Osgood Perkins explains the power of PG-13 horror

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

THE BLACKCOAT'S DAUGHTER and I AM THE PRETTY THING THAT LIVES IN THE HOUSE director Osgood Perkins' GRETEL & HANSEL with Sophia Lillis (IT) and Alice Krige (SLEEPWALKERS) hits tomorrow. And today Perkins took some time to explain the power of the movie's PG-13 rating.

He says:

The power of the PG-13 rating for a picture like this is … kids want to peek behind the curtain. They want to see what’s dark around the corner. When I was a kid, I had a photograph, I cut out a photograph of Linda Blair in The Exorcist. I had it at the bottom of my toy chest. Nobody knew it was there except for me. Every once in a while, I would pull all the toys out just so I could see it and then put all the toys back. I think that's a powerful gift to give to a child, the quality of, it's okay. It's okay to be really freaked out sometimes, it's okay. That builds resilience, emotional intelligence, all the good stuff. The PG-13 was always the goal, and I'm really happy that we got there.

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How excited are YOU for Perkins' new film? Do you agree with his thoughts on PG-13 horror movies? Let us know below! In the meantime, Perkins' dark reimagining of the classic fairytale we know and love begins:

A long time ago in a distant fairytale countryside, a young girl (Sophia Lillis, It) leads her little brother (Sammy Leakey) into a dark wood in desperate search of food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil. 

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The film also stars Sammy Leakey, Alice Krige (SLEEPWALKERS, STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT), Jessica De Gouw (UNDERGROUND, ARROW) and Charles Babalola (BLACK MIRROR, THE LEGEND OF TARZAN). Osgood Perkins directs the film from a screenplay written by Rob Hayes (CHEWING GUM). Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (SINISTER, UPGRADE) produces along with Fred Berger (LA LA LAND, DESTROYER) on behalf of Automatik. Sandra Yee Ling and Macdara Kelleher serve as the movie's executive producers. GRETEL & HANSEL hits theaters TOMORROW.