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Marrowbone

Marrowbone

No one will ever separate us.

2017110 minRMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Sergio G. Sánchez
Starring
George MacKay, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Mia Goth

A young man and his three younger siblings are plagued by a sinister presence in the sprawling manor in which they live.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Marrowbone?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Marrowbone streaming on Magnolia Selects via Prime Video, Monsters and Nightmares via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Marrowbone?

Marrowbone earns 8 badges, led by Visual feast and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Marrowbone worth watching?

Marrowbone's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 290K ratings across 6 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

81st percentile among Drama79th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)74th

70 /100

81st percentile of all films

84th percentile among Drama80th percentile among 2010s

Critics 63 · Audience 71

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

66% liked it

74th percentile of all films

75th percentile among Drama74th percentile among 2010s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Critics 49% · Audience 71%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

97th percentile

290K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 4% in 30 days

Box office

Budget€8M

In euro, not converted to dollars.

Opening weekend$624
Domestic gross$1.4K
Worldwide gross$12M

86th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow-burn Gothic family drama with strong performances and a twist ending, but polarizing in its genre execution.

Fans praised

  • George MacKay's emotionally raw lead performance
  • Atmospheric Gothic setting and moody cinematography
  • Emotionally resonant family drama with a devastating twist

Detractors panned

  • Predictable twist and derivative plot
  • Misleading horror marketing; slow pacing and minimal scares
  • Implausible character decisions and logical gaps

What stands out

Acting80

George MacKay praised as standout; ensemble cast effective

Atmosphere80

Creepy, moody setting with genuine dread

Cinematography80

Stunning visuals and Gothic atmosphere

CharactersDivisive65

Well-drawn sibling dynamics but some find characters shallow

EndingDivisive60

Polarizing twist ending; satisfying for some, frustrating for others

Plot and storyDivisive55

Twist-heavy narrative; engaging for some but convoluted for others

PacingDivisive45

Slow burn in first half; third act rush divides opinion

OriginalityDivisive40

Derivative of The Others and similar twist films

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 14 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 11 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Marrowbone like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadMelancholicTense
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its dark family tragedy with a solemn, brooding sincerity, never winking at the audience.
The rideA persistent sense of dread and tension builds throughout, culminating in a devastating final act when the truth about the siblings is revealed.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly but with a central deception about the siblings' existence, making the narration unreliable in retrospect.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe tragic reveal of Jack's isolation and his loving delusion leaves a deeply haunting, bittersweet ache.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA family hides from an abusive, murderous father who hunts them down, forcing the eldest son to confront the monster to protect his siblings.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsSurvivalGrief · 6% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how profound trauma and grief shatter a person's psyche, forcing them to create alternate realities to survive.
StanceThe film questions how far a person can go to escape trauma, and whether survival is worth the cost of losing one's self.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Fernando Velázquez
SettingA remote childhood home on the American coast near a beach landmark called Red Witch Rock.
MusicThe score underscores the tension and melancholy with swelling strings and subtle dissonance.

Content guide

Is Marrowbone okay for kids?

R

Marrowbone is rated R: “Rated R for some violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (48/100), sexual content at minimal (12/100), language at mild (30/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (28/100) and frightening material at intense (69/100). Overall it is heavier than 12% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • JapanG
  • Israel16
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • RO15
  • Russia18+
  • Spain16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 38% of all filmsHeavier than 12% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 26%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 7%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 5%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 13%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Marrowbone have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Marrowbone?

Cast

George MacKay
as Jack
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anya Taylor-Joy
as Allie
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Charlie Heaton
as Billy
Mia Goth
as Jane
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Matthew Stagg
as Sam
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Nicola Harrison
as Mother
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kyle Soller
as Porter
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Tom Fisher
as Father
Paul Jesson
as Doctor
Robert Strange
as Monster
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Marrowbone?

Movies like Marrowbone include The Orphanage (2007), Whisper (2007) and Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in New England, and several are stories about a predator on the loose.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its story type: psychological horror. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Marrowbone?

2.9K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: psychological horror. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.