John Gallagher Jr. and Emma Roberts star in Abandoned, which is set to be released on June 17. In the psychological horror-thriller about the ghosts of the past, Roberts stars as Sara while Gallagher plays her husband Alex.
After giving birth to a son, the young couple moves into an idyllic farmhouse despite discovering the horrors that took place there years prior. Soon, while Alex is away doing farm work, Sara finds herself haunted while simultaneously suffering from post-partum depression. Michael Shannon also stars as the mysterious neighbor who's always there to stir the pot.
Screen Rant sat down with Roberts and Gallagher to discuss Abandoned, what draws Roberts back to the horror genre, and the thankless role husbands play in horror movies like this.
Screen Rant: In my opinion, Emma, you're one of the great 21st-century scream queens. What is it that keeps drawing you back to the horror genre?
Emma Roberts: It's funny. No matter how long I leave, or how far I leave, I always come back. I mean, I don't know. I've just always gravitated towards like thrillers and horror, and even like horror comedy, whether it's like books or articles or movies or TV shows. So when this got sent my way, just from the title, I was like, I hate that I already love it.
Just from hearing the title Abandoned, it was such a great title. And I loved it because it really took this kind of story that we all heard about the family that moves into the house, and weird things start happening, but I feel like it's done like in such a modern, fresh way. It feels like nostalgic yet millennial, and I just I really loved the script. And I loved how Spencer brought it to life. So I couldn't say no.
John, I feel like the husband always gets the thankless role in these movies - they don't believe the wife until they have to at the end. What was it specifically that drew you to this story?
John Gallagher Jr.: I loved the way that there's almost like this dialogue happening inside the script, without being too postmodern or aware where, like Spencer [Squire, writer and director of Abandoned] had written the character almost as if being kind of sucked into that trope, unwillingly. He doesn't want to be that disbelieving character that is like, "Okay, honey, you're crazy. So let me lock the door and take the kid." He really doesn't want to take that route, and just become the secondary villain in the story as someone who's the non-believer.
I thought that was just such an interesting and fresh take on that kind of role, that he's this guy who is trying every single thing in his power to support and believe and trust, sometimes against his better judgment. Having to put up with that kind of inner struggle, that was just really interesting to me. I thought I hadn't seen it quite done that way before.
Beneath the horror layers in Abandoned, there's a really poignant story about motherhood and post-partum depression. What did it feel like to tell this story through the lens of horror?
Emma Roberts: Well, what I love about horror in general, is I feel like you can say so much more with horror. Because you're saying it but you're also letting the audience interpret it how they want and that's what I loved about this movie. Even when it's over, I think the reason the script stayed with me so much is that you're not given the clean ending.
It's kind of like, "What do you think?" Like, do you think this, do you think that, what are your theories? And that's what I really liked about it. We're not telling you it's one thing or the other. And I love that with all horror. I feel like it's meant to be kind of like thought-provoking. Everything has a double, if not triple meaning. And that to me is what makes the genre so fun and what makes me always want to go back to it.
Abandoned Synopsis
After a couple moves into a remote farmhouse with their infant son, the woman's struggles with postpartum psychosis begin to intensify.
Abandoned will be out in theaters on June 17.