As the architect of two multi-billion dollar horror properties, not to mention his status as the only person other than James Cameron to have directed a pair of movies from different franchises that earned ten figures apiece at the box office, it would be an understatement to call James Wan a major player in Hollywood.
The co-creator of Saw and Insidious, the architect of The Conjuring Universe, director of Fast & Furious 7 and Aquaman, producer of the Mortal Kombat reboot, the upcoming Salem’s Lot remake and more; Wan’s filmography is comparable to any of Hollywood’s biggest names when it comes to sustained commercial success.
Unfortunately, his most recent feature Malignant bombed hard at the box office, but that wasn’t really his fault. A combination of the pandemic, an HBO Max hybrid release and a third act twist so insane you couldn’t breathe a word of it to anyone made the bonkers horror an impossible movie to market, but he did at least find one notable supporter.
Stephen King praised Malignant for its brilliance, and Wan responded like the fanboy he’s always been once he caught wind of the maestro’s glowing recommendation, which you can see below.
Wan is currently shooting blockbuster superhero sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but he’s always going to have horror closest to his heart. As he says, things don’t come much better or more rewarding than one of the genre’s all-time biggest icons approving of what you’ve brought to the table.