A24's psychological thriller "Mother Mary," starring Anne Hathaway as a pop star in crisis, opens in limited theaters today, Apr. 17, 2026, with director David Lowery revealing Taylor Swift as a key inspiration for the lead character and concert scenes.

Lowery told Empire magazine he envisioned Hathaway's character, Mother Mary, as Taylor Swift aged 10 to 15 years in the future. The filmmaker brought Swift's persona to discussions with Hathaway during production. Cast and crew referenced Swift frequently on set.

Swift's 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour concert film shaped the movie's stadium sequences. Lowery's team analyzed three songs from the Netflix release, shot by shot, to budget visual effects on a limited budget. They used it as a guide to stage a comeback concert realistically, according to Billboard.

Hathaway, a Swift fan, attended the Eras Tour in Europe with Lowery after wrapping principal photography. At completion, she gifted him a beaded bracelet styled like Swift's, inscribed with "Anti-Hero." Lowery praised Reputation as one of the best concert films ever made.

Anne Hathaway's 'Mother Mary' Psychological Horror Film

The plot centers on pop icon Mother Mary reuniting with estranged best friend Sam Anselm, her former costume designer, played by Michaela Coel. Long-buried emotional wounds surface amid her comeback preparations. Much of the action unfolds in Sam's English countryside workshop.

The film runs 1 hour and 50 minutes and carries an R rating. It expands nationwide on Apr. 24, 2026. International rollouts start Apr. 16 in New Zealand and Turkey, Decked Out Magazine reported.

Supporting cast includes Hunter Schafer as Hilda, Atheena Frizzell as Emily, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay as Tessa, Alba Baptista, Sian Clifford as Jade, Isaura Barbé-Brown, and FKA twigs. Lowery wrote and directed the project.

Original songs feature music by Charli XCX with production from Jack Antonoff. Cinematography is by Andrew Droz Palermo, and the score is by Daniel Hart. Filming occurred in Cologne and Bonn, Germany, as a U.S.-German co-production, as per Tribune.

Tags
Anne Hathaway, Taylor Swift, A24