Onslaught (2026)

A24’s latest sci‑fi pulse‑pounder, Onslaught, drops viewers into a rain‑slick trailer park where Army sniper Celeste (Adria Arjona) must defend her daughter from an onslaught of genetically engineered supersoldiers. The film leans hard into ’80s action nostalgia, borrowing the relentless, unstoppable menace of Cameron’s Terminator and the fierce, protective mother‑figure energy of Ripley from Aliens, while keeping the blood‑soaked edge that has become Wingard’s signature. What sets Onslaught apart from its inspirations is its grounded twist: the hulking antagonists are human soldiers reprogrammed by a mad German scientist, not cybernetic cyborgs, and the story shuns any time‑travel gimmicks. This makes Celeste’s showdown feel more intimate—she’s already a lethal marksman, not an ordinary civilian thrust into a war—yet her arc mirrors Sarah Connor’s relentless survival drive and Ripley’s transformation into a weapon‑wielding protector. Fans of Wingard’s 2014 indie horror The Guest will spot the connective tissue immediately. Dan Stevens, who starred in The Guest, appears in Onslaught, and the director confirmed at San Diego Comic‑Con that both movies occupy the same New Mexico town and share the shadowy government program that birthed David and the supersoldiers. While Stevens isn’t reprising his original role, his presence cements Onslaught as a secret sequel, expanding the lore of that hidden experiment. Wingard even frames the film as the finale of a three‑part thematic saga that includes his 2011 slasher You’re Next, positioning Onslaught as a gonzo action‑horror thriller that pays homage to James Cameron’s classics while carving out its own gritty, mother‑versus‑machine narrative. It’s a bold, blood‑splattered tribute that aims to stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the genre’s most iconic entries.

Blake Kennedy, a Florida‑based actress with deep Guam roots, makes her feature‑film debut as Daisy in A24’s R‑rated thriller Onslaught, which hit theaters on Sept. 4 and is already streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and more. The film follows a former Army sniper protecting her daughter from three genetically enhanced super‑soldiers, and Kennedy’s performance anchors the high‑octane family drama. At just ten, Kennedy shares the screen with Adria Arjona and tackles a daring crawl‑space chase with the villain known as The Butcher. She spent weeks in stunt training and even performed in a custom‑built wooden set under a trailer, a sequence she calls her favorite (spoiler alert included). Though she can’t watch the R‑rated movie yet, her family assures her the final product is “good.” Kennedy’s path to stardom began with iPad‑recorded Spy Kids skits, a hobby that turned into formal acting classes after her mother caught her in the act. Guided by her mother, Delaina McElfresh, Kennedy started auditioning at five during the pandemic, learning the craft through relentless feedback loops. By eight, she landed the lead child role in Onslaught, crediting the experience for roughly half of what she now knows about acting. Looking ahead, Kennedy dreams of blending comedy with pop‑culture icons, hoping to self‑produce a film featuring Pokémon, Jurassic World and her pet dogs. She’s already writing her own script and short films, while juggling singing, martial arts and sports, proving that her debut is just the opening act of a multifaceted career.