The highly anticipated film, Forbidden Fruits, has garnered immediate attention due to its star-studded cast featuring Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Alexandra Shipp, and Victoria Pedretti. Described by director Meredith Alloway as "Mean Girls, but a slasher," the movie promises to channel the iconic vibes of beloved clique films such as Mean Girls, The Craft, and Jennifer's Body, appealing to a broad audience eager for a fresh take on female dynamics and dark themes.

The narrative unfolds entirely within a mall, where a formidable trio known as The Fruits reigns supreme. Led by Lili Reinhart's character, Apple, The Fruits operate a popular store called Free Eden by day. However, by night, their activities take a darker turn as they engage in witchcraft. When Apple, Cherry (Victoria Pedretti), and Fig (Alexandra Shipp) encounter Lola Tung's Pumpkin, she initially appears to be the perfect candidate for their coven. Yet, as Pumpkin delves deeper into their sisterhood, she begins to question their true nature, propelling The Fruits into increasingly perilous and dark territory.

Forbidden Fruits is an adaptation of Lily Houghton's stage play, "Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin, and Through Her We All Die." The collaboration between Houghton and Alloway proved to be an ideal match, facilitated by their shared manager, mutual friends, and convergent storytelling interests. Alloway revealed that her inspiration stemmed from extensive research into female serial killers and criminals. She pondered why male serial killer narratives dominate media, observing that women often commit crimes for vastly different reasons, drawing parallels to figures like Medea. This desire to explore the intricacies of women's dynamics led her to Houghton's play, solidifying the vision of "Mean Girls, but a slasher." Notably, the film's set in the Sherway Gardens Mall in Toronto holds a special connection, being the very location where a memorable fountain scene from the original Mean Girls was filmed.

Lili Reinhart's portrayal of Apple is central to the film, positioning her as the "Regina George" of Forbidden Fruits. Reinhart embraced the challenge of crafting a villainous character that audiences could paradoxically love. Having boarded the project while still working on Riverdale, Reinhart spent two years contemplating Apple's character. She initially perceived Apple as a straightforward villain but later realized the necessity of empathizing with her actions, understanding that Apple herself believes she is doing no wrong. Working with a coach, Reinhart found a way to connect with Apple's extreme behaviors, grounding them in a deeper, human truth. Apple's elaborate facade, symbolized by her wig and hair, is key to her character, but beneath it lies a struggling individual driven by a profound sense of betrayal. Reinhart explained that Apple's turn to witchcraft is rooted in the failure of those who were supposed to be loyal, forcing her to create her own family. This perspective aims to reveal the struggling person within, making her actions, however extreme, more comprehensible.

The family Apple forges includes Alexandra Shipp's Fig, a character described by Shipp as a former loner desperate for friendship. Fig's intense desire to maintain these connections makes her morally malleable, willing to compromise her principles to avoid losing her newfound friends. Shipp highlighted the dangerous nature of this position, where one's morals can bend significantly under the pressure of belonging. Fig's motivation is rooted in the belief that her friends are like blood, vital to her existence, prompting the question: should one stop a friend from doing wrong, or join them?

Lola Tung's Pumpkin, the new girl in town, is initially embraced by The Fruits. Tung noted that Pumpkin harbors many assumptions about the group but is unexpectedly caught off guard by a profound sense of community. Despite being someone who is "friends with everybody, but kind of nobody at the same time," Pumpkin experiences a closeness and vulnerability with The Fruits that she has never felt before. This strong emotional bond makes the eventual darker turns of Forbidden Fruits all the more impactful, as The Fruits possess a magnetizing quality, discussing taboo subjects and making Pumpkin feel part of something unique and special.

Balancing the allure of The Fruits with their disturbing dark side and the characters' extreme behaviors with their rawer, human moments necessitated careful tonal control. Alloway views Forbidden Fruits as primarily a satire, infused with humor. She cited "American Psycho" as a significant tonal guide, aiming for an experience where characters take their lives very seriously, which can be comically observed, yet interweaved with profoundly dark, real moments. The film is intended to be a fun cinematic experience while unflinchingly exploring the brutal complexities of female relationships. Initially referred to as "girlboss ways," the problematic form of friendship depicted evolved into "performative sisterhood" – a deep-seated need for acceptance and belonging. Alloway reflected that much of the chaos in the movie could be averted if the women simply communicated their vulnerabilities and struggles more openly.

Forbidden Fruits is scheduled to make its World Premiere at SXSW 2026 on March 16, with a wider theatrical release following on March 27.