The schedule of 2023 new movie releases is filled with some incredibly unique titles, and it’s fair to say that The Blackening is shaping up to be one of them. The upcoming horror movie tells the story of a group of African American friends who, while spending Juneteenth at a cabin over a weekend, find themselves facing off with a sadistic killer. The premise may sound frightening, but there’s also plenty of comedy to be found in this spooky tale. So with horror and humor playing into the proceedings, two cast members – Jay Pharoah and Melvin Gregg – shared some thoughts on why the two blend so well in the film.
This is, of course, far from the first time that a motion picture has sought to make audiences shriek and laugh. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Scary Movie, Happy Death Day and Ready or Not (which is one of the best horror comedies ever) are only a few notable features to have had such aspirations. Heck, even Jordan Peele’s spine-tingling movies have incredible jokes. One gets the feeling that the minds behind The Blackening – including director Tim Story and co-writers Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, really wanted to commit to delivering both elements. One of the ways they sought to generate humor was by tapping a few comedy veterans, and that’s where the aforementioned actors come in.
Jay Pharoah is a stand-up pro, who’s also starred in movies like Ride Along, Top Five and Bad Hair. He most notably joined Saturday Night Live in 2010, crafting memorable characters before departing in 2016. Meanwhile, Melvin Gregg has popped up in humorous shows like Dave and #BlackAF and is also known for his hilarious (and viral) social media videos. Considering their experience, I couldn’t help but ask them about the relationship between horror and comedy amid the press junket for their latest film. Gregg broke down his view in detail and how it applies to the upcoming flick:
I feel like comedy is really perspective. You know, if you see somebody fall down, it could be comedic to you, but it’s dramatic to them. And in this, we get both perspectives, you know? We see the crazy, horror stuff, and then we see the perspective that makes it funny. And we also see the genuine reactions of the characters, which is comedic. Like, comedy comes from relatability. And being that this is a film where you have a group of Black people, which that’s how we typically travel, in groups. You know, it’s rare that you just see one Black person in a group full of white people. And the fact that this is more authentic, like, you know, real life, and we see situations that we’ve seen in other movies, but now the characters react in a way that would be familiar to us. There’s comedy in that.
Melvin Gregg would know all about blending both styles, as he’s done his share of work in both realms. In addition to the comedic credits that were previously mentioned, he’s also done more dramatic work by way of The Way Back, The United States vs. Billie Holiday and Nine Perfect Strangers. He definitely makes a keen point when it comes to perspective, as audiences can react to a given situation in a myriad of ways. Some may laugh, while others may cry or scream. Despite their differences though, comedy and horror do share some similarities, as noted by Jay Pharoah:
Yeah, comedy and horror have some of the same constituents. You know what I mean? Like, element of surprise. … Comedy and horror are just so similar. That’s why they work together so well. They’re just really similar. When something happens to you that’s really scary, it’s like, you can either be [acts scared]. Or you can laugh about it. So it’s the same thing.
Both elements can certainly be tricky to balance but, when that’s done just right, you’re left with a movie that’s thoroughly entertaining and rewatchable. That’s what you’d think the cast and crew of The Blackening are hoping for when it comes to their film. It’ll definitely be interesting to hear how much moviegoers jumped and chuckled throughout their screenings.
The Blackening is set to open in theaters on June 16. In the meantime, take a look at CinemaBlend’s list of great horror movies that flew under the radar.