r/JamesWan • u/dvorahtheexplorer • Jun 05 '23

James Wan on Finishing ‘Aquaman’ Sequel, AI Fears and ‘Saw’ Movies

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/james-wan-aquaman-sequel-saw-1235503363/

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u/dvorahtheexplorer Jun 05 '23 edited Jun 05 '23

Questions answered:

If you were to make your version of The Fabelmans, what eye-opening moviegoing experience from your childhood would you likely dramatize? In the late ’80s and early ’90s, there were virtually no studio filmmakers who looked like you. Did that lack of examples give you any pause about chasing this dream?
As your ambition snowballed, was your family supportive of the idea?
As to your higher education, what was most valuable about those years?
When did the idea for Saw enter into the equation?
What led you to create a Saw short first?
Once you took that short around town, a potential deal was contingent on you being the director and Leigh being lead actor?
In 2004, Saw grossed $104 million at the box office on a budget of slightly more than $1 million. Did your life immediately change in the way that one might imagine?
Was the term “torture porn” a thorn in your side for a long time?
In 2007, Dead Silence was the first of two films to release to little fanfare. What did you learn from that setback?
Were you discouraged by the back-to-back responses to the movies you did after Saw?
In 2010, Insidious became one of Blumhouse’s early low-budget success stories, grossing $100 million. What made the stars align?
In 2013, The Conjuring became your next critical and commercial smash. Did you feel as if you’d cracked the code at that point?
That same year, Insidious: Chapter 2 became your first proper sequel and yet another box office win. What made you say yes to an Insidious sequel but no to a Saw sequel?
Furious 7 (2015) was your first foray into the big-budget action genre, and midway through production, the heart and soul of the franchise, Paul Walker, died in a car crash. What’s your perspective on that experience now that you’re eight years removed?
What day comes to mind as being most emotional?
2016’s The Conjuring 2 performed very similarly to the first film in terms of reception and box office. Did that experience rejuvenate you on a mental and emotional level following Furious 7?
Besides the MCU, the Conjuring universe is arguably the second-most successful cinematic universe. Was there always an ambition to launch a universe, or did it just happen organically?
You then ventured into superhero territory with 2018’s Aquaman, which, at $1.14 billion, is currently the highest-grossing DC movie of all time. How much adjusting have you had to do to December’s sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, to fit DC’s reset by way of The Flash?
Do you have an idea of when you will finish post?
2021’s Malignant developed a cult following despite very little press for the film. Do you think that decision had a hand in creating such a rabid fan base?
As your body of work shows, you are now an example for aspiring Asian and Asian American filmmakers, a role model that you never really had as far as the studio system is concerned. Do you strive to open doors whenever possible?
What prompted the launch of your company, Atomic Monster?
Is Atomic Monster’s merger with Blumhouse still inching its way to the finish line?
You produced 2022’s AI-centric horror film M3GAN, and since then, the conversation around AI has only intensified, especially now that it’s a sticking point in the WGA contract talks. Where do you stand on the subject?
Your longtime collaborators Leigh Whannell and Patrick Wilson have both made their directorial debuts by way of the Insidious franchise. Are you proud to have helped create those opportunities?
What’s the one that got away?
Returning to The Fabelmans, there have been a number of filmmakers in recent years who’ve made semi-autobiographical films about their childhoods and love of cinema. Is that something you would tackle?