“Brightburn” is definitely not your typical superhero film. In fact, it’s not much of a “heroic” film at all. The upcoming horror film, directed by David Yarovesky and produced by superhero movie alum James Gunn, does feature a superpowered kid that dons a costume and uses his abilities. Except in this film, the young boy (with an origin story that’s eerily similar to a hero known for the big ‘S’ on his chest) uses his powers for evil, murdering townsfolk and generally causing chaos.
And in a new interview with EW, Gunn talks about what makes “Brightburn” such an exciting film and why he thinks it’s a movie that is right at home in the superhero-infused summer months.
You can’t be an iconic superhero (or horror villain, for that matter) without a great look. And for “Brightburn,” the people behind-the-scenes painstakingly worked on creating the costume for the young boy, that somehow successfully mixed his superhero roots with the classic slashers of the horror genre.
“I just gave so many notes on that mask trying to create a really truly iconic horror movie character in the same way that Freddy Krueger is, or in the same way that Leatherface is, or in the same way that Jason [Voorhees] is,” said Gunn. “Trying to create something with that same sort of feel that is instantly scary [and] plays with the superhero-ness of it all but at the same time is most definitely rooted in horror.”
What’s interesting about the film, which is obviously very much a horror film, as noted above, is that it’s being released during Memorial Day weekend. That holiday is known, not for its strong-R horror, but mainly for its big-budget action spectacles that the whole family can go out and enjoy.
Gunn thinks “Brightburn” is perfect for the holiday and says it’s “a great Memorial Day movie. Who doesn’t want to see an alien child on a murderous rampage as we begin our summer?”
Well, we’ll have to see if the box office results reflect that interest when “Brightburn” hits theaters on May 24.
Here’s a new image from the film:
