What was so cool about where "we are the weirdos"
was placed in the original was it was like so off the cuff,
and just like some bus driver being like a tool.
And Fairuza just like putting him in his place.
I'm Sam Highfill with the writer
and director of "The Craft, Legacy," Zoe Lister-Jones.
Getting into all the spoilers.
I went into this film--
being completely honest, I went into it being like,
am I going to like this because I love the original so much?
And I started watching it and I was like,
OK, wait, I really like this.
And then you throw this twist at the end,
and I was like talking to an editor and I was like,
I love this.
Because I have to know--
I mean, was your main character obviously
being Nancy's daughter, was that something that
was like your idea at first when you
kind of brought this to pitch your idea for "The Craft:
Legacy?"
Was that already part of it?
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
Like, Nancy is everything.
She is "The Craft" to me.
You know, to me one of the most exciting
elements was Fairuza Balk.
And she was just was and continues
to be such a brilliant actor.
And was really so inspiring to me as an actor.
And I think just created the most complex incredible
character in Nancy Downs.
So I definitely wanted to, yeah, revive her
and see where she was at now.
And maybe tee up the sequel.
How did you go about, like getting her to come back?
That's-- I just spent the last five
minutes of that movie being like, is she in this movie?
Like, am I about to see her?
And then that final shot obviously.
But yeah, what were the conversations
with Fairuza in terms of getting her to be a part of this?
Well, she's like as awesome as you would imagine her to be.
So it was-- I had to just like chill.
You know what I mean?
Because like my fan girl was raging.
And that was the first step in the process,
was just like taking an Ativan and making the call.
And then, yeah, she was just so gracious
and so down and it's difficult for anyone who's--
you know, who had such a like career-defining moment
at such a young age.
Like it's a complicated thing to revisit that.
But yeah, she was just so generous in coming
in and being a part of it.
And I consider her a friend now.
I hope she considers me a friend.
She considers me a stalker, really.
I also was like a little obsessed with
like her long hair, and just like--
it was such a different look.
Which, of course, it's been years so it would be,
but it was just so wonderful.
Oh, cool.
I'm glad you dug it.
I do, you know, in terms of talking about callbacks.
Obviously like, "We are the weirdos, mister" is like one
of the most iconic lines ever.
And I love your reimagining of it.
Like, the moment, like in the woods was so great.
Was that something like--
I mean, I would imagine incorporating
that line is something that you knew you
wanted to do fairly early on.
Was it difficult for you to like--
did you try it in different places in the film?
Like, what was that process for you?
No, we didn't try it in different places,
although we shot one piece that was--
yeah, that's was in a different place that's in the trailer.
So if you look closely, the trailer moment
is not in the film.
A lot of weirdos out here.
We are the weirdos, mister.
I loved placing that in like a climactic moment.
I mean, and what was so cool about where "we are
the weirdos" was placed in the original was
it was like so off the cuff and just
like some bus driver being like a tool.
You girls watch out for those weirdos.
We are the weirdos, mister.
Fairuza just like putting him in his place.
But no, in this on I thought it was--
I was excited to like reimagine that line,
and give it to Tabby's character,
and just like have it be the launching
pad for a cool battle sequence.
I know, you turned it into like--
it went from being kind of like this off the cuff,
like shut up dude, to like this huge
battle moment of like, no this is
like our battle cry in a way.
Yeah, well, the weirdos are getting ready for battle, baby.
2021, we're coming for you.
You mentioned, kind of jokingly, like cuing up a sequel.
But like, is this a story that if given
the opportunity, like you feel like there's
more to continue telling?
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, I love the idea of an intergenerational story
coming into play.
And I think that's what I was teeing up at the end,
because the original cast as the whole
and obviously Fairuza among them.
Like it would be so amazing to see
the intersectionality of like, of that feminist picture.
You know what I mean?
Of seeing how those two generations
would complete this story.
Or take it to its next, like journey, I guess.
But, you know, it's up to the people.
It's not my call.
If a shot of Nancy is not like the ultimate cliffhanger,
I don't know what is.
What do you feel like--
you know, because they're--
as much as I hate to admit, you know, time passing and aging.
Like, there are going to be young girls who come to this
who've never heard of "The Craft," who were too--
who weren't alive in 1996.
What do you hope they take away from this film?
I guess I hope that they take away,
first and foremost, that like women in community
is really powerful.
And that outside of just women in community,
I think the collective is so much
greater than the individual.
And I think that is such a important message of our time.
And something that is hard to understand when you're young,
because it's so easy to feel isolated,
especially if you're othered.
And so I think, rather than turning any of your angst
or rage on each other or on yourself,
it's like finding your community and stepping into your power
within that community.
And allowing those people to uplift you.
And yeah, that there is hope.
I guess, I'm trying to tell myself
that, because we got the young people, I'm like, there's hope,
guys.
But the young people--
and I hate saying that, because I still
think of myself as a young person,
I am a [BLEEP] young person, OK?
But I-- But no, the young people do give me hope.
And like this cast gives you so much hope.
We all have so much to learn from each other.
So I'm not even in a position to teach.
Like I have so much that they've taught me,
and I just hope that I, you know,
have represented this generation in a way
that feels authentic to their world.
And I think, you know, also just that there are really
nefarious forces at work that have been
at work for a really long time.
And that it takes all of us together to--
I lost my--
That was cat-like reflexes.
My message was so powerful that my AirBuds
flew out of my ears.
That was magic, you guys.
It is magic.
The patriarchy was like, you will stop speaking!
No, but like there are such like nefarious forces
at work that are so pervasive.
And like, even though we've come far,
there's so much further to go.
And it's going to take all of us together to really, like
transcend those institutions.
And create a better world.
Amazing.
Well , thank you Zoe, so much.
Thank you so much.
It's so nice talking to you.
Truly.
I'm so-- I cannot wait for the world to see this movie.
It's so good.
Oh, thank you.
That means so much to me.