Daniel Radcliffe’s Horns Was Too Risky for Theaters

by

Daniel Radcliffe became famous as the star of the eight Harry Potter movies (2001-2011), and since then, he’s often chosen unusual and unexpected roles, even if they don’t appeal to a wide audience. He’s appeared in films like Swiss Army Man, Guns Akimbo, and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. This pattern began immediately after the last Harry Potter film, when he quickly moved into horror with The Woman in Black. While The Woman in Black was a fairly typical horror movie, Horns combined dark fantasy elements, resulting in a strange and overlooked adaptation of the original novel.

In the film Horns, Daniel Radcliffe plays Ig Perrish, who finds himself growing horns after being accused of his girlfriend Merrin’s murder. These horns have a strange effect: they compel people to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. Ig uses this newfound power to investigate Merrin’s death and seek revenge on the killer. Directed by Alexandre Aja, known for Crawl, and featuring a talented cast including Juno Temple, Max Minghella, and Heather Graham, Horns is a surprisingly overlooked movie that deserved a wider release.

Distributors Felt That Horns Couldn’t Succeed in Theaters

Despite positive reviews at film festivals and a limited theatrical run, distributors decided not to give Horns a wider release in cinemas. They felt the film’s unusual mix of genres and inconsistent marketing made it too risky. Instead, it received a lackluster release through video-on-demand services, though this was before streaming services commonly released films exclusively online.

Ultimately, Horns didn’t do well financially and didn’t reach many critics. Reviews from both critics and audiences were generally lukewarm. A common complaint was that the movie couldn’t decide on a single genre, constantly shifting between a coming-of-age story and a comedy.

Despite receiving mixed reviews when it came out – 41% from critics and 49% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes – the movie Horns might connect with viewers better now, 13 years later. This is likely because audiences are now more accustomed to movies that combine different genres, a trend that’s become popular over the last ten years.

Horns Is Based on a Novel by Joe Hill, the Son of Stephen King

The series Horns is adapted from the 2010 novel by Joe Hill, the son of renowned author Stephen King. Hill is known for blending horror and dark fantasy, and has written many popular works, including the comics series Locke & Key, the novel The Fireman, and his latest book, King Sorrow.

Following the movie adaptation of Horns, Joe Hill’s work has seen a surge in popularity with several of his stories being adapted for television and film. His comic series Locke & Key became a three-season Netflix show, his novel NOS4A2 was turned into an AMC television series, and recently, his short story “The Black Phone” received a highly praised film adaptation.

The film version of Joe Hill’s Horns simplifies the story and loses much of the character development found in the novel, likely to make it more accessible to a wider audience. The connections between the main character, Ig, and the other characters feel less meaningful, replaced by unnecessary special effects and scenes meant to shock. Despite these changes, the movie still provides a fresh and enjoyable interpretation of Hill’s work.

Read More

2026-01-19 00:36