Zazie Beetz in 'They Will Kill You' (2026) Warner Bros. New Line/Nocturna’s They Will Kill You generated $1 million in previews from Thursday 3 p.m. showtimes and Monday Mystery screenings, a figure slightly below the $1.2 million recorded for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come during its preview. The film, a $20 million production starring Zazie Beetz, is expected to open with a performance comparable to its predecessor. The film, directed by Kirill Sokolov and co-written by him, follows Beetz’s character as she rescues her sister from a wealthy satanic cult in a high-octane thriller. It premiered as the closing night film at SXSW on March 17, launching with a social media universe reach of 183 million, 18% higher than typical horror genre norms across platforms like TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram. However, this figure falls short of the 294 million reach achieved by Ready or Not 2: Here I Come prior to its release. Key social media influencers for the film include Tom Felton with 26.7 million followers, Patricia Arquette (now activated with 1.1 million followers), Beetz with 827,000 followers, and Heather Graham with 748,000 followers. Critical reviews on Rotten Tomatoes currently stand at 72% fresh, slightly below the 75% score for Ready or Not 2. No audience score has been released yet. The film is set for international release in 65 territories, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Spain, and the UK, with 7,000 screens booked. Amazon MGM Studio’s Project Hail Mary concluded its first week in 4,007 theaters with $109.7 million, following a $6.1 million opening Thursday, a 10% drop from Wednesday’s figures. The film’s second weekend is anticipated to mirror the performance of Dune: Part Two, which saw a 44% decline to $45 million.#ready_or_not_2 #sxsw #tom_felton #zazie_beetz #kirill_sokolov
They Will Kill You: A Bloodsoaked Satire of Wealth and Violence At the end of its chaotic, gory spectacle, a disbelieving detective confronts a survivor who mutters only two words: “Rich people.” This blunt, almost comically brief social critique is the extent of the commentary in They Will Kill You, an action-horror-comedy set in a Manhattan luxury building where Satan-worshipping tenants ritualistically murder their poor, marginalized staff. Writer-director Kirill Sokolov and co-writer Alex Litvak lean into the absurdity of their premise, delivering a film that thrives on over-the-top violence and stylistic flair, even if its deeper themes remain underexplored. The film’s plot centers on Asia (Zazie Beetz), a maid who infiltrates the exclusive Virgil apartments under false pretenses to rescue her estranged sister, Maria. Armed with an arsenal of weapons and a fierce fighting spirit honed in prison, Asia confronts the building’s wealthy residents, who have struck a literal deal with the Devil. The residents, clad in robes and masks, are more than willing to defend their privilege, aided by supernatural powers that tip the balance in their favor. The film’s opening sequence, in which Asia slices off a Satanist’s head with a sword in a closet, sets the tone for a series of increasingly grotesque set pieces. Sokolov’s direction leans into the film’s gonzo style, with slow-motion shots of furniture shattering, mattress stuffing raining down like snow, and Asia wielding flaming axes to set enemies ablaze. The action sequences are frenetic and stylish, blending horror, comedy, and over-the-top violence into a spectacle that prioritizes spectacle over substance.#heather_graham #tom_felton #zazie_beetz #kirill_sokolov #alex_litvak
They Will Kill You Review: Zazie Beetz Saves Sister From Satanic Cult The world premiere of They Will Kill You at SXSW 2026 marked the festival’s closing night with a visceral blend of action, horror, and dark humor, centered on the fraught relationship between two sisters entangled in a satanic cult. Directed by Kirill Sokolov and co-written with Alex Litvak, the film follows Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz), a maid working at The Virgil, a centuries-old New York City apartment building occupied by the city’s elite. Her seemingly mundane job masks a deeper mission: to locate her estranged younger sister, Maria (Myha’la), whom she abandoned a decade earlier after their abusive father’s violence drove them apart. The plot thickens when Asia discovers the building’s grim history of missing domestic staff, leading her to uncover a sinister cult plot to sacrifice her to Satan in exchange for immortality. Armed with a arsenal of weapons and unyielding resolve, Asia confronts the cult’s members, a group of wealthy tenants including Kevin (Tom Felton) and Sharon (Heather Graham), whose unhinged performances add to the film’s chaotic energy. The story intertwines physical combat with emotional stakes, as the sisters’ bond becomes the driving force behind Asia’s quest to save Maria. Sokolov’s direction leans into genre tropes, blending samurai-inspired sword fights, shoot-em-up sequences, and over-the-top gore, with blood splattering dramatically across the screen and creative use of visceral effects. The film’s tone balances brutality with dark humor, reflecting its satirical take on wealth and power. Zazie Beetz delivers a standout performance, embodying both the physicality of a warrior and the emotional vulnerability of a sister seeking redemption.#sxsw_2026 #zazie_beetz #kirill_sokolov #myha_la #alex_litvak
They Will Kill You: Inside Its Show-Stopping Action Sequences The year may be young, but Kirill Sokolov and Zazie Beetz’s “flaming axe” sequence in They Will Kill You is already a contender for the finest action set piece of 2026. The Russian physicist-turned-filmmaker first captured Hollywood’s attention with his 2018 debut, Why Don’t You Just Die!, which won several awards at 2019’s Fantasia Film Festival. After his sophomore effort, No Looking Back (2021), Sokolov relocated to Los Angeles, where he partnered with screenwriter Alex Litvak to craft his first U.S. project, They Will Kill You. The action horror-comedy follows Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz), an ex-con who adopts a false identity to work as a housekeeper in New York City’s enigmatic Virgil building. The story is inspired by Sokolov and his wife’s experiences living in a Russian apartment complex a decade earlier. Their apartment, like the Virgil building, became a hub of tension and paranoia, with elderly tenants gossiping and harboring wild cats. Sokolov and his wife jokingly referred to their situation as a cult that would one day target them, a concept that evolved into the film’s premise. The film’s central conflict begins when a cultist infiltrates Asia’s apartment through a hidden passage, a detail rooted in Sokolov’s past. During a kitchen renovation, he discovered a secret hole leading to his neighbor’s apartment, a twist reminiscent of Rosemary’s Baby. Though he initially forgot about it, rewatching the film years later reignited the idea, which eventually became a key plot point in They Will Kill You. Asia’s climactic battle against the cult culminates in the film’s iconic flaming axe sequence. Sokolov initially wanted to stage the scene practically but faced resistance from producers concerned about safety.#zazie_beetz #kirill_sokolov #virgil_building #nocturna #andy_muschietti
Zazie Beetz Shines in High-Octane Action Horror Comedy "They Will Kill You" Zazie Beetz delivers a standout performance as Asia Reaves in Kirill Sokolov’s action horror comedy They Will Kill You, a film that blends maximalist stunts, dark humor, and relentless violence. The movie, released by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., follows Asia, a woman thrust into a deadly situation after her younger sister is kidnapped. With no formal training, Asia becomes a relentless force, navigating a Satanic cult that has taken over a high-rise apartment complex. Beetz’s physicality and determination anchor the film, transforming it into a chaotic yet thrilling spectacle. The story opens with Asia’s abrupt incarceration due to a domestic crisis, setting her on a path to rescue her sister, Maria. She lands a job as a maid at The Virgil, a luxury high-rise managed by Lily (Patricia Arquette). What begins as a straightforward assignment quickly spirals into a battle against a cult that views Asia as their next sacrifice. Sokolov’s script, co-written with Alex Litvak, leans into absurdity and action, with Beetz constantly in motion, engaging in brutal combat sequences that range from barefoot fights to stylized choreography inspired by spaghetti westerns, anime, and samurai films. The film’s visual design, crafted by Production Designer Jeremy Reed, offers a tongue-in-cheek take on the Nine Circles of Hell, reimagined as a decaying high-rise. While the worldbuilding is surface-level, it adds a surreal tone to the proceedings. However, the focus on action overshadows deeper exploration of the setting, leaving the cult’s motives and the characters’ backstories underdeveloped. Despite this, the film’s energy remains infectious, with Beetz’s performance as a central driving force.#warner_bros #patricia_arquette #zazie_beetz #kirill_sokolov #new_line_cinema
They Will Kill You: A Fiery Revenge Farce Crashes and Burns Kirill Sokolov’s They Will Kill You opens with a chaotic premise: Zazie Beetz stars as Asia Reaves, a maid posing as a new employee at a luxury Manhattan hotel that secretly houses a satanic cult. The film’s initial promise is enticing—a midnight action thriller with bloodshed, violence, and a revenge plot. However, the execution quickly falters, turning the movie into a disjointed, exhausting experience. The story follows Asia, who infiltrates the hotel to rescue her sister, now a victim of the cult’s human sacrifice rituals. The film’s opening scenes are visually striking, with a rain-soaked prologue showing Asia escaping her abusive father and leaving her sister behind. The hotel, named The Virgil, is overtly satanic, its décor dripping with occult symbolism. Asia’s first night at the hotel is a violent spectacle: cultists in raincoats and pig masks invade her room, only for her to retaliate with a machete and a barrage of weapons. The action is frenetic, with crash-zooms, blood splatter, and a spaghetti Western-inspired score. Yet, the film’s premise takes a supernatural turn when the cultists’ injuries miraculously heal, hinting at their pact with the devil. This twist, while thematically intriguing, undermines the film’s tension, as the villains’ immortality robs the violence of its impact. The plot lacks coherence, with the hotel’s layout never fully explained and action scenes reduced to chaotic, repetitive sequences. Asia’s mission to rescue her sister becomes a series of increasingly absurd set pieces, each less satisfying than the last. The film’s reliance on derivative influences—such as Timur Bekmambetov’s action style, Quentin Tarantino’s revenge tropes, and Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy—fails to create a cohesive identity.#zazie_beetz #kirill_sokolov #the_virgil #heather_graham #tom_felton
