‘Speak No Evil’ Director Explains Why His Remake Changes the Original Ending and How Trailers Keep Showing ‘More Than Filmmakers Want’
variety.comSelena Kuznikov SPOILER ALERT: This articles discusses plot details of “Speak No Evil,” in theaters now. When “Speak No Evil” director James Watkins sat down to write a screenplay based on the 2022 Danish horror film from Christian Tafdrup, he had one person in mind to play a deluded, deranged father. “I’m sure that lots of other brilliant actors could have played that role,” Watkins says of the patriarch character in the film. “But when I was writing it, I was thinking, ‘James McAvoy, I can just completely see him playing this character.'” The remake follows a British family (McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi) who invite an American family (Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy) to vacation at their remote home in the countryside.
But, once the American family realizes not everything is what it seems, all hell breaks loose. Here, Watkins discusses why he chose to use “Cotton Eye Joe” in a dance scene, what it’s like remaking a foreign film and his decision to change the original, “brilliantly bleak” ending.
I’ve been offered remakes before and not been interested. I guess you have to love the original material. But also, you have to see a way to bring something of yourself or something a little bit different to it.
Otherwise, it doesn’t seem to me any point in remaking exactly the same movie, because the movie exists and it’s good, and people can see it.
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