Mike Flanagan is a fan of monologues. From his movies (like “Physician Sleep” and “Gerald’s Recreation”) to his TV sequence (together with “The Haunting of Hill Home” and “Midnight Mass”), many a Flanagan character has launched into an extended speech — usually uncut however at all times meticulously edited.
However when he was in talks to direct the following iteration of “The Exorcist” franchise, the executives in cost had been “involved” concerning the movie getting too talky.
“A part of what I stated to Blumhouse and Common once we had been discussing this was I don’t assume this can be a monologue venture,” Flanagan stated whereas talking on a panel on the ATX TV Competition. “The ritual itself is one thing of a monologue, however we’ve seen that. We’ve seen any person shout prayers at any person. That was scary 50 years in the past, I don’t see that working right here.”
Nonetheless, given Flanagan’s historical past, he stated he understood why they’d be involved. (Earlier within the panel, Flanagan admitted he bought “The Haunting of Hill Home” to Netflix with the promise of a visceral ending full of “huge fireworks.” As an alternative, “it’s all monologues,” he stated.)
“We simply assume it’s theatrical, and youthful audiences drive horror. That’s a reality,” Flanagan stated, paraphrasing suggestions from the studio executives. “Quite a lot of the audiences who will come see this seemingly haven’t seen the unique, and aren’t going to be impressed by any allusions to that. So this isn’t actually the place you need to do the lengthy monologues about faith.”
“And I stated, ‘I fully agree with you,’” Flanagan stated. “And if it makes you’re feeling any higher, I made that present. I already bought it out of my system. This could simply be actually scary.”
Flanagan was referencing “Midnight Mass,” the 2021 Netflix restricted sequence that’s so Catholic, it delivers a couple of of its monologues through a priest’s homily from the pulpit. However like that present and the remainder of his emotionally wealthy work, Flanagan stated he would nonetheless ensure the brand new “Exorcist” movie would function characters you care about.
“Which means with the character work, it’s nonetheless on me to make them actual and emotionally related,” he stated. “However this isn’t the venture the place we must be monologuing.”
Flanagan’s involvement with the brand new “Exorcist” movie was confirmed earlier this week, when it was introduced the author, director, and producer would create “a radical new take” on the franchise, with out ties to David Gordon Inexperienced’s (critically panned) 2023 sequel, “The Exorcist: Believer.”
Flanagan additionally provided an replace on a film he’s already completed capturing, “Lifetime of Chuck,” which is tailored from a brief story by Stephen King.
“Nonetheless, it isn’t a horror film in any respect,” Flanagan stated, reminding the viewers that King can be well-known for writing dramas like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Stand By Me.” “It’s extra of that Stephen King. […] It’s a good looking film. It was actually enjoyable for me to do one thing exterior the horror style. It simply made me be ok with being alive.”
“I don’t know when it is going to be out as a result of we made it fully independently, and we would not have a distributor,” he stated a couple of doable launch date. “We’ll seemingly premiere the film at a movie competition later this 12 months and attempt to promote it then.”
Flanagan stated the forged consists of Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Mark Hamill — the final of whom will ship a monologue, which Flanagan promised is “a doozy.”