Jamie Lee Curtis: From Scream Queen to Production Powerhouse
Jamie Lee Curtis revealed she initially signed on for just one more “Halloween” film in 2018, unaware it would blossom into a trilogy. During a panel at SXSW titled, “If Not Now, When, if Not Me, Who? Pivoting and Manifesting,” Curtis shared insights into her filmmaking journey and career evolution as both an actress and producer.
Curtis first expressed her gratitude towards Jason Blum, the head of Blumhouse Productions. “The only reason I am sitting in this chair today is because of Jason,” she stated. Blumhouse was instrumental in reviving the “Halloween” franchise, but Curtis admitted she was initially under the impression it was a standalone project.
Negotiating for More: A Strategic Move
“If they had come to me and said it’s going to be a trilogy, I don’t think I would have said yes,” Curtis confessed. She playfully acknowledged Blum’s reputation for cost-conscious filmmaking. “Jason Blum is notoriously cheap. How do you make low-budget movies? You don’t pay people. That’s the model.”
However, Curtis cleverly turned this to her advantage. “While we were editing and doing the mix, David [Gordon Green] said, ‘You know it’s a trilogy.’ I was like, ‘Uh, no.’ I went to Jason Blum and said, ‘I have some ideas, maybe you could give me a first look deal, just pay me a little money,’” she recounted. “I said to Jason, ‘How about a little development deal?’ And I owed him two ‘Halloween’ movies, so what was he gonna say?”
Fueling Independent Filmmaking
Curtis’s motivation wasn’t solely financial. She wanted to support Russell Goldman, a filmmaker she was collaborating with on a project called “Mother Nature.” Goldman now serves as a development executive for Curtis’s production company, Comet Pictures, and recently premiered his directorial debut, “Sender,” at SXSW – marking the first time Curtis has seen the Comet Pictures logo on the big screen.
“Jason Blum gave me a vanity deal,” Curtis explained, referencing the common practice of actors taking producer credits. She added that Blum likely didn’t anticipate her leveraging the deal into multiple projects. One example is “The Lost Bus,” an Apple TV film nominated for an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, which originated from an NPR story about a heroic school bus driver and teacher.
A Genre Appreciation with a Twist
The conversation also touched upon the Academy’s growing recognition of the horror genre, particularly with the success of films like “Sinners.” While Curtis is famously known as a “Scream Queen,” she admitted she doesn’t necessarily *love* the genre itself.
“I’m in love with the independent filmmaking aspect of the genre,” she clarified. “I’m so thrilled to see how diverse it has become — showcasing different genders and sexuality, or, how I put it, ‘the words that Donald Trump is trying to erase from our language.’” She emphasized her appreciation for the genre’s evolution and its ability to amplify marginalized voices.
Expanding the Comet Pictures Universe
Curtis also discussed her pursuit of adapting Patricia Cornwell’s “Scarpetta” novels for the screen, a project she pitched to Blum after realizing the books hadn’t been previously adapted. Her collaboration with Nicole Kidman on the project came about after a chance encounter at the Academy Awards years prior, where Kidman expressed admiration for Curtis’s work.
Despite her success in film and television, Curtis revealed a surprising aspiration: “My only desire is to be made a sitcom!”
Learn more about Blumhouse Productions and their impact on the horror genre: Blumhouse Productions
