Picture this: you're a carjacker, thinking you've scored big by breaking into a shiny luxury SUV. But then, the doors lock, the windows won't budge, and a chilling voice—none other than Anthony Hopkins'—starts talking about “justice.” That's the nightmare Eddie (Bill Skarsgård) faces in Locked, a new thriller produced by horror maestro Sam Raimi. With two gripping posters just released, this film promises a claustrophobic, heart-pounding ride. Ready to buckle up?
Locked isn't your typical cat-and-mouse thriller—it's a stripped-down, two-actor showdown that feels like a pressure cooker on wheels. Directed by David Yarovesky, who brought a twisted edge to Brightburn and a funky vibe to the “Guardians Inferno” music video for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, this film marks his boldest swing yet. Yarovesky teams up with writer Michael Arlen Ross, known for the 2006 horror flick Turistas, to deliver a script that's lean, mean, and unrelenting.
The premise is deceptively simple: Bill Skarsgård plays Eddie, a desperate carjacker who picks the wrong SUV to steal. Inside, he's trapped by William, a self-proclaimed vigilante played by Anthony Hopkins, who's here to dish out his own brand of twisted justice. The luxury vehicle becomes a deadly cage, and Eddie's fight for survival is as much psychological as it is physical. The official synopsis warns of a “ride where escape is an illusion, survival is a nightmare, and justice shifts into high gear.” If that doesn't scream Sam Raimi's influence, I don't know what does.
Speaking of Raimi, the Evil Dead and Drag Me to Hell producer knows how to elevate a genre piece into something unforgettable. His knack for blending horror with dark humor and visceral tension likely sets the tone for Locked. The producing team—Ara Keshishian, Peter Jákl, Zainab Azizi, and Sean Patrick O'Reilly—joins Raimi to bring this compact thriller to life, ensuring it hits theaters on March 21, 2025.
Now, let's talk about the cast, because this is where Locked really shines. Anthony Hopkins, fresh off playing King Herod in the biblical drama Mary, steps into William's shoes with the kind of gravitas that only a legend can bring. Hopkins has a history of playing menacing characters—think Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs—and his role here as a vigilante with a warped moral compass feels like a natural fit. You can almost hear that icy, calculated tone in the poster's tagline: “Academy Award Winner Anthony Hopkins.” It's a reminder of the intensity he's about to unleash.
Opposite him is Bill Skarsgård, who's no stranger to playing characters on the edge. Skarsgård, best known for his haunting portrayal of Pennywise in It and It Chapter Two, brings a raw, feral energy to Eddie. The second poster, with Skarsgård's piercing eyes staring out from a hoodie, captures the desperation of a man fighting for his life. This isn't just a physical battle—it's a clash of wills, with Hopkins' cold intellect pitted against Skarsgård's frantic survival instincts.
The posters themselves are a masterclass in building anticipation. The first, featuring Hopkins' face split by a window, feels like a glimpse into William's fractured psyche—half in shadow, half in light, with a predatory glint in his eye. The second, with Skarsgård's haunted expression, screams vulnerability and dread. Both posters use bold red text for the title, “LOCKED,” and the release date, “Only in Theaters March 21,” creating a sense of urgency that's hard to ignore. The branding for Avenue, the distributor, adds a sleek touch to the design.
What makes Locked so intriguing is its simplicity. In an era of bloated blockbusters, a two-actor thriller set in a single location feels like a breath of fresh air—or maybe a gulp of suffocating tension. Think of films like Phone Booth or Buried, where confinement amplifies the stakes. Locked takes that concept and adds a Raimi-esque twist: the horror isn't just in the situation, but in the minds of the characters. Hopkins' William isn't a cartoonish villain—he's a man with a mission, however warped. And Skarsgård's Eddie isn't a saint; he's a criminal who's in way over his head.
Yarovesky's direction will be key here. His work on Brightburn showed he can handle dark, unsettling themes with a sharp visual style, and his collaboration with James Gunn suggests he knows how to balance tension with character-driven moments. If he can capture the claustrophobia of the SUV while letting Hopkins and Skarsgård chew the scenery, Locked could be a sleeper hit.
Locked isn't just a thriller—it's a pressure test for both its characters and its audience. With Sam Raimi's name attached, David Yarovesky at the helm, and two powerhouse actors leading the charge, this film has all the ingredients for a white-knuckle experience. Mark your calendars for March 21, 2025, because this is one ride you won't want to miss. Will Eddie escape William's deadly trap? Or will justice, as Hopkins sees it, prevail? Get ready to find out.
Locked feels like a throwback to the kind of taut, no-frills thrillers that used to dominate the ‘90s—think Speed meets Hannibal, with a dash of Raimi's signature darkness. I'm genuinely excited to see Hopkins and Skarsgård go head-to-head; their contrasting energies could make this a masterclass in acting. That said, I worry the premise might feel too constrained if Yarovesky doesn't keep the tension tight. A single-location film lives or dies on its pacing, and I hope the script gives these two enough meat to dig into. Still, the posters alone have me hooked—they're dripping with dread and promise a showdown that'll linger long after the credits roll. This could be a gem for thriller fans, or it might buckle under its own ambition. Either way, I'm counting down to March 21.
