With the theatrical release of Backrooms came the trailer for Adam Wingard‘s upcoming film, Onslaught (which the internet graciously received several days later). More exciting than Wingard having a new non-franchise film in the works is the news that he’s once again paired with screenwriter Simon Barrett. The partnership, which previously enriched genre fans with some off-kilter (and really excellent) movies like You’re Next and, more importantly, the underseen 2014 genre-clashing thriller-action-horror film The Guest. It’s a film that’s great on its own because it’s the funniest movie that isn’t a comedy and has some great action scenes without being an action movie, but it also seemingly could have connective tissue to make Onslaught be a potential spiritual sequel, if not a direct follow-up.

The film follows the Peterson family, specifically siblings Luke (Brendan Meyer) and Anna (Maika Monroe), as they cope with the grief of the death of their brother Caleb, who died in battle overseas, and their parents (Sheila Kelley and LeLand Orser) as they try to pick up the pieces. Their lives seem to take a turn for the better when Caleb’s mysterious but affable soldier friend, named David (Dan Stevens) arrives with the intent of helping the family in any way he can…occasionally with the help of guns and knives.

Dan Stevens Steals the Show in ‘The Guest’

The Guest was Wingard and Barrett’s follow-up to You’re Next and is the second in their unofficial trilogy of movies with two-word titles (the third entry being Blair Witch). It didn’t do well financially because…apparently people weren’t interested in seeing Matthew Crowley from Downton Abbey kill people with grenades? That feels highly unlikely, but any tangible reason why it didn’t do well got lost in the wind somewhere, so we’re stuck making assumptions.

Dan Stevens is worth mentioning because anyone who’s seen the film is quick to bring up how his performance makes the movie. Steven plays a psychopathic killer who’s just so likable that it’s easy for the viewer to be on his side for the majority of the movie. He’s not putting up a serial killer-esque front to disarm potential victims; he really is just innately charming and cool with a Kentucky accent for good measure. Sure, he kills people, but he also calls strangers “sir” and “ma’am” and even takes a hit off a joint when offered at a party after politely bringing in two kegs just to be helpful. So, there are pros and cons of having him around.

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‘The Guest’ is a Stylistic Crossroads for Adam Wingard

The movie’s an interesting middle ground in Wingard’s filmography, acting somewhere between the horror genre, which he was known for at the time, and the action genre, which would later get mainstream attention by directing the Godzilla vs. Kong movies. It’s sort of a genre fusion of horror and action, with the selling point frequently highlighted in Amazon and Letterboxd reviews being that David is like a cross between Michael Myers and The Terminator. That being said, the movie goes more for tension rather than horror, which seems, by design, with Wingard and Barrett trying their hands at something other than horror. Wingard confirmed as much in an interview at the time of its release.

Despite his charismatic personality, there are a few moments where David is legitimately intimidating, with one moment in particular of him waiting for Anna to say, “Okay,” being a standout threatening moment. When it comes to David being a killing machine, he’s played more as a quick and efficient hitman doing what he’s good at rather than a relentless killer who finds pleasure in the pain of others. There’s one set piece in particular that’s played more like a scene out of John Wick, rather than a slasher film.

Connections Between ‘Onslaught’ and ‘The Guest’

Onslaught will be Stevens’ third collaboration with Wingard and Barrett in a currently undisclosed role that’s at least significant enough to warrant a voice-over and major billing in the trailer. While not a direct sequel, speaking with MovieWeb, Stevens talked about the film being a spiritual successor: “It’s not a sequel to The Guest, but it is very much, if you liked The Guest, you’re probably going to like Onslaught. And it’s very much in the same universe of super soldiers gone bad and that kind of thing, which we love.” Based on details from the trailer, Onslaught does appear to carry similar DNA to The Guest, with its western setting aesthetic (thanks to both movies being filmed in New Mexico), the potential underlying B-movie tone, and the monsters being unstoppable killing machines in the form of advanced soldiers. And similar to The Guest, it might even take place around Halloween since the lead actress, Adria Arjona, is even shown using jack-o’-lanterns for target practice, hinting that the story may also unfold around Halloween.

The Guest belongs to that rare category of movies that few people talk about, but those who do absolutely love. It’s a fun, tongue-in-cheek action-thriller that shows the best of Adam Wingard’s stylistic direction (and talent for filming action scenes) and Simon Barrett’s writing that’s grounded but with an undercurrent of humor and goofiness without ever winking at the camera. The impending release of Onslaught will hopefully shine a new spotlight on one of Wingard and Barrett’s best collaborations while expanding on many of the ideas first explored in The Guest.

Here you can find the original article; the photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors; they have been used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[/nospin]

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