Writer/Director Zach Cregger’s Barbarian goes full-throttle on unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat horror (read my review here). Releasing in theaters on September 9, Barbarian stars Georgina Campbell as Tess and Justin Long (Drag Me to Hell, Tusk) as AJ. Both characters get caught up in a rental nightmare beyond imagination.
Ahead of the release, Bloody Disgusting spoke with the actors about joining the cast of one visceral, unhinged horror movie.
Long is no stranger to horror and has demonstrated a fearlessness for playing more daring roles, like his divisive character in Kevin Smith’s Tusk. When asked about what it was that drew him to Barbarian, the actor answered, “It was the script. It was how well-written the script was. I had never read a horror script like that. You mentioned Tusk; it was like that.
“I remember having that experience. But this one subverted the genre in such an interesting way and started off as a well-written romantic comedy. Then there was this curve ball that I just did not see coming. That was so wild. I thought, ‘I really want to be a part of this story.’ I’m a fan of the genre myself, so I wanted to be a part of a cool entry in the genre.”
 100vw, 740px” data-recalc-dims=”1″></p>
<p id=)
Georgina Campbell as Tess in 20th Century Studios’ BARBARIAN, exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Georgina Campbell echoed Long’s sentiments on Cregger’s script. She added, “I loved it all. I had the same reaction as Justin reading the script. I thought it was wonderful. Zach has spoken about it as well, that he just kept one-upping himself, and kept pushing it, and pushing it, and pushing it, and pushing it, and making sure that the audience is on the edge of their seat the whole time. That’s how I felt when I read it. He’s just packed so much into it. I’m very into all of it, the more nuanced stuff, and then the stuff that’s just outrageous.”
First and foremost, Cregger set out to create an unexpected and entertaining thrill ride for audiences. But Barbarian offers some interesting insights as well for receptive audiences.
Long weighed in on why he thinks horror is the perfect vehicle for social commentary.
“I think it always has been,” Long stated. “I think as far back as Psycho and Night of the Living Dead, horror tropes were used to explore difficult, complicated social issues and gender issues. That’s what Zach is doing in a way that’s not at all beating you over the head with it. It’s a lot more nuanced and thoughtful. Zach himself is quite thoughtful and sensitive. I think he is a lot more aware than most men I know. He’s a lot more aware of some of the misogynistic pitfalls that surround us. And he explores those, I think, in an exciting way.
“But as you said, he’ll be the first to say he just wants it to be fun. And it is fun, but it does conjure a lot of interesting conversation.”
“I think what I enjoy about it is seeing this event through two prisms and seeing a female’s experience and two male experiences through this event, and the way they are completely different,” Campbell adds. “Well, in both circumstances where Tess goes down and starts discovering things, Keith and AJ go down with a different mindset and completely different energy than she does. It’s interesting to see that dynamic play out.”
Barbarian opens only in theaters this weekend.
