Exclusive Interview: Director Craig Johnson and Writer Kent Sublette on Balancing Horror, Comedy, and Heart in ‘The Parenting’

Meeting the in-laws is stressful enough—throw in a 400-year-old poltergeist, and things go completely off the rails. With The Parenting, director Craig Johnson and writer Kent Sublette blend horror and comedy into a wildly entertaining supernatural romp that proves family drama is even scarier when the undead get involved.

The film follows Rohan and Josh, a young couple hoping to make a good impression as they introduce their wildly different families during a weekend retreat. But when tensions between the traditional Sharon and Frank and the laid-back Liddy and Cliff start to boil over, their haunted rental ups the stakes—possessing one unfortunate parent and forcing the entire group to work together before their getaway turns into a full-blown nightmare.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Craig and Kent about how they crafted the perfect mix of scares and laughs, why playing the comedy straight makes it even funnier, and how they kept the film’s emotional heart beating amid the supernatural mayhem.

PC: Kent, The Parenting is a horror-comedy. Those two genres mesh so well because they don’t play by any rules, and much of the humor comes from the characters’ grounded reactions to their circumstances. How did you approach writing comedy that’s character-driven rather than joke-driven? How did the cast influence bringing that humor to life?
Kent: I wanted to stay focused on what was happening with the characters—their wants and needs. At its core, it’s a love story, and a love story with parents. I didn’t want that to get lost in a million jokes or over-the-top horror. I wanted to keep track of these characters and ensure we had an emotional journey that resonated.

As a point of reference while writing, I thought of This Is the End. It’s scary, has wildly hilarious set pieces, but ultimately, it’s about a friendship you care about, which keeps you invested until the very end.

PC: Craig, there are so many moments of controlled chaos, especially when things in the house start to unravel. You’re working alongside some of the biggest names in comedy. How did you find the balance between keeping these scenes structured while also giving them space to add their own flair and improvise?
Craig: Well, first, you win the lottery by having such a top-notch cast. It’s as simple as playing it straight—you play the story, you take it seriously. That makes the funny moments even funnier. You need that innate talent, which this cast absolutely has. They have incredible comedic timing and strong dramatic chops, and it’s about not pushing the comedy or the horror. It’s already there. We’re in a haunted house—you just react naturally, play the jokes organically, and it all gels together.

Like Kent said, the heart of this story—and the reason I wanted to do it—is that these characters have real depth. As long as we kept that in mind, we could go nuts, embrace the chaos, and lean into the gross-out moments because at the center of it all, there was always heart.

Make sure to follow Craig (Instagram). The Parenting is out now on Max.