Harvey Guillén Dishes On Taika Waititi's Future With What We Do In The Shadows - Exclusive
One of the best horror comedy films of all time is also now one of the best comedic TV series of the 21st century. "What We Do in the Shadows" takes the sensibilities of the original's creators, namely Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, and transports them into a New York setting with an entirely new set of bloodsuckers ... and an energy vampire, who feeds off the boredom of others.
It's a quirky set-up, as the lead vampires do everything together — from attending city council meetings to confusing their neighbor's Super Bowl party with a Superb Owl party. It's all par for the course, especially if you're familiar with Waititi's other works like "Boy," "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," and "Thor: Ragnarok."
Fans were in for a real treat when the eclectic director appeared in a brief cameo spot for the premiere episode of "What We Do in the Shadows" Season 3. It may lead to a lot of speculation regarding what the director's involvement will be like moving forward, but according to the show's stars, it may be best to assume he's a bit busy these days.
Harvey Guillén says 'you never know' when it comes to Taika Waititi's schedule
Looper had the good fortune to interview Harvey Guillén and Kayvan Novak, who play Guillermo and Nandor the Relentless, respectively on "What We Do in the Shadows." They spoke extensively about Season 3 and beyond, which led into a discussion of Taika Waititi, who serves as an executive producer on the show. He also directed a few episodes during Season 1 in addition to reprising his character, Viago, from the original film.
He hasn't been back to direct since Season 1, and according to Harvey Guillén, he's just booked solid these days. "He's busy making tons of movies and other projects ... [Filming Season 3 was] during COVID time, so even if he wanted to, he couldn't," explained Guillén. "And then we could have him, but probably wasn't available schedule-wise." He went on to explain that the show remains in good hands thanks to executive producer Stefani Robinson, and that's the way it was always meant to be.
"After the first two seasons, they were going to hand over the baton to [Robinson and Paul Simms], which they've been amazing and great captains," Guillén said. "So, yeah. I feel like if Taika comes back ... we know that he's a character in this world. He might come back. You never know."
It would be a real treat for fans to see Waititi don the fangs once again. But between "Thor: Love and Thunder" and his upcoming role in "Our Flag Means Death," his calendar must be full. Luckily, Guillén, Novak, and the rest of the cast are more than up to the task of bringing the laughs.
New episodes of "What We Do in the Shadows" air every Thursday on FX and premiere the next day on Hulu. And make sure to tune in for the new aftershow "After the Shadows," hosted by Harvey Guillén, which will be available on all "Shadows" social channels.