Anne Hathaway’s new single 'Burial' created with Charli XCX for the upcoming film 'Mother Mary'.
Image: X/@ahathawayfiles
Listen. There is one thing people are not doing anymore, and that’s ignoring symbolism.
Actress Anne Hathaway has released a new single with pop star Charli XCX titled "Burial", and while the music itself already has people curious (because that’s what music does), the visuals and symbolism around it are what really have fans talking.
The track is part of the soundtrack for Hathaway’s upcoming film "Mother Mary".
In the movie, Hathaway plays a global pop star named Mother Mary whose carefully polished world begins to fall apart when she reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam Anselm, played by Michaela Coel, just before a big comeback performance.
And if that storyline sounds emotionally messy, the visuals surrounding the song are equally intense.
The teaser imagery for “Burial” leans heavily into dark, theatrical symbolism. We’re talking dramatic lighting, shadowy backdrops and a lot, and I mean a lot of red.
Hathaway appears in scenes that feel eerie and almost ritualistic, with striking crimson tones and unsettling stage imagery that looks more like a gothic performance piece than your typical pop release.
Naturally, the internet had opinions. One user commented: “Tell us who you worship without telling us who you worship…”
Another wrote: “Very disappointing, but this is what Hollywood is.”
A third person added, “Very creepy and totally disappointing. I was looking forward to seeing her movies, but not anymore.”
And then there was this comment that pretty much sums up the online debate: “Oh look, Hollywood blaspheming the Bible again.”
Now listen, before anyone starts throwing tomatoes at the stage, let’s just talk about something for a second. Why is everything suddenly so dark?
I’m not even saying this as someone clutching pearls. I’m genuinely asking. Because lately, everything in entertainment feels like it’s dipped in red lighting and dramatic horror energy.
Did anyone see Paris Fashion Week recently? Some of those runway looks were giving full horror film energy. Dark symbolism, eerie styling, blood-red palettes, the whole thing looked like the opening scene of a psychological thriller.
And it’s not just fashion. Hollywood has been playing with religious and dramatic imagery for years. Just think back to the Met Gala 2018 Heavenly Bodies theme, which leaned heavily into Catholic symbolism. Celebrities arrived dressed like modern-day saints, angels and cathedral art pieces.
Art has always borrowed from religion, mythology and symbolism; that part is not new. But what people are noticing now is how often these darker visuals keep popping up across music, fashion and film.
And suddenly everyone’s looking around like, “Wait … when did everything get so intense?”
That’s exactly why the conversation around “Burial” is bigger than just the song. It taps into a wider cultural moment where people are questioning the meaning behind the visuals they’re seeing.
Some viewers see it as artistic storytelling. Others see it as Hollywood pushing boundaries for shock value.
Either way, the days of people blindly consuming visuals without asking questions are clearly over.
People are paying attention now. And maybe just maybe we should have been doing that a long time ago.
Eyes wide shut, right?