James McAvoy to star in American remake of horror Speak No Evil

James McAvoy on The Graham Norton Show
(Image credit: BBC)

James McAvoy is reteaming with popular horror production company Blumhouse for an American remake of acclaimed horror Speak No Evil. The actor previously worked with the studio on the M. Night Shyamalan double bill Split and Glass in which he starred as a man with dissociative identity disorder.

He clearly enjoyed working with them as McAvoy is now set to star in their remake of the Danish horror Gaesterne, known in English as Speak No Evil. Released last year, director Christian Tafdrup's thriller sees a family's dream holiday fall apart as the hosts of their vacation home start to test the limits of their guests. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the film was an instant hit with critics and went viral online with audiences praising its depravity.

Speak No Evil

(Image credit: Sundance)

Filmmaker James Watkins, who previously helmed horrors Eden Lake and The Woman In Black, will write and direct this remake which has a current release date of August 9, 2024. We currently don't know who will be starring alongside McAvoy, but it has been revealed that original director Tafdrup is on-board as executive producer.

Speak No Evil was named one of our best films of 2022. Check out the rest of the list.

Emily Murray
Entertainment Editor

As Entertainment Editor at GamesRadar, I oversee all the online content for Total Film and SFX magazine. Previously I've worked for the BBC, Zavvi, UNILAD, Yahoo, Digital Spy and more.

Read more
Scoot McNairy as Ben and James McAvoy as Paddy in Speak No Evil
One of my favorite horror movies of 2024 is a remake I disregarded months ago based on its lackluster trailer - I won't make that mistake again
Audition movie 1999
The goriest Japanese horror movie I’ve ever seen is getting a modern remake from original Speak No Evil director
Jake Gyllenhaal will star in M. Night Shyamalan's next movie, which will be a supernatural romance co-written with The Notebook author
Adam Scott in Severance
Severance star Adam Scott to lead new film from director of one of the highest-rated horror movies of 2024
Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in The Black Phone
The Black Phone 2 director reveals the one "main difference" between the original horror movie and its upcoming "more graphic" sequel
Bring Her Back
First teaser for follow-up horror from Talk to Me directors is just as unsettling as I thought it would be
Latest in Horror Movies
Kurt Russell in The Thing holding a stick of dynamite.
43 years later, John Carpenter has hinted at who turns into The Thing in the horror movie and one eagle-eyed fan has worked it out
Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried in Jennifer's Body
Star of cult hit Jennifer's Body says marketing "ruined" the horror movie's chances, but they may get another shot with a sequel 16 years later
Lady Dimitrescu and Austin Abrams
The new Resident Evil movie may have found a lead in a Euphoria star
Leatherface and Glen Powell
Glenn Powell could be taking a swing at a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Jai Courtney in Dangerous Animals
The first trailer for The Suicide Squad star's new serial killer movie makes Jaws look like Finding Nemo
The Bride
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s upcoming horror movie starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley gets delayed in big Warner Bros. shake-up
Latest in News
Four Helldivers lined up on base ship
A year after Malevelon Creek became Helldivers 2's fiercest battleground, it looks like the Automatons are coming back for more
Kurt Russell in The Thing holding a stick of dynamite.
43 years later, John Carpenter has hinted at who turns into The Thing in the horror movie and one eagle-eyed fan has worked it out
Amid Assassin's Creed Shadows' controversies, shrine popularized by Ghost of Tsushima bans all tourists after "unforgivable act of disrespect"
A WoW Classic player chased by a dinosaur in a green forest
"If this is just how it is, then yeah, that's the end": WoW Classic's most famous hardcore guild calls time for now after multiple raiders lose their MMO characters to DDoS attacks
Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried in Jennifer's Body
Star of cult hit Jennifer's Body says marketing "ruined" the horror movie's chances, but they may get another shot with a sequel 16 years later
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets unprecedented second update in 2 weeks, with a Steam page tweak pointing to a 2025 release