<p id=”par-1_39″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/horror/”>Horror</a> movies are rarely critical darlings. Despite this, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-babadook-female-version-the-shining.html/”><em>The Babadook</em> became</a> one of the most beloved movies of the 2010s. The director of <em>The Babadook</em> was once convinced the movie was a failure. Now, she has a different perspective.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-director-of-the-babadook-took-1-comment-as-gospel”>The director of ‘The Babadook’ took 1 comment as gospel</h2>
<p id=”par-2_45″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-babadook-based-classic-character-lost-movie.html/”>Jennifer Kent is a movie director</a> known first and foremost for <em>The Babadook</em>. During a 2024 interview with <a href=”https://variety.com/2024/film/news/the-babadook-jennifer-kent-remembers-10th-anniversary-rerelease-1236146304/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Variety</a>, she discussed the film’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. While many filmmakers would be thrilled to attend Sundance, it was a nerve-wracking experience for Kent.</p>
<p id=”par-3_72″>“It [was] a hyper-aware moment for me, ‘Why is that woman coughing? Why is there so much silence?’” Kent recalled. “Like, what do I want them to talk through the film? Then when the film ended, the woman in front of me said, ‘Well, that was crap.’ I remember completely shutting down and thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve made a big turkey.’ Because you hear a comment like that, and I thought, ‘That’s unanimous.’”</p>
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<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”THE BABADOOK Trailer | New Release 2015″ width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/hxXkhp4zUOY?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-where-jennifer-kent-s-career-went-after-her-big-movie”>Where Jennifer Kent’s career went after her big movie</h2>
<p id=”par-4_55″>Afterward, Kent’s feelings about her signature movie changed. “I feel enormously grateful to that film,” she said. “I don’t tend to look back once I’ve finished a film. It’s done. I put everything I have into it and I want to move forward. So I haven’t thought that much about it, but I’m really grateful. </p>
<p id=”par-5_42″>“I also think it’s a bit of a lottery with films,” she said. “Someone can make a brilliant first film, and for whatever reason, it just doesn’t hit right at the time and doesn’t get that coverage. So I was very fortunate.”</p>
<p id=”par-6_64″>After<em> The Babadook</em> took over the world, Kent, who is from Australia, made the Australia-set period piece<em> The Nightingale</em>. While the latter film was popular with critics, few people saw it. Unfortunately, only a small number of viewers who are not Australian have any interest in Australian history. In some ways, <em>The Nightingale</em> is the opposite of <em>The Babadook</em>, whose Australian origins are incidental. </p>
<p id=”par-7_70″>Since then, she directed an episode of <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/everything-you-need-know-about-guillermo-del-toros-cabinet-of-curiosities.html/”>Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities</a></em> titled “The Murmuring.” She’s kept a low profile, which is a shame, as <em>The Babadook</em> is one of the few beloved horror films directed by a woman. Kent plans to make a series set in the 18th century inspired by the darker side of Irish mythology. Hopefully, she’ll be able to get the project off the ground.</p>
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<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”The Nightingale – Official Trailer I HD I IFC Films” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/YuP8g_GQIgI?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/h-p-lovecraft-loved-hated-classic-horror-movies.html/”>
H. P. Lovecraft Loved (and Hated) These Classic Horror Movies </a>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-how-the-babadook-performed”>How ‘The Babadook’ performed</h2>
<p id=”par-8_37″>According to <a href=”https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2321549/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Box Office Mojo</a>, <em>The Babadook</em> made a paltry sum in its opening weekend: $964,413. Internationally, the film earned $9,529,469 for a gross of over $10 million. That’s an impressive gross for a little independent film.</p>
<p id=”par-9_55″>Since then, <em>The Babadook</em> has become one of the most famous horror films of the 2010s. The film has inspired serious analysis as well as numerous tongue-in-cheek memes. After <em>The Babadook</em> came out, horror fiction started to focus on unhinged mother figures, such as in <em>Hereditary </em>and the viral video “Unedited Footage of a Bear.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_21″>Maybe Kent wasn’t always proud of the movie. But in the end, a certain top hat-wearing demon had the last laugh.</p>