Freaky (2020): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending
Freaky is a 2020 horror thriller directed by Christopher B. Landon, starring Kathryn Newton as Millie, Vince Vaughn and Dana Drori. It is inspired by Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers. It earned $18.1 million worldwide on a $5 million budget. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Horror Film Release at the Saturn Awards 2021. Critics gave it 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 67 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.
- Released
- Director
- Christopher B. Landon
- Original language
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English
- Budget
- $5M
- Inspired by
- Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Freaky About?
The premise of Freaky without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
A teenage girl named Millie Kessler finds herself targeted by a notorious serial killer, The Butcher. In a bizarre turn of events, their bodies are switched, and Millie must race against time to return to her own form. Trapped in the killer's body, she has only 24 hours to outwit The Butcher and reverse the body swap, enlisting the help of friends Nyla, Joshua, and Booker along the way. Failure means being permanently stuck, and The Butcher threatens a bloody homecoming.
Freaky Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- body swap
- serial killer
- race against time
- body switching
- masked killer
- slasher killer
- violence
- gore
- body change
- femme fatale
- sawed in half
- aztec pyramid
+38 more Show fewer
- love interest
- dagger
- high school football game
- villain not really dead cliche
- car won't start
- murder of a teenage girl
- bullying
- widow
- murder of a teenage boy
- supernatural serial killer
- friday the thirteenth
- slasher
- homecoming
- team mascot
- killed with a toilet bowl
- high school
- high school student
- wearing a mask
- widower
- love poem
- magical knife
- waking up in strange surroundings
- teenage girl in jeopardy
- bully comeuppance
- gender swap
- body swap comedy
- slasher comedy
- sacrificial dagger
- waking up in someone else's body
- ritual sacrifice
- child in adult body
- death of father
- banana pancake
- psycho
- school mascot
- gay
- closeted gay
- aztec artifact
Freaky Cast & Characters
Kathryn Newton leads the cast as Millie, with Vince Vaughn as The Butcher and Dana Drori as Charlene Kessler. Directed by Christopher B. Landon; 10 actors are credited in all.
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Director Christopher B. Landon
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Kathryn Newton as Millie -
Vince Vaughn as The Butcher - Dana Drori as Charlene Kessler
- Katie Finneran as Coral Kessler
Also Starring in Freaky
· 6 more- Alan Ruck Mr. Bernardi
- Uriah Shelton Booker Strode
- Mitchell Hoog Evan
- Charles Green
- Deja Dee
- Dustin Lewis Ginny's Dad
More from Christopher B. Landon
More films directed by Christopher B. Landon, best-rated first: Happy Death Day, We Have a Ghost, Happy Death Day 2U and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.
Freaky Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Freaky 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 67 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 78/100, strongest in art & craft (80) and weakest in story & flow (65).
Freaky Echo Score Breakdown
Freaky delivers a consistently entertaining blend of horror and comedy that largely satisfies slasher fans. The film’s brisk pacing and unique body-swap premise receive praise for injecting fresh energy into familiar genre conventions, though some viewers note that the narrative stalls midway and leans on cheap jump scares. Strong performances, particularly from Vince Vaughn, elevate the material despite a script that occasionally feels streamlined. Overall, this playful slasher stands out for its tonal balance and delivers a fun, if not wholly groundbreaking, experience.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 80
In terms of art and craft, the film demonstrates confident direction and efficient editing that recall classic slasher sensibilities. Director Christopher Landon’s staging of kills and integration of digital-era elements create a cohesive visual tone, while production design accentuates the contrast between suburban settings and gruesome violence. Some viewers observe reliance on familiar genre beats, but the overall presentation maintains clarity and momentum. The film’s technical execution supports its playful yet unsettling atmosphere.
- Character & Emotion 75
When it comes to character and emotion, Freaky is driven by Vince Vaughn’s committed performance and the youthful energy of its lead. The body-swap premise enables playful role-reversal chemistry, lending emotional stakes to the horror-comedy mix. While the script does not deeply explore character backstories, the rapport between central figures sustains engagement through humor and tension. The result is a solid showcase of performative contrasts that anchors the film’s appeal.
- Story & Flow 65
In terms of story and flow, Freaky launches with a brisk, inventive premise that subverts typical slasher narratives. Early scenes establish momentum with creative kills and comedic beats, yet the plot becomes more predictable as it progresses, relying on familiar jump scares and puns. The body-swap concept initially feels fresh but gradually loses its novelty, causing narrative lulls. Overall, the pacing is uneven, balancing engaging moments with a sense of diminishing returns.
- Sensory Experience 80
When it comes to the sensory experience, Freaky offers a vividly gruesome sound design and a sharp horror-comedy score that complements its tonal shifts. The visual style blends stylized gore with everyday settings, enhancing both the comedic and chilling elements. Audio cues heighten tension during kills while comedic timing remains precise. This layered sensory approach ensures that each scare and joke lands with clarity and impact.
- Rewatch Factor 75
In terms of rewatch value, Freaky provides sufficient entertainment for repeat viewings thanks to its memorable kills and humorous body-swap dynamics. The lively performances and genre twists reveal additional comedic details on subsequent watches, though some gory moments may limit broader appeal. While the narrative remains straightforward, the film’s playful tone and compact runtime encourage revisiting for fans of horror-comedy. Overall, it maintains a respectable replay factor.
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IMDb 6.3 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 84% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 80%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 67 Metascore
User score 6.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 66% User score
See on TMDB -
Movie Insider 3.6 /5
See on Movie Insider
Freaky Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in Freaky from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On Wednesday the 11th, a group of four teenagers meet a tragic fate at the hands of a serial killer known as the Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn](/actor/vince-vaughn)). Initially dismissed as an urban legend, the Butcher’s gruesome spree begins when he steals a dagger referred to as EL DOLO (exact name yet to be confirmed) from the victims’ house. The next day, high school student Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton) finds herself at the center of bullying at Blissfield Valley High School, targeted by the likes of cheerleader Ryler (Melissa Collazo) and their teacher, Mr. Fletcher (Alan Ruck](/actor/alan-ruck)). Millie’s solace comes from her supportive friends, Nyla ([eleste O’Connor) and Josh (Misha Osherovich), as well as her crush, Booker Strode (Uriah Shelton).
Full summary
The whole story of Freaky, scene by scene, with the ending explained
Freaky Box Office & Budget
Freaky grossed $18.1 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, 3.6 times what it cost. $9 million came from the US and Canada and $9 million (50%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$18.1M
3.6× its budget
- US & Canada
- $9M
- International
- $9M
- Budget
- $5M
Freaky Awards & Nominations
Freaky earned 1 award nomination, including Best Horror Film Release at the Saturn Awards 2021.
1 nomination1 ceremony
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Saturn Awards 2021 1 nomination- Nominated Best Horror Film Release
Freaky Trailers & Videos
6 videos: 1 trailer, 1 teaser, 3 clips and 1 featurette.
- Teaser Freaky | Trailer | Own it Now on Digital, Blu-ray & DVD
- Clip One by One Extended Preview
- Clip Millie Becomes the Blissfield Butcher in 4K HDR
- Clip The Butcher's Massacre - Extended Preview
How Well Do You Know Freaky?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What mysterious artifact does the Blissfield Butcher steal from the teenagers' home?
Cars in Freaky
43 cars on screen, including the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo and the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria.
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2004 Chevrolet Aveo Important role -
2005 Ford Crown Victoria Minor role -
2008 Ford E-Series Minor role -
2017 Ford Fusion Minor role
Seen Freaky?
Movies Like Freaky
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Freak, Freakshow and Freaks of Nature.
Freaky FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Freaky, each answered in a sentence.
When was Freaky released?
Freaky was released on November 13, 2020.
Who directed Freaky?
Freaky was directed by Christopher B. Landon.
More films by Christopher B. Landon Who is in the cast of Freaky?
Freaky stars Kathryn Newton as Millie, Vince Vaughn as The Butcher and Dana Drori as Charlene Kessler, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Freaky make at the box office?
Freaky grossed $18.1 million worldwide ($9 million domestic, $9 million international) on a budget of $5 million.
How is Freaky rated?
Freaky has 6.3/10 on IMDb, 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.
Was Freaky nominated for any awards?
Freaky received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
Does Freaky have a post-credit scene?
No. Freaky has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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