Blumhouse Productions is hoping that the public’s desire for more horror fare and alternative programming to films likeStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerorJumanji: The Next Levelwill translate into box office success for theirBlack Christmasremake which launches this Friday. Directed bySophia Takal, who also cowrote the script withApril Wolfe, this second remake of the classic 1974 Canadian horror film starsImogen Poots(The Art of Self-Defense) in the title role. Like the original, the film is set during the winter break at a university and centers on a group of young sorority sisters being stalked by a mysterious killer. However, in this 2019 version these ladies aren’t just waiting around to be killed. They’re fighting back with any and all weapons at their disposal. The updates don’t end there with the film including a powerful #MeToo storyline, a pull no punches approach to subjects like date rape, the white male patriarchy and the brainwashing of young men to view the growing independence of women as a threat to their societal standing.
Before the film’s release, I sat down with Takal to discuss how she came on to the project as a director and what the process was like for her remaking this horror classic for Blumhouse. We talked about her gutsy approach to the material and how important it was for her to show in her version what it was like to be a young woman in 2019. Takal also discussed working with Wolfe to construct a script that stayed true to the vibe of the original yet resonated powerfully for horror loving audiences in 2019. Read the questions that I asked down below and watch the video above to see Takal’s answers.Black Christmasalso starsCary Elwes,Brittany O’Grady(Star),Aleyse Shannon(Charmed),Lily Donoghue(Grey’s Anatomy),Ben Black(Roman Empire), andCaleb Eberhart(The Post).
Sophia Takal:
Black Christmasarrives in theaters December 13. For more, check out theofficial trailer here.
