I’ve been fortunate over the last (almost) nine years of my career to do some unusual and out-of-the-box events celebrating some truly great genre films, television shows, and more. To get to do an Escape Room based on an actual film was something entirely different, though, as I quickly found out at the Don’t Breathe experience yesterday afternoon. The event also featured the official trailer launch for Fede Alvarez’s latest, with the director on hand to give us a sense of what fans can anticipate once the film is unleashed in theaters on August 26th.
Going into the Don’t Breathe experience, I was at a bit of an advantage, only because I had the distinct pleasure of seeing the film at its world premiere at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival, so I knew what to expect in some regards. Before heading into the Escape Room (which if you’ve never done one, is exactly how it sounds—you get locked in a room and have to get creative to figure out how to get out), we had the chance to check out the new trailer (which is going live at the same time as this piece). What I enjoyed the most about this trailer is that it gives you a good sense of the palpable tension that courses throughout Don’t Breathe, but it’s not revealing too much of its batshit crazy side, so you guys still have no idea what you’re in for come this August (I promise, it’s an amazingly f--ked-up time).
Going inside the Escape Room itself was great; we accompanied two thieves who needed our help in stealing wads of cash from an old blind guy who lives alone, but, true to what happens in Don’t Breathe, we got locked inside the man’s creepy homestead and had to figure a way out before it was too late for us all. Our group was left to gather clues from around the room and put all the puzzle pieces together, and I’m rather proud to admit that our group was out of there in about 20 minutes. I’ve done a few other Escape Rooms here in LA, and let’s just say they rarely go so smoothly for groups I’ve been with (especially since I heard another group had a bit of difficulty before us, leaving me somewhat daunted), so this was a pleasant surprise.
Theming the Escape Room to fit the Don’t Breathe narrative was a nice touch, and all the actors did an excellent job of throwing us journalists right into the mix. Alvarez’s sophomore feature directorial effort is easily going to make my list of favorite films for 2016, so this was a perfect way to celebrate its upcoming release. Hope you guys dig the trailer and just wait, the craziest stuff is yet to be seen.
Heather A. Wixson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, until she followed her dreams and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. A 14-year veteran in the world of horror entertainment journalism, Wixson fell in love with genre films at a very early age, and has spent more than a decade as a writer and supporter of preserving the history of horror and science fiction cinema. Throughout her career, Wixson has contributed to several notable websites, including Fangoria, Dread Central, Terror Tube, and FEARnet, and she currently serves as the Managing Editor for Daily Dead, which has been her home since 2013. She's also written for both Fangoria Magazine & ReMind Magazine, and her latest book project, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume One will be released on October 20, 2021.
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