10 Recent Horror Movie Fates Worse Than Death

Malignant represents something of a return to form for James Wan, who had been out of the director's chair on a horror picture since 2016's Conjuring 2, which itself was slotted uncomfortably between Aquaman (2018), which saw Jason Momoa and co. ride sharks, and Furious 7 (2015), which saw Vin Diesel and co. jump them.

Cut loose from any of the horror series that made (and perpetuated) Wan's name, Malignant is a true original, centring around Maddie Mitchell (Annabelle Wallis) and the seemingly supernatural connection she shares with a murderous telepath -- Gabriel (Ray Chase/Marina Mazepa) -- who has recently come out of hiding.

As Maddie delves into her forgotten past, which began at a mysterious research hospital, she remembers the influence Gabriel used to have over her, encouraging her to do terrible things. Reason being? Gabriel is neither a ghost nor manifestation of mental illness; he is a parasite literally growing out the back of her head.

A fight for Maddie's body ensues and, after some seriously close shaves, our heroine triumphs. Good for Maddie, not so good for Gabriel. As she can't excise him entirely, she instead traps him in a pitch black mindscape with a set of prison bars to keep him in, destined to spend the rest of his life in the psychological equivalent of the abyss.