Davika Hoorne and director Banjong Pisanthanakun are back together for a new Thai horror film called Inherit. The movie will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 14, 2026, in the festival’s Centrepiece program. This marks the first time the actress and director have worked together since their record-breaking 2013 film Pee Mak.
The film is based on the famous Thai horror novel Tayard Asoon (translated as The Demon’s Heir), written by Thep Chumsai Na Ayutthaya and first published in 1991. The story has been adapted for television before, but this is the first time it is being made into a feature film.
What Is Inherit About
Inherit follows the Manasvanich family, a wealthy Thai family whose perfect life starts to fall apart when a relative they have not seen in decades suddenly shows up at their door. Davika Hoorne plays Woranart, a grandmother who is over 80 years old but still looks like a young woman. She disappeared 50 years ago and has now returned home looking exactly the same as the day she left.
Woranart is not back for a happy family reunion. She is the host of an ancient centipede spirit that wants to pass its curse onto her 18-year-old granddaughter, Oui, played by Baipor Thitiya Jirapornsilp. The TIFF program describes the film as a psychological thriller where beauty and youth are traits that should expire, but Grandma Woranart seems to be an exception. Unnatural deaths follow her wherever she goes, and it becomes clear she has a plan for her visit: to find a new body for the demon inside her.
The Reunion Fans Have Been Waiting For
Banjong Pisanthanakun and Davika Hoorne first worked together on Pee Mak, a horror-comedy that became the highest-grossing Thai film of all time. It was also the first Thai movie to sell more than 10 million tickets in Thailand. Davika played Mae Nak in that film. The new project brings them together again after more than a decade.
Davika says this role pushed her in a different way than her previous horror work. “Horror isn’t new to me, but ‘Inherit’ was a real shift,” she said. “Playing this centuries-old demon matriarch felt much more layered. I had to capture the weight of her memories, not just her scare factor. It became all about subtle signals — a glance, a pause. It was demanding, but immensely rewarding”.
Banjong said the locations were very important for building the right mood. For the family’s mansion, the team used three real locations plus a sound stage to create one single setting that matched the exact atmosphere he wanted.
Cast and Crew Details
The film stars Davika Hoorne as Woranart, Baipor Thitiya Jirapornsilp as Oui, Sinjai Plengpanich as Sutadoung, and Warattaya Nilkuha as Nun Saengboon. Other cast members include Trin Settachoke, Phakin Kuna-anuvit, and Chayanon Phakphatin.
The screenplay was written by Banjong Pisanthanakun, Thamsatid Charoenrittichai, and Chantavit Dhanasevi. Chantavit Dhanasevi, who also appeared in Pee Mak as one of Mak’s friends, married Davika Hoorne in November 2025. The film is produced by GDH 559 in collaboration with TOFU FILMS. The movie runs for 128 minutes.
International Sales and Release Plans
South Korea’s Barunson E&A, the studio behind the Oscar-winning film Parasite, is handling international sales for Inherit outside of Asia. This covers North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. This is the first time GDH 559 and Barunson E&A have worked together on a project.
The film has already secured distribution deals in many countries ahead of its Toronto premiere. GDH559 is handling sales across Asia, while Barunson E&A covers the rest of the world. The deals include:
- Japan: Synca
- Singapore: Golden Village
- Taiwan: Vie Vision
- Indonesia: Pt Falcon
- Philippines: Pioneer Films
- Vietnam: Mockingbird Pictures
- Laos: Napha Media
- Malaysia, Brunei, Myanmar: Purple Plan
- South Korea, Australia, New Zealand: K-Movie Entertainment
- Latin America: Impacto Cine
- Poland: Media4fun
The film will open in Thai theaters on November 19, 2026. International release dates for other regions have not been announced yet. The film will also screen at the Busan International Film Festival on October 11, 2026, as part of the Open Cinema lineup.
What the Director Says About Thai Horror
Banjong Pisanthanakun shared his thoughts on why Thai horror connects with people around the world. “Thai people are obsessed with ghost stories,” he said. “It seems in our DNA. If Japan has manga and Korea has webtoons, Thailand has call-in ghost stories programs. It’s really become our modern cultural heritage”.
He also noted that Thai cinema is growing beyond just ghost stories on the international stage, pointing to films like How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, Bad Genius, and Death Whisperer as proof that Thai films are finding audiences well beyond the horror genre.
For Inherit, he said the story had been on his mind since childhood. “At its core, it’s a story about power, legacy, and the darkness we inherit,” he said. “It’s a Thai story but told with the scale and sophistication that international audiences crave”.
Related:
Early Reactions
The first trailer for Inherit was released in August 2026 and quickly caused a lot of buzz on social media in Thailand. Fans reacted strongly to the first look at Davika Hoorne as Grandma Woranart and the film’s chilling atmosphere. Davika herself said the trailer only showed about 1% of what the film has to offer.
Early reviews from TIFF describe Davika Hoorne’s performance as the standout element of the film. One review from Bloody Disgusting noted that “Hoorne is doing exceptional work as the film’s vampy femme fatale” and that “the film is worth seeking out for Hoorne alone”.
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on the biggest movies, festivals, and stars from around the world.
Leave a Reply