Death of a Unicorn

Death of a Unicorn is a horror-comedy written and directed by Alex Scharfman in his feature debut, released by A24. Blending creature-feature thrills with pointed satire of the ultra-wealthy, the film pairs Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as a father and daughter whose weekend at a billionaire's remote estate goes catastrophically wrong.

Rudd plays Elliot Kintner, a widowed lawyer angling for a promotion, and Ortega is his skeptical teenage daughter Ridley; en route to the estate of Elliot's dying pharmaceutical-magnate boss, they accidentally strike and kill a unicorn. When the family discovers the creature's blood holds miraculous healing powers, greed takes over, and the mythical animal's vengeful kin come looking for their young. Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, and Will Poulter co-star as the grasping Leopold clan whose exploitation of the discovery unleashes bloody chaos.

Premiering at South by Southwest in March 2025, Death of a Unicorn earned mixed reviews, with critics praising the warm, funny chemistry between Rudd and Ortega while finding its eat-the-rich satire uneven. Though a modest performer at the box office, the film found a wider audience on streaming and stands as a distinctive, gory swing from a first-time director. It streams on HBO Max.