Maika Monroe Stars in 'Victorian Psycho' Trailer
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- 'Victorian Psycho' premieres in theaters September 25 after debuting at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it received mixed to positive reviews.
- Maika Monroe stars as Winifred Notty, a governess in Victorian England whose psychological deterioration intensifies as staff at the Pounds family estate vanish under suspicious circumstances.
- Zachary Wigon directs the film, his third feature following 'The Heart Machine' and 'Sanctuary,' adapting Virginia Feito’s 2025 novel with Feito writing the screenplay.
- IndieWire’s Kate Erbland gave the film a 'B,' praising Monroe’s performance as 'deliciously and dementedly' compelling but criticizing the film for toning down the novel’s more extreme content and gory impulses.
- Jason Isaacs and Ruth Wilson play Mr. and Mrs. Pounds, the wealthy couple employing Winifred, while Jacobi Jupe and Evie Templeton portray their children, Andrew and Drusilla.
- Thomasin McKenzie appears as nurse Ms. Lamb, who becomes suspicious of Winifred’s behavior, escalating the governess’s paranoia and setting off violent consequences.
Why it matters: The film’s Cannes premiere and early critical reaction signal strong festival credibility for a genre project that leans into psychological horror over jump scares, with Monroe’s performance emerging as a key draw. The decision to soften the source novel’s extremity may affect its appeal to hardcore horror fans expecting full-throated gore.
