When A Quiet Place II lands in theaters on May 28, it’s expanding the world quite a bit. As the Abbott family venture out of their house, they encounter other survivors and must band together to fend off continual threats.
Two of those survivors are played by Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou, who spoke to Screen Rant about joining the sequel and working with director John Krasinski.
What was your experience with watching the first A Quiet Place?
Djimon Hounsou: It was obviously edgy. It was gripping, the first one. And organically, this is why I was drawn to accepting this film without even looking at the script. It's just how vibrantly that first one could grab you and keep you attentive to the screen? To just [think] what would you do? How would you survive in this sort of setting?
Cillian Murpnhy: Yeah, I had the same sort of reaction. I brought my boys to see it, and they were maybe 10 and 12 or something. So, they were hiding underneath the seats, and no one was eating their snacks.
I think if you can achieve that level of tension and suspense, to the point where nobody wants to sit and eat or talk - which are two things I hate in cinemas anyway - then that's a success.
Without giving any spoilers away, where are your characters in the world of A Quiet Place right now?
Djimon Hounsou: It would be a spoiler, but the only thing I can tell you is I'm just one of those who were able to get away. I got away and found a haven somewhere, and I'm championing for everybody else to... That's it. I can't say any more than that, because it's one of those film where you can't really say much about the story and can't really say much about your character. But you have to just go in and experience the film; experience the the story.
That's what I love about the trailer: it doesn't give anything away from the film, which I think is brilliant. You guys have worked with some of the best directors in Hollywood, like Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan. Can you talk to me about John Krasinski and what's unique about his directing style?
Cillian Murphy: Well, for me, he's just a natural director. You cannot learn that; you just have it. And the first movie was a testament to that; to know how to create that suspense, to know how to create that drama - that emotion, particularly in what is supposedly a genre movie, but I think it's a lot deeper. He's a proper director.
And being an actor, like we were discussing, he just gives you the the most succinct and beautiful emotional notes.
Djimon Hounsou: Speaking of emotions, that's what I wanted to say more about John. One thing that surprised me by him is his directions are mostly emotionally driven directions. He won't give you a line reading. As much as it may sound Ilike a line reading, it's more about your emotional reading.
As a huge fan, I've got to know what's going on. Where are we gonna see Thomas Shelby go next in Peaky Blinders?
Cillian Murphy: Well, that would be a spoiler too. Series 6, which we're about to start filming, is kind of an extension of series 5. Okay. It kind of deals with where that story left off, and I think you'll see a lot of the same themes in that. But things never go well for him, do thy? So, they're not going to get better. That's for sure.
