With spooky season upon us, I’ve been seeing werewolves, vampires, and other monsters all over! Though for some reason, I find myself oddly enamored with them? The craze behind Wicker’s trailer makes me think I’m not alone.
Wicker is an October 23rd, 2026 movie release. The movie is based off of author Ursula Wills-Jones’s 2008 short story, The Wicker Husband. It features Olivia Coleman as a lonely and ostracized fisherwoman, who is mocked by her town. To cope with the isolation she faces, she hires a local basketmaker, played by Peter Dinklage, to make her a husband. Here enters Alexander Skarsgård, the aforementioned husband weaved from willow, appropriately named as The Wicker Husband. The Wicker Husband is sincere, passionate, and loving. The unique couple set off a wave of both confusion and jealousy throughout the townspeople.
Following the release of the trailer, my TikTok For You Page has been absolutely filled with videos lusting over and admiring Skarsgård’s character. Many TikToks show users walking through stores like HomeGoods, showing off woven baskets. Video creators ask their viewers how many baskets they would need to build their own Wicker Husband. Others make drool-worthy edits of Skarsgård in all of his wickered glory. One TikTok user, @jennanidzreads, even posts with her life size cutout of the Wicker Husband. Skarsgård has definitely done his big one with Wicker.
The obsession with nonhuman love interests doesn’t start with Wicker. From vampires like Edward Cullen to creatures like Edward Scissorhands to beasts like, well, the Beast, an affinity for monsters seems to go back centuries. The term “monster romance” is used to describe media in which a monster stars in a romance. Often in this sub-genre, a human woman will fall in love with some sort of sentient creature. This raises the question: Why do women love monsters?
There is no singular answer to this question, but I can speculate on a few things I think makes this trope appealing to audiences. For one, monsters don’t abide by human social standards. Individuals who have ever found themselves isolated and cast out by the rest of society can find solace knowing that their creature of a boyfriend won’t judge them by the same criteria. We can assume that monsters’ character evaluation depends more on personality than wealth, education, or other definitions of status. This seems to be woven into the storyline of Wicker. The Wicker Husband doesn’t judge the Fisherwoman by superficial standards like the townspeople do. He does quite the opposite, actually: He loves and cherishes her for who she really is.
Going off of that same idea, most monsters know the pain of being judged solely for their looks. People scream and run when faced with monsters’ sharp teeth or green skin or other scary qualities. In a world where many women are ridiculed for their appearances and objectified by those around them, it’s desirable to find someone who can look past what is on the outside. Monsters’ personal experience makes them the perfect candidate.
When you think of monsters, it’s likely you think feral, violent, and other scary or aggressive traits. Initially this may make the idea of monsters starring in romance movies and books feel unlikely. However, I believe this only adds to the appeal. To see that someone who is tough and hard on the outside is really soft and loving on the inside is a dream lots of readers and movie-goers have.
Lastly, I’ll touch on the idea of taming a monster. There’s something romantic about being the one to tame a monster. It must feel special when you’re the reason a monster goes against what his nature tells him in order to gently and kindly handle the woman he loves.
Or maybe you just like the look of monsters. In the case of Wicker, I wouldn’t blame you. Skarsgård pulls off the woven look quite well.
No matter what it is that causes the undeniable attraction to monster romance, I know I will be catching Wicker in theaters soon! If you’re looking to watch Wicker near U Mich campus, it’s being shown at the State Theatre with times available on their website. Gather your friends, grab some popcorn, and get watching!
