From hit original franchises likeInsidious,Paranormal Activity, andThe Purgeto Oscar-winners likeWhiplashandGet Outto having a hand in reviving beloved horror staples likeHalloweenand the Universal Monsters, Blumhouse is one of the most dominant forces in filmmaking right now. Growing from the core idea that lower budgets and established filmmakers with creative control would yield more interesting films with better returns, producerJason Blumbuilt a production studio with a sprawling creative net, collaborating with multiple studios, streamers, and a lengthy list of creative talent that consistently delivers some of the best genre films of the era.
The latest big Blumhouse debut isThe Forever Purge, the fifth installment in the near decade-long running franchise about a near-future America where all crime becomes legal during an annual 12-hour window known as “The Purge”. But inThe Forever Purge, extremists decide that 12 hours a year just isn’t enough and in order to fix America, The Purge must never end. And now,The Forever Purgeis coming into your homes, arriving On Demand on July 23 as it’s still playing in theaters.
Ahead of the film’s release, Blum joined us for an episode ofCollider Connectedto discussThe Forever Purgeand tease what’s next for Blumhouse. During our wide-ranging conversation, Blum touched on everything from the uncertain and rapidly evolving state of the industry amidst the pandemic to a deep-dive on all thingsThe Purge, including the tricky timing of releasingThe Forever Purgein theaters, franchise creatorJames DeMonaco’s knack for prophetic storytelling and why Blum doesn’t concern himself with the political timeliness of his films, why thePurgespinoff TV series was cancelled and how it changed his mind on spinoff series in general, and ifThe Forever Purgeis really going to be the lastPurgemovie.
RELATED:‘The Forever Purge’ Was Supposed to Be the Final ‘Purge’ Movie; James DeMonaco Reveals Why He Changed His Mind
Looking ahead, we also discussed why the newParanormal Activitymovie had to be a reboot, entrustingInsidious 5with franchise star and first-time directorPatrick Wilson, the ongoing creative discussions onLeigh WhannellandRyan Gosling’sWolfman, and working withBryan Fulleron a new adaptation ofStephen King’sChristine, as well as broader industry topics like the collapse of the theatrical distribution window, why that makes it harder to decide which movies get a theatrical release - and what those deciding factors are.
Watch the full interview in the video above, and below, check out a rundown of the topics we discussed.
KEEP READING:Jason Blum on ‘The Forever Purge,’ ‘Firestarter,’ and Why ‘The Black Phone’ Might Be Scott Derrickson’s Best Film
