Kiwi horror sequel Black Sheeps has a secret: 'A little bit of nepotism'
The film comes 20 years after the first one and features the “direct descendants” of the original stunt sheep.
Twenty years after Black Sheep screened, its sequel has reunited cast members and employed the "direct descendants" of the original film's stunt sheep.
Like the original, Black Sheeps is directed by Jonathan King and brings back some of the old crew including Nathan Meister as Henry Oldfield, Tammy Davis as Tucker and the team at Wētā Workshop.
Meister tells Saturday Morning the sequel's plot takes a fresh approach, "rather than bring us to visit everyone again and then destroying their world so we can tell the same story over again".
Black Sheep Returns
It follows Oates (Tabatha Killick), a young scientist who returns to her hometown searching for evidence of a mutant outbreak, only to uncover "conspiracy theories, misinformation, a cult that has been born around all of this".
Meister says returning was a "no-brainer" after how well the first film was received.
"The amount of people that I bump into from all walks of life that go, 'oh, that was my brother and my favourite film, we used to watch that like every week'.
"Or someone that calls it their comfort film, for goodness' sake."
Danielle Mason (left) and Nathan Meister in the original Black Sheep (2006)
Black Sheep via IMBD
Without spoiling too much, Meister says his character's role in the film is to provide guidance.
"Jonathan sold it to me by saying 'I'm like Gandalf for the Hobbits'. I'd pop up and save the day now and then, then disappear into it."
Unlike the human crew, the original film's stunt sheep were unable to return, but some of their offspring were available.
"There's a little bit of nepotism happening in this film," Meister admits.
"Because these are the descendants, the direct descendants of the stunt sheep used on the very first Black Sheep."
He says seeing the sheep do some of their leaps and tricks made him realise that the farm animal might be "a bit more athletic and dangerous than we give them credit for".
Not all the sheep are real sheep though, with actor Ben Fransham in an animatronics suit playing a were-sheep.
Wētā Workshop's Stephen Crowe, who worked on both films, told Saturday Morning Francham did most of the physical acting while two people controlled the animatronic head.
"Which gives it all of that subtle expression and movement in the ears and the eyes and the mouth and that sort of thing.
"They all have to work together to try and make it look like it's one creature with a purpose."
Advancements in technology also meant big changes to how Wētā Workshop creates the prosthetics.
"Back in 2006, we were using foam latex for a lot of the suit and prosthetic work and puppets, which was great, but nowadays we use a lot more silicone, which has a lot more of a realistic feel and look to it," Crowe says.
Meister says the team was dedicated to fine-tuning every detail and making the fantastical elements appear realistic.
"Even in a film that is as silly as this one, everyone is taking it so seriously in order to enable the silliness to bring about that hilarity that we get from these films."
Despite the film's gory elements, Meister maintains the reputation of sheep remains unharmed.
"I don't think anyone's going to be saying lamb is off the menu or more often on the menu because of this. And your Merino products are safe, everyone at home."
