Forget popcorn – instead, the smell of blueberry pie will fill certain theatres, immersing viewers in the film’s eerie atmosphere.
And if blueberry pie sounds like a tasty treat, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ horror movie, starring Hugh Grant, might just make you change your mind.
In this thriller, two young Mormon missionaries go door-to-door to spread the gospel. After knocking on Mr Reed’s (Hugh Grant) door, they initially refuse to enter the small house without a woman present.
The ingenious yet diabolical Mr Reed reassures them that his wife is preparing a delicious blueberry pie in the kitchen.
After Mr Reed pretends to check on the baking pie’s progress, one of the missionaries notices a blueberry-scented candle on the table. They then realise that there’s no pie and no woman in the house. To get out of this deadly trap, their faith will be put to the test.
Production company A24 has teamed up with Joya Studio to offer exclusive multisensory screenings of the movie at Alamo Drafthouse cinemas across the United States.
This immersive experience will take place during previews on Oct 30, prior to the movie’s official release on Nov 8.
Ticketing is already open. Viewers at other advanced screenings will be able to enjoy certain treats and get scratch and sniff cards to accompany the movie.
Alamo Drafthouse theatres will use Joya Studio’s atomisation technology. This “uses cold-air diffusion to disperse scented molecules as fine, dry air without the use of heat, water or alcohol,” explains Variety.
In a statement, the directors of “Heretic,” Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, said: “The blueberry pie in ‘Heretic’ is activated by Hugh Grant’s Mr Reed as a metaphor for blind faith and a disturbing reminder to question everything.
“When we first heard A24’s bold idea to resurrect the multisensory experience to underline this crucial sequence it made us howl with laughter. We’re so excited that audiences have this unique opportunity to be immersed in the world of the film.”
Joya Studio founder, Frederick Bouchardy, adds: “That a scented candle is a main character in this film changes the stakes. Instead of irreverent creative expression, we are implicated in the experience – and love it!”
This innovative initiative marks a new era in the movie industry, where sensory immersion could become a further factor in the viewer experience.
Indeed, according to a British study, 70% of people surveyed agreed that watching a feature film on the big screen is “a great immersive experience.”
With “Heretic,” A24 and Joya Studio show that cinema can go beyond the screen, offering an experience that engages all the senses.
The pair had previously teamed up to create candles based on the butt plug trophy in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”