The Dreadful
A grim medieval folk-horror romance follows a marginalized woman confronting domestic tyranny, religious guilt, and a curse embodied by a mysterious knight.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- dreary
- oppressive
- brooding
- halloween night
- dark rainy evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Marcia Gay Harden's commanding performance and the film's Gothic imagery and thematic ambition, while finding the execution uneven, slow, and ineffective in its third act.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story places a curse, a mysterious knight, and religious guilt within medieval rural England.
Anne's struggle with her domineering mother-in-law Morwen drives the human conflict.
Critics specifically note the film's Gothic imagery, blood, and religious guilt.
The film's treatment of hunger and life on the outskirts of society is identified as a key idea in criticism.
Films like The Dreadful, and why
The Witch
shared medieval setting, folk horror atmosphere, religious guilt, and oppressive supernatural dread
The Devil's Bath
shared gothic horror, historical isolation, female-centered persecution, and grim supernatural themes
Black Death
shared folk horror, medieval religious anxiety, blood-soaked imagery, and bleak atmosphere
Crimson Peak
shared gothic romance, haunted historical setting, and supernatural danger shaped by emotional trauma
Movie Details
- Director
- Natasha Kermani
- Release Date
- 2026-02-20
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (84)
Cast
- Sophie Turner
- Kit Harington
- Marcia Gay Harden
- Laurence O'Fuarain
- Jonathan Howard
- Catherine McDonough
- Zachary Cohen
- Isidro-Lucking Dylan
- Nik Harber
- Jürgen Koenen
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Dreadful about?
- A grim medieval folk-horror romance follows a marginalized woman confronting domestic tyranny, religious guilt, and a curse embodied by a mysterious knight.
- What is The Dreadful like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Dreadful as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Dreadful violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Dreadful as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Dreadful?
- Critics broadly praised Marcia Gay Harden's commanding performance and the film's Gothic imagery and thematic ambition, while finding the execution uneven, slow, and ineffective in its third act.
- Which films are like The Dreadful?
- Films with a similar feel include The Witch, The Devil's Bath, Black Death, and Crimson Peak.
- How long is The Dreadful?
- The Dreadful runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Dreadful?
- In United States, The Dreadful streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
