Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Talk to Me

Talk to Me is a 2022 Australian supernatural horror film directed by Danny and Michael Philippou in their feature directorial debuts.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Talk to Me is a 2022 Australian supernatural horror film directed by Danny and Michael Philippou. It follows teenagers who use an embalmed hand to contact spirits with escalating consequences.

What it is

The film centres on a group of teenagers who discover a severed, embalmed hand that allows them to summon spirits. What starts as a game quickly turns dangerous as the boundary between the living and the dead blurs.

Why it matters

Talk to Me became a major horror hit, grossing about US$92 million worldwide on a US$4.5 million budget. It won eight AACTA Awards, including Best Film, and set a record as A24’s highest-grossing horror film at the time.

Key details

The film premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival on 30 October 2022 and was released in Australian cinemas on 27 July 2023, followed by a US release the next day. It was directed by Danny and Michael Philippou in their feature debut, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, and based on a concept by Daley Pearson.

In short

  • Supernatural horror about teenagers using an embalmed hand to contact spirits.
  • Directed by the Philippou brothers in their feature debut.
  • Grossed US$92 million worldwide on a US$4.5 million budget.
  • Won eight AACTA Awards, including Best Film.
Canadian angle

The film was widely released internationally and became a notable modern horror title for Canadian audiences through its prominence in English-language genre cinema, although no Canada-specific production detail is provided in the available sources.

Quick questions

What is Talk to Me about?
It is about teenagers who use an embalmed hand to contact spirits, with frightening consequences.
Who directed Talk to Me?
It was directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou.
How successful was Talk to Me at the box office?
It grossed about US$92 million worldwide on a US$4.5 million budget.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_to_Me_(2022_film)
    Supports: Core identity, plot, directors, writers, release dates, box office, and awards
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10638522/
    Supports: Plot synopsis and cast information
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/talk_to_me_2023
    Supports: Release timing and genre classification