Into The Basement With BAGHEAD: Trailer, Cast, And Everything We Know

Horror fans have lived by the advice of Simon Pegg’s Shaun for decades by popping to the pub and waiting for all their troubles to blow over. However, in Baghead, it looks like that will be virtually impossible. Coming to Shudder next month and based on the 2017 short film of the same name, the eerie horror film follows Freya Allan’s Iris after she inherits a run-down Berlin pub.

Of course, that’s not all she inherits as she discovers a terrifying figure in the basement, Baghead, who can bring people back from the dead. Pretty soon word gets out about the bizarre phenomenon, with Lilly put in a dire predicament when offered a large sum of money by a grieving husband to bring back his wife.

Directed by Alberto Corredor, who also created the original short film, Baghead was released in the UK back in January and was met with mixed reviews, ultimately holding a lowly 18% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But despite this, audiences in the US are keen to explore the lore behind the film’s terrifying-looking 400-year-old demon stalking through a boozer’s beer cellar.

With Baghead’s release date fast approaching, we take a look at everything you need to know before paying the price and talking to the dead.

Overview of Baghead

Corredor released short film Baghead back in 2017, written by Do Not Disturb and I Bark Therefore I Am creator Lorcan Reilly. Both returned to the helm for the film’s feature-length adaptation alongside co-writers Christina Pamies and Bryce McGuire. Produced by StudioCanal, the film is set in Berlin with Corredor and his team scouting across the city to find the perfect location.

Speaking to FilmHounds Magazine, Corredor revealed how most of the film’s budget went to the haunting basement where Baghead resides: “We scouted so much of Berlin to try to find a perfect location to use but they were either unavailable or impractical to film in so in the end the basement was a set build. We spent most of the budget on it I think as it is really one of the characters. Using a set allowed us to work faster and have more freedom too. Also, we could also show the passage of time using elements stored down there.”

Then you have the creation of the antagonist itself, also speaking to the publication, Allan described what it was like to see the Baghead creature for the first time on set: “It was hard because of the logistics on the set. The first time when we saw her creeping towards us, there wasn’t that much space and the staircase was literally right behind us and I just kept focusing on that. It made me not feel like I was really trapped! But I learned to lean in on the connection between Iris and this creature. It wasn’t actually scary per se, but there were a couple of times when the creature came really close to me and I was like, oh my god. But we also saw her before wandering around the set with a cappuccino.”

It was released in the UK on January 24, with the US trailing behind months later with it set to come to Shudder on April 5 as part of the streaming service’s Halfway To Halloween celebrations.

**The Baghead Trailer**

Released just in time for Christmas, the trailer for Baghead took us behind the bar and deep into the darkness of the film’s mythology. It introduces us to The Queen’s Head’s dank surroundings and Allan’s character, Iris, as she uncovers what lies beneath the floorboards.

Also released in 2023, it’s hard not to compare the film with the smash hit Talk To Me as we quickly learn the film deals with the loss of a parent and the all-encompassing grief that comes with it while our central character tries to navigate a “new normal.” Guided by the memories of her father and a spooky video tape, Iris discovers Baghead living in the depths of the building, unleashing hell as those who contact the dead through her must pay the price. Of course, we also get a glimpse of Baghead herself, with her appearance deeply steeped in the iconography of J-Horror, according to the director.

Adapting a short film to a feature film comes with its challenges, with Corredor revealing (per Spotlight Report): “I think the main one was to find a story that was truthful to the spirit of the short, but that could expand on the characters that we were creating. Obviously, the main challenge was for me to move from an environment where I had almost full control over what we were doing during the short to a different environment where there are many more voices, with producers, studios, and everyone is involved.”

Meet the Cast

After her breakthrough role as Ciri in The Witcher, Freya Allan stars as lead Lily in Baghead. It comes ahead of her appearance in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes later this year as Mae, as well as the latest season of The Witcher with Liam Hemsworth replacing Geralt of Rivia following Henry Cavill’s exit.

Talking to Sci-Fi Now about how she became involved with the project, she said: “I got sent the script and the short film and I then had a conversation with Alberto and decided to do it. I honestly didn’t know what I was going into really, but I was like, ‘Let’s do it! Let’s just have the challenge.’ It was my first feature role and I’ve realized that actually, you do learn a lot doing a horror film. You learn certain things that you wouldn’t necessarily have done before. It was a good experience.”

War Horse’s Jeremy Irvine appears as Neil, while Payback’s Peter Mullan stars as Owen.

Bridgerton actress Ruby Barker will appear as Katie, Lily’s friend. Revealing why she took on the role, Barker told Starburst Magazine: “It’s written really well, and I loved the premise. It was originally a short film, and I love the idea that there are a set of circumstances that are hella creepy, that you can bring back the dead for a couple of minutes. But at what cost? It’s really fascinating as it’s something we’ve all thought about, and if you haven’t yet then you surely will at some point in your life. Because grief is something we’re all going to experience. It’s something that unites everybody. So, yeah, it’s a cool idea with cool creatives behind it.”

The cast is rounded out by The Perfumier’s Anne Müller, The Empress star Svenja Jung, Good Omens and Peaky Blinders icon Ned Dennehy, Dark’s Julika Jenkins, and You actor Saffron Burrows. In an interview with JB Hifi, Corredor opened up on how he bagged such a stellar line-up: “Sometimes it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time,” explains Corredor of their casting.

“Obviously it helps a lot when you’ve got a picture company like StudioCanal behind you throwing their weight into it you for. But with Peter Mullen, it was a case of one day looking at our options and one of the producers asked me what I thought about Peter Mullen,” adding with a lingering sense of disbelief, “And I said, ‘Ah, who did you just say? The Pete Mullen?’ He was available and willing and the first thing I did was jump on a Zoom call and talk to him. I think it helped to have a strong short. They could watch that at the same time they were reading the script. When they already have a reference like that, they can see that the filmmaker can actually do something with that story.”

Storyline Breakdown

The official synopsis for Baghead reads: “Following the death of her estranged father, Iris learns she has inherited a run-down, centuries-old pub. She travels to Berlin to identify her father’s body and meet with The Solicitor (Dennehy) to discuss the estate. Little does she know, when the deed is signed, she will become inextricably tied to an unspeakable entity that resides in the pub’s basement–Baghead–a shape-shifting creature that can transform into the dead.

Two thousand in cash for two minutes with the creature is all it takes for desperate loved ones to ease their grief. Neil, who has lost his wife, is Iris’ first customer. Like her father, Iris is tempted to exploit the creature’s powers and help desperate people for a price. But she soon discovers breaking the two-minute rule can have terrifying consequences. Together with her best friend Katie, Iris must battle to keep control of Baghead and figure out how to destroy her, before she destroys them.”

As well as dealing with communicating with the dead – something so common in horror stories throughout the centuries it is almost a given – Baghead offers an interesting lamentation on grief, the loss of a parent, and the lengths we’re willing to go to to speak to loved ones from beyond the grave.

In an interview with Horrorgins about the themes within the film, Corredor said: “With horror, you can go into themes that are normally difficult to explore in, say, a drama without being corny or over the top. With horror, you can expand upon these themes further. I’m very curious about death, not in a morbid way. I think that’s something that attracted me to the story of Baghead. It’s the idea of something else existing when you pass on, but also not taking it too seriously. At the end of the day, people would still be people and still have problems. I think grief is one of the main motivators for all stories, including horror. We’re mortal and we’re all, at some point, asking ourselves what happens after life. In Baghead, everything is based on grief but from a different angle. That’s something else I liked about the story and what pulled me into it. It turns the tables.”

Since the release of the film’s trailer and with comparisons to Talk To Me rife, plenty of viewers have been speculating what tricks Baghead has up its sleeve (and desperately avoiding spoilers since its release in the UK). Allan herself let slip an element about the film’s ending when speaking to GamesRadar and musing about a potential return to the film’s universe. She said: “I make this joke to everyone: I don’t know what it is, but I always survive everything. The characters I play always survive. I’m waiting for the day I have a proper death.” So it feels safe to say Lily walks out of the pub with her life…Or could this be a trick straight from Baghead herself?

Summary

The long-awaited release of Baghead is right around the corner after dividing British audiences back in January. From a successful short film to a full feature with a star-studded cast featuring Allan, Mullan, and Barker, the gothic story gives both the haunted house theme and making a deal with the devil a unique twist, all while grappling with the devastating themes of loss and grief.

In a year packed full of horror releases, Baghead comes in the wake of Immaculate and Late Night With The Devil leading the charge in March, sharing a release window with The First Omen, Abigail, and Civil War. While Baghead may not be receiving the cinema experience, its streaming release makes it instantly accessible to many from the comfort of their own home, perfect for their next movie night – if they dare.