Boy Kills World: Bill Skarsgard’s Wild New Action Movie, Explained

The martial arts revenge action thriller never went away, it only changed form. Modern incarnations blend brutal fight scenes with slapstick comedy in a grim festival of violent detachment. The John Wick franchise is a perfect example. It delivered a straightforward story with immaculate world-building and compelling set pieces. Bill Skarsgard will lead a comedic revenge thriller in this year’s Boy Kills World.

Boy Kills World is the feature directorial debut of Moritz Mohr. He’s a German filmmaker with a few well-received short films under his belt. Mohr and Arend Remmers wrote and directed the short film that became the upcoming feature. They’re joined by Tyler Burton Smith, who recently co-wrote the story for Alan Wake II. The big behind-the-scenes name on the project is Sam Raimi, who co-produced the film with Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment.

What is Boy Kills World about?

Boy Kills World follows the eponymous Boy, a deaf and mute man seeking revenge for the deaths of his loved ones. Boy grew up in a forest hut outside a dictatorial police state. His mom and sister died in a televised blood sport called the Culling, where innocent civilians and supposed dissidents suffer public executions. Egged on by the internalized voice of his beloved sibling, Boy spends a decade training with a mysterious martial arts master. Boy’s mentor gives him combat skills and several horrific narcotic experiences before sending him off to avenge his family. Boy must fight his way through armies of armed police officers to disrupt the latest Culling and bring down the system that took everything from him. His quest will pit him against a masked assassin, PR-obsessed officials, and a powerful dynasty on top of it all.

Who is starring in Boy Kills World?

Boy Kills World stars Bill Skarsgard as Boy. Skarsgard is having a big year. He’s set to star as Eric Draven in the long-awaited Crow remake and Count Orlok in Robert Eggers’ remake of Nosferatu. Despite their differing tones, The Crow and Boy Kills World are revenge thrillers inspired by the graphic novels of the 80s and 90s. He also recently appeared in John Wick: Chapter 4 and Barbarian. Skarsgard doesn’t speak in Boy Kills World. H. Jon Benjamin of Archer and Bob’s Burgers fame provides Boy’s internal monologue, providing a comedic voice. Some other cast members include:

• Jessica Rothe as June 27: The star of Happy Death Day portrays a masked killer in service to the evil Van Der Koy family.
• Famke Janssen as Hilda Van Der Koy: Known for playing Jean Gray in the X-Men trilogy, Janssen is the comically hostile villain behind the Culling.
• Yayan Ruhian as a Shaman: Boy’s mentor is the dynamic martial artist behind Mad Dog in The Raid. He rarely appears in Hollywood productions, but his fight scenes remain legendary.
• Isaiah Mustafa as Benny: The icon best known as the “Old Spice Guy” portrays one of Boy’s allies. His beard renders his lips illegible, leaving most of his dialogue unintelligible to the audience.
• Andrew Koji as Basho: The star of the Cinemax-turned-HBO series Warrior portrays Boy’s other ally.
• Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, and Sharlto Copley portray Van Der Koy family members.
• Quinn Copeland as Mina: Boy’s sister, who appears in hallucinations.

What Critics Have Said about Boy Kills World

Boy Kills World has a 71% positive audience score from fourteen critics’ Rotten Tomatoes reviews. Metacritic compiled only four reviews, leaving the film with a weighted average of 61 out of 100. Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com praised the movie, commending the first-time director’s strong grasp of pacing, the cast’s willingness to play along, and the delightful action scenes. Nate Richard of Collider condemned the film with 1.5 stars out of 5, calling its humor charmless and its confidence unearned.

When is Boy Kills World coming out?

Boy Kills World will hit theaters on April 26, 2024. The film premiered at TIFF last September but won’t reach wide audiences for another month.

Boy Kills World is a well-received action movie with a unique gimmick. It feels like a comedy sketch stretched to feature length and enhanced with extensive blood and gore. Fans of films like John Wick and Atomic Blonde, or games like Street Fighterand Mortal Kombat will enjoy Boy Kills World. It won’t change anyone’s life, but it’s an entertaining ride worth 111 minutes of any audience’s time. Boy Kills World will come to theaters across America on April 26, 2024. Anyone looking for an anarchic revenge thriller with a refreshingly fun premise will have a great time in Boy Kills World.