Alexander Skarsgård's New Fantasy Movie Wicker Officially Sets Rotten Tomatoes Audience Record
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Alexander Skarsgård's new fantasy movie has officially swooned audiences.
With a history of fantastical characters, including the vampire Eric Northman in True Blood, he takes on one of his most ambitious roles yet as the wicker husband in the new raunchy fantasy Wicker. Based on Ursula Willis' short story "The Wicker Husband," it follows Oscar-winning Olivia Colman's Fisherwoman, whose relationship with the Wicker Husband sparks attention and jealousy in her village. In the case of life imitating art, the Wicker trailer went viral for its bizarre premise and Skarsgård's portrayal. With the movie finally in theaters, audiences have weighed in on whether it lived up to the hype.
With over 100 ratings, Wicker set a major career record for Skarsgård, earning the highest audience score at 94% and tying Lee (94%). Some of his other highly rated movies with moviegoers include Godzilla vs. Kong (91%) and Pillion (89%). Additionally, it's also Colman's second-best audience score, just behind Nasrin (100%). The audience score matches the critical score of 94%.
According to Wicker reviews, critics and audiences agree it is one of the year's most astonishing adaptations, balancing dark humor and wit with spicy romance and social satire. The lead pair, Colman and Skarsgård, stand out, and their extraordinary chemistry shines through. In particular, Colman brings comic relief and vulnerability to the Fisherwoman, while Skarsgård's Wicker Husband exudes charm and emotional authenticity.
|
Alexander Skarsgård's 5 Movies |
Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Wicker (2026) |
94% |
94% |
|
Lee (2023) |
67% |
94% |
|
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) |
75% |
91% |
|
Pillion (2025) |
99% |
89% |
|
Passing (2021) |
91% |
86% |
The supporting cast, including Peter Dinklage and Elizabeth Debicki, also earned praise, as did the production design, cinematography, and costumes. The satire and writing were sharp as the unconventional couple ignites a commentary on gender roles and societal commotion. Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson co-wrote and co-directed Wicker.
As a result, Wicker has proven itself a critical and audience darling. Leading up to its release, the trailers sparked incredible interest, with memes and thirst reactions spreading across social media. Even before the trailer dropped and the social media buzz started, the steamy fantasy adaptation earned positive reviews after its Sundance premiere in January of this year.
Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.
The movie also releases at a critical time of award season. However, with a very competitive season that includes The Odyssey, Dune: Part Three, and La Bola Negra, Wicker's strongest award prospects may be in the technical categories, including Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
With the reception meeting expectations, this bodes well for the movie's commercial performance. Projections indicate Wicker could gross about $5.5 million to $6 million during its opening weekend, with a reported budget of about $10 million. That's already a solid start, and it's expected to become a moderate box-office success in the coming weeks.
Additionally, Black Bear will host a one-night-only special on October 28, when Wicker becomes available for 4DX screenings. So far, the tickets for that immersive experience have already sold out some showtimes, which could boost its box office.
Meanwhile, Skarsgård has a few projects pending, including The Wolf Will Tear Your Immaculate Hands, which still doesn't have a release date. The Swedish actor is also expected to return for Murderbot season 2, but Apple TV has yet to announce the premiere date. Colman has a few movie projects set for late 2026, including Elsinore and Netflix's Pride and Prejudice.
Wicker is now playing in theaters.
- Release Date
- October 23, 2026
- Runtime
- 105 minutes
- Director
- Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fischer
Cast
-
Fisherwoman
-
Wicker Husband
-
Basket Weaver
-
Tailor’s Wife
- Writers
- Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fischer
- Producers
- Brad Zimmerman, Brent Stiefel, David Michôd, Ed Sinclair, Justin Lothrop, Lia Buman, Olivia Colman, Ryan Heller, Tim Headington, Tom Carver
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