There have been numerous “small scary monster” films over the past few decades, all of the various qualities featuring Gremlins, Critters, Munchies, and Ghoulies.
Even while Gremlins and possibly Critters stand out as some of the best movies in this strangely particular type of horror, it’s not exactly a genre that’s regarded with much affection.
The majority will naturally view anything that isn’t a Gremlin as simply trying to copy its success, and with good cause – they frequently do.
Yet, the new British horror movie Unwelcome seeks to approach this concept in a novel way by using a mysterious character from Irish folklore: the murderous Redcap.
It looks to be a unique twist on the house invasion genre combined with fantastical monsters, directed by Jon Wright, whose earlier works include the British movies Grabbers and Robot Overlords.
Wright compared the film to “Gremlins meets Straw Dogs” in an interview with Empire, pointing to the historical tensions between the main English couple and the Irish countryside they settle into.
When Is Unwelcome Coming To The Theatres?
According to Bloody Disgusting, Unwelcome will hit theaters on March 10. On March 14, a VOD release will occur four days later. Unwelcome will be available in cinemas starting on January 27 if you reside in the UK or Ireland.
Who is in the Unwelcome Cast?
The main characters, Maya and Jamie, an English couple compelled to engage in a fight with the rival Redcaps, will be played by Douglas Booth and Hannah John-Kamen. Before Unwanted, Booth had a lengthy career.
In addition to playing the lead in Netflix’s The Dirt, he starred in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Noah, and the 2013 production of Romeo & Juliet.
In contrast, John-Kamen appeared in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, Ready Player One, Tomb Raider (2018), and the brief The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix.
Interestingly, Booth and John-Kamen played characters in movies based on the biblical Noah’s Ark.
Colm Meany from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Kristian Narin from Game of Thrones, Chris Walley from 1917, Rick Warden from Band of Brothers, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell from Derry Girls, and Lalor Roddy round out the cast (Grabbers).
The same crew that created the practical effects for Grabbers, Jon Wright’s previous film, will contribute to this one.
It will be thrilling to watch the Redcaps come to life and wreck the place, especially in light of Grabbers’ accolades for its effects and the fact that it was nominated for a related Fangoria award.
The screenplay for the movie was written by Mark Stay, a former partner of Jon Wright’s who previously penned Robot Overlords.
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