Was it a finished script that came your way?
How did you get involved?
This is so weird.
I think we initially reached out to him via Twitter.
BURTON MORGAN: Yeah, we just tweeted him.
We were like, Yo, dude, we really like your movie.
Image via RLJE Films and Shudder
Do you have anything else?
His name is Matthew John Lawrence.
MORGAN: Hes a prolific writer.
BURTON MORGAN: Hes a screenwriting professor.
Thats literally what hes teaching people to do, so he had a stack of scripts.
And I worked in the teen drama genre for a very long time.
So, if there ever was a script that smashed those two things together, this was it.
And thats what we did.
We went to Shudder.
Image via The CW
Obviously, we have a relationship with AMC and Shudder.
Thats how it started.
Was that a requirement for your involvement?
Image via AMC
Shudder was like, Can you do something?
At the very least, you have to kill somebody.
And I was happy to do it.
Matthew rewrote the beginning of the script.
And then,for Bladecut, Billy Burke was my biggest contribution, as a producer.
Hes been my best friend since we were 16, 17, 18 years old my whole life.
Bloody Axe Wound follows the daughter of a notorious ex-serial killer as she attempts to emulate her father’s grim legacy. As she navigates her ambitions, her father questions her ability to uphold his infamous reputation in the world of crime.
He came up one Thanksgiving, six months before we started shooting.
We couldnt figure out who we wanted to get for Bladecut.
I thought about it, but I was like, I dont know if Im that guy.
And we showed Billy the movieUncle Peckerhead, and he loved it.
And then, we sent him the script and he loved it.
So, we got Matthew and Billy together, and that was that.
And then, Billy signed on to do it, which was awesome.
BURTON MORGAN: He was perfect.
Its not an easy character to pull off.
BURTON MORGAN: No.
MORGAN: He plays it perfectly.
He also understands the humor in this kind of film, being that hes my best friend.
I sent him a cut of it, and he was just beside himself.
We were really lucky to get him.
And then, the rest of the cast fell into place.
Hilarie and Matthew really grabbed the bull by the horns on that because the girls are great in it.
Everybodys great in it.
What was it like to see the first cut of the film?
BURTON MORGAN: The filming of it was a story, in and of itself.
We literally beat the strike by six hours.
You could tell that the kids, in particular, really enjoyed each other on screen.
We got an editor, named Justin Chan, who was such a joy to work with.
Piecing it together was pretty labor-intensive, but really fun.
And then, we got to do the fun stuff, like add music.
And as the film goes on, we start to bring in more and more female rock voices.
That was part of the storytelling too, just getting these great artists to join in.
MORGAN: The first cut was nuts.
It took a while.
It was like putting a puzzle together.
I thinkthey did a really good job of piecing the film together, and re-piecing it together.
Now, the final product is what it is.
Hilarie knew all the bands.
He was like, Thats my song.
Thats my kill song.
I want that one.
How have things been living up to the plan and how much has it changed and evolved since then?
BURTON MORGAN: We had been producing separately for a decade, at least.
They say, Dont work with your spouse, but we work really well together.
MORGAN: I actually very much like working with Hilarie.
Im a silent producer on her show on AMC.
With this one, we got a little bit more involved.
I love working with her in front of or behind the camera.
Its really because she makes me look good, almost all the time.
BURTON MORGAN: I like that hes my bully.
Anytime I get frustrated and Im like, I dont know what to do!
I dont know what to do!
MORGAN: Thats when I swoop in.
Im good at fucking emergencies.
BURTON MORGAN: Hes so good at emergencies.
MORGAN: Thats when I can come in and stare at people and give them the side eye.
My job is to be intimidating.
BURTON MORGAN: Youre so good at it.
The fans have kept that show alive, and theyve asked for it for so long."
BURTON MORGAN: Yeah, for sure.
Hes been so supportive in understanding that doing it right is an important piece of closure.
So, were gonna go and were gonna do it right.
MORGAN: I think for Hilarie, its important that she closes this chapter the right way.
I dont know when that chapter will close.
It might be in ten years.
BURTON MORGAN: Im trying to get him to come do a cameo.
Can you be a bad guy for me?
MORGAN: I can be the dude that runs the diner.
BURTON MORGAN: I think thatsGilmore Girls.
Thats a different show, Jeff.
MORGAN: Well, everybody has to eat.
The Hill needs a diner.
BURTON MORGAN: Im in.
Did you know how much people were going to freak out over seeing Lucille again?
Whats it like to have people freak out about a co-star thats an inanimate object?
MORGAN: Well, I freaked out.
Its been sorely missed.
It was a cool thing, having her back.
Shed go to my trailer with me.
Shed go to the bathroom with me.
They named her after my wife, played by my wife, so it was always good.
BURTON MORGAN: Thats so good!
MORGAN: Youre right.
The fifth season will be the last for the hit Prime Video drama.
Was it fun for you to play that role inThe Boys?
MORGAN: It was pretty freeing.
Thats probably why [Eric] Kripke put me in that role.
Were two peas in the same pod.
We had so much fun and we giggled so much.
Imagine him having to do a scene with a guy that he cant really acknowledge, half the time.
It was a blast.
It was very freeing.
I got to do whatever.
I could try anything.
If it worked, great.
If it didnt, we had a good giggle about it.
I didnt have a lot of pressure on that one.
I didnt have to feel like the weight of the world was on me, so I loved it.
Bloody Axe Woundis now playing in theaters.
