Meet The Creepy Grandparents In 'The Visit'

It's been awhile since M. Night Shyamalan has released a movie into the cinematic wild. The last film he made was After Earth in 2013 — and it wasn't exactly his best work. In fact, between that, The Last Airbender, The Happening, and Lady in the Water, the director hasn't hit a home run since The Sixth Sense. In the time since, Shyamalan has been under the gun to create a movie that would match that one's critical and box office success, and now he is finally making a comeback, thanks to the TV series Wayward Pines and the upcoming thriller The Visit. In the latter, he uses a found footage approach to tell the story of two kids visiting their elderly relatives. But who play the grandparents in The Visit ? Based on the trailer and Shyamalan's knack for surprise twists, the movie is destined to deliver the unexpected — with its unsettling senior citizens protagonists leading the way.

Known as Nana and Pop Pop, Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie are the talented actors playing the grandparent duo that will haunt your dreams after watching the movie. Before the two actors were asking their on-screen grandchildren to "get into the oven," they were garnering a long list of impressive accolades. In addition to being in many movies and TV shows, Dunagan won a Tony Award for playing the role of Violet Weston in August: Osage County (a part played by Meryl Streep in the movie version). McRobbie was recently seen in Netflix's Daredevil as Father Lantom and has a long resume of TV and movie credits including Lincoln, Boardwalk Empire, and Damages. Chances are, you've probably seen them in action before. Now you'll just have to get used to seeing them scaring the crap out of children.

The two actors join the ranks of past creepy old people in movies — and they seem to fit in really well. Below, a few others that came before them.

Violet Devereaux In The Skeleton Key (2005)

The trailer makes The Skeleton Key seem scarier that it really is, but as the overprotective Violet Devereaux, Gena Rowlands held the petrifying gravitas of the movie.

Grandmother In Flowers in the Attic (1987)

This is the second time I have referenced this classic adapted from the popular VC Andrews novels which tells you how great it is. Academy Award-winning actor Louise Fletcher rules as a domineering grand matriarch that will tear apart your will to live.

Baby Jane Hudson In What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)

This is not really a horror movie, but Bette Davis as this aging child star freaks me out.

Kane in Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

Julian Beck single-handedly made me never want to watch this movie again. I dare you to stare into his eyes for five minutes and not be scarred for life.

Mrs. Ganush In Drag Me To Hell (2009)

I'm not the kind of person who says "I can't even..." when it comes to certain things, because I think it's silly. But with Lorna Raver's portrayal of a milky-eyed gypsy woman who is done wrong, I CAN'T EVEN.

Mother In Psycho (1960)

Technically, the character of "Mother" is played by a rotting skeleton in a wig and a dress, but Anthony Perkins played it creepy enough to make her unseen presence terrifying.

All of these people are pretty terrifying, but you know what they say: you must respect your elders... no matter how creepy they may be.

Image: Universal Pictures