One of the horror movies we’re most excited to watch this year is the new slasher from A24, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. From the two trailers for the movie we’ve seen so far, it seems it also has all the tropes we want from the genre. A mystery serial killer? Check. Gory deaths? Check. Hot, hedonistic rich people screaming for their lives? Check. And while the movie boasts a mix of well-established names and up-and-coming stars within its cast, it’s also unique in the sense that many are lauded comedians — like Pete Davidson and Rachel Sennott.
The few critics who have already seen Bodies, Bodies, Bodies have praised its dark humour, the cast’s chemistry, and fun take on the genre, earning comparisons with Scream and Jennifer’s Body. Here’s everything we know about what is bound to be the horror movie of the summer.
What is the plot of Bodies, Bodies, Bodies?
The slasher follows a group of rich 20-something friends who decide to throw a party together at a remote mansion during a hurricane. With drama and awkward tension between the besties, and frustrations rising at the lack of internet access, they decide to play a game to lighten the mood. The game is called Bodies, Bodies, Bodies — a variation of wink murder but in the dark. But at the end of the game, when the lights turn back on, they realise a real murder has occurred and one of them is the culprit. From the movie’s name (and its slasher status) one can safely assume it’s not the only murder of the night.
Who is in the cast?
Leading the movie is The Hate U Give’s Amandla Stenberg, playing Sophie, a recently sober outsider to the group with a secret, and SNL star-slash-Kim-K-beau Pete Davidson as David, Sophie’s excessively wealthy and kinda-a-dick childhood friend. Also starring is Maria Bakalova (who was Oscar nominated for her role in the Borat sequel) as Bee, Sophie’s new girlfriend meeting her friends for the first time, Chase Sui Wonders as Emma, David’s dull girlfriend and Myha’la Herrold as Jordan, another friend of the group and party attendee. Very excitingly, the movie will also star Shiva Baby and The Idol actor Rachel Sennott as vacuous scream queen Alice, who turns up to the party with her older boyfriend Greg, played by the MCU’s Lee Pace.
And who is behind the camera?
Remember that unhinged 2017 New Yorker short story called Cat Person that went viral? Well, Kristen Roupenian, the writer of that piece (which is also being turned into a movie) wrote the story for Bodies, Bodies, Bodies which was bought by A24 in 2018. It was then adapted into a screenplay by Sarah DeLappe, a writer who was Pulitzer-nominated for her off-Broadway play The Wolves in 2016. Directing is Valkyrie-actress turned director Halina Reijn, with music by Disasterpeace, known for composing for horrors such as It Follows (2015) and Under The Silver Lake (2018). In a tweet, A24 promised that the film will also feature an original song by Charli XCX.
Is there a trailer?
Actually, there’s two! Both give us a glimpse at the horrors the group face in the mansion, but there’s plenty of comedy too, as we watch this group of self-involved rich kids go batshit under the stress of being in a real-life murder spree and trying to convince one another they’re not the murderer. There’s also (naturally) a lot of blood! The second trailer is also soundtracked to “Hot Girl”, a new original song for the movie from pop icon du jour Charli XCX that perfectly encapsulates the vacuous influencer living in a nightmare energy of the movie.
When will Bodies, Bodies Bodies be released?
After premiering at South by Southwest Festival in March to strong critical acclaim, our new fave slasher (we’re calling it already!) will have its public release on 5 August 2022.