Darkish Match star and producer Chris Jericho spoke to ComingSoon about starring within the professional wrestling horror film. Jericho mentioned his character within the movie, its deathmatch sequences, and far more. Darkish Match is now streaming on Shudder.
“A small-time wrestling firm accepts a well-paying gig in a backwoods city solely to be taught, too late, that the neighborhood is run by a mysterious cult chief with devious plans for his or her match,” says the synopsis for Darkish Match starring Chris Jericho.
Tyler Treese: Chris, congrats on Darkish Match. This was such a enjoyable movie, and also you’re taking part in The Prophet on this you actually get to embrace the occult on this. Your character sacrifices his daughter. He’s not an excellent dude. How is it kinda leaning into that darkish facet for this persona of this former wrestler gone very darkish?
Chris Jericho: I imply, the character [in Dark Match] has numerous completely different layers to it, which I actually was enthusiastic about as a result of I normally are likely to steer clear of any wrestling-related tasks as a result of I normally discover them to be just a little tacky. This was not that in any respect. It was a really well-written script by Lowell Dean. He actually did his homework on the wrestling facet of issues.
However as soon as once more, it’s a lot greater than a wrestling film, as you mentioned. And to see the character of The Prophet — yeah, he’s batshit loopy. The stakes preserve getting deeper for this man. The place at first, I assumed, “Oh, is he doing this as a result of he acquired mad on the end of a match?” Like no matter.
And it’s like, “Oh no, he’s filming snuff movies. He’s truly attempting to boost Devil from hell and take over the world.“ Like, I can dig this.
So there have been numerous darkish sides — no pun meant — to this character, and that’s what actually appealed to me. I assumed I might have numerous enjoyable taking part in him and my mission, my mindset was to make individuals overlook that it was Chris Jericho on display screen. I feel because the film continues, I used to be capable of accomplish that. You sort of overlook, like, “Oh, this isn’t the Chris Jericho that we all know and love. That is one thing utterly completely different in a totally completely different world, in a totally completely different means.”
It’s actually nice seeing you in a key function in a movie slightly than only a cameo or popping up for one scene. If you do have a meatier function, how a lot does that provide help to and add to you? As a result of we are able to see that within the efficiency that you simply’ve acquired loads to work with.
I had a very good 12 months final 12 months. I feel 4 films that I did all got here out with completely different various ranges of display screen time, let’s assume. And, you already know, I discovered a very long time in the past, it’s not the period of time, it’s what you do with it. So even in Terrifier 3, it was a brief half, however I used to be very pleased with what made it on the display screen.
As a result of that’s one other factor too. You by no means know what’s gonna find yourself within the edit and also you do all of this nice work and I at all times hate watching a film the very first time ’trigger you don’t know what acquired used and what didn’t. You’re like, “Oh, however that different line was so significantly better, and so they lower this out and also you kinda get mad.” Then I’ve to go watch it once more and simply say, “Okay, simply watch what now that you already know what the film is.
So I feel with a much bigger half, like with Darkish Match, there wasn’t as a lot concern of that as a result of there was a lot stuff. It’s like if you happen to lower a scene or two, it’s not an enormous deal. And that at all times occurs. However, you already know, simply all of the areas that we filmed at after which simply the entire intricate battle scene on the finish. There was some actually nice elements to this function each from an appearing standpoint, [and] from a stuntperson standpoint.
There’s an actual creepy vibe to it that you need to slot in all through the entire film. So I actually loved, such as you talked about, taking part in a much bigger function for thus many various causes. However most significantly as a result of you already know that the film in numerous methods hinges on you.
And I used to be provided the half which may be very uncommon in appearing. The place that implies that you don’t should audition for it. You don’t should impress anyone, they only need you to do the function. That’s a very cool second, nevertheless it’s additionally numerous duty as a result of lots of people have caught their neck out for you, saying, “We all know that is the man.” “Properly, do we now have to check him?” “No, no, no. He’s the man.”
So I’ve to ship above and past to make everyone look good, and particularly myself.
You talked about the director, Lowell Dean — he’s Canadian as effectively, and he has carried out some actually enjoyable movies up to now. He talked about that when he confirmed you the script, you had been a fan and that you simply felt like this was one thing you could possibly write and you probably did have some notes. How was your response whenever you first noticed Darkish Match the script and actually noticed what he had ready?
As soon as once more, you might have a proposal to do that film. I knew Wolf Cop, so I used to be a fan of that film, so I assumed, “Oh, that’s cool… It’s a wrestling film.” And I’m like, “Oh, no matter.” And anytime, like I mentioned, you see a wrestling-related horror film or any wrestling-related film, it’s normally not nice. […] It’s simply at all times sort of just a little bit… ’trigger wrestling’s such a tough world to know.
However then, once I learn the script, I used to be like, “Oh my gosh, that is so good. Like, that is actually, rather well carried out.” He’s carried out an ideal job of actually, you already know embracing and capturing that world.
That was me the primary few years. I imply, touring round rural Alberta and Manitoba, you already know, there’s this an ideal scene the place they’re within the van and so they move an indication that claims, “235 kilometers No Providers.” I imply, I’ve seen that signal. Not that actual one, however lots of them prefer it. So I actually felt near what these guys and women had been going via.
In fact, I by no means needed to face a Satanic cult in Winkler or Manitoba or any of those different locations I went to, however I nonetheless know the sensation of what it’s like to tug up in the midst of nowhere the place the wrestling is the large factor on the night time. So I used to be capable of actually sort of lock into it from that respect and understand that he actually did an excellent job of not patronizing wrestling and the issues he didn’t learn about.
You recognize, I used to be capable of assist him out. You possibly can see that I’ve an govt producer credit score within the film, and that was to have the ability to seek the advice of on, “Yeah, I in all probability wouldn’t say this,” or, “That wouldn’t seem like that.” However there weren’t many components. He actually did an excellent job of nailing the entire vibe in the most effective, most professional means.
Deathmatches have a protracted historical past in professional wrestling. This film has a very twisted card with precise dying matches. You’ve at all times been progressive together with your matches. So, did you get any wild concepts, even when they’re not relevant in a real-life setting from doing this movie?
I imply that’s the factor. We’ve had Inferno matches in WWF and so they’re at all times kinda lame. Like they don’t actually set it up correctly and nothing actually occurs. And you already know, I simply love the idea of, you already know, hearth, water, earth and, and wind. These had been all of the matches. Every dying match was primarily based round that.
And I assumed he did such an excellent job, just like the imaginative and prescient that he had, and clearly our set designers […] That fireside match regarded higher than an inferno match that you’d have in early 2000. Like Kane would have them, however they at all times regarded silly. This regarded nice. And there was numerous that kind of component to it.
In order that’s another excuse why I say this film turned out so effectively. It wasn’t simply the way it was written. The actors — Steve Ogg, Aisha Issa, and Michael Eklund — did such an ideal job of taking part in these elements. However then the battle scenes had been so good, and the lighting was so effectively carried out, and the set design.
And the gimmicks of the matches actually, actually good. Just like the wind match when – spoiler – one of many guys will get his throat lower after which the wind is blowing the blood, prefer it’s simply this fountain of blood. It simply appears prefer it makes it such a cool trying kill scene from that.
So as soon as once more, actually, rather well carried out. Taking one thing that might very simply be on the cheese facet and making it look visually cool and storyline-wise was very effectively carried out as effectively.
You talked about Steven Ogg. You guys have an ideal little match close to the top of the movie. How is it working with him on these battle scenes? Clearly, you might have a professional wrestling background, however filming’s just a little completely different.
Clearly, I used to be an enormous fan of his from Strolling Useless and didn’t even learn about his background on Grand Theft Auto, which he has an enormous fan base from as effectively. However the second I acquired on set, my very first scene is when The Prophet comes on the balcony trying down on the occasion and Steven is down there.
As soon as once more, like I informed you, I acquired this as a proposal. So it’s my very first scene and I have to impress. Particularly Steven Ogg. Like that is the true deal, man. I don’t know him, he doesn’t know me, however man, I like his work and he’s the true deal on the subject of an actor. So, okay, “All proper, Jericho, how good are you?” And you need to soar in with each toes into this scene with all of them and realizing like, “Hey man, I belong right here. I can, I can maintain my very own.”
Then after we did the ultimate battle which is a match, I mentioned, “I don’t wanna do a wrestling match. I don’t wish to do physique slams and Partitions of Jericho.” “Hey guys, it’s The Prophet doing a Code Breaker.” Like, I don’t like that. I feel it’s actually gonna be like seeing the increase mic within the shot.
So we had an ideal stunt coordinator named Jean from Montreal, and we put collectively a very good battle scene. Prefer it could possibly be in a wrestling ring, it could possibly be in a again alley. You recognize, Roddy Piper and Keith David from They Reside. It could possibly be in a restaurant or no matter it could be.
I actually loved that battle scene, and I assumed we did an ideal job. There’s nice gore scenes in it, there’s an ideal kill scene in it. Aisha was superior. So I, I assumed we actually constructed it effectively to an ideal finale that was very intense as a battle and never having to fret about, you already know, hitting the ropes and doing Suplexes, which I simply thought wouldn’t have match at that time within the film.
Anyway. So Steven was nice to work with a real skilled and as soon as once more, took the whole lot very significantly, which is all you may ask for whenever you’re doing one thing like this.
That’s great. You talked about some nice gore. The final time we talked, which was Terrifier 2, since then you definately acquired disgustingly killed in Terrifier 3. You lastly acquired that scene with Artwork the Clown you’ve been actually wanting. I can’t consider a much bigger privilege for a horror fan than to get killed by Artwork the Clown. Simply how particular was that second in attending to see that on the digital camera? As a result of it appears improbable when your face is simply getting ripped aside.
Yeah, I acquired double-teamed by Artwork and Victoria, which was superb.
That entire expertise on 2 and three was a blast. Lengthy lengthy story brief was the entire ending needed to be reconfigured as a result of the film Malignant had the identical end as we had initially filmed for 2, and had Malignant not come out, I don’t assume that my character or Victoria had been even deliberate to be in three.
Consequently, I acquired a complete nice kill scene out of it and Victoria acquired a complete film out of it, so thanks Malignant for stealing Damien’s thought for the ending of the movie. We actually put numerous time into that, and it was actually superb as a result of they construct the mould of your face now with a scanner after which to be proper off digital camera watching my actual face that appears identical to this with pores and skin and the whole lot – jaw getting ripped off – and the pores and skin is stretching, and the bone is… like, “Guys, I’m standing proper right here. That is fairly gross.”
So yeah, it was actually cool to be part of that. Now in fact each horror film conference within the free world needs me to come back do signings and stuff. So I feel I simply created one other job for myself for the subsequent 20 years simply from that two-minute scene in Terrifier 3
Final 12 months was introduced you had been engaged on an adaptation of Self Storage. How’s that going?
Wow, very cool. Yeah, I haven’t heard a lot about that since then. We put numerous work into it, however I feel numerous instances, as you already know films are depending on financing, so it’s the proverbial financing. But it surely’s an ideal story and I’m actually trying ahead to delving into that.
As a matter of truth, I’m gonna name my supervisor right this moment and discover out the place we’re at for that. However as soon as once more, that’s another excuse why Darkish Match turned out so effectively is the manufacturing firm, Dept. 9 primarily based outta Edmonton, put numerous time and some huge cash into this movie. So hopefully we’ll discover anyone that can do the identical for Self Storage.
Because of Chris Jericho for taking the time to speak about Darkish Match, which is out now on Shudder.
