Toronto After Dark is in full-swing and among the many screenings, I managed to scrounge enough time for an interview with David Hayter, screenwriter for blockbusters X-Men, X-2, and Watchmen. David is in town for the festivities and to promote his directorial debut Wolves, starring Jason Momoa, Lucas Till, and Stephen McHattie, which is screening at the festival.

______________________________________

Why Werewolves?

Why not werewolves? This was just an opportunity that came to me through somebody, a producer friend of mine wanted me to take a look at this and I started to think, at first I certainly didn’t want to make my directorial debut with a werewolf movie because they are very difficult to execute, well. But, I started thinking about the nature of this creature and trying to figure out how to tie it to the natural human experience.

I started thinking about the time when I was like, 17 or so, you know, when I was full of a lot of rage, violence, and sex. You know, all the crazy stuff that comes along, and you really become a beast unto yourself, I thought that’d be an interesting metaphor to apply to this. Most werewolf movies you turn into a monster and you’re killing people, and then you have to be hunted down and destroyed. I thought if I came at it through the perspective of “coming-of-age,’ then your goal is not to destroy that rage or drive within yourself, it’s to learn to control it and learn to focus it. Once I had that concept in mind. I thought it was an interesting way to take on this particular creature.

Is there any specific werewolf film that inspired you to tackle Wolves?

An American Werewolf in London is one of my top ten favourite films of all time,  I think it’s amazing. I also feel that it’s the greatest telling of the classic tale that’s ever been, he gets bit, he starts to change, he starts killing innocent people. So, I didn’t want to remake that because, I mean, you can’t, it’s such an amazing piece. But I thought if I could do something that was sort of a mirror to that, sort of a different take on the tale but still use the inspiration of some of those amazing designs and wolf executions...

Is this something you’d been working on for a while?

It took about six years, from the time I started working on the script to when we ended up shooting it. A lot of people say, “well, that’s a long time” well, it’s not really a long time, that’s just how long movies take to put together. It’s a good 5-10 year process  on average.

Bikers and Werewolves, where’d you get that connection?

Well, like I say, the movie at its core is really about the wilder, more dangerous aspects of human behavior. So, it just sort of lent itself to, I knew my kid was going to be out on the road, I wanted it to have a sort of western feel, and so he had to run into some rough characters and when you’re out on the road bikers just seem to naturally fit.

So kind of referring to the lone wolf mentality?

Yes, people who embrace their wilder side are the kind of characters I’m trying to depict here.

Wolves being your directorial debut, did working with solidified talents Jason Momoa and Lucas Till make your job easier or put more of a strain on you to bring out your best?

No, it definitely made my job easier. They’re both professionals, they’d done so much work before they came to me. And nobody came at it with any real ego or difficulties. I mean, when you work with top-level talent, you’ll critique them “how about a little more like this” and then they’ll do something that’s so remarkable, that you understand why they’re stars. It was just a joy to work with them both.

Is Jason any less intimidating once you get to know him?

He’s always intimidating. He’s enormous. I’d say you want to be careful when you’re eating next to him because his hands fly all over the place. Yet he’s so extremely lovable, he’s got such a great, engaging personality. So yeah, he’s always intimidating, but he’s really fun to hang out with and just a lovely guy.

Actually, there’s one moment in the film where Lucas, Jason literally outweighing Lucas by like 100 pounds, had to run past him and Jason had to swipe at him and miss him. On one take he caught him on the back and sent Lucas flying and didn’t even notice. Lucas is just laying there like this guy just sent me 10 feet into the dirt.

What was the most challenging aspect filming Wolves?

Obviously the creature effects were very, very extensive.

I can imagine, you did have a large costume/make-up department on this film.

The execution of those creatures was a massive undertaking. To get the actors into character was about a 4 hour process, almost every day. It was amazing to watch them make them and sculpt them. All of the fur you see in the film is actual animal fur that is put in, hair by hair, by 20 women in California at a table who would sit and punch hair all day into the outfits. That was the most difficult part and obviously extremely hard for the actors to be encased in all that latex.

What did it mean for you to film Wolves in your hometown, Toronto?

It was very, very special. I’ve been lucky enough to work here, we shot X-Men here, so I got to move back here for 8 months then on Wolves I moved back here for 8 months and this time I brought my family, my daughter, 10, she did half of third grade here. I love this city, I got a lot of friends and relatives here who got to come out and visit the set. It made it so much more special and felt like coming home to make the movie here.

What was it like to work with legendary Canadian actor Stephen McHattie?

That was awesome!

I’m not sure how much interaction you had with him on Watchmen, but to be able to direct him must have been incredible?

Yeah, I saw him on Watchmen but didn’t actually get to work with him. When they brought up his name I instantly told them to cast him, he’s a miracle, he’s such a phenomenal actor. He’s very intimidating, in his own way. I’m not easily intimidated but I think he really scared the hell out of a lot of the crew. He’s very quiet and very intense. The first time I had him go toe-to-toe with Jason Momoa. I had written his character to be a little frightened, but I soon realized that this guy isn’t frightened of anything.

David, thanks for taking the time to sit and talk Wolves good luck at the film’s screening later tonight and with the film’s future release.

Thank you.