Heretic writers say Hugh Grant was the perfect choice of villain in the upcoming religious horror movie because of his "incredible conviction and intellect"

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Exclusive: Writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods explain why Hugh Grant is the ideal person to play the upcoming horror movie's sinister villain

Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed in Heretic
(Image credit: A24)

Despite being best known for his ultra-charming and swoon-worthy roles, legendary British actor Hugh Grant is switching his typical love interest part out for a crazy and malicious villain in the upcoming horror movie Heretic, which writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods say he is perfect for. 

"Every single scene is predicated on, is this a dangerous situation, or is this just a conversation that has a little bit of bite and edge?" Beck tells SFX magazine in the new issue, which features Wicked on the cover and hits newsstands on November 1. "It took the process of Bryan and I throwing a bunch of names around, and then thinking about 35 years of our relationship with Hugh Grant, somebody that we've seen in so many movies, where there is a charm and this wit."

Grant’s charm was definitely a factor in him securing the role of Heretic killer Mr. Reed, but what else led the Quiet Place writers to the Love Actually star was his extensive work off-screen, too. "But then you look outside of his filmography, and you see this incredible conviction and intellect with the different things that he's fighting for, such as the phone hacking case in the UK," adds Beck. "It snapped together that he is like Mr. Reed." 

Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) on their usual rounds when they knock on the diabolical Mr. Reed's door, who ensnares them in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, forcing them to prove their faith. When asked of Thatcher and East’s first time on set, Woods said: "When we put them in a room together finally they did have an awkward chemistry, which is what we needed." The writer adds, "Because missionaries are thrust together."

From what we can see in the trailer, it looks like Reed may use traps and household inventions to put the girls to the test, after luring them into his house of horrors on the premise of having a religious debate. We have yet to see the full extent of Reed’s maliciousness, but all will be revealed when Heretic releases.

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Heretic releases in UK on November 1 and on November 8 in the US. Read more in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Wicked on the cover and will be available from Friday, November 1. 

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Tara Bennett
Freelance Writer

Tara is the NYT bestselling author (or co-author) of 30 movie and TV companion books including the upcoming official history of Marvel Studios. She's also a freelance journalist with bylines at print and online publications such as: SCI FI Magazine, Total Film, SYFY Wire, Today.com, Fandom, Fandango/Movies.com, Fancast, Newsarama, Star Wars: Insider, Walking Dead Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, LOST: The Official Magazine, Alias Magazine, 24 Magazine, and VFXWorld.com. She is also the U.S. Editor for the world’s premiere sci-fi/fantasy publication, SFX Magazine. She is the host and producer for SYFY Wire’s official podcasts for USA Network’s, Colony, HISTORY's Project Blue Book official podcast, and the Lost retrospective, Through the Looking Glass co-hosted with Maureen Ryan.