The family horror flick isn’t a genre you hear about all too often — there certainly aren’t a lot of kid-friendly options on the upcoming horror movie list — and yet, here we are with Dust Bunny, Bryan Fuller’s feature directorial debut. Mads Mikkelsen stars as a hitman who his 8-year-old neighbor, Aurora (newcomer Sophie Sloan), hires after her family is killed by the monster under her bed. Critics saw the film ahead of its release on the 2025 movie calendar, and they have strong (but positive) reactions.
Sigourney Weaver, David Dastmalchian and a few others also appear in this fantastical thriller that CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable calls a “must-see,” but Dust Bunny is really all about the relationship between the little girl and the killer for hire. Natalia Keogan of AV Club gives it a B, noting how impressive it is for Bryan Fuller to tackle all of these moving parts — monster puppetry, a new child actor and lots of VFX — with such confidence in his first time at the helm. Keogan says:
The baseless childhood fear of a monster lurking under the bed becomes a tangible threat to those of all ages in Dust Bunny, the directorial debut from visionary TV writer and showrunner Bryan Fuller. Toning down the blood-drenched viscera of Hannibal while channeling the morbid yet whimsical stylings of Pushing Daisies, Fuller’s inaugural film effort is completely in tune with his previous narrative interests, though this time filtered through the gaze of a precocious child.
Rotem Rusak of Nerdist raves about Dust Bunny for doing something new, blending comedy seamlessly into action-horror and making fantasy exist alongside reality. Every frame is purposeful, the critic says, and Sophie Sloan delivers a performance well beyond her years. Rusak continues:
Beyond its exceptional performances, gorgeous settings, iconic costumes, and endearing storyline, Bryan Fuller’s new (and first) movie, Dust Bunny, triumphs because it truly takes us somewhere we’ve never been before. While Dust Bunny taps into many different genres that we know and love, everything from ’80s Amblin-esque gateway horror to sleek, spycraft hijinks that call up James Bond to the relentless action of Bruce Lee Kung Fu movies, it spins them beautifully into a unique creation that could only belong to Bryan Fuller. Dust Bunny is that movie. The one that brings to us what we all purport to seek in our new releases. It’s new, it’s fresh, and it’s fun.
Michael Gingold of Fangoria writes that the unique tone of handling dark subject matter with whimsical humor is Bryan Fuller’s specialty, and despite its R rating — for some human fight scenes, rather than monster-involved violence — it should work as an appropriate gateway to horror for younger viewers. (Parents should use their own discretion.) Gingold writes:
Even as the action becomes more outrageous, with shooting and gobbling by the title creature, the heart of Dust Bunny remains the interplay between Mikkelsen and Sloan—the veteran of steely tough-guy/bad-guy roles complemented by the perfectly unsentimental turn by the young newcomer. Talking matter-of-factly about the monster and other horrible stuff, Sloan is able to play wise beyond her years while maintaining Aurora’s vulnerability, while Mikkelsen lets us feel the Neighbor’s growing protectiveness toward her without breaking his cool and collected character.
Aimee Hart of Polygon agrees that the R rating feels unwarranted and says this is definitely worth your time. Combining the mundane with the fantastic is what Bryan Fuller does best, Hart says, and Dust Bunny is able to delight and horrify in equal measure. The critic writes:
Dust Bunny may not completely scratch the unhinged itch that Fuller’s previous kaleidoscope of horror and comedy projects gave, largely because it’s so much more kid-friendly. Despite the R rating, Fuller’s vision for Dust Bunny is for kids who feel like the outsider. Dust Bunny speaks to your inner child, while also being a not-so-gentle reminder that your fears are only as strong as you make them out to be. It’s a visually and thematically distinct horror fairytale, and one that fans of Fuller will love.
Carlos Aguilar of Variety calls the film “morbidly fantastical” and appreciates how, despite the bond that forms between the Intriguing Neighbor and Aurora, Bryan Fuller’s tone fends off sappiness, along with Mads Mikkelsen’s “grizzled nonchalance.” Sophie Sloan is impressive in how she handles the movie’s deadpan demeanor. More from the review:
The first feature by the creator of Pushing Daises feels and looks like a rare cinematic concoction: John Wick by way of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit with the highly stylized aesthetics of a Wes Anderson romp. Though such a description may warn bizarreness, once cobbled together, it seems fairly cohesive, if not that original. The strength of the performances and the filmmaker’s smart handling of ambiguity (is there or is there not an actual monster at play here?) do enough to keep one engaged.
Overall, critics are impressed with Bryan Fuller’s directorial debut, as it has earned a Certified Fresh 86% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. For anyone looking for something outside of the typical superhero movie or holiday rom-com, this gateway horror that combines the monster under the bed with real-life hitmen and plenty of surrealism might be a good option.
Dust Bunny is now in theaters, as of Friday, December 12.
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