Shortly after world premiering the first trailer for Lights Out at WonderCon (watch it here), I landed an extended video interview with director David F. Sandberg. During our wide-ranging conversation he talked about making his first studio film, what he learned from test screenings, the rules for the antagonist in the film, what it was like collaborating with producer James Wan, why Annabelle 2 will be The Godfather 2 of creepy doll movies, and a lot more.
Check out what he had to say below. Lights Out is in theaters July 22nd.
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David F. Sandberg:
- Talks about how the feature version of Lights Out came about.
- What was his plan when he made the short film?
- Talks about his original meetings with James Wan.
- 2:35 – What does he want people to know about the film? Says he doesn’t want his characters to do stupid things.
- 3:10 – What did he learn from test screenings?
- 3:45 – Deleted scenes talk.
- 4:05 – What were the rules for the antagonist in the film?
- 4:45 – How much did he rely on storyboards?
- 5:30 – How he made the film for $5 million.
- 6:40 - Annabelle sequel talk. How will he make the sequel better? Says it will be The Godfather 2 of creepy doll movies.
And here’s the official synopsis for Lights Out:
From producer James Wan (“The Conjuring”) comes a tale of an unknown terror that lurks in the dark. When Rebecca left home, she thought she left her childhood fears behind. Growing up, she was never really sure of what was and wasn’t real when the lights went out…and now her little brother, Martin, is experiencing the same unexplained and terrifying events that had once tested her sanity and threatened her safety. A frightening entity with a mysterious attachment to their mother, Sophie, has reemerged. But this time, as Rebecca gets closer to unlocking the truth, there is no denying that all their lives are in danger…once the lights go out.
And finally, here’s the official poster for Lights Out:
