Summary
- Talk to Me is A24's highest-grossing horror film, earning $91.9 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget.
- The film explores the dangers of grieving in unhealthy ways, mixing jump scares with deeper psychological impact.
- The sequel, Talk 2 Me, has been in development since 2023 and is one of the most anticipated horror movies of 2025.
A24's biggest horror hit ever, Talk to Me, is now streaming on Netflix, leaving no reason for anyone to miss out. The indie studio has produced modern horror masterpieces like Hereditary and Midsommar, and Talk to Me deserves a seat at the table alongside them.
Directed by Michael and Danny Philippou, aka RackaRacka from YouTube, Talk to Me is arguably more than just a good movie. It showed that YouTubers can successfully become filmmakers while keeping their original style intact across short and long cinematic forms. The result is a not-so-traditional horror film that absolutely brims with young energy.
A24 Horror Movie Talk To Me Banned Overseas For Unprecedented Reasons
Talk To Me is banned in Kuwait, and the reason for the banishment is scarier than anything depicted in the newest A24 horror movie.
Talk To Me Is Now Streaming On Netflix
A24 Horror Hit Joins The Massive Streaming Service
It’s not exactly a busy week for new releases on Netflix, as the end of the month typically sees fewer additions, with most new content dropping at the start of the next month. Original series like Adolescence and The Residence are dominating the top 10 charts, while the movie selection has been relatively quiet. However, Talk to Me’s arrival on the platform (for the first time in the United States) could shake things up. It’s a certified crowd-puller, loved by both audiences and critics alike.
Talk to Me earned $91.9 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget, becoming A24’s highest-grossing horror film to date. It may not be as polished as movies by Ari Aster or Robert Eggers, but the Philippous make up for it with their confident, self-assured filmmaking that still reflects their YouTube roots. And because the writers understand the internet so well, the film uses it in a way that feels real. Unlike most horror movies, social media isn’t just a gimmick; it’s a key part of Talk to Me.
What Is A24’s Talk To Me About?
Teens Get High On Demonic Possession
The film follows a group of teenage friends who discover they can communicate with spirits using a mysterious, severed, and embalmed hand. The main character, Mia (Sophia Wilde), is struggling with the loss of her mother. This supernatural hand is less of a ritual and more of a party game, as the teens film themselves using it for social media clout.
However, there are some rules to be followed here, which inevitably get broken over the course of the story. The process of communicating with the other side involves lighting a candle, grabbing hold of the hand, and (obviously) saying the words, “talk to me.” But when one of the friends pushes the game too far, things take a dark turn. They go beyond talking, as they let spirits possess them for fun.
There’s a strict 90-second rule to prevent the spirits from binding to the person. Before this window ends, someone has to pull the hand away and blow out the candle. But, of course, they don’t follow the rules, and the spirits turn violent. One refuses to leave and sets up a terrifying showdown between the living and the dead.
Talk To Me’s Horror Feels Different & Disturbing
Mixing Jump Scares, Body Horror & Trauma
Talk to Me is a big launchpad for Gen Z horror. Today, the genre often gets split into two types: classic jump-scare horror and “elevated horror,” a label mostly given to A24 films. Talk to Me sits somewhere in between. It has that sense of entertaining terror but also leaves a deeper psychological impact. There’s unsettling body horror mixed with over-the-top gore like The Substance. At its core, the film explores the dangers of grieving in unhealthy ways. But unlike some similar-themed films, it never forgets to be entertaining.
The Ceramic Hand Has Meaning
The hand in Talk to Me is more than just a narrative tool; it’s a symbol of addiction or escapism, especially in today’s world. In the social media era, people don’t fear ghosts anymore, and they seek them out for cheap thrills like viral ghost-hunting videos. Here, the hand is like a modern Ouija board, and the kids don’t realize what they’re messing with. It’s also similar to Flatliners' s story arc, where characters become addicted to dying and returning until the afterlife starts following them back.
Horror Is More Than Just Cheap Thrills
In a 2023 interview with Screen Rant, Danny Philippou described the duo's approach to making Talk to Me. The director explained why the brief moments of violence felt especially impactful, particularly because the film isn’t an outright gore fest with blood spilling from the walls. Philippou shared:
We knew we wanted an R rating, and we knew to go there for those scenes and for them to have real impact. And we also didn't want to do a splatter film, as well. We really wanted to earn those moments.
Is There Going To Be A Sequel?
RackaRacka Twins’ Upcoming Projects
The timing of Talk to Me’s Netflix release is perfect, as Danny and Michael Philippou’s next film is about to hit theaters. Bring Her Back, another A24 project, arrives on May 30 and stars Sally Hawkins and Billy Barratt. The film follows a brother and sister who witness a terrifying ritual at their new foster mother’s remote home. With Talk to Me’s success, the Philippou brothers’ next horror movie is already one of 2025’s most anticipated.
Perhaps, working on Bring Her Back led Danny and Michael Philippou to delay their plans for a Talk to Me sequel. The sequel, interestingly titled Talk 2 Me, has been in development since 2023. A24 isn’t known for cash-grabbing sequels or spinoffs, but this one's likely to come to life, albeit in a more organic way than most horror franchises. After all, the film remains the indie studio’s third highest-grossing movie of all time, ranking behind Civil War and Everything Everywhere All at Once. A Talk to Me sequel seems like a no-brainer.
Talk to Me
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 28, 2023
- Runtime
- 95 minutes
- Director
- Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou
- Cast
- Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen, Ari McCarthy, Sunny Johnson, James Oliver, Cass Cumerford, Jett Gazley, Kitt Erhart-Bruce, Hamish Phillips, Kidaan Zelleke, Sarah Brokensha, Jayden Davison, Jodie Dry, Frances Cassar, Kelly Butler, Harli Ames, Leeanna Walsman, Kerry Reid
- Writers
- Bill Hinzman, Danny Philippou
- Production Company
- Causeway Films
- Distributor(s)
- A24
