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Three hosts of the 3 Guys and a Flick movie review podcast with movie-themed background.
🎙 Podcast Episode 134

The Cabin in the Woods

Join the Guys as they descend into Drew Goddard’s 2012 meta-horror favorite starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford — a cabin trip that starts like every horror movie you know, then gleefully rips the whole genre apart.

Release Date April 13, 2012
Runtime 95 minutes
Director Drew Goddard
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3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 134

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

ⓘ Details

Movie TitleThe Cabin in the Woods
Release DateApril 13, 2012
TaglineYou think you know the story.
Runtime95 minutes
DirectorDrew Goddard
Screenplay Written ByJoss Whedon and Drew Goddard
Based OnOriginal screenplay
Is It a Remake?No. It is an original meta-horror comedy.
BudgetApproximately $30 million
Box OfficeApprox. $42.1 million domestic / Approx. $66.5 million worldwide
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👥 Main Cast

Kristen ConnollyDana Polk
Chris HemsworthCurt Vaughan
Anna HutchisonJules Louden
Fran KranzMarty Mikalski
Jesse WilliamsHolden McCrea
Richard JenkinsGary Sitterson
Bradley WhitfordSteve Hadley
Brian WhiteDaniel Truman
Amy AckerWendy Lin
Sigourney WeaverThe Director
Tim De ZarnMordecai
Tom LenkRonald the Intern
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🏆 Awards

⭐ Bram Stoker Award Winner — Superior Achievement in a Screenplay, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
⭐ British Fantasy Award Winner — Best Screenplay, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
⭐ Fangoria Chainsaw Award Winner — Best Screenplay
⭐ Fangoria Chainsaw Award Winner — Best Supporting Actor, Fran Kranz
⭐ Fangoria Chainsaw Award Winner — Best Wide-Release Film
⭐ No verified Academy Award nominations found.
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📖 Short Plot Summary

Five college friends travel to a remote cabin for a weekend getaway, only to discover a creepy basement full of strange objects. When they accidentally trigger a deadly threat, their vacation turns into a familiar horror nightmare. But behind the scenes, a secret organization is manipulating every cliché, revealing that the cabin’s terror is part of something much bigger, older, and far more dangerous.
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❝ Key Quotes

“I’m drawing a line in the sand. Do not read the Latin.” — Marty Mikalski
“We work with what we have.” — Gary Sitterson
“Statistical fact. Cops will never pull over a man with a huge bong in his car.” — Marty Mikalski
“Cleanse them. Cleanse the world of their ignorance and sin.” — Patience Buckner
“You have to be strong.” — The Director
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💡 Trivia

Director

  • The Cabin in the Woods was directed by Drew Goddard in his feature directorial debut.
  • Goddard co-wrote the screenplay with Joss Whedon.
  • The 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the film as Episode 134 with Drew Goddard as director.

Cast / Casting

  • Kristen Connolly stars as Dana, the film’s apparent final-girl figure.
  • Chris Hemsworth plays Curt before his breakout as Thor made him a global star.
  • Fran Kranz plays Marty, whose stoner character becomes one of the movie’s smartest genre-survival twists.
  • Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford play the control-room technicians manipulating the cabin scenario.

Soundtrack / Score

  • The film’s score was composed by David Julyan.
  • Julyan’s music helps balance traditional horror tension with the film’s stranger science-fiction and satire elements.
  • The score supports the movie’s split personality: creepy cabin horror above ground and bureaucratic monster-management below it.

Location

  • The story is set around a remote woodland cabin and a hidden underground facility.
  • Filming took place in British Columbia, Canada.
  • The forest and cabin setting are intentionally familiar, echoing decades of isolated-cabin horror stories.

Behind-The-Scenes

  • The film was completed before its 2012 release but was delayed due to MGM’s financial problems.
  • Joss Whedon produced the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Drew Goddard.
  • The monster-filled third act functions as a giant tribute to horror subgenres, creature features, slashers, and supernatural movies.
  • The film grossed approximately $66.5 million worldwide against an estimated $30 million budget.

Nostalgia

  • The Cabin in the Woods quickly became a cult favorite for horror fans who enjoy genre deconstruction.
  • The whiteboard betting pool became one of the film’s most paused-and-analyzed scenes.
  • The movie is remembered for making familiar horror archetypes feel both funny and dangerous again.

Easter Eggs

  • The basement objects represent different possible horror scenarios, from puzzle boxes to cursed artifacts.
  • The control-room monster board teases dozens of horror creatures and genre references.
  • The film’s “ancient ones” twist turns horror-movie audience bloodlust into part of the story’s mythology.

Misc.

  • The Cabin in the Woods was released in the United States on April 13, 2012.
  • The movie runs 95 minutes.
  • The film won multiple genre awards for its screenplay and horror concept.
  • Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Don at 4.50, Ken at 2.00, Jon at 4.75, and the Overall Rating as 3.75.
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🔗 Sources Cited

3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings AFI Catalog — The Cabin in the Woods IMDb — The Cabin in the Woods IMDb — Full Cast & Crew IMDb — Awards IMDb — Quotes Box Office Mojo — The Cabin in the Woods The Numbers — The Cabin in the Woods Rotten Tomatoes — The Cabin in the Woods Wikipedia — The Cabin in the Woods
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