The Picture of Dorian Gray
A modern day retelling of Oscar Wilde’s cautionary tale, it follows actress Dorian as she travels to Matera to be tutored by reclusive screen icon Lady Amelia Wotton for her upcoming Broadway debut as Lady Macbeth. When Wotton asks her granddaughter Evie to photograph Dorian, the girls grow close but is their relationship as innocent as it appears to be, or is there a more sinister curse at work?
Why it matters
A sleek contemporary twist on Wilde’s classic, blending psychological dread with supernatural mystery in a haunting Italian setting.
- Transplants the Gothic decay of the original into the sun-drenched, labyrinthine streets of Matera—offering a fresh, atmospheric backdrop rarely seen in modern horror.
- Focuses on female relationships and identity, weaving queer undertones into the cursed portrait mythos with subtlety and nuance.
- Slow-burn tension and eerie cinematography build a mood of creeping unease rather than jump scares—perfect for fans of artful psychological horror.
- Not for those expecting a direct adaptation or overt body horror; this is more about emotional rot and the price of vanity than visceral terror.
Director
2 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
14
Slow Burn
83
Psychological
57
Supernatural
20
Creature
0
Disturbing
50
Fun Factor
17
Cerebral
99
Survival
33
