Seventeen films.
That is a massive number for any movie franchise.
Usually, by the time you get this deep into a series, things start to feel repetitive.
Thankfully, the producers of Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins are not bothered by this challenge.
Regal Entertainment’s Roselle Monteverde and Keith Monteverde Teo are confident that this year’s installment of the classic horror series will offer something fresh and exciting for Filipino moviegoers.
Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins
Synopsis
For the first time, Shake, Rattle & Roll will feature fully interconnected stories through three segments that will represent different horror genres.
The first episode, titled "1775," is a moody period piece about nuns trying to survive an unspoken evil while set in a nunnery during the Spanish colonial period.
The second episode is titled "2025."
Here, a group of teens try to fend off an out-of-control serial killer during a Halloween party in an underground club.
The last episode is "2050," which tackles an apocalyptic future ruled by monsters.
THE CONCEPT
In an exclusive interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) via Zoom, the Regal bosses explained how they came up with this concept, how they got it off the ground, and their expectations for its anticipated run during the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival.
It was Regal President and CEO Roselle Monteverde who first came up with the concept.
Executive Producer Keith Monteverde Teo began: “My mom mentioned that she came up with this idea.
“We wanted to tackle past, present, and future. So, we started just talking internally at Regal, okay, how can we connect the three episodes because it follows that timeline?”
Regal brought together its most brilliant in-house creators to build a coherent story, before the writers even wrote the scripts.
“I don't think we engaged the writers until January this year because we were working on the concept for almost, I think, at least four months last year,” said Keith.
Then, once the first draft of the three scripts were finished, Regal found the directors who can execute them.
He continued: “We wanted to add the visual elements to the story, so we started thinking about which are the directors we wanted to work with. And so it was right around that time that we brought in our three directors.”
Read: MMFF 2025 Parade of Stars: Highlights and sidelights
THE DIRECTORS
Eventually, Regal picked Shugo Praico for "1775," Joey de Guzman for "2025," and Ian Loreños for "2050."
Just this year, Praico made the moody, otherworldly thriller The Caretakers for Regal. It could be similar in tone to "1775."
De Guzman, meanwhile, directed the “Rage” episode of 2023’s Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme, giving him prior experience with the franchise and with working with a young cast.
Then there’s Loreños.
As a director for action-filled shows like Incognito and The Iron Heart, he has the skills to helm the heart-pounding moments in "2050".
Once the directors were on board, Regal went all out to support their vision.
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Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins' PRODUCERS
Roselle said she wanted them to dream big.
“Kasi siyempre, minsan yung director thinks about, 'Baka mahal,' ganun. So I encourage them.
"I mean, if you were to be a filmmaker, what is really your dream? How big do you really want this to be?
"And from your vision, we will be the one to manage that. Kami na ang bahala,” she stated.
For example, Regal spared no expense to achieve the look that they wanted for "1775."
They wanted a real location so the segment would look authentic.
Roselle added: “Ang hirap pa na maghanap ng mga lumang beaterio...Ang hirap na kasi, e. So ang dami naming nililinis para magmukha siyang talagang luma."
They also supervised the creation of large set pieces.
For "2025," they made a concert hall. For "2050," it’s an expansive apocalyptic wasteland with big monsters.
Keith exclaimed that he prefers practical effects and prosthetics, instead of special effects produced by a computer.
“We don't like to use too much CGI,” he remarked.
“We would like to really build things from scratch when we can. So a lot of our actors and actresses, they'd be on set four hours before start of the shoot, just putting on the prosthetics and the make-up.”
BEST VIEWED IN CINEMAS
Surpassing these production challenges ensure that Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins will be a spectacle that’s worthy to be viewed in cinemas.
After all, horror is n longer a niche genre.
It can now top box-office charts and launch multi-billion franchises.
Just this year, two horror movies—Jurassic World: Rebirth and Sinners—joined the list of the ten highest-grossing movies in the United States.
The Conjuring: Last Rites, a part of the multi-billion Conjuring franchise, landed in 14th place.
The Regal executives hope for the same showing for their latest project.
Shake, Rattle & Roll could be the MMFF film that will bring families and friends together.
“I think Shake does that really well,” claimed Keith.
“You know, when you go and watch Shake with a group of people, you'll scream together, pero you'll also laugh together, you'll gasp together, baka you might even cry together. So it's really like a community experience.”
Roselle added: "Sa episode 2, for example, pag makita mo yung lights used...iba talaga yung experience. Mapapasayaw ka rin kahit sa beat ng music. And we encourage the moviegoers to do it. So it's really like you are part of it."
Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins will premiere on December 25, 2025, as a part of the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival.
It stars Carla Abellana, Janice de Belen, Loisa Andalio, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Fyang Smith, JM Ibarra, Richard Gutierrez, Ivana Alawi, Dustin Yu, and Manilyn Reynes.