Spoilers for The Blackening lie ahead, so read at your own risk.
There’s plenty to like about The Blackening, which is proving to be one of the surprise gems from the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. It has a fun premise and provides solid laughs and scares while throwing in some solid social commentary. The well-reviewed horror comedy also features an ensemble comprised of very likable characters. Seeing them go toe to toe with a crossbow-wielding killer was entertaining enough, but what about having them do battle with other iconic baddies from scary movies? Well, some of the cast would certainly love to see that, and Saw and It are among the franchises they’d relish crossovers with.
I was fortunate enough to speak with the stars ahead of their new movie’s premiere and couldn’t help but ask about ideas for potential mashups. All seemed enthusiastic when asked and, as a result, they shared some creative (and funny) concepts.
Which Character Would Be The Best Fit For Saw?
Countless poor souls have come into contact with Jigsaw and his host of apprentices over the course of the Saw series. Some managed to successfully navigate the horrific traps and games set forth by the killers. However, others met incredibly grisly ends. Despite all of that, one member of The Blackening’s cast would love to see their character meet the aforementioned sadistic mastermind. Said person is Antoinette Robertson, who plays Lisa, and her reasoning for this crossover is sound:
I'm gonna go with Lisa and [Jigsaw] in Saw, because I feel like she's a brainy type of a person, so she can try to outsmart him.
This makes a lot of sense, considering that Lisa was the most level-headed person in her friend group. Not only was she incredibly cerebral, but the young woman also served as a grounding element amid the over-the-top ordeal she and her college buddies experienced. With that in mind, I could certainly see her using the problem-solving skills she possesses to evade Jigsaw’s challenges.
One Star Wouldn’t Mind Facing Off With Pennywise From It
Few horror movie fans would deny the assertion that Pennywise the Dancing Clown is one of the most terrifying creations in all of literature or film. The trans-dimensional being gave The Losers Club their fair share of frights but, in the end, they were able to beat the beast (twice). It’s downfall shouldn’t negate just how dangerous it is, though, and someone who seems to understand that is Sinqua Walls. The Blackening star, who delivered one of the movie’s wildest jokes, portrayed the charismatic Nnamdi. Walls wouldn’t mind Lisa’s boyfriend meeting Pennywise, because he doesn’t think the sadistic jester could handle him:
I’d say Nnamdi versus the clown in It. Yeah, because Nnamdi’s not one of those people to fall in. Like, he's not gonna stick his hand in the drain and say, ‘What's over there?’ He's not gonna do that. He's gonna wait and hang out, pull out a gun and say, ‘What's the problem?’ [Laughs] So I feel like that would kind of throw… Is it Pennywise? Throw him for a loop, he's never seen that before.
The clown famously plays on its victims' fears, though the White Men Can’t Jump star seems confident that his character would remain unaffected. I can’t argue with the notion that bringing a weapon to the situation might help. However, I still say that the young man would have to put in some serious work, as the monster wouldn’t go down easily.
Could A New Nightmare On Elm Street Be On The Horizon?
If there’s any fictional character you don’t want to tangle with, it’s Freddy Krueger. Wes Craven’s burned and metal-clawed madman – who was portrayed brilliantly by Robert Englund – haunted the dreams of his victims (and by extension, moviegoers) for years. Like the other horrific figures we’ve discussed, he’s come across quite a few unlucky people. Though I’m now curious how he’d react to one particular player from The Blackening. I’m talking about Grace Byers’ militant Allison, as the actress picked Krueger as the maniac she’d like to tangle with:
I think I would either do Allison against Jason or Freddy Krueger. I think that she could take ‘em on! … Let me choose one, Freddy. So we'll say Alison versus Freddy Krueger.
Now, this is a very interesting choice on the Harlem star’s part, considering what’s known about her character. As seen in the Tim Story-directed movie, Allison is a true fighter, proving that when she came to blows with one of the killers tormenting her and her friends. And as Antoinette Robertson mentioned after her co-star shared the response above, Allison also knows how to wield a set of claws. I don’t know about you, but I’d love to see whether she could out-slice and dice Freddy. (And if she has a little bit of “medicinal” help as she did in the movie, Krueger may be in for a rough bout.)
Someone Is Hoping To See Another Vampire In Brooklyn
We’re discussing yet another movie from the mind of Wes Craven, one that sometimes slips through the cracks. 1995’s Vampire in Brooklyn saw Eddie Murphy play a Caribbean bloodsucker by the name of Maximillian. In the movie, he caused terror on the streets of the titular town while in search of his bride. It’s a flick that’s developed a cult following over the years, and actor and comedian Melvin Gregg is one of the people who enjoys it. After he shared some keen thoughts on how comedy and horror intersect, he later stated that he’d love to see his Blackening character, King, find his way into the continuity of Murphy’s feature. And Gregg knows exactly how things would play out:
Vampire in Brooklyn. … I think [King will] just kind of forfeit, survive and say, ‘I want to be your next ghoul.’ So it'd be King as Kadeem Hardison and the sequel that we never got, so Vampire Brooklyn.
For those who need context, a subplot of the film involved a numbers runner named Julius Jones, who becomes Max’s servant, turning into a decaying ghoul due to being infected with vampiric blood. In the final scene, Julius finds the ring of his former master – who meets his fate after being stabbed in the heart with a dagger. He puts it on and is instantly transformed into a vampire himself. So it sounds like Melvin Gregg would love to continue that plot thread but insert King into the narrative instead. As a person who finds the classic comedy enjoyable, I wouldn’t mind seeing that. The same is true for Gregg’s co-star, Jay Pharoah, who has an interesting idea of his own.
Let’s Talk Underworld, And Maybe Add Some More Romance
Unlike his co-stars, Jay Pharoah is looking to an action horror franchise for his crossover. Shawn, the character the SNL alum brought to life, met his demise early in the movie. That didn’t stop him from shouting out the Underworld as the series he’d like to drop his character into, though. However, the veteran comedian doesn’t seem all that interested in doing battle with vampires and lycans on screen. He, instead, joked that he just wants to work alongside the franchise’s leading lady:
Underworld. Who’s the girl that starred in that? … Yes, Kate Beckinsale! That’s why I would want to do it. I would want to be in the room with Kate Beckinsale. [Laughs] Because I wouldn’t mind, that’s why. So yeah, I would say Kate Beckinsale.
Kate Beckinsale led the Underworld cast in the role of Selene and, as a result of playing the heroine in five feature films, she’s become an action icon. I’m sure Shawn could use someone as formidable as her by his side while navigating the dangerous world she inhabits. But again, Pharaoh seems to have a love connection on his mind, whether it be with Selene or anyone else, including werewolves. I’m not quite sure what this project would even look like, but I wouldn’t be opposed to finding out.
All in all, the cast of the new horror entry has some interesting ideas for cross-polination. The chances of these theoretical crossovers actually happening are very slim, if I’m being honest. Right now, the more important thing to consider is whether or not Blackening will receive its own sequel that would allow audiences to revisit Lisa, Dewayne, Nnamdi and co. We’ll just have to wait and see and, in the meantime, you can think up your own cool mashups for the ensemble.
You can also see The Blackening, which is now playing in theaters, and check out CinemaBlend’s schedule of upcoming horror movies while you’re at it.
