Malfaisante, the new horror film from Rob Savage, lands in theaters on the 14 octobre 2026. Adapted from Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House, this 1h33 thriller casts Jessica Chastain in a double role: Bela's mother and The Other Mother, an entity that borrows her likeness.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Bela, an 8-year-old girl played by Arabella Olivia Clark. In her home, the child forms a bond with a presence that resembles her mother and strives to win her confidence. As the entity encroaches on her daily life, Bela wonders whether the woman standing before her is really her mother.
This supernatural threat also exposes the fractures running through the family. Mom works long hours and struggles to stay close to her daughter, while Daddo, played by Jay Duplass, is a stay-at-home dad who can’t help but feel close to Bela. The Other Mom exploits that emotional imbalance by presenting herself as the maternal figure the child longs to have back.
The cast also includesKaren Allen as Grandmother Ruth, Dichen Lachman as Lois Anthony, a scientist specializing in the paranormal, and Arian Moayed as Frank, a relative of the family. The screenplay is by Nathan Elston, based on the novel by the author of Bird Box.
Rob Savage chose to materialize as much as possible of the Other Mother directly on set. The creature thus rests on Jessica Chastain’s performance, physical acting and prosthetics, complemented by visual effects from Folks VFX. Its gait was developed in collaboration with stuntwoman Hayley Spelman, whose height and use of stilts allow the entity’s silhouette to be gradually altered.
Although the plot is set in Northern California, filming took place in Dublin and the surrounding area. The team favored real locations and practical builds, including a room rebuilt upside down and a pool filled with 65,000 balls. The direction thus aims to preserve Bela’s view of familiar spaces that gradually become unstable.
Malfaisante is produced by James Wan for Blumhouse Atomic Monster. Following Host, Dashcam, and The Boogeyman, Rob Savage continues his foray into horror cinema with a story where a supernatural threat collides with the dynamics between parents and children.
To map out its release, also check the eagerly awaited films hitting cinemas in October 2026, the films to see right now, and our pick of horror films coming soon to cinemas.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
