After spending a few years directing large-scale action blockbusters, James Wan is returning to his roots with an all-new original horror thriller called “Malignant. Warner Bros. Studios has just released the first trailer for the upcoming film that follows a woman who constantly has visions of gruesome murders that turn out to be very real.
While I enjoyed “Furious 7” for what it was, and had a blast watching “Aquaman,” I’ve missed seeing Wan sitting in the director’s chair for a horror film. He doesn’t need any silly iconic horror figures or a big budget to make any horror film be splashy. Rather, he relies on taking familiar horror tropes and putting an interesting twist on them. Furthermore, he subverts our expectations by teasing us with something simple and giving us something truly horrifyingly good in the end.
“Malignant” will be the first time since “The Conjuring 2” that Wan has directed a horror film. And it looks like he hasn’t lost his touch as the scares are there but vague as best as we don’t exactly know what has possessed Madison to see these murders happen as if she were there. ANd it is better if the trailer stays vague because we don’t have to worry about any of the bigger scares or surprises being spoiled.
“Malignant” stars Annabelle Wallis (“Annabelle”), Maddie Hasson (“Mr. Mercedes”), George Young (“Containment”), Michole Briana White (“Dead to Me”), Jacqueline McKenzie (“Reckoning”), Jake Abel (“Supernatural”), and Ingrid Bisu (“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It”).
Here’s the brief plot synopsis:
Malignant” is the latest creation from “Conjuring” universe architect James Wan (“Aquaman,” “Furious 7”). The film marks director Wan’s return to his roots with this new original horror thriller.
In the film, Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.
Behind the scenes, Wan was joined by his frequent collaborators, director of photography Don Burgess and editor Kirk Morri (“Aquaman,” “The Conjuring 2”), production designer Desma Murphy (art director, “Aquaman,” “Furious 7”), as well as costume designer Lisa Norcia (“Insidious: The Last Key”). The music is by Joseph Bishara, who has composed the score for all seven films in “The Conjuring” Universe, among many others.
Warner Bros. Pictures will release “Malignant” under its New Line Cinema banner in theaters and on HBO Max on September 10, 2021.
