Exclusive: Don Coscarelli and Paul Giamatti discuss Bubba Ho-Tep and Phantasm sequels

By Ike Oden

November 5th 2012, 7:43am

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

It seems our own JimmyO recently got a chance to sit down and chat with director Don Coscarelli and actor Paul Giamatti about their upcoming hallucinogenic horror comedy JOHN DIES AT THE END. Of course, the conversation naturally progressed toward the possibility of future BUBBA HO-TEP and PHANTASM sequels. You can check out what they had to say below…

Are you still going to be working together for a sequel to BUBBA HO-TEP?

Paul Giamatti: It would be lovely to do something and work with that. Yep… maybe [JOHN DIES AT THE END] will make the doors open up.

Don Coscarelli: You never know.

Giamatti: It would be nice. I would love to do something… anything to work with Don, but if it could be one of those? Sure, I’d love to do that.

Are you going back to PHANTASM? Is that going to happen?

Don Coscarelli: Well here is the thing… ever since we’ve been doing the publicity on JOHN DIES AT THE END, I’ve been overwhelmed in every situation with the question, ‘When’s the next one?’ and I didn’t realize that thirty years on that there is still interest in that. The good news is that the PHANTASM actors are all in great shape, in fact Angus Scrimm’s got a great role in JOHN DIES AT THE END. I think after this is over, its something I’m going to seriously consider because if so many people want it how can you say no?

While I’m rooting for both sequels to get made, it sounds like Coscarelli may be a bit more serious about a PHANTASM V than he was in the past. Even though the franchise’s actors are in “great shape,” they are all getting up their in the years (especially the 86-year-old Scrimm). With that in mind, PHANTASM V is certainly be a more time-sensitive endeavor.

Until we get further updates on either projects keep on the lookout for JOHN DIES AT THE END (and JimmyO’s accompanying interview). The film, based on the book by David Wong, stars Giamatti, Scrimm, Clancy Brown, Rob Mayes, Chase Williamson, Daniel Roebuck, and Doug Jones. Look for it to hit VOD December 27th and theaters January 25th.