Templeton's team is positioning this as a major career escalation—the actress is leveling up from Netflix sensation to serious prestige player with Cannes validation and a role in the prestigious Un Certain Regard competition, which has launched countless careers.
Industry insiders note Templeton's rapid ascent after her 'Wednesday' breakout feels calculated—she's been selective about projects since Season 2, and landing this high-profile horror vehicle suggests she's angling for awards season positioning rather than just another streaming gig.
The film is based on Virginia Feito's best-selling novel of the same name. Bleecker Street has acquired U.S. distribution rights while True Brit handles UK and Ireland. The film premieres May 2026 at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section, with Anton fully financing.
Templeton trading Wednesday Addams for Victorian darkness is a bold pivot that could either cement her as a serious actress or expose whether she can carry a film outside Netflix's safety net—the Cannes premiere will tell us everything.
Evie Templeton is officially stepping out of the shadows of Netflix and into something far more sinister. The British breakout star, who turned heads as Agnes DeMille in "Wednesday" Season 2, has been cast in Zachary Wigon’s gothic thriller "Victorian Psycho," which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026. The film, set for the prestigious Un Certain Regard competition, is based on Virginia Feuto's best-selling novel and follows an eccentric governess (Maika Monroe) who arrives at a remote Victorian manor—where strange happenings quickly reveal she's not the innocent caretaker she appears to be.
Templeton takes on the role of Drusilla Pounds, described in casting materials as "the picture of a young lady-in-the-making" but one harboring "an intensity and darkness beyond her years." That description alone should tell you this isn't your grandmother's period drama. Templeton joins an ensemble that reads like a who's who of atmospheric horror: Maika Monroe, Thomasin McKenzie, Jason Isaacs, Ruth Wilson, and Jacobi Jupe. The actress also appeared in 2024's "Return to Silent Hill," proving she's been building a resume firmly in the dark corners of cinema rather than chasing light rom-coms or family-friendly fare.
Bleecker Street has already secured U.S. distribution rights, with True Brit handling the UK and Ireland release. Anton is fully financing the project and handling international sales—significant vote of confidence from a company not known for gambling on unproven talent. The production brings together Dan Kagan (of "Longlegs" fame) under his Traffic banner, Sebastien Raybaud for Anton, and Wigon himself, in association with Anonymous Content.
The Cannes premiere is scheduled for May 2026, where "Victorian Psycho" will compete against some of the world's most anticipated films in Un Certain Regard—a section traditionally reserved for more experimental, boundary-pushing works. For Templeton, this isn't just a role—it's a statement that she's ready to play with the big leagues, far removed from the supernatural teen drama that put her on the map.
