Cuckoo (2024) by Tilman Singer

“Cuckoo (2024)” is a German-American horror film directed and written by Tilman Singer. Known for his unique and unsettling style, Singer plunges viewers into a disorienting tale set in the German Alps, blending elements of creature feature, body horror, thriller, and family drama to explore themes of identity, belonging, and the horrors of biological imperative.

“Cuckoo” follows seventeen-year-old Gretchen, who reluctantly moves with her father and his new family to a resort town in the German Alps following her mother’s death. As she struggles to adjust to her new surroundings and her fractured family dynamic, Gretchen is plagued by strange noises, disturbing visions, and the eerie behavior of her father’s enigmatic boss, Herr König. Her unsettling experiences escalate into a terrifying fight for survival as she uncovers a sinister secret connected to the resort and a mysterious, predatory presence that seems to have a horrifying agenda involving her family.

After the death of her mother, a grieving Gretchen is uprooted from her life in America and moves to the German Alps with her father, Luis, her stepmother, Beth, and her mute half-sister, Alma. They take up residence at a resort overseen by the peculiar Herr König, who offers Gretchen a job to help her acclimatize. Almost immediately, Gretchen senses that something is deeply wrong. She observes female guests exhibiting strange symptoms, including violent vomiting. Her half-sister, Alma, suffers debilitating seizures triggered by an unsettling, high-pitched shriek. Gretchen herself is terrorized during a bike ride by a hooded figure, an encounter dismissed by local police.

She crosses paths with Henry, a detective investigating a murder potentially linked to the hooded woman. Gretchen also forms a connection with a hotel guest named Ed, contemplating running away with her. Henry reveals his theory that the hooded woman is responsible for at least one death by forced emesis. He suspects a connection to the vomiting women Gretchen observed. During a stakeout, the hooded woman attacks Gretchen’s coworker, attempting to implant her with a strange, viscous substance.

Growing increasingly suspicious, Gretchen confronts her father and König about their involvement with the resort. During the confrontation, König inadvertently exposes a package containing items belonging to Gretchen’s deceased mother. Luis confesses to selling their family home, enraging Gretchen, who retreats with the package. Listening to her mother’s old answering machine messages, she hears a text-to-speech message from Alma, pleading with Gretchen’s mother to contact Gretchen to make her happy. When Gretchen emerges, her family is gone, and König tells her Alma was taken to the hospital after another seizure.

At the hospital, König reveals the shocking truth: Henry is a discredited police officer, and the hooded woman is not human but a member of a near-human species that practices brood parasitism, similar to cuckoo birds. These creatures use their sonic shrieks to disorient humans and accelerate the development of their young, which are implanted within human surrogates and raised until ready to rejoin their biological mothers. König has been secretly experimenting with preserving this species at the resort, where, years prior, Beth and Luis unknowingly stayed during their honeymoon. König traps Gretchen in a pool house and summons an adolescent cuckoo specimen with a flute. The creature attempts to inseminate her with its slime. Henry arrives, shooting König and killing the creature.

Henry and Gretchen race to the hospital, where König intended to reunite Alma with her biological cuckoo mother (the hooded woman). Gretchen realizes Henry plans to kill both the adult cuckoo and Alma. Desperate to save her half-sister, Gretchen stabs Henry. She reaches Alma and momentarily fends off the cuckoo mother by feigning a threat to stab Alma. Alma, misunderstanding, flees, pursued by her biological mother. Gretchen follows and, using headphones to muffle the screeching, stabs the cuckoo mother, killing her. Gretchen reunites with Alma, regaining her trust by thanking her for the message on her mother’s answering machine. The film concludes with the fates of the injured König and Henry uncertain, locked in a standoff.

“Cuckoo” centers on Gretchen, a teenager who moves to a German Alps resort with her new stepfamily after her mother’s death. Troubled by strange occurrences, including her half-sister’s seizures and encounters with a mysterious hooded woman, Gretchen begins to suspect a sinister plot orchestrated by her father’s boss, Herr König. She discovers that the hooded figure is part of a parasitic, non-human species that implants its young in human hosts. As the danger escalates, Gretchen must confront these creatures and the shocking truth about her family’s connection to the resort to protect herself and her half-sister.

Director Tilman Singer aimed to create a horror film that is both viscerally unsettling and thematically rich, blending genres and tones to achieve a unique sense of unease and absurdity. He intentionally mixes horror, thriller, sci-fi, and even moments of dark humor to keep the audience off-balance. Singer is interested in exploring primal fears and biological imperatives through the lens of a coming-of-age story. His vision involves creating a world of crooked perspectives and uncanny visuals, utilizing atmospheric cinematography and production design to enhance the feeling of disorientation and underlying horror. He sought strong performances from his lead actors to ground the bizarre narrative, allowing for nuanced portrayals of anxiety, rebellion, and unexpected care amidst the chaos. Singer has mentioned wanting to grapple with themes of compulsory procreation and societal expectations through the film’s central conflict involving the cuckoo creatures.

• Identity and Belonging: Gretchen’s struggle to fit in with her new family and adapt to a foreign environment is central. The film explores her search for identity amidst displacement and her eventual fierce protectiveness of her half-sister, forging a new sense of belonging.

• Family and Disintegration: The film depicts a fractured family unit struggling with grief and the introduction of new members. The sinister plot at the resort further tests and ultimately shatters their fragile dynamic, forcing Gretchen to forge her own path.

• Body Horror and Biological Imperative: The concept of parasitic reproduction and implantation within human hosts serves as a central element of body horror. The film explores the unsettling idea of one species utilizing another for procreation, highlighting primal fears related to the body and its involuntary functions.

• Patriarchy and Control: The character of Herr König embodies a controlling and manipulative patriarchal figure who seeks to exert power over both humans and the cuckoo species, manipulating biological processes for his own agenda. Some interpretations also connect the cuckoos’ forced reproduction to societal pressures on women regarding procreation.

• Trauma and Grief: Gretchen is processing the recent death of her mother, and this underlying trauma influences her reactions and isolation. The film subtly touches upon how unresolved grief can manifest and impact an individual’s perception of the world.

• Coming-of-Age: Set against a horrifying backdrop, the film follows Gretchen’s reluctant transition into adulthood. Her experiences at the resort force her to confront uncomfortable truths, make difficult decisions, and ultimately find her own strength and independence.

• Unique and Unsettling Concept: The film’s blend of horror subgenres and its central, bizarre premise involving parasitic creatures sets it apart from more conventional horror films, attracting viewers seeking something original.

• Strong Lead Performance: Hunter Schafer’s portrayal of Gretchen has been widely praised for its depth, authenticity, and ability to anchor the film’s chaotic events. Her performance captures the angst of a teenager while also conveying resilience.

• Distinctive Direction and Style: Tilman Singer’s confident and unconventional directing, coupled with striking cinematography and production design, creates a palpable sense of unease and visual interest that enhances the horror elements.

• Effective Atmosphere: The setting of the isolated resort in the German Alps, combined with the eerie sound design and visual style, contributes to a strong, unsettling atmosphere that permeates the film.

• Memorable Supporting Performance: Dan Stevens’ portrayal of Herr König has been highlighted as a charismatic and unsettling villain, adding a layer of compelling menace to the narrative.

“Cuckoo” is a horror film by Tilman Singer about a teenager named Gretchen who moves to a German Alps resort with her new family and uncovers a horrifying secret involving a parasitic species. The film blends horror, sci-fi, and thriller elements, exploring themes of identity, family dysfunction, and biological horror, anchored by a strong lead performance from Hunter Schafer.

“Cuckoo (2024)” has received several accolades and nominations:

• Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (2024): Won in the International Competition category.

• GLAAD Media Awards (36th Annual, 2025): Nominated for Outstanding Film – Wide Release.

• Independent Spirit Awards (40th Annual, 2025): Hunter Schafer nominated for Best Lead Performance.

• Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (23rd, 2024): Nominated for Best Feature Film.

• South by Southwest (SXSW) (2024): Nominated in the Narrative Spotlight category.

• Golden Trailer Awards (2024): Nominated for Best Horror.

• Raindance Film Festival (2024): Nominated for Best International Feature.

• Music + Sound Awards (2024): Will Quiney and William Arcane won for Best Original Composition in a Film Trailer.

• North Carolina Film Critics Association (2025): Hunter Schafer nominated for the Ken Hanke Memorial Tar Heel Award.

• Queerty Awards (2025): Hunter Schafer nominated for Film Performance.

• Preis der deutschen Filmkritik (German Film Critics Award) (2025): Paul Faltz nominated for Best Cinematography.

“Cuckoo (2024)” has received generally positive reviews from critics.

• Rotten Tomatoes: Holds a “Certified Fresh” rating with 78% of 176 critics’ reviews being positive, with an average rating of 6.6/10. The consensus states: “Directed with inventive flair by Tilman Singer while given flavorful personality by stars Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens, Cuckoo is a madcap madhouse horror that’s on the right side of deranged.”

• Metacritic: 1  Assigned a weighted average score of 62 out of 100 based on critic reviews, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”   

• IMDb User Reviews: User reviews are more mixed, with an average rating often around 6/10. Some users found the film unique and unsettling, praising the concept and lead performance. Others felt the plot became confusing or silly in the later stages and that the tone was inconsistent.

• Digital Trends: Describes the film as an “admirably offbeat horror thriller,” praising Tilman Singer’s sharp direction, Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens’ performances, and Paul Faltz’s cinematography, but notes a “lackluster central mystery” and a “messy third act.”

• Rendy Reviews: Calls it a “Nutty German-set Horror” and highlights Hunter Schafer’s stunning performance, noting that while there’s “a lot going on,” audiences willing to “roll with it will be rewarded.”

• The Scariest Things: Reviewed it from the Overlook Film Festival, calling it a “rollicking original story” and an “amusing, often humorous, and action packed memorable thrill ride,” while acknowledging some confusing plot threads.

• Fantasia 2024 Coverage (Sunshine State Cineplex): Describes the film as a “Harrowing Display of Patriarchal Power,” praising its willingness to embrace absurdity, Singer’s incredible images, and Schafer’s tour-de-force performance, but finds the exposition “dense chunks” and the screenplay “weighty.”

Overall Summary of Critics Reception: Critics generally appreciate “Cuckoo” for its originality, unique blend of genres, and Tilman Singer’s distinctive directorial style. Hunter Schafer’s lead performance and Dan Stevens’ supporting role are frequently lauded. While some critics found the plot to become muddled or the tone inconsistent in the latter half, the film is widely seen as a successful and memorable entry in contemporary horror, particularly for its unsettling atmosphere and thematic depth. The film’s reception at festivals also indicates a strong appreciation within the genre community.

(Summaries of review sentiments from various sources, as specific full reviews are not provided):

• Rotten Tomatoes & Metacritic: Aggregate scores indicate a positive lean among professional critics, with praise for direction, performances, and the film’s unique nature, despite some reservations about the plot’s clarity.

• IMDb User Reviews: Reflect a more divided audience response, with some appreciating the film’s weirdness and horror elements, while others found it nonsensical or tonally inconsistent.

• Film Festival Coverage (e.g., Fantasia, Overlook): Reviews from these sources tend to be more enthusiastic about the film’s unconventionality, thematic ambition, and effective horror sequences, indicating strong support within the genre festival circuit.

• Film News and Review Sites (e.g., Digital Trends, Rendy Reviews): Highlight the film’s strengths in performance and atmosphere, while also noting potential weaknesses in plot coherence or pacing for some viewers.

Overall Summary of Reviews: “Cuckoo” is a divisive but generally well-regarded horror film among critics. Its unconventional approach and unique concept are frequently praised, as are the lead performances. While some reviewers found the narrative challenging to follow or the blend of tones jarring, the film’s artistic merit and unsettling atmosphere are widely acknowledged, particularly within the context of genre cinema.

“Cuckoo (2024)” had a modest box office performance. As of late 2024, its worldwide gross was approximately $6.5 – $6.7 million. The domestic box office accounted for the majority of this total, around $6.2 million, with an international gross of approximately $300,000 – $400,000. It had a limited release, opening in around 1,500 theaters in the United States. While not a blockbuster, its box office performance is considered reasonable for an independent horror film with a limited release.

“Cuckoo (2024)” is a co-production between Germany and the United States. The primary production companies involved are Fiction Park, Waypoint Entertainment, and Neon (who also served as the domestic distributor). The film received funding support from German film bodies, including the Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF), Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, and Hessen Film & Medien. The production involved creating the isolated resort setting in the German Alps and realizing the unique creature and body horror effects.

• Fiction Park

• Waypoint Entertainment

• Neon (United States)

• Neon (United States)

• Cine Canibal (Mexico)

• Dazzler Media (United Kingdom)

• Paradiz (Russia)

• Praesens-Film (Switzerland)

• (and other distributors in various territories)

“Cuckoo (2024)” had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2024. It was then released theatrically in the United States on August 9, 2024, and in Germany on August 29, 2024. The film also screened at various other international film festivals before and after its theatrical run.

• For Fans of Arthouse and Unconventional Horror: “Cuckoo” defies easy categorization, blending horror with sci-fi and thriller elements in a way that feels fresh and unexpected, making it a great recommendation for those tired of formulaic horror.

• Outstanding Lead Performance: Hunter Schafer delivers a captivating and deeply felt performance as Gretchen, making her a compelling protagonist to follow through the film’s bizarre events.

• Distinctive Directorial Style: Tilman Singer’s confident and visually striking direction creates a truly unsettling atmosphere and memorable sequences that linger long after viewing.

• Thought-Provoking Themes: Beyond the scares, the film delves into interesting themes of identity, family, and societal pressures, offering more than just surface-level horror.

• Unique Creature Concept: The film’s take on parasitic horror and the unsettling nature of the cuckoo creatures provides a fresh and disturbing addition to the horror landscape.

• Experience a Truly Original Horror Film: “Cuckoo” is praised for its originality and willingness to embrace its weirdness, offering a refreshing change of pace from mainstream horror releases.

• See Hunter Schafer Shine in a Lead Role: If you’re a fan of Hunter Schafer’s work, her central performance in “Cuckoo” is a must-watch, showcasing her range and ability to carry a film.

• Enjoy a Visually Striking and Atmospheric Film: The film’s setting, cinematography, and production design create a strong, eerie atmosphere that draws you into its unsettling world.

• Engage with a Film That Sparks Discussion: The film’s themes and ambiguous elements are likely to provoke thought and discussion after viewing.

• Support Independent and Director-Driven Cinema: Watching “Cuckoo” is a way to support independent filmmaking and a director with a unique artistic voice.

• Elevated Horror / Genre Blending: “Cuckoo” aligns with the trend of “elevated horror” or horror films that blend genres and prioritize atmosphere, thematic depth, and artistic style alongside scares. While not strictly “elevated” in the way some critically acclaimed dramas with horror elements are described, “Cuckoo” uses horror tropes to explore complex themes and features a distinct directorial vision, moving beyond simple jump scares. It also actively blends creature feature, sci-fi, and thriller elements.

• Critique of Compulsory Reproduction and Patriarchal Control: The film’s central biological horror tied to parasitic reproduction and the manipulative male character of Herr König can be interpreted as a critique of societal pressures around procreation and the historical and ongoing issue of patriarchal control over women’s bodies and reproductive rights. The film’s exploration of Gretchen’s resistance to her new, imposed family structure and her fight for bodily autonomy resonates with contemporary discussions about reproductive freedom and challenging traditional, heteronormative family structures.

“Cuckoo (2024)” is a daring and disorienting horror film that solidifies Tilman Singer’s reputation as a director with a singular vision. Anchored by a compelling performance from Hunter Schafer, the film successfully blends genres to create an unsettling and memorable experience. While its unconventional narrative and tonal shifts may not appeal to all viewers, its originality, thematic depth, and strong artistic execution make it a noteworthy entry in contemporary horror. It’s a film that embraces its weirdness and leaves a lasting impression.

• Embrace Genre Blending: “Cuckoo”‘s success lies partly in its willingness to mix horror, sci-fi, thriller, and drama. Filmmakers should feel empowered to experiment with genre conventions to create fresh and unpredictable narratives.

• Prioritize Atmosphere and Visual Style: Singer’s effective use of setting, cinematography, and production design demonstrates the power of atmosphere in horror. Filmmakers should invest in creating a strong visual and auditory world that enhances the film’s mood and themes.

• Focus on Strong Lead Performances: Hunter Schafer’s performance is a key anchor for the film. Casting talented actors who can embody complex characters is crucial, especially in films with unconventional or challenging premises.

• Explore Biological and Primal Fears: The film taps into deep-seated fears related to the body and reproduction. Filmmakers can find fertile ground in exploring primal anxieties through unique and metaphorical horror concepts.

• Don’t Be Afraid to Be Different: “Cuckoo” is unapologetically strange. Filmmakers should trust their unique artistic instincts and create films that stand out, even if they deviate from mainstream expectations.

• Support Director-Driven Genre Films: The industry should continue to support directors like Tilman Singer who have a distinct artistic vision and are pushing the boundaries of genre filmmaking. These films can find dedicated audiences and contribute to the evolution of cinema.

• Recognize the Value of Festival Buzz: “Cuckoo”‘s journey through the festival circuit helped build anticipation and critical recognition. The industry should leverage film festivals as crucial platforms for showcasing and launching independent and genre films.

• Invest in Marketing that Highlights Uniqueness: For a film as unconventional as “Cuckoo,” marketing campaigns that lean into its unique selling points – the bizarre concept, the director’s style, the lead performance – are essential to attract the right audience.

• Be Open to Distributing Films That Blend Tones: While tonal inconsistency can be a critique, films that successfully blend humor, horror, and drama can offer a richer viewing experience. Distributors should be open to supporting films that take these risks.

• Acknowledge the Thematic Depth in Horror: “Cuckoo”‘s exploration of social and biological themes demonstrates that horror can be both scary and intellectually engaging. The industry should recognize and promote horror films that offer more than just surface-level thrills.

“Cuckoo (2024)” is a bold, unsettling, and ultimately rewarding horror film from Tilman Singer. Its willingness to defy genre norms, coupled with a captivating performance from Hunter Schafer and a strong visual style, makes it a significant entry in the landscape of contemporary independent horror. While it may challenge some viewers with its unconventionality, its thematic depth and pervasive sense of unease solidify its place as a memorable and thought-provoking cinematic experience. “Cuckoo” is a testament to the power of a unique artistic vision in creating impactful genre cinema.