Greetings, guys and ghouls! This week, directer Brad Peyton (San Andreas) gushed about his experience working with WWE stars, the paranormal, and his debut horror film Incarnate. Incarnate will be in theaters this Friday, December 2nd.

JL: Incarnate is your first horror film as a director. What drew you to this film in particular?

BP: The very first thing that I made was a horror comedy. And knowing Jason Blum and talking with him when I got the script for Incarnate, there were so many elements that grabbed me. I loved that it was like The Exorcist meets science fiction. It had a fresh twist that I couldn’t say no to.

JL: I’ve always been fascinated by horror movies that are able to blur the line between science and religion. Do you personally believe in possession?

BP: I’ve never witnessed anything or had any life experiences with that sort of thing. But I think there is probably a logical explanation that could suggest that it could be real. It’s possibly psychological. I’ve heard stories about strange occurrences like a woman being able to lift a car off the ground. I’ve experienced some odd things that may not be easy to explain, but nothing like possession.

JL: I’m also a big WWE fan and I know you’ve worked with your share of wrestling stars who have turned to acting. What was it like working with Mark Henry?

BP: Dude, I’ve got you covered. I know Big Show, I know Mark Henry… I’ve worked with The Rock. The thing is, these big guys are really gentle and funny. They’re grounded good people. And they really appreciate being in a movie. Wrestlers go through some seriously tough training and it can wear them down, so coming aboard a movie set is a nice break because they get to experience a pampered lifestyle. Mark Henry is a giant two-ton guy. He could crush my head like a fucking peanut but he’s a sweetheart. My girlfriend was in the first part of the film and while she was on set, Mark kept giving her tips on how to crush people.

JL: What are some horror movies that have inspired you?

BP: The Shining is probably one of the best horror movies of all time. I also really enjoyed Suspiria as a child. I loved Alien because I’ve always been really drawn to science fiction. But the movie that probably inspired Incarnate the most was Flatliners in terms of the style and tone. I wanted to make a movie that wasn’t only really fucking scary but also had drama and great character development.