Arat na!

This was the special message of Filipino-American actor Jacob Batalon as he invited Filipino fans to watch his latest movie Tarot which arrived in Philippine cinemas on May 1.

"I know you watch supernatural horror. Bring all your friends and scream together. Don't miss the terror of our horror movie 'Tarot,' which will open soon in cinemas. Arat na! (slang for let's go!)," Jacob said, in a message on YouTube.

Jacob, 27, is a Fil-Am actor born in Hawaii to Filipino parents. He rose to fame while playing Ned Leeds in five Marvel Cinematic Universe: Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-man: No Way Home (2021). He debuted in the movie North Woods in 2016.

This year, Jacob stars in "Tarot." It's about a group of friends who recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings–never use someone else’s deck–they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death to escape the future foretold in their readings.

Director-writer Anna Halberg, with her writing and directing partner Spencer Cohen, drew inspiration for "Tarot" from the fear of the occult.

“There's something inherently scary about tarot cards and tarot readings,” Halberg says. “We love astrology and horoscopes because it's a way to learn about yourself, but it's also a way to bring clarity and to learn about the future. On the other hand, if you know what the future is going to hold, good or bad, it will influence the decisions that you make, and just because you know what the future brings, I don't know that it's a good idea that you should.” 

Halberg and Cohen aimed to make a horror film that plays well as a group experience. “Horror is best experienced in a group,” says Halberg. “There’s something so scary and fun about sitting in a dark theater with a group of strangers and going on this emotional rollercoaster.” 

“It’s like being out on Halloween night and going to a haunted house with your friends,” adds Cohen. “We specifically designed this experience for the big screen.”

Get to know more about the film with the Manila Bulletin exclusive interview with Jacob:

Manila Bulletin Entertainment: Hi Jacob! Based on the trailer, "Tarot" looks scary. When you first saw the script, what did you think of it?

Jacob: "I thought it was great. I thought it was different, a new take on the horror genre, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was a really fun, fun script and it was a crazy adventure."

Manila Bulletin Entertainment: Could you tell us about your character Paxton? What made you want to do this movie?

Jacob: "I just wanted to be part of a horror movie that didn’t stick to the normal tropes of the genre. Having Paxton’s comedy in it really balances out the tone of the film. It’s great to have these little injections of comedy where everything doesn’t have to be so dark and brooding."

Manila Bulletin Entertainment: What was it like working with the cast of Tarot? How did you bond with them?

Jacob: "They were great. They were really fun. They were all super excited to be in Serbia, we all were. They were also very excited to be working on a great fun movie. The guys, like Adain [Bradley] and I, worked out together basically every day, and also Wolfgang [Novogratz], he came out with us. The girls were always hanging out together as well. And we’d always have dinners together and all those things. I feel like being the only sort of Americans in Serbia, essentially, felt like it really tied us together." 

Manila Bulletin Entertainment: Tarot is a horror movie. Are you a fan of the genre and believe in ghosts? 

Jacob: "I definitely love horror movies. I love seeing people get scared and wet their pants for sure. I definitely believe in spirits for sure, I got that from my mom. My family’s definitely very religious and spiritual. If there’s no scientific explanation for something, I will just assume it’s a ghost [laughs]."

Manila Bulletin Entertainment: Without spoiling, what scene/s in Tarot scared or challenged you the most?

Jacob: "Oh, man, there’s a scene where we’re on this bridge trying to run away, and that was really terrifying. And then there’s this other scene where we’re all in an apartment together, trying to figure out how to beat the spirits and trying to figure out what’s going on with our friends. And that was probably the most challenging scene to do as an actor because it was like a play, and you just keep doing the things over and over trying to get the right piece."

Watch the horror unfold and bring friends along for the ride as Tarot arrives in the Philippines on May 1. Tarot is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.