Exclusive Interview – Jorma Taccone, Director of Over Your Dead Body

      Robert Kojder speaks with Jorma Taccone, director of Over Your Dead Body…

      Jorma Taccone, perhaps best recognized as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island, has established himself as a talented director, notably creating one of the most entertaining films of the last two decades, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. His latest project, a comedy-action film entitled Over Your Dead Body, features Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, and several other actors, and is a remake of Tommy Wirkola’s The Trip. The film embodies a hilariously violent energy that is perfectly suited for genre festivals like Beyond, which made its Chicago debut this past March.

      Taccone's appearance in the city provided an exciting chance for an interview, as I was eager to discuss the sheer chaotic joy of the shotguns' destructive power in the film and how those bullets impact faces. Who knew he had such a passion for guns? We also delved into his motivation for remaking the film and the casting choices.

      As a side note, I should mention that when he attended Beyond for a post-show Q&A, he was not only near Wrigleyville at the famed Music Box theater but also dressed in the gear of the Chicago White Sox, the crosstown rivals of the Chicago Cubs. Apparently, he was playfully reprimanded by my colleague and friend Steve Prokopy for this. Given that I had a considerable amount of White Sox memorabilia in the background during my interview with Jorma, I won’t say I indirectly influenced his choice, but I’ll gladly take some credit. Enjoy our conversation below:

      Hey! This movie is a blast, and I’m a big fan of The Lonely Island!

      Thanks, man!

      No problem. The damage caused by shotgun shells in this film is astonishing. Can you elaborate on how that came about?

      Well, if you watch the film—I've seen it a thousand times—you’re spot on; shotguns really do a variety of things! The guns in this movie behave differently, and I loved that. It's amusing to note that I was raised by ex-hippies, as my dad would call them, in the Bay Area, which is why my name is Jorma—I was named after a guitarist from Jefferson Airplane. I have this quirky obsession with guns, so I got to shoot numerous types in Helsinki, which you might not think is even legal there. I was really fond of the shotguns in the original film. This project is based on a Norwegian movie called The Trip by Tommy Wirkola, who also made Violent Night. I appreciated how the guns were portrayed a bit differently in our version. This film has many subtle differences from the original, with tonal shifts and character changes. For me, it was definitely a thought process about which guns we were using.

      Regarding the original film, at what point did you realize it was ripe for a remake that aligned with your comedic style?

      It’s always a bit daunting—well, not always daunting; I often do this. Initially, when it was presented to me as, “Would you like to make a remake?” I was hesitant. However, after watching the original, which I really loved tonally, I noticed a significant overlap in our tastes—Tommy's action-comedy style and my own comedic-action blend resonated with me. I just couldn't shake the original from my mind. When I read Nick and Brian's script, which felt very much more aligned with my comedic sensibilities, I found myself drawn in. I appreciate the original—it leans heavily dark and is full of anger—but I wanted to present characters that were a bit more redeemable, a bit more relatable as they start down this path of murder. I hold a deep admiration for the original; there’s no shade thrown, as it’s brilliant in its own right, but the tone of our version felt like a better fit for me.

      Interestingly, I also reintegrated some aspects from the original because they genuinely felt vital. There’s a particularly dark pool table scene in the middle that also appears in the original; we infused some humor into it to make it a bit more approachable and consistent with my style. It was about balancing the push toward comedy while retaining the elements I loved about the original: its structure, its surprising nature, and its biting edge. I think our version might even be more violent than the original. For me, absorbing the original while contemplating my own tone was a challenge—combining elements of suspense, home invasion, and action while weaving in my comedy alongside Nick and Brian’s contributions. It was about showcasing different tones people might not expect from me.

      I have already seen Nick and Brian’s other film, Pizza Movie; it's hilarious as well.

      I can’t wait to see it!

      Everyone’s going to ask you about Jason and Samara being in this film. I think it’s great that Ilkka Villi is part of it too since he