Orphan: First Kill (2022): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending
Orphan: First Kill is a 2022 drama thriller directed by William Brent Bell, starring Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther, Leena, Gwendolyn Collins and Julia Stiles. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes and earned $37.1 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. Critics gave it 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and 54 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 39m (99 min)
- Director
- William Brent Bell
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Budget
- $10M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Orphan: First Kill About?
The premise of Orphan: First Kill without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
Following her calculated escape from an Estonian orphanage, a young woman assumes the identity of a missing teenager to infiltrate a wealthy American family. Her manipulative schemes are challenged by the mother, who suspects the new arrival’s unsettling behavior and is determined to protect her children from the dangerous secrets she hides. A tense psychological thriller unfolds as the family confronts a cunning adversary.
Orphan: First Kill Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- prequel
- actress reprises previous role
- gothic horror
- art therapy
- 2000s
- three word title
- punctuation in title
- horror movie prequel
- psychological horror
- psychological drama
- murder
- evil girl
+38 more Show fewer
- tragic villainess
- gothic
- villainess as protagonist
- insanity
- nightmare
- serial killer
- mysterious girl
- suspense
- brutality
- death
- mystery individual
- slasher horror
- knife wielding killer
- murder mystery
- mysterious villain
- dark secret
- killer child
- evil child
- ruthlessness
- female psycho
- arsonist
- creepy girl
- bloody violence
- bloodthirsty
- fiend
- starting a fire
- dead rat
- estonia
- russia
- rat
- insane asylum
- blacklight
- dead daughter
- missing daughter
- crossbow
- fencing
- fencing match
- painting
Orphan: First Kill Cast & Characters
Isabelle Fuhrman leads the cast as Esther, Leena, with Gwendolyn Collins as Anna and Julia Stiles as Tricia Albright. Directed by William Brent Bell; 12 actors are credited in all.
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Director William Brent Bell
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Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther, Leena - Gwendolyn Collins as Anna
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Julia Stiles as Tricia Albright -
Matthew Finlan as Gunnar Albright
Also Starring in Orphan: First Kill
· 8 more- Rossif Sutherland Allen Albright
- Stephanie Sy Flight Attendant
- David Brown
- Lauren Cochrane Officer Leahy
- Hiro Kanagawa Detective Donnan
- Jade Michael Girl 1, Madison
- Kristen Sawatzky Federica
- Samantha Walkes Dr. Segar
More from William Brent Bell
More films directed by William Brent Bell, best-rated first: Lord of Misrule, The Boy, Stay Alive and Separation.
Orphan: First Kill Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Orphan: First Kill 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and 54 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10. Our Echo Score gives it 58/100, strongest in character & emotion (70) and weakest in story & flow (45).
Orphan: First Kill Echo Score Breakdown
Overall, Orphan: First Kill registers a mixed reception, landing in the mid‑fifties. Critics acknowledge competent direction and effective gore set‑pieces, and most agree that Isabella Fuhrman and Julia Stiles deliver engaging performances. However, the screenplay is frequently described as uneven, with pacing issues and plot inconsistencies that undermine the thriller premise. Audience reactions echo this split, noting occasional moments of tension but citing repetitive or incoherent storytelling. Consequently, the film offers limited repeat value, settling into an average score.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 55
In terms of art and craft, the film demonstrates a capable handling of practical effects and blood‑laden set‑pieces, earning praise for its tension‑building direction. Nonetheless, reviewers point to a relaxed pacing and occasional editing lapses that dilute suspense. The net result is a competent but unremarkable visual execution.
- Character & Emotion 70
When assessing character and emotion, both Fuhrman and Stiles receive consistent commendation for delivering nuanced, unsettling portrayals that anchor the film’s horror elements. Their chemistry in the climactic duologues is highlighted as a strength. Yet some viewers criticize the limited depth afforded to supporting roles, resulting in a generally solid but uneven ensemble performance.
- Story & Flow 45
Story and flow present the most pronounced weaknesses. Critics note a draggy, haphazard script that repeats information from the original and introduces incongruous plot twists, leading to pacing irregularities. While the premise of exploring Esther’s origin offers potential, execution falls short, leaving many viewers dissatisfied with narrative cohesion.
- Sensory Experience 65
In the sensory domain, the film succeeds in delivering visceral gore and an effective sound design that sustains tension without relying on cheap jump scares. Visual styling remains functional, supporting the brutal atmosphere. Nonetheless, the soundtrack receives little mention, and overall sensory polish is viewed as adequate rather than exceptional.
- Rewatch Factor 50
Rewatch factor is modest; the movie offers occasional standout moments, such as the twist and the lead’s performance, which may entice a second viewing for genre enthusiasts. However, repetitive plot points and uneven pacing diminish long‑term appeal, leading most viewers to rank it as a one‑time experience.
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IMDb 5.9 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 70% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 77%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 54 Metascore
User score 6.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 66% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.7 /5
119 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.0 /5
See on Movie Insider
Orphan: First Kill Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in Orphan: First Kill from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In January 2007, Leena Klammer, a 31-year-old psychiatric patient suffering from hypopituitarism, which makes her resemble a 9-year-old child, meticulously plans her escape from the Saarne Institute. By seducing and murdering a guard, she manages to flee while hiding inside the vehicle of an art therapist named Anna. After breaking into Anna’s home and subsequently killing her, Leena seeks out information on missing American girls, discovering her uncanny resemblance to Esther Albright, a wealthy girl who vanished in 2003. Posing as a lost child, she meets a Russian officer and introduces herself as Esther, claiming her parents are in the United States.
Full summary
The whole story of Orphan: First Kill, scene by scene, with the ending explained
Orphan: First Kill Box Office & Budget
Orphan: First Kill grossed $37.1 million worldwide on a $10 million budget, 3.7 times what it cost. $5.4 million came from the US and Canada and $31.7 million (85%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$37.1M
3.7× its budget
- US & Canada
- $5.4M
- International
- $31.7M
- Budget
- $10M
Orphan: First Kill Trailers & Videos
7 videos: 1 trailer, 1 teaser, 4 clips and 1 behind-the-scenes video.
- Teaser Now Streaming
- Clip Clip: Rat Drink
- Clip Clip: Pencil
- Clip Clip: Railway Station
How Well Do You Know Orphan: First Kill?
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 rare hormonal disorder does Leena Klammer suffer from?
Cars in Orphan: First Kill
10 cars on screen, including the 2006 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport and the 2003 Cadillac Escalade ESV.
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2006 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport Main role -
2003 Cadillac Escalade ESV Minor role -
Ford Crown Victoria Minor role -
Ford Crown Victoria Minor role
Orphan: First Kill Also Known As
37 alternative titles, including “Esther” and “Orphan 2”.
- Also known as
-
- Esther
- Orphan 2
- היתומה 2: הרצח הראשון
- 孤疑前傳
- Orphan 2 - First Kill
- Órfã: A Origem
- Bārene: Pirmais upuris
- Sierota. Narodziny zła
- オーファン：ファースト・キル
- Дитя тьмы: первая жертва
- Órfã 2: A Origem
- Esther 2 : Les Origines
+25 more Show fewer
- Siroče: Prvo ubojstvo
- 孤儿怨：首杀
- La huérfana: Primer asesinato
- La huérfana: El origen
- L'orpheline : Les origines du mal
- 오펀: 천사의 탄생
- יתומה: ההתחלה
- اليتيمة: جريمة القتل الأولى
- Evdeki Düşman: Başlangıç
- Sirotek: První oběť
- Orfana: Îngerul morții
- Az árva - Az első gyilkosság
- Đứa Trẻ Mồ Côi: Nạn Nhân Đầu Tiên
- 孤兒怨2：最黑暗的過去
- Дитя темряви: Перша жертва
- Сиракът: Първо убийство
- เด็กนรกศพแรก
- Sirota: Prvá vražda
- یتیم: اولین قتل
- Το Ορφανό: Πρώτος Φόνος
- Našlaitė: Pirmoji auka
- Sirota: Prvi umor
- Orphan - First Kill
- エスター ファースト・キル, ობოლი: პირველი მკვლელობა
- Orb: esimene ohver
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Orphan: First Kill FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Orphan: First Kill, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Orphan: First Kill?
Orphan: First Kill runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).
When was Orphan: First Kill released?
Orphan: First Kill was released on August 19, 2022.
Who directed Orphan: First Kill?
Orphan: First Kill was directed by William Brent Bell.
More films by William Brent Bell Who is in the cast of Orphan: First Kill?
Orphan: First Kill stars Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther, Leena, Gwendolyn Collins as Anna and Julia Stiles as Tricia Albright, among 12 credited actors.
How much did Orphan: First Kill make at the box office?
Orphan: First Kill grossed $37.1 million worldwide ($5.4 million domestic, $31.7 million international) on a budget of $10 million.
How is Orphan: First Kill rated?
Orphan: First Kill has 5.9/10 on IMDb, 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, 54 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.
Does Orphan: First Kill have a post-credit scene?
No. Orphan: First Kill has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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