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They

They

First comes the warning. Then comes the mark. Then comes the terror.

200289 minPG-13Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Director
Robert Harmon
Starring
Laura Regan, Marc Blucas, Ethan Embry, Jon Abrahams

A psychology student who experienced night terrors as a child must face the chilling realization that her nightmares were not all in her head.

Where to watch

Where can I watch They?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists They streaming on Paramount+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about They?

They earns 4 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is They worth watching?

They's Midcredits score is the 11th percentile of all films, from 26K ratings across 6 sources. 22% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

11th percentile

Better received than 11% of films

44th percentile among Horror11th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)15th
Approval (how many liked it)11th

49 /100

15th percentile of all films

51st percentile among Horror15th percentile among 2000s

Critics 31 · Audience 50

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

22% liked it

11th percentile of all films

43rd percentile among Horror10th percentile among 2000s
22% rated it 7–1078% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 1 noms overall

87th percentile

26K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Horror80th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$17M
Opening weekend$5.1M
Domestic gross$13M
Worldwide gross$16M

Returned 1.0× its budget — 81st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film relies on atmosphere and unseen creatures rather than gore, and that its plot is thin and leaves many questions unanswered.

Fans praised

  • creepy atmosphere and dread-driven suspense in the dark
  • leaves monsters unseen, relying on imagination over gore
  • moody score and strong cinematography build an uneasy dreamlike tone

Detractors panned

  • wooden acting and flat, undeveloped characters
  • plot lacks logic, coherence, and a satisfying payoff
  • predictable scares and derivative horror formula

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive72

dread-heavy dark ambience and dreamlike mood

Sound and music70

well-done moody score and sound design

CinematographyDivisive68

gorgeous camera work, immersive visuals

TensionDivisive60

some effective scares but often predictable

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

minimal creature effects, mostly hidden, decent design

ActingDivisive42

wooden and unconvincing for many

CharactersDivisive38

underdeveloped, hard to connect with

Plot and storyDivisive35

thin, illogical, unanswered questions

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is They like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It leaves you unsettled.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseCold
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film maintains a serious, brooding atmosphere, treating its childhood fear premise with earnest horror.
The rideThe mood is dominated by a growing sense of dread and tension as the protagonist's fears intensify, with a sustained cold atmosphere.
StructureConventional three-act structure following Julia's descent into fear and confrontation with the monsters.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe no-win ending leaves a lingering unease about childhood fears and the vulnerability to darkness.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

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 archetypeChildhood night terrors manifest as predatory monsters hunting the protagonists.

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% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · 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% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsTruth · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how a traumatic event in childhood resurfaces, forcing the protagonist to question what is real and survive against returning fears.
StanceThe film warns of the danger of unresolved childhood trauma returning to threaten one's present life.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Elia Cmiral
SettingA small American town where childhood fears return to haunt a graduate student.
MusicThe score underscores the growing dread and psychological tension.

Content guide

Is They okay for kids?

PG-13

They is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for terror/violence, sexual content and language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (63/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at severe (88/100). Its violence, language and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • PortugalM/14
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 81%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 98%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (54 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 They have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in They?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Laura Regan
as Julia Lund
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Marc Blucas
as Paul Loomis
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ethan Embry
as Sam Burnside
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jon Abrahams
as Billy Parks
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Dagmara Dominczyk
as Terry Alba
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Desiree Zurowski
as Mary Parks
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Alexander Gould
as Young Billy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mark Hildreth
as Troy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jonathan Cherry
as Darren
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jessica Amlee
as Young Julia
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like They?

Movies like They include Last Shift (2014), Boogeyman (2005) and Dead Silence (2007). Of the 12 closest matches, most are psychological horror films, and most are films that feel bleak.

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

All 12 share its subject: trauma. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

2.7K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: monster. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.