MOVIE NEWS – Speak No Evil, the American horror-thriller, is a reimagining of the Danish horror film Gæsterne (The Visit).

The original, released in 2022, revolves around a Danish family invited by a Dutch family for a friendly weekend. It soon becomes clear that the seemingly kind hosts are psychopaths with dark plans for their guests. Gæsterne was written and directed by Christian Tafdrup, who also contributed to the screenplay for the American remake. In a video released ahead of Speak No Evil’s upcoming premiere, the Danish director highlights that the story is based on real events, at least in terms of its premise. Tafdrup met a pleasant couple during a Tuscan vacation who invited him for a weekend, but he felt something was off about them and politely declined the offer. The unsettling experience stayed with him, prompting him to imagine what might have happened if he had accepted and his fears had proven true during the visit. This led to the creation of Gæsterne, which Speak No Evil further develops with slightly fewer bloody scenes but deeper psychological motives influencing the characters’ actions.

Tafdrup also shares his surprise that after his film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, Blumhouse Productions immediately reached out to him about making an American remake with his involvement. The Danish director was pleased to participate, seeing it as a guarantee that the new version of Gæsterne would be something he could also be proud of, and he was satisfied with the final result.

(Speak No Evil – Domestic release: September 12, 2024.)