There are two distinct versions of a James Wan movie. First, you have the films that got him to where he is today—horror. The director behind films like “Saw” and “The Conjuring” has become one of the preeminent genre filmmakers working today. And then, of course, you have his “Furious 7” and “Aquaman,” both being billion-dollar action blockbusters that proved Wan is just as capable handling a $200 million behemoth as he is with a micro-budget horror. But for his next feature, “Malignant,” it appears he’s going back to his thriller roots, reuniting with an actress from his horror past, Annabelle Wallis, and delivering something “so original.”
Speaking to THR, Annabelle Wallis spoke about “Malignant” and why fans should be anxiously awaiting Wan’s upcoming horror-thriller. While not much is known about the plot of the film, we do know that the feature marks the reunion of Wallis and Wan, who both collaborated on the first “Annabelle” feature years ago. And according to Wallis, “Malignant” is not just going to be a “special” James Wan movie, but it is actually likely to surprise you.
“I think we have something very special,” teased Wallis. “I think it’s genre-bending. I think it’s so brave. It’s so original. I just haven’t read anything like it. And James Wan, we worked together on ‘Annabelle,’ so he was like, ‘I wrote this part for you, Annabelle. Let’s collaborate.’ I think I’ve found in him such a wonderful collaborator, and I know that we will continue working together for years to come. I think it’s really going to be something that audiences are pretty wowed by because it’s a real passion project for him.”
She added, “That’s what good art and good cinema is. You kind of throw it out there, and then you don’t know how people are going to react. That’s the exciting thing, you know.”
Using words like “original,” “brave,” and “genre-bending” sure does make you wonder what “Malignant” is actually going to be about. The title and Wan’s history led many to believe that it was poised to be another horror feature and a return to his roots for the filmmaker. But Wallis sure is hinting that there is more to the story than just that.
If nothing else, her comments definitely raise our anticipation for the film. Unfortunately, we still don’t know when it will arrive in theaters. It was supposed to debut in August but the studio pulled it from the schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down cinemas. And considering Wan’s movies tend to have summer debuts, it may still be a while before we see “Malignant” in theaters.
