Feb 05 2025 30 mins 7
Nothing says romance like flowers, chocolates - and a masked serial killer terrorizing young couples. Welcome to "Heart Eyes," the latest horror-romantic comedy hybrid that slashes into theaters on February 7—just in time to make Valentine’s Day a little bloodier. In this episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo sits down with director Josh Ruben to talk about the challenge of blending rom-com sweetness with slasher-movie carnage, his deep love of horror, and why this story stands apart from others in the genre. Written by Christopher Landon, Phillip Murphy, and Michael Kennedy, "Heart Eyes" follows a masked killer who has made February 14 a date night to die for, quite literally. The film stars Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Devon Sawa, Jordana Brewster, and more.
During the interview, Director Josh Ruben details the delicate balancing act of making “Heart Eyes” work on all fronts. “I didn’t want it to be too funny—I wanted it to go darker, gorier,” Ruben admitted. But at the same time, the romance had to feel genuine. “If I could find two leads with real chemistry, I could pay loving homage to the rom-coms I grew up on—'Pretty Woman,' 'Defending Your Life,' 'My Best Friend’s Wedding,' even 'Big.”
