Whatever you do, never let go. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berrymakes her much-awaited return to horror in the upcoming suspense flick Never Let Go. Directed by Alexandre Aja, and produced by the same folks from Stranger Things, Never Let Go stars Berry as a mother of two as they face a a post-apocalyptic reality with evil spirits thwarting their peaceful existence.
Although the three are protected by their wooden house in the middle of the forest, one of Berry’s children begins to doubt the sinister forces that are supposedly lurking near the home. As her children’s faith starts to shake and their relationship strained, it’s only a matter of time until these unseen creatures prey on their fragility.
With the movie soon making its way to theaters, here’s everything we know so far about Never Let Go.
5 Does ‘Never Let Go’ Have a Release Date?
Never Let Go is set for a theatrical release on September 20 in the United States. Previously, the movie was scheduled for September 27, taking over the original release date for Saw XI.
But for those looking to get an early look at the movie, fans can head down to Fantastic Fest, where Never Let Go is set to make its premiere on September 19, 2024. Held in Austin, Texas from September 19-29, Fantastic Fest is a celebration of the film industry, with an extensive lineup comprising 28 World Premieres, 23 International and North American Premieres, and 15 U.S. premieres. On top of that, attendees can participate in side quests and expect special guests to make their appearance.
In addition to Never Let Go, festivalgoers can catch the world premiere of The Rule of Jenny Pen on opening night. From the mind of filmmaker James Ashcroft, Academy Award-winner Geoffrey Rush stars as a judge whose life takes a complete detour following a health crisis, eventually landing in a nursing home. Christmas cheer is coming early to Austin, with Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3 making its world premiere and promising to wow its loyal fanbase and fellow horror enthusiasts. Closing out this year’s festival is the world premiere of Brandon Espy’s Mr Crocket, serving as the filmmaker’s feature-length debut.
4 Watch the Trailers for ‘Never Let Go’
On May 15, 2024, Lionsgate Movies shared the teaser for Never Let Go. The brief 17-second clip introduces Berry’s character as her house, which will become a central element of the movie. Later on, it is revealed that sinister forces are lurking in dark corners of the forest and that Berry is well aware of the evil creatures threatening the sanctity of her quiet home.
Lionsgate Movies revealed the first trailer for Never Let Go on May 16, 2024. It appears that Berry isn’t so alone in her home. With her two young boys, they are left to survive on their own in a post-apocalyptic world. Although they live in houses far far away from possible threats, they can never be too careful. To protect themselves when they’re venturing in the woods, they’re tied to a rope linked to the house. But when one of her children starts questioning the existence of spirits, the family’s faith begins to shatter, and all hell breaks loose.
The second and final trailer for Never Let Go was released on August 28, 2024, revealing the mystery that shrouds the wooden sanctuary they call their home. Berry reminds her children to “remind the house why we deserve its protection”. What follows is a narration resembling a religious-spiritual incantation of some kind, serving as a reminder to the family that the house is their only source of protection, and only the “pure and good” are worthy of its shelter.
3 Who Stars in ‘Never Let Go’?
Making her mark in the horror genre is none other than Berry. A talent in her own right, the actress made Oscars history when she won Best Actress in the 74th Academy Awards for her performance in Monster’s Ball, making her the first Black woman to ever win the award for the category. Since then, Berry’s been racking up a steady portfolio of acting gigs, most notably starring alongside Keanu Reeves in John Wick 3 and a minor role as a cowboy-slash-secret agent in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Most recently, Berry starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in The Union. Never Let Go marks Berry’s return to the horror-suspense film after the 2002 film Gothika, allowing her to further expand her acting abilities and versatility.
But if there’s one milestone worth noting from Berry’s acting career, it’s her ties to the Marvel and DC universes. Berry made jaws drop and heads shake with her performance in Catwoman, earning her the coveted Razzie award to complement her Oscars. The actress also played on the other side of the comic book spectrum, starring as the no-nonsense Storm in the X-Men franchise. Although Deadpool & Wolverine have seen surprise appearances from characters of the earlier MCU days, such as Wesley Snipes’ Blade and Channing Tatum’s almost-scrapped Gambit, it seems like Berry won’t be returning to the superhero game anytime soon.
“This one. I stay in the present, you know, some of those things have, you know, gone by, and I don’t know if you can go back to things like that. So I’m kind of in the present. I hope this does well enough that we get to all revisit this in some way.”
Also joining Berry in Never Let Go are Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins, both of whom play her sons. Daggs previously starred in Paradise and Solos. Meanwhile, Jenkins recently appeared in The Deliverance and Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.
2 What Is ‘Never Let Go’ About?
Check out the official synopsis for Never Let Go:
“From visionary director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Crawl) and producers of Stranger Things and Arrival comes NEVER LET GO. In this new psychological thriller, as an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award® Winner Halle Berry (Actress in a Leading Role, 2001 – Monster’s Ball), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.”
Never Let Go shares the same horror-suspense vein as films like Bird Box and A Quiet Place, in the sense that their survival relies on doing one particular thing. Sandra Bullock’s character, and her children, are required to take a perilous journey while completely blindfolded. Emily Blunt’s character, along with her entire family, must not make a single sound if they don’t want to attract flesh-eating alien-like beings. In the case of Never Let Go, Berry’s character and her on-screen children are only allowed to leave the premises of their home on the condition that they are tied to a rope that’s linked to their house. If any of them breaks free from their rope, they’ll risk getting caught by apocalyptic-like half-human creatures.
But as with the nature of horror movies these days, all three movies above also dig into one underlying theme: motherhood. As Berry described during Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation in April, the actress explains how motherhood is portrayed in an eerie setting where the safety of her two children is compromised by foreign beings.
“It’s everything. The world [of the film], yes, is very foreign to me, and it was foreign to these two young performers who played my sons… but what draws me is being a mother. Since I became a mother 16 years ago, playing these kinds of roles has wildly excited me. Cause I know what it’s like to be a mother… I would protect my children with my life… What would you do to protect your children? I think this role really allowed me to take that to the limit.”
1 Who Is Making ‘Never Let Go’?
Never Let Go is directed by Aja, whose previous horror-thriller portfolio includes The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, and High Tension. Aja is reported to be returning for the sequel of Crawl, the 2019 sleeper hit featuring savage alligators terrorizing Coral Lake, Florida, following a Category 5 hurricane. The sequel is said to follow a completely new group of characters and is set in New York City. The Big Apple might be famous for its concrete jungles and taller-than-life skyscrapers, but lurking underneath its mossy sewers is the urban legend of alligators ready to strike any living creature who dares near them. Having directed the original, it makes sense that Aja would rejoin the movie for its next installment.
Joining Aja are writers KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby. While the two have previously worked together on Mean Dreams, Coughlin is known for his involvement in The King Tide. 10 years before Never Let Go, Grassby worked on Pompeii. The upcoming film is produced by Stranger Things producers Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine, with Aja attached to the production lineup as well. Currently enjoying the blockbuster success of Deadpool & Wolverine, Levy is gearing up for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. Speaking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at CinemaCon in Las Vegas back in April, Levy shared a couple of updates about his directorial stint on the fan-favorite Netflix show.
“Yeah. Literally, I’m stammering a bit because I don’t know that we’re sharing the details of that, but you can do the math. As you know, I’ve always directed Episodes 3 and 4. We got to get after it, and so with my schedule and the show’s schedule, I’m gonna be doing a later episode.”
Rounding out the executive producer’s board are Berry, Holly Jeter, Daniel Clarke, Emily Morris, Christopher Woodrow, and Connor DiGregorio. Never Let Go is presented by Lionsgate, in association with Media Capital Technologies, a 21 Laps production.
