James McAvoy to star in remake of 'most f**ked up film of the decade'

If there's one thing about James McAvoy, it's that the guy has got some serious range.

So who else would you expect filmmakers to call when they're looking for a bloke to star in a remake of a movie dubbed the 'most f**ked up film of the decade' by viewers?

The Scotsman, 44, is showing people how not to host guests in your home in the upcoming fright flick as he awakens his inner villain once more to take on the role of a dad with a hidden dark side.

Director James Watkins debuted the trailer for the movie CinemaCon in Las Vegas on 10 April and horror fans are already seriously excited for the release of the remake of Speak No Evil.

Take a look at it for yourself here:

Viewers are particularly looking forward to watching McAvoy take on another complicated character this year following his extraordinary portrayals of a man with 23 different personalities in cinema hits such as Split and Glass.

Watkins is on the exact same page and promises the actor will exceed your expectations once again in Speak No Evil.

He said: "It’s remarkable what a kind, generous, funny, charismatic person my friend James is. Because, he’s also capable of plumbing into some pretty disturbing depths in his roles."

Hinting at the make-up of McAvoy's character in the reboot, the director added: "On one hand, he’s a charming and gregarious friend, host, husband and father. And on the other hand, he’s, well...not that at all."

(Blumhouse Productions)

The thriller, which was shot in Gloucestershire, UK, is inspired by the 2022 Danish horror film of the same name, which follows the story of two couples who meet while their on holiday before going on to strike up a friendship.

McAvoy and his Mrs invite their new pals to spend a weekend at their idyllic country house, but things slowly start unravelling shortly after they arrive.

The getaway eventually turns into quite the gory nightmare as it becomes increasingly clear that the dad has got something sinister up his sleeve - which you can probably gather from that terrifying trailer.

Who knew McAvoy was such a stickler for getting the dance to Cotton Eyed Joe right, eh?

(Blumhouse Productions)

The X-Men star looks as though he's smashed the portrayal of the Jekyll and Hyde-style protagonist who's got a seriously short temper, while his co-stars Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough and Scoot McNairy also all put in stellar performances.

The official synopsis for the Speak No Evil reboot explains: "When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare."

The movie was originally set to be released in August this year, but production was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, so film fans will have to wait an extra month to see it.

Speak No Evil will hit cinemas on 13 September, 2024.

Topics: Celebrity, Film, TV and Film, Weird

Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@livburke_