"The screenwriter of Apartment 7A talks about his fascination with 'Rosemary's Baby' and how the Paramount Plus horror movie sidestepped the curse of sequels."
Have Hollywood prequels become the new trend in sequels?
With the film industry becoming increasingly reliant on established ideas, many studios and creators are receiving new project proposals based on successful movies and series from the past. A notable example of this trend is Apartment 7A, a haunting prequel directly connected to the acclaimed 1968 classic, Rosemary's Baby, directed by Roman Polanski. This original film, featuring performances by Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes, delves into the story of a couple who move into an old Manhattan building filled with dark secrets, where Rosemary inadvertently becomes part of a terrible plan to conceive the Antichrist.
Apartment 7A, directed by Natalie Erika James and written by Skylar James, focuses on the character of Terry Gionoffrio, who in the original film makes a tragic decision by jumping from the infamous Bramford building. The story explores her life beforehand, offering a backstory as an injured dancer who comes into contact with a group of Satanists, who offer her a luxurious apartment in exchange for her complicity in a dark fate. Skylar James has mentioned that she always felt the need to explore more about Terry's character, considering it a loose thread that deserved to be unraveled, which led her to develop this story around her mysterious death.
From its conception, the film aims to honor the legacy of Rosemary's Baby, a film that was not only a horror classic but also marked the beginning of an era of innovative independent filmmakers. With a budget of $3.2 million, Rosemary's Baby grossed $33 million, becoming a cinematic milestone that still resonates in contemporary debates about rights and social issues. James, aware of the history and significance of the original work, has worked to maintain the essence and tone of the film while introducing fresh and contemporary elements that connect with today's audience.
Throughout the process, Paramount has shown a careful approach in preserving the legacy of the original film, avoiding pressure on the creative team of Apartment 7A to include superficial scares. The new film is presented as conceptual horror, where characters like Minnie Castevet represent true terror, emphasizing the ambiguity of evil in the world. The film, although risky, aims to provide a new perspective on themes that remain relevant today.
Apartment 7A is now available to watch on Paramount Plus.
