“Chucky” – Devon Sawa & Don Mancini Discuss That Ultra-Bloody Homage to ‘The Shining’

Warning: Spoilers ahead for “Chucky” Season 3: Episode 6 & Episode 7.

Chucky’s greatest fear, dating all the way back to his introduction in 1988’s Child’s Play, has been death. The serial killer transferred his soul, via voodoo, to a Good Guy doll to avoid it. This week’s brand new seventh episode of “Chucky” Season 3, “There Will Be Blood,” saw the ghost of Charles Lee Ray confront his greatest fear and meet his maker, Damballa. It also brought Chucky voice actor Brad Dourif back to the screen in a shocking turn of events.

Episode 6 saw Chucky commit to going down in a blaze of glory by using the saved eyeball he gouged from President James Collins (Devon Sawa) to gain access to the nuclear missiles. It created an intense standoff in the launch room, with the episode seemingly killing Chucky for good. Except, the White House is home to many restless spirits, and Chucky, as always, has unfinished business. Chucky may technically be dead, but he’s not finished yet.

Episode 7 begins with Chucky’s ghost facing the wrath of Damballa.

How Charles Lee Ray’s mischievous spirit will continue to torment remains to be seen, but Bloody Disgusting spoke with Brad Dourif about appearing on screen again as Charles Lee Ray.

CHUCKY — ‘There Will Be Blood’ Episode 307 — Pictured in this screengrab: Brad Dourif as Charles Lee Ray — (Photo by: SYFY)

While Chucky’s decades-long evasion of death has finally come to an end, his ghost seems to be taking it in stride. But how does Charles Lee Ray feel about his latest predicament? 

Dourif explains, “I asked myself that question, and the thing is, I mean, Chucky has to be very serious about killing. He will turn a living, breathing human being into a piece of meat. He will do that. But it’s also campy. I think that what happens is he’s relieved at the very beginning. He’s like, ‘What is this place?’ And he’s relieved. Right up until Damballa almost throws him into Hell. At that point, he changes and he goes, ‘Don’t do it.’ Damballa says, ‘Okay, you have another chance.’ He takes that very seriously and wins. So yeah, he’s still very frightened of it, but he, frankly, got a little complacent about the whole thing.”

In Chucky’s confrontation with Damballa, the voodoo spirit takes Chucky’s doll form, giving Dourif a chance to play opposite the puppet for the first time. Moreover, the episode marks the first time the actor could step on set and act opposite the “Chucky” cast in person.

“I literally can do the ADR in my house. I don’t have to go to a studio anymore. I got to the point where I could do Chucky in my pajamas, but I didn’t really feel like a part of it, you know? I mean, everybody else worked with each other, not me. It was great to finally get on set,” he tells us. “And I also got to work with the doll. I worked with the puppeteers. I mean, we would do some rehearsal. They were rehearsing things, so I would go over there and play with them. We would do the scene, and I would sit in the middle, and they would say, ‘Well, so you be Chucky and do things.’ Then they would try to use some of that with the puppet.”

CHUCKY — “Jennifer’s Body” Episode 303 — Pictured in this screengrab: Fiona Dourif as Nica Pierce — (Photo by: SYFY)

This week’s jam-packed episode also saw the return of Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif), who shows up to witness Tiffany Valentine’s (Jennifer Tilly) last breath on the execution table.

“I think there’s really only one thing that matters, and that is to cut off the head of the monster,” Fiona Dourif tells Bloody Disgusting. “I mean, every possible thing has been taken, and there’s one reason why Nica wakes up. And it’s to gouge out Tiffany Valentine’s eyes. Which, how wonderful to have a singular purpose, to have a life not complicated. In a way, she’s turned into a villain. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do, you know?”

With both Fiona Dourif and Brad Dourif on set, might we see father and daughter finally share a scene together? Fiona Dourif has a tantalizing tease for what’s ahead.

“In the finale, we share a screen for the first time ever in our lives, and it was a fucking blast,” Fiona grins. “I was not intimidated. It was like the most familiar, wonderful, celebratory thing. Yeah, it was really cool. So that’s in the finale.”

Considering the wild, campy swings that series creator Don Mancini constantly injects, Bloody Disgusting asked Brad and Fiona Dourif whether they still get surprised by the wild plot and character developments. 

“Absolutely,” Brad Dourif emphasizes. “And you should hear the pitch for season four – but you can’t – but that will be even better. He keeps topping himself.”

Fiona Dourif adds, “He topped himself with the story concept for season four. I hope to god we get to do it. Yeah, he told me about it on my birthday in a restaurant, and I was howling. I hope we get to do it.”

The finale of “Chucky” Season 3 airs Wednesday, May 1 on USA & SYFY.