainly did… even if its ultimate reveals can’t quite live up to everything before.
Heretic is written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods who co-wrote A Quiet Place and created the Adam Driver dinosaur film, 65. It’s in theaters November 8.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
