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Screamboatdirector Steven LaMorte and producer/star Amy Schumacher embraced the inherent challenge of parodying one of the world’s most famous cartoon characters. When the original Mickey Mouse cartoonSteamboat Williefell into the public domain, it didn’t take long for remixes of the concept to go into development. One of the most high-profile wasScreamboat, which embraces a darkly comedic approach to the slasher genre.
CastingTerrifierstar David Howard Thornton as “Willie” and unleashing him on the unassuming crew and passengers of the Staten Island Ferry,Screamboatquickly embraces the dark Disney aestheticfor silly and scary results.
During an interview withScreenRant, Steven LaMorte and Amy Schumacher discussed how far they decided to take their Disney parody inScreamboat, the energy that Thornton brought to the set as Willie, and what other Disney properties they’d want to take a swing at.
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“The Opportunities Were Endless.”
At its very core,Screamboatisn’t just a throwback splatterfest but also a genuine tribute to the legacy ofSteamboat Willie, according to director Steven LaMorte. “We didn’t just want to take the character or the IP and put it into a forgettable slasher,” Lamorte explained.
“We wanted to really do Steamboat Willie. It was certainly daunting to take on a character that’s three feet tall that everybody knows and loves [but] it was also a fun challenge. We wanted to see a mischievous miniature murder mouse.”
“We wanted to put David in an awesome suit with amazing prosthetics and fantastic creature design and watch him cut loose and make a fun horror-comedy of it.” This was a point that Amy Schumacher — who appears in the film as Amber — reiterated.
“We’re both Disney lovers. We made sure to incorporate more Disney puns, Disney references, and hidden Disney elements in the film. That became a really fun challenge for us… Once we had the idea, and we knew that David was going to play Willie, it felt like the opportunities were endless.”
How David Howard Thornton Became Willie In Screamboat
“He Was All In”
David Howard Thornton has proven to be a rising star in the horror genre, with his unsettling but undeniably engrossing performance as Art the Clown propelling theTerrifierfilms to success. Thornton appears inScreamboatas the murderous mouse Willie, who has been unleashed from his accidental prison onboard a New York City Ferry and sets off on a rampage.
According to Schumacher, Thornton’s pure glee about being on the project was clear whenever the actor would walk on set. She recalled how"David would spend maybe three to four hours getting into that makeup with his makeup artist, Margaret Prentice. Once David got on set, the energy in the entire room would change.
Schumacher continues,“Everyone was so excited to see him there, they were getting their phones out and trying to take pictures and getting distracted from what we were doing [Laughing]. I feel like David just couldn’t help himself.”
“He’s a goofy guy anyway, but he also absolutely loves Disney. He did a lot of homework and a lot of research into how he wanted to move and play the character. All these silly little beats and sounds and noises that he could bring to the character,“she says,“We could feel him emoting through these layers of fur and ice packs and sweat. Before the script was even written, we knew David was going to do it. The second we approached him about it, he was all in.”
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Recalling his own first experience seeing Thornton on the set in costume as Willie, LaMorte remembered how “the first time you see him in the suit, it’s just wild. He came through the door, and we’d seen the design. He’s been on set. He’s rehearsed with us. He’s been on the boat, working out the movements [but] he looked terrifying!
“We knew Willie could not be limited. He had to be able to be free, and let completely off the chain.“LaMorte says,“He goes wild with it, and you’re able to see it in the movie. There’s definitely a temptation to drift to a direct translation of what Steamboat Willie really looks like, something that drifts into that mascot character aesthetic.”
“It would limit his performance, though.“He continues,“We needed to adapt the creature not just to suit the story and be equal parts scary and funny, but also so he could perform and emote. We wanted something that felt alive — and between the design and David, it worked.”
Mocking The House Of Mouse In Screamboat
“The Last Thing We’d Want To Do Is Break The Rules Or Enrage [Disney]…”
Announced shortly after the confirmation thatSteamboat Williehad entered the public domain,Screamboatis the latest horror film to take direct inspiration from a story that is better known for its animated Disney version.Screamboateven pokes fun at Disneywith multiple characters (like a birthday party that ends up aboard the boat just to be slaughtered by Willie).
Looking back at their approach to parody inScreamboat, LaMorte explained that their guidelines started by"going by the legal definition of the law. We were making sure that we were following the rules as far as public domain and parody.”
Luckily, LaMorte has had some experience with parody because of his last film,The Mean One.“Now I have a YouTube University Associates Degree in copyright law and fair use [Laughter]. Some people could look at it as an obstacle, but we really did look at it as an opportunity.”
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“We take the rules really seriously, and it’s really important that we don’t confuse people into thinking this is officially sanctioned. We don’t want kids to see this movie by accident… We want people to see the movie and to be able to judge it for themselves and have fun in the theater together.”
LaMorte continues,“The last thing we’d want to do is break the rules or enrage [Disney] and do anything that would limit our ability to make people laugh in theaters around the world. We took it as a challenge. How far can we take this? How can we honor this amazing history and character and lore that people love and use it to our advantage?”
Screamboat Director & Producer Reveal Their Dream Disney Projects
“A Disney-Themed Yeti Adventure Movie Would Be Awesome!”
The Twisted Childhood Universe operates on a similar level toScreamboat, taking gleefully gruesome liberties with some classic characters and stories. Looking at the greater catalog of characters and concepts that Disney has played with before, Schumacher noted that “my favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid. But do I want to be Ariel? Not really.”
LaMorte, meanwhile, had a firm idea of what IP from the Disney library he’d be the most excited to play with.“It’s been done, but I’d love to adapt Tower of Terror. I think there’s a movie in there. Maybe the Matterhorn, right? A Disney-themed Yeti adventure movie would be awesome!”
“There was also this show in the 1990s, “Alien Encounter.” It locked children in a room with a real alien that broke loose, and it tortured these kids for 15 minutes. I was one of them. It was the scariest thing I had ever seen up to that point in my life. That visceral, in-person, horrifying, but somehow still Disney experience has stayed with me for decades. There’s your horror movie right there!”
