After last appearing together in Game of Thrones several years ago, and are now starring in a new, spooky Gothic horror film. Unfortunately, early reviews haven’t been very positive, and the movie isn’t generating the same excitement as other recent dark British films like The Woman in Black.
In the new horror film, The Dreadful, actresses Turner and Harington play Anne, a woman controlled by her mother-in-law, and Jago, a war veteran who returns with a dangerous curse. The movie also stars Marcia Gay Harden, Laurence O’Fuarain, and Jonathan Howard. It’s directed by Natasha Kermani, known for her previous horror films Lucky (2020) and Abraham’s Boys (2023), which featured Titus Welliver of the Bosch series.
The new movie, The Dreadful, opens today, February 20th, and critics are giving it a lukewarm reception. While the film creates a suitably dark and gloomy medieval atmosphere, most reviewers find the story itself unoriginal and slow-paced. It seems to be geared towards a very specific audience, and likely won’t be a big hit with general moviegoers.
The horror website Dread Central praised the film, with critic Chad Collins calling it a “sneaky, gradually unfolding Gothic horror and one of the year’s best early films.” This description really captures what the movie does well and where it might not appeal to everyone. The Dreadful is clearly intended for viewers who prefer a slow-building, atmospheric horror experience with a persistent sense of dread, rather than constant thrills and jump scares.
Some viewers, like John Townsend of Starburst, found the movie “somewhat shallow” and felt it “ended weakly and disappointingly.” Robert Kojder from Flickering Myth pointed out that the film’s main appeal was seeing Game of Thrones stars Sophie Turner and Kit Harington together, suggesting it lacked other significant strengths.
Sophie Turner and Kit Harington Found One Thing Dreadful About Their New Movie
Lionsgate/Everett Collection
When Kit Harington and Rose Leslie reunited on screen six years after Game of Thrones ended, things got a little awkward. Having played on-screen siblings for most of the series, and with a close off-screen relationship themselves, filming intimate scenes together in The Dreadful presented a challenge for the actors.
MovieWeb Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Immerse yourself in the cinematic universe with the latest movie news, reviews, and exclusive content from MovieWeb.
During an interview with Seth Meyers while promoting the film, Turner shared that she felt sick to her stomach at the thought of kissing Harrington, describing it as feeling like kissing her brother. She went on to explain:
I sent the script to Kit, and he immediately warned me it was going to be incredibly awkward. I didn’t understand what he meant until I started reading it – it was just constant kissing and then sex scenes. Then it hit me: it was my brother! We tried to forget about it, but when we got to filming the first kiss, both of us felt physically sick. It was truly awful – one of the worst experiences of my career.
Read More
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- Netflix’s Stranger Things Replacement Reveals First Trailer (It’s Scarier Than Anything in the Upside Down)
- The Best Members of the Flash Family
- ‘Crime 101’ Ending, Explained
- 7 Best Animated Horror TV Shows
- Arknights: Endfield launches January 22, 2026
- How to Froggy Grind in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 | Foundry Pro Goals Guide
- 32 Kids Movies From The ’90s I Still Like Despite Being Kind Of Terrible
- Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition Trailer Is Pure Chaos
- 10 Best Anime to Watch if You Miss Dragon Ball Super
2026-02-19 17:49