They Will Kill You
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kirill Sokolov
Written by
  • Kirill Sokolov
  • Alex Litvak
Produced by
  • Andy Muschietti
  • Barbara Muschietti
  • Dan Kagan
Starring
  • Zazie Beetz
  • Myha'la
  • Paterson Joseph
  • Tom Felton
  • Heather Graham
  • Patricia Arquette
Cinematography Isaac Bauman
Edited by Luke Doolan
Music by Carlos Rafael Rivera
Production
companies
  • New Line Cinema
  • Nocturna
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • March 17, 2026 (2026-03-17) (SXSW)
  • March 27, 2026 (2026-03-27) (United States)
Running time
94 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English
Budget $20 million[2]
Box office $9 million[3]

They Will Kill You is a 2026 American action comedy horror film directed by Kirill Sokolov, from a script co-written with Alex Litvak. The film stars Zazie Beetz, Myha'la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette. Its plot follows an ex-convict who answers an ad to be a housekeeper at a mysterious New York City high-rise, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years.

They Will Kill You was released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on March 27, 2026. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $9 million.

Plot

Asia Reaves and her sister, Maria, attempt to flee from their abusive father, but are cornered at a store. Asia shoots him and is arrested, while Maria remains in his custody.

10 years later, Asia arrives at The Virgil, an exclusive high-rise building in NYC, posing as the new maid. She is greeted by Irish building manager, Lilith Woodhouse, who explains that the Virgil is 100 years old and occupied by the wealthy and elite. While sleeping, several masked intruders, including residents Kevin and Sharon, break in and attack Asia. They are shocked to discover Asia is armed and highly skilled at defending herself, managing to kill all of the assailants. Asia confronts Lilith and demands the location of Maria, who works as a maid at the Virgil. Asia's attackers resurrect, forcing her to seek refuge in the building's vents.

Kevin and Sharon give chase, but Asia manages to dispatch Sharon with a shotgun blast to the head. Asia is saved by Lilith's husband, Ray, who explains that The Virgil is a temple to Satan, and the residents have been made immortal by performing human sacrifices. The two travel up a floor, unaware they are being followed by Sharon's sentient eyeball. The two meet with Maria, who reveals she is aware of what is happening at The Virgil and does not want to leave. Asia knocks her unconscious, but she and Ray are attacked by the cultists. Asia and Maria escape up a floor via a dumbwaiter, while Ray is captured and tied up by Lilith and Sharon, whose head has started to regrow.

In the kitchen, Asia and Maria confront one another. Maria explains she fled their father shortly before he died from cancer, working at sleazy motels until she was hired at The Virgil. Although she was initially due to be a sacrifice, she was spared and now enjoys the relative comfort of the building. Lilith demands that all residents and staff track down the sisters. Maria saves Asia from a cultist before being captured. Asia pursues the cultists and slaughters most of them with a burning axe. The two try to climb to a fire escape via the elevator shaft, but are ambushed by Lilith and the cultists. Lilith reveals that, to gain immortality, Maria must make a sacrifice: the maid Asia was posing as.

The sisters and Ray are taken to the top floor, where the cultists summon Satan, who possesses the severed head of a pig to communicate, the names of the immortal cultists written on its skin. The pig removes Ray's name from its skin and forces Lilith to murder him, permanently killing Ray. It then instructs Maria to write her name and kill Asia. Instead, Maria writes Asia's name and kills herself. Now immortal, Asia repeatedly kills Kevin, Sharon, and the cultists. Lilith allows the severed pig head to take over her body and duels with Asia, who overpowers her and removes the head. She douses the pig's head in bleach and sets the pig's head on fire, removing the names, which results in the cultists all dying from their injuries. She then sets the pig's head on fire and flees with Maria's body.

Reuniting with an associate, Asia places Maria's body in the backseat, where she resurrects. Asia shows her that she has cut off her name from the pig's head and changed to Maria. Now reunited, the sisters drive off as the top floor of the Virgil explodes.

Cast

  • Zazie Beetz as Asia Reaves, Maria's old sister and an ex-convict looking for a new job.
  • Myha'la as Maria Reaves, Asia's estranged young sister who is one of the maids that works at the Virgil.
  • Paterson Joseph as Ray Woodhouse, Lilith's husband.
  • Tom Felton as Kevin Sullivan, a member of the Satanic Cult that inhabits the Virgil.
  • Heather Graham as Sharon Vanderbilt, a friend of Kevin and one of the members of the Satanic Cult in the Virgil.
  • Patricia Arquette as Lilith Woodhouse, Ray's wife, the Irish superintendent at the Virgil and the leader of the Satanic Cult.
  • Angus Sampson as Asia's private investigator and lawyer.
  • James Remar as the voice of the Pig's Head.

Production

In June 2024, it was announced that Zazie Beetz would lead They Will Kill You, an original film that would be the first under Andy and Barbara Muschietti's new production company, Nocturna.[4] In July, New Line Cinema picked up the rights.[5] In August, Myha'la, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette joined the cast.[6][7][8] Paterson Joseph also features in the cast.[9]

The film was shot in Cape Town at the end of 2024, finishing in December of that year.[10][11][12]

Release

They Will Kill You premiered at the SXSW on March 17, 2026, and was also released on March 27, 2026, by Warner Bros. Pictures.[13][14]

Reception

Box office

As of March 29, 2026, They Will Kill You has grossed $5 million in the United States and Canada, and $4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $9 million.[3]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of 128 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "A hyper-stylized battle royale with a vivid gothic setting, They Will Kill You's cyclical structure can grow repetitive but a fierce Zazie Beetz keeps the bloodletting infectiously fun."[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 50 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[16] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.[17]

See also

  • The Housemaid (2025)

References

  1. ^ "They Will Kill You (15)". BBFC. March 11, 2026. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  2. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 26, 2026). "'Project Hail Mary' Passing $100M U.S. Today, Will Lord Over Box Office In Second Frame With $45M Despite 'They Will Kill You's Attempted Slay – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  3. ^ a b "They Will Kill You- Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  4. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 12, 2024). "Zazie Beetz To Star In 'They Will Kill You', First Film From The Muschiettis' Horror Label Nocturna". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  5. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 31, 2024). "New Line To Co-Finance & Release Zazie Beetz Horror Pic 'They Will Kill You' From Skydance & Muschiettis' Nocturna". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  6. ^ Kit, Borys (August 7, 2024). "Patricia Arquette, Tom Felton Join Zazie Beetz in Horror Thriller 'They Will Kill You' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  7. ^ Kit, Borys (August 12, 2024). "Heather Graham Joins Zazie Beetz in Horror Thriller 'They Will Kill You' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  8. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 13, 2024). "Myha'la Joins Zazie Beetz In Horror Pic 'They Will Kill You' From New Line, Nocturna & Skydance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  9. ^ Gingold, Michael (January 5, 2026). "They Will Kill You in March, and unleashes a kick-ass trailer and the poster now". Rue Morgue.
  10. ^ Rottenberg, Aaron (August 4, 2024). "September in Cape Town as the filming of They Will Kill You by the actor Zazie Beetz begins". List23.
  11. ^ Graham, Heather [@imheathergraham]; (November 9, 2024). "Shot a movie called They Will Kill You in South Africa and got to work with some super talented people including Patricia Arquette and explore beautiful Cape Town with my visitors @vertical.change and @danicawitch". Cape Town – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ^ Ritman, Alex (December 17, 2024). "Russian Producer Artem Vasilyev Launches Dublin-Based Label Lazy Sunday, Unveils Slate of Projects Including New Kirill Sokolov Feature (Exclusive)". Variety.
  13. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 10, 2025). "New Line's Zazie Beetz Horror Movie 'They Will Kill You' Gets Spring 2026 Release Date". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  14. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 14, 2026). "SXSW Sets World Premieres 'Ready Or Not 2', 'They Will Kill You', Apple Series 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' & Pics With Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas & The Kevin Bacon Family". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  15. ^ "They Will Kill You". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
  16. ^ "They Will Kill You". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  17. ^ The Playlist Staff (March 29, 2026). "'Project Hail Mary' Hits An Incredible $300.8 Million Worldwide At The Box Office As 'Super Mario Galaxy' Awaits". The Playlist. Archived from the original on March 29, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.