Apartment 7A's Director Explains That Out

Apartment 7A, a horror prequel directed by Natalie Erika James, recently premiered on Paramount+. The film features Julia Garner and Dianne Wiest and draws inspiration from Ira Levin's novel and Roman Polanski's iconic film, Rosemary's Baby. A notable scene in Apartment 7A mirrors a moment from the original film, where a character named Terry discusses her new neighbors, Roman and Minnie Castevet. However, the timeline in Apartment 7A does not align with Rosemary's Baby, as the character Rosemary is not present in the scene. James explained that the decision to place the laundry room scene earlier in the film was an editing choice that ultimately affected the narrative's continuity. The original plan was to have the scene occur later, allowing for a more accurate overlap with the events of Rosemary's Baby. This change was made to enhance the storytelling, but it resulted in a disconnect between the two films. Despite the challenges of creating a prequel, James aimed to maintain a distinct separation from the original film's creators while still paying homage to the source material. The film's design features and references to the Bramford building were carefully considered to evoke the original's atmosphere. Ultimately, Apartment 7A seeks to explore the backstory of the characters and events leading up to the original film, while navigating the complexities of its iconic predecessor's legacy.