Wikipedia

After the Hunt

After the Hunt
Theatrical release poster
Directed byLuca Guadagnino
Written byNora Garrett
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMalik Hassan Sayeed
Edited byMarco Costa
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • August 29, 2025 (2025-08-29) (Venice)
  • October 10, 2025 (2025-10-10) (United States)
Running time
139 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Italy
  • United States
LanguageEnglish

After the Hunt is a 2025 psychological thriller film directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Nora Garrett. Starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny, it follows Alma, a college professor caught in between a sexual abuse accusation involving one of her students and a colleague.

The film had its world premiere out of competition in the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2025, where it received mixed reviews from critics.[2] It was released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on October 10, 2025. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with Roberts' performance receiving high praise.[3][4]

Premise

[edit]

A college professor is forced to grapple with her own secretive past after one of her colleagues is faced with a serious accusation.[5]

Cast

[edit]
  • Julia Roberts as Alma Imhoff, a respected, well-liked professor at Yale University
  • Ayo Edebiri as Margaret "Maggie" Resnick, a young philosophy student and Alma's protégée
  • Andrew Garfield as Henrik "Hank" Gibson, Alma's colleague and close friend who is accused of assault
  • Michael Stuhlbarg as Frederik Imhoff, Alma's psychiatrist husband
  • Chloë Sevigny as Dr. Kim Sayers, the university's student liaison and Alma's friend
  • Burgess Byrd as Daphne Walgreens
  • Christine Dye as Patricia
  • Thaddea Graham as Katie
  • Ariyan Kassam as Peter
  • Lío Mehiel as Alex, a law student and Maggie's partner
  • Will Price as Arthur

Production

[edit]

In March 2024, it was announced that Julia Roberts was set to star in the film, with Luca Guadagnino set to direct.[6] In May, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri joined the cast,[7][8] Garfield desired to work with Guadagnino since the release of I Am Love.[9] In June, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny joined the cast.[10][11] Guadagnino cast Edebiri after seeing her in Bottoms (2023).[12]

Principal photography began in London and Cambridge University on July 6, 2024.[13][14] That same month, Lio Mehiel, Thaddea Graham, Will Price, Christine Dye, and Burgess Byrd joined the cast of the film. Filming wrapped on August 16, after six weeks of shooting.[15] Cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed shot the project on 35mm film, marking his return to a feature film production after 25 years.[16] Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross composed the score.[17]

Release

[edit]

The film had its world premiere in the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2025,[18] to be followed by its North American premiere as the opening film of the 63rd New York Film Festival in October 2025.[19] It opened in limited release in the United States on October 10, 2025, before expanding to wide release on October 17.[20][21]

It will be the first film from Amazon MGM Studios to be released internationally by Sony Pictures Releasing International following the conclusion of a four-year deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.[22]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 48% of 75 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "After the Hunt doesn't lack for fine performances, especially from a standout Julia Roberts, but its coy followthrough on incendiary themes makes for an uncharacteristically toothless provocation from director Luca Guadagnino."[23] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[24] Several critics praised Roberts' performance, calling it one of her best in years[25][26] and describing it as "superb" and a "monumental center" of the entire film.[27][28]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety praised the "urgent and provocative conversation piece" of the film, and noted that it "has been made with a fair amount of craft and intrigue”, but said, “it's also a weirdly muddled experience; a tale that's tense and compelling at times, but dotted with contrivances and too many vague unanswered questions".[29] Bilge Ebiri of Vulture wrote that "After the Hunt might be confused, and it might even be unsatisfying, but it also refuses to coddle anyone, and that feels like some sort of victory" because "[it] seems engineered to let each viewer see what they want in it, both the good and the bad".[30]

In a negative review Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote that "Luca Guadagnino misfires with this bafflingly overlong, overwrought #MeToo campus accusation drama", finding Garrett's screenwriting "worryingly muddled and contrived" and the characterisations "unfocused", which penalise the cast's acting skills.[31]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "After the Hunt (2025)". Irish Film Classification Office. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  2. ^ "Biennale Cinema 2025 | After the Hunt". La Biennale di Venezia. July 14, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  3. ^ Lodge, Guy (August 30, 2025). "Julia Roberts Delivers Her Best Performance Since 'Erin Brockovich' in 'After the Hunt'". Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  4. ^ Collin, Robbie (August 29, 2025). "Julia Roberts is back to her best in a devilish cancel culture thriller". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  5. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 26, 2024). "Hot Imagine Entertainment Package 'After The Hunt' From Writer Nora Garrett Lands At Amazon MGM Studios With Julia Roberts Starring And Luca Guadagnino Directing". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (March 26, 2024). "Julia Roberts to Star in Luca Guadagnino's Thriller 'After the Hunt'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 13, 2024). "Andrew Garfield To Co-Star Opposite Julia Roberts In Luca Guadagnino's Thriller After The Hunt For Imagine And Amazon MGM Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Grobar, Matt (May 22, 2024). "Ayo Edebiri Joins Amazon MGM's 'The Hunt' From Luca Guadagnino". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Perella, Vincent (September 6, 2024). "Andrew Garfield Shuts Down Rumors of Joining 'Spider-Man 4': 'People Will Just Say Anything to Get Clicks'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 3, 2024). "Michael Stuhlbarg Joins Julia Roberts In Luca Guadagnino's After The Hunt". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024.
  11. ^ Galuppo, Mia (June 4, 2024). "Chloë Sevigny Joins Julia Roberts in Luca Guadagnino Thriller 'After The Hunt'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "Ayo Edebiri & Luca Guadagnino on 'After the Hunt' & Their Creative Kinship". W Magazine. February 13, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  13. ^ Garner, Glenn (July 6, 2024). "Julia Roberts, Chloë Sevigny & Ayo Edebiri Begin Filming Luca Guadagnino's 'After The Hunt' In London". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024.
  14. ^ Spencer, Alex (July 11, 2024). "Julia Roberts Movie After The Hunt begins filming in Cambridge". Cambridge Independent. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 31, 2024). "Amazon MGM Studios Thriller 'After The Hunt' Rounds Out Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  16. ^ Desowitz, Bill (March 12, 2025). "20 Movies Shot on Film in 2025: Separate Safdie Brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  17. ^ Taylor, Drew (December 5, 2024). "Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to Score Luca Guadagnino's 'After the Hunt' | Exclusive". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  18. ^ "Venice Film Festival Screening Date". Objectif Festival. July 27, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  19. ^ Hayes, Dade (July 23, 2025). "Luca Guadagnino's 'After The Hunt' To Open New York Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  20. ^ Hirschberg, Lynn (February 13, 2025). "Ayo Edebiri Is Luca Guadagnino's Latest Cinematic Obsession". W Magazine. Archived from the original on February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  21. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (February 14, 2025). "Julia Roberts, Luca Guadagnino Thriller 'After the Hunt' Sets October Release Date (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  22. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 27, 2025). "Amazon MGM Studios & Sony Pictures Ink Multi-Year International Theatrical Distribution Deal". Deadline. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  23. ^ "After the Hunt". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  24. ^ "After the Hunt Reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  25. ^ Lodge, Guy (August 30, 2025). "Julia Roberts Delivers Her Best Performance Since 'Erin Brockovich' in 'After the Hunt'". Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  26. ^ Collin, Robbie (August 29, 2025). "Julia Roberts is back to her best in a devilish cancel culture thriller". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  27. ^ Barber, Nicholas (August 29, 2025). "After the Hunt review: Julia Roberts is the 'monumental centre' of this provocative drama – and could win a second Oscar". BBC News. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  28. ^ Wise, Damon (August 29, 2025). "'After The Hunt' Review: Julia Roberts Is Superb In Luca Guadagnino's Biting Campus #MeToo Drama – Venice Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  29. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (August 29, 2025). "'After the Hunt' Review: Luca Guadagnino's Sexual-Accusation Drama Plays Like a Muddled 'Tár', With Julia Roberts as a Scheming Professor". Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  30. ^ Ebiri, Bilge (August 29, 2025). "After the Hunt Doesn't Have That Much to Say About Cancel Culture". Vulture. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  31. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (August 29, 2025). "After the Hunt review – Julia Roberts faces a dilemma in Guadagnino's muddled campus accusation drama". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
[edit]