Can you feel a “Presence?”
The new haunted house thriller from director Steven Soderbergh and writer David Koepp, who last collaborated on 2022’s pandemic-era thriller “KIMI,” stars Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan (who starred in Soderbergh’s brilliant, short-lived period medical drama “The Knick”) and Callina Liang, with a notably chaotic cameo from Julia Fox as a realtor. It premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival to a rapturous response and is now ready for consumption by the masses.
But how do you watch “Presence” anyway? Read on to find out.
When does “Presence” come out?
“Presence” will be released on Jan. 24.
Is “Presence” streaming or in theaters?
“Presence” is being released theatrically by Neon. That’s a good thing. This is the kind of movie you want to see with a bunch of strangers. You can all partake in the symphony of screams!
Who is in the “Presence” cast?
Sullivan, Liu and Liang are the main players in “Presence,” along with the aforementioned Fox appearance, which is worth the price of admission alone. This is a very small, contained movie with a very small, contained cast.
What is “Presence” about?
“Presence” follows a family who has just moved into a beautiful craftsman house. But almost from the day they put their stuff down, there seems to be an otherworldly spirit present. The family’s teenage daughter (Liang) seems particularly in tune with the presence. But why? What is the ghost trying to tell her? And should she heed its warnings?
What makes “Presence” so unique?
Well, what makes “Presence” interesting is that, yes, it is a haunted house movie and, yes, each of the family members have their own issues and secrets. These things we have seen before, in movies ranging from “Poltergeist” to “Insidious.” But what makes “Presence” unique is the fact that it is told from the ghost’s point-of-view, meaning the camera drifts around the house, spying on the family members and generally making itself known. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before in the genre – or anywhere else, really.
Does Steven Soderbergh have anything else coming out soon?
He does! Soderbergh has the upcoming spy thriller “Black Bag” starring Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Pierce Brosnan and Regé-Jean Page. It comes out on March 14, courtesy of Focus Features. We’ll be back soon to tell you about that one, no doubt. And he’s currently in production on “The Christophers,” a dark comedy written by Ed Solomon and starring Ian McKellen, James Corden and Michaela Coel. We wouldn’t be surprised, given the filmmaker’s speed, to see that before the end of the year as well.
