Director Corin Hardy (The Nun, Gangs of London) doesn’t play around when it comes to visuals. But his upcoming flick, Whistle, is reportedly taking things to a level even he wasn’t prepared for. Get ready, because this sounds like the high-stakes, “cursed object” horror movie we’ve been waiting for!
A Death Scene So Wild, the Director Did a Double-Take
Hardy recently teased that one specific kill in Whistle is so “insane” he actually had to reread the script to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.
“There’s one death that I’d never seen [done] before. This guy in his bedroom and what happens to him… I read it on the page, and I had to reread it. I was like, ‘Wow, that’s insane. I have no idea how to do that yet, but I’m gonna design it.'”
He ended up collaborating with top-tier storyboard and VFX artists to bring this “bedroom nightmare” to life. If the director of The Nun is shocked by a kill, you know it’s going to be legendary.
The Premise: Blowing the Whistle on Life
The movie follows a group of high schoolers who stumble upon an ancient Aztec Death Whistle. But this isn’t your average “summon a ghost” trope. In Whistle, the sound of the instrument fast-tracks your own future demise. If you’re destined to die in a fire 40 years from now, a charred corpse starts stalking you today. And if you’re supposed to die of old age, you might find yourself hunted by a murderous, wizened version of yourself (giving some major “Bent-Neck Lady” vibes for the “Haunting of Hill House” fans).
A Star-Studded “Horror Breakfast Club”
The cast is absolutely stacked with genre favorites like Dafne Keen (Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan), Sophie Nélisse (Yellowjackets), and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) joins the fun as a teacher.
At the heart of the chaos is a romance between Chrys and Ellie. Hardy described the film as a mix of The Ring and The Breakfast Club. It focuses on how these misfits have to bond and find hope while being hunted by their own mortality.
A History Lesson
Ancient Aztec warriors used these instruments to terrify their enemies during battles and rituals, such as human sacrifices. The seriously unsettling shriek they produced was terrifying. Depending on how hard you blow, it sounds like one of two things: a blood-curdling human shriek or the howling wind of the underworld. Imagine standing on a battlefield, and you are facing an entire army, blowing them all at once. Talk about nightmare fuel!
Coming Soon to Terrify You
Hardy’s goal was to make a “ride” that feels epic, colorful, and moody—inspired by 80s classics like The Lost Boys and A Nightmare on Elm Street. And soon you can see it for yourself. Whist is set to arrive in the US on February 6, 2026, followed by the UK premiere on February 13. Get your tickets now.
