The Director of WILLY’S WONDERLAND (Now Streaming) Almost Died from COVID
Making films can be torture, but Kevin Lewis (the director of Willy’s Wonderland) recently survived a hell that had nothing to do with horror movies. The filmmaker penned a harrowing and inspiring account of his battle with COVID-19 for Indie Wire.
Synopsis:
A quiet loner (Cage) finds himself stranded in a remote town when his car breaks down. Unable to pay for the repairs he needs, he agrees to spend the night cleaning Willy’s Wonderland, an abandoned family fun center. But this wonderland has a dark secret that the “The Janitor” is about to discover. He soon finds himself trapped inside Willy’s and locked in an epic battle with the possessed animatronic mascots that roam the halls. To survive, he must fight his way through each of them.
Lewis directed Willy’s Wonderland from a screenplay written by G.O. Parsons; the film stars Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, and Beth Grant.
Willy’s Wonderland is now available to stream on VOD.
Of his struggle with COVID, Lewis wrote:
“Two weeks ago I was rushed into the ER with COVID-19 viral bilateral pneumonia and two blood clots in my lungs. My world had changed. I was not staring into the abyss, I was living it. Blood polyps surrounded my heart and I was in enormous pain because I couldn’t breathe. My oxygen level was at 82 and a fire was in my heart that I could not extinguish. After spending several days in complete agony with an oxygen mask blowing into my lungs at 100 mph and blocking my vision, I was not getting better — I was getting worse.”
Related Article: The Darkness of WILLY’S WONDERLAND: Exclusive Interview with Émoi, Composer and Voice of Willy
Lewis spent weeks in intensive care, but came through like a champ!
“My appetite grew stronger, my thoughts became more positive, the music from my iPhone from — The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” to Nick Cave’s “Jesus Alone” — became clearer and my will became like steel, determined at all costs to stay alive.”
Lewis concludes his account with some inspireing words:
“Whether it is the weasel and all his friends, a virus, or evil around the corner, we have the courage as mankind to stand up and do what is right.”
You can read Lewis’s full essay on Indie Wire, HERE. You can also talk to him yourself tomorrow at our “Dissecting Horror” virtual panel–for free! Find out how to participate in the link below.
Related Article: “Dissecting Horror” Continues February 17th with the Creatives of WILLY’S WONDERLAND
Have you seen Willy’s Wonderland? What do you think of Kevin Lewis’s account of his struggle with COVID? Will you be attending our free Dissecting Horror panel series tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
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