In one of 2023’s first big sci-fi thrillers of the year, 65, writing and directing duo, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods are bringing a unique concept to the big screen. Starring Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt, the movie turns the alien planet trope on its head, giving us a new take on the showdown between man and dinosaurs. During an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Beck and Woods described the epic as a “hybrid” between Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) and Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line) films. The duo is best known for penning the screenplays for the A Quiet Place franchise, and are also the writers behind Rob Savage’s upcoming Stephen King adaptation, The Boogeyman, which they tell us is their favorite work from the king of horror.
In 65, Beck and Woods tap into their childhood passion for both filmmaking and big-scale dinosaur flicks by sending audiences back 65 million years ago to prehistoric Earth. When Pilot Mills’ (Driver) spacecraft crash lands on an uncharted planet, he and the only other survivor, a young girl named Koa (Greenblatt), must now survive this deadly terrain. With one final chance of escape, the two of them will journey across unfamiliar lands, battling this predatory species.
Before 65 opened in theaters, Beck and Woods discuss the challenges they faced during production, from filming on-location to budgeting both visual effects and practical dinosaurs to realize their childhood dreams. They share the advice they would give themselves on Day One of shooting, what had to be cut for time, and why they wanted to work with cinematographer Salvatore Totino (Spider-Man: Homecoming). The pair also talk about the cinephile and movie-goers’ dream theater they’re opening in their hometown of Davenport, Iowa, and talk about The Boogeyman.
24