News

‘Bird Box’ Author Josh Malerman Talks Lofty Concepts and Adaptation

Published

5 years ago

December 23, 2018

If you ask author Josh Malerman how his novel Bird Box came into being, he’ll freely admit that the original concept sounds pretty high-minded.

It all began when two rather interesting yet totally disparate thoughts collided, and earlier this week, he sat down with iHorror to discuss just how they came together, and his excitement at how Netflix has helped bring his novel to a new audience in an exciting adaptation.

“What if a concept came to your town, the concept of infinity, and it was solid enough to be called a creature and to knock on your door,” Malerman explained. “That idea was really powerful to me because our minds are ill-equipped to comprehend infinity. Trying to make sense of it would drive us mad.”

At around the same time, the author had another image in his head that he could not quite get rid of that involved a mother and two children attempting to navigate a river blind-folded. He began to write about the three of them, but he was blocked as to how they ended up in this precarious situation.

Suddenly, like two pieces of a puzzle, the ideas joined. Something unfathomable was all around them, and to escape the danger, they had to move, but they had to do it blind.

“The idea just kind of exploded in my mind,” he said. “I wrote about 4300 words a day for 26 days; it was one of the most fluid experiences of my life. I felt like I was reading the book while I was writing it!”

And soon, the story of Malorie, a pregnant woman who finds herself sharing a house with the other survivors of an enigmatic plague of creatures whose very presence causes madness and her eventual bid for escape to a safe haven, was written, edited, and picked up by Harper Collins for publishing.

Author Josh Malerman at a signing for *Bird Box*

The author’s head was already spinning at his good fortune when three months later his agent, Ryan Lewis, called to inform him that Universal had purchased the rights to adapt his novel into a film. Soon after, Netflix purchased the rights from Universal and the process of adaptation was taken on by screenwriter Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Light’s Out).

“A lot of people have used the word ‘surreal’ to describe all of this and it seems like the right word to turn to, but there’s also something that is hyper-real about it,” the author explained. “We’re children of a movie generation, so there’s a sense while writing…you see it cinematically.”

Still, even though he had envisioned what an adaptation would look like, he never dreamed it would involve star caliber like Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich.

Malerman admits it was the character of Malorie that he related to more than any other while writing the book, comparing her to what one might feel for a twin sister, and he was surprised to find that kinship extended onto the screen.

“I knew her very well; I knew she could do this, and I knew she could survive,” he said. “When I was watching the movie, I found myself feeling the same way. She’s smart; she’s strong, and I had that same connection.”

Malorie, herself, is a very complex character, a terrified mother raising children in an environment where survival is more important than affection which can, he points out give people the wrong impression initially, and he was happy that in the adaptation, they followed his example of allaying those fears early.

He was also pleased that Netflix was racially diverse in casting Bird Box, perhaps taking a cue from something that was absent in the novel.

“Someone pointed out to me early on in the life of the book that they didn’t think I ever mentioned any racial descriptors in there,” he said. “Are they white? Are they African American? Are they Jewish? They could be anyone, I left those descriptors out intentionally and I’m glad that Netflix did the same.”

When all was said and done, when he’d watched the first screening of the film at the Netflix offices, Malerman admits he could not stop smiling. Necessary changes were made, and some he admits he even wished he had written himself.

And what would he tell fans of the novel who are reticent about trying the film?

“I’m so honored this adaptation happened and the way I see it is this,” Malerman explained. “If I had directed the film, which I didn’t…if I had starred in the film, which I didn’t…if I had written the screenplay, which I didn’t…it would still not be the book. There are things that would have to be different. I’m just glad it was in their hands.”

Bird Box is currently available on Netflix, and the novel is available in bookstores and in multiple formats from online sellers.

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News

Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

Published

3 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film

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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

^Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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