Andy and Barbara Muschietti have made genre films and TV in Hollywood for years. The director-producer duo are siblings, born and raised in Argentina. Their careers took a turn when, around 2013, Guillermo del Toro watched their short film Mama, calling it one of the scariest scenes he’d ever seen. He helped them adapt the short into a feature film, and the rest is history.
Since then, Andy and Barbara have worked across film and television, including on the superhero film “The Flash” and the horror hit duology “It“. Last year, they released their first TV series, “Welcome to Derry,” to great success on HBO Max.
This year, they’re releasing their first film under their production company Nocturna, which specializes in genre filmmaking. “They Will Kill You” is a project they’re especially excited about.
© Warner Bros. Pictures“We read the script and absolutely loved it. It was the kind of movie we wanted to see. Then we met the director Kirill Sokolov and watched his first film, ‘Why Don’t You Just Die?,’ which is incredible, and we knew we had something great in our hands,” said Barbara in an interview with HOLA!
“There was some competition; we had to fight for it, but we got it. From that point on, it was smooth sailing, which is rare for an original film. It was a big bet for the studio, but the director’s vision was so clear.”
© Warner Bros. PicturesDescribed as a “blood-soaked, high-octane horror-action-comedy,” They Will Kill You follows Zazie Beetz as an ex-convict who responds to an ad to work as a housekeeper in a New York City high-rise. She soon learns the seemingly perfect offer hides something far more sinister, as the film follows her survival inside a mysterious death trap.
Led by Beetz, the cast is a blend of up-and-coming and established names, including Myha’la, Patricia Arquette, Heather Graham, Tom Felton, and more. “Casting was a pleasure. We got our first choice for every role,” said Barbara. “We just premiered at South by Southwest, and it was an incredible screening. Honestly, we’ve never experienced a screening that intense.”
© Warner Bros. PicturesOf course, working with a sibling comes with its own unique dynamic. “We’ve been working together since before movies,” says Andy. “We had a commercial production company. Our roles haven’t changed: Barbara produces, I direct. Even when we collaborate, we respect each other’s roles.”
“We don’t fight about creative differences, we fight about everything else,” adds Barbara with a laugh. “Sibling stuff. Andy leaves things everywhere, he steals my computer cables…”
© Warner Bros. Pictures“Because I’m an artist!” he replies.
“I could punch you for that,” says Barbara.
“You’d be punching an artist,” he quips.
“They Will Kill You” premieres in theaters on March 27.
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