Louis Leterrier, the French filmmaker behind the Fast & Furious franchise, has taken on a new challenge with his latest film, The Last House. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Leterrier reveals the challenges and insights behind this unique project.
The Last House is a genre-blending thriller that chronicles the Delgado family's struggle to survive inside their mysteriously sealed house. Despite the seemingly simpler setting compared to the globe-trotting spectacle of the Fast franchise, Leterrier describes the production as the most challenging of his career. He explains, 'I tried to make everything practical. We built a real house with wild walls and a liftable ceiling, and we could light it easily. It was one-way concrete and wood. We built a whole neighborhood on stage.'
What makes The Last House particularly fascinating is the level of detail and practicality Leterrier and his team achieved. They consulted survival experts to calculate the family's resource usage over years, ensuring every element in the house was authentic. The production designer, Kevin Jenkins, and his team worked tirelessly to make the house and its contents incredibly real. Leterrier's attention to detail is evident in the way the characters' resources and needs evolve throughout the film.
The film's unique format shift from 35 mm to digital midway through, inspired by the intimate and adventurous aspects of the story, adds to its appeal. Leterrier's approach to storytelling, as he mentions, is to capture the feeling of a dark 1980s Amblin or Spielberg movie, such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Poltergeist, and E.T. This personal touch and attention to detail make The Last House a standout in his career.
Despite the challenges, Leterrier remains optimistic about the future of the Fast & Furious franchise. He acknowledges the budget constraints and the evolving box office landscape, stating, 'We have to align our budgetary needs to the reality of the box office. It’s fine. Everybody does that. It’ll be fine.' He expresses his love for the franchise and his eagerness to see it conclude in the best way possible.
The Last House is set to premiere on Netflix on August 7th, offering a unique and captivating experience for viewers. Leterrier's dedication to his craft and his ability to create immersive and practical worlds make it a must-watch for fans of thriller and action cinema.
