‘Jane Eyre’ Meets ‘American Psycho’ In This Unhinged New A24 Book Adaptation
Everyone loves a good period piece, and there's something to be said about the romance and whimsy of Jane Eyre-style period stories in particular. But while these tales are often lofty and low-stakes, A24's Victorian Psycho (2026) puts a twist on that you have to see to believe.
Based on a book by writer Virginia Feito, Victorian Psycho takes pieces of what we love most about period pieces, slashers, and horror in general to create something wholly unique and unhinged. With Maika Monroe leading the film, it brings a perfect balance of both beautiful and unhinged to make a slasher film that’s a must-watch on September 25th, 2026.
What Is ‘Victorian Psycho’ About?
Relatively new to the writing scene, Victorian Psycho is the second book by author Virginia Feito and was released in 2025. Before that, she also wrote Mrs. March in 2021. While both books were planned to be adapted to film, Victorian Psycho is the first film of hers to hit the big screen.
Feito also wrote the screenplay for Victorian Psycho, which follows a young woman named Winifred Notty who becomes a governess to children in a wealthy 19th-century family. With a plan for revenge, she lets her psychopathic tendencies shine amongst the children as she plans a slow revenge on her father, who happens to be the father of the children as well.
There's an unhinged quality to the story that doesn't aim to satirize the era's English gothic elements but instead uses them to tell a wonderfully twisted, modern-day-feeling story set in the past. With Backrooms (2026) showing that A24 isn't afraid ot take risks, it's a great horror follow-up that will likely turn heads when it hits theaters.
‘Victorian Psycho’ Pulls From Iconic Slasher Films to Make Something Special
A lot of what makes Victorian Psycho such a fun ride from the trailer alone is its ability to show how broken in the mind Winifred Notty is. It draws on the qualities of other iconic slashers, such as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960) and Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000).
When it comes to what made Norman so unhinged, it was that he never truly saw anything wrong in what he did; he was driven to do his actions by the broken relationship he had with his mother. Victorian Psycho shows something different but equally similar, as Winifred is instead driven to seek vengeance on a father who wasn't there for her.
To do this, she acts similarly to Patrick Bateman both in the narrative and to the audience. For us, she's talking about her next moves in a way that makes her seem completely in control of herself and the situation, just like Patrick.
In the film, though, we see her use her insanity to impact others by terrorizing them or breaking the family she's caring for apart. By leaning on the characters who wrote the metaphorical book on cinematic psychopathy, it makes the setting of 19th-century England even more fun.
Maika Monroe Continues Her Iconic Streak of Horror Films With ‘Victorian Psycho’
Maika Monroe has a stacked filmography as it stands, but another thing that can't be overstated is her devotion to the horror genre. From It Follows (2015) to Longlegs (2024), she has been exploring the various avenues that modern horror has to offer, with characters you can't help but want to learn more about.
She's also explored thrillers like Watcher (2022) and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025), which delve into more grounded forms of horror and showcase even more of her range. However, with Victorian Psycho, it's something completely new while also feeling familiar.
From the trailer, we can already see how, as Winifred, Monroe is embracing the insanity of her character and the dark enjoyment of terrorizing small children. Unlike Patrick Bateman, who wants us to see the sanity in his psychosis, Winifred is simply letting you know who she is, and if you can keep up, you're welcome to enjoy the ride.
This level of intensity is rare in horror from female leads, as the insane villains are almost always reserved for male actors. But with Victorian Psycho, it allows us to see Monroe embrace psychopathy with reckless abandon in a way even Norman Bates couldn't match, and that alone makes the film worth watching.
