Insidious: Chapter 3 Won’t Star Patrick Wilson Or Rose Byrne

I’ve been a supporter of the Insidious franchise since the very first trailer, and I truly believe Insidious: Chapter 2 was one of the best horror movies of 2013 (a sentiment not many of my fellow horror journalists agree with), so I geeked the hell out when I heard that I’d be talking to Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson at South by Southwest this year. Promoting their new movie The Mule, Leigh and Angus were in great spirits, and while you’ll be able to see my entire video interview shortly, I wanted to pass on some news about Insidious: Chapter 3.

While it was already reported today that the script is done, confirming the tentative Spring 2015 release date already set in place, Leigh was able to reveal a little more about the story, gearing us up for an entirely new haunting. While Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne have previously played the husband and wife couple tormented by The Further, it looks like we’ll be introduced to a new doomed family – brand new specimens for Whannell’s house of horrors.

Here’s the snippet from Angus and Leigh, as we talked about where Insidious 3 will be heading:

WGTC: So you’re both coming back for Insidious 3 I’m assuming, as Specs and Tucker?

Leigh Whannell: Yes, yes, you’ll see some Specs and Tucker. [Laughs]

WGTC: So are we going to go even harder on the comedy, or will there be a step back?

Leigh Whannell: I don’t know, I always thought that a little of Specs and Tucker goes a long way.

Angus Sampson: Agreed.

Leigh Whannell: I think they were always meant to be side characters. Insidious was great fun because I wrote it and I wasn’t even planning to be in it, then all of a sudden I’m like, “Well, she has an assistant.” Then I was like, “Well, I’ll get Angus involved, how great would that be to have my mate come over from Australia!” So we ended up doing this thing and it was so fun. But I wouldn’t want it to be – I think it’s like chocolate. You eat enough and you’re like, “Blah, chocolate!” One piece is enough, but [Specs and Tucker] will be back and I’d like to do something different with them, you know?

WGTC: So my other question of course deals with the ending of Insidious Chapter 2, when Lin Shaye’s character sees something, and she gasps right before cutting to black. Did she see something from her past? A future demon? Where is Insidious 3 going?

Leigh Whannell: I don’t think we’re going to continue with that for the sequel. I can’t say too much, but I think we’re going to go off in a different direction with a new family, and not pick up from where the second one left off. I think Patrick [Wilson] and Rose [Byrne] have had enough punishment – we need to move on and punish someone new. I think that’s probably all Jason Blum would allow me to say, he’s comfortable with me telling people we’re not going with the Lambert family again. It was great to write because it was like writing the first film.

While I believe that both Patrick and Rose gave dynamite performances in the first two films, especially Patrick’s turn as a possessed family man in Insidious: Chapter 2, I’m perfectly fine with Whannell exploring new grounds and introducing a new flavor of horror. The poor Lamberts – enough is enough, right? Time for some fresh souls for The Further to reap!

With Byrne and Wilson out, now we can start speculating on the cast of Insidious: Chapter 3, right? Ah, don’t you love film journalism? One door closes, and another million open – creating unlimited amounts of free publicity for Jason Blum’s newest horror film. We also still don’t know who will be directing, so there are now plenty of questions circling this project, but at least we know SOMETHING – that a fresh new story will be adapted by the remaining team.