The story of The Dark and the Wicked
What happens when you return home to say goodbye, only to discover something else has already moved in? That's the core dread running through The Dark and the Wicked, writer-director Bryan Bertino's 2020 horror film about two siblings—May and Michael—who come back to their isolated Texas farmhouse after their mother's death. Their father is dying, bedridden and fading fast. But the house itself feels wrong. The shadows don't behave right. The animals act strange. And then the visions start—waking nightmares that blur the line between grief-induced hallucination and something genuinely, malevolently supernatural. What begins as a family vigil becomes a descent into possession and terror, where the line between mourning and being consumed grows thinner with each passing night.
Behind the making of The Dark and the Wicked
The Dark and the Wicked emerged from a collaboration between Travelling Picture Show Company, Unbroken Pictures, Shotgun Shack Pictures, and Inwood Road Films, with Bertino bringing his signature slow-burn sensibility to the material. The director was already known for The Strangers (2008), a home-invasion classic that redefined paranoia for a generation, and The Monster (2016), which proved he could sustain dread across a feature-length cat-and-mouse game in the woods. This time, he trades masked intruders and forest creatures for something more insidious: a malevolent presence that doesn't just threaten the family but actively corrodes their sanity from within.
The film runs 95 minutes and carries no MPAA rating, allowing Bertino freedom to push into genuinely unsettling territory without the constraints of a PG-13 or R designation. Marin Ireland anchors the film as May, with Michael Abbott Jr. playing her brother Michael, and veteran character actor Xander Berkeley as their dying father—a trio that would carry the emotional and psychological weight of the story. The critical reception was strong: the film earned a Metascore of 72 and a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 91%, landing it in the rare space where critics and audiences largely agreed this was something special. Despite its acclaim, the film's theatrical run was modest, grossing just $157,252 at the box office—a reminder that horror's best work often finds its real audience on streaming and home video. The film went on to accrue 4 wins and 13 nominations across festival circuits and genre awards, cementing its reputation as a standout entry in contemporary American horror.
What makes The Dark and the Wicked stand out
There's something about rural isolation that horror understands better than any other genre. Bertino gets this. He knows that a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere isn't just a location—it's a pressure cooker. Add grief, family resentment, and the slow death of a parent, and you've got the psychological fuel for genuine terror. What's striking is how The Dark and the Wicked doesn't rely on jump scares or gore to unsettle you. Instead, it builds atmosphere through small, wrong details: a goat acting strangely, a severed finger appearing where it shouldn't, the way shadows move across a face during a conversation. The performances from Ireland and Abbott Jr. feel lived-in rather than performed—they're not acting scared, they're acting like people trying to rationalize increasingly irrational events, which is far more effective.
The film also understands something that a lot of contemporary horror misses: grief and possession aren't that different. Both involve losing control of your own mind, both make you feel like something foreign has taken root inside you. By setting the story around a father's death and a mother's suicide, Bertino gives the supernatural threat real emotional stakes. You're not just watching people run from a demon—you're watching them process loss while something actively preys on their vulnerability. Critics noted the film's mood and craft; Jake Watt from Make the Switch called it "the scariest new film that I've seen in 2020," praising its moody evocation and the way it makes you want to watch through your fingers. That's not hyperbole. The film earns that reaction.
Where to stream The Dark and the Wicked online
The Dark and the Wicked is available across major OTT services, making it easier than ever to experience Bertino's vision from home—which, honestly, might be the ideal way to watch a film this unsettling. Check the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page to find which platform currently has it in your region, since streaming availability shifts frequently. If you're using Movie OTT to track where your horror watchlist lives, you'll find this one indexed across the major services. The film's 95-minute runtime means it won't demand a huge time commitment, but don't mistake brevity for lightness—this is a dense, atmospheric experience that'll stay with you long after the credits roll.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed The Dark and the Wicked?
Bryan Bertino wrote and directed the film. He's known for The Strangers and The Monster, establishing himself as a master of slow-burn, character-driven horror that prioritizes mood and psychological dread over spectacle.
Q: What's the plot of The Dark and the Wicked?
Two siblings return to their family's isolated Texas farm after their mother's death to be with their dying father. They soon encounter a malevolent supernatural presence that feeds on grief and possession, forcing them to question what's real and what's in their heads.
Q: Is The Dark and the Wicked based on a true story?
No, it's an original screenplay by Bryan Bertino. While it draws on universal themes of grief, family, and loss, the story and its supernatural elements are fictional.
Q: What's the runtime of The Dark and the Wicked?
The film runs 95 minutes, making it a tight, economical horror experience that doesn't waste a single scene.
Q: How was The Dark and the Wicked received by critics?
The film earned strong reviews, with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metascore of 72. Critics praised its atmospheric tension, strong performances, and psychological depth, though it found a smaller theatrical audience (grossing $157,252) before gaining a wider viewership on streaming platforms.
Final thoughts on The Dark and the Wicked
If you're looking for horror that respects your intelligence and doesn't need to shout to be heard, The Dark and the Wicked is essential viewing. It's a film about death and loss wrapped inside a supernatural nightmare, and Bertino never lets you forget that the real horror isn't just the demon—it's the way grief can hollow you out from the inside. Watch it in the dark. Watch it alone if you can. And don't expect to sleep easily afterward.
