After making a name for himself in the Scream franchise, Mason Gooding is now putting his own spin on the slasher genre with a romantic twist. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gooding opened up about his upcoming film, Heart Eyes, describing it as a unique blend of horror and rom-com.
The Love, Victor star admitted that at first, he struggled to wrap his head around the film’s tone, calling it “a rom-com that gets hijacked by a horror movie.” But after discussing it with director Josh Ruben, he saw a clear vision of how to strike the right balance between romance and terror.
Unlike the exaggerated slapstick of films like Scary Movie, Heart Eyes takes a more grounded approach. While it does weave comedy into its horror elements, Gooding emphasized that it doesn’t rely on over-the-top humor but instead plays with the tension between the two genres.
Despite his horror background, Gooding confessed to feeling a bit “insecure” about his love for rom-coms. He explained that making the lead character too charming could potentially take away from the horror aspect of the film, making it a challenge to find the perfect balance. “At the end of the day, you have to trust your director,” he said, confident in Ruben’s vision.
Heart Eyes follows Ally (Olivia Holt), a recently single woman who wants nothing to do with Valentine’s Day. But when a marketing campaign from her company goes viral for all the wrong reasons, she’s forced to team up with freelance expert Jay (Gooding).
Just when things couldn’t get worse, the Heart Eyes Killer—a slasher who targets people in love—mistakes Ally and Jay for a couple. What starts as a rom-com meet-cute quickly spirals into a full-blown horror nightmare.
Gooding is hopeful that the movie could spawn a franchise if it performs well at the box office. He even envisions it becoming an annual Valentine’s Day tradition, especially for those who aren’t fans of the holiday.
“That’d be fun. I’d love to do it again. Any opportunity to work with Olivia is one I’m going to take 10 times out of 10,” he said.
Heart Eyes is set to hit theaters on February 7, just in time for an unconventional Valentine’s Day experience.