Joseph Gordon-Levitt is heading back into horror for the first time in nearly three decades, with the unsettling first teaser for Pendulum now offering a glimpse at what looks to be a seriously disturbing new thriller.
Released by Vertical, the teaser introduces Pendulum as the feature directorial debut of Mark Heyman, the screenwriter best known for co-writing Darren Aronofsky’s acclaimed psychological thriller Black Swan. Aronofsky is also on board as a producer.
The film follows married couple Patrick and Abigail, played by Gordon-Levitt and Phoebe Dynevor, who travel to a secluded new-age retreat in New Mexico following a traumatic event. Hoping the retreat can help them heal, the couple soon find themselves questioning exactly what they have become involved in.
Patrick becomes increasingly suspicious of the retreat’s mysterious leader, played by Jacki Weaver, while Abigail becomes more deeply drawn into the group and its unconventional beliefs. As the couple become increasingly isolated, their search for healing begins to take a much darker turn.
The teaser immediately establishes an eerie atmosphere, with Patrick and Abigail participating in one of the retreat’s spiritual sessions before a series of increasingly unsettling images hints that something is seriously wrong. An ominous voice speaks about the interconnectedness of life before delivering the chilling warning that there is “no such thing as death.”
Rather than revealing too much of the story, the footage leaves plenty of questions surrounding the retreat and the strange practices taking place there. The film appears to blend psychological horror with supernatural and folk-horror elements, creating an atmosphere where it becomes increasingly difficult to determine what is real and what isn’t.
For Gordon-Levitt, Pendulum represents a long-awaited return to the horror genre. His last horror movie was Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, released in 1998, when the actor was just 17 years old. He went on to star in films including 10 Things I Hate About You, Inception, Looper and The Dark Knight Rises, making his return to horror particularly notable.
Heyman wrote and directed Pendulum from his own screenplay. Alongside Gordon-Levitt and Dynevor, the cast includes Jacki Weaver, Norman Reedus, Anna Deavere Smith and Jena Malone. The film is produced by Darren Aronofsky, Jacob Jaffke, Dave Caplan and Heyman.
Pendulum has already received an R rating from the MPA for strong and bloody violent content, sexuality, drug use, nudity and language.
Vertical will release Pendulum exclusively in theaters on January 1, 2027.
With its unsettling premise, mysterious retreat and a cast led by Gordon-Levitt and Dynevor, Pendulum could be one of the more intriguing horror releases arriving at the beginning of next year.
