‘M3GAN’ Director’s First Movie ‘Housebound’ Is Even Better

As a film enthusiast with a soft spot for horror comedies, I find myself absolutely captivated by the journey of Gerard Johnstone, a director hailing from New Zealand who seems to have inherited the horror-comedy gene from none other than the legendary Peter Jackson. His debut feature, “Housebound,” showcases a unique blend of terror and humor that left me both scared and laughing out loud – much like a rollercoaster ride through a haunted house!

Gerard Johnstone, a New Zealand-based writer, director, and producer, entered the feature film scene with “Housebound” in 2014. Prior to this, he had only one project – working as a director and writer for 14 episodes of TV personality Jaquie Brown’s sitcom, “The Jaquie Brown Diaries,” from 2008 to 2009. Interestingly, Johnstone decided to delve into the horror genre for his next venture. He acknowledged that this choice was driven by the fact that such movies were the only financially viable options on a low budget in New Zealand (and most other places).

On a tight budget initially set at $250,000 (later increased to $400,000), Johnstone allowed circumstances to guide his creative choices, opting to establish his story within a single setting to conserve funds. This decision led him to the concept of a haunted house. Recognizing the financial challenges of finding an appropriate location for filming, Johnstone chose to create a ‘bottle movie’. Despite the difficulties, this choice proved beneficial. Even securing a suitable house for filming was challenging financially. Drawing on his past experiences, Johnstone decided to infuse humor into his project instead of going for a completely dark tone. The blend of suspense and laughter resulted in a surprising success, setting the stage for his future work, including his second film titled M3GAN.

Johnstone’s Vision and Dedicated Actors Brought Housebound to Life

The film, titled Housebound, centers around a character named Kylie Bucknell (portrayed by Morgana O’Reilly), who finds herself under house arrest due to her recent criminal activities, such as an unsuccessful ATM robbery. This confinement takes place within her childhood home, where she now resides with her mother and stepfather. Shortly after her imprisonment begins, it becomes evident that Kylie’s mother, Miriam (Rima Te Wiata), is convinced the house is haunted. Due to Kylie’s rebellious nature and strained relationship with her parents, she vehemently denies this belief, leading to escalating tensions within the household.

This movie, Housebound , offers an engaging murder mystery, a unique talking teddy bear character, and an exhilarating kitchen utensil fight between a group of individuals. It’s incredibly entertaining with unexpected twists and turns throughout the film.

Morgana O’Reilly Delivered on Kylie’s Attitude

Morgana O’Reilly, famous for her recurring character as Naomi Canning on the Australian soap opera “Neighbours” and with a rich theater history, brings just the right touch of toughness to Kylie. In truth, the movie “Housebound” might have struggled significantly if it hadn’t had its spot-on lead character, perfectly played by O’Reilly. Vox critic Aja Romano aptly sums up Kylie as being “incredibly hard to forget and wonderfully annoying … rebellious, moody, rude, occasionally aggressive, and consistently fed up with everything and everyone around her.

Johnstone chose O’Reilly to play Kylie, as he had previously collaborated with her on an episode of The Jaquie Brown Diaries, and was impressed by what he described as her “young gypsy-witch nursing a hangover” vibe. Before the script was finalized, he cast her for the role. Their film premiered at South by Southwest in 2014 to critical acclaim and later became one of the most renowned horror films produced in New Zealand.

Gerard Johnstone Cemented Himself in the Horror Zeitgeist

Gerard Johnstone frequently cited Ghosthunters TV series and classic horror films like The Changeling (1980) and The Legend of Hell House (1973), which involve haunted houses, as his main sources of inspiration for the movie Housebound. To stand out in a crowded genre, Johnstone creatively blended his unique blend of absurdity into the film. He skillfully combined a typical horror narrative with screwball comedy to create an atmosphere that was both terrifying and comical, which was exactly what he intended.

Johnstone clarified to Flicks that he referred to the film as a “kitchen sink ghost mystery,” although it may seem confusing, what he truly meant was that it blends real-life social issues with comical frights. In essence, it’s entertaining and won’t cause nightmares. It’s a horror movie suitable for taking your mother to watch. Similar to Housebound, the accessibility of M3GAN is one of its advantages as it appeals to both dedicated horror enthusiasts and those not typically fond of the genre.

Johnstone Has Been Compared to Peter Jackson

Various commentators, including actress Morgana O’Reilly, have drawn an insightful parallel between Johnstone and New Zealand horror filmmaker Peter Jackson, who gained global fame for his epic fantasy series “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” Prior to reaching such acclaim, Jackson honed his skills with horror comedies like “Bad Taste” (1987), “Dead Alive” (1992), and “The Frighteners” (1996). Being likened to a legend like Jackson is a significant compliment for Johnstone. Jackson himself praised “Housebound” as “Bloody brilliant!

Housebound’s Success Paved the Way for M3GAN

After the release of Housebound, it wasn’t just Jackson who caught the attention of filmmakers in the horror genre. Horror enthusiasts James Wan and Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse Productions, immediately saw potential in Johnstone for their 2022 movie, M3GAN. This film centers around a life-sized AI doll that develops consciousness and turns violent. They felt that Johnstone’s unique style would perfectly suit their project. As Wan shared with Deadline:

As a passionate admirer, I couldn’t stop raving about Gerard’s film “Housebound” to anyone who would listen. It shares a striking resemblance with “M3GAN” in that it delivers chills and thrills, but with a dose of humor that adds an unexpected twist. Gerard seems to possess this unique ability to navigate the tightrope between terror and laughter, a talent that I believe was crucial for the creation of “M3GAN.

A notable stretch of time elapsed between Johnstone’s directorial films, spanning eight years from 2014 to 2022. This prolonged gap can be attributed to his commitment to selecting projects that resonate with him, sometimes leading to the rejection of lucrative offers. Johnstone himself has shared that he declined numerous scripts due to their overly grim tone, as his work tends to incorporate humor. The movie M3GAN, however, appeared to be an ideal fit, and judging by its reception both critically and financially, it indeed proved to be a suitable choice for him.

Johnstone Found Mainstream Success with M3GAN

The film titled “M3GAN” turned out to be an enormous success at the box office, earning $181 million compared to its production budget of just $12 million. This is quite a significant increase from Johnstone’s initial venture, to put it mildly. In truth, Johnstone himself acknowledges the pressure he felt following the triumph of “M3GAN,” given his sudden elevation to the major filmmaking sphere. Remarkably, a sequel, titled “M3GAN 2.0,” is scheduled for release in 2025, with Johnstone once more at the helm as director.

Looking at his impressive achievements during his initial stint with limited resources, it’s exciting to anticipate the trajectory of his career as he now has access to blockbuster budgets. He’s definitely an actor to keep an eye on in the horror genre, and if he maintains the high-quality work that Housebound showcases, he’s destined for greatness. Housebound, a must-watch, is available for free streaming on Tubi, Pluto TV, Philo, Plex, and The Roku Channel. You can also rent or buy it from standard digital platforms. Here’s a link to watch it for free: [Watch Housebound for Free]

Watch Housebound

2024-12-01 20:32