MANILA, Philippines — Anne Hathaway described her upcoming supernatural film “The End of Oak Street” as a “wonderful but terrifying” experience, saying its family-centered story reminds her of classic Amblin films from the 1980s.
Hathaway stars as Denise Platt, the mother of a seemingly ordinary family whose life changes after supernatural events, including the appearance of dinosaurs, disrupt their neighborhood.
“There’s something wonderful about this movie that is terrifying, but also really wholesome at the same time,” Hathaway said. She added that she sees the film as one families could watch together, particularly in a drive-in theater.
Hathaway said she could have imagined watching a film like “The End of Oak Street” with her family when she was 11 and described its connection to the legacy of 1980s Amblin films as meaningful.
The actress also credited director David Robert Mitchell as a major reason she joined the project. Hathaway said she had admired Mitchell’s work and had wanted to collaborate with him since they first met about a decade ago.
In the film, Hathaway plays Denise, the wife of Ewan McGregor’s Greg Platt and mother of Audrey, played by Maisy Stella, and Brian, played by Christian Convery.
After two decades as a wife and mother, Denise begins questioning her identity and purpose as her children become more independent.
“She’s at a point in her life where she’s beginning to wonder, is this all?” Hathaway said.
Denise’s personal questions unfold as supernatural events force the family to confront secrets that have kept them apart.
Hathaway said the crisis ultimately pushes the family closer together and turns them into each other’s means of survival.
She also expressed excitement about the film’s theatrical release, saying the project allowed the filmmakers to create an original story directly from Mitchell’s imagination.
“The End of Oak Street” is set to premiere in Philippine theaters on Aug. 12.
