An upcoming horror movie shows what bad things can happen when you don’t follow your gut. Presented by 20th Century Studios and New Regency, Barbarian tells the story of a woman named Tess who arrives on a rainy night to a home rental that she had booked a month prior. When a man answers the door and reluctantly shares that it must have been overbooked, she goes against her better judgment and decides to stay the night. Tess does her best to protect herself from the man, but he isn’t the only one-or thing- to be afraid of. 

Tess does her best to protect herself from the man, but he isn’t all she has to be afraid of. 

Barbarian stars Georgina Campbell as Tess, Bill Skarsgård as Keith, Justin Long as AJ, and Matthew Patrick Davis as The Mother. It should be noted that there are a few horror heavy-hitters supporting the project. With his chilling portrayal of Steven King’s Pennywise the Clown, Skargård is a well-known horror figure behind the film adaptations of It and It: Chapter Two. Skarsgård is even among the executive producers for this film. Additionally, Barbarian producer Stephen Roy not only produced both of those Stephen King adaptations, but served as an executive producer on cult classics The Grudge and The Ring as well. Other producers on the film include J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules, and Armon Milchan. Barbarian is written and directed by Zach Cregger.

Barbarian capitalizes on the apprehension that some travelers experience when choosing between Airbnb rentals and traditional hotels. Although there is often no contact between hotel guests and hotel staff prior to reservations, many guests find comfort in the reputation of the hotel, as well as the presence of other hotel guests. Airbnb was created as a more intimate way to experience an area, but since its launch the company has encountered unanticipated problems with reservations. For example, many renters, like a few in Texas, have discovered hidden cameras in their rentals. Some renters may find that their rental doesn’t have the view they expected. Then of course, there’s the small chance that like Tess, someone else is unexpectedly home.

Barbarian will premiere in theaters nationwide on September 9, 2022