Adapting foreign horror films for American audiences can be a little scary and not in a fun way.

I thought there were things that I could run with and have a conversation with that were interesting.

Before long, social discomfort gives way to outright terror as the host family reveals their true intentions.

James McAvoy Speak No Evil

James McAvoy in ‘Speak No Evil’.Universal Studios

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But I think it’s incumbent upon the adaptation to do something different from the original.

you could’t just remake it.

Director James Watkins and Mackenzie Davis (as Louise Dalton) on the set of SPEAK NO EVIL

James Watkins, Scoot McNairy, and Mackenzie Davis behind-the-scenes on ‘Speak No Evil’.Universal Studios

And, in fact, I don’t really understand the term remake.

I think that when I doMacbethon stage, I’m not remakingMacbeth.Macbethhas been done a thousand gazillion times.

I want to relocate this to a country I know with a cultural specificity that I know.

James McAvoy (as Dalton) and Director James Watkins on the set of SPEAK NO EVIL

James McAvoy and James Watkins behind-the-scenes on ‘Speak No Evil’.Universal Studios

English people and Americans react very differently than Danes.

And so, immediately the DNA, the bones, the blood of the movie start to change.

I think it’s such a cool idea and it can kind of be reproduced infinitely, Davis adds.

I think that’s a very cool thing.

I knew with James there was an actor who had the subtlety to be able to negotiate that path.

That could be an interesting thing.

But really, we’re not making it for connoisseurs of film who want to watch multiple versions.

You’re making it for the people who haven’t even seen the original as well.

Hes since seen the original 2022 version and really enjoyed my experience.