The Woodswas our working title, says director Wingard.
To us, it wasnt even going to be part of the marketing.
But I think Lionsgate made a really smart decision, using that.
Credit: Chris Helcermanas-Benge
This marketing slight-of-hand has a precedent in the franchise.
I was at that first Sundance screening, when the movie world-premiered at the Egyptian Theater, he recalls.
I thought it was incredible, and terrifying, and really innovative.
However, you had to do it right or not at all.
It had to be the right filmmaking team.
Additionally, we got offered remakes of every kind of horror movie you could possibly think of.
We turned them all down.
When we sawYoure Nextand saw [V/H/S], it was like, You know what?
And so, we arranged a secret meeting with them, we pitched them the idea.
It was an offer the duo felt they couldnt refuse.
This was different for several reasons, says Barrett.
Beyond that, we were just such fans of the original film and its mythology.
It was like, We cant let anyone else do this.
We were refusing to let another filmmaker mess with it, because it was something that we really loved.
We were already doingThe Guestwhen we were first contacted, recalls Wingard.
I still remembered all the old mythology that went online when the first film came out.
Constantines offer also dovetailed nicely with Wingard and Barretts desire to make a full-on, no-nonsense fright flick.
Barrett and Wingard embraced the idea of keeping the project off the grid.
Adam and I both thought that was super cool, says the former.
We were really excited by that.
That was our way to make that a cool thing.
Barrett also had the advantage of some professional experience in the field of keeping secrets.
So, Im actually pretty cagey in general.
I learned that the key to keeping a secret is, you have to keep it fromeveryone.
[Laughs]I couldnt tell them about the first one and so it was a weird conversation.
But I was like, Youre just going to have to trust me, Imgoodat keeping secrets.'
Wingard says he and Barrett were mostly allowed to develop the script without excessive input or interference from Lionsgate.
That was what they came to us with.
From there, we were left to our own devices to figure it out.
Whenever I sawBook of Shadows, they just didnt touch on all these things I wanted to see.
My entrance was, How do I do the ultimate version of this?
Not part of the plan?
Featuring cast members from the first film.
It would have been cool, says Wingard.
In the spring of last year, the team began the search for actors.
Fortunately, their reaction was, they were very excited, says Barrett.
Security remained tight during the shoot itself.
He said, This script is really cool but it seems like a real knock-off ofThe Blair Witch.
It was like, Oh, wait, you havent actually gotten therealscript?
We should get that to you.
The secrecy even extended to the corporate corridors of Lionsgate itself.
Only a very small handful of people at Lionsgate knew what the film was, says Barrett.
We were working with Jason Constantine and Eda Kowan (Executive Vice President, Acquisitions & Co-Productions).
This was just their own secret project and basically they kept it a secret even from everyone there.
If, for example, they were to call someone at Lionsgate and say, Whatisthis film?
I found myself trying out all kinds of tricks, says the director.
This movie has lot of moments where people have to seem really surprised.
I kind of developed my new jump-scare system.
I have a collection of these air horns that I would bring on set.
I call them my scare horns.
Youve got to really make them jump.
And he certainly does!
Lionsgate also screened a work-in-progress version of the film for the makers of the originalBlair Witch Project.
Theyve all seen the movie and have all given us their approval, says Wingard.
We know where we would take it if there is a sequel, the director says.
The movie that comes out in September is how I prefer to reference it.
Watch the filmmakers discussBlair Witchbelow.
