The House Always Wins: Damian McCarthy’s Evolution as a Horror Director

There are three things you should never do in a Damian McCarthy movie: Accept an odd job offer, touch an antique object, and most importantly, never go into a building that seems even remotely interesting. Damian McCarthy, the Irish horror director behind Caveat (2020), Oddity (2024), and Hokum (2026), has a very special talent for constructing physical spaces that feel fundamentally wrong. Watching his three movies provides a vivid illustration of how McCarthy has grown as a director and how he has mastered the art of the haunted house.