In Passenger, a mysterious evil entity appears on the road at night, haunting unsuspecting travelers.
“I like movies that scare me – and making movies that scare me,” says producer Walter Hamada (The Conjuring, It). “And the thing that scares me the most is the supernatural. Certainly anything demonic, that has religious undertones, automatically freaks me out. And this movie captures all of that.”
But a horror movie cannot be an effective horror movie without characters that audiences can relate to. At the center of Passenger is a young couple named Madi and Tyler. “We wanted a movie with characters you would root for, going through this journey,” explains co-writer Zachary Donohue (horror movie The Den). “Tyler has this idealized, romantic version of the American road trip, almost like a Jack Kerouac novel. He’s so ebullient and charismatic about that dream, that Madi can’t help but fall in love with it, as well.” But as the movie goes on, Madi realizes that she and Tyler are not as in sync as she would like – a reality most couples face at some point in their relationship. “The reality of some of the hardships and complications that come with living on the road – including the dangers of living on the road – car crashes, sleeping in parking lots at night – she starts to realize, ‘Maybe this isn’t the life for me. But I love this guy so much,’” continues Donohue. “It’s really a movie about the two of them advocating for what they want, but also trying to figure out if what they want is with each other.”
Lou Llobell and Jacob Scipio in Passenger
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Hamada was taken with the writers’ thoughtful approach, of rooting the story in a believable relationship, with relatable issues any couple might have. “The scariest movies are the ones that are the most relatable, with regular people in regular situations – and then something scary thrown on top of it. That’s why we love haunted house movies. And when this idea came along, it was such a fresh spin – a haunted house movie on wheels.”
“As soon as I read the script, I knew I wanted to do it,” says Jacob Scipio (Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys: Ride or Die), who plays Tyler. “I just love the idea that it subverts the typical horror genre. Usually, you’ve got one character who’s in on the scare, who understands this demon or whatever may be after them, and everybody else doesn’t believe him. But what I loved about this is that Madi sees The Passenger, and Tyler doesn’t, but he believes her the whole way through. Even though he has no proof of it. So they’re really a team, the whole way through. They back each other – and they love each other.”
Lou Llobell in Passenger
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Playing Madi is Lou Llobell, known for sci-fi TV series Foundation. Though she certainly had a background in science fiction, the actress admits, “I don’t watch a lot of horror movies – which is why doing one is great. I get scared really easily, and if you watch my scenes, you’ll see that. But I’ve been dying to do something different. And with this story, every single scene has really high stakes. Every decision the characters make is important for them to survive. And, as an actor, that’s great to work with, because there’s always a reason for every single thing you’re doing.”
Lou Llobell and Melissa Leo in Passenger
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Oscar-winning actress Melissa Leo (The Fighter) plays Diane, a seasoned van lifer who guides Tyler and Madi about who and what The Passenger is. “She brought a gravitas to her character that was just outstanding to watch,” reveals director André Øvredal. “She would hang around with the crew, sit with us all day on set, watch us work and prep – and be ready to go immediately.” Leo even insisted on being her own stand-in, for shot setup. “Such an amazing professional and collaborator. A real star to work with.”
Lou Llobell in Passenger
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
And then there’s… The Passenger.
The Passenger is not some simple ghost or monster character. And, as such, he doesn’t look, sound or behave like one. “He’s demonic, so he could just kill them. But he doesn’t want to,” says Hamada. “He likes to play with his food. He likes to torment them. He likes to drive a wedge between people. He feeds off that fear and anxiety. He waits until the meat is seasoned properly, and then he consumes their souls.”
The Passenger is rarely seen, and typically doesn’t move – unless he’s ready to put an end to his victim. “He [actor Joseph Lopez, who plays The Passenger] and I spent a lot of time rehearsing various walks and movements. And he even went to a movement coach, to figure out what could be interesting moments for him,” Øvredal says. “But in the end, we just ended up with the sinister shape of somebody in the distance. It’s the presence, the unpredictability of the unknown – where you don’t know what he’s going to do – that’s the most scary.”
Go on a road trip with the Passenger, now showing in cinemas. #PassengerMovie
Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures”
