Cobweb (2023)

Last updated:
October 19, 2025

Creepy, claustrophobic, and soaked in mystery, Cobweb (2023) is a psychological horror film directed by Samuel Bodin, starring Lizzy Caplan, Antony Starr, and Woody Norman. It tells the unsettling story of a young boy trapped between the horrors of his imagination and the dark secrets of his family home.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

The Beginning: A Child’s Fear

The movie centers on Peter, a quiet and lonely boy who lives with his overprotective parents, Mark (Antony Starr) and Carol (Lizzy Caplan). Peter’s life is dull and isolating until one night he hears a strange tapping sound coming from inside the walls. His parents tell him it’s just his imagination, but the sounds continue—and they start talking back.

The Voice in the Wall

The voice in the wall introduces itself as Sarah, claiming to be Peter’s sister who was locked away by their parents. She warns him that his parents are dangerous and that he should be afraid of them. Torn between curiosity and fear, Peter starts to distrust his parents, who react with increasing paranoia and aggression.

At school, Peter’s teacher Miss Devine becomes concerned about his bruises and emotional state. She suspects abuse and tries to intervene, but Peter’s parents keep her at a distance.

The Pumpkin Patch Incident

On Halloween, Peter wants to go trick-or-treating, but his parents forbid it. He disobeys them, sneaks out, and gets bullied by local kids who push him into a rotting pumpkin patch. The event triggers something dark in Peter—an anger that Sarah encourages. Later, those same bullies mysteriously vanish.

The Truth About the Family

As Peter becomes more convinced that Sarah is real, he starts to investigate the house. He discovers hidden passages behind the walls and strange drawings that hint at violence. Eventually, he finds out that Sarah is indeed his sister—but not entirely human anymore. Their parents had locked her away because she was born with grotesque deformities and a violent temperament.

His parents admit that Sarah killed several animals and tried to harm Peter when he was a baby. They locked her up to protect him. But Sarah’s manipulative voice has already taken hold of Peter’s mind, and he sets her free.

Movie Ending

Once freed, Sarah reveals her monstrous form—spidery limbs, distorted face, and inhuman agility. She brutally murders her parents in front of Peter, leaving him horrified. Despite her promise to protect him, it becomes clear that Sarah doesn’t see Peter as a brother but as another tool in her twisted revenge.

When Miss Devine arrives at the house to check on Peter, she finds a massacre. Sarah attacks her too, resulting in a violent confrontation. Peter, realizing that Sarah is not the loving sister she pretended to be, locks her back inside the wall, sealing it with nails. He and Miss Devine barely escape the house before Sarah starts clawing at the walls, screaming that she’ll never stop.

The film ends with Peter haunted by her words, now living with Miss Devine as his guardian. In the final moments, the camera pans to the sealed wall of the house, where faint scratching can still be heard—implying that Sarah is still alive.

It’s a chilling ending that leaves the viewer questioning whether Peter is truly free or if the curse of his family will follow him forever.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Cobweb (2023) does not have a post-credits scene. However, the sound design during the end credits includes subtle scratching and whispering, which serves as a creepy hint that Sarah might still be alive and plotting her return.

Type of Movie

Cobweb is a psychological horror thriller with strong elements of domestic terror and dark fantasy. It blends atmospheric dread with creature horror, reminiscent of The Babadook and Hereditary.

Cast

Woody Norman as Peter
Lizzy Caplan as Carol
Antony Starr as Mark
Cleopatra Coleman as Miss Devine
Luke Busey as Brian

Film Music and Composer

The haunting score was composed by Drum & Lace (Sofia Hultquist). The music is minimalistic but effective—built on distorted lullabies, creaking soundscapes, and ambient tension that mirrors Peter’s escalating paranoia.

Filming Locations

Cobweb was primarily filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria, though the story is set in an unnamed American suburb. The production built the entire house set from scratch to control lighting and acoustics—important for the sound-based horror. The house itself becomes a character, symbolizing confinement, secrecy, and fear.

Awards and Nominations

While Cobweb didn’t sweep major awards, it gained recognition in horror circles for its production design and sound editing. It was nominated for Best Horror Feature at several genre film festivals, including the FrightFest Awards.

Behind the Scenes Insights

The script had been circulating in Hollywood for years and appeared on the 2018 Black List of best unproduced screenplays.
Antony Starr was cast shortly after his success as Homelander in The Boys—his sinister charm made him a natural fit.
The child actor Woody Norman had to perform scenes without actually hearing the “voice in the wall”—it was added later in post-production.
The filmmakers intentionally avoided showing Sarah’s full face until the climax, inspired by Jaws and Alien, to increase tension.

Inspirations and References

Inspired by classic Grimm fairy tales—the “monster hidden in the house” theme echoes stories like Bluebeard and Hansel and Gretel.
Visual influences include Pan’s Labyrinth, The Others, and Coraline.
Thematically, the film explores childhood trauma, parental abuse, and inherited evil, similar to Hereditary and The Babadook.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Several alternate endings were considered:

One version had Peter killing Sarah instead of trapping her.
Another ended with Sarah successfully escaping the wall and vanishing into the night, teasing a potential sequel.
A deleted scene reportedly showed Miss Devine visiting Peter’s burnt-down home, where faint laughter was heard—suggesting Sarah’s survival.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Cobweb is not based on a book, though it borrows thematically from Gothic literature. It was originally a spec script by Chris Thomas Devlin. Its structure and mood evoke literary horror, but the story is an original screenplay.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Peter first hearing Sarah’s whisper in the wall: “I’m your sister, Peter. Don’t be afraid.”
The Halloween night confrontation in the pumpkin patch.
The reveal of Sarah’s monstrous form—limbs stretching unnaturally as she crawls out of the wall.
Peter nailing the wall shut while Sarah screams behind it.

Iconic Quotes

Sarah: “They said I was bad. But I’m just like you.”
Peter: “What if the monster isn’t outside the house?”
Carol: “We’re just trying to protect you, Peter.”
Sarah (final line): “You can’t keep me locked away forever.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

Peter’s drawings foreshadow nearly every major death in the movie.
The recurring spider imagery connects to the title “Cobweb” and Sarah’s twisted, web-like body.
A calendar in the kitchen shows Halloween marked with a red X—implying the parents were preparing for something sinister that night.
The film’s production company, Point Grey Pictures (Seth Rogen’s company), subtly includes a logo shaped like a webbed eye—matching the movie’s theme of being watched.

Trivia

Woody Norman was only 13 during filming but had already starred in C’mon C’mon alongside Joaquin Phoenix.
Antony Starr improvised several of his more disturbing lines to make his character unpredictably menacing.
Lizzy Caplan reportedly found the emotional breakdown scenes so draining she refused to watch them at the premiere.
The filmmakers described Sarah’s design as “a mixture of Gollum and a cave spider.”

Why Watch?

If you love slow-burn horror that turns domestic life into a waking nightmare, Cobweb delivers. It’s a film that rewards patience, with subtle tension building toward a chilling reveal. The performances are strong, the visuals are haunting, and the sound design alone could keep you awake at night.

Cobweb (2023)