Moviefone Editorial

Tag: horror

Elisha Cuthbert Talks ‘The Cellar’

Elisha Cuthbert in ‘The Cellar,’ which opens in theaters and on Shudder beginning April 15th.

Opening in theaters and on Shudder beginning April 15th is the new horror movie ‘The Cellar’ from writer/director Brendan Muldowney.

The movie stars Elisha Cuthbert (‘24’ and ‘Old School’) as Keira Woods, a woman whose teenage daughter (Abby Fitz) mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of their new house. She soon discovers there is an ancient and powerful entity controlling their home that she will have to face or risk losing her family’s souls forever.

In addition to Cuthbert and Fitz, the movie also features Eoin Macken (‘La Brea’) as Keira’s husband Brian, and Dylan Fitzmaurice Brady as their son Steven.

Elisha Cuthbert began her career over 25 years ago as a child actor. She has since gone on to appear in several hit TV programs such as ‘Happy Endings’ and ‘The Ranch,’ as well as appearing in popular movies like ‘Old School,’ ‘Love Actually,’ ‘The Girl Next Door,’ and ‘House of Wax.’ But she is probably best known for her role as Jack Bauer’s daughter Kim, on the groundbreaking Fox series ’24.’

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Elisha Cuthbert about her work on ‘The Cellar.’ The talented actress discussed her new movie, her character, working with Eoin Macken, having fun on the set, and how playing a mother reminded her of working on ’24.’
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You can read our full interview below with Elisha Cuthbert or watch our interviews with Cuthbert and Eoin Macken by clicking on the video player above.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about how you got involved with this project and what was your first reaction to the screenplay?

Elisha Cuthbert: It’s interesting because I got to check out the director Brendan’s short film called ‘The Ten Steps.’ Which this film was based off of, and then went into reading the script and thought it was such a great take on the short. Obviously, it’s a lot more in depth dealing with numerology and all of this mythical stuff. But the short was really what intrigued me and then the film I thought was great.

Then towards the end where it takes a turn, without giving a lot away, was really what got me. I thought, “Wow, this is going to be a fun ride.” I really loved it and I hoped we could do it, because it was really at the height of the pandemic when I had read it. We weren’t really sure if we were going to be able to make it, but we ended up getting it done. So that was great.

MF: What was you approach to playing this character?

EC: Brandon and I had a lot of conversations about how the film was going to be so atmospheric and I think for people to know going into this, this is not a gore-fest. There’s something a little bit more atmospheric is the world. So, when I went into it, I wanted Keira to blend in with that atmospheric vibe. So, she’s tough, but she’s subdued, very much a workhorse and is logical and gets things done.

So, I went in with that attitude. But also, there’s that thing where I felt, at this point in my career, I hadn’t really tackled playing a mother per se, not to this level. So, with children of my own now I really was drawn to the idea of the concept of going to the ends of the earth to save your children. I loved that and could relate to it. So, I brought that as well, which was always in the back of my mind.

MF: Can you also talk about the challenges of playing a mother who has lost her child?

EC: I think there’s one scene in the film that really hits on that hard. When she’s with her husband and she feels like she’s done everything wrong and feels the heavy emotional weight of the grief of that. But then, in a perfect Keira Woods vibe, it’s time to get at it and find a solution to this and find her daughter.

The great thing about it that makes it so realistic was that you watch horror films sometimes, and you’re always going, “Why are they going down into the cellar? They know it’s the wrong thing to do. Why are they going out into the woods? There’s always that torturous question of, are they going to get themselves into some sort of trouble?

But for me, I felt like this was the first time I had read it where I went, of course this mother is going to do anything and put herself in any kind of danger to save her daughter. So, for me, that was a jumping off point where everything made sense and nothing scary or crazy felt crazy enough to stop her.

Eoin Macken in ‘The Cellar,’ which opens in theaters and on Shudder beginning April 15th.

MF: When Keira discovers that something supernatural is happening in their home, Brian does not believe her. Can you talk about their relationship and creating that with Eoin Macken?

EC: You know what? Eoin is so great. I mean, we had such a good time working together. I mean really Keira is on this journey on her own, because like you said, I think when she starts to even tell the police what she’s discovering, without giving anything away, everyone starts to turn their backs on her and she’s left the lone soldier really going for it and taking the lead.

So yeah, we didn’t get a ton of stuff to play, but what we did get to play with, we really did work on. Because we really wanted to convey that these two had been obviously together for a long time. They had their children very young and we kind of created this backstory for them because there’s a lot of stuff that’s not said in words and really is just moments, that brings in that atmospheric vibe. So, we really played on that, understanding each other’s back story and we had a lot of fun with that.

MF: You have some very tense scenes in this movie. Is it fun on the set while you are making a movie like this or is it also tense while you are filming?

EC: Certain scenes are way more intense than others. I think when you’re trying to keep the momentum, especially as the movie builds, right? You start in one place, but then as this film progresses, it just gets heavier and faster until it finally hits. So, there’s a lot of like, running up and down the hall to get a little out of breath. There’s a lot of fun, jumping up and down to get that energy going.

So, we all have our own little tricks to get there, but that’s the fun of it. I think with horror, the reason why I love the genre so much is that really, it’s one of those things where you have to give yourself 100% to go for it. Otherwise, it’s not going to play. Really you have to be ready to go there, and ready to scream and ready to run it out. So, that was a lot of fun.

MF: Finally, you began your career as a child actor and I’m curious if working on this film with the actors that play your children brought back any memories of when you starting your own career?

EC: Oh, you nailed it. I mean, it was like a full circle moment when I got introduced to the kids. Because one, when I met Dylan who plays my son Steven in the film, it was like, that was me at that age. I started acting at that age.

So, him at 11 was me at 11 starting and I thought, “Wow, I could see so much of myself in him.” Then obviously with Abby who plays Ellie, my daughter, her being 18 and I was 18 on ‘24,’ playing the daughter in distress, so we had many conversations about that. Because I said, “Here’s some of the things that I had learned along the way.”

It just was incredible. So, both kids brought out a moment in time for me in my own career. Then I was like, “I’m in the Kiefer (Sutherland) role. Well how did this happen?” Like in a blink of an eye there I was, the female Jack Bauer, right? I mean, obviously he’s iconic, but I just felt like, “Oh my God, I’m in his shoes.” It was wild.

Elisha Cuthbert and Dylan Fitzmaurice Brady in ‘The Cellar,’ which opens in theaters and on Shudder beginning April 15th.
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April 13, 2022
Jessie Buckley’s Haunted in the New Trailer for ‘Men’

Jessie Buckley in A24’s ‘Men.’

Don’t you hate it when you take yourself off to a seemingly quiet, picturesque place to stay in the countryside to recover from a personal tragedy, only to walk straight into yet more horror? Us too.

But that’s exactly what poor Jesse Buckley (or her character Harper, at least) must deal with in the trippy, freaky new trailer for Alex Garland’s new thriller ‘Men’.

The story sees Buckley’s Harper still in shock following the apparent – emphasis on that last bit, since the new promo makes it clear there could well be more to it – of her husband, played by ‘I May Destroy You’ and ‘Gangs of London’ actor Paapa Essiedu, who flung himself from the balcony of their London apartment.

Trying to recuperate from that tragedy as she processes her grief, Harper retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal.

But someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her. What begins as simmering dread becomes a fully formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears.

The biggest issue she must confront, aside from that scary stalker, is seemingly multiple versions of the same man, albeit appearing in different forms. They’re all played by recent Bond movies veteran Rory Kinnear. He pops up as the man who rents a house to Harper, the local priest (who tries to convince her she was responsible for her husband’s death), a grumpy local barman and, most disturbingly, a boy who wears an unsettling mask, but honestly looks worse when he takes that off.
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Garland, who also wrote the script, looks to be exploring ideas of perception, guilt, grief, and unease here, pushing the atmosphere to the forefront (at least in this trailer).

After some time spent bringing TV drama ‘Devs’ to life, it’s exciting to see Garland back working on the big screen, and hopefully digging into smart, compulsive thriller territory once more following the likes of ‘Annihilation’ and ‘Ex Machina’. As with the former, ‘Men’ appears to promise no easy answers, but bags of tone and a typically great cast.

Buckley has been putting in excellent turns for years, in movies such as ‘The Lost Daughter’ (for which she’s nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category), ‘Judy’ and ‘Wild Rose’.

Kinnear, meanwhile, is a reliable character sort who has been seen on screens big and small beyond his Bond work: he’s a pompous ship’s Admiral in HBO Max’s pirate comedy ‘Our Flag Means Death’ right now and was in the channel’s superb UK drama ‘Years and Years’.

The new trailer is stylish and shocking, building on the feeling of the teaser, and it’s certainly one we’re looking forward to in what should be another good year for thoughtful horror. We can look forward to Jordan Peele’s return with ‘Nope’ and the more viscerally vengeful likes of Robert Eggers’ ‘The Northman’ this year too.

‘Men’ will be creeping into theaters from May 20th.

A24’s ‘Men’ is written directed by Alex Garland.
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March 23, 2022
Movie Review: ‘Umma’

Sandra Oh stars in Stage 6 Films ‘Umma.’ Photo by Saeed Adyani.

Opening in theaters on March 18th is the supernatural horror movie ‘Umma,’ from first time feature film director Iris K. Shim. The movie stars Sandra Oh (‘Sideways’) as Amanda, a Korean immigrant haunted by the ghost of her estranged mother, while raising her daughter (Fivel Stewart) on a rural farm.

The result is a well-made supernatural thriller masquerading as horror film with strong performances from its lead actresses but gets lost in its own exposition towards the movie’s climax.

Amanda (Oh) lives off-the-grid on a rural farm with her daughter Chris (Stewart), where they work as bee keepers. Amanda is “allergic” to electricity, and must stay away from modern technology, leaving her daughter cutoff from the outside world. Amanda is also estranged from her abusive Korean mother, who she left behind years ago. Never wanting to become her own mother, Amanda has lived her life protecting her daughter, but their relationship has become very co-dependent.

Trouble begins when Amanda’s uncle from Korea finally tracks her down to deliver her mother’s remains after her recent passing. Curious about her grandmother and the family she’s never known, Chris begins to resent the life Amanda has created for them and even questions her mother’s “sickness.” Soon, Amanda begins to be haunted by the ghost of her mother, and slowly realizes her greatest fear … she is, literally, becoming her own mother!

(L to R) Sandra Oh and Fivel Stewart star in Stage 6 Films ‘Umma.’ Photo by Saeed Adyani.

What I really like about this movie is that it is so clearly personal and from writer/director Iris K. Shim’s unique point of view. By focusing on Korean tradition and how that effects a person actively running away from their past and heritage is really interesting and is a great launching off point for this psychological thriller. Unfortunately, the movie falls into the trap of its own genre and is derailed in the third act when it retreats to becoming a full-fledged “ghost movie.” But before that, Shim crafts a small, intimate portrait of a mother raising her daughter in fear of her own past.

Another interesting aspect of Shim’s script is Amanda’s “illness” to electricity. Is it real? Is she truly allergic to electricity, or is it just a manifestation of her own traumatic experience? That’s an important question that the film explores, but again, ultimately drops its urgency when the ghost appears. Shim also explores a very relatable fear that most adults have – the fear of becoming their own parents. That is really at the core of the movie and an element of the screenplay that Shim and Oh explore well. I think if the film had focused on this aspect more, and not reverted to popular horror tropes in the third act, it would have been a more overall satisfying storytelling experience.

The movie is really a two-hander between Oh and Stewart, but also features supporting performances from Dermot Mulroney and Odeya Rush. Both actors are serviceable in their roles, but otherwise not given a lot to do. Rush’s character seems only to be added to demonstrate the contrast between Chris and other kids her age, which is necessary to drive the story, but some more character development would have been nice. Mulroney plays a local fond of Amanda, who has acted like a surrogate father to Chris over the years. His character is more defined, and while limited, his affection for the mother and daughter comes shining through.

Sandra Oh stars in Stage 6 Films ‘Umma.’ Photo by Saeed Adyani.

Fivel Stewart gives a strong performance as Chris and is a great on-screen partner for Oh. The actress plays the innocent and sheltered teen well, and is excellent when she rebels against her upbringing, not unlike her mother had done years before. But the movie truly belongs to Sandra Oh, who gives a very commanding and grounding performance as Amanda.

Oh is completely in control of her performance and is at her best when battling the demons of her past in her own head. The actress delivers moments when you’re not quite sure if she’s Amanda, or Amanda possessed by her Umma (the Korean word for Mom), and her performance keeps the audience guessing. Oh has great chemistry with Stewart and is completely believable as a devoted mother becoming unhinged.

While the film has a great concept and some really interesting characters and situations, it does fall into the trap of the modern horror movie, forgoing its strong set up for standard scares at the end. The true joy of the film is its anticipation of the ghost, but when she actually appears, it’s not as scary as the build-up and a bit anti-climactic. In the end, writer/director Iris K. Shim delivers an original, intriguing, and personal thriller with great performances from its leads, that just doesn’t quite stick the landing.

‘Umma’ receives 3 out of 5 stars.
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March 19, 2022
Iris K. Shim Talks ‘Umma’

Sandra Oh stars in Stage 6 Films ‘Umma.’ Photo by Saeed Adyani.

Opening in theaters on March 18th is the new supernatural horror film ‘Umma,’ which was directed by Iris K. Shim (‘The House of Suh’).

The movie stars Sandra Oh (‘Sideways’) as Amanda, a beekeeper who live off-the-grid, alone on a farm with her daughter Chris (Fivel Stewart). Amanda also suffers from a rare disease that makes her sick when she is exposed to electricity. Amanda is estranged from her own mother, and unbeknownst to her, she has recently passed away.

Eventually, her remains arrive from Korea, and Amanda begins to be haunted by visions of her own mother. In order to stop the visions, she must finally put her mother’s soul to rest, before she pushes Chris away and her greatest fear comes true … she turns into her own mother!

In addition to Oh and Stewart, the cast also includes Dermot Mulroney (‘Insidious: Chapter 3’), and Odeya Rush (‘Lady Bird’).

Moviefone recently had the chance to speak with writer and director Iris K. Shim about her work on ‘Umma.’
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You can read the full transcript of the interview below or watch the video by clicking on the player above.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the process of developing the screenplay and the themes that you wanted to explore with this movie?

Iris K. Shim: I set out to write a contained horror film. It’s something that I thought that I would be able to make as my first narrative feature. Really, I was pulling on my own experiences of grappling with my identity and my place in this world, both as a Korean and as an American. So, that was really the first steps into the story.

But then once I started really developing the relationship between mother and daughter, so much of that really came into play in terms of this idea and fear of turning into your mother, which is so universal. I think each culture has its own baggage in terms of what that means. So, the themes of motherhood I know are very present in the horror genre, and we were able to really explore that theme through a more specific lens.

MF: Can you talk more about Amanda and Chris’ relationship, and how Amanda’s relationship with her own mother is now affecting Amanda’s relationship with her daughter?

IKS: I always thought of Chris and Amanda’s relationship as the prequel to ‘Grey Gardens’, and the fact that they actually do really enjoy each other’s company. They are actually friends. They’re very close. So, the veneer of this relationship seems loving and healthy at first, but you start to realize that it’s so codependent that they are unable to have their own identity outside of each other. You start to realize that this is not a healthy relationship.

Really, the big irony for Amanda’s character is that she has gone to the extremes to not become her mother, even so much that she subconsciously has developed this fear around electricity because she is so desperate to create a life for her daughter that is different from her own upbringing.

But the irony in that is she has created a world that is very much similar to her own upbringing, in terms of that codependence, extreme relationship. So, when Umma’s remains appear at the farm, it really is the thing that they need in order to really learn to resolve their own issues and to be able to form their own identity apart from each other.

(L to R) Fivel Stewart and Sandra Oh star in Stage 6 Films ‘Umma.’ Photo by Saeed Adyani.

MF: Can you talk about casting Sandra Oh and Fivel Stewart in these roles?

IKS: We had text Sandra Oh first, and she was really just my dream actress. She was the person that I wrote the script for, hoping that we might be able to get her. When she signed on, it was really about trying to find the right actress, and so we did some chemistry reads with some young actresses. There really was this spark and connection between Fivel and Sandra.

Also, Sandra is such a generous actor that she really wanted to spend the time with Fivel to create their own relationship, where they could feel that closeness and that fondness for each other that would just naturally and organically show on screen. So, they did a lot of work together and spending time together, and by the time that the cameras were rolling, it really did feel like they were their own little unit together.

MF: Finally, why did you choose the horror genre as the vehicle to tell this particular story? Are you a fan of horror movies?

IKS: No. Actually, I didn’t really grow up as a horror fan. I get scared very easily and I’m not really a big fan of the slasher genre. The kind of horror that I really gravitate towards is the psychological. I have a psychology undergraduate degree, and so I think just naturally, I have this curiosity of what goes on in people’s minds.

Definitely in terms of the horror genre, to me, what’s always scary is when it’s happening in your head and when you have this loss of self, or identity or even just madness. “Am I going crazy? Am I the only one seeing this?” There is this supernatural element to this story, because so much of it is what is going on in Amanda’s head and who is she becoming, and how much of her identity is being fractured? That’s definitely the kind of horror films that I gravitate towards.

Sandra Oh stars in Stage 6 Films ‘Umma.’ Photo by Saeed Adyani.
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March 18, 2022
New ‘The Walking Dead’ Spin-off Series Announced

Jeffrey Dean Morgan attends the ‘Talking Dead’ at Hollywood Forever on October 23, 2016 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.

Just because ‘The Walking Dead’ is set to stumble into TV history this year, that doesn’t mean that network home AMC is ready to give up on the post-apocalyptic world just yet. Far from it, in fact, with a variety of follow-ups at different stages of development and a new one – starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan and Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee called ‘Isle of the Dead’ on the way.

A six-episode limited series, ‘Isle of the Dead’ will follow Maggie and Negan traveling into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror.

Created by and to be run by ‘Dead’ scripting veteran Eli Jorné, the show will bring together two characters few thought would find common ground, especially since Negan was introduced partly by killing Maggie’s husband, Glenn (Steven Yeun). And yet, in the years since, they’ve come to an understanding, even teaming up in this 11th and final season.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan in AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’

Though there had been talk of a solo spin-off for Cohan’s popular character a few years ago, she went through some tough contract negotiations in recent times, leading to her making sporadic appearances in season 9 and leaving the show before returning for the Season 10 finale onwards.

“This is a very big day for the expanding universe we are building around ‘The Walking Dead’,” says Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “It not only adds another compelling series to this collection, it extends our storytelling around two unforgettable characters fans have grown to love, hate or hate and then love in Maggie and Negan, brilliantly inhabited by Lauren and Jeffrey. It also lets us explore a corner of this universe located on the island of Manhattan, with an iconic skyline that takes on a very different meaning when viewed through the lens of a zombie apocalypse.”

Says ‘Walking Dead’ chief content officer Scott Gimple: “Eli has created a chaotic, beautiful, grimy madhouse of the dead for Negan, Maggie, and fans of the show eager to discover an unseen and insane world of the ‘TWD’ Universe. Lauren and Jeffrey have always been fantastic collaborators and now, we bring that collaboration to the next level with a series that will take these characters to their limits with the world — and each other. All of us are thrilled to take you on an all new, all different ‘TWD’ epic for the ages.”

This latest spin-off follows the likes of prequel ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ and youth focused ‘The Walking Dead: The World Beyond’ and is part of a sprawling grand plan to keep the stories going.

Anthology series ‘Tales of the Walking Dead’ is scheduled to launch this year, while a show focused on Carol and Daryl, played by Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus, is expected in 2023. ‘Isle of the Dead’ should also be on screens at some point next year and there is still the lingering promise of a movie featuring Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes.

(L to R) Lauren Cohan and Andrew Lincoln in AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead.’
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March 7, 2022
Movie Review: ‘Studio 666’

(L to R) Pat Smear, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee, Chris Shiflett, Dave Grohl, and Taylor Hawkins in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Photo Courtesy of Open Road Films.

Opening in theaters on February 13th is the new horror comedy from the rock band the Foo Fighters called ‘Studio 666.’ The movie follows the band as they move into a haunted house to record their new album, and stars frontman Dave Grohl, drummer Taylor Hawkins, guitarist Pat Smear, guitarist Chris Shiflett, bassist Nate Mendel, and keyboardist Rami Jaffee as themselves.

The cast also includes Whitney Cummings (‘2 Broke Girls’), Will Forte (‘Nebraska), Jeff Garlin (‘Curb Your Enthusiasm), Leslie Grossman (‘American Horror Story’), and Slayer guitarist Kerry King. The result is a purposely cheesy horror comedy that is super entertaining to watch for both fans of the genre as well as fans of the Foo Fighters, and features fun performances from Grohl and the rest of the band.

Directed by B. J. McDonnell, ‘Studio 666’ begins with a flashback to decades ago, and introduces us to a haunted house in Los Angeles, where a band is completing their new album. But, when the lead singer is possessed by a demon, he kills all his bandmates in a brutal murder. Years later, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted band Foo Fighters are discussing where they will record their new album and Dave Grohl suggests a mansion in Encino, which just happens to be the same house from the prologue.

However, once the band moves in, they soon learn about the mansion’s unusual history when Grohl becomes possessed by a demon. The musician becomes obsessed with finishing the 45-minute-long song that the previous band which occupied that house was unable to complete. As Grohl’s behavior becomes more and more uncontrollable, the band begin to suspect something is wrong and investigate. But, will they discover the truth too late to save their friend … and their own lives?

(L to R) Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett, Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, and Rami Jaffee in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Photo Courtesy of Open Road Films.

To begin with, you really can’t take ‘Studio 666’ too seriously. While it’s not exactly great filmmaking, it is a really well made and funny little horror comedy. On the surface, combining the Foo Fighters with the horror comedy genre may seem like an idea out of left field, but if you’ve ever watched one of their music videos, you’d know that this is actually right up their alley. Foo Fighters have always been a fun band, full of personality, and this movie was a perfect vehicle for them as the horror/comedy situation is wonderfully suited to their sensibilities as performers.

While the band plays themselves, it’s certainly an exaggerated version of themselves. Grohl, Smear and Hawkins are arguably the best-known members of the group, so their characters were pretty close to what you’d expect (until Grohl becomes possessed). Since Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, and Rami Jaffee are the least public members of the band, it allowed the script to have more fun with their characters. Shiflett plays his role as an instigator and a tough guy, while Jaffee is depicted as a sexed-up stoner, and Mendel as a quiet genius. Smear and Hawkins continue their public personas, with Smear as the group’s elder statesman and Hawkins as the surfer-styled “cool guy” in the band.

But what comes across is that all of the Foo Fighters were willing to commit to the project and have fun. Grohl has the hardest role in the film, playing himself, and then playing himself possessed by a demon. He’s at his best when he is just playing himself, but there is something fun about watching the drummer from Nirvana acting like a demon has possessed him. Grohl and the entire band give really fun performances that work in the context of the movie.

Dave Grohl in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Stuart/Open Road Films.

The film is really about the Foo Fighters, so the other members of the cast are not all that important, but I did think Leslie Grossman gave a strong performance as the band’s real-estate agent. Whitney Cummings has nice chemistry in her scenes with Jaffee, while Will Forte adds comedic flair in his sequence with Grohl. However, Jeff Garlin is too over-the-top, even for this movie, as the band’s record producer. The comedian seems to be pushing too hard in his scenes, and even indicates his character’s true intentions too early in the film.

Director B. J. McDonnell does a good job with the material, never taking it too seriously, and letting the band be the real star of the film. I’m not really a fan of horror, but I do like horror comedies like ‘Evil Dead II’ and ‘Army of Darkness,’ and ‘Studio 666’ is definitely in that wheelhouse. But I’m a huge fan of the Foo Fighters, and for me, they were really the winning ingredient in this project.

There is a long tradition of rock bands starring in their own movies, both good and bad. For every ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ there is a ‘Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park,’ and I’d like to say that ‘Studio 666’ falls somewhere in between. In the end, ‘Studio 666’ is what it was meant to be, which is a fun, genre-blend starring the Foo Fighters, one of the greatest rock bands of all time. That is exactly what it is, no more, no less.

‘Studio 666’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.
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February 26, 2022
Foo Fighters Talk ‘Studio 666’

(L to R) Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters at the World Premiere of ‘Studio 666.’

Opening in theaters on February 25th is the new supernatural horror comedy ‘Studio 666,’ which stars the Grammy Award winning rock band the Foo Fighters.

Directed by B.J. McDonnell (‘Hatchett III’), the film features Foo Fighters band members Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, and Rami Jaffee as themselves, who move into a haunted house to record their new album and must fight a demon.

In addition to the Foo Fighters, the cast also includes Whitney Cummings (‘2 Broke Girls’), Will Forte (‘Nebraska), Jeff Garlin (‘Curb Your Enthusiasm), Leslie Grossman (‘American Horror Story’), and Slayer guitarist Kerry King.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dave Grohl and members of Foo Fighters, including Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, about their work on ‘Studio 666.’

Grohl, Smear, and Shiflett discussed the new movie, how it came together, Grohl’s original idea for the story, Shiflett’s acting lessons, what it was like for Smear to play an exaggerated version of himself, and the truth behind the “Pearl Jam high five.”
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You can read the full transcript of our interview with Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett below, or watch a video of the interview in the player above.

Moviefone: To begin with, Dave can you talk about how this project came together? Was it always the intent to make a horror movie with members of the band playing themselves?

Dave Grohl: It really started about three years ago. I have a friend that went to have a meeting with some movie studio. He came out of the meeting and texted me and said, “I just got out of this meeting with these people that want to make a horror film with the Foo Fighters.” I texted back, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. We will never do that. That’s too ridiculous. No way. I don’t think any of us are even huge horror fans.”

Then we moved into this house, the house in the film. We moved in there to make our new record, ‘Medicine at Midnight.’ While we were in there writing, I thought, oh, well, wait. We have a creepy house, and we could just do it really quickly. Once we’re finished with the record, we’ll just film some ridiculous thing.

Then I just came up with this stupid idea that was, okay, we move into a house and the house is haunted and I become possessed and stuff goes wrong. Then I kill everybody. We actually talked about a bunch of different ideas for the band members.

It was really fun, just riffing. Then we got screenwriters to come in and really write it, then we had a table read, and then added special effects. That was when we started to realize, “Oh my God, hold on a sec, this isn’t a long form music video. This is a full-length feature film!” It just ballooned and snowballed from there, to where we’re like, “Oh my God, we made a movie. What?”

Dave Grohl in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Stuart/Open Road Films.

MF: Chris and Pat, how did you both feel about acting in the film and playing exaggerated versions of yourselves?

Chris Shiflett: It was nerve wracking going into it. I don’t know if we’ve talked about this, but I took some acting lessons. You got to understand when somebody puts a camera in your face, you get weird and twitchy, and your face does weird stuff. This was pre-pandemic, bro. A friend of mine, who’s a director connected me with a great acting coach and I went to her with the script.

It was fucking amazing because she sat there and read, line by line, and l got into, like what’s the motivation? It was amazing. It really, really helped. It made me so much more comfortable. And, I want to go on the record, because it is like these heightened versions of ourselves, but I have never made fun of Dave’s barbecue skills. Not one time. That is fiction!

Pat Smear: I’m just going to dispute your claim that this is an exaggerated version of ourselves. Clearly, it’s not. There’s nothing there that I wouldn’t do normally. So, what can I say? I don’t know. It’s awkward. It’s easy, but it’s awkward.

(L to R) Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee and Taylor Hawkins in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Credit: Courtesy of Open Road Films.

MF: Finally, the movie shows the band repeatedly participating in the “Pearl Jam high five,” which is a reference to that band’s first album, ‘Ten.’ Is that something the band does in real life, or was that just added for the movie?

DG: That was an improv moment in the boardroom scene, where someone said, “Okay, let’s do it.” I went “Pearl Jam high five up top.” No, it’s not something we’ve ever done before.

PS: In fact, didn’t we do like five different high fives? Every time we had to do that scene over, we did a different dumb thing, I think. Then, that’s just the one they picked.

DG: I didn’t really think anyone would notice. I mean, of course I’m referring to the cover of their debut album, ‘Ten.’ Where they’re all high fiving. So, we did it once in that boardroom scene, and then, later on we filmed another scene in the driveway of the house, where I did it again. It’s in the movie twice. But the first one was great. It was a “Pearl Jam high five,” and we did that, and I go, “’Jeremy’ has fucking spoken.” Then we high five in the driveway, and then I go, “Break. We’re still ‘Alive.’”

PS: Wow. See, I got to see this movie.

DG: Pat hasn’t even watched the movie yet, God damn it! He’s like Johnny Depp, he won’t watch his own movies.

Pat Smear in ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Stuart/Open Road Films.
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February 22, 2022
David Dastmalchian, Chris Messina, and More Join ‘The Boogeyman’

David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in ‘Suicide Squad’

As he starts the cameras rolling, director Rob Savage has announced the cast for his next movie. The man behind horror hit ‘Host’ will do his best to scare Chris Messina, Sophie Thatcher, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland and Madison Hu for ‘The Boogeyman’.

It’ll mark a new adaptation of the Stephen King story, which originally appeared in a March 1973 issue of Cavalier magazine before it was collected in his 1978 collection “Night Shift.” One of the titles King has made available to filmmakers under the one-dollar rights agreement, it has been turned into a short and at least one other movie before.

The tale follows a 16-year-old and her younger sister, still reeling from the death of their mother, who are targeted by a supernatural boogeyman after their father, a psychologist, has an encounter with a desperate patient in their house.

We don’t yet know who will be playing which role, but Messina should be familiar from movies including ‘Argo’ and ‘Birds of Prey’. Thatcher has been burning up the small screen via work on ‘Yellowjackets’ and ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, while Blair is probably best known for Netflix’s ‘Bird Box’ opposite Sandra Bullock. Ireland was seen in ‘Hell or High Water’ and Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’, while Dastmalchian should be no stranger to genre fans given his work in last year’s ‘Dune’, the first two ‘Ant-Man’ movies and ‘The Dark Knight’. Hu, finally, was seen in sci-fi movie ‘Voyagers’.

Chris Messina on HBO’s ‘Sharp Objects.’

This movie has had to hack its way through the development thorns for a while before it ended up in Savage’s hands. The script’s passed through the likes of ‘Malignant‘s Akela Cooper and ‘A Quiet Place’ duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. The current draft is by ‘Black Swan’s Mark Heyman. And on board to produce is prolific filmmaker Shawn Levy, who is supporting the movie via his 21 Laps company.

Savage is a great choice to direct this, as his previous work has been inventing and, more importantly, chilling. He broke out with 2020’s pandemic -set thriller ‘Host’, which saw a Zoom call go spectacularly, lethally wrong for its participants. It won plenty of acclaim and marked him as a director to watch.

He’s since followed that up with another low-fi horror, ‘DASHCAM’, which has been playing to great impact at film festivals and will arrive in theaters via Momentum Pictures this summer. Produced by the Blumhouse team, the movie, stars Annie Hardy, Angela Enahoro and Amar Chadha-Patel in the story of a musician on her livestream as her night takes a dangerous turn when she agrees to help a frail elderly woman out of town.

‘The Boogeyman’, which arrives via Disney’s 21st Century Studios, will premiere on Hulu next year.
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February 22, 2022
Fede Alvarez Talks ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’

Mark Burnham as Leatherface in Netflix’s ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’

Premiering on Netflix beginning on February 18^th is the direct sequel to the classic 1974 horror film ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ entitled ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ Directed by David Blue Garcia (‘Tejano’) and written by Chris Thomas Devlin (‘Cobweb’), the movie is based on a story developed by ‘Don’t Breathe’ director Fede Alvarez, who is also a producer on the film.

The new story picks up several decades after the original film and focuses on the serial killer Leatherface (Mark Burnham), who targets a group of young entrepreneurs that purchase an abandoned town in Texas. The deranged killer eventually comes face to face with Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouere), a vengeful survivor of his original murders.

In addition to Burnham and Fouere, the cast also includes Sarah Yarkin (‘Happy Death Day 2U’), Elsie Fisher (‘Eight Grade’), Jacob Latimore (‘The Maze Runner’), Nell Hudson (‘The Queen Mary’), William Hope (‘Aliens’), Alice Krige (‘Thor: The Dark World’), and John Larroquette (‘Stripes’) reprising his role from the original as the Narrator.

Filmmaker Fede Alvarez is no stranger to rebooting classic horror franchises as he made his feature film directorial debut with 2013’s ‘Evil Dead.’ Alvarez went on to direct the box office hit ‘Don’t Breathe,’ as well as write and produce its sequel, ‘Don’t Breathe 2.’ He also directed ‘The Girl in the Spider’s Web,’ which was a soft-sequel/reboot to David Fincher’s ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ He now returns to the horror genre with ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ of which he developed the story and also produced.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking exclusively with Fede Alvarez about his work on ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ The producer discussed the new movie, his love for the franchise, creating the new story and characters, what he learned from rebooting ‘Evil Dead,’ the importance of bringing back Sally Hardesty and John Larroquette as the narrator, his favorite scares, and why Leatherface has become so iconic.

‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Producer Fede Alvarez.

Here is what Fede Alvarez had to say about ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’

Moviefone: To begin with, when did you first see ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and fall in love with the franchise?

Fede Alvarez: I’ll tell you. I probably watched the original when I was too young to watch it and I regret it. It was part of that group of horror movies that you thought was just another movie like ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and you would have a laugh. Then this one probably alongside with ‘The Evil Dead’ are those that are like, “Oh God. What have I done,” when I watched this movie. Just too terrifying for my age. But then I think I really loved it, the franchise.

I think it’s when I watched the 2003 remake that Marcus Nispel directed when they rebooted back then. The movie was so stylized, and it showed the timeless theme of the cultural clash between the countryside and the city. It never expires. It’s always a great theme for a horror movie.

MF: What did you learn about rebooting popular horror franchises from directing ‘Evil Dead’ that you were able to apply to your work producing this project?

FA: Something I definitely learned on ‘Evil Dead’ was that those movies are such classics and they come from the times where movies were done differently. Where everything was crude and real, and there was no CGI. Even ‘Texas Chain Saw,’ when I was a kid, I remember watching it thinking it was real. I thought I was actually watching some documentary, something that had actually happened. That adds such a great layer of terror for the experience of watching the film.

So, I think that was something I always wanted to bring back to the new movie. So, that’s how we shot ‘Evil Dead.’ Everything was on camera. The blood was actually practical blood. It was not CG. So, there wasn’t a computer graphic. Every monster in the movie was a person in a suit.

That sort of thing adds some crudeness to it that the true horror fans always love. I think any movie fan loves to watch something they feel is real, particularly for horror. So, that’s the same we did in ‘Texas Chainsaw.’ We just really wanted everything we shoot to be with technology that was available in the ’70s. Obviously, cameras are digital, but then everything that happens on camera including the way they do tricks, the way they do blood; a blood rig is exactly how they would’ve done it back then. So, that adds some authenticity, I would say, to the film.

MF: Was it always the plan for this movie to be a direct sequel to the original, and not incorporate any of the elements from the other films?

FA: I think what this is, is part of the original franchise. What it’s not, because it couldn’t be even if you wanted, is part of the one that was rebooted in the 2000s. The Marcus Nispel movie and what followed that, and a couple more that came after that. I think because that’s a different canon, I would say. This is part of the original canon of the original ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,’ ‘Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III,’ and ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation,’ which is part four. This is that Leatherface. You know?

In the story, you’ll find Leatherface as a kid, as a teenager. He was secluded into this orphanage. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t escape. Like, he went to the orphanage, then left to do part two, and then went back, and then left again to do part three. I think all those movies could have happened. Because he never really dies in that franchise. Technically, supposedly, he died at the end of part two. But then at beginning of part three, they say he didn’t. So, that’s the way we see. It’s part of the original franchise.

So, I think that there’s something holy and kind of magical to connect it with that original film that makes it more legit to me. Also, because the original writer is a producer on this film and he was involved in the creation of it. Kim Henkel co-wrote the film with Tobe Hooper, who directed the originally. So, the fact that he was involved, I think allowed us to say, “Yes, let’s create one like what could have been the follow-up to that original franchise.”

(L to R) Elsie Fisher, Sarah Yarkin, Nell Hudson and Jacob Latimore in ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ Cr. Yana Blajeva / ©2021 Legendary, Courtesy of Netflix.

MF: Can you talk about devising the new plot and new characters for ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre?’

FA: I think it was inspired a little bit by a trend that I’ve seen happening. t was this particular restaurant that I went to that was in the middle of nowhere, in this like dead town. But it was this restaurateur that was super cool and famous and decided to open his restaurant in this dead town to attract people. So, he started moving there, and other artists and galleries started popping up.

Then, every time you watch one of these restaurants shows on Netflix, there’s always someone that opened his restaurant in the middle of nowhere, like back where his family was from. Suddenly, all these people from the city just storms that town. So out of that, we came up with the idea. That is a great way to get the countryside folk and the city people to clash in a realistic way, in a kind of grounded way. Why would all these people end up in a dead town? What would attract them there?

I think something that is a trend that I think is happening there will happen even more is that young people want to escape the cities. I think after the pandemic, it made even more sense. I mean, everybody during the pandemic wanted to escape the big cities. Anything with a subway, they didn’t want to be near. Any place that had a bit more open air, it felt like the place to go. So, I felt that it was a grounded yet kind of magical approach to the story, a way into the story to get these two sides of the country to clash.

MF: Can you talk about creating the lead characters, Melody and Lila?

FA: I think what was fun about having these two sisters both be the main role was that it made a way more interesting classic game of watching a horror movie where you have to guess who’s going to be the final girl. That is always the game of a horror movie. You get introduced to a bunch of characters. Most of the time, I would say it’s pretty obvious who’s going to be the final girl. It used to be the good girl, the virgin, or whatever. But I think in this day and age, things have changed drastically.

I think it was so much fun to show two characters that represents two slightly different stereotypes of horror characters and having the audience scratching their heads in end, wondering “Which one is going to die?” Because it could go either way. Either of them can die and it would make complete sense.

I think I would say, the perverse game we’re playing as writers is to have two sisters where both of them have their reasons to live, and both of them deserve to die on certain levels during this movie. They always do some original sin at the beginning of the movie that allows for the horror to be triggered. So, that was kind of part of the idea, to really have two, and having you guessing. So, that was part of the game.

MF: Can you talk about the importance of bringing back the Sally Hardesty character from the original, and was it difficult knowing that you would have to recast the role?

FA: It was difficult. You really want to honor that character, particularly when the original actor (Marilyn Burns) who played it passed away. You really want to make sure you bring the best actor you can to play it. You want someone that she would be proud is playing her role. I think Olwen, the actor who plays her, was fantastic. She did a great job with it.

But also, in a way, because that’s been done recently in some other franchises like Halloween, you want to make sure that you tell the story in a different way. That way I can promise the audience that this doesn’t go down the same way. This is not both of them obsessed with each other and having that final confrontation. This is kind of more realistic in a way, a more grounded approach to that relationship between the victim and the psychopath.

Olwen Four as Sally Hardesty in ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ Cr. Jana Blajeva / ©2021 Legendary, Courtesy of Netflix.

MF: Can you also talk about bringing back John Larroquette to reprise his role from the original as the narrator?

FA: Again, it was part of the thing of like, “Let’s try to make it as legit as possible. Let’s really go back to anybody that we would use, anything that we can do that they would’ve done in the original. Let’s do it again.” Larroquette wanted to do it. Again, using things that were available in ’70s. He was, and he still is. He loved to do it. He went in, and I think he did just one take. The director said, “Can you do another one?” He’s like, “What for? It’s perfect.” That’s the take in the movie. He’s a total pro, but it was one of those things that just made the moment magical for everybody involved in the movie.

MF: Do you have a favorite scare in the movie?

FA: My favorite is the sledgehammer, sledgehammer to the head, because it’s when you think you didn’t need more, and he just goes overboard. I personally love that tone. I think horror done right, it’s got to be right on that edge that if it goes one inch further, it is a comedy. But if it moves too far away from that line of comedy, it retreats into horror and it becomes unbearable. Something too bleak to watch. Those movies you watch and you’re like, “Well, I’ll run away,” and you turn them off and then say, “What am I watching?” I think ideally it has to have that tone that, and the absurdity makes it funny for me. That gives you the release you need in a horror movie that can be really scary at times. So, I think that that’s why that’s my favorite one, the sledgehammer to head.

MF: Finally, why do you think Leatherface has remained such a popular and iconic cinematic character after all these years? What is it about him that you think audiences find so fascinating?

FA: Well, I think he represents someone’s deepest fear about what you could find in the middle of nowhere in the countryside. It’s that kind of a mix of hillbilly and redneck. I don’t know what it is. But the reason why he attacks you is because he’s scared of you. The violence of Leatherface comes out of not understanding these people that just show up from the city.

There’s something about that because most of us will see ourselves as that person from the city, just terrified of that character. But you don’t even see his face. He doesn’t talk. But there’s a true human being behind it, which is different from Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, where they’re more like ghosts. There doesn’t seem to be a real person behind it.

But Leatherface is real. You can see in the movie that he’s scared, that he’s nervous, that he’s heartbroken. You see him going through these emotions, which you never do with those other characters. So, the more humane he is, the scarier he is, and the more you feel like that character could exist in real life. So, that I think that’s what’s very special about him. It’s great in the original movie.

Leatherface seems to be more terrified than the kids at some points. He’s running around, he made a mask, and he’s trying to hide the bodies. He gets bullied by his own family. It’s a really strange character, but that’s what makes him unique. It just felt real. It felt way more real than a lot of the other classic horror monsters.
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To watch our exclusive interviews with actresses Sarah Yarkin and Elsie Fisher about ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ please click on the video player above.
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February 18, 2022
‘Firestarter’ Trailer Lights Up Online

Ryan Kiera Armstrong in “Firestarter’ courtesy of Universal Pictures

There have been so many adaptations of horror master Stephen King’s work at this point that it was inevitable we’d start to see re-adaptations, as happened with the likes of ‘Pet Sematary’ and ‘It’. Today it’s the turn of Blumhouse’s new take on ‘Firestarter’ to make its psychic presence felt with a first trailer and poster.

‘Firestarter’, which King published in 1980, is the story of a girl whose parents participated in clandestine government agency experiments which have granted them certain psychic abilities and given their daughter extraordinary pyrokinetic powers.

The book was first adapted into a movie in 1984 directed by Mark L. Lester and written by Stanley Mann, starring David Keith, Martin Sheen and a young, post- ‘E.T.’ Drew Barrymore as the main character.

From the sounds of the official synopsis, the new movie will follow a similar path to the 1984 version, though it’ll be interesting to see how it deals with them themes of isolation, puberty, and mental health.

Here’s the story: “For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction.

Andy has taught Charlie how to defuse her power, which is triggered by anger or pain. But as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. After an incident reveals the family’s location, a mysterious operative (Michael Greyeyes) is deployed to hunt down the family and seize Charlie once and for all. Charlie has other plans…
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‘Firestarter’s cast also includes Gloria Reuben (who appears to behind the shadowy agency looking to control Charlie’s fiery abilities), Kurtwood Smith and John Beasley.

‘The Vigil’s Keith Thomas is in the director’s chair here, with the script by ‘Halloween Kills’ co-writer Scott Teems. The ‘Halloween’ connections continue with news that John Carpenter is composing the score alongside regular collaborators Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.

In keeping with the remake aspect, the new movie’s poster is certainly looking to invoke the 1984 version’s flame-filled theme.

We’ll have to wait and see whether this movie ends up launching a ‘Firestarter’ franchise – the original was followed by one TV-movie sequel, which followed a grown Charlie played by Marguerite Moreau. And this year alone, we have at least one other King adaptation headed to theaters: ‘Salem’s Lot’, with ‘Mr. Harrigan’s Phone’ and the ‘Pet Sematary’ remake sequel filming, plus various others in development.

Produced by Blumhouse, the team behind ‘The Invisible Man’ (and many other recent chillers), the new ‘Firestarter’ will be looking to make sparks in theaters and on Peacock from May 13. Yes, that’s Friday the 13th for anyone keeping track; but don’t tell Jason Voorhees – he’ll just get jealous!
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February 9, 2022