Interestingly enough, nuns have long held a sinister allure in the world of horror cinema, and the upcoming The Nun II is all set to continue with this spine-chilling unholy terror. While talking about what exactly makes his next film eerie, producer Peter Safran discussed how the clash between ultimate evil and the embodiment of goodness will amp up the fear factor in his film.
A sequel to the 2018 film The Nun, the upcoming project will mark the ninth installment in The Conjuring Universe. Set in a boarding school in France, the movie will follow the story of Sister Irene who comes face to face with Valak, the nun.
Peter Safran opened up on what makes The Nun II all the more scary
All horror films are supposed to be scary. So what is the special element that makes The Nun II special? According to producer Peter Safran, it’s the parallels that make it spooky. He explained,
“I think that it’s the idea of the ultimate evil possessing the vessel for the ultimate good. I think nuns are supposed to be unabashedly good in the service of goodness, and the most evil thing is mocking that goodness by taking her form. I think that’s what it is that people really respond to.”
Furthermore, Safran explained why the unholy sisters continue to haunt audiences’ nightmares. Pointing out how people are intrigued yet scared of nuns in general, he continued,
“And let’s be honest, a lot of people are very scared of nuns in general, but I think from a supernatural thriller perspective, the idea of that evil embedded in what should be the epitome of good is just so sacrilegious and compelling.”
Directed by Michael Chaves, the movie will see the familiar character of Sister Irene, portrayed by Taissa Farmiga confront the menacing demon Valak. Moreover, the film promises a gruesome end, unveiling the terrors in France.
How will The Nun II revolutionize the horror genre?
Apart from discussing the elements in the movie, Safran revealed how the particular character of Sister Irene will drive the narrative. Revealing how her character was earlier reluctant to come back into the dark realm after her close brush with death during the first encounter with Valak, Safran explained that Sister Irene has now realized that she is the only one who can face the demon.
Being the only one to still be alive after encountering Valak, Sister Irene has now understood that it’s her duty to fight on the side of good. Apart from her, another familiar character Frenchie, who will now assume his name, Maurice will be seen in the project. Based on a real-life person, Maurice has also survived the demon, and it’ll be interesting to see how his paths coincide with Irene.
However, not only does The Nun II resurrect familiar faces, but it also promises new and more spine-tingling scare sequences. Safran emphasized the importance of delivering an original story that stands on its own while maintaining the high standards set by The Conjuring franchise.
“We love the idea of switching it up, and it’s more of an investigation this time. Then the stories coincide in the third act for the big, exciting finale. We wanted to make sure that the scare sequences felt fresh and not derivative of the earlier films… it was just about making sure that we delivered on every front – true stakes, great characters, unique scares – and just an intensity that makes it live up to ‘The Conjuring’ name.”
Hence, it seems that the upcoming The Nun II has the potential to revolutionize the horror genre with its fresh scare sequences, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger did with The Transformers. Scheduled for release on September 8, fans can watch the movie in their nearest theatres.
Source: Manila Bulletin
