Thai Horror 'Inherit' to Premiere at Toronto Festival

A grandmother in her 80s with the looks of a young woman leads the Thai psychological horror film Inherit, which will have its world premiere in the Centrepiece programme at the Toronto Film Festival, according to Variety.

The film stars Davika Hoorne and is directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun. The premiere puts one of Thailand's most successful horror partnerships back on the international festival stage.

Hoorne plays Woranart, a grandmother whose youthful appearance hides a centipede spirit hunting for a new host, as reported by Variety. The story follows the wealthy Manasvanich family, whose secrets start to surface after an unexpected relative arrives. Baipor Thitiya Jirapornsilp plays Oui, the youngest member of the family and Woranart's likely target.

Inherit is based on the Thai horror novel Tayard Asoon, published in English as The Demon's Heir. It reunites Hoorne with Banjong more than a decade after his 2013 horror film Pee Mak, in which she starred.

Pee Mak remains the highest-grossing Thai film ever released, according to Variety. Banjong broke through internationally with Shutter. Hoorne also starred in A Useful Ghost, which won the Critics' Week Grand Prix at Cannes in 2025.

The production built its central family mansion from three real locations plus a sound stage, combined to read as a single house on screen. That approach allowed the film-makers to keep the action centred on one closed, wealthy household.

At Toronto, Inherit screens in Centrepiece, described by the festival as its main section. The 2026 Centrepiece programme presents 54 titles from film-makers representing 50 countries and is presented by Intrepid Travel, according to TIFF. The slate includes eight animated features, which the festival calls a record for the programme.

Thai audiences will not wait long after the festival. Inherit is set for release in Thailand on November 19, according to Screen Daily.

What makes this stand out is the casting shift. Hoorne is widely known for glamorous lead roles, and here she plays an 80-year-old matriarch whose age is masked. For festival viewers, it offers a familiar horror idea, the house with a secret, told through Thai folklore and a family power struggle.