Interview with The Soska Sisters

Ahead of Horror Channel’s premiere of RABID on June 12, Jen and Sylvie Soska reflect on the challenges of re-imagining Cronenberg’s body horror classic, meeting the great man and their new monster movie, BOB.

RABID is having its channel premiere on Horror Channel. Excited?

S: The Horror Channel has supported us and our work since the beginning, so it’s a special treat to have the newest film premiere there!

J: We are so excited. Having RABID on Horror Channel feels like coming home. They’ve been very kind to us. We are happy to have so many of our films on there.

We all, of course, remember that RABID was one of David Cronenberg’s earliest films. Going back to when you were first approached to do the remake, what was your initial reaction?

J: We are not traditionally fans of remakes but when we learned RABID was being remade with or without us we took it upon ourselves to pay tribute and respect to Mr Cronenberg. It had been the first attempt at a remake or re-imagining of his work and he has a huge impact on us and our work. We only had our country, our peers, and one of heroes to let down. No pressure, right? It was important to us his legacy was respected and that out-weighed any doubts for us.

S: We were hired because the producers, who had the property, were very unfamiliar with Mr Cronenberg’s work. They had assumed his films was ‘straight forward horror’ whereas all this material, even his earlier films, has a lot more to say than just surface level body horror. We hired cast and crew who had worked on Cronenberg films to make sure we were honoring his work.

The original became one of the cornerstones of “body horror”, a subgenre which your work has gleefully embraced. Was it important that your version honoured this?

S: I don’t know what kind of filmmakers we would have been in a world devoid of Cronenberg’s brilliant brand of body horror – it’s so transformative. Since we were the first to remake one of his films, we wanted to fully embrace what makes a Cronenberg classic body horror. Luckily we teamed with the prosthetic geniuses at Masters FX to make that happen.

J: Absolutely. Without the success and fan base of the original, there wouldn’t have been a demand for our re-imagining. I think where many remakes fail is they don’t respect the original material and creator. Honouring both were our prime objectives. There are not only nods to the original RABID in ours, but to numerous Cronenberg films from actor choices to character names to the type of practical FX we used.

Cronenberg ended up casting an adult star, Marylyn Chambers, in the lead role.  Did you ever consider doing the same?

S: Very much so. We didn’t get the support on RABID, although we did try to get a cameo appearance but we got limited on how many Americans we could use in the film. We had another project that fell through that we wanted to cast Xander Corvus as the lead for. Currently, we have a role for Tommy Pistol in an upcoming film. We have a lot of friends who work in the business and a lot of respect for what they do.

J: Apparently it’s much more difficult to cast an adult film star these days. There are some really silly stigmas that we hope to help tear down by casting some of our very talented friends who work in adult film.

Is it true that the first time you met Cronenberg was after the film was made?

S: Yes, and it was such a wonderful experience. He is truly exactly the person you would expect, witty and intelligent with such a brilliant outlook on the world and life. He said that the film ended up where it should have. It was very kind of him to say. I know he’s busy on his own projects, it’s such a great time to be a fan of his with what’s coming.

J: We met at a coffee shop and showed up so early but all the booths were taken. We paid a girl $100 to give us hers. Best money I ever spent. David is such a gentleman and so brilliant. Chatting DEAD RINGERS with him was a highlight of my life. Don’t meet your heroes unless they’re David Cronenberg.

The film had its World Premiere at FrightFest, to great acclaim. How did the reception in the UK compare to back home in Canada?

S: It reminds me of Cronenberg comparing the two receptions, he mentioned that the UK tended to get his work before anyone at home did. The FrightFest fans and all the people involved in that event absolutely spoil filmmakers. When we made AMERICAN MARY, no one thought anyone would like it, but we premiered at FrightFest with huge success. The people there truly love the genre, so they’ll let you know what they think.

J: Ha ha, I might as well have not released a film. Canada had never been terribly supportive of us, but they weren’t supportive of David early on either. Now they seem to celebrate him. The UK has always felt like home, especially FrightFest. I’m so grateful to the gents there, Paul, Alan, Greg, and Ian, for how kindly they’ve treated us and our work. There’s no film fest in the world like FrightFest.

Would you consider remaking another Cronenberg film? DEAD RINGERS for example, which you have gone on record as saying you’d like to do.

S: Very much so! I know Rachel Weisz is currently adapting it and we would love to be a part of bringing that to life. That said, we are twins and have been deeply thinking about this concept for years. I wouldn’t be surprised if we did a remake down the line still – my dream casting is getting the Olsen twins. You rarely see twins creatively in charge of twin content and narrative – I think it would be fascinating.

J: We’d love to re-imagine DEAD RINGERS. We have such a deep personal connection to that film and so rarely are twins the ones who get to control their own narrative. Regardless of if we’ll be invited to the limited series being made now, we will definitely make our version down the line.

Being known as great huggers, how have you been coping with lockdown?

S: Maybe we knew something, stockpiling on all those hugs back in the day when you could be so brazen to hug anyone and everyone? I’m looking forward to being able to hug again. Been saving hugs for everyone!

J: Thank God for my rottweiler, Princess Diana. She’s very cuddly. She’s a lifesaver. I cannot wait to be able to hug again. That’s gonna be really special.

Have you managed to catch any good horror movies this year?

S: LOVED Jill Sixx’s THE STYLIST. It’s not just a phenomenal film with killer performances, but it started as a short, Jill tried to get funding and launched a kickstarter to make it happen, and now it’s a feature film that everyone is talking about. She’s a director to keep your eye on. BLACK BEAR and WANDER DARKLY are also haunting and wonderful.

J: SAINT MAUD was fucking incredible. Sylvie calls it Catholic Joker, ha ha. Brandon Cronenberg’s POSSESSOR was outstanding. I highly recommend the director’s cut. Brandon is a genius in his own right. Steve Kostanski’s PSYCHO GOREMAN was probably my biggest and best surprise of the year.

Finally, what’s next?

S: Very proud to say we are working for DC as writers for their comics. They haven’t announced our first story which is finished and still coming out, but they have announced that we are working on a Zatanna title with Vanesa Del Rey depending on their #DCRoundRobin voting via twitter and Instagram. They have some incredibly exciting characters to get to work with!

J: We have two films in production (that I can mention), UNSEEN and BOB. UNSEEN is our first video game adaption and it’s a fully immersive horror experience as it’s a game that simulates being blind. And BOB is our original monster movie that we’ve been wanting to make since AMERICAN MARY. We are working now with RADAR and Prospero Pictures and you can expect a lot to be coming from these wonderful new partnerships.

RABID airs on Horror Channel Saturday 12 June, 9pm.

The Soska Sisters & Alexis Kendra bring female fear factor to Horror Channel in June.

This month, Horror Channel highlights the work of female genre talent with the Channel premieres of RABID, the Soska Sisters visceral remake of David Cronenberg’s body horror classic and THE CLEANING LADY, written by and starring Alexis Kendra (Goddess of Love), who also produced the much acclaimed twisted psychological chiller.

Transmission details:

Saturday 12 June @ 21:00 – RABID (2019) *Channel Premiere

This hugely welcomed remake of David Cronenberg’s body horror classic from AMERICAN MARY directors, The Soska Sisters, received its World Premiere at FrightFest 2019 before being released worldwide. They are the first filmmakers to re-imagine one of Cronenberg’s films and the fellow Canadian was very impressed with the results.

Synopsis: 

What happens when you realise to achieve your dreams you have to live a nightmare? Rose (Laura Vandervoort) wants to become a famous designer in the fashion world, but a terrible accident leaves her scarred beyond recognition. Undergoing a radical untested stem cell treatment, wallflower Rose turns into the belle of the ball and starts to realise her ambitions. But everything in life comes at a price and Rose’s new found perfection is no exception as she unwittingly sets off a bloody spiral of contagion.

Saturday 26 June @ 22:50 – THE CLEANING LADY (2018) *Channel Premiere

Based on a short film of the same name, Alexis originally wrote the role of Shelly for herself to reprise, but she and director Jon Knautz felt that Rachel Alig was so perfect for the role, that she switched to the role of Alice instead. This is the second time Kendra and Knautz have teamed up, following the success of THE GODDESS OF LOVE.

Synopsis: 

As a means to distract herself from an affair with a married man, love-addicted beautician Alice (Alexis Kendra, pictured) befriends her soft-spoken, reclusive cleaning lady Shelley (Rachel Alig), facially scarred by burns from a traumatic childhood incident. Soon everyone caught in Alice’s infidelity trap learns to their dread that Shelley’s scars run much deeper than they ever suspected.

Interview with The Soska Sisters

The Soska Sisters on the set of VENDETTA with Dean Cain

Ahead of Horror Channel’s UK TV premiere of VENDETTA (part of the VENGEANCE season), the Soska Sisters reflect on their life-long love of wrestling, getting revenge, and their next, long-waited original film BOB.


You’re back on Horror Channel. Excited?

Jen: Deliriously. We love the Horror Channel! It's our favourite place to be. Thank you for having us back!

Sylvia: LOVE the Horror Channel. It feels a little odd because you guys usually are the first to show our work and Vendetta showed up late. I won't even begin to mention the long-awaited Hellevator.


Finally, your UK fans get to see VENDETTA on British TV!

Jen: I'm so happy it VENDETTA has finally invaded British airwaves. The UK has always been so gracious and supportive of us and our work leading back to the Dead Hooker in a Trunk days. It's only fitting to have VENDETTA follow suit. It's no secret we love our British fans and hold a special place in our hearts for them. I'm excited for them to finally be able to enjoy what I like to call our "Punisher" movie.

Sylvia: Maybe it's happened because the UK has been the most supportive of our work, so Vendetta is now going to be a smash hit and we can finally get to work on the sequel. See who hasn't been horribly murdered and there's still a vendetta to take them out. We're pretty excited to see what the reaction to the film will be - we have a lot of fun directing action and working with these incredible stunt teams.


VENDETTA was the second film you made with WWE Studios (SEE NO EVIL 2 being the first). What made you want to step back into the ring with them?

Jen: Honestly, I'll try anything twice.

Sylvia: It was part of Lionsgate Films' action six-pack which was six action films. We did so well for them on See No Evil 2, they wanted us back. I'm not sure on which side, but someone asked if they wanted to hire girls for their action films and the reply was you've obviously never seen a film by the Soska's before.

Jen & Sylvia Soska with Dean Cain

How on earth did you get Dean Cain to act so mean and angry? And how challenging was it choreographing fights with WWE wrestler Paul ‘Big Show’ Wight?

Jen: Good guys play AMAZING bad guys, just no one ever gives them the opportunity. Dean Cain is such a good man. He's a real life superhero. It's a nice break from reality for him to be a bad guy. Mason isn't really bad and to that point neither is Big Show (Victor Abbott). They're both victims of their circumstances, they're both doing what they feel is the best from some pretty bad options. Paul and Dean both trained so hard for the film. Paul is a literal giant, so we adjusted the action for him. He's lethal.

Sylvia: I've never worked with a team so ready to go and push themselves in a film. That was so important to making this film because we only had 15 days to shoot it & every day there was a coordinated fight sequence for Mason, played by real life Super-man, Dean Cain. He would come to set with this great attitude, look out for everyone, kill it on camera, then head to the gym with the stunt team when we wrapped to get the fight perfect for the next day. I would work with Dean forever if I was so lucky. Paul was also a big surprise as we are huge wrestling fans, so we had been fans of his work for years, but I had no idea what an incredible actor he was. So dedicated and down to earth. When you're the biggest guy in the room, you figure out how to put people at ease, he has this charisma and star quality. He was such a pro with the fights too.

Kimani Smith was our stunt coordinator and Dan Rizzuto was our fight coordinator, and with Vancouver's finest stunt people, they created this very down and dirty prison style of fighting. We had so many stunt actors and actors who could do action in the roles to make sure all the violence was completely amped up.


The film has been described as an “all-male maelstrom of mayhem” and “hell in a cell”. How would you describe it?

Jen: That one summer I spent in an all-male prison, ha ha.

Sylvia: I adore 'All-male maelstrom of mayhem'. I could call it face punch, the movie.

The Soska sisters with wrestler Paul ‘Big Show’ Wight on the set of VENDETTA

VENDETTA heads up Horror Channel’s VENGEANCE SEASON. Have either of you had reason to be particularly vengeful in your lives?

Jen: I work in film. I am blessed to have seen the worst of people as well as the best. Kindness can be mistaken for weakness and people will try to take advantage of you when you have a good heart. I've learned to be guarded, not vengeful. I'm a Catholic. I'll wait on the wrath of God, ha ha.

Sylvia: The best advice regarding vengeance came early in my career from a very successful friend, he said the best revenge is to live a good life. The people who hurt you only win if you sink to their level to destroy them. Just do you. Be kind, treat people with respect & the whole world will open up to you.


You obviously have a great affinity with the wrestling world. Have you ever been tempted to get into the ring yourselves? After all, you are trained in stunt work and the martial arts…

Jen: Is it that obvious? We would love to step into the ring... and not just sneak in when they set up pre show, ha ha. I have a life-long love of wrestling. Working with wrestlers has only increased that love. They are so dedicated and driven. I'd love the opportunity to wrestle ourselves. I have a dream about both Sylv and I training at two different wrestling schools, coming up with gimmicks, everything, without the other knowing, and then coming together to fight each other. That would make a fun reality series.

Sylvia: The only two things I promised my Dad that I wouldn't do that I actually didn't was get a tattoo & become a professional wrestler. That said, we would need next to no motivation to get in the ring. We wanted to wrestle the Bellas, but they are lovely mommies now and the timing never worked out. I feel we would make pretty killer manager types.


When you look back to the days when you were forced to make ‘Dead Hookers In A Trunk’ with your own money, do you still feel you’ve got that independently-spirited drive?

Jen: Absolutely. We are far from having unlimited time and budgets. Vendetta, like all our features, was made in just 15 days. You have to know what you want and be able to roll with the punches. Having an indie spirit always saves the day because your first notion is to come up with creative solutions and not burn money. How do you make an action movie like Vendetta in 15 days? Well, it helps if there are two of you.

Sylvia: I'm so grateful that we spent that money on DHIAT, never made a dime back; my family remortgaged our childhood home to be the first investors in American Mary - so we know the weight of financing probably deeper than a lot of people. We've yet to have the big push on our films, we're still very much auteurs with a very loyal and somewhat niche audience.


How encouraged are you with the current mood to attract more women directors into genre film-making?

Jen: Right now I see a lot of talk and not much action. You see women being hired, but you don't really see them being supported to having an ongoing career. It's more like, great, we hired a women, let's find another one. I don't see established female directors getting as many calls as they should. Genre has always embraced women in front of and behind the camera. I'm happy to see the fans in support. I think a lot more has to change than a few women getting hired here and there but not really being supported to have on going careers, even with the same companies.

Sylvia: I used to be really sexist about it and throw my support behind any woman who wanted to have an opportunity & I found so many times, the people who were reaching out for help weren't the ones who needed it. I think it is important to promote filmmakers of every diverse background so that we can get more perspective and grow in our ability to empathize with lives we would never live, but at the same time, we cannot fill these places with people who have no interest in the arts and are using current political themes for a seat at the table. I used to think it was cruel how comedians made newcomers prove themselves before letting them into the group, now that I've been doing this longer, it seems essential.


Finally, what’s next for you both?

Jen: Finally an original film, our long awaited original monster movie, BOB, which is like FIGHT CLUB meets HARVEY. And we also appeared in Glenn Danzig's new feature, DEATH RIDER IN THE HOUSE OF VAMPIRES which was so much fun to shoot. I can't wait for everyone to see it.

Sylvia: It's been almost ten years since we've made an original film, so making Bob is surreal. There's a project that did not come from us that we are very excited about, hopefully we can announce that soon and it will premiere in the UK!


VENDETTA, which kicks of the VENGEANCE season, is broadcast on Horror Channel, Saturday 4 April at 9pm.

Interview with The Soska Sisters

On the eve of Horror Channel’s UK premiere broadcast of SEE NO EVIL 2 on April 7, the Twisted Twins, Jan and Sylvia Soska, exclusively reveal their TV ambitions, the latest on their RABID remake and being huge WWE fans.

It’s been while since we last chatted and apart from See No Evil 2 what have you both been up to?

S: It has been a while, but it's really cool that we get to chat again. We hosted a reality horror gameshow from Matador, GSN and Blumhouse called Hellevator that was like ‘Saw the gameshow’. We had a blast making it. I really can't even believe that was a job a person could have. We're still trying to get it over to the UK - I think the audience over there will really enjoy it. We have had a lot of fun working in television, it's something we're interested in pursuing more of not only in front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well.

J: Oh, it's been ages! We've been up to nothing but trouble. We made an action movie with the WWE and Lionsgate called Vendetta where we made everybody's favorite Superman Dean Cain break bad fighting the Big Show in jail. It was basically a Punisher goes to jail movie for us. We got to achieve a big bucket list dream and start writing for Marvel comics! We did a ‘Night Nurse’ and a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ story so far and are stoked to do more with them. And we're re-making Canadian Horror King David Cronenberg's Rabid. We keep busy.


Did the incredible, international success of Dead Hooker in a Trunk surprise you?

S: We were working very hard towards getting that kind of reaction, but considering how many films and filmmakers come out now, it's always such an unpredictable journey. I remember we would carry screeners in our purse with these little booklets, just in case we met anyone who we could get the film in front of, but it really paid off. I'll always be particularly grateful to the people who saw that first film and decided to support two very different filmmakers.

J: In a way, when I really think about it, yeah. It's a weird "WTF is even happening" film and it's really "us". The humor, the insane plot, the passion, the violence, and that take no prisoners attitude. I was both surprised and delighted to learn there are so many fellow weirdos like us out there. I love all our fans, but the people who have been in our corner since Dead Hooker In A Trunk have a very special place in my heart.

How did your family react to how it took off?

S: My parents couldn't have been more proud. My dad appears as the Rabbi in the flashback, we shot at our church, we had a lot of support from our church on that one, ha ha. We're very lucky in the way that our parents have always been incredibly supportive of what we wanted to do. My mom tells me it wouldn't have made a difference because once we got an idea in our head, even as little kids, we had to make it happen.

J: My folks are the best. They've always been so supportive of our paths wanting to be artists. They're both artists themselves so they never told us to settle on "normal jobs". I think they couldn't believe how big it got. When people starting yelling, "Dead Hooker In A Trunk!!!!" at us in the street it was like, "wow, what is even happening to our lives??" They're very proud. They always get to see the early cuts and my mum will let me know when the gory bits really sell. I have no idea what's too much anymore. I don't know if I ever did, ha ha


When American Mary showed at FrightFest a few years back it gained huge critical acclaim, what are your most vivid memories of this time?

S: I remember lying awake in my hotel room with Jen at the Soho and being extremely nervous and excited. The next day our film was going to play in front of a huge crowd and we were going to be wearing these fantastic outfits made out of surgical plastic created by Enigma Arcana that we were going to wear for it. I kept thinking about what a surreal situation that was and it's kind of a vulnerable story, so I was feeling that. But I couldn't have dreamed up a better audience. I remember Mike Hewitt from Universal made sure we got a bunch of people from the European body modification community in the front rows of the theatre, so seeing their faces and getting the reactions from the crowd was a beautiful experience. I'll always be in love with the UK because of truly wonderfully they have treated us throughout the years.

J: I remember Dead Hooker fans waiting outside our hotel for autographs and photos. It was so cool, but I'm very Canadian so I was all like, "how long have you been out here? Oh no, I would've come out sooner! I didn't know!" I have never received a warmer welcome anywhere in the world. The UK fans know their horror and they got American Mary at a level I didn't expect anyone to. It meant the world to us. And FrightFest is the best. The gents there were so good to us. I'm dying to return.

Let’s chat about See No Evil 2.  How were you selected to direct and how much say did you have on the incredible cast?

S: We got the script knowing it was time sensitive and were really excited about the opportunity, but we didn't think we'd be hired. After American Mary and Dead Hooker in a Trunk, I think people kept trying to put us in this box of this is what the twins make, but we have very diverse interests and like tackling different sub genres. I hear a lot of nightmare stories about people working with a studio for the first time, but we were extremely lucky. Michael Luisi, the head of WWE Studios, hired us to bring a female perspective to the film. We got to pick our team and modify things creatively as we went along to make the sequel really special. We're fans of the material, so we kept thinking what would be like to bring, knowing we were reintroducing this character from an original that was from so many years ago.

J: We always go to bat for our actors. We love this cast. We got Glenn "Kane" Jacobs as part of it and being huge Kane and Undertaker fans it was really the opportunity of a lifetime. I had wanted to work with Danielle Harris for ages. She's an icon. True Horror Queen. And we had to bring Katie Isabelle with us. We wanted to give her something really fun to do. We sat in on every audition and met our boys. Kaj-Erik Eriksen is just the best. I met him and felt like I knew him for years. I knew Greyston Holt, a fellow Hungarian, for a while and had been wanting to get him in something of ours. We were fans of Chelan Simmons from the Final Destination series and Tucker and Dale Vs Evil. Lee was another gift from the auditions. And Michael Eklund? He's the Canadian Daniel Day Lewis. We love him. We were looking for something together for a while and this was perfect.

Were you big WWE fans before this movie? 

S: Yes. A lot of people don't know that we are huge WWE fans. One of the only dreams that my Dad didn't support was me becoming a professional wrestler and getting tattoos. I guess through working with the WWE and making American Mary, I got to experience those avenues as closely as I could. We're still such WWE fans. I think the popularity of professional wrestling is like nothing else. You have these super hero soap operas and these brilliant coordinated fights where heroes & villains fight each week and they have such positive messages about overcoming obstacles or never giving up. Then, you see them on their off time and they are visiting the troops overseas or going to a children's hospital to brighten someone's day. I still dream of maybe getting an opportunity to write an episode of RAW or maybe get in the ring. With Glenn 'Kane' Jacobs and Paul 'Big Show' Wight as back up, though. Those lady Superstars are tough, I'd love to train to get in the ring with them. Maybe take on the Bellas?

J: Only the biggest. I lose my shit at the live events. I love it so much. Getting to work with and meet so many of the WWE Superstars has only increased my love for the whole organization and what those performers put themselves through. Real life super heroes, all of them! I remember an acting teacher made fun of me for loving WWE and said it was a waste of my time. Guess he can "suck it" (Degeneration X) now.


Did you change any of the script and if so (without giving too much away) was it much and why did you change it?

S: We had a completely collaborative team and that was a very supportive environment to make the film. I don't want to give too much away, but we switched up the gender roles in this film big time. It's very subtle, so a lot of people didn't really notice it until the end. I sometimes think, oh I wish I had done this or did that, but the scene in the morgue with Katharine Isabelle and Lee Majdoub with Kane on the slab was very much us. That character went from being a dude to being Tamara and ended with such a sexy moment. We like playing with people's expectations and the team was totally down for it too.

J: Ugh, I can't say much without giving it away but we wanted to give the film that classic 80s slasher feel to it. AND we played with typical gender roles. Nuff said! Can't say more without ruining everything!


How tough was the shoot, what did you learn from it and if you could go back and do it again what would you change?

S: The worst planned moment was that the big final fight was on the last day and then Jen, Glenn, and I had two hours sleep before we had to get on a plane to fly to New York for New York Comic Con. I was ecstatic to go and it was our first time in New York which was amazing, but the three of us were so dead after shooting non-stop for weeks, then going back into it, but these are the kind of hours you have in the WWE. You don't really think about all that traveling that they do until you see it first-hand. But then again, sleep is something you can do when you're dead.

J: Any 15 day shoot is ambitious. You have got to pick your battles. You have to lose some battles to win the war. If I could change anything it would be that promo NYCC trip that made our first time in NY feel like an acid trip.

What’s Kane like in real life?

S: He's the best. He's not Kane. I mean, if anyone is Kane, it's Glenn and he's such a phenomenal performer that that character is a real guy to people. He was a real guy to me too, until I got to meet the man behind the Devil's Favourite Demon. He's very intelligent, he's ridiculously funny - I think it's a shame that we don't get to see more of that comedic genius on the show, he's very down to earth, and he's one of the kindest souls I have had the pleasure of meeting. You see him doing different charity events constantly, he's always giving back to his fellow man, and he's always visiting people in the hospital. It's funny that everyone knows him as this monster on TV, but in real life he's much closer to an angel. I don't want to ruin his street cred, but Glenn is literally the best.

J: He's the coolest. He is SUCH a nice guy. He didn't set anything on fire or murder anyone that wasn't meant to be murdered. Glenn is very down to Earth and terribly brilliant.


SNE2 is one of those rare things, a sequel that’s stronger than the original, would you agree?

S: That's what we set out to do. I think one of the most important aspects of a slasher is that you care for the cast so there's a sense of wins and losses in this horrific situation you've placed these people in. We wanted it to be visually beautiful, we wanted to revamp Jacob Goodnight so that he would be more fear-inducing, and we wanted to have a lot of fun killing whoever it is we end up killing in the film. I'm hoping with the set up in See No Evil 2, they'll let us have another round with a third instalment.

J: That's what I think, but I've heard people say the opposite. You can't make everyone happy, I suppose. And those people are idiots. No accounting for taste! I wanted to create this extension of Jacob Goodnight's world that made the audience actually feel something. I feel that's the main difference between a horror film and, say, an action film. If you care when someone dies you're probably watching a horror film and if you don't care someone did something wrong. We wanted to redesign the Jacob Goodnight character. The fans wanted a mask and we were totally into delivering. What's a horror icon without a cosplayable costume, right?


Are you pleased SNE2 is getting its UK TV premiere on Horror Channel?

S: Nothing makes me happier! They were the first ones to put us on TV and now look what's happened. Technically, this is all their fault.

J: I am deliriously excited. I LOVE the UK Horror Channel!! They've have been so deliciously delightful to us. They cared about us before anyone got aboard the band wagon! We Soskas don't forget stuff like that!


If SNE3 ever came about would you be up for it?

S: We have been talking to the team for years about making a third one. We nicknamed it 3 No Evil and we have a killer idea set up for it. The team is interested in coming back, maybe this UK TV premiere will be what gets them to say, why not, how bad could it be?

J: 3 No Evil? I've actually been dying to do a sequel to our sequel. It would be so fun to reunite with Glenn and company. We have some big plans for him in the future...


How much in the last 10 years has the movie industry changed for women? Are you now rightfully treated as equals?

S: There's definitely more of a spotlight on the inequality in hiring female directors which has opened up this dialogue that has been going strong for years. You look at filmmakers like Ana Lily Amirpour with A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Julia Ducournau with Raw, Agnieszka Smoczyńska with The Lure, and so many others - and you see these unique perspective films and you see that audiences are hungry for that. There's this misconception about who the film-going audiences are and what they will pay to see in the theatres, but then you see someone try something different like Jennifer Kent did with The Babadook and its insanely successful. Yet instead of looking for more new ideas to give audiences more of a variety, they try to recreate the last success and there's no art in that. Creating true equality is an ongoing process, but I truly don't mind. There are no other sister directing teams that we are following in the footsteps of, every step is new ground that hopefully makes the path less unruly for those who come next.

J: We're getting there but we've still got a ways to go. Female filmmakers are making a lot more noise about diverse representation and the fans are echoing that call. Ladies still have to fight hard for those opportunities and get overlooked for their male counter parts. If another male director with less experience than me gets another superhero franchise I might lose my shit. With all the attention on female filmmakers right now, particularly in the horror genre, I think we're gonna see more of a shift in hiring (and paying equal wages). But ask me next time we chat, we'll see how far we came.


So, what are you working on at the moment?

S: We are very honored to have been the team chosen to take on the remake of Cronenberg's Rabid. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of remakes but that's if they don't have anything new to bring to the story. We have a unique perspective just because of who we are to tell the story from Rose's eyes as well as make a commentary on the increasingly rabid world that we live in. Also, we've been dying to get back into body horror. Ten years into David's filmmaking career, he remade The Fly and it brought him to this new level. This is ten years into our career and this will be our first film that gets a wide theatrical release, so it feels like a good pairing. We just have to make sure we don't let down our country, our fanbase, and our hero. No pressure.

J: Rabid! And sadly a bunch of stuff I can't talk too much about. I will say that one of our original scripts has now gone into production and I'm really beside myself about it. It's a dream I'd forgotten I'd even had. We wrote this particular script at the same time as American Mary and it's maybe my favorite thing we've ever written. It's a "fuck yeah" film so get stoked for that. We have quite a few films in production and Kill-Crazy Nymphos Attack!, our (very) graphic novel that we're doing with Daniel Way with artwork by Rob Dumo. It's coming this summer, so grab that if you want to be horribly offended.

See No Evil 2 is broadcast on Horror Channel, 10.50pm, Fri April 7