Vampires, witches, and werewolves have always been a much-loved staple of the folk horror genre, and modern-day films featuring the age-old mythical creatures are usually met with overwhelming enthusiasm from audiences far and wide. Originating from legendary tales of magic and curses passed down through generations, these supernatural movies are cozy horror at its finest.
Set to release later this month, The Beast Within stars Game of Thrones favorite Kit Harington and tells the story of the curse of the werewolf from a modern perspective. When 10-year-old Willow becomes suspicious her parents are hiding something, she follows them deep into the woods one night. There, she sees her father transform into something otherworldly and finds herself swept up in the dark family secret her parents have tried so hard to protect her from. If folklore is your thing, read our helpful guide below, containing everything we know so far about The Beast Within.
Keep reading to learn everything we know so far about The Beast Within.
The Beast Within (2024)
The Beast Within follows 10-year-old Willow, who begins to question her family’s isolated life on a fortified compound in the English wilds. After following her parents on a secret trek into the forest, she discovers her father’s horrifying transformation, uncovering a dark family secret.
- Director
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Alexander Farrell
- Writers
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Alexander Farrell
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Does ‘The Beast Within’ Have a Release Date?
The Beast Within will have a limited theatrical release in the United States and Australia on July 26, 2024. You can check out showtimes, tickets, and theaters near you right here.
Other movies releasing on the same day include Deadpool & Wolverine starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, The Fabulous Four starring Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullallyand Bette Midlerand the comedy-drama Didi.
Before its limited theatrical release, The Beast Within will have its world premiere at the Fantasia International Festival in Canada on July 22, 2024.
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Where Can You Watch ‘The Beast Within’?
As of right now, the only place you can catch The Beast Within is in select theaters. There’s no news yet regarding whether the movie will go on to have a wider big-screen release, but keep your eyes on this page to stay in the loop with the latest developments.
Regarding streaming, it’s likely The Beast Within will land online and on-demand at some point later this summer. The movie’s US production and distribution companies, Arclight Films and Well Go USA Entertainment lead us to speculate The Beast Within could find a home on Netflix or Amazon’s Prime Video service when the time comes. In the United Kingdom, production company Paradox House means the movie will likely hit Prime Video.
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Watch the Official Trailer for ‘The Beast Within’
Well Go USA released the first trailer for The Beast Within in June 2024. The trailer begins by showing Willow and her parents living happily in their isolated woodland compound. Surrounded by the lush English forest and at one with nature, their life seems idyllic and peaceful on the surface. However, as the sun sets and the full moon rises, everything begins to change. Awoken by strange noises one night and finding her father in bed gripped by what seems to be a fever, Willow starts paying attention to the inexplicable events surrounding her. Increasingly unsettled by her father’s sudden fevers, her mother washing blood out of clothes, and both of her parents sneaking deep into the forest at night, Willow decides to follow them.
With the full moon to guide her, Willow tracks her parents and witnesses something extraordinary. Frightened that the loving father she’s always known is actually a beast, Willow tentatively learns more about her family’s ancestral secret. After watching the trailer and spotting a few blink-and-you’ll-miss-it hints, we can’t help but wonder if the other-worldly curse has been passed down from father to daughter.
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What Is ‘The Beast Within’ About?
A chilling, modern-day take on the folk tale of the werewolf, The Beast Within centers on a reclusive family harboring a dark, supernatural secret. 10-year-old Willow has grown up with only her parents for company, raised in a secluded home deep in the English forest. However, Willow soon begins to question the strange lifestyle she’s been forced to follow and grows suspicious that her loving parents are concealing something from her. One night, under the light of a full moon, Willow tracks her parents deeper into the surrounding woodland, and what she sees is beyond her wildest imagination. As she watches her father gripped by a terrifying transformation, Willow realizes that everything she’s ever known has been built on a lie. Now all too aware of what her parents tried so hard to protect her from, Willow finds herself swept up in a dark ancestral secret.
The official synopsis for The Beast Within reads:
“After a series of strange events leads her to question her family’s isolated life on a fortified compound deep in the English wilds, 10-year-old Willow follows her parents on one of their secret late-night treks to the heart of the forest.”
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Who Stars in ‘The Beast Within’?
Game of Thrones alum Kit Harington stars as the tortured father harboring a shocking curse, alongside Ashleigh Cummings (The Goldfinch) as his wife and Caoilinn Springall (Stopmotion) as his suspicious young daughter, Willow.
Also in the cast are James Cosmo (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), Martina McClements (There’s No Such Thing as Zombies), and Ian Gilesin his feature film debut.
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Who Made ‘The Beast Within’?
The Beast Within is directed by Alexander J. Farrelland written by Farrell alongside Greer Ellison. The duo previously collaborated on the 2023 documentary Making a Killingand the 2024 romantic comedy How to Date Billy Walsh.
Farrell’s previous work includes the short films The Lonely Walk and STARthe television movie Lighthouse Lesvosand the documentary Refugee. In recent years, Ellison served as a writer on the dramas Butterfly Kisses and Hope Streetas well as writing and directing a handful of short films.
Heading up the huge production team alongside Ellison as executive producers are Perry Doc Breeds (Bunker 13), Addam Bramich (Poker Face), Nicholas de Graffenreid (The Tower), Ben Dukes (Legend of the White Dragon), Ulf Ek (It’s What’s Inside), Chris Jay (Legend of the White Dragon), Walter Josten (Hypnotic), Byron McNally (Butterfly Kisses), D.J. McPherson (Seriously Red), Grant Miller (65), Drew Moerlein (Bloodline Killer), Michael O’Loughlin (Bunker 13), Tom Ogden (Tin Soldier), Doris Pfarrrescher (Possessor), Kanesh Mohan Sundaram (Aiyai: Wrathful Soul), Vinod Mohana Sundaram (Aiyai: Wrathful Soul), Michelle Vezilj (Sargasso), and Rooter Wareing (Ghosted).
Daniel Katz (I Am Legend) serves as The Beast Within’s cinematographer, with music by Jack Halama (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Nathan W Klein (Enola Holmes).
