Matthew Goode increases the mystery surrounding Chan-wook Park’s Stoker

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Korean director Chan-wook Park (OLDBOY, THIRST) knows how to make films. The stories he tells are quite arresting, both in terms of the vicious visuals and the vibrant life within, and his films are uniformly beautiful. Now for reasons I am not privy to – not that I mind in the least – Park decided to make a film in the English language called STOKER that was written by “Prison Break” star Wentworth Miller. 

One of the main actors in STOKER is skilled British thespian Matthew Goode (WATCHMEN), who was recently interviewed by Digital Spy about STOKER and shared some behind-the-scenes information on the project:

“It’s not really the horror genre, but it kind of is, too.”

Despite being called STOKER, the film has nothing to do with Bram Stoker (author of Dracula). It seems to me that this is a very particular name to choose considering Stoker is a name known well for one very particular reason (i.e. Dracula).

“[Chan-wook Park is] just the most stupendously gifted director. He speaks more English than he lets on, but everything is done via a translator. In the end it was just incredible, a really great experience.”

In terms of his character, “Uncle Charlie” – “he turns up at this funeral – the opening shot is of Nicole and Mia, they’re a mother and daughter, he’s the uncle and it’s his brother who’s died.   [Charlie] hasn’t been around for 25 years he’s been off traveling, or so we think, and various people start to disappear. Then you realize there’s possibly a pre-disposition in the bloodline of the family to do dark things.”

STOKER is set to release some time this year (around Halloween maybe?), and stars Goode, Nicole Kidman (RABBIT HOLE), Mia Wasikowska (ALBERT NOBBS), Lucas Till (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS), Dermot Mulroney (THE GREY), and Jacki Weaver (ANIMAL KINGDOM).