Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) “Heretic” makers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have heaped praise on Hollywood star Hugh Grant and said that the actor has quietly become one of the greatest characters in the psychological horror-thriller.

“This is a very complex and curious mind at work, who is experimenting, investigating, simulating and trying to uncover the one true religion in the confines of his suburban home,” says Woods.

“He’s going to extreme lengths to find that answer for himself.”

To prepare for the role, Grant immersed himself in the world of Reed. Drawing inspiration from figures like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, he researched serial killers and cult leaders to understand their motivations.

“Hugh has quietly become one of the greatest character actors working today,” said Beck.

“And like any great character actor, he steals every movie he's in.” The idea of working with him had been percolating since the duo saw the Wachowski sisters’ Cloud Atlas more than a decade ago, a film whose status as a cult masterpiece has only grown in the intervening years.

Beck continued: “We were just bowled over by the risks he took in that film, and he just kept taking big risks role after role after role, beyond what most audiences knew him from”. Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed is unlike anything the audience has seen him do before, the culmination of his preparation creating a character both captivating and deeply unsettling.

The film stars Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed, with Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East as two missionaries ensnared in a deadly game of survival. “Heretic” follows the gripping journey of Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), whose seemingly routine day turns into a nightmare after they knock on the wrong door.

“Heretic” is set to release in cinemas on December 13.