Speak No Evil doesn't need a Hollywood remake - even with James McAvoy

If there’s one saving grace about the new Speak No Evil movie, it’s that X-Men star James McAvoy is known to play unhinged to exquisite standards.

This week, the trailer was released for the shiny new Hollywood version of the hit Danish psychological thriller that quickly garnered a cult following after its debut just two years ago.

Like the original, the remake will follow a family as they embark on an idyllic countryside holiday that gradually turns into a psychological nightmare.

It’s a film that I still think about on occasion with a feeling of unease yet, oddly, the desire to watch the barbaric horror all over again.

Speak No Evil (2022) is a fantastic film even if the brutal ending sends you spiralling into depression and wondering if any good even exists in the world.

Right from the opening scenes, you’ll feel sick to your stomach knowing that something ominous is looming and the intensity of that feeling never lets up. When the end credits rolled, I was utterly traumatised by what I’d just seen – and this is coming from someone who can stomach even the most extreme horror.

I’ve never felt so powerless watching a movie with every part of me wanting to jump into the screen and rescue this helpless family being subjected to absolute hell, even if they made a couple of frustrating choices.

James McAvoy takes the lead in the Hollywood remake of Speak No Evil (Picture: Blumhouse)

The remake is being helmed by iconic horror movie studio Blumhouse (Picture: Blumhouse)

McAvoy sure knows how to play unhinged but this remake isn’t necessary (Picture: Blumhouse)

The poor family whose idyllic countryside holiday turns into a nightmare (Picture: Blumhouse)

Will the new instalment offer something new? (Picture: Blumhouse)

The Danish version was released in 2022 and already, Hollywood has rushed out a remake that, judging by the newly-released trailer, appears to be a near enough scene-for-scene carbon copy.

It’s no secret that Hollywood will do anything for a quick cash grab and has been known to put its own glossy spin on popular films from overseas: The Ring, The Grudge and REC are just a few that spring to mind.

However, getting to work so quickly on a film that was released less than two years ago might be a record.

It begs the question: does Speak No Evil really need a new version when the original is still garnering rave reviews and being discovered by new fans?

If the remake doesn’t offer anything new, there’s really no point to it.

One might assume that, being a Danish film, the language barrier might be the reason for Hollywood making a new version but the first instalment is already spoken partly in English anyway.

Speak No Evil (2022) hasn’t even had time to breathe (Picture: Blumhouse)

The Danish version has become a cult classic (Picture: Blumhouse)

I’m not alone in my thinking based on Reddit and X comments from users who can’t quite understand why a remake is necessary at this point.

@marqquinhos13 wrote on X: ‘Just a remake control c control v, the americans should stop being lazy about reading subtitles and know how to enjoy a good movie, this movie are unnecessary and Will be worst, never be the same feelings of original.’

Sharing my exact thoughts, @NOCJr7540 hailed it the ‘most unnecessary remake of all time.’

@LuisFaraudo stated: ‘The original film was released in 2022 and its fantastic, why do we need a Hollywood remake less than two years later?’

The answer simply is, we don’t.

It’s disappointing that Hollywood can’t allow this relatively unsung Danish gem to have the space to shine and earn props for its script writing, cinematography and acting.

The fact that the new trailer spoils a very major scene from the original ending tells me all I need to know about Hollywood’s intentions with this movie. It doesn’t seem to care about protecting the integrity of the storytelling and allowing the viewer the chance to discover the twists and turns on their own. Instead, it’s reached for the gratuitous shock factor, which is quite the opposite of the first film, which nails slow-burn tension to a satisfying payoff.

I really hope I’m proven wrong and that Hollywood hasn’t just churned out an exact replica of something that didn’t need to be fixed in the first place.

We’ll find out later this year when the remake is expected to be released.

Until then, if you want to experience the unsettling journey of the original Speak No Evil, it’s available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Are you a Soaps fan? For exclusive spoilers and interviews, sign up to Metro’s Soaps newsletter