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Mudborn (Chinese: 泥娃娃; Tongyong Pinyin: Níwáwa; Tâi-lô: nî ang-á) is a 2025 Taiwanese supernatural horror film directed by Shieh Meng-ju. The film stars Tony Yang, Cecilia Choi, Derek Chang, Puff Kuo, and Tracy Chou. It combines elements of Taiwanese folklore, psychological horror, and virtual reality themes, and is loosely inspired by the classic Taiwanese nursery rhyme “Mud Doll” (泥娃娃).[1]

The film was released in Taiwan on 9 October 2025, Malaysia on 25 November 2025 and later in the Philippines on 18 March 2026. It achieved commercial success domestically, surpassing NT$100 million at the Taiwanese box office.[2] It became Taiwan’s third biggest domestic film of 2025.[3]

Plot

Hsu-Chuan, a game planner working at a virtual reality company, brings home a damaged clay doll retrieved from a reportedly haunted location while developing a horror-themed Virtual reality game. His wife, Muhua, a pregnant artifact conservator, becomes increasingly fixated on restoring the doll.[4]

As Muhua attempts to repair it, a series of unexplained supernatural events begin to occur within their home. Her physical and psychological condition gradually deteriorates, and the atmosphere of the household becomes increasingly tense and unstable. The presence of the doll appears to intensify these disturbances.[5]

Desperate for answers, Hsu-Chuan seeks the help of A-Sheng, a folklorist and spiritual practitioner. As they investigate the origins of the clay doll, they seek out the help of Liu Yen, a gallery manager and the sister of Liu Hsin, who went missing after her entire family was brutally murdered and from who’s house the haunted doll was recovered by the virtual reality company.

Through a ritualistic ceremony, Liu Yen is transported, with the assistance of Hsu-Chuan and A Sheng, to Liu Hsin’s flashbacks and the events leading up to her disappearance. It is revealed that Liu Hsin was infamous for making sculptures out of graveyard mud, and one day while shovelling graveyard mud while pregnant, Hsin suffers from a miscarriage due to the physical strain in her pregnant condition. Overcome with despair and lunacy, Hsin mixes the graveyard soil with the unborn fetus which results in the spirits from the graveyard sand becoming evil and uses this clat mixture to make a clat doll shaped like a baby in remembrance of her unborn child. This clay doll becomes malevolent and possesses Hsin, leading her to murder her entire family unconsciously. Realising the gravety of her actions, she places a talisman on the clay doll and burns it along with herself in the kiln.

Upon making these discoveries, A Sheng decides to trap the spirits haunting the couple into the remains of Hsin which would be found in the House.

Chuan, Sheng take Muhua to the house and begin a series of battles with the evil spirits. It is revealed that the spirits need to be trapped in a living body and not the remains of dead Hsin, upon which the only option is to kill their unborn child. Chuan sacrifices himself and saves Muhua and their unborn child, Pinny.

Cast

Production

The film was directed by Shieh Meng-ju, a film editor known for his work on productions such as The Soul and the television series Copycat Killer. Mudborn marks his directorial work in the horror genre.

The screenplay was written by Huang Yen-chiao, who has worked on several Taiwanese horror and thriller films. The production team included cinematographer Chen Chi-wen and art director Chen Po-jen, both of whom have experience in genre films.

Special effects were supervised by Yen Chen-chin, while the musical score and sound design were created by members of the production team behind the Taiwanese horror film Incantation. The film integrates traditional horror elements with contemporary themes, including virtual reality and digital environments.[6]

The production budget was reported to be approximately NT$40 million.[7]

Release

Mudborn premiered in Taiwan on 9 October 2025. It was subsequently released in Malaysia and Brunei on 27 November, Vietnam on 26 December, Cambodia on 16 January 2026, Singapore on 22 January, Indonesia on 30 January, Thailand on 5 February, Australia and New Zealand on 12 February, and the Philippines on 18 March 2026.[8]

Marketing for international releases emphasized the film’s central horror elements, including a broken clay doll, a recurring nursery rhyme, and a series of “rules” associated with avoiding supernatural danger, such as not repairing or treating the doll as a child.[9]

Box office

The film performed strongly at the Taiwanese box office, earning over NT$24 million in its opening period. By its 58th day of release, it had exceeded NT$100 million domestically.

In Malaysia, the film became the highest-grossing Mandarin film of 2025.[10]

Themes

Mudborn incorporates elements of East Asian folklore, particularly beliefs surrounding cursed objects and spirit attachment. The clay doll serves as the central motif, representing the intersection of innocence and latent threat. The film also explores themes of obsession, motherhood, and the consequences of disturbing objects associated with unresolved histories. The integration of virtual reality technology reflects contemporary anxieties about the merging of digital and physical experiences.[11]

Reception

The film was nominated for several awards at the 1st Taiwan Entertainment Film Awards in 2026, including nominations for “Annual Date Movie”, “Most Anticipated Sequel”, and acting nominations for Cecilia Choi and Derek Chang. It won a box office award.

See also

References

  1. ^ 譚麗敏 (August 28, 2025). “驚悚新作《泥娃娃》曝光！陳為民遭邪靈拖行，李冠毅滿臉血嚇壞眾人” (in Chinese (Taiwan)). United Daily News. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  2. ^ 許世穎 (December 5, 2025). “台片今年第3部！《泥娃娃》全台票房正式突破1億大關” (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Liberty Times. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  3. ^ Wong, Silvia (October 31, 2025). “’96 Minutes’ becomes Taiwan’s biggest local film of 2025, ‘Mudborn’ ranks third”. Screen Daily. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  4. ^ 蕭采薇 (September 11, 2025). “楊祐寧被恐怖孕婦壓制全身僵硬！　《泥娃娃》親睹蔡思韵中邪成魔” (in Chinese (Taiwan)). ETtoday. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  5. ^ “A broken doll and a growing curse haunt ‘Mudborn’“. The Manila Times. March 11, 2026. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  6. ^ 項貽斐 (October 12, 2025). “娛樂透視／老鳥班底打磨詭異《泥娃娃》　民俗結合VR新視角放大恐懼” (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Mirror Media. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  7. ^ 廖俐惠 (December 6, 2025). “（專訪）台片《泥娃娃》票房破億回本了！導演解孟儒曝續集有譜：要看楊祐寧” (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Liberty Times. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  8. ^ “Mudborn Release Info”. IMDb. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  9. ^ Escabarte, Kent Joahs (March 11, 2026). “Taiwanese horror film ‘Mudborn’ coming to Philippine cinemas on March 18”. ABS-CBN. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  10. ^ “Mudborn berjaya tambat hati penonton Malaysia, filem Mandarin paling laris 2025”. mstar.com.my (in Malay). December 4, 2025. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  11. ^ 派脆克 (October 9, 2025). “恐怖電影《泥娃娃》角色&劇情演什麼？地表最恐怖孕婦受邪靈泥偶控制，生吞內臟刀割胸口瘋魔演技！” (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Marie Claire. Retrieved March 27, 2026.