Brie Larson, who is known for her roles in Captain Marvel, Kong: Skull Island and the psychological thriller Room, is set to star in the J.J. Abrams-produced creature feature, Fail-Safe. The movie will be directed by JT Mollner, known for 2023's Strange Darling, and adapted for the screen by writer/director Brian Duffield. It's described by Deadline as “a modern take on the creature horror film told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.”
Fail-Safe is based on a short story of the same name by horror author Philip Fracassi, known for his 2021 novel, Boys in the Valley. The story, narrated by a twelve-year-old boy only known as Son, is chilling. Fracassi gives you just enough information so that you're not in the dark, but leaves a lot of the interpretation of the creature, the world, and everything else to the reader. We only know as much as Son knows and maybe even less than that.
It'll be interesting to see how Duffield, who also wrote The Babysitter, Underwater and No One Will Save You, has adapted Fracassi's short into a screenplay. There's so much to play with in the information we're not given that it really leaves a lot of room for Duffield to flesh out the world and the characters.
"With Fail-Safe, Brian Duffield has written an absolute powerhouse of a script. It’s a horror film that is as sweet and moving as it is terrifying." - J.J. Abrams
As a fan of Strange Darling, I think the premise is the perfect vehicle for Mollner. If anyone can pull off the strangeness of a non-typical creature feature like Fail-Safe and keep the audience guessing, it's him. Strange Darling was told in such a fascinating non-linear way that it kept you constantly questioning the characters, their motives, and whether or not what you were seeing was the truth or just made to look that way. It flipped a lot of horror tropes on their heads, and with beautiful cinematography and score, it was one of my favorite movies of last year. The fact that Mollner is directing this new feature is both exciting and makes Fail-Safe a movie we're highly anticipating.
While it hasn't been confirmed, we can only assume Larson's role will be that of Mother, as she's known in the short story. A character shrouded in mystery and the focal point of Son's observations. It's the kind of role made for Larson, who always brings humor, gravitas, and humanity to her characters. Her involvement really rounds out the all-star team coming together to create this film.
Fail-Safe promises to be an interesting new take on the creature feature genre, and we can't wait to see it!