The following contains spoilers for Speak No Evil, now playing in theaters

Speak No Evil‘s reveals about Ant’s family are some of the film’s darkest moments. Speak No Evil is a brutal remake of a similarly grim 2022 Danish film, focusing on an average family that unwittingly is lured into a trap by friends they make on a vacation. Paddy, Ciara, and their son Ant initially seem like a dream come true for Ben, Louise, and their daughter Agnes. Bonding while on holiday, an extended weekend visit to the former family’s remote home becomes increasingly unsettling as the film progresses and Speak No Evil‘s characters reveal their true colors.

It’s eventually revealed that Paddy and Ciara are serial killers, having lured dozens of families into a similar trap, only to steal from them, kill the parents, and then mutilate the child so the cycle can begin anew. The ending of Speak No Evil may break the cycle and finally allow Ant to break free of their grasp, but it’s far too late for the boy to be reunited with his family. Here’s what happens to Ant’s family in Speak No Evil, and how it fits into the overall narrative.

Paddy & Ciara Killed Ant’s Real Parents & Left Them In The Pond

Speak No Evil‘s Main Villains Have Killed Several Kids Before Ant

Paddy and Ciara are revealed to have murdered Ant’s parents in Speak No Evil‘s third act, who are far from the only people the couple have killed. Initially introduced as Paddy and Ciara’s son, Ant spends much of the film trying to reveal the truth to Agnes and her family. His efforts are thwarted by his lack of a tongue (which was cut out by Paddy and Ciara prior to the events of the movie) and the apparent language barrier that exists between him and the tween girl. Ant eventually shows her a picture of his actual family, however.

It turns out that Ant’s parents were one of the victims of Paddy and Ciara’s schemes, with Paddy parading the watch that belonged to Ant’s father as one of the trophies of his previous kills. Paddy mentions that the bodies of Ant’s parents are at the bottom of the pond on their grounds and that throwing the boy into the water to drown would have reunited them. It’s a brutal reveal, in part because of how casually Paddy treats it, a throwaway line suggesting the bodies of their other victims have been hidden around the film’s primary location all along.

How Long Did Ant Live With Paddy & Ciara?

Paddy’s Plans Involve Kidnapping Children

It isn’t entirely clear how long Ant has been stuck with Paddy and Ciara, but it’s likely only been a short while. The picture Ant shows Agnes features him at a similar age, suggesting it’s only been months or a year at most. This underscores one of the darker elements of Paddy and Ciara’s plans, as the other pictures Ant shows Agnes feature different children being used as Paddy and Ciara’s “children” in their schemes. Each one is the last survivor of their family, used as a prop by the killers before being dispatched to make room for new children.

This likely prevents any child from surviving long enough to figure out how to escape or fight back, highlighting the horrifying nature of the film’s villains. The fact that Art’s family were far from the first is similar to the fates of the dozens of families seen in the original Danish Speak No Evil, which differs from the remake with a far bleaker ending. Luckily for Ant, the ending of the new film gives him the chance to brutally get revenge for the loss of his parents, giving Speak No Evil a darkly victorious conclusion for the character.