James McAvoy’s monstrous new horror movie villain is based on Andrew Tate

If there’s one thing scarier than having to watch the Speak No Evil trailer before every single movie, it’s knowing the real-world inspiration behind James McAvoy’s frightening villain.

The new horror movie, based on the 2022 Danish original, is already getting notoriety for being over-marketed, but if there’s anything that’ll get us to back a new movie, it’s James McAvoy playing a two-faced psychopath.

In the 2024 horror adaptation, James McAvoy plays Paddy, a man who befriends a couple and their young daughter on holiday. When Paddy and his wife invite their new pals back to their country farm for a getaway, things take a dark turn when it’s revealed that not everything is as it seems.

McAvoy plays the enigmatic, twisted villain behind the disturbing cautionary tale of parenthood and masculinity. Speaking to Empire, the Speak No Evil star revealed that he found a connection between Paddy and one controversial real-life figure: Andrew Tate.

“The thing I thought I could exploit in the character was, he thinks he’s a bit of a West Country Andrew Tate,” he said [via Deadline].

“He’s like, ‘Hey, I’m going to teach you what it’s like to be a man again.’ But there’s a sort of polite face on it that isn’t quite Andrew Tate, enough of a sheen of, ‘I’m not one of those guys.’

“[Paddy’s] challenging you. ‘Do you have a big enough d*** to have a drink with me?’ Or, ‘I’m sorry, this is too much for you because you’re not real enough.”

Tate, the controversial internet influencer with vocal perceptions about masculinity, is currently being investigated for new allegations that include sex with a minor and human trafficking.

In August 2024, Tate was placed under house arrest while the investigation is underway.

Speak No Evil will be released on September 13, 2024.

Until then, check out our guide to the best horror movies on Amazon Prime. You can also check out the latest horror releases with our Trap review and Longlegs review.