Stephen King and Real-Life Serial Killers Shaped the Most Unhinged Thriller of 2026

“Jack Nicholson's performance was a big inspiration"

After a decade of surviving monsters onscreen, Maika Monroe gets her hands dirty in Victorian Psycho. Directed by Zachary Wigon (Sanctuary) and based on the Virginia Feito novel, the movie is set in the mid-1800s, our most hysterical era, and follows Winifred Notty (Monroe), a newly hired governess who arrives at a gothic manor to tutor the Pounds’ children (Jacobi Jupe and Evie Templeton). Upon her arrival, staff members begin to vanish, building up to a bloody climax.

The tone of Victorian Psycho is what makes this story so distinct. While it has the makings of a stuffy period movie with the necessary story trappings and tight dresses, viewers know from the moment Winifred steps into the frame that she’s not like other governesses. Much like Patrick Bateman, Winifred narrates her story with a twisted perspective, alluding to a dangerous past she’s determined not to repeat.

“I fell in love with Winifred,” Monroe tells Polygon. “Reading the script, I had an understanding of her, but then when Zach and I started our rehearsals, we explored the story of what led to this moment. There’s something about her that breaks my heart.”

In an interview, Monroe discusses what attracted her to the project and the role, and the many influences that make up one of the unique horror movies in a year full of bangers.

Making a psycho for the Victorian Era

Classic thrillers like American Psycho and The Shining were references for Winifred, who wears all black, has a far-off gaze, and an aloof demeanor.

“Jack Nicholson's performance was a big inspiration,” she says.

To develop Winifred’s quirks, Wigon and Monroe also studied real-life psychopaths, sharing various clips of them with each other.

“That was incredibly helpful, especially with the very specific facial expressions," she says.

As for Winifred’s crooked teeth — one of the character’s most distinct traits — they were originally Monroe’s idea.

“I've had braces three times now,” she says. “And my teeth are straight, but in the Victorian era, that obviously wouldn’t exist. I also wanted to change my look a little bit and step further away from myself. This role is a massive departure from me in a lot of ways.”

A new kind of final girl

Monroe’s filmography includes several standout horror movies, from her breakout roles in The Guest and It Follows to the more recent Longlegs, which features one of Nicolas Cage’s most frightening performances.

Over the past couple of years, with films like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and Victorian Psycho, Monroe has graduated from the more passive survivor and traditional final girl to a more active and villainous agent. It’s a change she welcomes.

“It's such a joy and very empowering. It's feeling like you're in control, which I absolutely love,” she says. “Filming this movie in particular, I feel like I really fell in love with my job and felt this freedom to just go for it.”

Monroe recently wrapped They Follow, the anticipated sequel to It Follows. The sequel comes over a decade after the original release, one that largely launched the careers of Monroe and director David Robert Mitchell, who’s become a noteworthy genre filmmaker.

“It Follows really changed all of our lives,” she says. “We're all grown up now, and we've been through so much life and so many other projects. It felt very special to come back. I think the fans will be happy with David’s vision for this movie.”

Monroe ended the interview by answering a really important question: Who wins in a fight, Winifred or Longlegs?

“I gotta go with Winifred. Come on. She's nifty.”

---

Victorian Psycho is out in theaters now.