The Bring It On franchise has been around since 2000, taking viewers into the world of cheerleading.
The seventh entry in the series, Bring It On: Cheer Or Die, is a complete overhaul, adding a slasher element that was not present in the prior installments.
Director Karen Lam wanted to switch things up for fans of the franchise.
“I think of this one as the Halloween special, the way a lot of franchise shows have a holiday-themed stand-alone,” Lam tells TV Fanatic.
“It’s definitely in the horror category, but it’s a throwback to the fun horror from the 80s, and hopefully something that bridges the fans of Bring It On with horror fans who want a film that’s campy and lighter than really dark fare.”
Lam says she considers it the “gateway drug” to horror for teen girls.
Cheer or Die was Lam’s entry into the franchise, with the director revealing that she had never heard of Bring It On before landing the project.
“I’m embarrassed to say that I had never heard of Bring It On until our producer Griff Furst sent the draft of the script…and even then, I had no idea what it was until he told me to watch the first one,” Lam recalls.
“But after watching the OG, I could see why it was such a beloved film — and why it was a franchise. It was so smart and charming and ahead of its time.”
“But now I’ve seen all the films, and also Cheer on Netflix and countless YouTube channels of behind-the-scenes competitive cheer!”
Lam notes that making the movie PG-13 was a departure from her previous R-rated work.
“There was definitely a balance from the type of horror I normally work in, which is a primarily adult audience without a worry about an R-rating,” Lam shares.
“For Bring It On: Cheer or Die, we had a definite mandate of doing a PG-13 horror film that was within an established franchise, so the types of deaths had to be limited as to how much blood or gore we could use, but also in keeping with the setting and the tone of the film.”
“I tried to be less explicit with the violence, so a lot of it was off-camera, using sound effects and quick shots to give the sense that it had more horror than what you actually see,” the director adds.
“Sometimes that has the effect of being a little more intense because it’s working with your imagination.”
Kerri Medders, who plays Abby, was familiar with the franchise, referring to the original movie as the “iconic OG.”
Medders was immediately interested in the project because it was very different.
“It’s a different approach to the franchise, for sure. I think it’s really cool for them to branch out and incorporate a slasher element,” the star shared.
“Personally, I loved the new take on this franchise because I’m all about the spooky vibes. Match made in heaven.”
Medders describes Abby as “an eager, motivated co-captain who just wants the best for her team.”
The star adds that Abby’s “strength and power is underestimated until she has to step up to the plate.”
Bring It On: Cheer or Die premieres on Syfy Saturday, October 8.
Check out the trailer below.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.