Vicious: Dakota Fanning Gets a Mysterious Box — A Weapons-Style Horror Streaming on Paramount+ Oct. 10
Vicious, written and directed by Bryan Bertino, arrives on Paramount+ on Oct. 10. The film stars Dakota Fanning as Polly, who receives a mysterious box and must follow its unsettling instructions — and the trailer shows eerie imagery, including unsettling shots of children.
- What: Vicious, a new horror film from Bryan Bertino.
- Who: Dakota Fanning leads a cast that includes Kathryn Hunter, Mary McCormack, Rachel Blanchard, Devyn Nekoda, Klea Scott, and Emily Mitchell.
- Plot hook: Polly receives a box and must place one thing she needs, one thing she hates, and one thing she loves.
- When and where: Debuts on Paramount+ on Oct. 10.
- Related: Bertino also directed The Strangers; the film has parallels to Weapons in that an older woman is central to the story.
What Vicious is about
Vicious follows Polly (Dakota Fanning) after a late-night visitor leaves a mysterious box at her door. The instructions are specific: place inside three items — one you need, one you hate, and one you love. What begins as a ritual soon escalates, and the trailer suggests reality and memory start to shift for Polly.
Cast and crew
The film is written and directed by Bryan Bertino, who previously directed The Strangers. Dakota Fanning headlines the cast. Other credited performers include Kathryn Hunter, Mary McCormack, Rachel Blanchard, Devyn Nekoda, Klea Scott, and Emily Mitchell.
Trailer
Release and connections
Vicious will debut on Paramount+ on Oct. 10. Additionally, the film shares creative DNA with Bertino’s earlier work: he directed The Strangers, and Vicious similarly uses a mysterious visitor as a catalyst. The trailer also highlights an older woman in a central, threatening role — a narrative element that drew attention in other recent horror films such as Weapons, which features Amy Madigan as Gladys.
Why this might make a good Halloween double feature
Both Vicious and Weapons include themes of home invasion, a looming older antagonist, and surreal or disturbing imagery. Therefore, watching them back-to-back would pair two films that explore similar motifs from different angles.
