Thescreescore – Legendary director Martin Scorsese, a titan of cinematic storytelling, continues to deepen his engagement with the horror genre, now serving as an executive producer for the psychological thriller Trees Are Watching. This intriguing new film is poised for its highly anticipated global premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this Friday, September 18, further solidifying Scorsese’s expanding influence in unsettling narratives.
While Scorsese’s most recent directorial effort, the monumental crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, garnered widespread critical acclaim and ten Oscar nominations in 2023, his behind-the-scenes presence has been remarkably prolific. The year 2026 has seen the auteur lend his executive producing talents to Apple TV’s chilling adaptation of Cape Fear and the enigmatic The Basics of Philosophy. His latest venture, Trees Are Watching, adds another significant entry to this burgeoning horror portfolio.
The film, helmed by writer-director Bahman Ghobadi and featuring the compelling Eva Green of Casino Royale fame, promises a deeply unsettling experience. According to its TIFF synopsis, Trees Are Watching delves into the torment of a writer, portrayed by Green, as she confronts past transgressions under the malevolent gaze of a pair of ancient trees and an ominous wooden chair. The narrative follows Darya, a character profoundly captivated by the spiritual essence of trees, as she returns to her ancestral town of Mardin with her deaf daughter, only to be consumed by haunting recollections of twin sisters, Spin and Nihal, from her childhood.
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This collaboration marks a notable reunion for Scorsese and Ghobadi. Scorsese previously championed Ghobadi’s 2012 feature, Rhino Season, presenting it for its world premiere at TIFF. Ghobadi later made a memorable cameo appearance as a prison cook serving Jimmy Hoffa in Scorsese’s critically acclaimed 2019 epic, The Irishman. Beyond Scorsese, the executive producing team for Trees Are Watching includes Lucas Akoskin and Bahoz Nasradin, alongside producers Bahman Ghobadi, Seyfi Sahin, Lydia Dean Pilcher, and Golriz Ehtiati.
The unveiling of Trees Are Watching serves as an exciting precursor to Scorsese’s much-anticipated directorial return to the genre with What Happens at Night. This Gothic psychological horror, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence (both also producing), draws inspiration from Peter Cameron’s 2020 novel. The story follows an American married couple on a disquieting journey to a snowy European town to adopt a child. Having reportedly concluded filming in late May 2026, this Apple production is currently awaiting its official release date.
Beyond his producing and directing commitments, Scorsese has also maintained a bustling schedule as an actor in 2026. He appeared as Richie "Red" Rodriguez in the Keanu Reeves-led Apple film Outcome and lent his distinctive voice to the Ardennian fry cook, Hugo Durant, in the expansive universe of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
While Martin Scorsese’s on-screen presence won’t be a feature of Trees Are Watching, his executive producer credit underscores a clear and compelling pivot towards the darker, more psychological corners of cinema. As the film prepares for its festival debut this week, broader U.S. distribution plans for Trees Are Watching are yet to be announced, leaving audiences eager to discover this latest addition to the maestro’s chilling repertoire.
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