The Witch

The Witch (stylized as The VVitch, and subtitled A New-England Folktale) is a 2015 folk horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers in his feature directorial debut. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy in her film debut, alongside Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, and Lucas Dawson. Set in 1630s New England, its plot follows a Puritan family who encounter forces of evil in the woods beyond their farm. An international co-production of the United States and Canada, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2015, and was widely released by A24 on February 19, 2016. It was a critical and financial success, grossing $40 million against a $4 million budget, and is considered by some to be one of the best horror films of the 2010s. Plot In 1630s New England, English settler William and his family—wife Katherine, teenage daughter Thomasin, preteen son Caleb, and young fraternal twins Mercy and Jonas—are banished from a Puritan settlement over a religious dispute. They build a farm near a large, secluded forest, and Katherine bears her fifth child, Samuel. While under Thomasin's care, Samuel abruptly disappears. It is soon revealed that a witch has stolen and killed Samuel to use his body to make a flying ointment. Devastated by the loss, Katherine spends her days crying and praying. William takes Caleb hunting in the woods, where Caleb wonders if the unbaptized Samuel went to Heaven. In response, William discloses that he secretly traded Katherine's prized silver cup for hunting supplies. At the farm, the twins play with the family's billy goat, Black Phillip, who the children say talks to them. Katherine blames Thomasin for misplacing her silver cup and holds her responsible for the loss of Samuel. That night, the children overhear their parents making plans to send Thomasin away to serve another family.