| Forbidden Fruits | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Meredith Alloway |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die by Lily Houghton |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Karim Hussain |
| Edited by | Hanna Park |
| Music by | Anna Drubich |
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Production
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Release dates
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Running time
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104 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1.2 million[2][3] |
Forbidden Fruits is a 2026 American comedy horror film starring Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Chamberlain, and Gabrielle Union. It is directed by Meredith Alloway from a screenplay she co-wrote with Lily Houghton, and is based on Houghton's stage play Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.
The film had its world premiere at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 16, 2026, before being released by Independent Film Company and Shudder on March 27, 2026.
Plot
Apple, Fig and Cherry are glamorous saleswomen at Free Eden, a clothing store. They are approached by a new girl who works in the food court, initially scornful because of her profession, their interest is piqued when she reveals her name is Pumpkin. Pumpkin completes an awkward interview and is invited to stay after hours. The trio reveal themselves to be a coven, conducting rituals in the basement of the store, forbidding boyfriends and confessing their sins to the spirit of Marilyn Monroe. After feeding Pumpkin a concoction of fruit juice and blood, the trio abandon her in the locked store.
They return in the morning to find Pumpkin more outwardly confident and dressed stylishly. The women operate as a unit to scam customers into spending thousands of dollars. Apple gifts Pumpkin a charm bracelet, matching with the other Free Eden girls. A dishevelled young woman appears outside of the store, upsetting Cherry and Fig, and prompting Apple to rush Pumpkin out of sight. Pumpkin gifts Apple a Jane Doe doll that the latter names "Marilyn"; unbeknownst to the coven, the doll has a camera inside of it.
As the months pass, Pumpkin learns more about the girls and attends more rituals. Apple frequently gets in trouble with their mysterious manager, Sharon, and allegedly poisoned her abusive father. Cherry is sober, and her life is micromanaged by Apple. Fig is trying to get into grad school and is seeing a man named Norman. Pumpkin bonds with Cherry after catching her having sexual flings while Apple believes she is at therapy. When Pumpkin catches Fig and Norman confessing their mutual love, Fig begs her not to tell Apple. She tells Pumpkin that her predecessor, Pickle, was part of the coven until she fell in love with a man named Ashton. Apple led the coven in placing a hex on her, resulting in Ashton falling into a coma and Pickle being institutionalized. After Pickle menaces her at the mall, Pumpkin begins having private conversations with Sharon, leading a paranoid Apple to demand they cast a hex on the interloper in their group. Pickle commits suicide in the mall. Apple is revealed to be living in her car.
The women grow paranoid and accusatory towards one another, wondering who in the group is the interloper. Apple calls an emergency meeting as a tornado warning is issued. Fig quits the coven, distraught over Pickle's suicide and reveals her name is Emily. Cherry severely injures Norman, and he leaves the mall with Fig. The mall locks its doors, trapping Cherry, Apple and Pumpkin inside. Cherry confronts Apple about her influence in her life. Fig returns to the mall, having been dumped by Norman. Apple attacks Cherry, who becomes trapped in the mall's malfunctioning escalator. The other women attempt to help her, but she is crushed to death. As the remaining girls try to escape, the tornado shatters a glass skylight in the middle of the mall, debris falls and bisects Fig.
Apple and Pumpkin, covered in blood, wash off in the mall fountain. Pumpkin reveals that she is Apple's paternal half sister, and has tracked Apple down seeking justice for the murder of her father. The two fight over their conflicting views of the man. Apple strangles Pumpkin to death and leaves her in the fountain. In a denouement, a bloodied Apple gets out of her car at a new mall. She meets three stylish girls wearing matching charm bracelets who offer her a job at a Free Eden that will be opening soon.
A post credits scene reveals that Sharon has been investigating Apple, having kept the incriminating evidence recorded on Pumpkin's Jane Doe doll.
Cast
- Lili Reinhart as Apple
- Lola Tung as Pumpkin
- Victoria Pedretti as Cherry
- Alexandra Shipp as Fig
- Emma Chamberlain as Pickle
- Gabrielle Union as Sharon
Production
The film is directed by Meredith Alloway, in her feature-length debut, which she co-wrote with Lily Houghton, and adapted from Houghton's play Of the Woman Came the Beginning of Sin, and Through Her We All Die.[4] It is produced by Mason Novick, Diablo Cody, Trent Hubbard, and Mary Anne Waterhouse through MXN Entertainment.[5] The script was featured on the 2023 Black List of the "most liked" screenplays currently not in production.[6]
The cast is led by Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp and Emma Chamberlain, in her acting debut. Principal photography began in Toronto in March 2025.[7][8] In April 2025, Gabrielle Union joined the cast.[9]
Release
Forbidden Fruits premiered at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 16, 2026, and was released in the United States on March 27, 2026.[10][11]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of 57 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Charmingly goofy and packed up with incisive insights into the relatable ups and downs of any friend group, Forbidden Fruits is a campy coven worth hanging out for its concise runtime."[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 54 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
References
- ^ "Forbidden Fruits [14A]". British Columbia Film Classification Office (Consumer Protection BC). February 27, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ "Forbidden Fruits- Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^ "Forbidden Fruits". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^
"NYC Review: 'Of the woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die'". OnStage Blog. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
at the Medicine Show Theatre...presented by Normal Ave
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 13, 2025). "Diablo Cody Producing Meredith Alloway's Feature Directorial Debut 'Forbidden Fruits' Based On Lily Houghton Play". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (December 11, 2023). "2023 Black List Includes Patsy Cline, FTX and Tom Hanks Doppelganger Scripts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ Gomez, Dessi; Grobar, Matt (March 18, 2025). "IFC Films And Shudder Aquire [sic] 'Forbidden Fruits' Starring Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp And Emma Chamberlain". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ Gittins, Susan (March 18, 2025). "Forbidden Fruits with Lili Reinhart & More as Millennial Moms Filming in Toronto". hollywoodnorthbuzz.com. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (April 7, 2025). "Gabrielle Union Joins Meredith Alloway's 'Forbidden Fruits'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ Lang, Brent (January 14, 2026). "SXSW 2026 Lineup Includes 'Ready or Not 2,' David E. Kelley's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Erbland, Kate (February 13, 2026). "'Forbidden Fruits' Trailer: Mercury Is Very Much in Retrograde in This Sparkly, Biting Mall-Set Cult Horror Comedy". IndieWire. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
- ^ "Forbidden Fruits". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
External links
- Forbidden Fruits at IMDb
