Heretic Reveals the Real People Who Inspired Hugh Grant’s Villain

new horror movie Infidel It stars Hugh Grant as “Mr. Reed,” a reclusive man who lives in a house that harbors some dark secrets. When two missionary Mormon girls arrive at Reed’s door, he leads them into a dark test of faith that may also be a life-or-death test. Trailers for the film have left audiences in awe of directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (the film’s writers). A Quiet Place) atmospheric horror and the sarcasm of Hugh Grant’s delightfully haunting performance.

ComicBook had the chance to sit down with Woods and Beck. Infidel; During that conversation, the directing duo revealed some of the real-life figures who influenced Mr. Reed’s character:

ComicBook.com’s videos

“Yes, definitely from a cult perspective, we were thinking of Jim Jones in the Jonestown Massacre; “Keith Raniere and the NXIVM cult,” Beck explained. “All these people are pretty charismatic, and you go into this organization thinking it’s going to make your life better at first, and then over time it perverts itself.”

“Yes, he was also inspired by great atheist thinkers,” Woods added. “Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins: He’s a combination of 30 different real-life people, and then you bring Hugh into the conversation, and Hugh is such a brilliant mind. He also had a lot of ideas about who the character connected with. It was great fun working with him.”

Heretic Cast, Crew and Story Information

According to the official summary Infidel: “Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by the evil Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) and become trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse.”

Infidel Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the film is released by A24 Films. Starring Hugh Grant, Topher Grace (Spider-Man 3), Sophie Thatcher (yellow jackets) and Chloe East (Fabelmans). infidel It will be in cinemas on Friday.