The creator of the first three films in this saga now regrets having launched it. He also explains why he did not want to direct the other feature films, nor the spin-off television series.
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In 2013, James DeMonaco unveiled the horror thriller American Nightmarealso called The purge. The story, narrated by Ethan Hawke, follows a wealthy seller of high-tech home security systems. He lives in a middle-class neighborhood and all his wealthy neighbors use his equipment. Everyone prepares for the night of the Purge, an annual event during which all laws fall. American citizens have a few hours to commit all the crimes, assaults, murders and other atrocities they want. When the sun rises, they will once again become upstanding citizens ready to follow the rules for the remaining 364 days of the year. Produced on a budget of three million dollars, American Nightmare became a surprise box office success, generating over $89 million worldwide. James DeMonaco then rode the success of the first film for a while by working on two sequels, but today, he regrets being at the origin of this horror saga.
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American Nightmare : why James DeMonaco is “more and more disturbed by this idea”
The first thriller The purge gave birth to a franchise composed of a series of five films, and a television series, broadcast for the first time in 2018. The year of its release, it was unveiled at Los Angeles Times why he never wanted to make it happen, nor continue working on his saga : “Everyone always asks me why I didn’t make The First Purge or the TV series. I’m increasingly disturbed by the idea; there was an abstraction in the idea. Many say the Purge can become reality in America. Hearing this makes me very sad for our country, that we are even in a place where this can be said out loud.” The director did not envisage develop films with a plot too close to reality. He also did not want to be the one to give such ideas to the people.
Did the director think a purge could actually take place in the United States?
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On social networks, James DeMonaco saw numerous messages of hatred and violence, including some mentioned the desire to carry out a purge. However, he does not think that the citizens could have taken action: “Do I think the Purge will happen? I don’t think we’ll go that far, but now when I see what’s happening, where we’re putting little kids in prison and with the immigration crisis Right now it’s getting sadder and sadder every day.”
Article written in collaboration with 6Medias
