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A Look Through the Lens of ‘REC 2’ With Paco Plaza

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It’s been nearly a year since we caught up with REC 2 (review) co-directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza at the Toronto International Film Festival (rewind here). With the film arriving in limited theaters July 9 from Magnet Releasing, we caught up for a follow-up with Plaza who chatted briefly about the birth of the franchise and where it might go. The sequel picks up 15 minutes from where the first left off, taking audiences back into the quarantined apartment building where a terrifying virus has run rampant, turning the occupants into mindlessly violent, raging beasts.

It’s crazy to think that we’re already looking forward to two more REC sequels. Plaza remembers when they decided to push the initial film into a franchise.

It was after the release and success of the first one that we began to think that it was worth developing the cosmology we had created. When we thought about it, we came back to the original to rescue some ideas already planted there, like the demonic possession, that left a lot to explore.” But the duo of Paco and Jaume Balaguero didn’t think about a sequel until after they arrived at the theater. “To be honest, when we went together to a theatre in Barcelona, it was crowded, sold out, people yelling, laughing and an ovation during the credit block,” said Plaza. “Jaume and I looked to each other and knew we couldn’t just leave it there.

Even though a sequel wasn’t in the original plan, Plaza explains that the idea of demonic possession was in fact teased in the first REC.

That is the background we had created; at the end of the first REC we somehow gave a lot of clues, in the tape, in the newspapers on the wall…everything was already there. We loved the idea of mixing living dead with and exorcist.

An interest turn in REC 2 is the all new first-person perspective from various “actors”. Plaza recounts the interesting experience.

It was fun because the actors operate themselves, and sometimes they were so concerned about the shot that almost forgot to act. It took a little longer but it was worth having the actors doing it, I think it gives an special flavor.

Looking forward to both REC 3 and 4, Plaza couldn’t reveal anything just yet, but explained that they’re “ working really hard in making the funniest and scariest of the three,” adding that even though directing duties are split up, they’ll still work on each other’s films. “Jaume will be involved as a producer and I will do the same in his.

But those hoping for the REC films to in the same direction as Saw (with several more sequel), don’t keep your hopes up. “The fourth will be the last one, at least on our side…” Plaza teases adding more more juicy tease: Angela could return…again! “I think she might. You never know with her.

REC 2 in now available On Demand, PS3, Amazon and Xbox 360, with a limited theatrical run beginning on July 9.

Paco Plaza

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

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‘Late Night With the Devil’ – Exclusive Clip Begins the Supernatural Horror on Halloween 1977

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The upcoming Late Night With the Devil is one of the most buzzed about horror movies of the year, currently 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and earning rave reviews from both Stephen King and Kevin Smith. King raves that the film is “absolutely brilliant,” adding that he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Smith comments, “I love it. It’s Rosemary’s Baby meets Network.”

David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad) stars as the host of a late-night talk show that descends into a nightmare in the Ghostwatch and WNUF Halloween Special-inspired film.

IFC Films & Shudder will release the hotly anticipated Late Night with the Devil theatrically on March 22 before it heads to Shudder exclusively on April 19, 2024.

Begin the horror with a brand new EXCLUSIVE clip below…

David Dastmalchian stars as Jack Delroy, the charismatic host of “Night Owls,” and the film traces the ill-fated taping of a live Halloween special in 1977 plagued by a demonic presence.

The energetic and innovative feature hails from Australian writing-directing team Colin and Cameron Cairnes (100 Bloody Acres, Scare Campaign). 

The film premiered last year at SXSW. Meagan wrote in her review out of the fest, “Late Night with the Devil captures the chaotic energy of a late night show, embracing the irreverent comedy and stress of live television with a pastiche style. It’s a clever trojan horse for a surprising horror movie that goes full throttle on unhinged demonic mayhem.

“The ingenuity, the painstaking period recreation, a riveting performance by Dastmalchian, and a showstopper of a finale make for one Halloween event you won’t want to miss.”

Spooky Pictures founders Roy Lee (It, The Grudge, The Ring) and Steven Schneider (Pet Sematary, Paranormal Activity, Insidious), Derek Dauchy (“Al Kameen”) and Future Pictures’ Mat Govoni (“Lone Wolf”) and Adam White (“Lone Wolf”) and John Molloy are all producing.

Joel Anderson (Lake Mungo), Rami Yasin, and David Dastmalchian executive produce.

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