Is Abigail the vampire movie we didn’t know we needed?

At first blush, Abigail, a new horror movie hitting theaters on April 19, doesn’t sound like a vampire movie. But as soon as you watch the trailer, you see it is.

Here’s the synopsis from Universal:

After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.

Let’s face it. It’s been a minute since anyone breathed fresh life into the vampire genre. But Abigail may be the (ballerina) vampire movie we didn’t know we needed.

I haven’t seen it yet, but I do believe Abigail will give M3GAN a run for its money because of how novel the premise is. (A little girl vampire dressed in a stereotypical white ballet attire —tutu and all— who “likes to play” with her food? Come on. That’s gotta be a winner, right?)

Not that they’re competing. I’m just saying I think Abigail has a chance to be the fun and fresh breakout horror hit everyone’s talking about in 2024, like how M3GAN was in 2022.

It helps that the movie also boasts a talented cast. The kidnappers include Melissa Barrera (Scream franchise, In the Heights), Dan Stevens (Gaslit, Legion), Kathryn Newton (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Freaky), William Catlett (Black Lightning, True Story), Kevin Durand (Resident Evil: Retribution, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Angus Cloud (Euphoria, North Hollywood). Alisha Weir (Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, Darklands) stars as Abigail.

Or maybe it’ll be a dud. Time will tell. But it’s the first horror movie of 2024 I’m excited about. What about you?

Abigail jetés into theaters on April 19.

Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.

Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.