'Wounds': Release date, plot, cast and everything else about Hulu's new horror film starring Dakota Johnson
Psychological thrillers have been bending their own genre toward more gory and nastier optics and demonstrating that is the upcoming film 'Wounds' starring Armie Hammer and Dakota Johnson. The second feature from 'Under the Shadow' director Babak Anvari, isn't for the weak-hearted, warns the critics.
There are a lot of bugs and cockroaches to be precise, walking shadows, a tiny hand crawling out of a skull and a lot of maddening stuff hard to describe. Based on the novella 'The Visible Filth,' by dark fantasy writer Nathan Ballingrud, 'Wounds' explores the shallowness of a man's journey via a demon-possessed cellphone. Here's everything we know about the upcoming thriller so far.
Release date
'Wounds' had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26. 'Wounds' will be released on Hulu on October 18th.
Plot
Ever since dropping out of Tulane University, Will has found his way working the night shift at roach-infested neighborhood bar Rosie's. He lives with his girlfriend, a grad student Carrie, but is not committed to her and aggressively flirts with Rosie's regular customer, Alicia, who is newly in a relationship with Jeffrey.
One night, a vicious fight breaks out over the pool table and a man gets his face slashed with a broken beer bottle. Chaos breaks out and many flee the scene, but it so happens that one of the college students drops a smartphone and Will pockets it, intending to return it to the owner. But later, texts start appearing from one of the freaked-out millennials, and gruesome images in the device's photo storage lead Will on a morbid journey that loops Carrie in too.
Cast
The star power cast includes Armie Hammer and Dakota Johnson, which, to an extent, guarantees mainstream popularity. Hammer plays Will, the New Orleans bartender and Johnson plays his bright, beautiful girlfriend, Carrie. Will's crush Alicia is played by Zazie Beetz and her boyfriend Jeffrey is played by Karl Glusman.
Hammer's performance in 'Wounds,' is said to be more similar to his bad boy and jerk-like role from 'Sorry to Bother You' than his charismatic good guy role in 'Call Me By Your Name.' The 32-year-old actor doesn't play a bright character who ends up being a hero, rather he is seen "as a man who looks like he has it all until he opens his mouth," according to a review.
It is Johnson who holds the arc with the most interesting storyline – her volatile relationship with Will drives the story forward. Johnson's investigation into the demonically possessed phone's contents takes her on a hellish journey, which includes a supernatural cult, and hypnosis by a digital tunnel.
Zazie Beets
Zazie Beets is a German-American actress best known for her work in 'Atlanta', 'Deadpool 2', and 'Joker'. She plays the role of Alicia, Will's friend.
Brad William Henke
Brad William Henke is an American actor and former NFL player best known for his work in 'Orange is The New Black'. He plays the role of Eric, Will's friend.
Additionally, the movie stars Karl Glusman as Jeffrey, Kerry Cahill as Rosie, Luke Hawx as Marvin, Jim Klock as Patrick, Terrence Rosemore as Duane Cross, and Ben Sanders as Jason.
Director
Coming from the director of 2016's 'Under the Shadow,' Anvari has experimented in his second feature film with a lot of cockroaches. The British-Iranian filmmaker rose to fame with his unnerving 2016 debut, but 'Wounds,' hasn't quite hit the mark yet, at least among the critics, from when the film premiered in the Sundance festival this year.
Here's Hammer talking about what attracted him to 'Wounds' and why Anvari was the perfect choice to direct the dark material.
Official trailer
Where to watch
'Wounds' will be released on Hulu on October 18th.
Will you like 'Wounds'?
Not the rave among critics, it looks like 'Wounds' will not be a thrilling treat to those who abhor cockroaches, but you may like it if you've enjoyed thrillers such '1922', 'Under the Shadow', ' Donnie Darko', 'Evil Dead', and 'American Horror Story'.