In 1963, Joanne Waxen, portrayed by a seemingly content housewife, and her husband, Anthony, reside in a home built by the enigmatic Frederick Banner. Their peace is abruptly interrupted when Anthony surprising gifts Joanne a peculiar item – a pair of underwear – prompting her to sneak away for a quick change. Little do they realize that Frederick's unsettling presence has already infiltrated their lives, his predatory gaze fixed on Joanne. The tension reaches a shocking climax when they discover Anthony suspended mid-air, a belt strangling him.
Jump to 2022, where Dr. Alice, still grappling with the psychological scars left by the COVID-19 pandemic, decides to escape with her architect husband, Tom, to the beautiful landscapes of San Diego. They find themselves in an intriguing accommodation: a mid-century home previously owned by Frederick, who has now reinvented himself as Eldridge. As they settle in, the atmosphere turns sinister; strange occurrences abound—birds collide with windows, doors mysteriously swing open, and an unseen observer lurks during their private moments. These eerie events crescendo with a delivery driver recounting his unsettling encounter with Eldridge. Soon after this revelation, Tom's life takes a tragic turn as he suffers a tire blowout and is brutally attacked while attempting to fix it.
As Alice heads for a job interview at a local hospital, she is met with tragedy when the delivery driver arrives, gravely injured. In the aftermath, Officer Raquel and her partner embark on an investigation into Tom’s potential link to this violent incident, casting a deep shadow over their supposedly peaceful weekend.
Tom seeks to unravel the mysteries surrounding Frederick by conducting a digital quest for information about his disturbing past through Wikipedia. Encountering minimal data, he reaches out to his office colleague Hannah, with whom he shares a secret relationship, to help him find books about Frederick. Their search unveils a harrowing history riddled with misfortune, betrayal, and dark obsessions—including Frederick’s tragic first marriage, the swift remarriage to Joanne Waxen, and his peculiar interest in polygamy and the occult, highlighted through his connection with painter Emil Larson.
As Tom investigates further, he is haunted by unsettling visions and the sense of an unseen force guiding him towards buried secrets on the property. A near-drowning incident amplifies his unease, drawing him deeper into the web of intrigue rooted in the very ground beneath him.
The spectral presence of Marie Verdin begins to weave its way into Tom's psyche, her ghostly whispers revealing a narrative of manipulation and murder. Frederick emerges as a master puppeteer, exploiting the fragility of those around him, orchestrating a climate of fear that ultimately led to many lives lost. His death, however, did not quell the dark forces he unleashed.
As Tom finds himself increasingly entwined in this notorious legacy, he becomes a vessel for Marie’s spirit, communicating her messages to her son, Eldridge Banner. The sinister nature of Frederick’s actions unravels bit by bit, linking Tom’s own tragic fate to the haunted estate he inhabits. Amidst this ghostly turmoil, Tom and Marie uncover a chilling recording, revealing Frederick and Emil’s dialogue about an ancient prophecy linked to the blood "wolf" moon, foretold to orchestrate a mysterious event: the conception of a spirit within a woman's womb.
As the tension escalates, the investigation narrows down to two prime suspects: Eldridge and Tom. Alice, returning from a taxing day, finds Tom missing. Unbeknownst to her, Eldridge plots in the shadows, using trickery to sedate Alice and prepare for a dark ritual. In a dramatic turn, Officer Raquel bursts in, only to fall victim to Eldridge’s manipulation, as Tom’s influence overtakes him, revealing a connection to the horrors unfolding.
Amidst the ensuing confusion, a police chief reveals himself as one of Eldridge's brothers, possessed by Frederick’s vengeful spirit. As the ritual swells toward its peak, Alice faces the wrath of Frederick's sons, who are determined to extract their vengeance. In a stunning climax, Marie and Tom, now intertwined within Alice's consciousness, unite to confront the demonic lineage, parting with an emotional farewell as they relinquish their earthly ties.
Eventually, as Alice is whisked away to the hospital, Tom realizes the shocking truth that every home within their tranquil neighborhood stands as a portal to the afterlife, with its residents ensnared by Frederick's dark legacy, doomed to wander in a forsaken limbo.
