SXSW 2023 – Creating Escapism and Making a Statement with Satire: A Conversation with ‘The Wrath of Becky’ Filmmakers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote and Star Lulu Wilson
Filmmakers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote along with titular star (and executive producer) Lulu Wilson share their approach to the sequel, staying true to the collectively beloved character Becky, and using satire to create escapism and make a statement.
Two years after she escaped a violent attack on her family, Becky attempts to rebuild her life in the care of an older woman - a kindred spirit named Elena. But when a group known as the “Noble Men” break into their home, attack them, and take her beloved dog, Diego, Becky must return to her old ways to protect herself and her loved ones.
Becky is the vigilante we didn't know we all needed right this very second in the midst of an unruly political and social climate. From the opening scene to the final shot, you're on a thrilling ride, rooting for the worst outcome for the baddies that have unfortunately presented themselves to Becky.
While at SXSW, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the brains behind The Wrath of Becky, and rejoicing in their excitement for the world premiere of their new film. Filmmakers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote along with titular star (and executive producer) Lulu Wilson shared their approach to the sequel, staying true to the collectively beloved character Becky, and using satire to create escapism and make a statement.
This interview has been edited for content and clarity.
Sadie Dean: I love this character. The 90s kid in me is feeling all the Tank Girl vibes from this one. Becky is the hero we didn’t know that we needed. Matt and Suzanne, how did you two get involved with helming the sequel?
Matt Angel: We were contacted by our friends at BoulderLight Pictures, we had been trying to find something to do with them for a few years. And they reached out and they said, ‘You guys wouldn't be interested in doing a sequel to that little hit Becky would you?’ We just come off another film and we were really looking to do something fun. We immediately said yes and the next sentence out of their mouths was, ‘We need the script in three weeks.’ And it was right over the holidays and we just found out that Suzanne was pregnant – we’re married - and I went, ‘I think I can do it.’ We were off to the races and the team at BoulderLight and Post Film’s, they were just so incredibly supportive of our creative vision for this film and trusting.
Sadie: That's a quick turnaround for a script. How much were you in conversation with Lulu about her character?
Suzanne Coote: Becky 2 can happen without us, but it can't happen without Lulu.
Lulu: Yeah, I mean, I love you guys. I knew you and I knew that you could deal with me, and we could make something really happen after that first meeting. There was never really a doubt in my mind that we were going to make a really solid movie because I'm no stranger to sequels - I was in the second Annabelle and the second Ouija…personally, this may be controversial, but I think sequels can be better than the first, and often they freakin’ are!
Matt: We were really excited to work together.
Lulu: I just thought of this just as a freaking fun time. It was really hard at times and grueling, but we got it done.
Matt: It was a very ambitious film. We set out to do a lot with the resources we had. Hopefully we managed it well enough.
Sadie: What was the production schedule?
Matt: 18 days, I think it's three locations in my mind because I think the lake house for three days, then the diner and middle of nowhere.
Lulu: And also, the orphan house. We don't talk about that enough.
Matt: It's a little moment to throw off the fans of the first film.
Suzanne: But again, this is like such a shout-out to the producers, because other more typical executives might be like, ‘but people aren't going to know exactly what they're watching.’ I'm just like give it a minute.
Lulu: Yeah, you're right - this crazy revenge teenage Nazi killer. It gives you an idea of what's going to happen - it gives an extra layer of like, while we're in this world with a bunch of crazy Nazis we're also in this world of other crazy people and also that specific scene was two years ago, we still start two years ago, and then we go right into the future, but it is good to just have a moment to be like, what is this?
Sadie: With your character, because I feel it's going be a very iconic character in due time --
Matt: I hope they do a Halloween costume.
Lulu: The red jumpsuit and the shoes!
Sadie: Oh yeah, with the laces and all - but I'm just so curious about your motivation for the sequel and revisiting this character because there's this sense that she’s seeking freedom, survival, and finding a home and going back to Tank Girl as a character overall, she's fighting for a team that she doesn't know she's on.
Suzanne: That's a good way to put it.
Lulu: Yeah, I mean, she's a vigilante. Yeah, you're right. She doesn't really know. I mean, she's pissed about it, of course.
Suzanne: Oh, I know what it is! Those people that are so quote-unquote woke, but then don't do anything? And you're like stop fucking posting shit, get out there. Becky doesn't go on w-w-w-dot anything.
Lulu: She's not actively seeking it out. It's happening to her. It's not like she's taking the time to research and be involved.
Suzanne: She does shit.
Lulu: Well, number one because she doesn't have the time to do it - she's living this crazy life. She is doing activism in her own way. Definitely not performative.
Suzanne: Activism by Becky.
[ALL LAUGH]
Lulu: Yeah, she's getting shit done. She's making it happen. And she's going to continue. Like, in that moment where, there are all these people, but there's more people and I'm going to kill them. I love that moment. So, she's definitely woke, but she definitely hates it.
Suzanne: Exactly.
Lulu: She just wants to do it and get it done. They took her dog and then they killed the only person she loves.
Sadie: I love those moments too, because it's so violent and grotesque, but those brief moments where you're also on the same page with her and her fever dreams – yes, sweet revenge.
Lulu: [laughs] I mean like that's the dream when you're really angry. You want to go into one of those rage rooms. The Wrath of Becky is its own personal rage room. It literally is to me like we’re fulfilling this urge, obviously, I was actually getting to do it hands-on, but watching a movie like Becky I think is an equivalent experience.
Matt: It's cathartic.
Lulu: Yeah, sorry, we've been saying it so much - I'm trying to come up a better word – yes, it's cathartic. It feels good. And people want to watch a movie that feels good like that. We can just sit and watch and not really be judgmental. Unless you're a Nazi. Like, if you watch this and you’re a Nazi, you're probably not gonna like it, but like, let's hope that not a lot of Nazis are watching our movies.
Sadie: Or they should watch this.
Lulu: Yeah! And then they're like wait a minute...
Matt: The news is depressing. We need movies to sometimes create some escapism. But what's great about satire is we get to make a statement whilst also providing statements. We get to walk that line. That's one very fun element about film.
Sadie: With a tight production schedule, what was the collaboration process with your DP, production designer, special effects, and makeup team, and making sure everyone was on the same page?
Suzanne: We only had about a month of prep, if that, and it was all on Zoom. We didn't have production offices. Do you know how difficult that is? All departments were basically in the dark until the day we got to shoot – it was so impressive. Everyone is just a dream and they all cared.
Lulu: It was a well-oiled machine.
Matt: Really great group. Everyone got our vision.
Lulu: I noticed heavily on this and more than any other, but everybody loved what they were doing. We all loved Becky. And were really just so united in the fact that we wanted to make a really good movie that other people would also like and have fun with.
Suzanne: Maybe I could take a poll from the crew members that maybe we all had a collective trauma.
Lulu: 100%
Suzanne: Honestly, we've been through some shit, the world has been through some shit. A lot more marginalized groups have gone through more shit. And it's unbelievable, the short amount of time that this has all happened and it's continuing to happen. And so, we're all intrinsically on the same page. It feels good to be empathetic.
Sadie: What do you hope audiences take away after watching this one?
Suzanne: I just want them to have fun. I want them to feel good.
Lulu: Yeah, it's kind of a boring answer, but it’s really true.
Matt: The satirical statement we're making with this kind of an alternate reality that is The Wrath of Becky is very clear. But we always said we want to make a crowd pleaser. This is a film the SXSW type of audience should enjoy. And now we're here at SXSW.
The Wrath of Becky had its world premiere in the Midnighters screening on March 11, 2023.
The film will be released exclusively in Theaters on May 26, 2023
Sadie Dean is the Editor of Script Magazine and writes the screenwriting column, Take Two, for Writer’s Digest print magazine. She is also the co-host of the Reckless Creatives podcast. Sadie is a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, and received her Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from The American Film Institute. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie is an accomplished writer herself, in which she has been optioned, written on spec, and has had her work produced. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary. Sadie is also a proud member of Women in Film.
Follow Sadie and her musings on Twitter @SadieKDean
