Grief takes on a monstrous form in the new trailer for Briarcliff Entertainment’s The Thing with Feathers.
The Thing with Feathers now releases in theaters on November 28, 2025.
In the film,“Left to raise two young sons after the unexpected death of his wife, Dad’s life begins to unravel. Grief is messy and chaotic enough as it is, but when it takes the form of an unhinged and unwanted house guest – Crow – taunting him from the shadows, things start to spiral out of control…but maybe that’s exactly what Dad needs.”
Watch the trailer below which introduces Benedict Cumberbatch as a father dealing with grief and the arrival of one chatty, needling creature. Eric Lampaert, Vinette Robinson, Sam Spruell, Jessie Cave, Richard Boxall and Henry Boxall also star, with David Thewlis voicing Crow.
Director Dylan Southern’s melancholic dark fantasy feature debut is an adaptation of Max Porter‘s novella Grief Is the Thing With Feathers.
“Dylan Southern has crafted something truly unique—an emotional gut punch wrapped in a dark, fantastical nightmare,” said Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Briarcliff Entertainment, previously. “With its bold visual storytelling and powerhouse performances, The Thing With Feathers is an unforgettable exploration of grief, madness, and transformation. We’re thrilled to bring this vision to audiences.”
Look for a standout creature design with Crow. I wrote in my Sundance review that “Creature and Prosthetics Designer Conor O’Sullivan (Alien: Covenant, Prometheus) channels Tim Burton with his eight-foot-tall talking Crow, a pitch-black gnarled beast prone to hurling frank insults at the brooding father.” It is a drama first and foremost, though, emphasizing grief over scares.
The Thing with Feathers is produced by Andrea Cornwell (Love Lies Bleeding), Leah Clarke, and Adam Ackland.