(Left) Monica Barbaro attends Searchlight Pictures’ ‘A Complete Unknown’ World Premiere on Dec 10, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Right) Callum Turner in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner have joined ‘One Night Only’.
Will Gluck re-wrote the script and will direct.
Universal is backing the rom-com.
If anyone can be credited with helping boost the fortunes of the romantic comedy genre –– on the big screen, at least –– in recent years, it’s filmmaker Will Gluck, who combined the rising star power of Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell for ‘Anyone But You’.
He’s looking to pull off a similar trick with new high-concept comedy ‘One Night Only’.
The story for ‘One Night Only’ began life with Travis Braun’s script, which topped the 2024 Blacklist for unproduced work that scored the most attention from the industry.
It’s set in a world where premarital sex is outlawed, except for one particular night of the year (think ‘The Purge’ but with more raunchiness).
Two strangers must scramble to find someone to sleep with on that one night.
Universal snapped it up and now Gluck has come aboard, re-written the script and will direct. Whether that means he’s played around with the basic concept is anyone’s guess.
Where else can we see Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner?
Callum Turner in ‘Masters of the Air,’ now showing on Apple TV+.
(Left) Sydney Sweeney in ‘The White Lotus’ season 1. Photo: Mario Perez/HBO. (Right) 1979’s ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’. Photo: Nippon Sunrise.
Preview:
Sydney Sweeney is in talks to take a lead role in ‘Gundam.’
It’ll be the first live-action adaptation of the long-running anime franchise.
‘Sweet Tooth’ series boss Jim Mickle is aboard to write and direct.
Having lingered around development limbo for a few years now, the live-action adaptation of giant anime franchise ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ looks set to get an upgrade in its star power.
While a sci-fi movie about hulking, mechanized suits doing battle might seem like an odd turn for her career, Sweeney has shown an admirable willingness to hop around genres, embracing horror and others.
It also marks the first real signs of movement for the movie itself.
One of the most revered animé, ‘Gundam’ is thought of as the ‘Star Wars’ or Marvel Universe of Japan, and is the pioneer of the mecha genre of IP.
Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the ‘Gundam’ franchise spans 83 animated series and movies. Its toy and retail business are huge, with the various products and projects generating over $600 million annually.
The original anime, 1979 series ‘Mobile Suit Gundam,’ is set in the Universal Century, an era in which humanity’s growing population has led people to emigrate to space colonies.
Eventually, the people living in the colonies seek their autonomy, and launch a war of independence against the people living on Earth. The battles in the story are fought by the characters piloting robots known as mobile suits.
Part of the mecha genre, the sci-fi subgenre that centers on robots in combat (and usually they are giant robots), it veered from the formula followed by its mecha predecessors in a manner that added dramatic new tones and textures to the genre.
Previously, the giant robots in mecha stories were presented as almost magical devices with celebrity pilots who operated them via remote control or command. Tomino found those Aladdin-with-a-robot tales flimsy so he re-envisioned them as colossal weapons at the center of a complex military epic.
The giant robots, like Flying Fortress, had crews with ace pilots and everyman mechanics, which lent new perspectives, pathos, and battlefield energy to the saga and then to its genre.
Back in 2019, we learned that ‘Y: The Last Man,’ ‘Ex Machina’ and ‘Runaways’ comic book creator Brian K. Vaughan (who has worked on the TV likes of ‘Lost’ and shows spawned from his titles) was hired to start work on a screenplay for Legendary’s live-action take on the ‘Gundam’ adventures –– the first to move it from the animated sphere.
But by the time 2024 rolled around, neither Netflix nor Vogt-Roberts were attached, and Legendary had instead hired ‘Sweet Tooth’ showrunner (and horror movie ‘Stake Land’ director) Jim Mickle to tackle the story instead.
He was brought in to also write a new draft of the script; presumably it’s this that has sparked Sweeney’s attention.
Still, it really needs to stand out to make it on to her crowded To Do list…
What else is Sydney Sweeney working on?
(L to R) Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in ‘Anyone But You. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Sweeney’s current schedule is as packed as anyone’s in Hollywood.
Last year included the continued success of hit rom-com ‘Anyone But You’ opposite fellow rising star Glen Powell and Neon horror thriller ‘Immaculate.’
She followed those up with one that she might wish to vanish from her resume, misfiring Spider-Man spin-off ‘Madame Web.’
The actor also filmed the Ron Howard-directed thriller ‘Eden’ about a society of people who opt to start a new life in the Galapagos islands, only for things to wrong. That one should be in theaters this year.
She has shot the Lionsgate adaptation of the novel ‘The Housemaid,’ which has Paul Feige in the director’s chair, and has worked on two other movies, ‘Echo Valley’ about a woman (played by Julianne Moore) whose life is turned upside down when her daughter (Sweeney) shows up covered in someone else’s blood, and a biopic of real-life boxer Christy Martin, with Sweeney in the lead role (not to mention it’s another movie she produced).
(L to R) Brandon Sklenar, Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney and director Paul Feig at the Lionsgate presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Lionsgate.
And that list doesn’t even include the potential movies to which she is attached: that list includes a remake of sci-fi comedy ‘Barbarella,’ thriller ‘The Caretaker’ and a drama called ‘The Registration.’
Finally, we have HBO series ‘Euphoria,’ whose much-delayed third season which is finally filming now for a 2026 release.
Here’s what she told Cosmopolitan about the show’s return:
“We did have a long time between season one and season two, but especially now with the time jump, it’s a new process for me. I’m kind of just learning as I go and being open for whatever’s to come. But I’m also really excited. I love Cassie. She is always such a thrilling character to play, so I’m really looking forward to what’s gonna happen in her life.”
Legendary has yet to announce when the movie might hit screens, and given that the company usually partners up with a studio for distribution, we’ll have to wait and see where it lands.
But if Sweeney does sign on, it’ll certainly get a boost in the right direction.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
And if all comes together for A24’s new planned production, Poe’s short story ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ could be headed to cinemas.
The production company is partnering with Picturestart to back the new effort, and they have rising star Sydney Sweeney –– who already proved her horror thriller chops with ‘Immaculate’ –– in negotiations to star.
What’s the story of ‘The Masque Of The Red Death’?
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
The story follows Prince Prospero’s attempts to avoid a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, which has brought gruesome symptoms sweeping over the land. Victims are overcome by sharp pains, sudden dizziness, and profuse bleeding at the pores, and die within half an hour.
Prospero and some friends decide to wait the plague out in his abbey. He, along with many other wealthy nobles, hosts a masquerade ball in seven rooms of the abbey, each decorated with a different color. In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms.
And here we get into spoilers for those who haven’t read the story…
Prospero dies after confronting this stranger, whose “costume” proves to contain nothing tangible inside it. The guests also die in turn.
Yep, sounds like the basis for a knockabout comedy if ever we heard one!
Yet according to Deadline’s story on Sweeney’s entering negotiations, the plan is for something wildly revisionist and darkly comic, so we could see something more along the lines of Flannigan’s ambitious and impressive Poe opus.
It’s not yet known how the story will be tweaked for the new movie.
Who is working on ‘The Masque Of The Red Death’?
Sydney Sweeney talks ‘Immaculate.’
Charlie Polinger is aboard to write and direct the new movie.
The playwright-turned-filmmaker has another movie called ‘The Plague’ due in theaters at some point, though it doesn’t appear to share a theme with the Poe story despite its title.
Featuring the likes of Joel Edgerton and Everett Blunck in its cast, it’s reportedly about a socially awkward tween who endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, his anxiety spiraling into psychological turmoil over the summer.
Polinger’s back catalogue includes short films such as ‘Sauna,’ ‘A Place to Stay,’ ‘Good People’ and the upcoming ‘Hiawatha.’
He’s aiming to shoot ‘The Masque Of The Red Death’ this year.
What else is Sydney Sweeney working on?
(L to R) Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in ‘Anyone But You. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Sweeney has a busy schedule as is usual for an in-demand performer.
2024 included the continued success of hit rom-com ‘Anyone But You’ opposite fellow rising star Glen Powell and the aforementioned Neon horror thriller ‘Immaculate.’
She followed those up with one that she might wish to vanish from her resume, misfiring Spider-Man spin-off ‘Madame Web.’
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The actor also shot the Ron Howard-directed thriller ‘Eden’ about a society of people who opt to start a new life in the Galapagos islands, only for things to wrong. That one should be in theaters this year.
She is currently filming the Lionsgate adaptation of the novel ‘The Housemaid,’ which has Paul Feige in the director’s chair, and has worked on two other movies, ‘Echo Valley’ about a woman (played by Julianne Moore) whose life is turned upside down when her daughter (Sweeney) shows up covered in someone else’s blood, and a biopic of real-life boxer Christy Martin, with Sweeney in the lead role.
And that list doesn’t even include the potential movies to which she is attached: that list includes a remake of sci-fi comedy ‘Barbarella,’ thriller ‘The Caretaker’ and a drama called ‘The Registration.’
Finally, we have HBO series ‘Euphoria,’ whose much-delayed third season should finally kick off filming this year for a 2026 release.
Here’s what she told Cosmopolitan about the show’s return:
“We did have a long time between season one and season two, but especially now with the time jump, it’s a new process for me. I’m kind of just learning as I go and being open for whatever’s to come. But I’m also really excited. I love Cassie. She is always such a thrilling character to play, so I’m really looking forward to what’s gonna happen in her life.”
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
Glen Powell is starring in a new erotic thriller called ‘Homewreckers.’
It’ll adapt a short story by Neil M. Paik.
Various studios are vying for the rights to produce it.
Though his star has been rising for some time –– partially thanks to a big breakthrough in ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ 2024 can be said to be the year of Glen Powell.
And it looks like it’s ending on a positive note, as a film he’s attached to star in is now at the center of a bidding contest between various studios.
The movie in question is an adaptation of a Neil M. Paik short story called ‘Homewreckers,’ which has been recently picked up by Legendary Pictures.
Paik’s story –– an unpublished three-chapter tale –– is being kept under wraps for now, at least outside of those who are trying to buy the movie project.
Legendary, Lionsgate, New Regency, Sony and Warner Bros. are among the companies making offers and in the mix for the project, which was unveiled to the town earlier this week.
Paik is one of those authors who has developed a talent for turning his short stories into coveted projects: ‘Reawakening,’ published by Six by Eight Press, was set up at Amazon as a series with ‘The Chi’s Lena Waithe overseeing it, also after a competitive situation. Another short story, ‘Rainbowfish,’ was set up at Warners.
With Powell aboard this one, it has an even better chance of making it through development, though obviously needs a writer and director attached.
What else has Glen Powell been seen in?
Glen Powell as Tyler in ‘Twisters’, directed by Lee Isaac Chung.
As mentioned, Powell is having a great year –– he began with ‘Anyone But You’ (technically released at the end of 2023 but a box office sensation by the time 2024).
It continued thanks to ‘Hit Man,’ the Netflix romantic comedy thriller, which he also co-wrote and produced.
That landed strong reviews and earned him a Golden Globe nomination earlier this week. And he starred in ‘Twisters,’ Universal’s update to the 1990s tornado flick. It proved popular with summer audiences, whipping up more than $370 million worldwide.
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Despite taking some time out to complete college courses, Powell shows no sign of slowing down, having shot TV series ‘Chad Powers’ and comedy thriller movie ‘Huntington.’
(Left) Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO. (Right) Amanda Seyfried in ‘The Crowded Room,’ premiering June 9, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are boarding a new thriller called ‘The Housemaid.’
Paul Feig is set to direct the movie for Lionsgate.
Rebecca Sonnenshine is adapting the bestselling novel by Freida McFadden.
These days, if a studio can entice Sydney Sweeney to star in their movie, they will put Sydney Sweeney in their movie. Lionsgate is no doubt happy, then, that the ‘Immaculate’ and ‘Anyone But You’ actor has sealed a deal to star in a new thriller called ‘The Housemaid’ alongside Amanda Seyfried.
The film –– which will adapt Freida McFadden’s popular novel, rather than have anything to do with the Korean movie of the same name –– will see Paul Feig in the director’s chair.
With Rebecca Sonnenshine (who has written movies such as ‘The Keeping Hours’ and ‘Within’) adapting McFadden’s book, ‘The Housemaid’ sees Sweeney playing Millie, a struggling young woman who is relieved to get a fresh start as a housemaid to Nina (Seyfried) and Andrew, an upscale, wealthy couple.
But Millie soon learns that the family’s secrets are far more dangerous than her own.
McFadden’s novel has sat on the New York Times Bestseller List for over a year, and on the Amazon Bestsellers’ list for 98 weeks and counting. It also has a record-breaking half a billion pages read on Kindle –– behind only the ‘Harry Potter’ series. It has sold more than 3.6 million copies and has been translated into 40 languages.
‘The Housemaid’: The Studio Comments
‘Jackpot!’ director Paul Feig.
Here’s what Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson told Deadline about the news:
“I’m thrilled to have The Housemaid join our upcoming slate. A great filmmaker and a great cast with a great script from a great book is a terrific place to start. My prior work experiences with Paul and Amanda have been nothing short of spectacular, and Sydney is as talented and compelling as can be.”
And here’s the statement from Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman:
“The Housemaid is a certified phenomenon with over a year on the New York Times Bestsellers’ list, millions of copies sold, and a place on numerous critics’ choice lists. Part of the fun of the book was imagining the cast while we read it, and Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are perfect for Millie and Nina –– they’re both mysterious, nuanced, and incredibly skilled at becoming characters who don’t reveal everything right away. We’re thrilled to team them with Paul Feig, who we worked with on ‘A Simple Favor’ and its upcoming sequel and has a proven track record of developing stories with dynamic female leads.”
As mentioned, Feig directed ‘A Simple Favor’ and most recently worked on ‘Jackpot!’ for Amazon. He has ‘A Simple Favor 2’ (or whatever it ends up being titled) heading our way next year.
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When will ‘The Housemaid’ be in theaters?
Given the schedules of those involved, we doubt this one will shoot much before mid-2025, so it may end up arriving in 2026 –– but no date has been set yet.
Paul Feig attends the World Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘The School For Good And Evil’ at Regency Village Theatre on October 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
(Left) Writer/Director Edgar Wright on the set of their film ‘Last Night in Soho’ (Right) Jane Fonda in 1968’s ‘Barbarella.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Preview:
Edgar Wright has entered talks to make a new ‘Barbarella’.
Jean-Claude Forest created the character of Barbarella for serialization in the French ‘V Magazine’ in spring 1962, and in 1964 Éric Losfeld published these strips as a stand-alone book titled ‘Barbarella’. The book caused a scandal and became known as the first “adult” comic for its stories of an emancipated, independent woman who embraced her sexuality.
Roger Vadim directed a 1968 movie adaptation that follows an astronaut from the 41st century (played by Jane Fonda in full sex siren mode) who sets out to find and stop the evil scientist Durand Durand, whose Positronic Ray threatens to bring evil back into the galaxy.
There are sex machines. There are vibrant colors. It’s quite a trip. It didn’t however, set passions aflame at the box office.
Wright, a veteran of movies such as ‘Shaun of the Dead’, ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World’ and ‘Last Night in Soho’ has looked to develop a new take on the ‘Barbarella’ story for a while now and is finally committing to work with Sony and Sweeney on it.
It won’t happen for a while, though, as Sweeney is an actor in demand and Wright is deep into pre-production on ‘The Running Man’ himself.
Talking of…
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What’s happening with ‘The Running Man’?
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin “Ben” Richards in ‘The Running Man.’
As we mentioned, Wright has been developing an updated take on the scathing, violent sci-fi story originally penned by Stephen King (in his days using the Richard Bachman pseudonym) that was first brought to screens in 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It’s the story of a dystopian society where criminals –– and those the state wishes to punish/kill –– are forced to participate in a deadly game show where they go up against “champions” who earn money for the most creative kills. A police officer falsely accused of a crime is the latest “runner” sent to try his luck in the game.
The Schwarzenegger film, though, didn’t really faithfully adapt the book, so Wright is going to skew more towards it.
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When will ‘Barbarella’ be in theaters?
We’ll certainly have to wait for this one, since Sweeney has already lined up a biopic of boxer Christy Martin and a thriller called ‘The Caretaker’.
Jane Fonda in 1968’s ‘Barbarella.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
While the sight of Sydney Sweeney costumed in a nun’s habit might be jarring enough for viewers of her more provocative work in series and movies like ‘Anyone But You,’ ‘Euphoria’ or ‘The Voyeurs,’ there’s a lot more that will rattle you in director Michael Mohan’s creepy and entertainingly lurid ‘Immaculate.’
A religious horror thriller with a seasoning of nunsploitation, a generous topping of gore, and a go-for-broke attitude right out of the 1970s, ‘Immaculate’ might be in need of a few less jump scares and plot holes, but will hold your attention with its grisly twists and a ferocious performance by its star.
Director Michael Mohan on the set of ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
Right up front, ‘Immaculate’ (written by Andrew Loebl) lets us know that not everything is divine at My Lady of Sorrows, a remote Italian convent where younger nuns care for their older, dying colleagues. Following an intro in which a panicked nun named Mary (Simona Tabasco, ‘The White Lotus’) meets a horrifying fate while trying to leave, we are then introduced to Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney), who has pledged to devote her life to Christ ever since she nearly drowned in an accident and was miraculously returned to life after seven minutes.
Cecilia has been invited to the convent by Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) and is given a kind if stern welcome by the Mother Superior (Dora Romano), while immediately bonding with another young nun, Gwen (Benedetta Porcaroli). Although there are fleeting glimpses of something perhaps darker going on under the convent’s relatively placid surface, Cecilia finds herself settling in – until she wakes from a deeply disturbing nightmare to find that her life is about to irrevocably change.
Cecilia, you see, is suddenly getting morning sickness (including one macabre moment where she vomits out a tooth). The convent’s doctor examines her and the truth is revealed: Cecilia is pregnant, despite the fact that she is a virgin and has never had any kind of sexual contact with a man. That kind of announcement can only mean one thing in a Catholic convent, of course, but is a certain someone really growing inside her? And why did He pick her in the first place?
(L to R) Sydney Sweeney and director Michael Mohan on the set of ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
‘Immaculate’ pays tribute to a number of classic horror films of the late ‘60s and ‘70s – you’ll find nods to ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ ‘The Omen,’ and even the brutal ‘Mark of the Devil’ (which was “rated V for violence” in its day) scattered throughout its tight 89-minute runtime – but the narrative doesn’t exactly go in the direction you might imagine. Loebl’s script takes some interesting thematic turns, even if director Michael Mohan (‘The Voyeurs’) is almost less interested in those than he is in the next jump scare or gore effect he can conjure up.
While he overdoes it on the jump scares – veering close to the edge of irritation – he’s quite liberal (small “l”) with the blood and other liquids, as the prim and proper Cecilia eventually finds herself wallowing in gallons of blood, amniotic fluid, and ethanol (don’t ask). We won’t divulge details of how she gets there, but the third act of this movie goes truly off the rails in a good way, leading to an ending that may make even the non-faithful cross themselves with its implications.
Mohan may rely on those aforementioned jump scares too much in the film’s first two acts to create terror where there isn’t much; the movie is better when the director lets it soak in the setting and its dread-laced atmosphere. The narrative itself is rickety in spots, with a number of plot turns not quite adding up if one stops to think about them. But the film barrels along despite this, thanks to Sweeney’s believable journey from devout servant of God to unstoppable angel of vengeance.
The Sweeney Factor
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
Sydney Sweeney apparently auditioned for this role a decade ago, when the movie was first in development, and since then she has assumed a role as producer on the film as well as star. But kudos to her: she bravely goes anywhere the story takes her, including some very dark places, and there is one long take at the end of the film that is somewhat jaw-dropping in the level of her intensity.
It’s clear also that her talents and range benefit from being in sync with her director. Not to kick ‘Madame Web’ when it’s already as down as it can be, but Sweeney visibly did not bring her A-game in that film (more like her B-game). Yet in work like ‘Reality’ and now this, she’s genuinely much more invested in the material and it shows. The rest of the more anonymous cast in ‘Immaculate’ are fine – some of the performances are a bit overripe, which is perfectly suited to a film like this – but this is Sweeney’s show all the way.
A Heritage of Horror
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
As noted earlier, ‘Immaculate’ features a ton of horror influences, most of them stemming from the 1960s and 1970s. In addition to the films mentioned above, director Michael Mohan tapes into the tradition of Hammer horror, while also drawing from a lot of other Eurohorror and religious horror of the period, as well as the works of Italian masters of the macabre like Mario Bava and Dario Argento.
Then there’s the weird little subgenre of “nunsploitation,” which peaked around the same time and generally revolved around repressed nuns experiencing religious persecution, supernatural terror, and/or sexual shenanigans (sometimes all at the same time), usually in foreboding convents like the one in ‘Immaculate.’ While this film doesn’t quite hit the same depths of depravity as movies like ‘The Nun and the Devil’ (1973), ‘Satanico Pandemonium’ (1975), or ‘Alucarda’ (1976), the influence is surely there.
Final Thoughts
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
‘Immaculate’ doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any way, shape, or form, but that’s not the point: the movie proudly wears its many horror influences on its sleeve and also unashamedly delivers a lurid, often wickedly entertaining good time for genre fans. The director does overuse the jump scares and the script has more than a few spots where narrative logic is noticeably lacking, but have faith: the film’s overall intensity, gory action, and a compelling central performance from its star will get you through the rough spots to a truly insane ending.
‘Immaculate’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Immaculate’?
A devout young nun named Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) travels to a remote convent in Italy, where she intends to devote her life entirely to her faith. But after initially fitting into the daily lives and routines of the nuns, a shocking personal revelation and a series of sinister events send Cecilia on a journey into horror from which even God might not be able to save her.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with actress and producer Sydney Sweeney to talk about her work on ‘Immaculate,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, why she wanted to make the movie, her character, working with director Michael Mohan and why she loves horror films.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay, and as a producer and actress why did you want to make this movie?
Sydney Sweeney: My first reaction, I was quite young, I was 16, and I was so enthralled with the character’s journey. She was such an unexpected “final girl” almost, where you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s an unexpected turn, she’s scared, she’s quiet, and then she finds this inner strength that she completely loses it. It’s so fun as an actor. So, seeing a character in a horror genre be able to have such a cool arc, I was really intrigued by it. Then, I also love horror films, I grew up watching them with my dad. So, I felt like this one was just unique and cool. I love that a lot of the elements also were fear of reality, which I thought was interesting.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
MF: Cecilia had a traumatic experience before the movie starts. Can you talk about that, why she moves to the convent and what she’s hoping to get out of that experience?
SS: So, when she was young, she had a near-death experience and she always questioned why she was saved. She felt like God really touched her in a way and saved her life, and she felt like she owed it to someone greater than who she was. She never really found her place where she grew up, within her family. She never really felt like she belonged. She felt like an outcast. So, she started going to church and felt a community that she’s never felt before. It grew into something greater than herself. So, she wanted to serve God in a more impactful, meaningful way. She got ahold of different priests that moved her around and then, she wound up in Italy.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
MF: You are running, screaming, and crying throughout the movie. Was this an emotionally and physically demanding role for you to play?
SS: It was, but I was so excited. I was on such an adrenaline rush of just being a part of this project in such a big way that I didn’t want the day to end. I hated when we called wrap. I wanted to be there just helping and doing anything that I possibly could.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
MF: You mentioned that you love horror films. I’m curious, is it fun making a horror movie, and what do you love about the genre?
SS: It is fun. It’s always funny because whenever people ask like, “Is it dark and hard? Is it hard to jump out of it?” I always find that sometimes the most heartbreaking or darkest scenes, everybody’s just having a really great time. When I’m drenched in blood, we’re all laughing and running around. But I love the horror genre. I love that you can just push the boundaries, like there’s no rules to the world. I think that that’s just fun to play with cinematically, character-wise, storytelling-wise, and I think it’s a lot of fun.
(L to R) Sydney Sweeney and director Michael Mohan on the set of ‘Immaculate.’ Photo: Neon.
MF: Finally, what was it like collaborating with director Michael Mohan on set?
SS: I love Michael. I’ve worked with him since I was 19. This is our third project together. He is such an incredible collaborative person because he truly listens and he cares about everybody else, and he is super thoughtful. But then also, he has such a vision, and he sticks to that vision, but then also listens and puts me at the table as well.
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What is the Plot of ‘Immaculate’?
A devoutly religious woman named Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) is offered a role at an illustrious convent in the Italian countryside. Her seemingly picture-perfect new home is soon revealed to hold horrifying secrets.
