Four individuals sign up for a psychological research study only to discover that they are now subjects of a brutal, classified government program.

BD: This is your first Sundance, right? Are you nervous, excited… what are you most looking forward to?

Jonathan Liebesman: Im nervous. This is a classy place. I’m honored to have a film accepted here. It’s been a dream of mine since I was in a South African film school and saw a book about Tarantino and how he got started by having “Resevoir Dogs” accepted to Sundance. I’m excited to be at the epicenter of American independent film because I feel like doing an indie helped me rediscover what I love so much about filmmaking.

BD: You’ve been doing genre films since the beginning of your career, but KILLING ROOM is a change in pace. According to IMDB it’s more of a drama-thriller than a horror film. What is in here for the horror fans?

JL: There is some crazy violence. And psychological trauma!

BD: What brought you to this project?

JL: My agent sent me the screenplay. I read it and saw an opportunity to work with an amazing cast and really focus on performances which I hadn’t had a chance to do yet.

BD: Do you know what inspired the screenplay?

JL: I’m not sure what was in Gus’ head when he thought up the idea. My own thought was: what happens when our authorities fight fire with fire? Where is the line in the sand?

BD: Do you see KILLING ROOM as a realistic movie? Is the situation something that the government could and would do?

JL: Definitely. The more research I did the more information I would find that would substantiate anything that seemed outlandish to me. Obviously tons of conspiracy theories come from the most random and minute information. But when you look at a governments mindset, nothing is out of reach. In South Africa, the apartheid government poisoned water supplies, and even created a “3rd force” that would pit black people against one another. Nothing is out of reach from a governments paranoia to control and rule its population.

BD: You have a pretty solid cast, who did you like working with and is there anyone you really wanted to cast but couldn’t get?

JL: Honestly I hate to speculate because I thought the entire cast did a tremendous job.

BD: The synopsis teases a government program, could you say it’s more like a “game”? What can you reveal about the program?

JL: The Program is the MK program. The program’s methods and goals were extremely varied when it was in practice. There were different sub-programs the government implemented - MK-DELTA, Bluebird etc. There are many myths surrounding government experiments and their objectives and techniques. The writers and I researched different mind-control experiments and possible outcomes that such a program would want to achieve today.

BD: Is this the type of film that carries a big final twist? How about a sequel?

JL: No sequels. Ever. There is more I would like to explore with this story. I don’t think it would be a sequel, but rather a tangent of the story.

BD: Your short films RINGS was one of the best parts of the short-lived RING franchise, could you ever see yourself directing RING 3?

JL: I would’ve loved to. I wish the story of Rings could’ve been Ring 3. I think the studio became a touch gun-shy about Ring 3 because they felt the franchise may have been played out.

BD: You were at one point in talks to direct the remake of FRIDAY THE 13TH, did you have any thoughts on how you’d like to do the movie? What type of stuff was running through your mind at the time?

JL: I saw the trailer and I think I would have done something very similar with that particular script. It is very appropriate. There was a point in time where I was talking to Andrew Kevin Walker about doing a completely realistic “Henry’esque” version of Friday 13th. Obviously that would have been a completely different creative approach.

BD: A lot of people have asked me this question, is it true that there was a completely different version of DARKNESS FALLS, which actually tested really well, but was changed in order to bring the witch into the movie more? If so, which version did you like better and will we ever get to see the original version sans Stan Winston’s witch?

JL: No, there is no different version of Darkness Falls. Only one in my head and I wont subject anyone to it. Steve Wang did an amazing creature design that we couldn’t use because the VFX company didn’t get the CGI done in time and so the studio wanted to use a practical creature. They had a relationship with Winston and he came in and did a great job for us.

BD: Next you’re directing an action film BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, do you ever see yourself returning to the horror genre?

JL: I will go anywhere the best story I can get my hands on is. I don’t care where it is.