This past weekend, John Krasinski spoke with The Daily Orange about his upcoming movie, “A Quiet Place Part II,” which is set to hit theaters on March 20. Although he’s usually wary of sequels, Krasinski said he wanted to expand the world and metaphors of parenthood he created in the first movie.  

 The second movie is set in the same dystopian world where aliens prey on humans by listening to sound. The Abbott family must try to survive within these restricting parameters and beyond the comforts of their home. 

 Krasinski wrote, directed and acted in both the first movie and the upcoming sequel. Emily Blunt, award-winning actress and wife of Krasinski, stars in the movie as Evelyn Abbott, the mother of Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe).  

 About directing and shooting with his wife, Krasinski says that Blunt is the greatest collaborator that he’s ever worked with on set.  

 “She’s all in on a project. So, she doesn’t just show up for her scene, she shows up for everybody,” he said. “I felt like I had my producer, co-director, co-writer and star all in one person.” 

 The first movie was shot mostly in Pawling, New York in the Hudson Valley region. The sequel takes place at a steel mill. Because of this, “A Quiet Place Part II” filmed some scenes at Bethlehem Steel in Buffalo, New York. Krasinski said the former steel mill had about 23,000 employees and its own fire and police departments. This, Krasinski said, is what drew him to the area. 

“You get to see these places that, to be honest, drip with nostalgia,” he said. “These buildings have their own stories, and they were telling their stories in every shot, so all I have to do is point the camera.” 

 Krasinski said he based the movie’s setting on the steel mill community in Pittsburgh where his father and grandfather worked. Growing up, he said that he’d always hear stories about the comradery in the steel community. Throughout the movie, he said he wanted to make a statement that no matter how individualistic current society might become, having a strong community is essential. 

 “I hope that we don’t ever lose sight of not only how important community is, but how vital it is, and that we will never be able to get through anything if we don’t do it together,” Krasinski said. 

 The first movie raked in more than $340 million, according to Box Office Mojo. On its opening weekend, “A Quiet Place” grossed about $50 million after the movie had a budget of $17 million.   

 Krasinski said fans of the first movie felt very connected to the Abbott family, and he wanted to continue the message of how powerful family can be with a sequel. For Krasinski, this movie was a “love letter” to his kids about parenting.  

 “I would say the second movie is a letter that I wrote to them about all my hopes and dreams and what they could be,” he said. “I hope they’re as brave and courageous in these dark, dark times — that they would be the brave ones to light a candle in the middle of all that darkness.” 

Published on March 8, 2020 at 11:00 pm

Contact Amy: abnakamu@syr.edu