If you loved
The Unholy
Evan Spiliotopoulos · Film · 2021
What hooked you in The Unholy was the unsettling intersection of journalistic skepticism and the terrifying, inexplicable power of religious phenomena.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Cold Fire
Dean Ray Koontz · Book · 1991
Like the disgraced journalist in The Unholy, Holly Thorne must navigate a dangerous conspiracy while investigating a mysterious figure whose miraculous deeds harbor a dark and hidden agenda.
The Possessed
Lisa J. Smith · Book · 1995
Much like the young girl at the center of The Unholy, Kaitlyn Fairchild possesses extraordinary gifts that force her into a terrifying confrontation with malevolent supernatural forces.
The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity
William P. Young, Wayne Jacobsen, Brad Cummings · Book · 2009
While The Unholy explores the darker side of faith, this narrative similarly challenges your perspective on divine intervention and grief, grounding spiritual questions in a deeply personal tragedy.
The Horse Whisperer
Nicholas Evans · Book · 1995
If the emotional weight of healing in The Unholy resonated with you, this story offers a parallel focus on the painful, transformative journey toward redemption after a life-shattering accident.
Series on the same thread
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2021
This series mirrors the central conflict of The Unholy, focusing on a small town seduced by miracles and the dangerous, deceptive nature of religious fervor under a charismatic leader.
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
The Unholy features a mysterious girl with strange powers, a trope mirrored here as a small town uncovers dark secrets and supernatural threats surrounding a similarly enigmatic young child.
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
This show perfectly captures the investigative tension of The Unholy by pairing a skeptic with religious experts to systematically analyze the line between genuine miracles and demonic possession.
Swamp Thing
Mark Verheiden · Series · 2019
Just as the journalist in The Unholy uncovers horror beneath the surface of a small town, this investigator finds that a local crisis hides terrifying, mystical secrets within.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
The Unholy hinges on a reporter seeking redemption through an investigation, a drive that defines this podcast as it digs into cold cases to uncover long-buried, haunting truths.
Unexplained
iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
If you enjoyed the way The Unholy examines the boundary between faith and the paranormal, this podcast will satisfy your interest in real-life events that defy explanation.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Unholy based on a book or another source?
The Unholy is based on the novel Shrine by James Herbert. While the movie adaptation focuses on the story of a hearing-impaired girl performing miracles, the original source material provides the foundation for the terrifying events that occur when a journalist investigates these claims in a small New England town.
Should I read the source material before watching The Unholy?
You do not need to read the source material before watching The Unholy. The film stands as a complete adaptation of the narrative, covering the investigation into the supposed miracles and the dark secrets that follow, though the book offers additional context for those interested in the original story.
Is The Unholy connected to the podcast titled Shrine?
The Unholy is an adaptation of the same source material that inspired the podcast titled Shrine. Both projects draw from the original novel to explore the story of a girl whose sudden ability to heal the sick leads to a series of terrifying and unexplained events in her community.
What is the main plot of The Unholy?
The Unholy follows a disgraced journalist who travels to a small New England town to investigate a young hearing-impaired girl who claims to have been visited by the Virgin Mary. As she gains the ability to heal the sick, the journalist uncovers dark and terrifying events surrounding her supposed miracles.