Rumors Follow the leaders of the world’s richest democracies as they gather for the annual G7 summit to write an entertaining statement about a global crisis. While they attempt to plan a global crisis solution, they get lost in the woods and struggle to find their way out.
Filmmakers Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson have worked together on several films, including The green fog And The forbidden room. All three have a unique style that, when blended together, make great genre films. The movie features an ensemble cast including Cate Blanchett, Rolado Ravello, Game of Thrones Star Charles Dance, and more. Rumors Hits theaters on October 18.
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Screen Rant Interviewed Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson about Rumors. They reveal the inspiration behind the film, as well as what the big brain is made of. The filmmakers also talked about working with Cate Blanchett, and how the whole cast came together after she signed on.
The inspiration behind Rumors comes from how frustrating and difficult it is to get anything done in a group
“Eventually, the two strands, us sitting in a room trying to think up ideas, and the G7 on the TV, they just naturally came together, and we knew what we had to do next.”
Screen Rant: What was the inspiration behind the film?
Evan Johnson: Well, it’s my fault for writing a lot of it, but the idea came from the three of us sitting around in a room together over the years, observing our own group dynamic and how frustrating and difficult it is to get something done. Done as a group. Meanwhile, while we’re doing that, the news is occasionally and every year, the G7 summit comes up, and we watch it, and it’s entertaining for us. It’s funny to see the figures walking around or having dinner together, and it would make us laugh. Eventually, the two strands, us sitting in a room trying to think up ideas, and the G7 on the TV, they just naturally came together, and we knew what we had to do next.
The giant brain is made of styrofoam and latex
Screen Rant: What is the giant brain made of?
Galen Johnson: A styrofoam base and then some latex and then some flammable material on top so we can light it on fire.
Guy Madin: Yes. It has an unbelievable carbon footprint. Giant brain sized. Terrible. Sorry. It is really tempting to touch it. If you were in person with him, you would not be able to resist.
The cast all came together after Cate Blanchett signed on
“We have our number one choice across the board.”
Screen Rant: This is such an incredible cast, can you talk about bringing them all on?
Guy Madin: They first started when we first got Roy Dupuy, the part was written for him, the Canadian Prime Minister. Then when Cate Blanchett came on board, we checked off our wishlist. It was amazing. You get what you get when Cate is attached to your project.
Evan Johnson: There’s nothing more fun. The best part of the process is having Kate and then looking around the world and then being like, and you’re going to be in our movie, you’re going to be in our movie, and everybody’s doing it.
Guy Maddin: We have our number one pick across the board.
Rumors are many different genres “gently massaged together”
“It’s a soap opera, but we had to admit that it’s a comedy, I was even forced to admit that it’s a satire.”
Screen Rant: How would you describe the movie to someone who knows nothing about it?
Guy Maddin: It depends who it is. If it’s my accountant brother-in-law, it’s a movie about the G7 and if it’s one that might be more inclined to like horror or something like that, I’ll say it’s about reanimated bog mummies or something, because there’s a number of Genres gently massaged together with an insouciant carelessness.
Galen Johnson: We tailor it to the person who is asked.
Evan Johnson: It’s a soap opera, but we have to admit it’s a comedy. They even forced me to admit that it was a satire.
Guy Madin: I didn’t mean it either. I was shocked when people started laughing at her premiere.
Screen Rant: There are many different genres in this movie. How do you find the balance?
Guy Maddin: It’s probably just instinct. You just go along with the writing and go, that’s enough for now. It’s just a good instinct. You just don’t want to be seen as taking yourself seriously for more than two thirds of a page, or half a page. And then it’s just a matter of a little bit of that. It’s probably like improvising a dish in the kitchen or something like that.
Evan Johnson: When I read or watch a movie, I like to be surprised, especially in something that I find very funny and maybe stupid, I like to be suddenly surprised by something. A tonal shift into something with deep feeling. It’s hard to pull off, but we tried.
More on Rumors 2024
The leaders of the world’s richest democracies gather for the annual G7 summit to draft a provisional statement on a global crisis. They soon become spectacles of incompetence, contending with increasingly surreal obstacles as night falls in the misty forest and they realize that they are suddenly alone.
Check out our other interviews for Rumors:
Source: Screen Rant Plus