Chuck Russell is a genre legend.
He wrote the screenplay for Dreamscape (1984). He co-wrote and directed A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), which redeemed the Nightmare franchise after the critical drubbing of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985).
He directed The Blob (1988), one of the greatest remakes of anything ever, co-writing the screeplay with none other than Frank Darabont (creator of The Walking Dead, The Mist, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption). He co-wrote and directed The Mask (1994), which solidified Jim Carrey's place as a king of comedy.
All these films featured groundbreaking effects. When I think of the fun times I had in movie theaters throughout the 1980s and early 90s, Chuck Russell’s name comes up for me a lot.
Other Russell projects include Hell Night (1981), Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985), Back to School (1986), Eraser (1996), The Scorpion King (2002), and Collateral (2004). Having the chance to get an early peak at his remake of Witchboard (1986) and interview the man himself was magical.
Russell has always found a way to include a spiritual theme in his movies. His characters fight evil curses, their own guilty consciences, and serve up just desserts to self-appointed moral authorities. Witchboard (2025) shows Russell hasn’t lost his grasp of creating sympathetic characters and universes locked in eternal struggle between good and evil.
Please enjoy our conversation in the video below. And please excuse my muffled audio; Chuck Russell's audio is crystal clear.
Witchboard opens in movie theaters Friday, August 15. Visit the official site for more information.