Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring, Watchmen, Young Adult) is a versatile and accomplished actor who doesn’t shy away from horror. In fact, Insidious: Chapter 2 is his third collaboration with James Wan alone.

I spoke with Wilson last week about the newest installment in the Insidious franchise. Without spoiling anything, it’s certainly a much different film from the first one and I wanted to get his perspective on revisiting his character from an entirely different angle.

In theaters September 13, “The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.“

This is one of the most ambitious sequels I’ve ever seen, it hits the ground running and takes place over a short time frame. What’s it like maintaining that intensity for the duration of the shoot?

I think it was certainly more physically exhausting than the first one, once you get into all of the stunts and prosthetics – it’s a lot. Which is fun, that’s why you do it. James and I talked about it [beforehand] and I said, ‘the good thing is you’ve got a built-in audience and you’ve never done a sequel. Just go for it.” And he was doing it anyway, he wanted to swing a big stick. You can’t go back and do the same haunted house movie, you just can’t. That’s what I really liked about it.

I have a friend who saw it and he said if The Conjuring is a nod to 70’s movies then Insidious 2 is a nod to 80’s movies. This guy had grown up on A Nightmare On Elm Street and those types of movies where you’re almost laughing because there are some ridiculous, almost camp, moments – but you’re scared. I think that’s kind of cool.

The surrealism of it indicates an Elm Street leaning.

Yeah, it’s very surreal. Which I think is cool. The last thing you want is for them to just movie into another new house and have the other kid get possessed. That would be just terrible. That’s one thing I really dig about it, they pick up right where they left off and go further into “The Further.”

Without spoiling anything for our readers, you’re “not feeling well” in the film.

I love that. I sort of relish that part. I’ve never played anything quite like this. I’ve only seen it once so it’s strange for me to watch, but you just gotta jump in and go for it. If you’re in a spot where that’s what you’re trying to do as an actor, then that’s a healthy place to be. The last thing you want to to is tip-toe around it. Dig in and go for it, and it will work for what it is.