The producers behind The Babadook and Talk to Me, Causeway Films, have brought to life a chilling new Australian horror film, The Moogai. Set to terrorize audiences, the film will hit theaters and digital platforms on May 9 via Samuel Goldwyn Films.

The story follows Sarah and Fergus, a young Aboriginal couple who are overjoyed to welcome their second child into the world. However, what should be a time of celebration quickly turns ominous when Sarah begins to see a malevolent spirit she believes is trying to steal her baby. Fergus, unable to see the apparition but desperate to support her, grows increasingly concerned as Sarah’s grip on reality begins to slip. As her behavior becomes more erratic, he struggles to determine whether the sinister spirit is real—or if Sarah herself is becoming the greatest danger to their family’s safety.

Written and directed by Jon Bell, The Moogai marks his feature film debut, following the success of his 2020 short film of the same name. The cast includes Shari Sebbens, Meyne Wyatt, Tessa Rose, Clarence Ryan, Toby Leonard Moore, and Bella Heathcote.

In his Sundance review, Trace Thurman noted that The Moogai is “another monster-as-a-metaphor horror drama” that excels when it leans into its dramatic elements but falters when it shifts into more traditional horror territory.