Missed the film in theaters? Abigail is now streaming on digital platforms!
Beneath all the bloody visuals and rapid-fire swear words, Radio Silence’s Abigail is a bittersweet tale of absent parental figures.
The titular vampire/ballerina (Matilda the Musical‘s Alisha Weir) feels abandoned by her own father (Watchmen‘s Matthew Goode), which has caused her to become cynical and callous over the countless centuries. Ambivalent kidnapper and ex-Army medic Joey (Scream‘s Melissa Barrera) represents the other side of the coin: she left her own son, Caleb, after developing a shameful drug addiction. By the end of the movie, however, both characters learn how to bridge the emotional gap with their estranged loved ones.
According to Barrera, she and co-directors Tyler Gillet and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin did film an alternate ending that merely underscored the completion of Joey’s character arc.
Abigail Star Melissa Barrera Reveals Alternate Ending; Talks Potential Sequel
Joey (Melissa Barrera) and Frank (Dan Stevens) appear in Abigail (2024). Photo: Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures
“We did record a call with my son in the van, so there was that option of him actually answering and Joey saying, ‘I’m coming home,'” the actress revealed during an interview with ScreenRant. “But I think the guys decided that we didn’t need it, because we had that big emotional call before, and because of the nature of the ending with Abigail and her dad coming in, it would have felt like a double beat,” Barrera continued. “I think we didn’t need it, and it’s just a bad[ass fight] then leave like that. Just be like, ‘We don’t know what’s gonna happen. Is she gonna go home? Did Abigail tell the truth that she’s going to turn into a vampire?’ Who knows?”
When asked about a potential sequel, Barrera reiterated her desire to become a vampire and mused on how modern de-aging technology might be used to keep Abigail looking young.
“The idea of a sequel for me was always exciting, because I want to be a vampire,” she said with a laugh. “That’s all I want in life, that’s all I want. So that was, for me, it was the thing, but I don’t know that we need one. And it will be actually really hard to do with Alisha, because technically, she can’t get any older, and she’s at that age where she is getting older. Not that you can’t do it with de-aging and CGI and all that stuff, but who knows? I’d definitely be open to coming back. I will work with Matt and Tyler whenever, wherever, for whatever project. So, if they were like, ‘Let’s make another,’ I’d be like, ‘Yeah, when? Let’s go back to Ireland.'”
Who Stars in Abigail?
How to Watch Abigail
Abigail is now available to rent and/or purchase via digital platforms like Vudu and Apple TV. The film is rated R for strong bloody violence and gore throughout, pervasive language and brief drug use.
Co-written by Stephen Shields (The Hold in the Ground) and Guy Busick (Scream VI), the movie holds a fresh score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein, Tripp Vinson, and Chad Villella served as producers. Ron Lynch was an executive producer.
