EXCLUSIVE: The Cast and Director of Lockbox Discuss Their Approach to Adapting the Knifepoint Horror Podcast for Film.

      Director Daniel Stamm’s latest film, Lockbox, transforms the renowned Knifepoint Horror podcast into a feature-length horror experience. Produced by Capstone Pictures (Obsession), the film stars Carla Gugino, known for The Haunting of Hill House, as a woman striving to protect her veteran cousin, portrayed by Lou Taylor Pucci (Evil Dead), from a demonic entity tied to her enigmatic neighbor, played by Katharine Isabelle (Backrooms).

      In a conversation with Digital Trends, Stamm, Pucci, and Isabelle talked about their collaboration with each other and Carla Gugino in adapting a popular podcast into a chilling and unpredictable horror film.

      This transcript has been shortened and clarified.

      Digital Trends: What makes [Lockbox] unique in the horror genre?

      Stamm: Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it isn't just a rehash of existing films like The Shining or The Exorcist. It stands alone as an original story. It draws from a podcast by a brilliant writer, Soren Narnia, who can be seen as a darker version of Stephen King, and is full of fresh ideas that he isn’t afraid to put out there without clinging to them.

      Digital Trends: Can you explain how you approached adapting this podcast for the screen? Adapting such content for feature films can be quite uncommon.

      Stamm: The real challenge falls on the writers since the podcast is very introspective, mainly representing the protagonist's perspective through internal voiceover. This creates a nightmare scenario for film adaptation. This is the pivotal point where success or failure can occur. Justin Yoffe, the writer, and our producer Kearie Peak worked on refining the script for years before sharing it. I hope viewers would not recognize that this was ever a podcast after watching the film, which was our goal: to make it feel like a movie in its own right.

      Digital Trends: Returning to the protagonist's point of view, Carla Gugino plays the lead character who attempts to save her cousin amidst supernatural events. What was your experience collaborating with her?

      Stamm: Carla is remarkable; not only is she an extraordinary actress, but she’s also incredibly intelligent. This dynamic can be both a challenge and a blessing because she notices everything across all departments. If a prop department picks a slightly different shade of green for a prop than I intended, she’ll catch details that I might miss, which can be daunting for a director. However, it's also incredibly helpful. She never comments on fellow actors’ performances, showing great respect for their craft.

      Digital Trends: That's incredible. Lou, Katharine, what pulled you into the story of Lockbox?

      Pucci: I appreciated the rollercoaster nature of the story. It keeps you guessing. There’s Carla Gugino, who embodies a sweet, caring character, taking in her troubled cousin. Everyone warns her of the challenges he'll bring, but he’s family, and that’s part of the intrigue. The story weaves in a murder mystery element, becoming somewhat of a courtroom drama and a supernatural horror, maintaining unpredictability, which drew me to the script and made me love the movie.

      Isabelle: For me, it was the character of Vahna that captivated me. My first interaction with the script was through audition sides, leaving me unaware of the movie’s genre or premise. Vahna is such a quirky, charming, manic, dangerous, vulnerable, and humorous character. My desire to portray her stemmed from simply wanting to be part of her world, which ultimately drew me into the narrative surrounding her.

      Digital Trends: Lou, could you elaborate on how you approached your character?

      Pucci: He presents a complex, troubled personality and undergoes a lot throughout the story. Daniel and I needed to explore how we wanted to depict his character's morality. During filming, I'd perform two takes for each scene—one showcasing his innocence and another highlighting his darker side. This gave Daniel the flexibility to choose which interpretation to use. I focused on portraying a military persona that aligned with his emaciated description in the script, so I committed to losing weight and getting fit while embracing a quiet demeanor, which posed a significant challenge since it required a rich backstory without dialogue.

      Digital Trends: Indeed.

      Stamm: I’d like to emphasize how significant Lou’s willingness is because trust between actors and directors is vital. For Lou to confidently offer two distinct performances, trusting me to make the right editing choices, is an incredible vote of confidence for a director, and I am immensely grateful for that.

      Lockbox will be released in theaters on July 3.