Pilot Mills (Adam Driver) finds himself stranded on Earth 65 million years in the past after a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet. With his only companion, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), Mills must navigate a perilous landscape filled with deadly prehistoric creatures in a desperate attempt to be rescued. From the writers of A Quiet Place and produced by Sam Raimi, 65 is an adrenaline-fueled sci-fi thriller starring Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, and Chloe Coleman. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, and produced by Deborah Liebling and Zainab Azizi, with additional production by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
Presented by Columbia Pictures in association with BRON Creative, 65 is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for intense sci-fi action and peril, and brief bloody images. The film, featuring the work of cinematographer Salvatore Totino, production designer Kevin Ishioka, editors Jane Tones and Josh Schaeffer, and costume designer Michael Kaplan, will be released in theaters nationwide on March 10, 2023.
“We are passionate about creating genre films that captivate audiences and take them on an unforgettable cinematic journey,” shares Scott Beck, co-writer and director of the upcoming film 65, alongside his partner Bryan Woods. “Horror, suspense, action, adventure – these are the genres that excite us, especially when they are combined with well-developed characters that viewers can connect with on an emotional level.”
According to Woods, their love for cinematic storytelling is rooted in the experience that movies offer, from the visuals to the performances and music. Their previous success with A Quiet Place propelled them to take on 65, where they also serve as producers with Sam Raimi, Deborah Liebling, and Zainab Azizi.
Raimi, in particular, was drawn to the father-daughter relationship between Mills, played by Adam Driver, and Koa, played by Ariana Greenblatt. He lauds the film’s core and the way it subverts traditional gender roles. The movie follows the duo as they navigate a prehistoric Earth filled with vicious dinosaurs, building an emotional bond that ultimately becomes their greatest strength.
For Beck and Woods, 65 was a chance to fulfill their childhood dream of making a dinosaur film. The resulting movie promises to be an intense and thrilling ride, packed with emotional moments and pulse-pounding action. As producer Zainab Azizi notes, “Who doesn’t love a great dinosaur film? Scott and Bryan have found a way to deliver that excitement in a fresh and unique way.”
Adam Driver was drawn to the challenge of portraying a character whose physical and emotional struggles parallel each other in 65. He appreciates the unique experience that the film offers, blending big-scale action with thoughtful characters and themes. The opportunity to be a part of a movie that families can enjoy together in theaters is also significant to him. Ariana Greenblatt, who plays Koa opposite Driver, felt nervous about the project’s size and working with a two-time Academy Award® nominee. However, she was also determined to do her best and viewed the role as an opportunity to inspire other young Latina actresses. Greenblatt also enjoyed performing her own stunts, including hanging upside down off a gimbal, thanks to the guidance of her skilled stunt coordinators.
According to Azizi, Woods and Beck are a perfect match as a team due to their long-standing friendship and complementary skills. “Scott is the left brain and Bryan is the right brain,” she explains. “They work brilliantly together and balance each other, often communicating without words.”
Woods sees writing and directing as intertwined, and this allows them to be more flexible and open to new ideas on set. Beck agrees and says that being both writer and director frees them from being too tied to the script.
Their unique approach to filmmaking, which emphasizes visuals, sound, and performance, is inspired by silent cinema. This is evident in their focus on building suspense and leaving things to the imagination of the audience. This approach is particularly effective in a movie like 65, where there is limited dialogue and only two main actors.
Working with Adam Driver, Woods says that the actor had a lot of input in shaping his character and helped them view scenes from different perspectives. The result is a tense and thrilling movie that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
Liebling praises Scott and Bryan for their innovative approach to creating stunning imagery in the film, remarking that their unconventional techniques transport the audience into the characters’ experience, unlike the traditional coverage taught in film school.
Shot in the forests of Oregon, including at Golden Falls, the film boasts an epic backdrop captured by acclaimed director of photography Salvatore Totino, whose impressive portfolio includes feature films such as Everest, Spider-Man™: Homecoming, Inferno, and Bird Box.
Totino admits that shooting the film was challenging, with intricate shots in difficult locations like forests and swamps. Despite the obstacles, they managed to develop a unique approach to lighting the vast area at night and tell the story in a visually compelling way.
According to Azizi, Totino’s mastery of shooting angles and lighting makes him a “magician,” with both complex and simple, emotional moments beautifully captured in the film.
Adhering to the mantra of “it’s what you don’t see,” VFX Supervisor Chris Harvey worked with Totino to create suspense by hiding the dinosaurs until the right moment. Harvey collaborated with Neville Page, a renowned designer whose past work includes Avatar, Star Trek, and Tron franchises, to design the dinosaurs with a horror twist and a backstory that adds to their characters.
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