Hoba (stylized in all caps; also known as The Vile) is a 2025 supernaturalpsychological horror film written and directed by Majid Al Ansari.[1] The film follows a woman who descends into paranoia after her husband brings home a second wife, sensing a dark presence following the other woman.[2][3] It was based on an original screenplay written by Al Ansari and Johnnie Alward and stars Bdoor Mohammad, Sarah Taibah, and Iman Tarik.[2]
Amani (Bdoor Mohammad), a wife and mother living in suburban Abu Dhabi, finds her husband Khalid (Jasem AlKharraz) returning home with a pregnant second wife, Zahra (Sarah Taibah), without her knowledge or consent.[1][7] Feeling betrayed, Amani tries to reassert herself as the household's matriarch as her daughter, Noor (Iman Tarik), begins growing closer to Zahra after being bullied at school.[1][7] After seemingly paranormal events, Amani's sanity unravels, as she becomes convinced that a malevolent supernatural presence has followed Zahra into their household.[8]
The film was produced by Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Spooky Pictures.[3][9][10] It was the first Arabic-language Emirati film co-produced by the two companies.[4] Steven Schneider and Roy Lee served as producers and provided creative input.[3][4] Additional producers include Derek Dauchy and Rami Yasin, with Mohamed Hefzy and Yasir Al Yasiri serving as executive producers.[11]
Hoba was released in UAE cinemas on October 30, 2025.[4] The film opened in Saudi Arabia in November 2025, and was distributed by Telfaz11.[5] In October 2026, it was announced that Dark Sky Films had acquired U.S. distribution rights for the film and is set to be released theatrically and on digital on November 20, 2026.[15][16][17]
Reception
The film received positive reviews from critics,[7][18] including coverage in Variety and Deadline.[1][5] On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 100% based on 11 reviews.[19]
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