Zainab Azizi is the President of Raimi Productions and serves as producer on Sam Raimi’s upcoming thriller, Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. EoM Senior Interviewer Thomas Manning recently spoke with Azizi about the evolution of her film career, which began in a mail room at a talent agency and has progressed to producing films like Umma, 65, Boy Kills World, and Don’t Move, among others. Their conversation begins with some talk about North Carolina and the unique role that the Tar Heel State played in developing Azizi’s love for the horror genre.
Producer Zainab Azizi. Photo Credit: Alexander Fenyves. Photo courtesy of RMG.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity
Zainab Azizi: Where are you Zooming in from?
Thomas Manning: I’m in North Carolina, the southwestern part of the state.
Azizi: Okay, is that where you’re from? Because I’m trying to figure out your accent.
Manning: Yeah, born and raised in North Carolina. Have you been to North Carolina before?
Azizi: I’ve been to North Carolina – when I was a kid – and I will say it was actually where my love of horror began. Because we had a family friend who had a box of VHS tapes that they were giving away, and that was my introduction to B-horror films.
Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle in 20th Century Studios’ SEND HELP. Photo Credit: Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Manning: That’s amazing, I love it. We’ve got a lot of film history here, especially in Wilmington on the east coast.
So, I know that your origin story goes back to the mail room at a talent agency [William Morris Endeavor]. I’m curious what impression that experience left on you and what are some things that you continue to carry with you from those days?
Azizi: Definitely – I mean, I say it was my grad school. It taught me everything. Being at a talent agency, it feels like the center of the industry – because you are learning about what studios want, what clients want, what people are making, what they’re looking for, and then also an introduction to all the different types of writers and directors. I learned a lot, and it helped me learn how to package and have a sense of taste when it comes to filmmakers. I think that the one thing I always say about working at an agency is – because you go from mail room to desk, and you work at a desk for six to nine months or a year, and you’ll go to another desk, so it’s constant interviewing – and I think it taught me that, rejection, I shouldn’t take it so personally. And it felt like a redirection. So at the time when I was like, “Oh, I really wanted to work for that boss,” and I didn’t get that desk – but then I got another desk, who then became my mentor. I feel like everything happens for a reason, and it taught me to be more patient and kind to myself.
Manning: And now you’re the president of Raimi Productions. And I’m sure for you, your familiarity with Sam Raimi goes farther back than actually being with his production company. So how far back does your relationship with his work and with his films go?
Azizi: You know, it came all the way back from that box of tapes I was telling you about from North Carolina. I think the first film I ever watched that introduced me to the genre was Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive, and I absolutely fell in love with it because it blended comedy and romance and horror. And Evil Dead was one of the videotapes, so of course I watched that so many many times. I loved watching it with people, and I loved scaring my friends watching it. And then as I got older, my mom and I, we loved Xena: Warrior Princess. I think that really ingrained in my brain – because when it comes to now when I’m developing these female characters, I always look to Xena as an inspiration, because she was so bold and ahead of her time. And I love female characters who are just like that in my projects.
Manning: With “Send Help,” I know you’ve been on board since the very beginning of this. I believe the seeds of this project go back five or six years?
Azizi: Yes, from 2019.
Manning: And you have the script from Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. Can you remember the first time that the script crossed your desk and what your initial reaction was to it?
Azizi: Yes, it actually wasn’t a script, it was a pitch. So what initially happened was – I was a fan of Mark and Damian’s work, and I sought out to meet with them in a general meeting. And it was just a simple general meeting, but we really hit it off. They’re just two great dads who love the space, and we talked about the kinds of movies we wanted to make. After that meeting, they both sent me a document of 12 movie ideas, like little one-liner log lines, and [Rachel McAdams’ character in Send Help] Linda Liddle’s story was the one that caught my attention. You know, she’s the underdog. She’s obsessed with the show Survivor and she gets stranded on a deserted island with her terrible boss. We then developed it into a full-length feature pitch. We brought it to Mr. Raimi for his consideration to produce, and he loved it so much that he attached to direct. Then we took it out to the marketplace, and it was a very competitive sale, and then it got sold to a studio, and then it took about four or five months for the script to be written after that.
Manning: With the two central characters in this film, they’re played by Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. And I’m sure to fit their very specific traits, the casting process was very interesting and complex in order to get their characterizations right. From your standpoint as producer, what was it about Rachel and Dylan that fit the specificity of those characters?
Azizi: Absolutely. So for the character of Linda Liddle, we wanted to cast someone who was America’s sweetheart, right? She’s a sweet woman and very endearing, and you don’t expect anything out of the ordinary from this character. And Rachel, the minute you see her, you love her. So, it was really fun to cast her because we’ve never seen her do a dark role like this where she completely turns. When we were developing the story and then into production, we really wanted to play with all the different levels of how far can we take her. It was a game that we constantly played. And when you’re editing the film later on in post you really refine it, but we needed someone who could go both sides of the spectrum, and Rachel’s incredible. She did a lot of research and preparation, and she was just a dream to work with. And then when it came to Bradley, which is played by Dylan O’Brien, we wanted someone that wasn’t so one-dimensional as a villain. We wanted someone who had a backstory and warmth. You know, Dylan is a leading man where he’s known for these huge franchises, but I loved his performance in Caddo Lake, you really saw that warmth from him. We wanted to make sure that both of these characters had a unique age difference. You know, it’s fun when your boss is younger than you and he’s terrible – everyone’s been in that position. So, Dylan was a great match and he’s so funny – his comedic timing is great and he added a lot of levity to the story as well.
Manning: I know that Damian Shannon [praised] how you fought for this film. I’m just curious what that means for you to hear that endorsement from a collaborator like Damian, to know that he sees that hard work you put into bringing this film to fruition.
Azizi: I mean, they are just such great partners. Making a movie is very tough especially in this day and age. It’s so hard to get anything green lit. So, it was a long journey since 2019 to get that green light and I’m really honored that they said that. And we’re working with them on two other projects as well. So, I think we’re doing something right together.
Manning: Was there a particularly difficult stage over the production process – something that you were wondering how you were going to get through that obstacle, and you managed to do so?
Azizi: I think what was interesting about when we were shooting in Thailand is that Sam and I have never shot on a beach before. So, we got a really good education of [making sure] – on top of the heat and the bugs – making sure everybody was hydrated. We were trying to figure out how to make sure the sounds don’t interrupt the scene, with the cicadas in the jungle and the birds. And then also, they’re on a deserted island, so we had to hire all these sand sweepers who had to constantly clean up footprints. So it was really fun, but it was also a challenge that we were learning how to overcome.
Manning: I know that you consulted with the survivalist Ky Furneaux, especially in developing Rachel’s character. Can you take me through some of those conversations with Ky and what her insight brought to the project?
Azizi: Yes, she is brilliant. She was with us during pre-production. So, after we had gotten the script and were in the offices in Australia, we did a page-by-page through the script and she would say, you know, “I wouldn’t do that. That doesn’t make sense.” Her knowledge – we really needed it, there’s no price for that. You know, her experience of being a survivalist. And then on set, she was with us every day. I can give you a great example – when Rachel’s hunting the boar, she taught all of us about the way you should slowly step and use your feet on the ground. Every move and detail, Ky was just very helpful.
L-R: Dylan O’Brien as Bradley Preston and Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle in 20th Century Studios’ SEND HELP. Photo Credit: Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Manning: There are a few collaborators [Sam Raimi] has on here that he’s worked with for pretty much his entire career. Cinematographer Bill Pope, they’ve worked together for quite some time, as well as Danny Elfman, his composer. What do you see in those two specific creative partnerships that make them so successful from your perspective?
Azizi: Yes, on top of Danny Elfman and Bill Pope, we also have his editor Bob Murawski and then Sam’s first AD Eric Heffron. They understand how Sam’s brain works and they understand that it takes a village to make a film. So when it came to coming up with ideas or problem solving, they’ve been doing it for so long that it was a very seamless communication with all of them.
Manning: You worked with a stunt team on this – one sequence that we see in the trailer is the plane crash. And I know you’ve worked on many projects with extensive stunt teams over the course of your career. I’d love to have you speak to how that experience has shaped you and what you’ve learned about the work that stunt crews do.
Azizi: My number one job is safety. I think that’s the most important thing, and it’s making sure you hire the best stunt coordinator and making sure there’s always safety on set. With the plane scene – it started off with the script, and then we did storyboards, and then we did animatics, and from then we included the stunt team and the visual effects team, and Bill Pope our DP, and it just took a whole team. But safety is always number one. And stunt doubles never get the credit that they deserve, and we had incredible stunt doubles. I think from my experience, it’s just making sure you have a very safe crew so no accidents happen.
Manning: The projects that you’re attached to kind of lean in the horror or thriller direction. Is that your wheelhouse, or would you like to potentially expand outside of that at some point?
Azizi: I’d definitely like to expand. I did one comedy-action, and after that I just loved it. That was also a very stunt heavy film. And we’re developing another female-led comedy-action. I’m working on a biopic that’s very moving. I’ve always wanted to dip my hands into a sweeping romance. So at Raimi Productions, we don’t just do horror, we’re open to all genres.
Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle in 20th Century Studios’ SEND HELP. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Manning: Female-led stories are obviously very significant to you. Can you kind of expand on that, especially as a female producer and putting all your passion behind those stories?
Azizi: I love female-led stories. I mean, I am a woman, so I just want to make sure that we are telling authentic stories and we’re giving out a beautiful message, and making sure our characters have wonderful arcs. So it’s a privilege to be a producer because I get to champion these kinds of stories.
Manning: The theatrical experience has had some ebbs and flows over the years, especially on this side of Covid. But I’m sure that the fact that this is getting a wide theatrical release is something that is extremely meaningful to you. Do you have any theatrical memories that you can look back to as formative memories for you and really developed your love of cinema?
Azizi: I think especially with genre, but any film, there’s nothing like being in a dark room with a bunch of strangers, and everyone reacting and screaming and laughing together. I think Stellan Skarsgård said it perfectly at the [Golden Globes], but everyone is sharing a pulse while watching a film in the cinema. And that is a gift and an experience in itself, and I hope we continue that.
Manning: Sitting in a theater watching your own film in that type of space – how does that move you? Does that change your perspective on the film at all?
Azizi: It’s still a shock and I’m just always grateful for it to get there. But it’s a wonderful experience, especially with test screenings. I think we learn so much about the film that we’re making. So I love test screenings because you get to understand what people found funny or terrifying, or what wasn’t landing. So being in a theater is a very educational way to understand your film.
Producer Zainab Azizi. Photo Credit: Alexander Fenyves. Photo courtesy of RMG.
Official Synopsis:
Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) and Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien), two colleagues who find themselves stranded on a deserted island after they are the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it becomes an unsettling and darkly humorous battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
In theaters January 30th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official 20th Century Studios Send Help webpage.
Thomas Manning is a member of the NCFCA, SEFCA, and CCA, and also the co-host of the television show and radio program Meet Me at the Movies. He has served as a production assistant and voting member on the Film Selection Committee for the Real to Reel Film Festival. Additionally, he manages his own film review and interview site, The Run-Down on Movies. Manning is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a double-major in Communications and English. His passion for cinema and storytelling is rivaled only by his love for the music of Taylor Swift.
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Categories: Filmmaker Interviews
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