The horror genre is evolving - and it has become much more than just a weirdly-written tale of spooks, jump scares and horrors. The Finnish body horror filmHatchingis a testament to that, and debuted at the Sundance International Film Festival in January 2022, garnering widespread acclaim. Directed byHanna Bergholmand written byIlja Rautsi, the film is a vicious satire of online culture, mocking the stark differences between real and reel life. However,Hatchingstretches it to the extreme, the thin fabric of normalcy gets tainted with blood and gore by the end of the film, making it a must-watch for body horror fanatics.
What makesHatchingstand out amongst movies of a similar genre is its simple yet thought-provoking story. The monstrosity that hatches from the mysterious huge egg, though terrifying, makes you feel sympathetic at times. The practical effects are enhanced by CGI and look near perfect, bringing out the creepiness of the whole situation in the film, while also addressing the trials of girlhood, the expectations many women face, and how the two relate to each other.
TheHatchingis gearing up for a release in the US, so let’s sum up everything we know so far about the body horror flick and hope that it lives up to your “eggspectations.”
Related:‘Hatching’ Review: Finnish Creature Feature Revels in the Horrors of Girlhood and Cracking Under Eggpectations | Sundance 2022
Watch the Hatching Trailer
The trailer, which was released in January earlier this year, captures the ominous feeling of dread right from the beginning, even when things look seemingly normal. The aerial clip of the family home is reminiscent of films likeThe Conjuring, and prepares the audience for what’s to come. The camera pans inside the house, and you see a short moment of family bonding filled with laughter and cheer as they take a video of themselves on the couch. But things escalate from 0 to 100 in the next few seconds. A bird flies in, spooks the little girl (who also happens to be the protagonist of the story), and causes mayhem in a classic Hitchcockian fashion. The mother gets up and kills the bird, indicating there is more to the family than it seems. In the next panel, we see the girl kind of being called to the woods nearby, where she finds a strange egg. Believing it to be the egg of the bird her mother killed earlier, she begins to tend to it, and what hatches from inside it becomes the stuff of a nightmare, not just for the family but the audience as well. The background tune plays “Hush Little Baby, Don’t Say a Word,” which not only enhances the overall creepiness of the trailer, but also hints at the underlying theme of motherhood that plays a vital role in the story.
When Is Hatching Releasing in the US?
Hatchingfirst premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on July 26, 2025, where it garnered a lot of praise for its original content and practical effects, along with delivering a social message. The film was later released in Finland on June 29, 2025, with the namePahanhautoja(Evil Graves). Following a moderate success at the Finnish domestic box office,Hatchingis coming to the US theaters on April 29 before releasing on VOD on May 17. In preparation for the Finnish film’s release,IFC Filmshas droppeda new posterthat hauntingly teases the film’s story.
What Is the Story of Hatching?
The official synopsis of the film states that:
In Hatching, 12-year-old gymnast, Tinja is desperate to please her image-obsessed mother, whose popular blog ‘Lovely Everyday Life’ presents their family’s idyllic existence as manicured suburban perfection. One day, after finding a wounded bird in the woods, Tinja brings its strange egg home, nestles it in her bed, and nurtures it until it hatches. The creature that emerges becomes her closest friend and a living nightmare, plunging Tinja beneath the impeccable veneer into a twisted reality that her mother refuses to see. Hatching is a fascinating portrait of the nature of maternal instinct, as Tinja battles to come to terms with the genuine emotional bond with her grotesque and bloodthirsty newfound family while contending with the fraying connection to her own demanding mother.
When it comes to the overall spookiness,Hatchingreminds you of several notable horror movies from the past, including the avian terror fromAlfred Hitchcock’sThe Birds, the practical effects as amazing as the cinematic realms ofGuillermo del Toro, and the complex psychology of motherhood as inAndy Muschietti’s filmMama, while staying different from all of them. It plays an unnerving symphony that revels in the horrors of girlhood and how young teenagers often crack under the pressure of demanding parents. Young Tinja goes through all that, and her need for a loving maternal figure manifests in her own care for the egg she finds, hoping to fill a void she felt no one else can fill.
Related:‘Hatching’ Trailer Reveals the Disturbing Bird Terrors Coming to Sundance
Who Is In the Cast of Hatching?
Hatchinghas a mix of new and experienced talent, all of whose performances have been applauded by the critics and the audience at the Sundance International Film Festival alike.Jani Kristian Volanen, who has appeared in more than fifty TV and movie productions such asForbidden Fruit, plays the role of the dreadfully dull father of the family.Sophia Heikkiläportrays the demanding and ruthless video-blogger mother and has previously appeared in shows likeSyke(2020). The newcomer,Siiri Solalinna, plays the dual role of Tinja (the daughter) and Alli (the avian monster), and is the protagonist of the story. Solalinna’s impeccable performance as both the frail and meek daughter and the evil doppelgänger simply blew away the critics, who were impressed by her range of acting skills. Tinja’s younger brother Matias is portrayed by the youngOiva Ollila.Hatchingis Ollila’s first film as well, and he does a great job at playing an annoying little brother.Reino Nordinhas been cast as the handsome widower Tero, who has a secret affair with their mother.
The film is directed byHanna Bergholmand co-produced byMika Ritalahti,Niko Ritalahti, andNima Yousefi. The screenplay by Ilja Rautsi carefully decorates the pieces on the board and then sets them in motion as the characters react to extreme emotional and mental trauma. Hatching’s practical and special effects have been designed by some of the best artists in the world, who gave the film its nefarious monster and the background an eerie atmosphere.Gustav Hoegen, who has previously worked on the practical creature effects of severalStar Warsfilms, was employed as the animatronics supervisor. Hatching’s SFX makeup head,Conor O’Sullivan, has an Oscar nomination to his name for shapingHeath Ledger’s Joker’s appearance inThe Dark Knight.
