Synopsis

In the isolated village of Covington, Pennsylvania, residents live by strict rules intended to keep mysterious creatures in the surrounding woods at bay. When Lucius Hunt seeks medicine beyond the settlement, his forbidden curiosity exposes tensions among the elders. After tragedy strikes and the village's fragile order begins to collapse, Ivy Walker must confront the boundaries of the world she has always known.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was originally titled "The Woods," but the name was changed because another production was already using that title.

• The entire village was constructed in a field near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Building the set took eleven weeks and involved nearly 300 people from the scenic and construction departments.

• The cast went through a 19th-century-style preparation period to become familiar with the period setting and its daily routines.

• The creatures were redesigned after the first full-scale versions failed to convince M. Night Shyamalan. The final design's distinctive red cloak became one of the film's defining visual elements.

• The role of Lucius Hunt was written specifically for Joaquin Phoenix.

• James Newton Howard's score, featuring violinist Hilary Hahn, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score.

• A stolen version of the screenplay circulated online more than a year before the film's release, leading to premature plot discussions and speculation about the ending.

• Additional filming took place in spring 2004, and the released ending differs from the one described in the stolen screenplay.

• The film initially received an R rating from the MPAA because of a sound effect used during the stabbing scene. Removing that effect helped secure a PG-13 rating.

• The film earned approximately $256.7 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $60 million.