‘Heretic’ Filmmakers Discuss Monopoly, Hugh Grant’s Jar Jar Binks Impression, and That Surprising Cameo

‘Heretic’ Filmmakers Discuss Monopoly, Hugh Grant’s Jar Jar Binks Impression, and That Surprising Cameo

Heretic is a thought-provoking film that delves into religion, theology, and control, but don’t worry—it’s far from a dry sermon. Filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who wrote and directed the film, use pop culture references and genre tropes to explore complex ideas, blending dark humor with theological themes.

The film follows two Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), as they visit the compound of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), a charismatic scholar, to discuss their faith. As the conversation unfolds, Reed’s lectures on the history of religion as a tool of control grow increasingly unsettling.

A Game of Control: Monopoly as Metaphor

Reed’s monologues about the control religions exert on their followers are framed through discussions of patterns found across different faiths. Beck and Woods spent years researching various theologies to make these ideas digestible for audiences. “We started writing the script about 10 years ago, and as we developed the character of Mr. Reed, we realized he knew everything about every religion and cult,” Woods explains. “We didn’t feel qualified to write about it until we did more research.”

The filmmakers took a break from writing Heretic to work on A Quiet Place and The Boogeyman, using that time to dive deep into the study of religions like Islam, Scientology, and Mormonism. They also explored works by prominent atheists like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. When they returned to Heretic, they used pop culture references to express the complex theological ideas they had learned.

A key metaphor that emerged from this process is Monopoly. “We realized Monopoly was a great metaphor for control because it has an origin story connected to feminism and men controlling things,” Woods says. “The game was originally created by feminist writer Elizabeth Magie, but Parker Brothers turned it into a more populist, capitalist product. This idea of control in Monopoly connected to our themes about religion.”

Hugh Grant’s Surprising Jar Jar Binks Impression

At one point in the film, Mr. Reed compares the mythology of Christianity and Mormonism to elements of ancient religions and even Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which leads to a memorable moment where Hugh Grant delivers a hilarious—if brief—Jar Jar Binks impression.

“It was so funny when we showed an early cut of the film to filmmaker David Lowery,” Woods recalls. “He said, ‘I love that Hugh had to do a Jar Jar impression, even though he probably had never seen The Phantom Menace.’ We thought, ‘No way. Knowing Hugh, he probably watched it just for this role!’”

Grant, however, admits that he has never seen a Star Wars movie. “One of my guiltiest secrets is that I’ve still never seen a Star Wars movie,” he reveals. “But for this movie, I did a little research and watched a few clips on YouTube.” Beck adds that Grant kept his Jar Jar impression a secret until the cameras were rolling. “Hugh likes to hold things back until the moment is right. He’d stick to the script, and then he’d surprise us with little changes or additions that were so real and funny,” Beck says. “It was important for the performance to feel grounded, even though the film has darker themes.”

The Anti-Climax of Elder Kennedy’s Cameo

One of the most surprising elements of Heretic is the role of Elder Kennedy, a church leader who sends the missionaries to Reed’s home and later checks on them when they fail to return. Played by Topher Grace, Elder Kennedy’s visit to Reed’s compound is comically uneventful. He asks only a few surface-level questions before simply handing Reed a pamphlet about Mormonism and walking away.

Woods says the filmmakers are proud of the film’s series of “anti-climaxes.” “Normally, an anti-climax is something writers avoid because it’s inherently disappointing, but in this case, we saw a metaphorical connection between religion and anti-climaxes,” Woods explains. “Religion can be this grand, meaningful thing—or it can be nothing at all, depending on your point of view. We wanted to play with that idea.”

Elder Kennedy’s brief appearance subverts audience expectations. “In horror movies, you often have that character who arrives to save the day, like Scatman Crothers in The Shining or Richard Farnsworth in Misery,” Woods says. “But instead, we wanted to create a third option, where the character’s involvement just doesn’t lead to anything. It’s almost like a philosophical statement on the way religions advertise themselves.”

Woods continues, “We cast Topher Grace because he’s an actor with a strong connection to the audience. When people see him, they automatically expect a certain outcome for his character, and we wanted to disappoint those expectations intentionally.”

Heretic is now playing in theaters, offering audiences a darkly humorous and thought-provoking take on faith, control, and the complexities of organized religion.

These interviews have been edited for clarity and length.