Joss Whedon Talks 'The Cabin In The Woods'

With a mix of love and hate, "The Cabin in the Woods" writer-producer Joss Whedon is expressing his take on horror genre mechanics with the Lionsgate film, which opens in theaters April 13.

Whedon co-wrote the genre-bending film with "Cloverfield" writer Drew Goddard, who takes the helm for the first time as a director.

"It’s basically a very loving hate letter," Whedon said in an interview with Total Film. “On some level it was completely a lark, me and Drew trying to figure out what the most fun we could have would be. On another level it’s a serious critique of what we love and what we don’t about horror movies.

"I love being scared. I love that mixture of thrill, of horror, that objectification/identification thing of wanting definitely for the people to be alright but at the same time hoping they’ll go somewhere dark and face something awful. The things that I don’t like are kids acting like idiots, the devolution of the horror movie into torture porn and into a long series of sadistic comeuppances. Drew and I both felt that the pendulum had sung a little too far in that direction."

Chris Hemsworth ("Thor") stars as a young professional who visits a quaint cabin in the woods with a group of friends and ends up thrust into events so massive and horrific that they can only begin to fathom it as time quickly runs out.

Whedon is the mastermind behind such hits as "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," "Angel," "Firefly," "Dollhouse" and "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." He is also the writer and director of the upcoming "Avengers" film.

Goddard has has held producing and writing credits on "Lost," "Alias," "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Angel."

"The Cabin in the Woods" also stars Bradley Whitford ("The West Wing"), Fran Kranz ("Dollhouse"), Amy Acker ("Angel," "Dollhouse"), Richard Jenkins, Anna Hutchinson, Kristen Connolly (The Happening"), Brian J. White ("Stomp The Yard"), Jesse Williams ("Brooklyn's Finest").