James Wan’s Next Horror Movie Is Brilliantly Copying The Approach Of This Surprise Sci-Fi Hit From 2018

Instead of taking the conventional route, James Wan‘s next horror movie is brilliantly treading the same path as a 2018 sci-fi film. In his career as a director, James Wan has dabbled with films of diverse genres and themes. For instance, his latest directorial endeavor was with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In the past, he has also helmed a few installments of the Fast & Furious franchise. However, despite having films of distinct genres in his directorial portfolio, Wan is best known for his work in horror movies like Insidious, The Conjuring, Saw, and Malignant.

This makes his return to the horror genre with his next film even more exciting. More than his return to the genre, however, what makes his upcoming horror film intriguing is that it will likely not conform to the well-worn tropes and run-of-the-mill ideas of horror. Instead, it will seemingly emulate the recipe of a six-year-old sci-fi movie that has surprisingly grown more and more popular over time.

James Wan’s The Call of Cthulhu Adaptation Is Following In The Footsteps Of Alex Garland’s Annihilation

Like Alex Garland, Wan Is Taking A Big Risk With His Lovecraftian Film

Alex Garland’s Annihilation faced several roadblocks and issues even before its release. After its test screenings, the initial audience response was so poor that Skydance’s producer, David Ellison, grew concerned about the film’s potential lack of appeal to the masses. He believed Annihilation was too complex and demanded viewers to be too intellectual to understand its ending. Ellison not only wanted Alex Garland to change Annihilation‘s mind-bending ending but also wanted him to make Natalie Portman’s character, Lena, seem more sympathetic (via THR).

The deal led to several behind-the-scenes clashes that affected its distribution, but Alex Garland stood his ground and did not make any unnecessary alterations to its story. Although Annihilation was not a box office success, it has garnered a cult classic status since its release and is often touted as one of the best Lovecraftian movies. From the looks of it, James Wan is taking a similar approach with his upcoming H.P. Lovecraft adaptation, The Call of Cthulhu.

Opening up about his upcoming cosmic horror project, Wan revealed that he expects The Call of Cthulhu to be “a hard sell.” However, despite knowing how challenging it will be for the film to find distributors because of its “esoteric” elements, he has been writing its script purely out of passion. James Wan’s commitment to delivering a loyal Lovecraftian film, despite the risks involved, proves that, like Garland, he is willing to embrace his artistic integrity instead of making safe bets.

Why Lovecraftian Adaptations Are Supposed To Be Esoteric & Hard To Sell

Lovecraftian Tales Have Always Lacked Mainstream Appeal

Wan’s dedication to delivering a faithful Lovecraftian adaptation that may be “esoteric” and “hard to sell” can almost be seen as a testament to the film’s potential to transcend mainstream horror and deliver a unique cinematic experience like Annihilation. The cosmic horror genre may have garnered a relatively bigger following in recent years, but it has never appealed to the masses. Even in the early 1900s, when H.P. Lovecraft published his horror short stories, most of the author’s tales went unnoticed and got him little to no remuneration.

However, decades after his demise, the horror author has a sub-genre dedicated to his work, and his stories have inspired some of the greatest horror writers, like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman, among others. Considering how most cosmic horror stories and adaptations take their time to find their targeted audiences and reach the level of appreciation they deserve, it is good that James Wan is carefully managing his expectations and focusing more on his craft. Owing to this, like Alex Garland’s Annihilation, James Wan‘s The Call of Cthulhu may not commercially succeed but will likely garner the respect of horror purists.