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Insidious: The Red Door — the fifth film in the horror franchise — marks the return of the original cast, and promises to be the final chapter for the Lambert family.
Ten years after their last appearance in Insidious: Chapter 2, the Lamberts have become estranged following the breakup of Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne). Their now college-aged son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) is moving across the country for study, but when a familiar threat from the supernatural world of The Further comes calling, they must band together to face their family’s dark past and the horrors that lurk behind the red door once and for all.
For this final entry in the saga, Patrick Wilson returns onscreen, but has also taken up the reins as director.
“I think story wise, I was really interested in going back to the end of the second film and punching it in the face, like, really just going at it,” Wilson tells Supanova ahead of The Red Door’s release. The last time we saw the Lamberts, both Josh and Dalton underwent hypnosis in hopes of forgetting their horrific experiences in The Further.
BTS of Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of ‘Insidious: The Red Door’
Wilson continues: “And that’s not a knock on how Insidious: Chapter 2 ended. I love those first two movies so much. I just think dealing with trauma by hypnosis is probably not how we would address things in 2023.”
The actor/director wanted to explore the trauma that the characters experienced. He says, “I think every great horror movie is rooted in some kind of family drama. What happened to them? What happened to these kids? What did the parents tell them? Did Renai keep that secret from Josh for ten years? My God. What does that do to a family?”
While the first two films focused on Josh and Renai, The Red Door allows Dalton to take centre stage. Simpkins told us how great it was to reunite with his onscreen family.
“I’ve been part of this franchise since I was about six or seven years old, and I feel like those movies kicked off my childhood success,” he explains. “To have this be the first lead role that I’m in and have Patrick there guiding me along means so much to me. It’s such a big full circle moment, and it was so nice to be able to see everyone again.”
Joining him for our discussion is Sinclair Daniel, who plays Chris in the film — a funny, high-spirited young woman who forms an instant connection with Dalton when he is assigned to share a room with her at college.
Sinclair Daniel in ‘Insidious: The Red Door’
“I was an Insidious fan going in,” Daniel admits enthusiastically. “I saw all of them in theatres when they came out, and I’m pretty sure I was at the opening night of every single one. So, it was very exciting and made me nervous because it was like a dream come true. From when I saw the first one to now being a part of the last instalment for the Lambert family, I’ve really come all the way around in my viewing of this story. So, it was really fun, and the fun overshadowed a lot of the nerves.”
In the same way that Dalton moves from the west to the east coast of the United States, so did the production. While earlier entries were shot in California, this one was made in New Jersey, which was particularly convenient for Wilson who lives in the area.
“I shot about a half hour away from my house, so I was able to come home every night and cut the movie here. I wanted it to look different from the other films because it should feel different.”
Wilson continues: “It should feel like Dalton is moving away and we see what happens to the family dynamic. And that’s where the demon creeps in even more. That’s when the family really starts to fall away. There’s a sense that maybe it’s going to be final, and if we don’t pull them together, they’re going to go further apart. That was the crux of my movie.”
James Wan — the legendary Australian horror director who kickstarted the Insidious franchise and stayed on as producer — feels confident that this final outing for the Lamberts is in good hands.
Ty Simpkins in ‘Insidious: The Red Door’
“When you pass your franchise on, it’s like sending your kids off to school,” Wan muses. “They’ve graduated high school, they’re now moving to university or colleges or whatever. In a lot of ways, that’s what happens with these films. I’m not going to make all of them, so I’m going to pass them on, but I’m really just passing them onto other family members to take care of the franchise.
“So, I passed it onto Leigh [Whannell], and then to our friend Adam [Robitel], and now to Patrick. We’re still keeping it within the family, and I think that helps with continuity and ultimately with peace of mind that the people you made the films with are still there to take care of it.”
But how sure can we be that this will be the final Insidious film? If there’s anything horror has taught us, it’s to never believe when we’re told it’s the last one.
“I always reference Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, and I think that was number four,” Wan laughs. “I agree with you. It’s not something we should believe.
“We don’t necessarily have the idea for the next thing, but I always say that the world Leigh and I created with The Further in Insidious is something you can still pull lots of stories from. But for now, at the very least, it’s the last chapter for the Lambert family, for Patrick and Rose’s character and the kids. It’s definitely a wrap for them.”
Insidious: The Red Door is in cinemas now!
