Jenna Ortega’s 2025 film Death of a Unicorn: plot, cast, and everything we know so far
In 2023, Jenna Ortega was the 6th most Googled person on the planet, and I can only imagine that 2024, and then 2025, will reflect a similar cultural fascination. Whether it’s through her simple but always sleek outfits, her bold and honest interview answers, her hot takes, or her empowering response to the proliferation of celebrity deepfake nudes, Ortega’s influence and impact is visible globally. So, naturally, whenever it’s announced that the actor is attached to an upcoming film, the world takes notice.
After shining in projects such as Netflix’s hit series Wednesday, the controversial movie Miller’s Girl, and the blockbuster Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, fans were naturally excited to see what Ortega would do next.
As it turns out, the 22-year-old is somewhat sticking to the fantasy genre by embarking on an upcoming American black comedy monster film written and directed by Alex Scharfman. Alongside Ortega, Death of a Unicorn also stars Paul Rudd, Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, and Will Poulter.
Production kicked off in May 2023, with Ortega and Rudd being the first actors publicly attached to the project. Filming then began in Hungary in July 2023. Interestingly, Death of a Unicorn was granted a waiver to continue with its production during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. This was due to the fact that A24 is not part of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
So, what is this movie going to be about? And what can we expect from Ortega’s character? Let’s delve into everything you need to know.
What is ‘Death of a Unicorn’ about?
Death of a Unicorn looks as though it’ll be another classic A24 hit. The film follows a father and daughter who accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while on their way to a weekend retreat. Once they’ve arrived, the father’s boss and family attempt to exploit the unicorn’s magical and mysterious disease-curing properties for their own gain.
The trailer, which dropped on Wednesday 18 December 2024, showcased the star-studded cast and unique plot point… aka, the dead unicorn.
While there were some users in the comments section who expressed disappointment that the trailer had given too much of the story away, overall, netizens seemed excited. One individual wrote: “Thank you A24 for actually making original movies and taking chances,” while another noted: “I didn’t know this existed three minutes ago and now I am counting the seconds until it’s released.”
There was also quite a bit of buzz on social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter):
A movie about killer unicorn with
Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega I’m sold😭#A24 #deathofaunicorn pic.twitter.com/vq8lR0Vujr— 𝐐𝐱𝐫𝐚𝐧＆𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱𝐬 ㋛ 🎄 (@QxranFlixs) December 18, 2024
Excellent trailer for DEATH OF A UNICORN, which looks to be a comedy-fantasy-horror hybrid. Always fun when B-movie concepts are treated like real movies. Jenna Ortega & Paul Rudd hit a unicorn. All hell breaks loose. Will Poulter steals the show. John Carpenter did the music! https://t.co/5JnT3Qn7EV
— John Squires 🎃 (@FreddyInSpace) December 18, 2024
happy death of a unicorn trailer day! pic.twitter.com/7haZLzrk2J
— ry ✧ (@ortegaspeace) December 18, 2024
When is ‘Death of a Unicorn’ being released?
There is no official release date for Death of a Unicorn currently, however, it is predicted that the film could come out in early 2025, with some rumouring that it’ll be in mid Spring.
Ortega will definitely be a permanent fixture on our screens this year, with Wednesday season two also wrapped and due for release on Netflix in July 2025.
