Movies
John Carpenter Says He’d “Love to Direct Again… Given the Right Circumstances”
It’s now been 15 years since John Carpenter directed his last movie, 2010’s The Ward, but the horror master has been staying busy with music, comic books, and various other projects. Not long after he finally receives his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this April, for starters, Carpenter is playing music live in both LA and NY, and he’s even agreed to score Bong Joon Ho’s new horror movie. But will Carpenter himself ever return to the director’s chair?
It’s a question the director of horror classics including Halloween, The Fog and The Thing has been asked many times over the years, and Variety is the latest outlet to pop the question.
John Carpenter’s response? Well, he’d have to find the right circumstances.
“Plans? I don’t know,” Carpenter answered when specifically asked if he has any plans to return to directing. “I would love to direct again, given the right circumstances. But I’m not the same kid anymore who will do it for any amount of money. I can’t back into a budget anymore. I’m too old. It’s too hard. But directing is the love of my life. I’ll never stop loving that.”
It’s a similar answer to the one Carpenter gave to the very same question back in 2019, when he told Collider that “he’d love to make a little horror film”… but with a catch to the statement.
Carpenter said in 2019, “It would be a project that I like that’s budgeted correctly. Nowadays they make these young directors do movies for $2 million when the movie is written for $10 million. So you have to squeeze it all in there and I don’t want to do that any more.”
John Carpenter actually did return to the director’s chair back in 2023 for the Peacock series “John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams,” directing an episode of the series remotely from home.
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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