Maika Monroe Teases ‘It Follows’ Sequel Script Is “Bigger And Darker And More F***ed Up”
Radius-TWC / Courtesy Everett Collection
A decade later, Maika Monroe has no plans outrunning her breakout role.
The actress teased that her upcoming horror movie They Follow will be well worth the wait after she signed onto the sequel of 2014’s It Follows back in October, along with returning writer/director David Robert Mitchell.
“David is brilliant. I mean, he is brilliant,” she told Collider. “The whole movie transformed at that point. It was changing the game in the genre, and he wouldn’t ever make a sequel if he didn’t think it was going to top it.
“He’s very specific, turns down so many… He just knows what he wants to do and what he wants to make. I mean, at first I’m like, ‘Oh, a sequel? Where are we going to go here?’ And I read it, and it’s just so f***ing good. It’s so good. I’m so excited.”
She starred in the original movie as Jamie “Jay” Height, a teenage girl who is pursued by a supernatural entity that latches onto her after her first sexual encounter.
Keir Gilchrist, Maika Monroe and Lili Sepe star in It Follows (2014). (Radius-TWC / Courtesy Everett Collection)
“I think where you’ll meet Jay at this point is maybe not what’s expected, but it’s so cool,” she explained. “It’s just, of course, as everyone says for sequels, literally, though, is just bigger and darker and more f***ed up. Reading it was the craziest thing ever.
“I am so excited for this role. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited to delve into something. There’s a lot there to play with, and I think it’s going to be incredibly challenging, for sure, but so fulfilling. Working with David, I can’t wait,” added Monroe.
After It Follows was lauded for revitalizing the horror genre, earning a 95% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, Radius-TWC co-president Tom Quinn teased a sequel as early as 2015.
Maika Monroe stars in Longlegs (2024). (Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection)
Last October, Monroe and Mitchell were finally announced to reunite for the sequel, which will be produced by Neon and Good Fear Content. Filming is expected to begin in 2024.
Since It Follows, Monroe has gone on to solidify her “scream queen” status with such films as The Guest (2014), Greta (2018), Villains (2019), Watcher (2022), Significant Other (2022) and the upcoming movie Longlegs.
Longlegs premieres July 12 in theaters.
