John Burr reflects on power and privilege in ‘The Gates’

Writer and director John Burr brings a tense, thrilling perspective to contemporary social dynamics in The Gates, a film that examines privilege, power, and cultural tribalism through the lens of three young men navigating a harrowing night. In this exclusive interview with Rolling Out, Burr discusses the film’s themes, his casting choices, and the deeper questions about instinct and bias that he hopes audiences will take home.

This movie felt like a psychological test on access and power. Was that intentional? It almost feels like this is America for Black men right now.

Absolutely, yes. It’s an exploration of cultural tribalism in times of crisis. Power structures really pop up if you’ve lived a charmed life and haven’t been confronted with that, as our lead character Derek, played by Mason Gooding, was. That can be jarring, and it was an arc I wanted to tell.

It felt like a metaphor about shortcuts turning into traps. Is that what you were going for?

I think that’s where you were headed. In a sense, yeah, there are deeper themes and symbolism in the film, but when watching it, I want the audience to absorb it as a logical choice that they can really understand. And it’s these three guys, and the central character, Derek, is friends with the others, who are opposing personality types. It’s really important to him to have this bonding night. He and Derek, played by Mason Gooding, have a history, and he really doesn’t want to disappoint his friend. They want to go and have a big night. It’s important to the character. Derek wants to use whatever he can, which might be a gift of gab, talking his way into certain situations, and code-switching in a way the others can’t, to really make this night happen for him.

So, S-laid plans, best intentions, and all of a sudden, three guys that don’t deserve to be thrust into an uncomfortable situation are.

I’ve felt this pressure as a Black man in spaces where you might not belong, but if anything happens, you’re blamed. How is that important for Black men who watch this movie?

I wanted to explore subconscious biases, not overt racial bias. People may believe that they’re one thing, but when it comes down to it, their instincts take over.

This idea of instincts is central to the story. Your perception of somebody in one moment and how that may be different in the next. People aren’t all one thing, and not all people are the same. I wanted to dig into that. Going into a certain situation you probably shouldn’t, why do we have to feel that way? Why do we always have to be on our toes, trying to assess whether this is an okay place for us to be? When did we learn that lesson? Those are some of the questions I wanted to raise in this film.

You’re mixed-race. How important was this story for you to tell? It had to have some reason why you penned this movie.

Yeah, well, the character arc was one I wanted to tell since I was probably a teenager, just running around with the camera. I started out making fun little scary movies. I always liked horrors and thrillers. That was just my thing. I was born the day after Halloween and always gravitated toward that. As I grew up, I wanted to take advantage of the fact that an audience will show up and respond if you entertain them. How can I take lessons I learned navigating life in Texas as a mixed kid and put that into a genre framework? That’s really how this came together.

It took decades to find the right framework for this story. I want to be clear that there are deep, heavy themes, but the movie is fun. It’s a thrill ride. Three guys you care about are thrust into a situation, and you want them to find a way out. You’re on the edge of your seat for the entire film. On the drive home, that’s when you talk about the deeper subtext of racial and social dynamics at play.

James Van Der Beek’s character is violent but charismatic. Did you know he had to play this role?

I wanted someone local to Texas who understood the subculture. James had relocated to Austin after falling in love with shooting Varsity Blues 25 years ago. He became an adopted member of the community. I also really wanted to work with someone we could cast against type, known as a lovable, trustworthy, protagonistic force in many films. You can understand why the community would trust and follow him, and why they wouldn’t expect him to be in a situation like this. They don’t want to believe these three guys that they don’t know at all. When it starts happening, they’re really cooked. It was just really fun to work with James and show a darker side to his persona. I’m so sad we lost him. I wish he were here to enjoy this success. I’m glad he got to see the film and was delighted before we lost him. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate him as a person and an actor.

Where can Rolling Out readers see the movie, and one takeaway?

The Gates opens Friday, March 13, at AMC theaters nationwide. Bring a friend, have a great time. On the drive home, talk about what it meant to you, which character you thought was the voice of reason, and see if it matches your friends’ take.

The Gates is a suspenseful thriller that blends entertainment with social commentary, reflecting on the pressures, biases, and instincts that shape contemporary Black male experiences. Burr’s vision, anchored by strong performances from Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, Keith Powers, and James Van Der Beek, positions the film as both a pulse-pounding ride and a conversation starter.