IT FOLLOWS: The Making Of An Indie Horror Classic

November 29, 2024

Introduction

With the success of the Smile franchise which is poised to haunt our dreams for many years to come, we thought we would celebrate the tenth anniversary of the cult classic It Follows (2015), one of the films that revitalized the ‘elevated’ sub-genre of horror.

Going back to Night of the Demon (1957), the ‘curse’ or ‘possession’ horror category reached its zenith in the 1990s and early aughts. The Japanese turned this sub-genre into an entire industry with widely popular films such as Ringu (1998), Kairo (2001), and One Missed Call (2003). Writer/Director David Robert Mitchell turned his childhood nightmares of being followed by an unknown and unstoppable entity into something tangible when he began writing and developing what would become It Follows in 2011.

A grounded and realistic screenplay. Camera work reminiscent of the 70s horror classics. Nods to horror icons such as Alfred Hitchcock, George Romero, and John Carpenter. Ten years later, It Follows remains as popular today as it was upon release a decade ago.

Jake Weary and Maika Monroe star in “It Follows” (2014). Photo courtesy of RADiUS-TWC.

Beginnings

David Robert Mitchell first gained notice with the release of his debut film The Myth of the American Sleepover (2010). The coming-of-age comedy deftly portrays the American teenager’s anguish, pains, and triumphs, trying to navigate Summer vacation in Detroit, Michigan. The film premiered at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, and subsequently put Mitchell on the map with both critics and producers.

Influenced by Francois Truffaut and the early films of George Lucas (American Grafitti) and Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused), Mitchell’s next film would be a dramatic shift in tone, yet continue to remain grounded in the teenaged youth of America’s Midwest. Mitchell also had a budget that went from $30,000 for his first film, to over $1 million for It Follows. This meant a more controlled environment and better production value.

Casting Maika Monroe

Indie film producers Rebecca Green and Laura Smith helped to raise adequate funds to realize Mitchell’s vision, allowing the director to focus on assembling a top-notch cast. Enter future ‘Scream Queen’ Maika Monroe. Monroe broke through in a big way in 2014, starring in Adam Wingard’s dark thriller, The Guest. That same year Monroe auditioned for It Follows. Mitchell knew Monroe was perfect for portraying Jaime “Jay” Height, a young woman pursued relentlessly by the unseen entity. The director later spoke to Digital Spy in 2015:

“She was amazing…In terms of performance I didn’t have to push her. She is more than capable of bringing herself to that place…A lot of things were physically difficult…she was in the water a lot and the conditions weren’t the easiest…But she’s really tough. We were very lucky that she’s a strong person, as a lot of actors would have had a tough time.”

While Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe, Jake Weary, and especially Daniel Zovatto (as Greg, Jamie’s neighbor) all give strong performances, It Follows belongs to Maika Monroe and she carries the film on her shoulders. Monroe has cemented her status as a horror ‘Scream Queen’ with memorable performances in Watcher (2022), Significant Other (2022), and the critically acclaimed Longlegs (2024), co-starring Nicolas Cage.

Filming

Before principal photography on It Follows started, Mitchell brushed up on some of his favorite horror films. The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), The Shining (1980), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) as well as the works of directors Roman Polanski and David Cronenberg. As a result, the film has an almost ‘otherworldly’ quality to it.

The film’s actual time period is purposely left ambiguous. Old cars, new cars, vintage clothing, modern clothing, and ‘clamshell’ e-readers are thrown in to confuse and disorient the viewer. In addition, the stylistic set design choices and slow tracking shots are a clear nod to the films of John Carpenter and his horror films of the late 70s and early 80s, specifically Halloween (1978). Mitchell spoke to the AV Club in 2015:

“I totally love Carpenter—Halloween, and his version of The Thing is a favorite of mine. I’ve definitely watched his movies a million times… I’m a fan of his blocking and his staging and his compositions. I also love Cronenberg, I’m a big De Palma fan—I think there’s probably a lot of De Palma in there as well. Hitchcock, too. Rear Window is my favorite movie of all time”

Mitchell’s use of wide-angle tracking shots, dollying, over-the-shoulder shots, and long pans that establish tension is right out of the Kubrick and Carpenter playbook. In addition, the synthesizer-laden score by Disasterpeace (aka Richard Vreeland) is reminiscent of John Carpenter. His abrasive yet melodic score adds to the film’s overall surreal feel. Disasterpeace, primarily known for scoring video games, delivered an assault on the senses. This unique soundtrack was paid homage to eight years later by Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s soundtrack for Smile.

Release and Legacy

The horror film trope of ‘if you have sex, you will die’ resonated with viewers. When It Follows premiered at the 67th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2014, it was a critical hit. The film was released theatrically in France on February 4, 2015, and in the UK on February 27, 2015. It was given a limited release in the US on March 13, 2015, and went wide on March 27, 2015. Playing in over twelve hundred theaters, the film was a perfect blend of commercial horror paired with an art-house aesthetic.

After a successful run on the festival circuit, It Follows settled into theaters, grossing almost $22 million against a $1 million budget. It was a huge hit that launched the careers of both Maika Monroe and writer/director David Robert Mitchell. Ten years later the film has become its own sub-genre. Much like ‘Die Hard on a ‘blank’, major studios pitch horror films as ‘It’s ‘It Follows’ at a sleepaway camp!’ Or, ‘It’s ‘It Follows’ at an amusement park!’

In addition, the long-awaited rumors of an It Follows sequel have finally been confirmed. Maika Monroe told Indie Wire in June of this year that They Follow is expected to go into production sometime in early 2025. Monroe couldn’t elaborate in terms of specifics. However, this schedule puts the long-awaited sequel on track to release sometime in late 2025 or early 2026. Also, David Robert Mitchell will be back writing and directing. Monroe told Indie Wire in 2024:

“I just know that David wouldn’t do a sequel if it wasn’t going to be incredible, and the script is so fucking good. I’m obsessed. I’m just so excited to step into playing Jay again and just where you find her, it’s going to be great”