Hereditary

Hereditary

Year: 2018

Runtime: 127 min

Language: English

Director: Ari Aster

Echo Score: 86

Budget: $10M

DramaMysteryThrillerHorror

Following the death of her secretive mother, Annie and her family begin to experience increasingly disturbing events. As they grapple with their grief, unsettling occurrences lead them to uncover a sinister hereditary curse. Drawn into a terrifying mystery, they confront dark family secrets and a malevolent force with a horrifying agenda, threatening to destroy everything they hold dear.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Hereditary yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Hereditary (2018)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Hereditary (2018). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The film is set in contemporary times, showcasing modern family dynamics and the challenges of mental health. This present-day setting allows viewers to connect with the characters' struggles in a relatable manner, heightening the horror elements of the story.

Location

Treehouse, Workshop, Cemetery, Peter's School

The story takes place across several significant locations, starting with a treehouse where Charlie spends her time, providing a sense of innocence amidst the dark events. The workshop is where Annie creates her eerie dioramas, which reflect the family's turmoil and grief. The cemetery signifies the loss that triggers a chain of tragic events. Lastly, Peter's school serves as the backdrop for a pivotal scene involving a deceased bird, symbolizing the darker themes of the film.

🏡 Home 📚 School ⚰️ Cemetery

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:40

Main Characters – Hereditary (2018)

Meet the key characters of Hereditary (2018), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Steve Graham (Gabriel Byrne)

Steve is a conflicted patriarch who strives to hold his family together in the face of profound tragedy. His protective instinct clashes with his inability to cope with his own grief, leading to tension in family dynamics. As events spiral out of control, Steve's struggle becomes a poignant reflection of a father's heartbreak.

🧔 Dad 😟 Grief 💔 Conflict

Peter Graham (Alex Wolff)

Peter is a typical teenager who experiences a shocking transformation throughout the film. Initially focused on typical teen concerns, his character is thrust into a nightmare that forces him to confront dark realities. His guilt and despair after Charlie's accident reflect the film’s exploration of trauma and horror.

👦 Teen 😖 Guilt 🎭 Transformation

Charlie Graham (Milly Shapiro)

Charlie is a curious and uniquely troubled child whose peculiar behavior hints at the underlying horror of the family's legacy. Her innocence contrasts sharply with the film's tragic events. Charlie's fate acts as a catalyst for the unraveling of the family's sanity and serves as a haunting reminder of the cost of grief.

👧 Innocence 🤔 Curiosity 🕯️ Tragedy

Annie Graham (Toni Collette)

Annie is an artist grappling with the pain of her past and the loss of her mother. Her descent into obsession with the supernatural and grief manifests through her artwork, ultimately leading to tragic decisions. Her character epitomizes the struggle between managing grief and confronting dark family secrets.

🎨 Artist 😫 Obsession 💀 Grief

Joan (Ann Dowd)

Joan is a mysterious figure who becomes intertwined with Annie's journey through grief. Her introduction of the supernatural further complicates Annie's already fragile mental state. Joan represents both a guiding light and an ominous presence, reflecting the duality of compassion and manipulation in times of loss.

🕵️‍♀️ Mysterious 😔 Support 🖤 Manipulation

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:40

Major Themes – Hereditary (2018)

Explore the central themes of Hereditary (2018), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

😢 Grief

Grief looms large over the narrative as it explores the impact of losing a loved one. Each character navigates their sorrow in distinct ways, leading to isolation and despair. The theme is compounded by the tragic accidents and supernatural occurrences, illustrating how grief can manifest into darker experiences and actions.

👻 Supernatural

The supernatural elements are intricately woven into the family's story, with ghostly visions and dark forces emerging as central to their plight. These eerie occurrences serve as a manifestation of their unresolved trauma, culminating in a terrifying exploration of legacy and the supernatural ties that bind them to their past.

😱 Horror

The film embodies psychological horror through its unsettling atmosphere and shocking events. The gradual unveiling of family secrets and the presence of malevolent entities create a sense of dread. The horror stems not only from external forces but also from within the family, highlighting how personal struggles can lead to terrifying consequences.

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:40

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Slow Burn Dread and Family Curses like in Hereditary

Stories where a hereditary evil slowly consumes a grieving family from within.If you liked the oppressive dread and hereditary curse in Hereditary, explore more movies like it. This thread features similar horror and thriller stories where a dark family legacy and slow-burn tension lead to psychological torment and bleak revelations.

dreadfuloppressiveclaustrophobicunsettlingmelancholicsinisterpsychological

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically follow a family unit discovering a sinister truth about their bloodline. The story unfolds deliberately, layering small, unsettling events that escalate into full-blown terror. The focus is on psychological decay and the horrifying realization that their identity is inextricably linked to a malevolent force.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on inherited evil, a deliberate pacing that builds unbearable dread, and a tone that is overwhelmingly dark and tragic. They prioritize psychological horror and the destruction of the family unit over simple jump scares.

Grief-Stricken Horror Movies like Hereditary

Stories where profound loss opens a door to psychological torment and supernatural terror.For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight and psychological trauma in Hereditary, this thread finds similar movies. These stories explore how grief and loss can unravel reality, leading to horrific discoveries and a descent into darkness.

anxiousmelancholicunsettlinghorrificheavypsychological traumagrief

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern begins with a devastating personal loss that shatters the protagonist's world. As they grapple with guilt and sorrow, their perception of reality fractures. The story explores whether the ensuing horror is a manifestation of their psyche or a tangible supernatural threat, often culminating in a tragic outcome.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their core theme of grief as a gateway to horror. They share a high emotional weight, a complex exploration of mental health, and a tone that is intensely bleak and anxious. The horror emerges from character psychology as much as from external threats.

Unlock the Full Story of Hereditary

Don't stop at just watching — explore Hereditary in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Hereditary is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Hereditary Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Hereditary, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Hereditary Summary

Hereditary Timeline

Track the full timeline of Hereditary with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Hereditary Timeline

Hereditary Ending Explained

What really happened at the end of Hereditary? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.

Hereditary Ending Explained

Hereditary Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Hereditary that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Hereditary Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Hereditary

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Hereditary: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Hereditary

Similar Movies to Hereditary

Discover movies like Hereditary that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.