Related Article: Osgood Perkins and Theo James Talk Stephen King Adaptation ‘The Monkey’
Initial Thoughts
Theo James in ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
If you’re a Stephen King fan, put away any preconceptions about what ‘The Monkey’ is. While it’s based on a 1980 short story by the horror master (which can now be found in his 1985 collection, ‘Skeleton Crew’), this adaptation by writer-director Osgood Perkins takes only the bare bones of the plot and expands it from there in some decidedly different directions.
The tone of the film is also quite distinct from the story: while the latter plays the concept straight, Perkins has apparently ascertained that a straight horror movie about a toy monkey that kills people might not make the cut.
Instead, Perkins takes the monkey’s supernatural power and the havoc it wreaks to some truly bonkers extremes. While the movie’s ultimate theme dovetails with that of the story to a certain degree, it arrives there via a barrage of exceptionally, absurdly gruesome kills and set pieces that are often as hilarious as they are unsettling.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Theo James and director Osgood Perkins on the set of ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
‘The Monkey’ starts with a prologue in which a pilot, Pete Shelburn (Adam Scott in a delightful cameo), visits a pawn shop to get rid of the toy monkey that he picked up somewhere in his travels. As we find out right away, every time the monkey gets wound up and bangs on its toy drum with the drumsticks clutched in its paws, somebody – or even multiple somebodies – dies, often in horrible ways.
Flash forward to meeting Pete’s young twin sons (both played by Christian Convery), who find the monkey stashed in a closet among their long-gone dad’s other possessions. The boys, who live with their sweet but slightly eccentric mom (Tatiana Maslany), are opposites: Hal is reserved, cerebral, and thoughtful, while Bill is outgoing, brash, and dedicated to humiliating his brother every chance he gets.
Hal and Bill quickly find out two dreadful things about the monkey: once it starts banging on its drum, the only person safe from harm is the person who winds it up…and no matter who you wish to die, the monkey ultimately picks its own victim or victims. This leads to an unfortunate turn of events that end with the two siblings throwing the thing down a well and assuming it’s gone for the next 20 years.
Nicco Del Rio as a pastor in ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
But it’s not, of course. Now an adult (played by Theo James), Hal gets a call from his long-estranged brother (also played by James) telling him that the monkey has resurfaced and that Hal must go back to their hometown, find and destroy it. Hal himself is a failure, working at a convenience store and keeping himself largely distant from the teenage son he dearly loves in fear of the boy somehow coming into the orbit of the monkey – which is exactly what happens, as Hal gets the call from his brother right in the middle of his annual road trip with his distant, understandably hurt kid (Colin O’Brien).
It’s not too long before we understand that the monkey is a metaphor for death – in all its random, unexpected, abrupt, horrifying glory. And while this is a somber realization, it’s presented in terms that border on the surreal. People just don’t drop dead in ‘The Monkey’; they explode, are eviscerated, incinerated, perforated, and mutilated in the kind of bizarre “accidental” deaths that make the famous kills in movies like ‘The Omen’ and ‘Final Destination’ look like, well, child’s play.
The combination of existential dread, gallows humor, and almost cartoonish gore makes for a tricky tightrope for Perkins to walk, but he mostly handles it well. ‘The Monkey’ is short and feels a bit thin sometimes, but the director is willing to push himself in new directions after the mostly dead serious atmosphere of his earlier films (although ‘Longlegs’ began his experimentation with humor thanks to the usual unhinged greatness from Nicolas Cage). If the lesson that Hal learns in ‘The Monkey’ doesn’t resonate as forcefully as it could, with Perkins unable to resist one last bloody sight gag, the movie makes up for it by being a rollicking good time and that hardest of genre mashups to pull off: an effective horror-comedy.
The Cast
(L to R) Laura Mennell, Elijah Wood and Theo James in ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
In a movie where a number of performances are intentionally exaggerated or campy, some of the individual work may seem too broad or fall a bit short. In other instances – like a subplot involving a local small-time crook (Rohan Campbell) whom Bill hires to steal the money – the script itself lets the actors down. That subplot actually adds little to the overall movie and, to some degree, drags it down for a stretch.
On the other hand, kudos must go to Theo James and Christian Convery for their excellent portrayal of the Shelburn twins as boys and men. The 15-year-old Convery is especially adept at encompassing the trauma and heartbreak that leads them to become two very damaged men, and James takes over from there with an equally well-rounded dual performance (the choice to differentiate the two by giving Bill a horrific haircut isn’t a good one, undermining the character a bit).
The movie’s scene-stealer, however, is Tatiana Maslany as their mother, Lois. Though only in a few scenes, Maslany exudes warmth, patience, wisdom, and love, with her own underlying layer of hurt and disappointment. She’s also frank with the boys, especially in a scene where they discuss the nature of death. The ‘She-Hulk’ star is always a welcome screen presence and we only wish we could see more of her in this film.
Final Thoughts
A scene from ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
This is a new kind of film for Osgood Perkins, following the relatively somber atmosphere of films like ‘The Blackcoat’s Daughter’ and ‘Gretel and Hansel.’ He doesn’t always handle the balance of tone effectively, so while ‘The Monkey’ is a barrel of fun for much of its relatively brief running time, it’s a bit less memorable than some of the filmmaker’s earlier works.
It’s still a good time though, and he still manages to create some interesting characters and even give them some moments of profundity and empathy amid all the carnage and flying viscera. As far as Stephen King adaptations go, it’s a nice twist on a story that harkens, to some degree, back to the EC Comics that inspired the author when he was a kid. In the end, the message is a universal one: death comes for us all, banging its little drum to let us know our time is up.
ZVqbEOo5rDrkRNV1FGJgg7
What is the plot of ‘The Monkey’?
After stumbling upon their father’s vintage toy monkey in the attic, twin brothers Hal and Bill (Christian Convery) witness a string of horrifying deaths unfolding around them. To leave the haunting behind, the brothers discard the monkey and pursue separate paths over time. However, when the inexplicable deaths resurface, the adult brothers (Theo James) are compelled to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy.
(L to R) Theo James and director Osgood Perkins talk ‘The Monkey’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with writer and director Osgood Perkins and Theo James about their work on ‘The Monkey’, developing the adaptation, adding humor to the screenplay, James’ approach to his dual roles, and working with young actor Christian Convery.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
(L to R) Theo James and director Osgood Perkins on the set of ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
Moviefone: To begin with, Osgood, can you talk about the challenges of adapting a Stephen King story for the big screen and your choice to add humor and levity to the film?
Osgood Perkins: When I was given the privilege, because that’s what it is, to work off his vibration, never mind trying to copy a story or be faithful or something like that. But just trying to be aligned with such a titan of creativity and such a pillar of culture was just this amazing opportunity. More than adapting the specific story, I wanted to conjure the feeling I get from Stephen King or what my indelible impressions are. I always found his stuff to be so fun, sort of playful, smart, musical, melancholic and about families, fathers, children, life and death, and sort of much more than just a bunch of monsters or a bunch of killers. So, I wanted to bring the comedic, the joy, the entertainment value to the front.
Theo James in ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
MF: Theo, can you talk about the challenges of playing dual roles and your specific approach to playing both Hal and Bill?
Theo James: I mean, it is a gift really. Actors like to see more of themselves, because they’re essentially egotists, but these were two very different characters who the core of them is endemically different. To start from that arena, you can make bold choices. So, with Hal, he’s a very internal person. He’s a shaken, downbeat kind of 80s Tom Hanks. As a result, his body language, his posture is more stooped, he’s more questioning with his gaze, and he’s not sure of himself. He stutters over words. With Bill, it’s the opposite of that. He’s maniacal, he’s ego led, but he’s essentially a child in a man’s body who’s looking desperately for love. All that brings itself to a level of toxicity and madness, which with someone like Oz, you feel comfortable to try stuff. Some of it works and some of it doesn’t. But at least in that space you can find little pieces that are interesting that might not have been there otherwise.
A scene from ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
MF: Finally, Theo, since the story is told in two different timelines, did you work with young actor Christian Convery to make sure that both of your performances of Hal and Bill matched?
TJ: Not really in a way, because I think you need to let Christian interpret the character in his own way and do his thing. I need the room to interpret my characters in the same way and not be hampered by certain things. We decided early on we didn’t want to get into a realm of prosthetics or a particular kind of makeup or the way they looked or vocal or body language tics. So, we weren’t hampered by that. In a way it was nice to just let each other do our thing. But the person who’s guiding the ship is obviously Oz, so he can make sure that we are on the right page, but also with children and adults, there’s a huge evolution that happens between them. So, we didn’t need to worry too much about that.
ZVqbEOo5rDrkRNV1FGJgg7
What is the plot of ‘The Monkey’?
After stumbling upon their father’s vintage toy monkey in the attic, twin brothers Hal and Bill (Christian Convery) witness a string of horrifying deaths unfolding around them. To leave the haunting behind, the brothers discard the monkey and pursue separate paths over time. However, when the inexplicable deaths resurface, the adult brothers (Theo James) are compelled to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy.
A movie based on Stephen King short story ‘The Monkey’ has been shot.
Theo James, Tatiana Maslany and Elijah Wood are in the lead roles.
Osgood Perkins directed the movie.
Normally when there is a casting story to report, it’s because a movie is in the midst of coming together –– occasionally, word on actors’ involvement is even sometimes leaked so as to nudge negotiations in a certain direction.
But then there are the other cases, ones that almost serve as a “surprise! New finished movie!” story, with the film already in the can. And for ‘The Monkey’, that’s certainly the case, with production completed and deals reportedly made to sell it to distributors, at least according to Deadline.
Author Stephen King. Photo: Stephen King/Facebook.
The new movie adapts –– as so many projects these days seem to –– a Stephen King story. In this case, it’s a short story that was first published as a booklet included in Gallery magazine in 1980.
King revised the story for publication in his 1985 collection ‘Skeleton Crew’. The narrative follows young brothers, Peter and Dennis who discover a cymbal-banging monkey in the attic of their great-uncle’s house. As if that wasn’t scary enough –– seriously, have you seen some of those things? –– they discover its sinister history. Originally discovered by their father, Hal, it turned out to be cursed, and every time it clapped its cymbals together, someone near Hal died.
In the movie, the brothers will soon find that people around them are dying, and attempt to dispose of the toy, then grow up and apart. But when a string of mysterious deaths begins, they must reunite to destroy the monkey for good before it takes the lives of everyone close to them.
James is playing both twin brothers in their adult incarnations, with Convery bringing them to life in their youth.
Who has made ‘The Monkey’?
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ director James Wan at CinemaCon 2022. Photos by Eric Charbonneau.
Osgood “Oz” Perkins was in the director’s chair for the movie, working from his script. The filmmaker has another movie already headed our way –– the Nicolas Cage/Maika Monroe-starring ‘Longlegs’, which is due out in July and has an intriguing trailer online.
On the producing side, the new horror movie comes from James Wan, the genre specialist behind the likes of ‘The Conjuring’ and ‘Saw’ franchises.
(Left) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios. (Right) 1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
‘Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi has boarded Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’.
He replaces Andrew Garfield in playing the monster.
Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz are all aboard the Netflix film.
Mary Shelley’s classic, literary horror-genre-goosing novel ‘Frankenstein’ is something that filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has had on his To-Do list for more than a decade.
Now, Deadline reports that Garfield has had to drop out, just one more ripple effect of last year’s strikes still impacting schedules. But the good news for the director is that Jacob Elordi, whose star is on the rise thanks to ‘Saltburn’ and ‘Priscilla’, is now lined up to step in.
QxzVykwNDsq2keHKXNG5A5
What’s the story of ‘Frankenstein’?
1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Shelly’s literary game-changer follows Victor Frankenstein (Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature (Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Del Toro is writing, directing and producing alongside J. Miles Dale, who served as a producer on del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ for Netflix, where this new movie is also based.
Who else is in Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’?
What has del Toro said about ‘Frankenstein’ in the past?
Director Guillermo del Toro for ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.’
“The only way to do the Shelley novel is to actually do a four-hour miniseries,” he told MTV in 2008. “But I think there are permutations in which you can tell the myth in a different way.”
Obviously, he’s clearly found a way to make the story work as a movie –– and has now cracked the script.
It’ll need to be something fresh –– Shelley’s book has been adapted many times in many ways for all sorts of media. But we can trust del Toro will bring his distinctive stamp to the story of the doctor who reanimates dead bodies and the creature he creates that faces hatred from the local villagers.
Guillermo del Toro poses backstage with the Oscar® for Animated Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
Quite what he intends to do with it is a mystery for now, but he may choose to tweak it in a modern-day setting or stick to more of a period feel. Either way, this is certainly something we know this director can do.
And hopefully, Netflix will give the result some proper big-screen treatment before it ends up on the company’s servers, and we’re glad del Toro is getting to tick another long-held dream film off his list.
As for Elordi, he’s worked on Paul Schrader’s next film, ‘Oh Canada’ and indie drama ‘On Swift Horses’. He’ll also be back for the next season of HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, due in 2025.
Premiering on Netflix beginning April 27th is the second season of the popular series ‘Sweet Tooth,’ which is based on the comic book series of the same name by Jeff Lemire, and is executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, and Amanda Burrell.
What is the plot of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2?
Following the events of the first season of ‘Sweet Tooth,’ the second season involves begins as a deadly new wave of the Sick bears down, and Gus (Christian Convery) and a band of fellow hybrids are held prisoner by General Abbot (Neil Sandilands) and the Last Men. Looking to consolidate power by finding a cure, Abbot uses the children as fodder for the experiments of captive Dr. Aditya Singh (Adeel Akhtar), who’s racing to save his infected wife Rani (Aliza Vellani).
To protect his friends, Gus agrees to help Dr. Singh, beginning a dark journey into his origins and his mother Birdie’s (Amy Seimetz) role in the events leading up to The Great Crumble. Outside the Preserve, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie) and Aimee Eden (Dania Ramirez) team up to break the hybrids free, a partnership that will be tested as Jepperd’s secrets come to light. As the revelations of the past threaten the possibility of redemption in the present, Gus and his new found family find themselves on a collision course with Abbot and the evil forces that look to wipe them out once and for all.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with executive producers Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell about season 2 of ‘Sweet Tooth,’ what attracted them to the source material, world-building for the new season, parallels to the real-world, expanding General Abbot and Dr. Singh’s roles, working with the kids, Gus and Jepperd’s bond, and their ideas for season 3.
Moviefone: To begin with, Susan, can you talk about what excited you about adapting the comic book into this series in the first place, and the challenges of expanding the universe for season 2?
Susan Downey: Well, I think when we first got the graphic novel, we were sort of like, “What the heck is this? It’s so strange.” But when you dig into it and you understand what Jeff Lemire is trying to say and the allegory that’s there, you realize that there’s something really special and powerful in this storytelling. We really fell in love with Gus and obviously, the relationship with Jepp. I think if anything, it scared us a little bit. We knew that certainly with season one, we wanted to take all the great things that Jeff was trying to do, all of his intentions with these characters and the journey that they went on, but we wanted to make sure that we delivered it in a way that was a bit maybe more hopeful, not quite as dark as the source material. So we created this storybook dystopia, as we called it, a world of wonder with Gus as our guiding light of hope. I think that excited us because I’ve never seen anything like this. I haven’t seen a “Deer-Boy Show.” So that ticks a big box for us, which is okay, it doesn’t feel familiar. I think going into a second season though, we felt we had created this really strong foundation. Again, Gus and Jepp and their relationship as this center, as well as some of these other incredible first-season characters that joined a second season, that we actually could start creeping into a little bit of the darkness while still maintaining, again, that hope, that wonder and the beauty that we had created, but unearthing some of the darker themes and the stronger antagonists that are very focused in their goals. So it was really about expanding the world. It was introducing some new characters, and as you saw, it was expanding the world of the hybrids, which was so much fun. Again, a lot of the times we were looking at each other and going, “What are we doing here?” When my son saw the trailer, he’s like, “There’s an elephant boy?” The excitement was palpable. So I think we nailed it.
MF: Amanda, can you talk about bringing some of the separate storylines from the first season together for season 2, and expanding the world of ‘Sweet Tooth’ with more characters, locations, and flashbacks this season?
Amanda Burrell: It’s so funny because in season one, you spend so much time building it and then trying to nail a tone or at least figure out what your show is in a lot of ways. I think because we evolved it from the graphic novel, I think we figured it out in season one, and then it just allowed us, “Okay, tonally, actually the hybrid stuff is really connecting. It’s really emotional. How do we build that and expand it?” So it felt we really understood clearly what we got in season one, and now we just get to really up it. Abbott was always going to Loom large. He’s big in the comic book. When we cast Neil, it was so fun in season one, to kind of almost keep him at bay until the audience was ready. I think the fact that we can just bring him out in all of his glory, and Neil just milked it and just was so ready for it. But also to have Singh in the mix in not only the same time space, but that whole alignment of it was just really exciting and we were always building towards it. So it felt like season one allowed us to build the excitement towards it and now we get to realize the potential of all of it. So we definitely blew it out. I feel we’re really proud of the season. We can’t believe how incredible all the hybrids are. So yeah, we’re pumped.
MF: Susan, the series deals with a pandemic and obviously we are just coming out of a pandemic in the real-world now. Did the real-world pandemic at all change the way you depicted the pandemic in the show?
SD: It’s interesting. Not entirely. This was based on a graphic novel that existed well before our pandemic, so our development of it was even before the pandemic. So I think more than anything, it’s just interesting that an audience can relate in a way that they maybe wouldn’t have had it not happened. I feel for us, more than anything, there’s just little details people are familiar with, taking temperatures, wearing masks, those kind of things. But our story takes place after, and it’s about the hope, the rebuild, the reset and what does the future offer. So, if it taps into something within all of us that we’ve experienced, it’s not looking to tap into whatever we’ve dealt with over the past few years. It’s looking to say, “Well, what are you going to do now moving forward? How are you going to change? Where are you going to take this opportunity and see that maybe there’s a different version of the future that’s been altered by this incredible event that happened?”
(L to R) Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin.
MF: Amanda, Gus and Jepperd are separated at the end of season one. Can you talk about the strong connection those two characters made in the first season, and the challenges of separating them for the beginning of season 2?
AB: Well, it’s another interesting thing. We really took our time with it. Jepp, in the first episode, he really shows up at the very end and you realize this person’s going to be a force. Then the whole first season is really about this unlikely connection. We spent a lot of time talking about how long we could keep them apart in season two, honestly, because they are magic together. Our actors are so close to one another and have such a beautiful relationship and camaraderie. Nonso is just such a spiritual father figure for Christian. So we really knew we had to get them back together. But I think the other thing that’s interesting about kids growing up is they need their own space too to find their people, to find their connections. I think Wendy really provides that friendship that we as adults maybe don’t need to get in the mix of. So it’s almost like expanding the opportunity. But yeah, we were all like, “We got to get them back together.” I think it’s just such a beautiful moment when they see each other again and this deep love has not wavered.
(L to R) Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin.
MF: Susan, as a producer, can you talk about working with actors Christian Convery and Nonso Anozie and watching them create these characters and their unique friendship over these two seasons?
SD: Well look, we were so fortunate in the casting process to get a young actor in Christian Convery who is just such magic on screen. We also loved the fact that he had a bunch of experience under his belt by the time he was working with us even first season because as you see, he is in so much of this. He was in so much of the first season, and so much of second season. So he is a seasoned pro who’s then just digging into this character. Obviously, with Jepp, we made some adjustments from the source material. Finding Nonso, again, was such a victory for us. But you don’t know until you put these two on screen together what that chemistry’s going to be. As Amanda said, they just fell in love with each other. They couldn’t be physically or visually more different, which is perfect, and what we’re going for. Again, the larger thematic exploration of finding family, creating your own family, it doesn’t matter what you look like or even what species you are, in our case, you can find that connection. These two really did find it both on screen and off. I think you can feel it as you’re watching it.
MF: You’ve also added several more young actors to the cast this season, who play the hybrids. Since child actors have limited time to work on set, and many of them are wearing elaborate costumes or make-up, can you talk as a producer about the challenges of working with such a large cast of young actors?
SD: Well, this is when you really rely on your ADs to schedule things properly and to make sure that they know exactly when they need to break the kids, send them to school, all of that kind of stuff. Fortunately, we had these other very active storylines. They loom large because they are so incredible and fun and unique. But we were able to jump around and shoot other things, and get some of these other storylines, and they really formed a bond, this group of kids. That casting process was also a ton of fun because when we were looking at it and thinking about each of the different characters, it was like we couldn’t find the kid until we found him (or her). There was never, “Is it this one or this?” It was always like, boom, this is our kid, this kid’s magic. Once again, you’re rolling the dice. Are they going to get along? What are they going to be like? What are the parents going to be like? But we got incredibly fortunate with this group.
MF: Amanda, we only saw Neil Sandilands as General Abbot briefly in the first season, but his role is greatly expanded for season 2. Can you talk about the decision to give him a larger role in the new season?
AB: He’s such a lovely human too. It’s so funny how much he also revels in being kind of evil in that way. But honestly, he brought so much to it. I think once he embodied the role in season one, I think the writers were so deeply inspired by him. So it was easy to write for him. He revels in it so much. I think the same thing goes for all the hybrids, all of our cast, they set the table season one that the writers just loved writing towards them. I think his relationship with his brother is really illuminating this season too, which was really vital. I think we wanted to give him dimension. There’s a past, there’s a history, there’s a context for why people become who they are. I think the other thing with him is that you really believe that he has a philosophy that he’s committed to in order to understand the world. While that is taking him into incredibly dark places, we really wanted to make sure that audiences understood him because those are the best villains, the ones that you actually totally get what their point of view is. You don’t believe that the choices they’re making are the right ones, but you understand them, and you’ll see in the latter half of the season, you get to meet other villains of the world, which I think is also really interesting.
MF: Susan, can you talk about Dr. Singh and Rani’s relationship and how that really motivates his actions in season 2?
SD: Again, this is one of those things where we took something that we learned in season one and let it inform a storyline for season two because originally, she wasn’t necessarily going to survive. But we fell so in love with her, and so in love with them and the true north that he needed through the course of this season to do the things and go to the lengths he went to. You had to believe and invest in that relationship because everything he’s doing obviously is driven to keep her alive. These two actors just brought such chemistry, such magic to the screen and you’re just rooting for both of them. Both of them are just incredible. So I think that, as Amanda was saying, it’s important as people are crossing moral lines to understand the motivation. You may not agree with their technique, but you have to at least accept why they’re doing it. To me, their relationship is the heart of his character, and is the heart of why he’s willing to go to the lengths that he’s willing to go.
MF: Finally, do you already have ideas for season 3, and do you have a larger arc designed for future seasons?
SD: Look, we’re focused right now on getting season 2 out, and hopefully, everybody loves it. The nice thing is Jeff (Lemire) gave us a lot of material in the books. So if we’re fortunate enough to have a season 3, I know that the writers certainly have ideas on how to utilize some of the other storylines found in the graphic novels to continue to tell the story of Gus and Jepp.
To watch our exclusive interviews with the cast of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2 including Christian Convery, Naledi Murray, Nonso Anozie, Dania Ramirez, Adeel Akhtar, James Brolin and showrunner Jim Mickle, please click on the video player below.
According to Wikipedia, the film is inspired by the real story of a 175-pound American black bear that died after ingesting a duffel bag full of cocaine in December 1985. The cocaine had been dropped out of an airplane piloted by Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and convicted drug smuggler, because his plane was carrying too heavy a load. Thornton then jumped out of the plane with a faulty parachute and died. The bear was found three months later in northern Georgia alongside 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine.
Xpj6UdQCbjnCNmIPpRUOZ7
What is ‘Cocaine Bear’ about?
In the film, after Thornton’s accident and the bear ingests the cocaine, he goes on a killing rampage in a small town in Georgia. The movie follows three different groups, Sari (Keri Russell), a single mother looking for her daughter (Brooklynn Prince) and her friend (Christian Convery) who are lost in the woods, Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) and Daveed (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), two drug smugglers forced by Eddie’s father (Ray Liotta) to recover his missing cocaine, and Bob (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), the law enforcement officer hot on their trail.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actress and director Elizabeth Banks about her work on ‘Cocaine Bear,’ her initial reaction to the screenplay and the true story it is based on, balancing the movie’s tones of comedy and horror, and working with Weta FX to create the bear.
Director Elizabeth Banks’ ‘Cocaine Bear’ opens in theaters on February 24th.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Banks, as well as Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Alden Ehrenreich.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction when you read a screenplay titled ‘Cocaine Bear’ and learned of the true story it is based on, and as a director, how did you balance the film’s different tones of comedy and horror?
Elizabeth Banks: My first thought when reading it was, ‘This can’t possibly be based on a true story.’ Then I went down the rabbit hole of investigating what had really happened. At that point I realized, in real life the bear had overdosed on the cocaine and died. I thought, ‘Oh, man, this movie is like a redemption story for that bear.’ This is a way to avenge the untimely death of that bear. Because I really felt for that bear, that bear was like collateral damage. It didn’t know what it was getting into. It doesn’t want to do drugs!
I loved that there was this crazy idea of a rampaging bear on a bender. That’s such a big, high concept, wild, crazy thing that, actually the way to balance the tone was really to ground everything else. So everything else has to be super grounded. The real story of a mom just trying to find her daughter. The real story of a guy grieving the loss of his wife, trying to be connected to his best friend again, trying to break away from his father. A man who is like, ‘I’ve got to find these drugs or we’re going to get killed.’
Those are very grounded, relatable, emotional storylines that set against the backdrop of the bear. It’s in that space in between where human beings do crazy things in reaction to the bear that I really felt that’s where the humor was, that’s where the wackiness could live, as long as the characters remained relatable to the audience.
MF: Finally, can you talk about working with Weta to create the design of the bear and developing it to look as real as possible?
EB: Absolutely. Well, I’ve said before I thought that this movie was super risky for me. What I meant by that was I had to give up control over the lead character of the film. I had no idea while we were making it, if we were going to pull off the bear. And if the bear didn’t work, then the movie didn’t work.
The partnership with Weta, they were great. From day one, they made me laugh. They got the tone. I think they saw it as an opportunity to do really intense, old school CGI. They’re so used to creating crazy, fantastical worlds in outer space and people flying around. This was like, ‘No, no, no. You’ve got to create something so realistic that people think a real bear was on set. How are we going to do that?’ This has to be a documentary about the bear.
And the level of detail that went into animating this bear, this incredible lead animator, Carmen Leggiero, who did so much homework on how bears act. We looked at so many reference videos, picking and choosing every detail of the bear: the size of its head, its nose, its ears, its eyes, the coloration of its fur, the textures, all of that. What does it look like wet? What does it look like with blood on it? What does it look like with guts on it? What does it look like when it’s eating? That was the big, big, big question mark hanging over the movie until the very end. And I am just pleased as punch with the results.
‘Cocaine Bear’ is produced by Universal Pictures, Brownstone Productions and Lord Miller Productions, and scheduled for release on February 24th.
