Exclusive: Director William Kaufman on Osiris & More

Jeff Turner:
Congratulations on another kick-ass action movie! Definitely a change of pace from your last two films. What inspired this sci-fi action project?

William Kaufman:
Thank you so much, Jeff. Credit for the idea has to go to my creative partner and executive producer Paul Reichelt. He came to me with the idea of a team of operators getting abducted—that’s what got us started. From there, we built it into a throwback movie: unapologetic, adrenaline-filled, a take-no-prisoners thrill ride. The closest I’ve ever come to something like this was my apocalyptic film Daylight’s End, but this was an entirely different level of production. My producers backed the creative with production design, creature effects, and visual effects at the highest levels. For me, it was a dream come true.

Jeff Turner:
The movie gave me some serious old-school vibes—like the love child of Aliens and Predator. Was that intentional?

William Kaufman:
100%. Those films were definitely inspirations, and you’ll notice a couple of winks to them. But as Linds Edwards (our “hillbilly operator,” Nash) put it, those films may have been the foundation, but the imaginations of the cast, crew, and myself are the walls, roof, and style of this film. We really aimed to do our own take—and I think we did exactly that.

Jeff Turner:
You got Max Martini, LaMonica Garrett, and Linda Hamilton on board. Do you remember their initial reactions to the script?

William Kaufman:
Yes—it’s such an amazing cast. The overwhelming reaction was: “This sounds like a blast… we’re in.” They just wanted to know we’d have the resources to do the film at a level worthy of their commitment. Thankfully, with my producing team, we showed them the production design, creature and VFX work from Todd Masters (Masters FX), Paul Alix (production designer), and the Burning Tractor VFX team. After that, it was easy to get them to sign on.

Jeff Turner:
What was it like working with Linda Hamilton? I imagine that was a starstruck moment—she’s a legend.

William Kaufman:
Working with Linda was an embarrassment of riches. Besides being an icon in the genre, she’s an amazing actress, collaborator, and an even better human being.

Jeff Turner:
The costumes and creatures looked incredible—not cheap at all. How did you come up with their designs?

William Kaufman:
Creature design credit goes to Todd Masters. We had ideas, but he made them his own and elevated them to another level. As for weapons, I had very specific concepts, and my good friend Steve Joyner took those ideas and turned them into reality.

Jeff Turner:
What was the most challenging aspect of filming? Were the alien suits difficult for the performers?

William Kaufman:
The hardest part was the pace—we had about 25 days to shoot, half the script being nonstop action. Action takes time, so that was brutal.

With the aliens, our stunt performers—led by Stanley White and Dawson Towery—figured out the challenges quickly. Todd designed the suits to allow as much movement as possible. The toughest issue was the fully animatronic heads—they were heavy and sat on top of the performers’ actual heads. It was extremely taxing to wear and perform in at that level of action.

Jeff Turner:
The film feels like the start of a universe—something like the Skyline franchise. Can we expect more adventures of Kelly and Ravi?

William Kaufman:
That was absolutely our goal, but it’s up to the audience now. We’d be thrilled to share more if given the opportunity.

Jeff Turner:
After this, I’ve narrowed it down—you’re the guy to deliver a Gears of War movie!

William Kaufman:
(Laughs) I appreciate that! I’ve heard comparisons, but to be honest I’ve never played the game. I’m not a big gamer—not because I don’t like them, but because I’m just not very good at them. I’ll definitely have to change that.

Jeff Turner:
Something I love about your films is no character feels safe. Is that intentional?

William Kaufman:
100%. In a gritty, violent film like Osiris, the goal is to make the audience feel unsafe. That’s the point of a thrill ride. I’m glad you picked up on that.

Jeff Turner:
I also love your collaboration with Max Martini. I assume we’ll see him as a kick-ass hero in more of your films? And side note—you should play Max Payne 3 and cast him.

William Kaufman:
Max is incredible. Beyond being a great actor, he’s become one of my closest friends. No ego, all heart—a director’s dream collaborator. I plan to make as many films with him as possible. And roger that, I’ll check out Max Payne 3!

Jeff Turner:
Your action always feels authentic. Do you work with ex-military technical advisors?

William Kaufman:
Absolutely. It’s important to honor the guys who do this for real. We had a former SEAL Team 6 member, “Hammer,” run the cast through boot camp. David B. Meadows, who plays Gibbs, is also a former Frogman. Several cast members have real-world experience—Max with 13 Hours and The Unit, LaMonica with The Terminal List and Lioness, Michael Irby with The Unit, and of course Linda from The Terminator. Brianna Hildebrand was a natural—straight savage.

Jeff Turner:
Your next movie, Nightingale, touches on the Russia/Ukraine war and stars LaMonica Garrett. Can you tell us more?

William Kaufman:
I have to be vague for now. Nightingale is set in the opening days of the war—not political, but a personal action thriller about those caught in the chaos. The cast includes LaMonica, Andrew Howard, Linds Edwards, Rosmary Yaneva, Daniel Bernhardt, and my good friend Jason Patric. We expect it to release late next spring.

Jeff Turner:
William, it’s always a pleasure. Please keep delivering these high-octane action movies!

William Kaufman:
Thank you, Jeff, for the opportunity to share. And for those reading—if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out on demand everywhere. You won’t be disappointed—it’s a hell of a fun ride!