Writer/Director James Wan joined us on Zoom last Saturday to discuss his upcoming psychological horror, Malignant.
With revolutionary horror credits to his name (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring), it’s no surprise that James Wan was able to once again create one of the scariest movies of the decade. After being away for a few years to assist DC, Wan decided to return to his roots, making a “more intimate” film that aligns more with his interests.
Going in to Malignant, I was naturally skeptical of the quality due to other horror releases this year lacking creativity and originality. Much to my surprise, Malignant, was able to restore my faith in the genre by bringing a fresh original story to a seemingly familiar structure.
Written by Akela Cooper and an original story by Wan, you can tell straight from the opening they didn’t hold back one bit this time around. Much like his past movies, he puts the audience in the back seat, leading us down the sketchy dirt road constantly wondering “what’s next?”
As the viewer, we’re given no choice but to watch Madison, the distressed protagonist, descends into madness as the world around her literally crumbles. Wan sneakily leads the audience through a labyrinth of clues and mysteries, leaving us with a climax guaranteed to make your head spin.
We had the opportunity to talk to Wan about the film, where he discussed his inspirations and references for his upcoming film. He also touched on the differences between directing a bigger budget studio film in comparison to a smaller horror movie. After hearing Wan answer a wide variety of questions about his inspirations and creative process, it became clear that Wan’s natural home is in the horror genre. Evident in his past films, Wan’s unique approach and style is unparalleled due to his intense passion for both the genre and entertainment in general.
Watch below to hear James Wan explore his own personal filmmaking techniques and the ability to successfully captivate audiences throughout the entire runtime.
Malignant is scheduled to release theatrically and HBO Max on September 10, 2021.