Spooky season is officially in full swing, and SYFY is getting into the holiday spirit with the original movie, Bring It On: Cheer Or Die. The bone-chilling film serves as the newest installment in the Bring it On franchise.
It has been nearly two decades since Gabrielle Union, captain of the East Compton Clovers, and Rancho Carne Toros leader Kristen Dunst went head-to-head in the early 2000 hit Bring It On. The comedy became a cultural phenomenon and left a significant mark on Hollywood. Since then, the franchise has taken on a life of its own. Director Karen Lam worked alongside writers Rebekah McKendry and Dana Schwartz to place a horror twist on the beloved motion picture.
Bring It On: Cheer Or Die follows a cheerleading squad led by co-captains Abby [Kerri Medders] and McKayla [Tiera Skovbye]. The team finds themselves in a sticky situation, when their strict principal [Missi Pyle] forbids the group to step outside their comfort zone and perform challenging stunts.
To overcome the obstacle, the teammates decide to choreograph a winning routine in a secret location. They end up practicing in a nearby abandoned school. As they perfect their choreography, valuable members begin to go missing. They soon realize that they are locked inside with a slasher. The fierce squad uses their impressive cheerleading skills as their superpower to fight off the killer.
Medders told Celeb Secrets that the diverse cast fed off of each other’s energy and acted like a real-life team on set.
“We all clicked instantly. I think that was pretty awesome,” explained Medders. “We had to be team players. We were running and learning routines that weren’t even in the film, but it was just so that we could get coordinated with each other. It was very collaborative. I have mad respect for cheerleaders, because of the physical strength your body has to go through,” she pointed out.
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Lam chimed in to mention what it was like to see her PG-13 vision come to life on the big screen.
“In this case, you’re blending your own vision with the old franchise. The way I looked at it was, the beginning and the end are the bookmarks to Bring It On. The middle part was sort of where I could play a little bit,” the savvy creator explained. “We had to keep it PG-13, and as a horror director, how much blood can you really put into it or how much gore? It pushed me as far as being more creative and they gave me so much freedom.”
Lam served as the series’ first female director in history. She opened up about her prominent role and how she hopes her legacy breaks barriers or encourages other women in the industry to step into the powerful position.
“I appreciate the responsibility of what it is. Also, hopefully, paving the way for other female directors to come on board and take this franchise to new places,” she uttered with confidence.
She trailblazer continued to provide valuable career advice to the generation that follows, which has the authority to change the trajectory of the entertainment industry.
“I think it is about staying true to your own voice. It is about being authentic and basically working with your strengths,” Lam declared. “I kept thinking, ‘I have to be more like boys. Do I have to direct like them? You kind of eventually have your own style. The kind of atmosphere and the culture you set up is top-down. So, it’s up to you to make those changes,” she added.
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The female-directed production is slated to premiere this Saturday, October 8, on SYFY. Medders and Lam hope viewers learn something new about cheerleading, while appreciating the franchise’s frightening twist.
“I hope that my horror friends and fans come to appreciate cheer in a different way,” said Medders. I think it’s such a fun slasher. It’s very cheer-driven, and I think Karen did a wonderful job incorporating that. It was so beautiful, and I loved it. I just want [movie enthusiasts] to have a great time.”
For more on Bring It On: Cheer Or Die, watch our full interview with Kerri and Karen below.
