The Invitation (2022 film)

The Invitation is a 2022 American supernatural horror film directed by Jessica M. Thompson, written by Blair Butler, and produced by Emile Gladstone. The film stars Nathalie Emmanuel and Thomas Doherty. Inspired by the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, the film follows a young woman who, after her mother's death, meets her family for the first time, only to discover the dark secrets behind them.
Originally titled The Bride, the project was under production of Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert's Ghost House Pictures, with Butler writing the script. However, Raimi and Tapert exited the project due to scheduling conflicts. By 2020, the film's title was announced, with Thompson directing the film and The Curse of La Llorona producer Emile Gladstone producing the film. Casting occurred from May to October 2021, with filming beginning that September in Hungary.
The Invitation was released in the United States on August 26, 2022, by Sony Pictures Releasing. It received mixed reviews from critics.
==Plot == 
In New York City, struggling artist Evelyn "Evie" Jackson supports herself by waitressing for a catering company. After getting a DNA kit at an event she worked at, Evie, an orphan whose mother recently passed, sends the kit in. 
She soon receives the results that she has extended family in England and is messaged by her cousin, Oliver Alexander, who asks to meet. Evie is quickly charmed by the harmlessly eager Oliver, who tells Evie about the scandal of her great-grandmother, Emmaline Alexander, who, while engaged to be married, had an affair with a footman and had a secret child. Oliver invites Evie to an upcoming family wedding in England so she can meet everyone, and Evie reluctantly agrees.
Evie arrives at a gorgeous estate in the English countryside and is charmed by the handsome lord of the manor, Walter DeVille. Evie is welcomed by her new family with eagerly open arms and made a guest of honor. During the night, new maids begin to go missing as they are attacked by shadowy figures throughout the house, and Evie has nightmares about her great-grandmother, Emmaline, killing herself. 
Evie is invited to take part in pre-wedding activities with the two maids of honor: the condescending and sarcastic Viktoria, and the bubbly, puppyish Lucy. Viktoria upsets Evie and plants doubts in her mind about Walter, leading Evie to discover Walter had a background check run on Evie before her arrival. Evie confronts Walter about it and threatens to leave, but the two reconcile and have sex. 
Evie comes downstairs for a masquerade dinner, expecting to finally meet the bride and groom. Walter stands and announces that he and Evie will be wed, and one of the maid's throats is slit, pouring her blood into a punch bowl. It is revealed that Walter is a vampire and the three families made a covenant to provide him with three wives, one from each family, in exchange for prosperity, protection, and power. The Alexander family had produced only boys since the birth of Emmaline and were thrilled that the discovery of Evie meant they could once again fulfill their contract to provide Walter with a bride of their line. 
Viktoria and Lucy are Walter's existing vampire brides and the pair take Evie down into a cellar to prepare her for upcoming nuptials. Evie is freed in the morning by her lady’s maid, Mrs. Swift, and escapes to the nearby town for help. She is captured by a couple loyal to the Alexanders, and she is brought back to the mansion. 
The dazed and confused Evie exchanges a vow with Walter and bites his arm, consuming his blood and transforming into a half-vampire. Instead of completing the blood exchange, Evie sets the wedding chapel on fire, stabs Walter, and runs off to the foyer. An enraged Viktoria chases after Evie, but Lucy attacks her. The two brides fight each other before Lucy impales both Viktoria and herself onto a spear, killing them both.
Evie is chased by Walter, who chokes her before she breaks free and kicks him into the growing fire, killing him and avenging her great-grandparents. As he finally dies, she reverts back to human form and flees the burning manor. 
Two weeks later, Evie arrives in London, where she and her friend Grace see Oliver entering Alexander Realty. They proceed to follow him with the intention of getting revenge.
==Cast==
*Nathalie Emmanuel as Evelyn "Evie" Jackson
*Thomas Doherty as Walter De Ville
*Stephanie Corneliussen as Viktoria
*Alana Boden as Lucy
* Courtney Taylor as Grace
*Hugh Skinner as Oliver Alexander
*Sean Pertwee as Mr. Field
==Production==
Plans for the film, then titled The Bride and described as "the story of a young woman who attends a lavish destination wedding, unaware of the horrors that await" was announced in 2020. The film's script was written by Blair Butler, who drew inspiration from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Jessica M. Thompson made revisions to the script. Nathalie Emmanuel was confirmed as the film's star and Emile Gladstone was named as The Bride's producer. Garrett Hedlund was initially brought on to portray Walter but withdrew from filming. He was later replaced by Thomas Doherty. Other actors confirmed as performing in the movie were Alana Boden and Hugh Skinner.
Filming was slated to take place in Budapest, Hungary during September 2021.
==Release==
The film was theatrically released in the United States on August 26, 2022.
===Box office===
, The Invitation has grossed $8.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $1.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $9.7 million.
In the United States and Canada, The Invitation was released alongside Three Thousand Years of Longing and Breaking. The film made $2.6 million on its first day (including $775,000 from Thursday night previews) and grossed $6.8 million from 3,114 theaters on its opening weekend. It was the lowest-grossing film to top the box office since Spiral ($4.5 million) in May 2021.
===Critical response===
 Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale.
===Trailer===
THE INVITATION – Official Trailer (HD)
==References==
==External links==
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Category:2022 films
Category:2022 horror thriller films
Category:American horror thriller films
Category:Dracula films
Category:Screen Gems films
Category:2020s English-language films
Category:2022 American films
Category:2022 in film