Once released, and if the theories are confirmed, Apartment 7A will hold the record of a prequel with the longest interval ever between it and its “previous” film, the 1960s classic Rosemary’s Baby. Adapted from Ira Levin’s novel, Rosemary’s Baby is a 1968 psychological horror film that tells the story of a young housewife who moves into an old gothic-style building with her husband.
Their new neighbors, the sweet elderly Castevet couple, are, at first, intriguing people. They are polite, quirky, and sympathetic, albeit a bit intrusive. After Rosemary discovers she is pregnant, the intrusiveness of the neighbors grows into more sinister proportions. Present in many respectable lists of Top 10 Horror Movies, this unnerving, slow-burning movie is a masterful display of tense atmosphere creation and dread-building in film. But what can such a late prequel do to honor the timeless horror classic?
With Julia Garner, who played Ruth in Ozark, set to star in Apartment 7A, the details of the story still remain in secrecy. However, the IMDB page for the title already lists actor Kevin McNally, from the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, to play the character of Roman Castevet in Apartment 7A. While it is certain that one of the main antagonists of Rosemary’s Baby will make a comeback, it is not clear if Castevet will make a brief appearance or if he will be an important piece in the plot.
But, it is important to reiterate that part of what made the characters of Roman and Minnie Castevet so compelling in Rosemary’s Baby was their secret and puzzling past. And, since Rosemary discovers Roman’s true identity just before the big twist ending in the original film, many of the questions about him are already answered, which perhaps dwindles the potential that Castevet has as a villain in a new film. Also, Dianne Wiest is also listed in the cast, but her character remains unrevealed, though it is very likely she will portray Minnie Castevet.
With the plot of Apartment 7A still kept under wraps, rumors started to come up about who would be in the center of this new film. Since Roman Castevet will be in the movie, some believe the film will revolve around Terry Gionoffrio, a character who got involved with the Castevets and has a brief conversation with Rosemary in the first act of the 1968 film, before allegedly throwing herself off the - wait for it - seventh floor. It is unclear what purpose Terry served to the elderly couple prior to Rosemary’s arrival.
All the audience can infer is that she was important enough to them that they gave her the Tannis root charm. This theory would also imply that Apartment 7A would follow the events immediately before the story of Rosemary’s Baby, which makes much more sense than a story following the events of the film due to its creepy and apocalyptic ending, often regarded as a perfect one. But, Terry might not be the choice for the titular character, since in the original film she was portrayed by Victoria Vetri and there’s even a meta dialogue between her and Rosemary about it. Surely, the make-up department could make Julia Garner resemble Victoria Vetri more closely to keep the verisimilitude.
Thematically, Rosemary’s Baby is timeless in its portrayal of a woman being sinisterly manipulated, violently gaslighted, and devilishly used. In the film, Rosemary can’t take a single step without her manipulators knowing. Since the movie follows Rosemary’s point of view at all times, the audience only sees what she sees and only hears what she hears. When she peeks over the corner to try and listen to what her husband Guy is talking on the phone, the audience finds themselves peeking as well.
It is not unusual for contemporary filmmakers to revive old horror films and give them a modern spin tackling social issues, as is the case for the 2020 remake of The Invisible Man, and the Candyman 2021 sequel. The heartbreaking isolation that Rosemary suffers in the film could somehow mirror an equally devastating fate for another pawn of the Castevets, possibly Terry Gionoffrio.
Apartment 7A’s director, Natalie Erika James, is known for directing psychological horror film Relic (2020) and two short films, Creswick (2017) and Drum Wave (2018). All three of her films are thematically centered around a family. Discoursing about generational gaps, childhood memories, traumas, and fears is important to James. Perhaps this time around, audiences get to see the inner workings of the Castevet family, with all their sinful intentions and impish appetites surfaced.
Notwithstanding the unrevealed storyline, Apartment 7A could very well be another great entry in this young director’s growing filmography, and is surely one of the most highly anticipated films of 2023. All there is left for enthusiastic movie fans out there to do is wait and hope that Apartment 7A can live up to their wildest expectations.