![\"Maika](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-a0ec.png\")
\n\t\tMaika Monroe leads the all-star cast of this new horror (Picture: Cannes Film Festival)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tMaika Monroe leads the all-star cast of this new horror (Picture: Cannes Film Festival)<\/p>\n
Victorian Psycho is a murderous tale adapted by author Virginia Feito from her own novel, complete with cannibalism, axe-murdering and infanticide.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also the film I saw at Cannes Film Festival<\/a> that was probably having the most fun.<\/p>\n Directed by Zachary Wigon, it\u2019s gleeful in both its blood-letting and pitch-black humour.<\/p>\n Although it won\u2019t terrify you, it\u2019s gruesomely gothic, amusing and builds tension around the unpredictability of its titular psycho, eccentric young governess Winifred (Maika Monroe).<\/p>\n She is also our (unreliable) narrator, announcing at the start of the film: \u2018My name is Winnifred Knotty and I\u2019m the sanest person I\u2019ve ever met\u2019, all the while demonstrating an unnervingly vacant facial expression when not practising her fixed grin.<\/p>\n Monroe is a renowned scream queen, switching over from the horror genre\u2019s usual \u2018final girl\u2019 part in films such as It Follows and Longlegs, to play the baddie here with a largely decent period RP accent.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n While she might be the psycho, once we\u2019re introduced to the Pound family of the grand Ensor House (led by Jason Isaacs<\/a> and Ruth Wilson<\/a>, both deliciously creepy and severe), it becomes clear that Winifred is not really the villain of the piece.<\/p>\n This is quite something to realise when she\u2019s questioned about her past, and it transpires that she comes from a village notorious for a string of dead babies, and her most recent charges are still missing, while a previous one drowned.<\/p>\n There\u2019s something about her upbeat matter-of-factness around her horrifying crimes that\u2019s oddly endearing, and further empathy is built with passing references to her bleak childhood.<\/p>\n But the instructions are clear here for what Winifred must do with her young students, Andrew (Hamnet\u2019s Jacobi Jupe) and Drusilla (Evie Templeton): \u2018Make them smart but not too smart.\u2019 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMetro at the Cannes Film Festival\t\t\t<\/p>\n Keep up with Metro’s Tori Brazier at the Cannes Film Festival here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mr Pounds reminds the governess that his daughter, in fact, \u2018risks fertility with over-education\u2019, while Mrs Pounds generously requests she doesn\u2019t beat the children.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tKey Details: Victorian Psycho\t\t\t<\/p>\n Director<\/strong> Writer<\/strong> Cast<\/strong> Age rating<\/strong> Run time<\/strong> Release date<\/strong> \u2018I shan\u2019t even look at them!\u2019 eager-to-please Winifred declares bizarrely, which encapsulates push and pull between the movie\u2019s comedy<\/a> and horror elements.<\/p>\n In Victorian Psycho, for every silly joke or dry remark made, there\u2019s still a good amount of gore for horror heads \u2013 from misplaced body parts, including an ear (later eaten), to sprays of blood from bludgeoning. And yes, she does shockingly kill a baby.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tVerdict\t\t\t<\/p>\n Victorian Psycho is absolutely marketed as one for the sickos, and while it\u2019s disturbing enough, it ends up being more of a silly and twisted gothic romp than a truly haunting bloodbath.<\/p>\n But among all this is the dark humour of Winifred getting Andrew to quote: \u2018Please, not my daughter\u2019s fingers\u2019, clearly a past plea that\u2019s stuck with her, and Mr Pounds\u2019 casual allusion to his father\u2019s paedophilia as he was \u2018married to the children\u2019 following his wife\u2019s death but \u2018preferred the boys\u2019 (a twisted joke that appeared to fly over the heads of others in my early morning screening).<\/p>\n He\u2019s also a phrenology fan who\u2019s keen to get his hands on Winifred\u2019s head, among other things, for a thorough examination, while his sour wife eyes up her looks and wants to know her secrets. Well, beauty secrets that is.<\/p>\n Winifred is also causing pesky whispers among the servants, which she\u2019ll have to deal with in her own way, while befriending na\u00efve nurse Ms Lamb (Thomasin McKenzie).<\/p>\n Complicating matters and stopping Winifred from being the true sociopathic serial killer from the novel is the introduction of \u2018Fred\u2019, the demon she believes is living inside her and controlling her killing impulses.<\/p>\n While Monroe manages to act the full gamut of Winifred\u2019s confusing emotions and motives well, introducing some sort of immediate excuse for her behaviour does slightly dull the impact of the film\u2019s final frenzy \u2013 as well as its commitment to being a truly shocking horror.<\/p>\n Victorian Psycho premiered at Cannes Film Festival on May 21. It will be released in the US on September 25. The UK release date is yet to be confirmed.<\/strong><\/p>\n Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page \u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Maika](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-3ef0.png\")
\n\t\tThis is the latest horror for \u2018scream queen\u2019 Maika (Picture: Cannes Film Festival)<\/p>\n
Zachary Wigon<\/p>\n
Virginia Feito, based on her novel<\/p>\n
Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Ruth Wilson, Thomasin McKenzie, Jacobi Jupe, Evie Templeton<\/p>\n
TBC<\/p>\n
1hr 30m<\/p>\n
Victorian Psycho is set for US release on September 25. A UK release date is planned for 2026.<\/p>\n![\"Ruth](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_298473591-f778.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe movie premiered at Cannes Film Festival (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n
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