In 2024, the film “Tarot” brought supernatural horror to the big screen, directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg in their first feature film. Co-written with Nicholas Adams, “Tarot” is inspired by Adams’s 1992 novel “Horrorscope.” The movie features a talented cast including Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika, Wolfgang Novogratz, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, Olwen Fouéré, and Jacob Batalon.
The story revolves around a group of college students who face gruesome fates after using a mysterious Tarot deck and must uncover its secrets before it’s too late.
Tarot Plot Summary
A group of college friends – Haley, Grant, Paxton, Paige, Madeline, Lucas, and Elise – rent a mansion in the Catskills for Elise’s birthday. Amid the tension following Haley and Grant’s recent breakup, they find an old Tarot deck in the basement. Haley reads their horoscopes using the deck: Elise gets The High Priestess, Lucas gets The Hermit, Madeline gets The Hanged Man, Paige and Paxton get The Magician and The Fool respectively, and Grant receives The Devil. Haley’s own reading reveals the Death card.
Back on campus, Elise is brutally killed by a monstrous figure resembling The High Priestess. Lucas meets a similar fate at a train station, attacked by a spectral Hermit. The group realizes the Tarot readings are linked to the deaths and seek help from Alma Astron, an occult expert. Alma reveals that the deck belonged to an 18th-century astrologer who cursed the cards after a tragedy. To stop the killings, the friends must destroy the deck.
While driving back to the mansion, Madeline is killed by The Hanged Man. Paxton, terrified, flees back to campus but is pursued by The Fool. Haley, Grant, and Paige return to the mansion and attempt to burn the cards but fail. They call Alma for assistance, but she is killed by The Six of Swords during a summoning ritual.
In a final confrontation, Paige is sawed in half by The Magician. Haley, realizing she must read the astrologer’s horoscope to end the curse, draws the Death card. By accepting her own grief over her mother’s death, Haley releases the astrologer’s spirit, burning the deck and ending the curse. Haley and Grant reconcile, and they reunite with Paxton, who survived his encounter with The Fool.
Tarot Film Cast
- Harriet Slater as Haley
- Adain Bradley as Grant
- Jacob Batalon as Paxton
- Avantika as Paige
- Humberly González as Madeline
- Wolfgang Novogratz as Lucas
- Larsen Thompson as Elise
- Olwen Fouéré as Alma
Production Details
The production of “Horrorscope” was first reported in June 2022, with Jacob Batalon, Alana Boden, and Avantika Vandanapu joining the cast. Directed and written by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, the film is based on Nicholas Adams’s 1992 novel. Scott Glassgold, Leslie Morgenstein, and Elysa Koplovitz Dutton produced the film through Ground Control and Alloy Entertainment, with Screen Gems also involved in production. The film was later renamed “Tarot” in January 2024.
Film Release and Performance
Originally set for release on June 28, 2024, “Tarot” was moved to May 3, 2024. The film grossed $18.4 million in the United States and Canada and $27 million in other territories, totaling $45.4 million worldwide. During its opening weekend, “Tarot” earned $6.3 million, finishing fourth. It continued to perform modestly in the following weekends.
Critical Reception
“Tarot” received generally negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 10% of 53 reviews were positive, with an average rating of 4.2/10. Metacritic assigned the film a score of 36 out of 100, indicating “generally unfavorable” reviews. Audience response was also lukewarm, with CinemaScore giving it a “D–” grade and PostTrak reporting a 39% overall positive score.
Supernatural Horror Film
“Tarot” (2024) is a chilling supernatural horror film that explores the dark consequences of meddling with the unknown. Despite its negative critical reception, the film offers a suspenseful and eerie narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The story of a cursed Tarot deck bringing doom to its users serves as a haunting reminder of the perils that lurk in the shadows of the supernatural.
Third Party Links
