Sam Raimi Reveals How He Landed ‘Send Help’ With Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien

One way or another, Sam Raimi was determined to make the unique tone of “Send Help” land with audiences. And with Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien as his co-pilots, he was in safe hands to go there.

“We tried to take as original an approach as possible. It’s the oldest story in the world, two people that didn’t get along and have grievances crash land on a deserted island,” the director told TheWrap at the Hollywood premiere on Wednesday. “Also, the transformation of a more abused character coming into their own and becoming the hero of the piece and not the underdog is an old Hollywood tradition. It’s a lot of old Hollywood traditions just jammed together in a new mash-up.”

The filmmaker further praised his cast, art department, makeup, continuity, hair and wardrobe people for the “great art” behind filming a movie like this: “It’s this whole itinerary of things we have to figure out in pre-production … and the actors have to go through that same puzzle on set.”

The 20th Century Studios film blends genres in a psychological survival thriller that upends the interpersonal office politics between a cocky nepo-boss and his hard-working (yet socially awkward) employee. The cast and crew also manage to land Raimi’s trademark humor while leaving you squirming for the entire journey.

“It’s hard to work in heat, so good morale is really important,” O’Brien recalled. “I was cracking up about this with Rachel; we were catching up and talking about how much I missed our movie — ‘It was such a good time, I miss you, I miss laughing.’ She was like, ‘Do you remember the movie?’ Because it was so physically tough on some days, really hard for the crew. But we had such a fun and silly time, such a good vibe. Sam is so silly and funny and sweet. And Rachel’s the best. It’s like going to work with your buddy every day and wanting to make her laugh, even when we’re the most tired. Like a late-night sleepover.”

And now having filmed her second aerial nightmare, McAdams revealed whether she herself would be more likely to survive the circumstances of 2005’s “Red Eye” or “Send Help.”

“Being terrorized on a plane by an evil guy or being terrorized on an island by this guy? I’ll take my chances on the island,” she shared. “I can just hide in the bushes. Whereas on a plane, where can you go?”

The trio was joined on the TCL Chinese Theatre red carpet by co-stars Edyll Ismail, Chris Pang and Emma Raimi, composer Danny Elfman, producer Zainab Azizi, writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, and Disney executives David W. Greenbaum, Asad Ayaz and Alan Bergman. Other notable guests included Tyler Posey, Ariana Madix, Chrishell Stause, Paul Feig, Ki Hong Lee, Sonia Mena, Cat Missal, Spencer House, Jimmy O. Yang and “Survivor” stars Lauren O’Connell, Joe Hunter and Tiffany Nicole Ervin, with an afterparty next door at The Roosevelt.

“Send Help” crashes into theaters on Jan. 30.

The post Sam Raimi Reveals How He Landed ‘Send Help’ With Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien appeared first on TheWrap.