‘Dead Silence’: James Wan Reveals 1 Creepy Doll That ‘Survived the Fire’
James Wan‘s Dead Silence officially hit its 15 year anniversary. Many audiences are surprised to know that so much time passed since the horror movie gained its cult following. However, Wan would later prove that he still has an eye for horror long after making Dead Silence. He revealed that he kept one particularly creepy doll that “survived the fire” that consumed the rest of them.
‘Dead Silence’ is James Wan’s second feature film after ‘Saw’
Dead Silence follows Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten), who’s a young widower. He makes the journey back to his hometown to uncover the mystery behind his wife’s murder. Jamie believes that the ghost of a dead ventriloquist named Mary Shaw (Judith Roberts) is responsible, but not everybody is so convinced.
Before Wan made 2007’s Dead Silence, he hit the horror scene with 2004’s Saw. He launched his first successful franchise, even though he stepped away from the camera after the first installment. The franchise continues to survive to this very day, most recently with 2021’s Spiral. Nevertheless, he continued to prove that he understands what goes into making an impactful horror film.
James Wan revealed that 1 creepy ‘Dead Silence’ doll ‘survived the fire,’ which he keeps in his home
Wan took to Instagram to celebrate Dead Silence‘s 15 year anniversary. He’s ecstatic to see the horror movie continue to get love from its loyal fan following. The fans continue to talk about the film’s eerie dolls, creepy atmosphere, and major jump scares.
“I can’t believe it’s been 15 years since Dead Silence was released,” Wan wrote. “My second movie, and my first studio film (boy, was that an experience for Leigh [Whannell] and I). Really happy to see this little flick getting rediscovered and gaining cult love.”
However, Wan apparently set fire to all 101 dolls on the set, but he couldn’t resist saving one from the flames.
Wan continued: “Out of the 101 dolls of Mary Shaw’s, this was the only one that survived the first when we set the cabinet alight. I couldn’t bring myself to burn it, so I rescued it from the scene. Now she sits proudly on my shelf. Happy 15th birthday, Mary Shaw!”
‘Malignant’ is a big return to horror for the filmmaker
Wan made other successful horror franchises with The Conjuring and Insidious. He soon moved away from the genre and into major Hollywood tentpoles with Furious 7 and Aquaman. However, that didn’t diminish his appreciation for his fans or his ability to tell a scary story.
The Giallo-inspired horror movie Malignant marked a big return to the genre for the filmmaker. Wan carries over the jump scares and ups the camp value from movies like Dead Silence. Hopefully, this isn’t the final time that the filmmaker brings the audience back to the genre.
