Scream Directors' New Horror Movie Had Them Apologizing To Their Cast
01-03-2024
It was revealed that in 2023 the team behind the movie "Scream", Radio Silence, would be stepping down from their role to direct a brand new Universal Monster Movie. This wasn't another remake of "Mummy", and it had nothing to with the disastrous Dark Universe. This was an entirely new horror film titled Abigail "... kind of.
Radio Silence directors Matt Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett are behind this new film. They were responsible for the five and six "Scream" movies. The story revolves around a group of criminals that kidnap the 12-year-old girl (Alisha) of a wealthy father and hide out in his mansion until the ransom is paid. Only problem: the innocent ballerina that they abducted is actually a vampire with an incredibly sadistic streak.
The film, according to rumor, is a modern interpretation of Lambert Hillyer's Universal Monster movie "Dracula's Daughter" from 1936. The trailers and other footage suggest Bettinelli and Gillett took the idea of a young vampire, and turned it into something original. It remains to be determined how much "Dracula's Daughter's" influences will come through, but one thing is for certain: there's going to be a lot of blood. The trailer was shockingly gory, and the directors made sure that their new film is bloody to the point where they felt the need apologize to their actors.
Abigail, a film that is unapologetically violent
Melissa Barrera stars alongside Alisha weir as the title character. She previously appeared in Bettinelli, Olpin, and Gillet’s “Scream” films, but was dismissed for posting antisemitic comments on social media. Barrera stars alongside Dan Stevens Kathryn Newton William Catlett Kevin Durand Giancarlo esposito and the late Angus Cloud. All of them were, according to reports, continuously doused with fake blood during production.
Matt Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett talked to Total Film in regards to the new film and said that, while "Abigail", their upcoming project is undeniably bloody and gruesome, it easily takes the award for most faked plasma. The duo described it as:
All of our films are violent. This is the bloodiest of all our movies. On this film, we spent quite a bit of time making excuses to the actors. The amount of blood in this movie is incredible. "It's quite extreme."
The directors made sure to say, "But, it's fun."
Abigail's identity is still unclear
It's not surprising to hear that "Abigail", a movie drenched in blood, is an intense affair. After all, the directors themselves have admitted that their films are "bloody." The trailer for "Abigail," however, hinted that the film would be a gory affair. It showed the vamp as she decimated her kidnappers. In the trailer, we also saw a scene that was very reminiscent of "Poltergeist," in which a protagonist struggles to escape a sea of dead bodies. It's not as if we expected a tasteful psychological thriller with "Abigail."
It remains to be seen how far the film is influenced by "Dracula's Daughter." According to The Hollywood Reporter when "Abigail's" first was announced, it was originally titled "Dracula's Daughter", suggesting that it had been at one time more of a remake rather than a new vision. Matt Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett have, as we've already mentioned, taken the basic concept of Lambert Hillyer’s 1936 film and run with it, resulting in a product that appears to be very different. This would be logical, considering that "Abigail," according to reports, is in the same vein as Universal's horror films "The Invisible Man," and "Renfield." Deadline stated that this latest batch of Universal Monster movies are designed to provide "a unique twist on legendary monster lore and represent a new, fresh direction in how to celebrate classic characters."
The studio may need to recover after its failed Dark Universe Project, but it will be interesting to see what happens when "Abigail", a bloody feature by Gillett & Bettinelli-Olpin, hits theaters in April 2024.