While Warner Bros. continues to capitalize on the legacy of Harry Potter, A24 has crafted its own version of a magical universe — dark, satirical, and brutally modern. Death of a Unicorn is what you might get if J.K. Rowling collaborated with the creators of Hereditary.
Connection to Harry Potter: More Than Just References
The film plays on a key moment from Philosopher’s Stone — the ban on killing unicorns. But here, the mythical creatures aren’t victims; they’re avengers, terrorizing pharmaceutical moguls in a pointed nod to the real-world Sacklers.
Magic for Adults
Where Rowling had potions class, A24 offers a sharp allegory on the opioid crisis. Unicorn blood becomes a metaphor for painkillers, and their horns symbolize profit at any cost. It’s Harry Potter refracted through the lens of Game of Thrones.
The Cast: New 'Wizards'
Jenna Ortega (as Ridley) is the anti-Hermione — cynical, cruel, and bitingly adolescent. Paul Rudd plays a 'Muggle' whose complacency is more frightening than any Voldemort. Together, they’re like Ron and Harry stripped of any faith in wonder.
Why It Works
A24 doesn’t copy — it reimagines. Instead of Hogwarts, there’s a corporate estate; instead of wands, unicorn horn cocktails. It’s a bold response to the commercialization of magical worlds.
Death of a Unicorn proves that fantasy can grow up with its audience. It might just be the beginning of a new era of intellectual fantasy — one where light and dark no longer follow the rules.
