The Victorian Psycho Trailer Makes One Thing Clear About Maika Monroe’s Next Slasher Movie

Psychological thriller movies set in a certain era seem to be Maika Monroe’s specialty. Though her involvement in Longlegs 2 has not been confirmed yet despite Nicolas Cage’s return as Longlegs’ killer, Monroe is to step away from playing a woman continuously pursued by evil and being in control in the new Victorian Psycho trailer. 

The fear will be seen revolving around her in Maika Monroe’s next slasher movie, which is adapted by Virginia Feito from her novel of the same name, as per The Playlist. The producers of Long Legs (2024) are attached to the project, which makes it an even more intriguing watch. 

Plot details of Victorian Psycho (2026)

Victorian Psycho is set in 1858, centering on Winifred Notty (played by Maika Monroe), who is an unusual governess. After she arrives in gothic Ensor House to educate children, things take a creepy turn as she has psychopathic tendencies.

Staff members start disappearing, and the family starts wondering what kind of threat they have invited into their home. Watch the trailer, whose very first shot captivates you with Monroe’s eerie expression. 

Director’s vision for the film

Zachary Wigon’s films usually focus on modern psychological and romantic thrillers, and this would be his first time venturing into period-drama films. The Heart Machine (2014) was a romantic thriller that delved deep into the paranoia of online dating. Sanctuary (2022) was a psychological thriller highlighting a dominatrix and her wealthy client.  

Victorian Psycho marks his first foray into historical settings with a more brutal approach. The ultra-violent horror-slasher follows a murderous governess with a polite exterior that hides her sinister side beneath.

In one of his interviews, he opened up about his goal of making the rich visual language of the film as close to the contemporary demonstration of period films. The story might be straightforward, but the main aim is to offer as much rich graphic artwork as possible. 

For this, it was important to keep the psychopathic performance as real as possible, and Maika Monroe was the perfect choice, he admitted. He explained that her close-up scenes can create a suspenseful aura around the very character she is playing, making the audience lean in and think about what is going on in the mind of a deranged killer. 

With her expressionistic performance, she demonstrates the skill of bringing a larger-than-life realism to the character’s psychological realism. With Wigon’s vision, while the audience is busy interpreting other elements of the film, the director quietly builds a sense of dread through the script’s precise tone.    

What is the one thing that the Victorian Psycho trailer makes clear about Maika Monroe’s new slasher?

Maika Monroe has spent much time of her horror career being hunted, stalked, and terrorized by the villains, but it is now her turn to pay back. The Victorian Psycho trailer shows this very element: that Monroe is the one to be afraid of now. 

Monroe has been very particular about choosing her projects, and Victorian Psycho is further evidence that she is not in for only a generic slasher; she is cementing her reputation as a powerful horror icon with strong psychological thrillers, such as Long Legs, It Follows (2014), which is getting a sequel titled They Follow, and Watcher (2022).

Another thing that is clear from Victorian Psycho’s trailer is that the Victorian setting is not a gimmick; it is used to show the rigid social norms, isolation, and gothic architecture, and how Maika Monroe’s insane character continues with her murders despite being within the walls of an unyielding infrastructure and its family system. 

Here, the Victorian England atmosphere does the actual trick that prioritizes suspense and tension rather than explicit violence. Dimlit hallways, candlelit rooms, and remote countryside add to the overwhelming sense of fear long before the blood is spilled. Monroe’s composed demeanor with the right etiquette but hidden menace is a part of the treat that we are waiting for till its fall release.  

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When is the Victorian Psycho (2026) releasing?

Bleecker Street Media will distribute the film in theaters on November 13, 2026, after postponing its release from the previously scheduled date of September 25, 2026.

Genre: Folk horror, psychological horror, thriller 

Cast: Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Thomasin McKenzie, Ruth Wilson, Amy De Bhrun

Director: Zachary Wigon

Writer: Virginia Feito

Producers: Dan Kagan, Sebastien Raybaud, Zachary Wigon

Release date: September 25, 2026

Movie runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes