If you logged onto Netflix recently and saw a movie called Inheritance, you might’ve done a double-take. Honestly, it's confusing. There are actually two movies with almost the same name floating around right now, and if you're not careful, you'll end up watching a supernatural demon flick when you wanted a quirky Polish whodunnit. Or vice versa.
The one currently making waves on the Netflix global charts is the 2024 Polish film Inheritance (originally titled Spadek).
It’s a black comedy. It’s got eccentric inventors. It has a house full of puzzles. Basically, it’s what happens if Knives Out had a baby with The Royal Tenenbaums and then they all moved to Warsaw. But don't mix it up with The Inheritance (2024), which is an American horror movie about a billionaire making deals with demons. That one was actually supposed to be a Netflix Original too, but the streamer famously "offloaded" it before release.
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Funny how things work out.
Why the Polish Inheritance (Spadek) is Dominating Your Feed
The plot is pretty straightforward but keeps you on your toes. When an eccentric inventor—who is basically the Polish version of a mad scientist—passes away, his family of misfits gathers at his massive, trap-filled estate. They think they’re there for a simple reading of the will.
Wrong.
The uncle, Jan Peszek, wasn't just rich; he was obsessed with games. To get the money, the family has to solve a series of elaborate puzzles. If you’ve ever played a "Room Escape" game and thought, "I wish my life and millions of dollars depended on this," then this is your movie.
The Cast You’ll Recognize (If You Know International Cinema)
The acting is actually one of the stronger points here. Maciej Stuhr plays Dawid, a passive teacher who is just trying to survive his impending divorce while navigating his uncle's madness.
- Maciej Stuhr: He’s a big deal in Poland (think The Hater or Aftermath).
- Gabriela Muskała: Plays Zofia, Dawid’s wife, who has her own secrets.
- Jan Peszek: The eccentric uncle who sets the whole thing in motion.
It’s directed by Sylwester Jakimow, and he leans hard into the slapstick. There’s a dynamic maze with moving walls. Yes, a literal maze. It’s one of the highlights of the film, even if some critics felt the script was a bit "thin" in the middle.
The "Other" 2024 Movie: The Inheritance (Horror Version)
Now, this is where it gets spicy. If you’re looking for the movie starring Peyton List and Bob Gunton, that’s The Inheritance.
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Directed by Alejandro Brugués, this film has a much darker vibe. The patriarch, Charles Abernathy, invites his kids home for his 75th birthday. He tells them he’s going to die at midnight unless they protect him. If he dies, they get zero dollars. Everything goes to charity.
The Twist? It’s not an assassin outside the door. It’s a demon named Mammon.
Charles made a deal years ago for wealth, and now the bill is due. He tries to swap his soul for his children’s lives. It’s a brutal, cynical look at wealth, and while it isn't the "official" Netflix 2024 comedy, it’s the one people are searching for when they want scares. It features some genuinely creepy sequences, like a painting that comes to life and an underwater kill in a swimming pool that’ll make you skip your next dip.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Movies
The biggest misconception is that these are the same film or part of a series. They aren't.
Netflix has a habit of buying international rights for films with generic titles. Spadek became Inheritance for the English-speaking market because, well, "Inheritance" is a great keyword. But because The Inheritance (the horror one) was originally a Netflix project before being sold to Vertical, the metadata in our brains is all scrambled.
If you want a laugh and some lighthearted mystery: Watch the Polish one.
If you want demonic possession and family betrayal: Find the American one (VOD/Select Theaters).
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Is Inheritance (2024) Actually Worth Your Saturday Night?
Look, it’s not The Godfather. It’s a "B-movie" in spirit.
Critics have been a bit harsh, calling the Polish version "unfulfilled" and the horror version "formulaic." But let's be real: sometimes you just want to see a dysfunctional family yell at each other in a big house.
The Polish film is a breezy 94 minutes. It doesn't overstay its welcome. It’s perfect for when you’ve already watched Glass Onion three times and need something new but familiar.
How to Get the Best Experience Watching Inheritance (2024)
- Check the Language Settings: If you're watching the Polish version, try the original audio with subtitles first. The English dub is fine, but you lose a lot of the comedic timing of the Polish actors.
- Look for the Puzzles: Pay attention to the background of the inventor's house. There are a lot of "Easter eggs" and hints about the puzzles before the characters actually solve them.
- Know Your Genre: Don't go in expecting a gritty drama. This is a black comedy. If someone falls into a trap, you're probably supposed to chuckle, not gasp.
If you’re ready to dive into the mystery, head over to your Netflix search bar and type "Spadek" to ensure you're getting the right one. Once you've finished the Polish puzzles, you might want to compare it to the 2020 film also titled Inheritance (starring Lily Collins and Simon Pegg) just to see how many ways Hollywood can tell the same "rich dad, weird secret" story.