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New Halloween Family Film “Grow” Offers Laughs, Light Scares

New Halloween Family Film “Grow” Offers Laughs, Light Scares

Last updated on: October 8, 2025 at 11:04 am by DeWayne Hamby

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New Halloween Family Film “Grow” Offers Laughs, Light Scares 2025-10-08T11:04:48-04:00 DeWayne Hamby

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“Grow,” the new film from director John McPhail (“Anna and the Apocalypse”) opening Oct. 17, “Grow,” aims to become a new Halloween classic by blending family-friendly storytelling with nods to classic horror moments.

“Grow” image courtesy of Fathom Entertainment.

McPhail, drawing inspiration from his childhood movie-watching memories, has created a film designed to entertain multiple generations simultaneously.

“I grew up watching films like ‘The Goonies,’ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,’ ‘E.T.,’ and ‘Short Circuit’,” he said. “I wanted to create that proper family experience, something for the kids, something for the adults, and something that would stay with them.”

The film centers on an unconventional mother-daughter relationship, featuring performances with humor and heart. McPhail highlighted the natural talent of his young lead, nine-year-old Priya Rose-Brookwell, describing her as “the ultimate professional” who never became tired or frustrated during filming.

“I fell in love with the characters right away,” he explained. “There’s so much heart and joy in this film. There are a lot of depressing things in the world, and there’s something to be said about spreading a bit of joy.”

While primarily a family film, “Grow” incorporates playful horror elements that allow McPhail to scare children while simultaneously entertaining parents. In one scene, a pumpkin takes Janet Leigh’s place in an hode to “Psycho.”

“I get the opportunity to scare the life out of children while their parents laugh,” he said, noting the unique dynamic of watching audience reactions during test screenings.

“Grow”’s production was marked by an unusually collaborative and approachable environment. McPhail praised his cast and crew, emphasizing that “there were no egos on this set” and that it was “the most fun set I’ve ever had in my entire life,” adding that actors hung out with each other between takes.

Notably, the film features Dominic McLaughlin, recently cast in the HBO series reboot of “Harry Potter” in his first on-camera role. McPhail described him as “a good kid” with a remarkable ability to take direction quickly and effectively.

The movie’s visual design, particularly the pumpkin characters, received special attention. The director specifically commended his designer Jamie Lapsley for the intricate work of designing and building the film’s distinctive pumpkin characters.

McPhail’s broader filmmaking philosophy centers on audience experience.

“I make movies for audiences,” he stated. “It’s not my art and ‘I suffer for it.’ All I wanted to do is have fun.”

McPhail hopes “Grow” will become more than just a seasonal film, aspiring to create lasting family memories. He envisions future dinner table conversations where families reminisce about shared viewing experiences, such as being scared by a pumpkin in a movie.

“Sitting in cinemas and watching test audiences and kids are sitting there, and parents are laughing, and then they notice the kids terrified, and they’re laughing harder,” he said. “And, it’s just a pumpkin, right?”

“Grow,” directed by John McPhail and starring Golda Rosheuvel (“Bridgerton,” “Dune”), Nick Frost (“Hot Fuzz,” “How To Train Your Dragon”), Priya Rose-Brookwell (“The Lazarus Project”), and Dominic McLaughlin (“Harry Potter”) releases Oct. 17 through Fathom Entertainment. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

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