The Calling Witch
The Calling Witch (2026) is an upcoming supernatural horror film centered around siblings Edward and Virginia, who are left to grapple with the aftermath of their mother's sudden death in their remote family home. The plot unfolds as a sinister entity, mirroring a terrifying witch from one of their late mother's children's books—a figure known for luring and devouring children—begins to manifest in their reality. This genre entry promises a blend of psychological dread and supernatural suspense, as the siblings must delve into their mother's past to confront the escalating supernatural threat. The film's narrative explores the blurring lines between imagination and reality, with early descriptions highlighting its dark and impactful nature, aiming to unsettle and entertain horror enthusiasts. Given the themes of witchcraft, violence, and intense psychological elements, the movie is likely intended for a mature audience.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe film contains elements of violence, both explicit and implied, central to its horror genre. This includes a depiction of suicide and thematic elements of a witch devouring children, suggesting graphic content. Early reviews describe the movie as 'brutally violent' and 'darker than expected.'
The opening sequence of the movie includes the explicit depiction of the mother, Meredith Laye, hanging herself in the woods. The central antagonist, the 'Calling Witch,' is described as a figure whose 'haunting song lures children into the woods to be devoured,' indicating graphic violence against children, even if implied rather than explicitly shown on screen.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighAs a supernatural horror film titled 'The Calling Witch,' witchcraft and occult themes are central to the plot. The story revolves around a malevolent witch from a children's book manifesting in reality, engaging in dark practices like luring and devouring children. This makes occult themes a primary driver of the narrative.
The film's entire premise is built upon the existence and actions of 'The Calling Witch,' a 'terrifying figure' from a children's book. This witch uses a 'haunting song' to 'lure children into the woods to be devoured,' directly depicting a malevolent supernatural entity engaging in harmful magical acts. The synopsis emphasizes that 'the legend has escaped the page' and suggests the mother 'may have unleashed a darkness', implying active engagement with occult forces beyond simple folklore.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe film is classified as supernatural horror and thriller, promising significant scary and intense content. This includes psychological dread, supernatural suspense, a terrifying witch character, and the disturbing themes of child abduction and devouring. The mother's suicide also contributes to the intense content.
The plot details a 'terrifying figure' (The Calling Witch) who 'lures children into the woods to be devoured,' creating a high level of inherent fear and intensity. The film also features psychological dread and supernatural suspense, as the siblings are 'terrorized by a malevolent entity'. Furthermore, the opening scene involves the unsettling act of the mother, Meredith Laye, hanging herself.
Profanity
MediumThe movie script contains at least one instance of strong profanity, suggesting that foul language will be present in the film. While the frequency is not specified, its presence warrants a medium severity rating.
An excerpt from the movie script includes the expletive 'Shit' spoken by a character in a moment of stress or discovery. For example, a line reads: 'She took them. Shit. Need some light. Can you turn on the light, Edward?'
Substance Use
MediumThe movie includes references to substance use, specifically an addiction to painkillers, as a significant plot point related to the deceased mother's background. This suggests that drug addiction and its consequences will be explored.
A snippet from the movie script directly mentions substance abuse: 'And eventually, an addiction. Painkillers. Is that how she died?' This dialogue indicates that the mother's death may be linked to a painkiller addiction, making substance use a thematic element within the film.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowComprehensive searches for LGBTQ+ content, characters, and representation within 'The Calling Witch (2026)' and statements from its creators yielded no specific information. No confirmed LGBTQ+ themes or characters were found in the available pre-release material or early reviews.
Searches for 'The Calling Witch (2026)' combined with keywords such as 'lgbtq', 'gay', 'lesbian', 'transgender', 'queer representation', 'LGBTQ characters', and 'author/director lgbtq' returned no relevant information pertaining to the film's content. While some search results mentioned LGBTQ+ themes, these were consistently linked to other, unrelated films (e.g., 'The Handmaiden' or 'Hag (2025)').
Romance and Sexual Content
LowBased on available pre-release information, plot summaries, and early reviews, there is no indication of significant romantic or sexual content. The narrative focuses primarily on the supernatural horror elements and the relationship between the two siblings.
The primary plot described focuses on the terror experienced by siblings Edward and Virginia, and the malevolent witch. There are no mentions of romantic relationships or sexual encounters involving any characters.
Disrespect & Rebellion
LowNo specific instances or thematic elements related to disrespect or rebellion among characters were highlighted in the available plot summaries or early reviews. The narrative focuses on the horror and mystery surrounding the witch.
The core plot revolves around siblings Edward and Virginia dealing with the supernatural threat of the Calling Witch after their mother's death. There is no information suggesting any significant portrayal of disrespect towards authority figures or rebellious acts.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThere is no explicit information or direct indications of anti-Christian themes in the available synopses or reviews. The focus is on a folkloric witch, which, while potentially conflicting with Christian beliefs, is not inherently anti-Christian without direct mockery or opposition to the faith. The occult aspects are addressed under 'Witchcraft & Occult.'
The narrative of 'The Calling Witch (2026)' primarily centers on a supernatural entity rooted in children's folklore, a witch that preys on children. There are no mentions in the gathered information that suggest the film actively mocks, insults, or depicts sacrilegious acts against Christian beliefs, symbols, or figures. The supernatural elements are presented within a horror context rather than as a direct challenge to Christianity.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
15+ (Mature Teens and Adults). The film is a supernatural horror movie featuring a malevolent witch who devours children, psychological dread, and implied violence, including a character's suicide. These elements are unsuitable for younger viewers.
Additional Notes
Due to 'The Calling Witch (2026)' being a pre-release film at the time of this analysis, detailed parental guidance, specific MPAA ratings and descriptors, or extensive user reviews are not yet available. The analysis is based on early plot summaries, genre classifications, and limited critical commentary, which inherently lack comprehensive scene-by-scene detail. Parents should be aware that, as a supernatural horror film, it is likely to contain elements consistent with its genre, particularly given the themes of a malevolent witch, child endangerment, and suicide.
Related Reviews
Is The Calling Witch right for your family?
These concerns are a starting point — what many Christian parents care about. Want to screen for other themes? Define your own concerns.
Screen any book, movie, or show — even titles no one else has reviewed.
“StoryScanner gives us clarity and confidence. It's become our go-to for checking books at the library and movies on family night.”
— Cristi & Brian, Dallas TX
“StoryScanner has been such a BLESSING for researching books for our children. You can set filters for your concerns, enter a book title, and it lets you know what's present.”
— Christian Book Reviews for Families (Facebook)
No credit card required