Adam Scott’s Hokum Is Already 1 of the Best Films of 2025

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Damian McCarthy, already known as a leading horror director, has struck gold again. Following the critical success of his previous film, Oddity, his newest movie is also receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews, mirroring its near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.

McCarthy’s new movie, Hokum, comes out on May 1st and is already receiving rave reviews. It currently has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing the 96% score of Oddity. Critics are calling it one of the scariest films of the year, and are particularly impressed with McCarthy’s direction and the lead actor’s performance.

Damian McCarthy Does It Again With Hokum

As a huge horror fan, I was really struck by Scott’s performance – it’s brilliantly unsettling. It perfectly adds to the film’s overall ability to build intense anxiety, especially with all those effective jump scares. According to Robert Daniels from Screen International, it all comes together to make Hokum a truly terrifying experience.

In a review for Mama’s Geeky, Tessa Smith praised the work as a truly unique, thrilling, and powerfully affecting experience. She highlighted Damian McCarthy as a standout voice in contemporary horror and commended Adam Scott’s incredible versatility.

According to The Mary Sue’s Rachel Leishman, Hokum is exactly the type of horror movie we’ve been waiting for, and it solidifies director Mike Flanagan’s reputation as a leading figure in contemporary horror.

Adam Scott Leads the Cast of Hokum

In the film Hokum, Scott (known for Severance and Parks and Recreation) plays Ohm Bauman, a writer who journeys to a secluded part of Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes. While there, he starts hearing stories about a witch said to haunt the room where he’s staying. As he deals with this, Ohm is also forced to face troubling secrets from his own past.

Starring alongside Scott is a talented cast including Peter Coonan, known for his role in King of the Travellers; David Wilmot, from The Tudors; and Austin Amelio, recognized from The Walking Dead. The film’s producers are Roy Lee (Barbarian), Steven Schneider (Strange Darling), Derek Dauchy (Late Night with the Devil), Ruth Treacy, Julianne Forde, and Mairtin de Barra (The Apprentice). Ben Ross, CEO of Image Nation, Dan Kagan (Longlegs), Rami Yasin (Late Night with the Devil), and Andrew Childs (Boy Kills World) serve as executive producers.

I’ve been following this team-up for a while now, and honestly, seeing Ross, Steven, and Roy work together has been fantastic. They’ve already delivered some truly impressive projects, and this new one feels like another step forward. What really excites me is the addition of Adam – he’s got a real star quality – and Damian’s vision as a director. They’re clearly aiming to shake things up in the horror world, and I think they have a genuine shot at reaching a global audience with this one. It’s a bold move, and I’m eager to see how it plays out.

According to Spooky Pictures’ Schneider, the upcoming film Hokum is looking fantastic thanks to the creative vision of director Damian McCarthy and the performance of lead actor Adam Scott. He also expressed his enjoyment of working with Image Nation Abu Dhabi, praising their shared commitment to innovative and daring stories. They’re excited for audiences to see the finished product.

Hokum hits movie theaters on May 1, 2026.

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2026-04-25 21:28