A24 released a new trailer on September 17 for their upcoming film The Humans. The film is based on a one-act play by Stephen Karam that premiered on Broadway in 2016. This production will see Karam make the jump to the big screen. The film had a premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, where it largely received positive feedback from critics.
Family Drama Turns to Horror in The Humans
The film will follow a family as they gather together for Thanksgiving. Meeting in a rundown Manhattan Chinatown apartment, the family will undergo tense conversations and shocking revelations. Chris Evangelista of Slashfilm, describes The Humans as “a surprisingly scary horror movie disguised as a family drama.” Though there doesn’t seem to be anything explicitly implying that The Humans is a horror film in A24’s new trailer, director Karam seems to use the claustrophobic setting to underscore the family tension. Shiva Baby, a 2020 comedy about a young bisexual Jewish woman who attends a shiva with her family, also used horror motifs to convey anxiety in claustrophobic social settings.
Strong Performances in A24’s New Drama
Like many A24 movies, The Humans is a character-driven piece that will give the film’s actors a chance to showcase their chops. The film starts Jayne Houdyshell, who worked with Karam on the Broadway version of The Humans. She will be reprising her role as Deirdre Blake. Also appearing in the film are Beanie Feldstein, Richard Jenkins, Amy Schumer, and Steven Yeun. This will be Yuen’s second A24 film, with his previous work on Minari earning him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.
The film will release in theaters and on Showtime simultaneously on November 24, 2021. The Humans will serve as Stephen Karam’s film debut. Karam also serves as the writer and producer. He shares the production credit with Louise Lovegrove, who last year helped produce A24’s First Cow.