James McAvoy, with his acting prowess, has etched a unique place in Hollywood. However, his versatility came on full display when he got on board the psychological thriller Split (2016). The movie’s eerie atmosphere and spine-chilling storyline kept the audience on the edge of their seats. But for McAvoy, the story of being part of such complex movies was far from over. And he’s back with another mind-bending thriller, Speak No Evil.
Not just that, but McAvoy’s one particular scene in the trailer takes the audience back to a chilling scene from The Shining with Jack Nicholson leading the way. Is it a coincidence or a perfectly planned homage?
The Speak No Evil Trailer Allegedly Alludes to a Particular Eerie Scene From The Shining
The movie Split released in 2016 saw James McAvoy as an individual suffering from dissociative identity disorder who shows 23 different personalities. The movie brought forth McAvoy’s versatility as an actor who could bring complex characters to life. The upcoming Speak No Evil presents the British actor in the same intense light, playing a character with psychopathic tendencies.
Not just that, but due to its dark and gritty tone, it’s also said to be among the best horror masterpieces of 20224. As soon as the teaser dropped fans were quick to share their views on X.
I am getting split vibes from this. 👀 looks interesting pic.twitter.com/QUywiw3lCe
— CMac (@TurtleMac24) July 24, 2024
Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy teaming up again they were fantastic in Halt and Catch Fire.
— velan (@billabilli1234) July 24, 2024
And obviously James McAvoy giving me serious Split vibes.
James McAvoy is giving SPLIT vibes here! He's so good at this shit 💯 pic.twitter.com/l2QqSTqACF
— Ron Oliver (@RPOIII) July 24, 2024
Heard this movie will suprise people by how good it is.
— The Moonlight Warrior 🌙 (@BlackMajikMan90) July 24, 2024
Looks like another fun and scary movie to come out soon👀 pic.twitter.com/ehUiGJMfjb
— E-Man (@WigginsWick22) July 24, 2024
The eerie trailer left the audience wanting more; it also featured a scene that resembled one of the greatest horror scenes in Hollywood history. The scene in question being Jack Nicholson‘s iconic breaking the bathroom door with an axe and then shoving his face in between the wood scene in The Shining. In the Speak No Evil trailer as well, McAvoy looks through a broken glass that looks eerily similar to that of The Shining.
It has not been confirmed that the scene in Speak No Evil mirrors exactly that of The Shining. However, it could also be that the director of McAvoy’s upcoming psychological thriller wanted to pay homage to one of Hollywood’s most iconic scenes.
Study claimed the axe scene in The Shining was the scariest in history
Based on the novel of horror maestro Stephen King, The Shining showcased what a classic horror movie should be like. Watching the movie is still a chilling experience for many, even after 44 years of its release in 1980. Adding to this was a study by Play.com (via The Guardian) released in 2013 that claimed Jack Nicholson’s “Here’s Johnny” scene from The Shining was the scariest scene ever.
The study surveyed ten thousand users with heart monitors and concluded that the axe scene spiked the heart rates to 28.2%. Even more than other movies on the list, namely A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Exorcist, who took over the second and third spots. The study also rounded off that watching these movies would equate to a similar heart rate as a person exercising.
You can stream The Shining on AMC+ and rent it on Apple TV. On the other hand, Speak No Evil is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 13.
