Did you review different parts of the IP?
Were not really sure what a [different] version of it is that isnt The Shape of Water.
So were going to pitch you guys something that feels like its maybe inspired by [Creature].
Image: Universal Pictures
They were like, Yes, we love that and love that monster.
It really was at its core the idea of what we went out and made.
Its a heist movie that gets hijacked by a vampire movie.
Image: Universal Pictures
io9: Some of my favorite scenes involve the introduction the ensemble cast.
They all worked really well.
I loved how we got Melissa Barrera as Joey reading them in what felt like a very Hitchcockian way.
Can you talk about the casting for the film and your ongoing collaboration with Melissa?
This was like a run and gun thing for us.
We joked on-set a lot that its like were making Breakfast Club, but a horror movie.
Image: Universal Pictures
But they all have so much humanity that it comes through, even when theyre being complete assholes.
I think theres just something in that alchemy that we feel like we got really lucky with this cast.
io9: For sure.
Gillett: So thank you for saying that.
Bettinelli-Olpin: Thats the thing we talked about a lotAlien as a structure that we kind of followed.
A lot of people were like, Why did you give it away?
It felt like it was pretty clear that it was like going to be the stickiest thing.
And just to touch on a big spoiler here.
Im definitely telling on myself, I thought Dan Stevens was going to be Dracula or the father character.
Was that on purpose?
Gillett: We can confirm that he was Dracula in previous drafts of the script.
And that all comes through in such a such a streamlined way, the way he enters the scene.
Hes able to do so much in such a short period of time.
How has Downton Abigail not been made?
Near Dark, weve arrived.
Abigail is now available to own or rent on digital from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Want more io9 news?
News from the future, delivered to your present.
