Top 5 Things to Know About Love and Monsters
Top 10 Things to Know About Love and Monsters
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Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Things to Know About Love and Monsters. For this list, we’ll be looking at details and fun facts regarding this unconventional monster flick. Are you looking forward to “Love and Monsters?” Let us know in the comments.
#10: The Premise
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An apocalypse is one thing, but a “Monsterpocalypse” kicks the end of the world up to eleven. This film primarily sets itself seven years after a hoard of massive beasts dominate the surface, forcing humanity to seek refuge underground. But hey, just because monsters have taken over doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for love, hence the movie’s title. For the orphaned Joel Dawson, all he can think about is reuniting with his high school sweetheart, Aimee. After finally making contact with Aimee over the radio, Joel sets out on a daring journey to find her. All that stands between the two is 85 miles of monsters and mayhem. With a little help from a faithful dog and other allies, though, Joel’s love may prevail.
#9: The Monsters
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The movie’s trailer puts on emphasis on love, keeping the monsters to a minimum. It would seem that the marketing team is following in the footsteps of “Independence Day” and “Cloverfield,” building up our expectations for the monsters. The trailer does give us a few brief glimpses of the creatures that Joel will have to confront. One monster shares a certain resemblance to the toad from “Pan’s Labyrinth,” another would fit in well with the giant ants from “Them!,” and the final monster shown is every bit as grotesque as those carnivorous parasites from “King Kong.” When it comes to the bigger creatures that could crush Joel with a mere step, though, the trailer wisely keeps the audience guessing and wanting more.
#8: The Title Change
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Back when it was first announced in June 2012, the film was set to be called “Monster Problems.” Eight years later, only two months before the film’s release, it was announced that the title would be changed to “Love and Monsters.” The new title seems to better suit the movie’s premise, which is one-half romance and one half creature feature. Plus, as some outlets like CinemaBlend have pointed out, the title “Monster Problems” might’ve drawn a confusing parallel to “Monster Trucks,” another Paramount film. Of course, where the monsters in that family film were generally friendly, the ones here are more inclined to crush a truck than inhabit one. Weirdly enough, both films have a writer in common: Matthew Robinson.
#7: The Screenwriters
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While Matthew Robinson helped conceive the story for “Monster Trucks,” the final screenplay was helmed by Derek Connolly. As for his other credits, Robinson co-wrote the surprisingly solid “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” and co-wrote/co-directed the underrated Ricky Gervais comedy, “The Invention of Lying.” Joel’s shoutout to Tom Cruise in this film’s trailer is fitting since Robinson is set to rewrite the “Edge of Tomorrow” sequel’s script. In addition to Robinson, “Love and Monsters” was also written by Brian Duffield, whose spec script inspired the film. Duffield is no stranger to monster movies, having previously co-written “Underwater” starring Kristen Stewart and he knows a thing or two about blending comedy with horror as well, serving as the sole screenwriter for 2017’s “The Babysitter.”
#6: It’s Produced by Shawn Levy
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Shawn Levy seems like the perfect candidate to produce a picture like this. Levy’s directing credits include the “Night at the Museum” trilogy, which also balanced comedy with visual effects. As a producer, Levy received an Academy Award nomination for the sci-fi film “Arrival” and a few Primetime Emmy nominations for a little show called “Stranger Things.” With a résumé that consists of Demogorgons, aliens, and a Tyrannosaurus skeleton, we can definitely see why Levy was drawn to “Love and Monsters.” Based on his work, we can expect a similar mix of heart, humor, and mystery.
#5: The Director
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South African Director Michael Matthews hit the ground running with his debut feature, 2017’s “Five Fingers for Marseilles.” Considered to be the country’s first western film, “Five Fingers for Marseilles” earned an impressive ten nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards. It’d go on to win five, including Best Film, Best Film in an African Language, and Best First Feature Film by a Director for Matthews. “Love and Monsters” will mark Matthews’ first U.S. feature and it looks like the complete opposite of his previous work. That just goes to show his range as a filmmaker.
#4: The Supporting Cast
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You’re bound to see a few familiar faces in “Love and Monsters,” as well as a couple of new ones. Joel’s love Aimee is played by Jessica Henwick, who stole the show as Colleen Wing on “Iron Fist.” Henwick has also popped up in major projects like “Game of Thrones” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” On the road to Aimee, Joel comes across Michael Rooker, whose colorful roles in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Walking Dead” have prepared him to play a samurai sword-wielding monster hunter. As if it wasn’t already packed with Marvel actors, the film also stars child actress Ariana Greenblatt, who you might recognize as young Gamora. It should be smooth sailing as long as they don’t run into Thanos.
#3: The Lead
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Michael Rooker apparently doesn’t remember filming “Love and Monsters.” At least that’s what star Dylan O’Brien humorously claimed on Twitter. O’Brien takes center stage as Joel, although this is far from his first high-profile role. Not long after rising to mainstream recognition as Stiles Stilinski from “Teen Wolf,” O’Brien landed a few film roles. He even worked with Shawn Levy in “The Internship.” It was the “The Maze Runner” trilogy that established O’Brien as lead material, however. Coincidentally, in both “Maze Runner” and “Love and Monsters,” O’Brien plays a young man who emerges from underground to find the surface overrun with strange creatures. Thankfully for Joel, the post-apocalyptic world he wanders into has more of a comedic edge to it.
#2: It’s a Video on Demand Release
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Paramount has shifted the film’s release date a couple of times, originally intending to release it in early 2020. The release was then pushed back a year to February 2021. Given the impact 2020 has had on North American theaters, it’s not surprising that Paramount decided to skip the film’s theatrical engagement. In August, it was confirmed that “Love and Monsters” would be released via digital rental platforms on October 16, 2020. The film will be available to rent on demand for $19.99 or you could buy it for $24.99. “Love and Monsters” is just one of the many recent movies that adopted this release model, which could remain commonplace in the years to come.
#1: A Mix of Different Genres
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“Love and Monsters” is a hard movie to categorize - and we mean that in a good way. The film centers on a post-apocalyptic road trip, not unlike “Mad Max: Fury Road.” It’s a monster movie that follows a quirky group of characters, calling Columbus and his crew from “Zombieland” to mind. At the story’s core is a romance with echoes of a John Hughes classic. The Hollywood Reporter compared “Love and Monsters” to all of the above. The film also draws parallels to other genre hybrid movies, such as “Warm Bodies” and “Colossal.” Juggling comedy, romance, and the end of the world is no easy feat, but you know what they say. Love can move mountains and monsters.
