What’s better than a slasher film? How about a slasher film set at a camp? The multiple entries in the “Friday the 13th” franchise and the cult following of the “Sleepaway Camp” series would suggest that it is a surefire way to get eyes on screens. The upcoming film “They/Them” however, looks to throw an interesting cultural molotov cocktail into this tried and true premise. Set at an LGBTQ+ conversion camp, it focuses on a cast of queer characters avoiding both camp counselors and a killer alike, which yes, can be a very dubious choice since we’re talking about the fragile sexual identity of teens and the parents that don’t want them to be gay. Manipulative, exploitive of the current cultural moment and hysteria surrounding grooming, transgendered people? It certainly possesses all of those possibilities if not sensitively handled.
Oh, and just to harken further back to “Friday the 13th,” why not have it star Kevin Bacon? The first trailer for the film is now available online and it’s sure to be a provocative film that could explode into the discourse.
Produced by Jason Blum and Michael Aguilar through Blumhouse Productions, “They/Them” is written and directed by John Logan, the film also being Logan’s directorial debut. In an interview with Collider, Blum revealed that Logan wrote the script for “They/Them” on spec, suggesting that it is a more personal project for the prolific screenwriter. From working on the likes of the Academy Award-winning “Gladiator,” to “The Last Samurai” with Tom Cruise, and the James Bond features “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” John Logan has quite the catalog. Even then, “They/Them” looks to potentially be his most unique film he has written yet (or most controversial), meaning however its reception will turn out, it will get people talking.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Kevin Bacon plays Owen Whistler in this slasher horror film set at an LGBTQIA+ conversion camp. Several queer and trans campers join Whistler for a week of programming intended to “help them find a new sense of freedom.” As the camp’s methods become increasingly more psychologically unsettling, the campers must work together to protect themselves. When a mysterious killer starts claiming victims, things get even more dangerous.
Starring Theo Germaine, Kevin Bacon, Anna Chlumsky, Carrie Preston, Austin Crute, Monique Kim, Anna Lore, Cooper Koch, and Darwin del Fabro, “They/Them” releases on August 5th on Peacock. Watch the new trailer below.