Interviews
Gary Dauberman on the Possibility of ‘IT’ Spin-Offs [Interview]
Gary Dauberman is getting a lot of press this summer for his directorial debut Annabelle Comes Home, the latest film in the ultra-successful Conjuring franchise. But that’s not the only potential blockbuster he’s worked on this year. He’s also got sole screenwriting credit on the upcoming It: Chapter Two, which concludes the story begun in 2017’s adaptation of Stephen King’s It.
But does it have to conclude there? Gary Dauberman is best known for his work on spinoffs like the three Annabelle movies and The Nun, which expanded upon the Conjuring universe by revealing unseen chapters and expanding upon nightmares only hinted at in previous films.
Bloody-Disgusting asked Dauberman about the possibility of keeping the It franchise alive in a recent interview. Surely Warner Bros. would be interested in returning to this popular, acclaimed, financially successful world again… right?
Well, not so much.
“I’m sure there’s interest but I gotta say,” Gary Dauberman said. “We want to be respectful to the material of the book. I don’t think anybody’s over there, in fact I know there’s no one over there going ‘Hey, let’s definitely do this and we could tell this story of what happened at the beaver trapping camp,’ or whatever.”
Dauberman is referring to the extensive history of Pennywise the Clown, which goes back at least as far as colonial America, where the town of Derry, Maine started out as a camp for trappers.
“While you could [tell that story], and I think it would be cool, I don’t think that’s what people are doing currently if that makes sense,” Dauberman continued. “You know what I mean?”
“So yes, to answer your question I think there is room to build on the mythology of It because It has been around from the beginning of time, but I don’t know if there are any plans for it,” Dauberman added. “I was just very happy to tackle the book.”
Stephen King himself has expanded upon his creations before in stories like The Dark Tower, but it seems that there are no plans to go beyond the original story from It. So get ready, because the upcoming It: Chapter Two – in theaters September 6, 2019 – will be the end.
(For now.)
As the inaugural season of Apple TV+’s stellar new series “Widow’s Bay” barrels toward its finale in two weeks, the latest episode gives Kate O’Flynn the spotlight as her character revisits her trauma with the Boogeyman.
“Your Baggage“, directed by Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), sees O’Flynn’s scene-stealing Patricia once again renew her fight with the Michael Myers-like stalker that slaughtered her peers during her adolescence. Thrillingly, it makes for one extended chase sequence that sees Patricia trying to warn others, while evading the undead killer.
In short, this episode’s incredible riff on Halloween and the slasher subgenre transformed Patricia into a fierce Final Girl.
“Well, that felt like a bucket list that I didn’t know was on my bucket list until I did it, but when I did it, I just lapped up every minute,” O’Flynn tells Bloody Disgusting of her triumphant turn this episode. “It felt fantastic for her to get that moment where she is becoming a badass. That was amazing.”
The actress turned to a few notable references for her performance. “Horror-wise, I go back to my youth, which was referenced in some of the episodes: Wicker Man, Carrie, and Rosemary’s Baby, that sort of thing is my kind of vibe.”
O’Flynn also notes how the series’ unique tone allows for so much creative freedom to make bold swings. “There’s something very freeing about it. Every moment is up for grabs, so it’s like we don’t have to totally land in one direction or another. It keeps it alive.“
Patricia is the eccentric assistant to Matthew Rhys‘ Mayor Tom Loftis, who’s at the forefront of trying to solve the island’s pesky curse predicament. Rhys felt the same about “Widow’s Bay” and its rare ability to make you laugh and scream in equal measure, stemming from series creator Katie Dippold.
“The mandate was, ‘It’s a real world with real people. You play for real.’ There’s no playing for comedy or horror,” Rhys echoes O’Flynn’s sentiments on how freeing the series’ tone has been.
New episodes will release every Wednesday through June 17 only on Apple TV+.
Kate O’Flynn in “Widow’s Bay,” now streaming on Apple TV.
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