Dylan O’Brien Was All-In on the Twists and Turns of ‘Caddo Lake’

[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for Caddo Lake.]

From author/administrators Celine Held and Logan George and producer M. Night Shyamalan, the Max authentic thriller thriller Caddo Lake is a few lacking eight-year-old lady who brings up a damaged historical past with a earlier disappearance that’s reverberated via a household that’s simply attempting to carry it collectively. Whereas Paris (Dylan O’Brien) and Ellie (Eliza Scanlen) are every out on the lake in search of solutions, what they uncover gives solutions they by no means may have imagined.

Throughout this one-on-one interview with Collider, O’Brien talked about why he wished to work this the Caddo Lake filmmaking duo, his appreciation for the large swings the storytellers took, the collaborative course of all through the shoot, that Shyamalan’s involvement will result in sure assumptions concerning the movie, spending a lot time within the water, and the way he feels about his character’s destiny.

‘Caddo Lake’ Was Born Out of the Filmmakers Seeing a Image of the Location on Reddit

Collider: As a result of this can be a difficult film to wrap your mind round, when this got here your manner, did you instantly get what it was going for? Did you’ve got a bunch of questions? What was your response to this?

DYLAN O’BRIEN: It was a two learn for me. I completed it, after which began over, to do it once more earlier than I used to be like, “Okay, yeah, cool. Acquired it.” Actually, there have been so many parts outdoors that piece of it, that I used to be so drawn in by, the primary of which might be (author/administrators) Celine [Held] and Logan [George], who I had met with about eight months previous to receiving this, simply usually, as a result of I had seen their quick movies. They’ve 4 or 5 quick movies that they did, which have such an eclectic vary of style and tone, and I believed they have been simply so gifted. After which, we had an important assembly. Once I first opened this undertaking, that they had despatched a hyperlink of footage from once they had gone right down to the lake and shot as a result of they wrote down there as nicely. They have been dwelling down there for a pair months whereas crafting the story as a result of it actually was simply birthed from them seeing an image of Caddo Lake on Reddit.

Once I opened the check footage they shot, I used to be shocked. I used to be already in. These have been filmmakers I used to be already excited to listen to from as a result of I actually believed in them and thought that they have been outrageously gifted and infectious and gifted and passionate, so that they have been undoubtedly people who I’d get into mattress with, in a artistic sense. To see that breathtaking picture of the lake and listen to the sounds of this surroundings, instantly set the tone for me. After which, opening the script, I discovered the writing and the story to be extremely compelling. It was so grounded and trustworthy and entrenched in realism. The dialogue felt extraordinarily naturalistic and an ode to the group and the surroundings. After which, when it spawned into this heightened supernatural aspect, I used to be like, “That is simply incredible. Even when I’m not getting each piece of this now and I want to return via and make a chart, I think about this. It is a swing and a half, however with these guys helming it, it’s incredible.”

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Eliza Scanlen and Diana Hopper additionally star within the movie.

Once you initially met with the filmmakers, was it particularly for this or was it a basic assembly?

O’BRIEN: No, it was simply basic. I simply wished to fulfill with them. It was throughout the pandemic. I used to be watching quite a lot of stuff and in search of filmmakers to work with, to be trustworthy. I used to be actually on the hunt. After which, their shorts have been despatched to me and I used to be like, “These guys are outrageously good. I need to meet them.” After which, we had an important assembly, and I discovered them to be so sensible and passionate. I had by no means labored with a duo earlier than, like a directing tandem. Even going into the assembly, I used to be like, “I’m wondering what this vibe can be like.” However they complement one another so nicely and their vitality is so infectious. I simply actually cherished them from the get-go. After which, eight months later, this was the follow-up. They hadn’t even written this after we met, after which not even a yr later, that they had despatched this to me. They remembered the assembly and considered me for this, and I used to be so grateful.

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Stiles Stilinski will all the time have our hearts!

It feels prefer to make one thing like this, they might have wanted to be excellent communicators. Was that the case? Have been they in a position to articulate what they have been attempting to do, all through all of this?

O’BRIEN: They’re extraordinarily good communicators. That’s a really astute remark. They employed quite a lot of non-actors to fill the film out with. They nonetheless train performing on the aspect. They’re the actual deal. They actually love each facet of filmmaking. They each was actors themselves, so the way in which they work with their forged is unbelievable, particularly watching how they get these performances and instill this confidence in these folks, lots of whom had by no means been in entrance of a digital camera earlier than. It was incredible to look at, and the basis of that was completely their means to speak. It was virtually at lightning pace. They’re in every single place as a result of there are two of them. They have been so difficult with their notes, however in a great way. It could be exhausting typically. I’d be like, “Okay, I simply want one with no notes, as a breather. We’ve been doing this for 2 and a half hours.” However it’s incredible as a result of they actually pull each last item that they will with you. They actually problem you in that manner. It was a incredible expertise.

Producer M. Night time Shyamalan’s Fame for Twists and Turns Matches the Tone of ‘Caddo Lake’

This movie wasn’t written or directed by M. Night time Shyamalan, however he’s a producer and his identify is hooked up, which usually means a undertaking gained’t be precisely what it seems to be on the floor. Does that set a bar that you must rise as much as meet with the storytelling, figuring out that audiences are going to come back into this with that identify hooked up?

O’BRIEN: Night time financed the movie, however you do need to put that at the back of your head slightly bit when you’re making the factor. It could be unwise to not. His identify is definitely going to be a draw for folks, and it’s definitely going to place a coat of paint on it from a perspective that may not be what it’s, however I feel that’s high-quality. He has an absolute popularity for twists and turns, heightened parts and extraordinary circumstances. I feel he was such a beautiful match for the tone of the film. There are some elements to how persons are perceiving it to this point that’s resulting in me getting requested if I did a horror film. It’s not a horror film, however okay. Subverting folks’s expectations matches the tone.

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Twist and shout.

The creepy location most likely helps in main folks to suppose it’s a horror film.

O’BRIEN: Yeah, and placing Lake within the title too. It wasn’t initially there. It was simply Caddo. However then, folks have been like, “Individuals aren’t gonna know what that’s.” It provides eeriness to it. There completely is an eerie aspect to the lake in actual life. There’s this actual lore about it, so it’s completely inside the spirit of the group for that to be the tone, or a minimum of the perceived tone.

What was it prefer to spend a lot time on the water and within the water? You possibly can put together your self for that mentally, however then truly doing it’s a entire different scenario.

O’BRIEN: Yeah, it’s a visit. We discovered to drive these boats and navigate that lake. Most significantly, we approached it actually safely and everybody within the forged was taken care of. We had individuals who function on this lake on daily basis, guiding us via there. On the finish of the day, it’s me or Eliza [Scanlen] driving the boat with Lowell [Meyer], our DP and operator, with a 45-pound digital camera on his shoulder whereas we have been performing. You’ve gotta actually have a deal with on issues. Fortunately, we have been in a position to be down there for just a few weeks earlier than we began, and I had quite a lot of time on the lake and quite a lot of time working that factor. I actually wished it to really feel second nature to this man.

Dylan O’Brien Likes How ‘Caddo Lake’ Leaves the Viewers Eager for Extra

There’s one thing actually tragic about somebody who clearly does care, however occasions out of his management take him from the folks in his life. How did you are feeling about your character’s destiny on this story?

O’BRIEN: That’s an important query. It’s tragic. The film is basically about loss, so I feel his destiny is becoming. Coming away from a film and craving one thing that possibly you didn’t get is a pleasant place to be, as an viewers member. There’s a vested curiosity there. If there’s a longing, meaning the story was compelling. It is a story that’s finally about household and loss, and while you’re coping with a time aspect, oftentimes that destiny is sort of required, when it comes to the cycle. So, I’d say it’s becoming to the emotionality of the movie. Hopefully, it rounds it again out to the tone, or simply the inspiration that the movie is constructed upon on the finish, after the journey.

Caddo Lake (2024)

Director

Logan George , Celine Held

Forged

Dylan O’Brien , Eliza Scanlen , Caroline Falk , Lauren Ambrose , Sam Hennings , Diana Hopper , Eric Lange , Lance E. Nichols , Nina Leon , David Maldonado , Kim Baptiste , Jules Hilillo Fernandez

Fundamental Style

Drama

Writers

Logan George , Celine Held

Caddo Lake is on the market to stream on Max. Try the trailer:

Watch on Max