Pendulum is an upcoming American horror mystery thriller written and directed by Mark Heyman, the BAFTA-nominated co-writer of Black Swan, in his feature directing debut. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Phoebe Dynevor play a married couple who go to a new-age retreat in New Mexico hoping to heal after a traumatic event, only to find that the retreat’s leader, played by Jacki Weaver, has plans of her own. Norman Reedus co-stars, and Darren Aronofsky is among the producers. Vertical has set the film for a wide theatrical release in the United States on January 1, 2027. Because the film has not opened yet, this page sticks to what has been officially announced. There is no Pendulum 2027 movie review here yet, and no ending to explain.
At a glance
| Director | Mark Heyman |
| Writer | Mark Heyman |
| Studio | Protozoa Pictures, C2 Motion Picture Group and Motel Mojave; distributed in North America by Vertical |
| Release date | January 1, 2027 (United States, wide theatrical) |
| Premise | A couple seeking healing at a New Mexico retreat start to suspect its spiritual practices hide something terrifying |
| Cast | Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phoebe Dynevor, Jacki Weaver, Norman Reedus |
| Status | Filmed in 2025; dated for theatrical release |
Premise and what we know
According to Vertical’s official synopsis, married couple Patrick (Gordon-Levitt) and Abigail (Dynevor) travel to a new-age retreat in New Mexico, drawn by the chance to heal after a traumatic event. Patrick will do anything to help his wife. But he grows distrustful of the group’s enigmatic leader, Ella Rose (Weaver), even as Abigail falls under her spell. As the paranoia builds, the couple have to work out whether the group’s spiritual practices offer genuine healing or mask a terrifying truth that could consume them both.
That is as far as the official material goes. The studio has not described the nature of the retreat’s secret, the traumatic event that brings the couple there, or how the story ends. Anyone looking for Pendulum plot spoilers explained will have to wait until the film is released. This page will not guess at a twist.
Production and development
Pendulum was announced in October 2024, with Heyman writing and directing and Aronofsky producing. Heyman co-wrote Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010), which earned him a BAFTA nomination, and this is his first feature as a director. Gordon-Levitt and Dynevor joined the cast in March 2025, and Reedus and Weaver followed in April. Filming began in New Mexico that April.
The producers are Aronofsky for Protozoa Pictures, Jacob Jaffke for Motel Mojave and Dave Caplan for C2 Motion Picture Group. Jaffke’s past credits include Ti West’s X trilogy, and Caplan’s include Longlegs; C2 fully financed the film. The crew includes cinematographer Sharone Meir (Whiplash), editor Catrin Hedström (Candyman), production designer Katie Hickman and composer Ben Lovett (The Night House). Heyman has described the project as personal. “Pendulum is a deeply personal film, inspired by real, and really scary, experiences,” he told Deadline. He has not said publicly which experiences he means, so this page does not speculate.
Vertical acquired North American distribution rights in May 2026, Deadline reported, with Black Bear handling international sales. Vertical partner Peter Jarowey called it “an impressive, terrifying debut” and said the company was looking forward to “ringing in 2027 by scaring the hell out of audiences.”
Cast
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Patrick
- Phoebe Dynevor as Abigail
- Jacki Weaver as Ella Rose, the retreat’s leader
- Norman Reedus (role not announced)
What to expect
The announced elements point to a slow-burn cult thriller rather than a creature film: a grieving couple, an isolated retreat, a charismatic leader and a husband who trusts her less with every scene. The synopsis leans on psychological unease rather than any supernatural element, and the studio has not confirmed whether anything supernatural is involved. Weaver, a two-time Oscar nominee (Animal Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook), plays the leader, and Gordon-Levitt and Dynevor carry the central relationship. With Aronofsky producing and the Black Swan writer directing, expect the story to stay close to its characters’ state of mind.
Once Pendulum opens, the plot summary, a spoiler section for the ending and the critical reception will be added here. Until then, treat any “ending explained” article that appears before January 1, 2027, with caution.
Release and status
Vertical has dated Pendulum for a wide North American theatrical release on January 1, 2027,, a New Year’s Day opening. No rating, runtime or international dates had been officially confirmed as of October 10, 2026. Some listings show an R rating, but this page will add one only once it is confirmed.
Related links
- Mark Heyman, writer and director (no Think Horror page yet)
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Phoebe Dynevor, leads (no Think Horror pages yet)
- Darren Aronofsky, producer (no Think Horror page yet)