Big news for genre fans! Olivia Cooke, who plays the layered queen Alicent Hightower on House of the Dragon, is stepping into another world of thrills—this time as the star of Chloe Okuno’s “Brides.” Currently filming in Budapest, ‘Brides’ is shaping up as a dreamy—and nightmarish—gothic horror that could become a standout release of 2026. Cooke’s casting marks a bold new adventure for the HBO fan-favorite, and horror lovers are already buzzing with excitement.
Quick read:
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Olivia Cooke leads cast of horror film ‘Brides’
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Chloe Okuno directs stylish gothic thriller
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House of the Dragon star expands genre cred
Haunting Intrigue: Olivia Cooke’s Next Bold Move
Cooke replaces Maika Monroe in the mysterious lead role, Sally Bishop, a young woman stranded at a remote Italian villa with her husband in 1961. Once there, Sally encounters the villa’s charming but ominous host and a surreal group of women who seem more myth than mortal.
As the story unravels, Sally gets drawn into their seductive—and deadly—world, with Cooke promising to bring her unfiltered emotional depth to the role. With a cast that now includes Harry Lawtey, Jodie Turner-Smith, Viola Prettejohn, and Burn Gorman, and with NEON handling the release, expect this gothic chiller to hit the indie circuit with style.
Credits: Max
House of the Dragon Star Heads to Horror Royalty
“Brides” is written and directed by the acclaimed Chloe Okuno, whose previous work “Watcher” earned raves for slow-building tension and fresh horror ideas. Early production notes tease a stylish film packed with suspense, ambiguity, and transformation. Cooke’s adaptability—from Westeros court intrigue to horror heroine—makes her perfect for ‘Brides.’
Genre fans can mark this one as a must-watch. Olivia Cooke continues to prove her range, having tackled fantasy queens, sci-fi worlds, and now, gothic horror epics. If ‘Brides’ delivers on its premise, Cooke could soon add “scream queen” to her list of iconic credits.
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