Whistle Horror Movie Director Reveals Why the Film’s Deaths Are So Intense and Unique

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Horror fans will want to check out Shudder’s new movie, Whistle. It’s a creatively violent film where things go terribly wrong for the characters. The story centers on Chrys, played by Dafne Keen (known for Deadpool and Wolverine), a new student with a difficult history. Her first week at school takes a dark turn when she finds an ancient Aztec death whistle hidden in her locker.

She doesn’t realize it yet, but the sound of that whistle marks anyone who hears it as a target for a supernatural power. This force causes their death to happen much sooner than it naturally would. Sophie Nélisse plays Ellie, Chrys’s love interest and a central part of the film’s emotional core, alongside co-star Keen.

TopMob interviewed Corin Hardy, the director of Whistle, who hinted that the movie features “a lot of different and impactful deaths.” He explained that he aimed for each death to feel unique and represent a different style of horror. Hardy also shared that he prefers practical effects, wanting everything to appear realistic and happen naturally within the shot.

Sophie Nélisse, known for her role in Yellowjackets, discussed with Russ Milheim from TopMob how the arrival of Chrys affected her character. Nélisse explained that at the beginning of the film, her character, Ellie, had become disconnected from what truly brought her joy. She believes meeting Chrys will fundamentally challenge Ellie’s worldview. Nélisse also noted that when they’re together, they inspire each other and help each other grow.

More of the interview can be read below. Whistle lands in theaters on February 6, 2026.

Each Death In ‘Whistle’ Plays Into a Different Sub-Genre of Horror

“There Was a Real Variety and Number of Perishments In This Movie…”

  • TopMob: “Corin, as I was mentioning earlier, the movie does level up kind of what death scenes can accomplish in a horror movie. As much as you can, can you talk about just the practical challenges of making such violent and creative deaths a reality?”

Corin Hardy explained that the movie featured a wide range of deaths, and he intentionally made each one unique. He didn’t want to repeat any horror tropes, aiming instead for each death to feel like a distinct subgenre experience. He prioritized practical effects – like prosthetics, animatronics, and puppetry, using real performers and contortionists whenever possible – and then supplemented those with visual effects only as needed.

I really prefer using real, physical effects whenever possible, and I want everything to feel grounded and happen naturally within the scene. I don’t want the audience to feel like they’ve been dropped into a completely computer-generated world. I aim for a sense of realism and tangibility, and while practical effects are a priority, the best results come from combining them with visual effects. Many of the action sequences, therefore, use a blend of both.

Whistle Has a Special Romance at Its Core

“Chrys Is Such a Breath of Fresh Air for Ellie.”

  • TopMob: “When Dafne Keen’s Chyrs walks into Ellie’s life, everything changes. Can you talk about how her introduction fundamentally changes Ellie, and also how their relationship is a breath of fresh air to the horror genre?”

As a film fan, I’ve been thinking about Sophie Nélisse’s character, Ellie, and I find her really fascinating. She’s always known exactly what she wants and has been driven to achieve it her whole life. But I think, and this is just my take, that she’s been so focused on her goals that she’s forgotten what truly makes her happy and what brings her joy. She’s maybe been a little too hard on herself, and lost touch with what really makes her feel alive.

I believe meeting Chrys will significantly challenge everything Ellie believes. Chrys is incredibly authentic and doesn’t worry about what others think, even having a bit of a rebellious streak. This is quite different from Ellie, who generally tries to please everyone.

I believe these characters really help each other shine, highlighting each other’s best qualities. This dynamic becomes the core of the movie. You need Chrys’s boldness and rebellious spirit to pull off the hospital break-in, find the documents, and even confront the priest. But you also need Ellie’s calm and level-headedness to navigate difficult and stressful situations.

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2026-02-05 00:37