Zazie Beetz Had "No Days Off" Filming Action-Horror Epic

Beetz had "no days off" while working on the action-packed horror film.

Mar. 26, 2026 at 10:52pm

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Zazie Beetz doesn't just lead They Will Kill You — she endures it. The upcoming action-horror film tells the story of a young woman, Asia Reeves [Beetz], who must survive the night at the Virgil, a demonic cult's mysterious and twisted death-trap of a lair, before becoming their next offering. Director Kirill Sokolov praised Beetz's physically demanding performance, saying she was "literally in every frame of this movie" and "didn't have a single day off while we were shooting it."

Why it matters

Beetz's intense commitment to the role highlights the physical and emotional demands of leading an action-horror film, especially one that keeps the protagonist in near-constant motion. The film's embrace of practical effects over CGI also connects it to the horror classics that inspired it, providing a unique viewing experience for genre fans.

The details

For two months, Beetz was "barefoot, full in blood and dirt and sweat, running around and kicking butt" without a single day off. Sokolov said Beetz "just did it so elegantly, and never broke down or had a hard time." The film also leans heavily into practical effects for its bloody kills, which Sokolov said gives it a "certain charm that sends us back to the movies we love" from the '80s and '90s.

  • They Will Kill You premiered on March 17 at SXSW.
  • The film is set to hit theaters on March 27, 2026.

The players

Zazie Beetz

The lead actress who plays Asia Reeves, the young woman at the center of the action-horror film.

Kirill Sokolov

The director of They Will Kill You, who praised Beetz's intense and committed performance.

Patricia Arquette

A co-star in the film who was impressed by Beetz's nonstop action and energy throughout the shoot.

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What they’re saying

“At some point, I just started to call her Cyborg because she is literally in every frame of this movie. She didn't have a single day off while we were shooting it. So for two months, she was every single day, barefoot, full in blood and dirt and sweat, running around and kicking butt.”

— Kirill Sokolov, Director

“She just did it so elegantly, and never broke down or had a hard time. I just looked at her and couldn't believe how lucky I am, because it could have gone a very different way if it were anybody else, but she just really brought it up there.”

— Kirill Sokolov, Director

“It's a real tour de force for Zazie. That's all there is to it. Nonstop. It is action-packed from beginning to end. And you have to think, as much energy as you could see on screen, she had to do 16, 18 takes of these things, back-to-back, back-to-back. So it was just, "Wow." The way that she drove this movie is incredible.”

— Patricia Arquette, Co-star

What’s next

They Will Kill You is set to hit theaters on March 27, 2026, following its premiere at SXSW on March 17.

The takeaway

Zazie Beetz's physically demanding and relentless performance in They Will Kill You showcases her talent and dedication, while the film's embrace of practical effects connects it to the horror classics that inspired it, providing a unique viewing experience for genre fans.