IFC Films, hand in hand with Iconic Events Releasing, is breathing new life into Australian director Kent's groundbreaking debut, bringing "The Babadook" back to the silver screen on September 19. Brace your nerves, horror fans: the chilling tale that haunted audiences a decade ago is set to stalk theaters once more.
This beloved masterpiece, marking the directorial debut of the talented Australian filmmaker Jennifer Kent, is returning to cinemas in a celebration of its milestone 10th anniversary, thanks to the efforts of IFC Films and Iconic Events Releasing. "The Babadook" famously delves into the heart-wrenching journey of widowed Amelia (Essie Davis), struggling to raise her troubled six-year-old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman), whose disturbing outbursts mask a deeper fear. As Samuel confides in his mother about his nightmares of a monstrous being, it becomes clear that his visions might be more than mere fancies, signaling a danger that transcends fiction.
Daniel Henshall, Tim Purcell, and Tiffany Lyndall-Knight complete the star-studded cast of this 2014 indie gem, crafted by producers Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere, with Jan Chapman, Jeff Harrison, Jonathan Page, and Michael Tear overseeing as executive producers. The film's haunting visuals, captured by Radek Ładczuk, first stunned audiences at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, before its theatrical release in November that year, where it defied expectations with over $7 million in box office takings on a modest $2 million budget. IndieWire hailed "The Babadook" as the ninth best horror movie of the 21st century, solidifying its place in cinematic history.
Yet, this isn't the first time "The Babadook" has risen from the shadows. In 2019, IFC Films partnered with Shout Factory for a limited-edition Pride Blu-ray release, donating a portion of proceeds to the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Director Kent, speaking to Entertainment Weekly at the time, expressed her surprise yet warm embrace of the Babadook's transformation into a gay icon, remarking on its "quite perplexing" yet endearing nature.
Since then, Kent has ventured into controversial territories with her rape revenge thriller "The Nightingale," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2018 and garnered a Golden Lion nomination. She even reunited with "The Babadook" star Davis for a chilling episode in Guillermo del Toro's Netflix horror anthology series "Cabinet of Curiosities," co-starring Andrew Lincoln and Hannah Galway in a tale penned and directed by Kent herself.
Now, the time has come for "The Babadook" to haunt audiences once more, as it returns to theaters on September 19, ready to terrify and enthrall all who dare to face its dark mysteries.
