Moviefone Editorial

Tag: jason-blum

  • Movie Review: ‘M3GAN’

    M3GAN in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    M3GAN in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Convinced that doll you gave your daughter or niece for Christmas is watching you?

    Then you’ll relate to Allison Williams’ plight in ‘M3GAN,’ the latest horror offering from fear factory Blumhouse Productions, screenwriter Akela Cooper (‘Malignant’) and horror auteur James Wan (here co-writing and producing). Williams plays Gemma, an ambitious but OCD toymaker/roboticist who creates the film’s titular treat, the ultimate interactive doll, and then introduces her to her niece Cady (played by ‘The Haunting of Hill House’s Violet McGraw). Gemma assumes custody of Cady after her parents are killed in a car accident. Unfortunately, she’s much more interested in finishing her latest invention than being a parent.

    M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) sits firmly at the bottom of the uncanny valley, with shiny silicone skin and just-shy-of-human voice and mannerisms. But director Gerard Johnstone and the wizards at Weta FX are smart enough not to make her too creepy at first glance, lest audiences wonder why any grown-up would leave their child alone with the android plaything.

    The shivers begin in earnest when M3GAN starts taking her job as Cady’s guardian a little too seriously – and moves from making sure her charge brushes her teeth to murdering anyone who threatens her. Gemma’s then forced to decide between helping her hot-tempered boss (Ronny Chieng) launch a ten-thousand-dollar retail version of M3GAN and finally deciding to face her responsibility as caregiver.

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    While ‘M3GAN’ takes some admirable jabs at parents who too often rely on technology to babysit their kids, its principal strength is its campy black comedy. As ‘Chucky’ fans well know, it’s hard not to laugh at the sight of a four-foot doll slaughtering people; and Johnstone pushes his modest budget and PG-13 rating about as far as they can go. Like Chucky, M3GAN knows the value of a well-timed zinger, and her dance moves made for some much-shared memes months before the film’s release. ‘M3GAN’ also pulls a page from Sam Raimi’s scare-humor playbook in its editing, with several quick-cut mini montages amping up the absurdity of the film’s violence.

    Unfortunately, there’s only so much an over-the-top horror movie can do when it’s PG-13. Which means our enjoyment of M3GAN’s kills is frequently curtailed by shots that cut away from the payoff gore. As proven by classics like ‘Re-Animator’ and ‘Return of the Living Dead,’ when it comes to splatter comedy more is most definitely more. The film also plays it too safe in its storytelling. Innocent lives are spared, as all of M3GAN’s victims are portrayed as bad people who had it coming.

    If there’s an upside to this tidiness, ‘M3GAN’ could prove to be a gateway drug for budding young fright fans who might otherwise be prevented from witnessing on-screen mayhem. (The screening I attended had far more tweens in its audience than most horror movies.) Thankfully, ‘M3GAN’ is clearly made by people who know and love the genre, and it wears its influences on its sleeve. In its tale of a woman who creates – and ultimately rejects – a female without the aid of a partner, it functions as a twenty-first century take on Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein.’

    It also offers nods at plenty of other sci-fi fables, from long-forgotten TV sitcoms like ‘My Living Doll’ and ‘Small Wonder’ to cinematic masterpieces like ‘Robocop’ and ‘A.I.’ It’s the sci-fi equivalent of such fantasy-fueled killer doll films as ‘Child’s Play’ and ‘Annabelle’ (also produced by Wan), but unafraid to play with its genre’s big ideas.

    Allison Williams as Gemma in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    Allison Williams as Gemma in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The cast is more than up to what’s asked of them. Williams (who shined in Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’) gives an earnest performance as a woman more at home with machines than humanity. In that, she’s well-partnered with McGraw, who convinces as a trauma survivor in need of tenderness. (The always amusing Chieng is a fitting foil, taking his douche-bro persona – on full display in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ – to hilarious extremes.)

    But while many of last year’s most acclaimed fright flicks – including ‘Barbarian,’ ‘Smile,’ and ‘Pearl’ – exploited their characters’ trauma to the point of exhaustion, ‘M3GAN’ gives audiences an opportunity to have fun with the genre again, while them that laughter and terror are close cousins.

    Just make sure the inevitable sequel is R-rated, Blumhouse, and we’ll forgive the gore deficit.

    ‘M3GAN’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.

    Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in 'M3GAN.'
    (L to R) Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    EHoHneTp3nydUSOSsXuuw ZI9hGtza

  • ‘M3GAN’ Interview: Allison Williams Talks New Blumhouse Movie

    4YnzrjIF

    Opening in theaters on January 6th is the new sci-fi horror film ‘M3GAN,’ which was produced by Jason Blum and James Wan, based on a story by Wan, and directed by Gerard Johnstone (‘Housebound’).

    The movie stars Allison Williams (‘Get Out’) as Gemma, a brilliant roboticist at a toy company who uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a lifelike doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally.

    After the unexpected death of her sister, Gemma gains custody of her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw) and enlists the help of the M3GAN prototype. However, her decision has horrific consequences when the doll becomes self-aware and overprotective of Cady, leading her to kill everyone!

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Allison Williams to talk about her work on ‘M3GAN,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, her character’s parental situation, the challenges of acting opposite M3GAN, and working with director Gerard Johnstone.

    Allison Williams stars in Blumhouse Productions' 'M3GAN.'
    Allison Williams stars in Blumhouse Productions’ ‘M3GAN.’

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Williams, director Gerard Johnstone, and producers Jason Blum and James Wan.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and did the scares in the film read on the page?

    Allison Williams: I read it really quickly and in one sitting. I found it just impossible to put down. I probably was sweating by the end, just wondering like, “Oh God, what’s going to happen? How are they all going to get out of the situation? Who’s going to come out of the situation alive?”

    So, it definitely had that momentum to it, and I didn’t want to put it down. I found it just super compelling. I mean, Akela (Cooper) writes a good screenplay, so it was a good experience to sit down and read it, for sure.

    MF: Your character suddenly becomes the guardian of her niece after her parent’s death. Can you talk about how that changes Gemma’s life?

    AW: She has total myopia. All she cares about is what she does for a living. She’s super passionate about it. She’s really brilliant. She’s really good at it. I have a ton of friends like this, she’s the kind of person who If you say, “Do you want a family?” She’s kind of like, “Yeah, maybe later, but probably not. We’ll see how life goes, but I’m kind of loving being focused on work right now.” Then boom, she’s an instant parent.

    I think that is just something she never saw coming in a million years. She probably promised her sister and then didn’t really remember, and now suddenly, here she is, with this little girl who went from having a very full life with two parents, to just living with her aunt in a less than ideal situation. So, it’s possible to imagine why Gemma thought, “Oh, I have just the thing to help me with this quagmire.” Enter M3GAN.

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: As an actress, can you talk about the challenges of working opposite M3GAN?

    AW: Without sort of ruining the magic of how M3GAN came to be, I’ve had many experiences that helped, and kind of added together, prepared me for the experience of working with her.

    On ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events,’ the Netflix show, I worked often with kids who either were or weren’t there, but there was a piece of tape on the camera. So, I had that experience. I’ve done work with puppets before and stuff like that, so I think that helped prepare me for what was happening.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about how Gerard Johnstone was able to help direct you in your scenes with M3GAN?

    AW: Gerard has the most specific tone, and it is very easy to read these things on the page and be like, “I’m not totally sure how this is going to translate to film.” But he just always saw and understood how that was supposed to look.

    For example, the dance, it reads one way on the page and you’re like, “Ooh, that’s probably spooky and eerie.” But it’s entirely another thing to see it in that hallway, the way it was choreographed, the way it was filmed. It just works perfectly in this way that only he can conceptualize.

    Allison Williams and director Gerard Johnstone on the set of 'M3GAN.'
    (L to R) Allison Williams and director Gerard Johnstone on the set of ‘M3GAN.’ © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    EHoHneTp3nydUSOSsXuuw

  • Movie Review: ‘The Black Phone’

    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in 'The Black Phone.'
    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.

    Opening in theaters on June 24th is the new supernatural horror film ‘The Black Phone,’ from producer Jason Blum (‘Us’) and director Scott Derrickson (‘Doctor Strange’).

    Based on a short story by Joe Hill, Ethan Hawke stars as The Grabber, a child killer that abducts a 13-year-old boy named Finney (Mason Thames), who begins to receive calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims.

    The result is a thrilling story about growing up in the 1970s, that is more interested in exploring the emotions of the kidnapped kids than the flashy villain and features superb performances from young actors Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw.

    In 1978, we are introduced to Finney (Thames) and Gwen (McGraw), who are brother and sister and living in the Denver area. Their father, Terrence (Jeremy Davies) is an abusive alcoholic raising the kids alone after his wife’s death. Like her mother, Gwen is showing signs of having psychic abilities, which angers her father. The town is on edge because a kidnapper called The Grabber (Hawke) has been abducting children, leaving only black balloons behind after the kids disappear, never to be seen again. After his best friend goes missing, Finney quickly becomes the next victim of The Grabber.

    The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in 'The Black Phone.'
    (L to R) The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.

    Finney is taken to a soundproof room, where he finds a disconnected phone on the wall. He begins to receive calls from The Grabber’s former victims, instructing him on how to escape. Meanwhile, Gwen is determined to find Finney, and against her father’s wishes, begins to help the police by using her powers. Now, Finney will have to summon strength that he didn’t know he had to face his fears and escape The Grabber’s hideout before it’s too late.

    Full disclosure, I’m not a fan of horror movies. But, I am a fan of good filmmaking and storytelling, which is why I liked ‘The Black Phone’ so much. While Scott Derrickson began his career as a horror director with ‘Sinister,’ much like Sam Raimi and James Wan, he has been able to transition to other genres within the horror world like the police drama ‘Deliver Us from Evil’ or the superhero movie ‘Doctor Strange.’ Both films had clear horror elements, even though they were basically a different genre. Derrickson does something similar here, with a horror movie that is really a coming-of-age story for the young lead characters.

    The film is based on a short story by Joe Hill, who is the son of Stephen King. I mentioned this only because I saw a lot of similarities between ‘The Black Phone’ and his father’s ‘The Shining.’ Both films are set in the horror genre, but neither is really a horror movie in the classic sense. ‘The Shining’ is really a haunted house story, that just happens to feature a character with psychic abilities, but that is not the movie’s main focus. The same could be said for this film, as Gwen’s powers are not the main focus but rather an extra attraction, as the real story is about how Finney will overcome his own fears to survive.

    Ethan Hawke is dazzling as The Grabber and is clearly having fun with the role in his limited screen time. Derrickson was wise to limit how much of The Grabber we see, keeping him a dark and mysterious character. Too much of the character would have taken away from Finney’s story of facing his fears and would not have had the same effect on the audience.

    Vance Hopper (Brady Hepner) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in 'The Black Phone.'
    (L to R) Vance Hopper (Brady Hepner) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.

    ‘Sinister’ actor James Ransone has a very funny role in the movie, which I won’t spoil but he is perfect in the part. However, Jeremy Davies’ performance as Finney and Gwen’s dad was too one-note for me. I know the character is an alcoholic, still grieving from his wife’s death, and his abuse is there to signal what Finney was too afraid to stand up to, giving him the strength to finally fight against The Grabber. But the character’s true feelings for his kids is never shown in the actor’s performance, and the child abuse scenes were just a bit too much.

    But for me, the true breakout stars of the film are young actors Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, who were both excellent as Finney and Gwen, respectively. McGraw is absolutely believable as a young girl confused by her supernatural abilities, and her love for her brother comes is very apparent. For his role, Thames had the challenge of creating a shy and timid kid at the beginning of the film and transcending to a young man who is brave and strong enough to stand up to The Grabber. It’s surprising to see such a layered performance from an actor who is that young, which makes it all the more impressive.

    In the end, ‘The Black Phone’ is a horror movie in the sense that it deals with some horrific themes, and certainly will scare you if that is what you are looking for. But it is really a movie about growing up, facing your fears, and taking control of your own life. Those are themes audiences can relate to, no matter what genre the movie is set in.

    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in 'The Black Phone.'
    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.

    ‘The Black Phone’ Receives 4 out of 5 stars.

    vM1NZPpOaq5gq2kjt7lc03

  • Ethan Hawke Talks ‘The Black Phone’

    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in 'The Black Phone.'
    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.

    Opening in theaters on June 24th is the new supernatural thriller from ‘Doctor Strange’ director Scott Derrickson entitled ‘The Black Phone.’ Produced by Jason Blum, and co-written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, the movie is based on short story by Joe Hill.

    The film reunites Scott Derrickson with his ‘Sinister’ star Ethan Hawke, who plays The Grabber, a child killer that abducts a 13-year-old boy named Finney (Mason Thames). Locked in a soundproof basement, Finney begins to receive calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims, instructing him on how to escape.

    In addition to Hawke and Thames, the cast also includes Madeleine McGraw (‘American Sniper’), Jeremy Davies (‘Saving Private Ryan’), E. Roger Mitchell (‘The Equalizer’), and James Ransone (‘Sinister 2’).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ethan Hawke about his work on ‘The Black Phone.’

    5RdpmFkM

    You can read our full interview with Ethan Hawke below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and director Scott Derrickson.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your approach to playing The Grabber?

    Ethan Hawke: Well, it’s hard with somebody who’s so malevolent, to try to understand them and try to find their motivations, but also just give in to a sense of play. One of the things that was absolutely essential to the character was the masks, and the fact that it wasn’t one mask, that he constantly changes his mask. Why does he do that? Why does he wear a mask and why would he change it? Why is he so damaged that he would do some of the things that he’s doing and what makes him laugh? What makes him happy and what scares him?

    All those essential questions, when you’re building a character, you have to figure out. But a lot of it’s, as soon as I would get the mask on and start moving around in it, it seemed to just reveal itself. And I think that’s just a sign of a very well-written script.

    MF: Is it difficult putting a character like this away when you finish shooting?

    EH: Not to be corny, but it takes a long time to be able to do that. It’s very difficult. I’ve said often that I didn’t want to play villains because of various reasons, but in truth, I really didn’t like playing them when I was younger, because it was hard to let go of the character and not feel them inside of you unlocking aspects of you that you’re not interested in knowing about.

    Who in the hell wants to know more about somebody who locks kids in their basement? You know what I mean? You don’t really want to play that guy. You have to want to be in the movie, and to help make the movie, because you think the movie will be valuable. As I’ve gotten older, it’s been easier and easier for me to invite this stuff in and let it get out.

    The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in 'The Black Phone.'
    (L to R) The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.

    MF: You have some really intense scenes with Mason Thames, were you concerned about doing those scenes with such a young actor?

    EH: Yeah, I was a child actor, and so I, of course, was concerned going to set. Like, how am I going to do this? Does this kid understand? The second I met him, all those fears disappeared. He was so playful and so into it, and that’s the nice thing about being around young people is they just love to play. It was clear to him that we were playing an elaborate game of pretend and that it was kind of thrilling to put ourselves in this situation.

    That’s the spirit of performance that you want to have. Just let your imagination go. It’s you in these new circumstances, with these words, go, be it, do it. He loved acting and when somebody loves it, well, then you’re not worried you’re going to negatively impact them because they understand we’re playing pretend.

    MF: Finally, what was your initial reaction to the screenplay when you first read it?

    EH: Couple things. I thought it was kind of brilliant mixing the genres of the classic serial killer movie, but also a ghost story. That it was both at one time, and simultaneously, a coming-of-age story. The movie at its core is really about these young people finding themselves in a world that is not helping them, and that’s what makes it unique. It has the makings of something that could be classic in a way because it takes these familiar genres, but just spins them just around in a circle, so it feels new.

    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in 'The Black Phone.'
    Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in ‘The Black Phone,’ directed by Scott Derrickson.
    vM1NZPpOaq5gq2kjt7lc03
  • Jamie Lee Curtis, Producer Jason Blum Tease a ‘Halloween’ Sequel

    Jamie Lee Curtis, Producer Jason Blum Tease a ‘Halloween’ Sequel

    Blumhouse

    Ready for another horrifying “Halloween”?

    A sequel to 2018’s mega-hit, which brought back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode to battle demented killer Michael Myers, seems to be in the works.

    A follow-up is a no-brainer considering “Halloween” raked in over $225 million worldwide. But very little has been said about a potential sequel — until now.

    On Wednesday, producer Jason Blum, head of the studio Blumhouse Productions, shared a cryptic photo of himself and Curtis “discussing stuff.” And Curtis is holding a boxed action figure of Laurie Strode.

    Stuff = “Halloween 2.”

    Last year, Curtis told Entertainment Weekly of a sequel, “I’d be happy to do it, sure.”

    And director/co-writer David Gordon Green and co-writer Danny McBride apparently planned for two “Halloween” movies, but ended up just making the one.

    “We were going to shoot two of them back-to-back. Then we were like, Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This could come out, and everyone could hate us, and we’d never work again,” McBride told EW.

    “So, we were like, Let’s learn from this, and see what works, and what doesn’t. But we definitely have an idea of where we would go [with] this branch of the story and hopefully we get a chance to do it.”

  • ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Producer Jason Blum Wants to Make 10 More ‘Halloween’ Movies

    ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Producer Jason Blum Wants to Make 10 More ‘Halloween’ Movies

    Universal/Blumhouse

    Producer Jason Blum is singlehandedly shaping modern horror, thanks to his smart, efficient (both economically and creatively) thrillers that range from “Paranormal Activity” to “Get Out” (and, really, everything in between). Both his output and his impact on the culture at large is simply mind-boggling. And his latest production, “Happy Death Day 2U” is posed to be another smash. It’s the follow-up to the deeply brilliant “Happy Death Day,” once again helmed by director Christopher Landon, and this time, the time loop shenanigans take on an entirely different dimension (literally). But we don’t want to say anymore, for fear of spoiling anything.

    So let’s jump into the conversation with Blum, who talks about the decision to make a sequel, how he decides which movies are theatrical and which are streaming, and how many “Halloween” sequels he’d like to make (if only he could secure the rights).

    Moviefone: Did you have a feeling that the original “Happy Death Day” was going to be a hit?

    Jason Blum: Yes, I did. I didn’t think it was going to do as well as it did, but I did think it was going to be successful based on early screenings and early press reactions. I did think it was going to do well, yes.

    So how early did you start thinking about a follow-up?

    I started thinking about a follow-up two weeks after the movie opened but Chris had a follow-up in his head from when we were shooting the first movie. He just never shared it with me.

    You have referenced “Back to the Future, Part II” back when you were making “Insidious: Chapter 2” and it’s obviously been referenced a lot in relation to “Happy Death Day 2U.” What makes that movie such a touchstone for you?

    I don’t know. It’s a great movie. It’s a cool movie to tip your hat to. One thing, when it comes to “Happy Death Day,” and I love the first movie but I think I like “Happy Death Day 2U” even better, which doesn’t happen all the time … but what I loved about it was trying to have a franchise where each installment in the franchise is a different genre. The first one is kind of like “Groundhog Day” and the second one is kind of like “Back to the Future” and Chris has a great idea for a third one which is kind of a third genre. If we could do a trilogy where each movie is a different genre, I don’t know if that’s ever been done before, but that’d be really fun.

    This movie will probably surprise people will how sweet it is. Did you ever have to defend that direction?

    I did. I had to defend the movie a lot. I don’t think that it was obvious that there could even be a sequel to the first “Happy Death Day.” You had a lot to overcome just on that alone. But I’ve worked with Chris seven times and he’s a filmmaker I love and trust and think he’s one of the most talented filmmakers that we work with. I have a different job on every movie and my job on this movie was getting it done and getting it out in the world.

    Was that a challenge?

    It was a challenge. It was much harder than I would have anticipated, because it’s like, well, the first movie is a hit, it seems obvious to make a second movie. But it wasn’t because of the concept of it. There is a real belief now in Hollywood, which I subscribe to, that there has to be a reason for a sequel not just the first movie made money. I felt there definitely was. But not everybody did. So it was a challenge to get it done.

    Universal/Blumhouse

    The script for the first movie had kicked around Hollywood for almost a decade before it went into production. Was there anything that you changed or brought to it that made it finally work?

    Well yeah what we brought to it was Chris Landon. Most of the biggest successes at the company are not the new hot shiny object. But they’re scripts that had been kicking around town. “Get Out” had been kicking around, the first “Purge” had been kicking around, “Insidious” had been kicking around. “The Gift” was also something that had been kicking around for quite some time. Most of the movies we’ve had success with have been around for a while.

    So how does it go from a script nobody could figure out how to make to something that is actually being produced?

    We do different things. Sometimes it’s creative, when a new filmmaker will put a different spin on it like Chris Landon, sometimes it’s budgetary also. There’s a movie called “Boy Next Door” we did with Jennifer Lopez and it was budgeted at $25 million and we said, “Hey what if we made the same movie for $4 million?” Sometimes it’s budget-related. We do different things to switch up the alchemy a little bit and then we release it out there into the world.

    How has the streaming service changed things for you? And what is the difference between what makes a theatrical release and what goes straight to streaming?

    I think it changes every five minutes. So there’s no hard and fast rule there. I think streaming generally has provided much more opportunity to filmmakers and production companies, so streaming is a great thing for us. People are making more TV shows and movies and people are watching more, which is good for our business. And we have the good fortune, with the budget level that we work at, to not make the decision of whether it’s streaming or limited theatrical or wide theatrical until the movie is finished. That’s a real advantage that we have. A lot of it has to do with marketing. If there’s a real single hook, then that skewers towards theatrical release. If the movies are trickier to market, then that more often than not will tend towards streaming.

    Was “Happy Death Day” ever in jeopardy of debuting on streaming?

    Well I wouldn’t use the word “in jeopardy” because every movie we make could wind up on streaming and “Happy Death Day” was no exception. But there was a very strong marketing hook and the movie clearly played for a theatrical audience. Oftentimes we’ll screen our movie for an audience and we watch that too in terms of determining whether it’ll be theatrical or not. And the screenings were very strong. But really it had a very strong marketing hook. As soon as the movie was finished, it was never going to be a movie that was a streaming movie. I don’t want to use the words “in jeopardy.” And here’s why I don’t want to use that word. These movies are not one size and shape fits all. We did a movie with Mike Flanagan called “Hush.” The quality of “Hush” is no higher or lower than the quality of a theatrical movie. I think it found a broader audience on streaming. I don’t think streaming works on all movies, as a premiere. Clearly, eventually, all movies will end up on streaming. For a premiere, streaming works for some movies and theatrical works for some movies. But they don’t all work for everything.

    I would have loved to have seen “Hush” on the big screen!

    Well you should have come to Toronto. [laughs]

    Blumhouse

    On that note, you just had a very rapturously received movie at Sundance called “Sweetheart.” Do you know where that is going?

    That’s a great question. We’re trying to figure it out right now. Could be streaming, could be theatrical, and we’re trying to figure that out.

    You’ve had a lot of success recently, whether it’s continuing M. Night Shyamalan’s story that started with “Unbreakable” or the “Halloween” reboot. How do you make the decision about what properties to go into or resurrect? And is that something you’ll be more focused on going forward?

    It is. We’re working on “Spawn.” We’re working on “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” There are a couple other well-known IP that we’re trying to work on. It’s something that we have the opportunity to do more of since “Halloween” and we’re trying to pursue those opportunities.

    Universal/Blumhouse

    Do those properties have to fit a certain criteria for you to tackle it?

    It has to touch someone, emotionally, at the company. “Halloween” really touched Ryan Turek. He was really passionate about it. He had a really clear idea of what fans would want to see in the 11th “Halloween” movie and what they wouldn’t want to see. And that passion drove our decision to do it. So that’s what we need.

    You were initially going to shoot two “Halloween” movies at the same time, right?

    Well, we had talked about it but right now we’re not shooting any “Halloween” movies right now because we don’t have deal rights to the sequels. But I certainly hope to make 10 more but I’ll start with one more.

    “Happy Death Day 2U” is in theaters now and is totally amazing.

  • ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Star Jessica Rothe on the Surprisingly Sweet Sequel

    ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Star Jessica Rothe on the Surprisingly Sweet Sequel

    Universal/Blumhouse

    Christopher Landon’s “Happy Death Day,” released without much fanfare back in October 2017, had an irresistible premise: college student Tree (Jessica Rothe) is murdered and keeps coming back to life. And she’s only able to break the cycle if she discovers who her killer is. It wound up being one of the very best horror movies of the past few years, and quickly inspired a sequel, out this week, called “Happy Death Day 2U.” What might be most surprising is that the sequel is every bit as clever, funny, and thrilling as the original, if not more so. (There’s a subplot with an alternate dimension. Just so you know what you’re getting into.)

    We were lucky enough to talk to Rothe about when the idea for the sequel came about, what her favorite horror sequel is, and where she sees her character going in future installments.

    Moviefone: Wanted to start off with some quick-fire questions: what is your favorite time travel movie?

    Jessica Rothe: “Back to the Future,” for sure.

    This movie has a very “Back to the Future, Part II” vibe to it. Did you go back and watch them beforehand?

    We did! It’s funny because while we were in New Orleans, they were doing a live screening of “Back to the Future” on mute with live jazz improvisation happening over it. That’s all you could hear. So we all went. It was so fun and weird and kooky and such a New Orleans experience. But I watched it because I know Chris and I know he wove in so many Easter eggs and references and tiny little things. So I thought, I just want to know. I want to be aware of it. And get into the mood.

    I noticed the Biff’s Tree-Trimming Company. Are there any Easter eggs that you particularly loved?

    There are a couple that people should definitely look into. There are Easter eggs that are references to other films, too. In the first movie we had that lovely “Sixteen Candles” moment with the cupcake, when she thinks she’s solved everything. So we have a couple of moments like that. There are also Easter eggs in the sequel, but there are also things in the different and alternate time loops that are slightly different. Like the graphics on Tree’s shirt are a little bit different and our set and props managers did a really incredible job of hiding things for people to freeze-frame and find. I think it’s going to be a fun challenge for people.


    Do you have a favorite horror sequel?

    Oooo … that’s a really good question. See, the funny thing is that I’m such a chicken that usually when I go see horror films, I’m too afraid to see the sequel. Here’s one that I really love, which isn’t really a sequel, but I loved the new “Halloween.” I loved how bad ass Jamie Lee Curtis was, again. She’s so inspiring and a huge inspiration for me for this film.

    I was going to ask if you looked to any previous horror movie heroines before doing this.

    We talked a lot about the OG scream queens, especially in the first film, and different ways to be inspired by them and pay homage, for sure.

    When you were making the first one did you have any idea that it was going to be as big a hit as it ended up being?

    Oh absolutely not. I knew we were making something special because we really had a unique experience on set. The cast and crew became so close. We really bonded. Everybody was working so incredibly hard. Everyone believed in the movie. And a huge, huge part of it was Chris Landon, our writer-director. He was so kind and generous and collaborative. So insanely talented and darkly, darkly funny. He just made every day such an adventure but also so much fun and challenged everybody to do their best work and I think everybody wanted to raise the bar because he was.

    And so when we all had such a good time … but I was supposed to die at the end of the first film. It’s on the DVD extras. There’s a scene, I die at the very end of the film, it’s very cheeky. But when we did test screenings, the audience flipped out because it was like, “You made us love this person and now you killed her. That’s so not cool!” I was very honored people felt that way and we reshot it and about a month before the first film was released, he called me and said, “I have a totally insane idea but hear me out…” And he pitched me a sequel. I said, “You’re insane but you’re also the only one who could pull this off. I’m game.” And the rest of history.


    So he must have had an inkling that the first movie was going to connect?

    I think he did. I was in for the sequel but of course if the movie had flopped, all our funding would have gone away. I think it was an unspoken agreement that the only way they’re going to make a sequel to something is if the first one does at least a little well.

    This movie came together pretty quickly. Did you have that same kind of camaraderie with the cast and crew?

    We really did. It felt like going to summer camp. The entire cast returned, we have a couple of new characters, but mostly familiar faces. And almost our entire crew returned as well. It was just a really, really fun experience. I’d never returned to a project. I’ve never been on a TV show that shot for a season and then went away and came back. So this was my first experience with that. It was fun but it was also terrifying because it was like, I’ve been away for a year-and-a-half, how will I know if this is what Tree would do? And, How do I insure that I’m being truthful to her story? But having Chris by my side, helping me figure it out, was such a relief and such a gift. I love Tree. It was like riding a bike, once I got going.

    How close was the final film to what Chris initially pitched you?

    It is pretty darn close. There were a couple of things, here and there, that were altered or not quite what I expected, but if anything, it’s more than I could have ever imagined.

    You talked about the alternate ending from the first film. Was there any crazy deviation that didn’t make it into the final movie?

    No. There were a couple of deaths we added — we added the wood chipper and the skydiving. But the film that you saw is almost completely the script that we shot. Chris writes very tight, very intact scripts. We shoot them and every single piece is necessary. It’s such a cool way to work.

    Universal/Blumhouse

    With the sequel about to come out, has he called you and said, “I have an idea for the third one?”

    We had a conversation about it. He is amazing and a genius. He already has it in his head. But that being said, the tiny bit he’s told me about it, I can only expect that it’ll be bigger and crazier and in so many ways what I’d expect and in so many ways not at all [that]. But like with this film, I think he’ll just turn it on its head again, if we have the opportunity to make it.

    What I think is so surprising about this movie is how sweet it is. Was that something that was important to you guys from the beginning?

    Yes. It was. It was one of the main things that drew me to the sequel. Because I think both Chris and I agreed that we didn’t want to make the same movie twice. That’s really easy to do in a sequel anyway, much less a sequel about a movie that involves a time loop where everything is repetitive. If you didn’t think outside the box the way Chris did, you could have had an incredibly, incredibly repetitive film. The thing Chris kept coming back to, in the first film but especially in the second film, was the reason we’re making this movie isn’t the scares or the comedy but these characters and keeping them grounded and feeling real. So it was only natural for this emotional arc of Tree’s relationship with her mom to become the emotional center of the film. I’m so grateful because it’s a part of Tree we explored a bit in the first film but we get to spend some intimate time with in the second film. I feel so lucky and grateful that I got to go on that journey.

    Where would you want Tree to go in future installments?

    That’s a really good question and one that I don’t know if I have the perfect answer to. Chris has created such a complex, multidimensional, beautiful, flawed character that I have been lucky enough to breathe life into. But I feel like she could go anywhere. And I think that’s a rare thing to say about characters. Most of the time you watch a movie and at the end of the two hours you say, “Cool, I know who this person is, I don’t need to watch them deal with other issues.” But I feel like Tree is one of those characters that consistently surprises you. Her ability to be a total bad-ass and seize her life by the horns and charge into the unknown is something I love doing and something you don’t see often enough. So I’m excited to see where Tree goes, if there are more movies.

    “Happy Death Day 2U” is everywhere Thursday and is just so, so good.

  • ‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot May Be Coming … From LeBron James

    ‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot May Be Coming … From LeBron James

    Friday the 13th Jason mask
    Paramount Pictures

    LeBron James is turning into a Hollywood powerhouse.

    He was a scene-stealer in “Trainwreck.” He was just announced to star in and produce the “Space Jam” sequel. He hyped “Ozark” for Netflix. And now he’s in talks to produce a “Friday the 13th” reboot.

    If he keeps this up, it’s going to set a new precedent for athletes: Soon Tom Brady will call his agent pushing for the “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” job.

    Bloody Disgusting reports that LeBron James and his Springhill Entertainment are in talks with Vertigo Entertainment for this “Friday the 13th” reboot. Apparently LeBron is a huge horror fan, and BD even dug up one of his old tweets on the franchise:

    However, it appears to be early days on the talks, and there may be some legal snags to get through.

    According to Screen Rant, the franchise has stalled since the 2009 reboot, due in large part to legal issues concerning distribution rights. Victor Miller — who wrote the script for the first “Friday the 13th” movie in 1980, creating the character of Jason Voorhees — just won a legal battle against producers Horror, Inc. That gives Miller the rights, for now, although the producers are appealing the latest judgment.

    There have been 12 films in the franchise so far, from 1980 to 2009, along with a TV show, games, and merchandising — including Jason’s mask, which has been a Halloween costume favorite for decades.

    Interestingly enough, Blumhouse chief Jason Blum has also mentioned wanting to do a “Friday the 13th” movie. He just had a massive success bringing back “Halloween,” so — no offense to LeBron James — if it came down to LeBron vs. Blumhouse, we’d go with the proven track record. But it’s not going to come down to us.

    Stay tuned for any developments on Jason’s latest slasher.

    Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook.

  • Jason Blum Apologizes for ‘Dumb Comments’ About Female Directors, Promises to ‘Do Better’

    Jason Blum Apologizes for ‘Dumb Comments’ About Female Directors, Promises to ‘Do Better’

    Blumhouse

    It didn’t take long for producer Jason Blum to walk back his controversial comments about female directors: The horror hitmaker has issued an apology for his “dumb” remarks, and is pledging to make changes to Blumhouse.

    Blum caused an uproar on social media on Wednesday after saying in an interview that his company had never released a woman-directed movie, because “there are not a lot of female directors period, and even less who are inclined to do horror.” Many film fans and critics begged to differ, flooding Twitter with suggestions — and also admonishing Blum for being willfully ignorant about the wealth of female talent in Hollywood.

    In a statement on Twitter, Blum admitted he was wrong.

    “Thank you everyone for calling me out on my dumb comments in that interview,” the producer tweeted, going on to say that he was indeed passionate about hiring women, citing Blumhouse’s large number of female executives.

    But Blum admitted that the company has “not done a good enough job working with female directors and it is not because they don’t exist.”

    The producer ended his statement by pledging to “do better,” and it seems that he is intent on keeping that promise. Blum spoke with Variety at the “Halloween” premiere on Wednesday night, and said that some good had already come from the controversy.

    “Today was a great day for me because I learned a lot,” the producer told the trade, “and because there are a lot of women out there that I’m going to meet as a result of today, so I’m grateful for it.”

    Women in Hollywood are more than ready for the opportunity afforded by helming a Blumhouse feature. Here’s hoping Blum stays true to his word and actually makes it happen.

    [via: Jason Blum/Twitter, Variety]

  • Jason Blum Says Not Many Women Want to Direct Horror Movies

    Jason Blum Says Not Many Women Want to Direct Horror Movies

    Universal/Blumhouse

    Horror movies have been making bank in the last few years, thanks in large part to producer Jason Blum. His Blumhouse Productions company has been shooting out low-budget horror hits like “Get Out,” “The Purge,” “Split,” and the upcoming new “Halloween.”

    But all of those movies were directed by men, and Blum explained that not enough women are interested in directing horror films.

    “We’re always trying to that,” he told Polygon of hiring female directors. And then alluding to the #MeToo movement, he added,  “We’re not trying to do it because of recent events. We’ve always been trying.”

    Blum continued, “There are not a lot of female directors period, and even less who are inclined to do horror. I’m a massive admirer of [“The Babadook” director] Jennifer Kent. I’ve offered her every movie we’ve had available. She’s turned me down every time.”

    He also apparently offered multiple projects to “Honeymoon” director Leigh Janiak, who turned them all down. Janiak told Polygon it was a matter of scheduling. “We’ll work together on something, someday soon,” she said.

    Until then, Blum noted they’re trying to incorporate female voices who aren’t the director — for instance, Jamie Lee Curtis in “Halloween.”

    “I was very reluctant to do [the movie] without her. Her involvement was very important to me,” he said, “and in retrospect, I just don’t think there’s been any version of a movie that really would have worked anywhere as well as this one does without her.”