Director Jacob Chase draws from his fears of fatherhood for new ‘Insidious’ film

Director Jacob Chase drew from his own fears about becoming a father when he developed the story for “Insidious: Out of the Further,” the latest installment in the horror franchise.

Chase was writing the film while his wife was pregnant, a period when he said he was confronting a “deep fear” about becoming a dad.

“I had a deep fear about becoming a dad,” Chase said in a statement sent to Inquirer Entertainment, “It was a great opportunity to start an Insidious movie from a real, personal place.”

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“Insidious: Out of the Further” marks the sixth film in the horror franchise. The first five films have collectively grossed more than $740 million worldwide, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

The new installment follows Gemma (Amelia Eve), a young mother raising her daughter in her childhood home. She discovers that she can enter The Further, a dark realm where lost souls wander.

However, Gemma soon realizes that the connection between the supernatural realm and the physical world works both ways. She can bring objects from The Further into reality, while demons can exploit her ability to cross over and unleash horror in the real world.

The latest installment introduces a new family and a new threat to the franchise while expanding the lore established by original filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell.

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Whannell, who wrote the original “Insidious” and directed “Insidious: Chapter 3,” said Chase’s concept allowed the franchise to explore a question it had never fully addressed.

“When James and I built the Further, the one rule was that you went there in spirit, never in body,” Whannell said. “What Jacob found was the scariest question we’d never asked: what if something could actually make the trip both ways? That cracks the whole world open.”

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Wan, who co-created the franchise with Whannell, said he gives directors freedom to introduce their own ideas while remaining within the established world of “Insidious.”

“I say to all my directors that come and play in these franchises, ‘Here is the sandbox. Stay within the sandbox, but within it, do whatever you want,’” he said.

Chase’s longtime interest in horror also influenced his approach to the film. He recalled creating haunted house attractions with friends from high school.

“There’s no better feeling than seeing someone screaming and laughing, whether they’re running out of a haunted house or in a movie theater,” he said.

“Insidious: Out of the Further” haunts Philippine cinemas on Aug. 19, starting at midnight. /edv