Exclusive: Adam Wingard Still Won’t Explain the Ending to 2016’s BLAIR WITCH and Here’s Why He Never Will
I said it four years ago and I’ll say it again today: I’m a huge fan of 2016’s Blair Witch, directed by Adam Wingard from a screenplay penned by his frequent co-collaborator, Simon Barrett. The creative use of metaphysics and a shocking conclusion were pure delight, and I’ll never understand why the third entry in the Blair Witch franchise (launched by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez in 1999) wasn’t a major hit.
Synopsis:
A young man and his friends venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to uncover the mystery surrounding his missing sister. Many believe her disappearance 17 years earlier is connected to the legend of the Blair Witch. At first the group is hopeful, especially when two locals act as guides through the dark and winding woods. As the night wears on, a visit from a menacing presence soon makes them realize that the legend is all too real, and more sinister than they could have ever imagined.
Blair Witch stars James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, and Corbin Reid.
Related Article: Why (the Last 20 Minutes of) Adam Wingard’s Blair Witch Scared the Hell Out Of Me
When you listen to Wingard and Barrett’s commentary on the Blair Witch DVD (which I’ve done more times than I care to admit) you realize that there are a lot of secrets contained in the film–and the creative duo was holding their cards close to their chests. Specifically, there’s been a lot of debate about what we saw at the film’s conclusion. Was the long-armed, pale figure Elly Kedward? Fans thought so, but Wingard and Barrett assured us it wasn’t. Of course, the actual identity of this monstrosity was never divulged.
So during my recent sit-down with Wingard to discuss Godzilla vs Kong, I couldn’t help but steer the conversation back to the Black Hills Forest of Burkittsville–if only for a bit. Since so much time has passed, would he finally be willing to shed light on the mysterious conclusion of 2016’s Blair Witch? Here’s what he told us:
“I just have to kind of reiterate, if I was going to reveal what happened I would have revealed it in the movie. That’s part of the Blair Witch: I have my own interpretation of what’s going on there but the mystery of Blair Witch is what is so interesting. The Blair Witch Project, that’s what I always loved: there’s never definitive answers. I think it’s always important that the filmmakers have an answer, that we’re not just like J.J Abrahms. I think he’s a very talented director, don’t get me wrong, but you always feel like he does this thing where he tees up all these mysteries and he doesn’t really have an idea what the mysteries are. He just kind of comes up with really cool ideas and they never quite pay off, and it’s always a little disappointing. I do have an idea what was going on in Blair Witch; there are definitely definitive concepts there, but I think unless they were explored in another movie it will just always have to be a mystery.”
Don’t get your hopes up, horror fans. There’s less than a snowball’s chance in Hell that Wingard will ever helm another Blair Witch movie.
Related Article: Exclusive: Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett Talk Blair Witch, Making a Pure Horror Film, and the Franchise’s Future
“I would never do another Blair Witch movie,” Wingard states definitely. “Making found footage films are a fucking nightmare. It’s awful; the most ungratifying type of filmmaking; it’s very difficult. I’m very proud I made that film. I learned a lot doing it and I love that it’s like ‘Blair Witch: The Ride’. But yeah, I don’t think I’d make another found footage one again. Simon just recently did a segment for V/H/S 94 and he tried to talk me into going down there and doing one. It was during this period where I kind of had an opening and I thought about doing it. But then I was I just like, ‘No, I just know where that found footage road leads…’ I can’t let myself do it.”
Related Article: New Chapter of V/H/S Franchise in the Works: V/H/S 94
Unless he experiences a change of heart, it looks like Wingard intends on taking his Blair Witch secrets to the grave. You’re killing us, Adam!
Are you a fan of 2016’s Blair Witch? 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.
Categorized:Interviews News
