We’ve seen fortune tellers and mystics use tarot cards in scary movies since the days of The Wolf Man. But until now, movies have never used characters from the Major Arcana, as is the proper term, as the basis for a movie. But that’s all about to change. This is thanks to the new horror film from the writing and directing team of Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, called Tarot. You can watch the first trailer for Sony Pictures’ Tarot right here.
Tarot‘s synopsis is as follows:
When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings – never use someone else’s deck – they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death to escape the future foretold in their readings.
People have been using tarot cards for divination since at least the 15th century. The classic deck has some legit creepy imagery, especially the Rider-Waite Smith deck. It’s shocking that it’s taken this long for someone to make a scary movie based on images like Death, the Magician, or the Hanged Man. We can’t help but wonder what other cards from the Major Arcana will become characters for this one. The Tower, and, of course, the Devil, all seem like no-brainers for creepy avatars to torment unbelieving teenagers. We noticed a scary clown in the trailer, who we imagine must represent the Fool card.
Tarot stars Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika, Larsen Thompson, and Jacob Batalon, who we know as Ned Leeds from the Spider-Man films. Tarot does not have an official rating yet, but it arrives in theaters everywhere on May 10.
