5 movies to watch to prepare for Bring Her Back

After their debut film Talk to Me garnered significant and near-universal praise, director tandem Daniel and Michael Philippou are back. While the sequel to their first feature is still in the works, a trailer has been released online for their sophomore project entitled Bring Her Back. In a climate where the horror genre has been revitalized and appears stronger and more diverse than ever, their newest work will look to build off the success of their previous release while further cementing why the future of the genre is in capable hands. The Philippou’s Bring Her Back is set to hit theaters on May 30, 2025.

Bring Her Back - What We Know About the Directors and their Second Film

Daniel and Michael Philippou have had a truly unique rise to fame as online creators. The twin filmmakers from Australia began at an early age filming wrestling matches in their backyard in a nod to their passion for the WWE. Eventually they conceptualized the YouTube channel RackaRacka and became immensely popular, creating “fake fail” videos for social media.

A year later, in 2014, Michael and Danny both served as crew members on the Australian horror film, The Babadook, and used the connections and knowledge gained from the experience to further evolve their individual artistic expressions. The social media personalities were eventually given full reign by A24 to conceptualize their first film, which ended up being 2022’s Talk to Me.

Bring Her Back was first loosely announced in April 2024. Sally Hawkins of The Shape of Water acclaim was set to star, and international rights would be picked up by Sony Pictures Worldwide. The official synopsis per the A24 website reads as follows.

"A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother."

The vague description and overall lack of details about the upcoming film only add to the anticipation for fans of the twins and horror movies overall. In order to fully appreciate their artistic range and overall style, here’s a list of films to watch to prepare yourself for Bring Her Back.

The Philippou brothers at 2024 AACTA Awards Ceremony. Image via Getty.

Talk to Me (2022)

Talk to Me, the Philippou brothers' first film, was a truly thrilling cinematic experience. Its stellar, albeit relatively unknown, cast carried the film brilliantly, and the core concept of the film was pure genius. It involved a group of teenagers who find a way to use an embalmed hand to connect with spirits. Their misuse of this iconic MacGuffin leads to devastating results in a film that explores the themes of grief and trauma through its obscure yet enthralling narrative.

The Babadook (2014)

Another one for Team Australia. Jennifer Kent’s 2014 The Babadook is universally regarded as a contemporary horror classic. In it, a single mother and her only child become increasingly paranoid when a children’s book called ‘Mister Babadook’ begins to manifest itself in their home to chilling results. The film is seen as an important reflection on grief, solitude, and the consequences of suppressing past traumas. It deserves to be on the list on merit alone, but is also worthy as its production was integral to the Philippou brothers’ rise as viable filmmakers.

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

The initially under-the-radar Shudder release gained massive approval once it released on streaming. It quickly landed on many best of the year lists, and deservingly so based on a thrilling narrative and excellent performances by the cast. The story examines the journey of late-night host Jack Delroy, who attempts to address his failing ratings with a special Halloween-themed edition of his Night Owls telecast. Amongst his featured guests are a purported psychic, a professional skeptic, and more until things take a decidedly darker twist. A girl who claims to be possessed by a demonic entity is interviewed, and chaos unfolds. A great performance by David Dalmatchian as the lead, in particular, puts this entry over the top.

Longlegs (2024)

Hailed as one of the best horror entries of 2024, Osgood Perkins’ debut film Longlegs certainly started his career off with a bang. Tabbed by many as being similar in atmosphere and tone to the iconic The Silence of the Lambs, the movie follows Maika Moore’s Lee Barker, an FBI agent on the hunt to capture a Satanic serial killer named Longlegs. The film also boasts an unhinged portrayal of the antagonist thanks to Nicolas Cage, and although it has a divisive reveal, it remains a standout and a no-brainer must-watch.

Barbarian (2022)

Zach Creger’s Barbarian is a wildly unpredictable film that managed to subvert its audience at every turn. It starts off with 2 people having double booked an Airbnb before it pivots to a horrific tale about a serial kidnapper who has maintained a harem of women underground for decades. Strong lead performances by Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, paired with truly shocking twists, secure the film’s must-watch status. Every true horror fan should absolutely give it a shot.