While developing the next chapter of the captivating A Quiet Place series, “A Quiet Place: Day One” producer and writer John Krasinski was intrigued by how the rest of the world copes with the otherworldly crisis. “I especially wondered how people in a big city like New York, with all the chaos and noise there, all the millions of people, would respond,” he says.

A Terrifying Transformation

This curiosity gave birth to A Quiet Place: Day One, where an ordinary day in New York City turns horrific as creatures rain down on Earth, slaughtering humans indiscriminately. Krasinski wanted to take a place everyone knows and place it in extraordinary circumstances. “New York City, whether you’ve been there or not, whether you like it or not, is instantly familiar. And in a world where murderous creatures can appear at any time, from any place they detect a noise, New York is not the best place to be.”

A Vision Realized

For director-writer Michael Sarnoski, the goal was to center the chaos of a big city crumbling from an invasion around one point and character, continuing the unique execution of the original A Quiet Place. “John took the concept and brought it to new heights, it was so elevated and character-driven,” Sarnoski explains. “The first two movies are about one family, so I expanded the world, but that was just incidental. The heart of it is making sure that the characters’ stories are front and center.”

Pitching the Idea

Given the New York City setting, Sarnoski built an idea for A Quiet Place: Day One and pitched it to Krasinski. “I gave John a one-minute pitch about a woman who comes to New York on a quest for her favorite pizza just as the world is ending. John’s response was, ‘Yeah! Let’s do it,’” Sarnoski recalls.

Introducing Samira

With this, the character Samira was born, and Sarnoski had Lupita Nyong’o in mind for this crucial role. “Lupita was at the top of Michael’s list,” says Krasinski. “She’s a very powerful actress. The role was both physically and mentally challenging — she was effectively terrorized daily — and she handled it brilliantly and elegantly, bringing a combination of bravery and vulnerability to her character.”

Lupita Nyong’o’s Take

Lupita Nyong’o embraced her role as Samira. “It was such a meal to play Samira,” she shares. “When the creatures land, she blacks out. When she awakes, it’s an entirely new world where no one will allow her to speak and she has no idea what happened. How many popular films ask an audience to sit and witness silence? It ends up speaking volumes.”

Eric’s Journey

Joining Samira is Eric, played by Joseph Quinn. The characters bond through trauma and survival. “Joe’s wildly talented,” says Krasinski. “In Day One, he walks the razor’s edge of fight or flight on what is the worst day of his character’s life. He and Samira are trying to survive under harrowing circumstances that force them together. That relationship makes them the heartbeat of the movie.”

Watch Samira and Eric navigate a horrifying new world as A Quiet Place: Day One arrives in Philippine cinemas on June 26.

Arriving in Philippine cinemas on June 26, A Quiet Place: Day One is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Connect with #AQuietPlaceDayOne and tag @paramountpicsph.