As you’ll find out tomorrow when the film is released nationwide, there are many, many things to love about Heretic – Hugh Grant’s sinister performance, A24’s continual nailing of the marketing, directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ anti-generative AI message in the credits – but star Sophie Thatcher’s vocal stylings are a real highlight.
A24 has today released Thatcher’s dreamy cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” on all good streaming platforms, plus a brand new clip (seen below) of Thatcher at Licorice Pizza Records talking about her own musical influences and history with singing.
Thatcher stars alongside Grant and Chloe East in the theological thriller, which follows:
Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
No spoilers here, but music plays a big part in Heretic, featuring heavily in some scenes that had Team Fango rolling in the aisles and gasping in shock during the film’s secret screening at Fantastic Fest earlier this year.
Thatcher’s debut EP, Pivot & Scrape came out last month, in the genre of what the star herself calls experimental pop.
In A24’s new snippet below, Thatcher expands on what makes “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” such a perfect song for Heretic:
The song works thematically for the movie in many ways. I mean, in literal ways; “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, and Missionaries going door to door preaching their faith. There’s also the lyric ‘Mama, take this badge from me’, which could be the Sister Barnes tag.
Catch Heretic in theaters from tomorrow, listen to Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door right here via your streamer of choice, and watch Thatcher expand on her musical side below:
