The summer movie season’s first major horror hit, “Tarot,” is making its way to Netflix on August 1. This supernatural horror thriller, which first hit theaters on May 3, is the brainchild of writer, director, and producer duo Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen.
“Tarot” centers around a group of college friends who stumble upon a wooden box containing ancient tarot cards. Despite the cautionary adage against using someone else’s tarot deck, each student receives a reading.
Unbeknownst to them, the previous owner of the deck, a malevolent entity known as “The Astrologer,” has bound her soul to the cards. Consequently, the sinister figures on the tarot cards come to life with the intent to kill their recipients.
The film is adapted from the 1992 horror novel “Horrorscope” and features an ensemble cast including Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika, Wolfgang Novogratz, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, Olwen Fouéré, and Jacob Batalon. Produced by Scott Glasgold, “Tarot” combines eerie suspense with supernatural thrills to deliver a chilling cinematic experience.
“Tarot” premiered on digital platforms on May 28, and it remains available for purchase or rental on Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Vudu. The film’s theatrical release has been quite successful, earning $18.77 million in North American theaters and $30.05 million internationally, bringing its worldwide box office total to $48.8 million, as reported by The Numbers. The production budget for “Tarot” was $8 million, excluding marketing expenses.
Director Anna Halberg shared insights into the film’s creation during a Zoom interview prior to its theatrical release. She emphasized the importance of realistic character reactions amid supernatural events.
“We wanted to make sure that even though there’s something supernatural and unbelievable happening in the movie, the reactions of our characters are really grounded and feel realistic,” Halberg explained. “We wanted you to relate to them and actually put yourself in their shoes with the choices that they’re making.”
Despite its box office success, “Tarot” received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports an 18% “rotten” rating from critics based on 57 reviews, while audience ratings are slightly more favorable with a 57% score from over 250 viewers.
As “Tarot” prepares to haunt Netflix subscribers this August, it promises to deliver spine-tingling thrills and supernatural scares, ensuring a memorable viewing experience for horror fans.