Death of a Unicorn
"Payback is a beast."
On a late afternoon ride to a secluded weekend retreat, Elliot, a devoted father, and his teenage daughter Ridley find their plans derailed by a sudden collision. In the glow of the emergency lights they discover a unicorn lying still on the road, a creature of folklore than lore, its presence... Read more
Stream NowNot Currently Available On (7 platforms)
Streaming availability last verified: January 24, 2026
About Death of a Unicorn
On a late afternoon ride to a secluded weekend retreat, Elliot, a devoted father, and his teenage daughter Ridley find their plans derailed by a sudden collision. In the glow of the emergency lights they discover a unicorn lying still on the road, a creature of folklore than lore, its presence both miraculous and unnerving. The accident becomes the ticking fuse for a spiral of consequences as their employer Odell, a ruthless billionaire, arrives with the wish to harness the unicorns rumored healing powers for his own gain. What follows is a tense blend of horror and dark humor as ethics, memory, and the boundaries between fantasy and reality come under pressure.
Directed by Alex Scharfman, Death of a Unicorn pairs a sharp screenplay with a sprawling cast led by Paul Rudd as Elliot, Jenna Ortega as Ridley, Will Poulter as Shepard, Richard E Grant as Odell, and Téa Leoni. The film balances brisk comedic beats with creeping dread, letting character dynamics steer the plot.
Box office figures haven't been publicly released yet, so there aren't any numbers to report at the moment. Analysts will watch domestic and international performance closely as early word of mouth shapes studio expectations and streaming life after release.
As a 2025 release with a genre bending approach the film hasn't yet drawn major award nominations, but it has sparked chatter about how horror can carry social satire. Critics note the tonal shifts between whimsy and menace and praise the performances of the ensemble for keeping the story grounded even when the concept runs wild.
Reception and themes: The film has sparked mixed early reactions and sits with a 6.43 average from 673 votes. Audiences respond to the uneasy blend of humor and horror while the story quietly questions greed, exploitation, and the cost of turning wonder into a commodity. Some viewers praise the performances that let the dialogue carry weight even as the jokes land.
Details
- Release Date
- March 27, 2025
- Runtime
- 1h 47m
- Rating
- R
- User Ratings
- 701 votes
- Type
- Movie
- Genres
- Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
- Country
- United States
- Studio
- A24 +4 more
- Budget
- $15,000,000
- Box Office
- $16,423,085
- External Links
- View on IMDB
Official Trailer
Cast
Paul Rudd
Elliot
Jenna Ortega
Ridley
Will Poulter
Shepard
Richard E. Grant
Odell
Téa Leoni
Belinda
Sunita Mani
Dr. Bhatia
Steve Park
Dr. Song
Anthony Carrigan
Griff
Jessica Hynes
Shaw
David Pasquesi
Pilot
Written by: Alex Scharfman