Okay hear me out unicorns but make it dark comedy and throw in Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd. Sounds kinda bonkers right? Well that's exactly what we are getting with the upcoming A24 movie Death of a Unicorn . This movie is shaping up to be a wild ride and trust me you are going to want to know all about it.
'Death of a Unicorn': When Unicorn Lore Meets Family Drama and Tech Bro Satire - Seriously!
So the basic setup is already pretty out there. Jenna Ortega who you know from Wednesday and Paul Rudd aka Ant-Man play a daughter and father duo. They are on their way to a super important meeting that could be make-or-break for their family's business. And what happens on the way? They accidentally run over a baby unicorn. Yep a unicorn.
Things get even weirder from there. This isn't your typical sparkly unicorn story. Turns out this magical creature has some seriously valuable healing properties and the family they are meeting with the ultra-rich Leopold pharmaceutical family wants to exploit it. Cue the dark comedy and satirical chaos.
The movie is directed by Alex Scharfman and it seems like he is really leaning into the absurdity of it all. Think Kurt Vonnegut meets creature feature with a healthy dose of class commentary. Scharfman himself has said the movie is intentionally unsubtle reflecting our "unsubtle times". He even mentions "violent restorative justice" which sounds like things are gonna get pretty intense and maybe a little gory.
Jenna Ortega Trades Spooky for Satire: Holding Her Own Against Comedy Heavyweights Like Paul Rudd and Will Poulter
One of the coolest things about Death of a Unicorn is the cast. Besides Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd we have Will Poulter Richard E. Grant and Tea Leoni. That is a serious lineup of talent especially in the comedy department. Will Poulter apparently nails the "petulant tech bro" role while Richard E. Grant is playing the dying-but-immortality-seeking patriarch. Tea Leoni is the philanthropy-posturing wife and Paul Rudd is the dad caught in the middle of all this craziness.
And then there is Jenna Ortega holding it all together as Ridley the daughter. It sounds like she is playing it relatively straight as the audience's point of view character surrounded by all these over-the-top personalities. She even admitted she wasn't a unicorn fan at first but this movie might just change everyone's mind about those mythical creatures. Maybe they can be "metal as hell" as one reviewer put it.
Puppets and Practical Effects? How They Brought the Unicorns to Life (and Why It Matters)
For a movie called Death of a Unicorn you gotta have some convincing unicorns right? Director Alex Scharfman seems to have gone all out blending practical effects with CGI to create these creatures. They even used puppets on set which is pretty awesome. Scharfman wanted to have as many practical elements as possible for the actors and for himself when filming. He mentioned they had real horses and "really large beautiful puppets" on set at times.
This mix of practical and digital effects gives the unicorns a tactile real feel even when they are clearly fantastical. It sounds like they are not going for cute and cuddly unicorns either. Reviews suggest they are more "beastly" than "whimsical" which fits the dark tone of the movie perfectly. Scharfman took inspiration from creature features from the 70s to 90s as well as class satire films to create this unique blend of genres.
Early Buzz is Strong: Critics Praise Humor Performances and "Macabre Comedy" of Unicorn Movie
Death of a Unicorn premiered at festivals like SXSW and early reviews are generally positive . Many critics are praising the performances especially Jenna Ortega holding her own against the comedic cast. The humor is also getting a lot of attention with some reviewers highlighting the "absurd humor" and "over-the-top spectacle". It sounds like the movie manages to balance the dark comedy with the fantastical and horror elements quite well.
However not all reviews are raves. One review mentions that laughs are "rare" and that the movie relies too much on "familiar stereotypes and tropes". They also felt the "macabre comedy" was undercut by "silly babbling". So it seems like the humor might be a bit divisive some people will love the absurdity and others might find it misses the mark.
Want to See a Dark Unicorn Comedy? Here's Where and When to Watch 'Death of a Unicorn'
Ready to dive into this bizarre unicorn world? Death of a Unicorn is hitting theaters on March 28 2025. Keep an eye out for showtimes at your local cinemas maybe even some Thursday night previews. It's rated R so leave the little ones at home.
If you are more of a homebody and prefer to stream you will have to wait a bit. A24 movies usually end up on Max for their initial streaming release. If previous A24 releases are any indication Death of a Unicorn could be on Max sometime in July or August 2025 about 4-5 months after its theatrical release. For those who want to rent it digitally you might be able to find it on VOD platforms like Apple TV Amazon Prime Video and Vudu even sooner maybe around May 2025.
Where to Watch 'Death of a Unicorn': Release Details
- Theatrical Release Date: March 28 2025
- Streaming (Estimate): Max likely July-August 2025
- Digital Rental/Purchase (Estimate): VOD platforms like Apple TV Amazon Prime Video Vudu possibly May 2025
Jenna Ortega and a Killer Unicorn? Sounds Like a Movie You Won't Forget Anytime Soon
So there you have it Death of a Unicorn is shaping up to be a truly unique and maybe totally bonkers movie experience. Jenna Ortega taking on unicorns Paul Rudd doing dark comedy Will Poulter as a tech bro and a whole lot of absurdity in between. Whether you are a unicorn fan a horror fan a comedy fan or just a fan of weird and interesting movies this one seems worth checking out. Get ready for Death of a Unicorn it is going to be a wild ride.