Jeffrey Dean Morgan on Adding to the Body Count of the Slasher ‘Bloody Axe Wound’

[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Bloody Axe Wound.]

From author/director Matthew John Lawrence (Uncle Peckerhead), the slasher flick Bloody Axe Wound follows Abbie (Sari Arambulo), an adolescent attempting to maintain the household video retailer afloat whereas promoting tapes of the real-life killings dedicated by her father, Roger Bladecut (Billy Burke). When Abbie decides to take over and proceed the slaughter within the city of Clover Falls, she rapidly realizes that proving herself worthy may be an insurmountable process. And falling in love with the lady (Molly Brown) she’s determined to make her first kill is certain to complicate issues.

After trying out this horror comedy that’s additionally a coming-of-age story about past love, Collider received the chance to talk with Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Morgan, who produced the movie for his or her manufacturing firm, Mischief Farm. In the course of the interview, the husband-and-wife group talked about how they received concerned with the movie, what led Morgan so as to add to the physique rely, casting Burke as Bladecut, the wild street to getting the movie completed, Burton Morgan’s involvement behind the scenes, and what they love about working with one another. Burton Morgan additionally mentioned the plan for the One Tree Hill reboot and her hopes for getting Morgan concerned, whereas Morgan teased his reunion with Lucille for Season 2 of The Walking Dead: Dead City and defined why he had a lot enjoyable doing Season 4 of The Boys.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Morgan First Met ‘Bloody Axe Wound’s Author/Director By way of Twitter

Collider: How did you guys come to be producing this? Was it a completed script that got here your manner? How did you become involved?

HILARIE BURTON MORGAN: We watched Uncle Peckerhead through the pandemic, and Jeff and I simply checked out one another and have been like, “Who the hell made this?! That is so bizarre.”

JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN: And Hilarie doesn’t like motion pictures like this, so after I checked out her and realized she was seeing the identical factor I used to be seeing as a result of I used to be laughing my ass off of, we knew we should always get ahold of the director and author of it, in order that’s what we did. I feel we initially reached out to him by way of Twitter.

BURTON MORGAN: Yeah, we simply tweeted him. We have been like, “Yo, dude, we actually like your film. Do you might have the rest?” His title is Matthew John Lawrence. And so, he proceeded to ship us a stack of scripts, and we went by way of them whereas we have been nonetheless in lockdown.

MORGAN: He’s a prolific author.

BURTON MORGAN: He’s a screenwriting professor. That’s actually what he’s instructing individuals to do, so he had a stack of scripts. And this one actually stood out as a wedding of Jeffrey’s work within the horror style and this killing zombies, blood and guts universe. And I labored within the teen drama style for a really very long time. So, if there ever was a script that smashed these two issues collectively, this was it.

MORGAN: It jogged my memory of the flicks of 20 years in the past. I don’t really feel like something prefer it has been made for some time, and it learn like that. I used to be like, “If we will get away with making this, at the moment, then we should always push arduous for it.” And that’s what we did. We went to Shudder. Clearly, we have now a relationship with AMC and Shudder. The man that I cope with at Shudder produced and distributed three motion pictures that I did within the 90s that have been equally inappropriate, so I had a relationship with him. That’s the way it began.

Jeffrey, this film kicks off with you melting a man’s face off on a scorching scorching range, after which following a younger lady outdoors to kill her with a meat cleaver. Was {that a} requirement in your involvement? When you’re going to signal on and get behind this, do you are feeling like you must be answerable for a minimum of a kill or two in a slasher film?

MORGAN: Yeah. Shudder was like, “Are you able to do one thing? On the very least, you must kill someone.” And I used to be pleased to do it. Matthew rewrote the start of the script. After which, for Bladecut, Billy Burke was my largest contribution, as a producer. He’s been my finest buddy since we have been 16, 17, 18 years outdated – my complete life. He got here up one Thanksgiving, six months earlier than we began taking pictures. We couldn’t determine who we wished to get for Bladecut. I considered it, however I used to be like, “I don’t know if I’m that man.” And we confirmed Billy the film Uncle Peckerhead, and he cherished it. After which, we despatched him the script and he cherished it. So, we received Matthew and Billy collectively, and that was that. After which, Billy signed on to do it, which was superior.

BURTON MORGAN: He was good.

It’s not a simple character to tug off.

BURTON MORGAN: No.

To make that character something apart from fully ridiculous, you must have an ideal actor who takes it severely.

MORGAN: He performs it completely. He additionally understands the humor in this type of movie, being that he’s my finest buddy. He cherished it. I despatched him a lower of it, and he was simply beside himself. He was like, “This may be my favourite movie that I’ve ever been concerned in, in my complete life.” We have been actually fortunate to get him. After which, the remainder of the forged fell into place. Hilarie and Matthew actually grabbed the bull by the horns on that as a result of the ladies are nice in it. Everyone’s nice in it.

Even with All of the Obstacles, Hilarie Burton Morgan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan Had a Nice Time Making ‘Bloody Axe Wound’

It appears like nothing about this film ought to work. How do you might have a slasher film that’s a father-daughter story, that’s a coming-of-age story, and that’s additionally a love story? What was it wish to see the primary lower of the movie?

BURTON MORGAN: The filming of it was a narrative, in and of itself. We initially have been presupposed to go movie it in Louisiana with a distinct manufacturing firm, after which that fell by way of. Mary Stuart Masterson, right here within the Hudson Valley, has been heading all of the movie incentives right here, and he or she was like, “No downside, I’ll take over.” And so, we have been telling this story about leather-based jacket ladies, and he or she’s the unique leather-based jacket lady from Some Type of Fantastic. After which, we received information that there was gonna be an actor’s strike, so we had a really quick pre-production and really quick manufacturing. We actually beat the strike by six hours.

After which, we went into publish and noticed the footage, and we noticed these actors who have been so electrical they usually have been actually connecting with one another. You may inform that the children, specifically, actually loved one another on display screen. We received an editor, named Justin Chan, who was such a pleasure to work with. Piecing it collectively was fairly labor-intensive, however actually enjoyable. After which, we received to do the enjoyable stuff, like add music. We referred to as up all our pals and have been in a position to put in some actually male-dominated music on the entrance of the film, the place you’re seeing all of the male killers of their aspect. And because the movie goes on, we begin to herald an increasing number of feminine rock voices. That was a part of the storytelling too, simply getting these nice artists to hitch in.

MORGAN: The primary lower was nuts. It took some time. It was like placing a puzzle collectively. As a result of the performances have been so good, the most effective factor that Matthew did was that he shot a ton of footage. With that, Justin and Hilarie spent quite a lot of time within the modifying room, as did Mary Stuart. I feel they did a extremely good job of piecing the movie collectively, and re-piecing it collectively. Now, the ultimate product is what it’s. Hilarie knew all of the bands. I simply bear in mind going by way of songs and being like, “I like that tune higher than that tune on this scene.”

BURTON MORGAN: He walked into the kitchen after I was taking part in the He Is Legend tune on the prime of the film on my laptop computer. He was like, “That’s my tune. That’s my kill tune. I need that one. Dibs!”

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Whenever you guys launched this manufacturing firm, what was the plan? How have issues been dwelling as much as the plan and the way a lot has it modified and developed since then?

BURTON MORGAN: We had been producing individually for a decade, a minimum of. After which, after we did Friday Night time in with the Morgans for AMC, through the pandemic, I’d say that’s when it grew to become actually clear. They are saying, “Don’t work along with your partner,” however we work very well collectively.

MORGAN: I really very very similar to working with Hilarie. For one, she’s quite a bit smarter than I’m and makes me really feel good in nearly any circumstance, which is nice. I’m a silent producer on her present on AMC. That’s our manufacturing firm that does it. Friday Night time in with the Morgans, we have been clearly concerned in each side of collectively. With this one, we received just a little bit extra concerned. I like working together with her in entrance of or behind the digicam. It’s often because she makes me look good, nearly on a regular basis.

BURTON MORGAN: I like that he’s my bully. Anytime I get annoyed and I’m like, “I don’t know what to do! I don’t know what to do!” he is available in.

MORGAN: That’s after I swoop in. I’m good at fucking emergencies.

BURTON MORGAN: He’s so good at emergencies.

MORGAN: That’s after I can are available and stare at individuals and provides them the aspect eye. My job is to be intimidating.

BURTON MORGAN: You’re so good at it.

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Hilarie Burton Morgan Desires To Break the Cycle of the Authentic With the ‘One Tree Hill’ Reboot

Hilarie, I’m so curious in regards to the One Tree Hill reboot as a result of the primary time round, that present was out of your fingers, and this time round, you not solely have a say, however what you say issues. How does it really feel to not solely have a voice within the challenge, however to have a assist system along with your co-stars? If somebody had advised you then that you just’d get to a spot the place you wished to return to that character and that world, would you might have thought they have been insane?

BURTON MORGAN: Yeah, for positive. As I began producing issues and I used to be in a position to create protected units and enjoyable units and units the place all people may actually experiment, and people abuses of energy that I had grown up with have been gone, I spotted that’s extra fulfilling to me than performing. And so, even on [Bloody Axe Wound], ensuring that the ladies who have been on this movie felt actually empowered and protected and heard, and that we have been depicting their characters in a manner that’s not salacious, was essential to me, the whole thing of this shoot. So, going into One Tree Hill, if we will do what we had hoped could be executed for us after we have been little, breaking these cycles is necessary. Jeff [Dean Morgan] has been part of that, all alongside the way in which, from the second I met him and I used to be leaving that present to getting concerned with the reboot, proper after we received married, and I used to be like, “Perhaps we are going to discover this.” He’s been so supportive in understanding that doing it proper is a vital piece of closure. So, we’re gonna go and we’re gonna do it proper.

MORGAN: I feel for Hilarie, it’s necessary that she closes this chapter the appropriate manner. I don’t know when that chapter will shut. It may be in ten years. However to have the power to return and have a shot at this, with these those that she grew up with, is an unbelievable deal.

BURTON MORGAN: I’m attempting to get him to return do a cameo. Are you able to be a foul man for me?

MORGAN: I will be the dude that runs the diner.

BURTON MORGAN: I feel that’s Gilmore Ladies. That’s a distinct present, Jeff.

MORGAN: Effectively, all people has to eat. The Hill wants a diner.

BURTON MORGAN: I’m in.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Was Pleased To Be Reunited With Lucille for Season 2 of ‘The Strolling Useless: Useless Metropolis’

Jeffrey, the second season of The Strolling Useless: Useless Metropolis seems fairly totally different from the primary season. Did you know the way a lot individuals have been going to freak out over seeing Lucille once more? What’s it wish to have individuals freak out a couple of co-star that’s an inanimate object?

MORGAN: Effectively, I freaked out. I didn’t notice how a lot I missed her, not solely as Negan, however as myself. Simply getting to carry that rattling bat once more provides one thing to that character and the swagger and the boldness and the humor that Negan has. It’s been sorely missed. The second that she’s again in Negan’s fingers, he’s empowered ultimately that he hasn’t been in the previous few years. It was a cool factor, having her again. Most individuals hand their props again to the prop guys in between pictures, and I’d by no means let anyone contact her. She’d go to my trailer with me. She’d go to the lavatory with me. She’d get espresso. They named her after my spouse, performed by my spouse, so it was all the time good.

As quickly as I noticed a photograph of you holding it once more, I felt like we’d like a second the place we hear Peaches & Herb singing “Reunited” someplace within the background.

BURTON MORGAN: That’s so good!

MORGAN: You’re proper.

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Was it enjoyable so that you can play that function in The Boys? As an actor, what’s it wish to play a personality that doesn’t should face penalties and doesn’t have any form of morality disaster as a result of he’s not an individual fabricated from flesh?

MORGAN: It was fairly liberating. Being able and the privilege to do all my stuff with Karl [Urban], who I am keen on, I don’t know that there’s anybody I’ve ever had extra enjoyable with, simply because we’re so friggin’ comparable. That’s most likely why [Eric] Kripke put me in that function. We’re two peas in the identical pod. We had a lot enjoyable and we giggled a lot. I used to be fully as irritating as you’ll be able to think about that I’d be in that function, for the remainder of the forged, particularly Karl. Think about him having to do a scene with a man that he can’t actually acknowledge, half the time. It was a blast. It was very liberating. I received to do no matter. I may attempt something. If it labored, nice. If it didn’t, we had an excellent giggle about it. I didn’t have quite a lot of stress on that one. It was nice simply to return in and do my factor, after which go away and go dwelling and see my household. I didn’t should really feel like the burden of the world was on me, so I cherished it.

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Bloody Axe Wound

Launch Date

December 27, 2024

Director

Matthew John Lawrence

Writers

Matthew John Lawrence

Bloody Axe Wound is now taking part in in theaters.

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