‘Bring Her Back’: Michael & Danny Philippou Discuss Their Horror Evolution, Crying With Sally Hawkins, ‘Street Fighter,’ & ‘Talk 2 Me’ [The Discourse Podcast] 

For their follow-up to the 2022 breakout horror hit “Talk to Me,” Danny and Michael Philippou didn’t just want to go bigger—they wanted to go deeper. And with “Bring Her Back,” they’ve delivered something ferocious – a raw, dread-soaked story that punches just as hard emotionally as it does in scares. If their debut showed they had talent, this new film cements them as filmmakers with true staying power.

When host Mike DeAngelo sat down with the brothers shortly after the film’s premiere, they were still riding the adrenaline. “It was the most incredible atmosphere,” Danny said. “Having all the cast there, everyone being acknowledged for their hard work—it was amazing. And I love that they’re all proud of the film.”

LISTEN: ‘Friendship’: Andrew DeYoung On Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, & The Wildest, Cringiest Buddy Comedy Of The Year [The Discourse Podcast]

Critics and audiences have already latched onto “Bring Her Back” for its blend of occult terror and emotional authenticity, something Danny said was born from personal grief. “I was grieving when we wrote this film. We lost someone at the start of pre-production. It didn’t feel like I was trend-hopping. I had to express this story or I’d carry it with me.”

Despite that heavy subject matter, the film is never maudlin. It feels lived in, urgent, and expansive. Part of that is due to the intense lore the filmmakers built behind the scenes. “We recorded the entire ritual tape. We’ve got a whole backstory of the angel that got summoned, the cult that summoned him, where Laura got the tape,” Danny explained. “We love having all of that world outside the film, then dropping you into this moment and giving you hints. It just makes the world feel bigger.”

If it feels like a leap from “Talk to Me,” the brothers say it never stopped feeling terrifying to make. “You always feel out of your depth,” Michael admitted. “There’s more pressure now. People are taking us seriously. That doesn’t make it easier.” Danny added, “There was no confidence going into it. We could have f**ked it up.”

Of course, they didn’t. Much of the credit goes to the cast, especially Sally Hawkins, whose commitment floored the directors. “That scene in the pool shed—I’d never cried on set before,” Danny said. “It was such a raw, intimate scene. Everyone in that room was crying.” Sally didn’t just show up and act. She immersed herself fully, helping with design elements and insisting on staying on set for scenes where she wasn’t even visible. “She wanted to be there to knock on the door off-camera. She said, ‘Laura would be there,’” Danny recalled.

The Philippous’ naturalistic performances are no accident. They spend weeks in rehearsals, workshopping scenes the audience never sees to build lived-in relationships. “Even with Sally and Annie [Byron], who plays Wendy, we played out key moments from their lives,” Michael said. “We went to football games with the cast in character. It makes the relationships feel real.”

As for what’s next, don’t expect a sequel to “Bring Her Back.” Danny said, “Once we hit that ending, there were no other pages. It feels like a self-contained story.” Though he jokes that a prequel starring Sally might be on the table: “Even if I said, ‘Sally, you have to play Oliver now,’ I’d watch that.”

Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free.

A sequel to “Talk to Me,” however, is actively in development—in fact, there are two different versions of the script. “We’ve written two versions,” Danny revealed. “One focuses on one group of characters, one focuses on another. They’re both totally different and both exciting.” Michael added, “It has to feel new and fresh, not like we’re retreading anything. The characters and the direction—it all needs to push the world further.”

That project might not come next, though. “We’re writing another film right now,” Michael noted. “That might be the next one.”

And then there’s their almost-was “Street Fighter” movie. “It literally was just scheduling, and it was the hardest decision. It was so hard. Legendary was great. Capcom was great. We were so excited,” Danny said. “But the scheduling didn’t work out. I was traveling around Thailand, training in Muay Thai, and being in the world. I found the real-life Sagat that the characters are based on and wrote the fight sequences.”

“Anytime I hear Street Fighter, it’s like seeing an ex-girlfriend. The feelings are still there.” Michael added. 

For now, it’s clear the Philippous are focused on the stories that hit closest to home—and with “Bring Her Back,” they’ve turned raw grief into one of the most harrowing, personal, and hypnotic horror films of the year. 

“Bring Her Back” hits theaters on May 30. Listen to the entire interview below:

The Playlist Presents: Michael & Danny Philippou’s Film/TV Recommendation Playlist:

• “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962)
• “Wait Until Dark” (1967)
• “See No Evil” (1971)

The Discourse is part of The Playlist Podcast Network, which includes Deep Focus, Bingeworthy, and more. We can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud,  and most places where podcasts are found. Be sure to subscribe and leave a comment or rating—we greatly appreciate your support!

Mike DeAngelo

+ postsBio ⮌

This author does not have any more posts