Direk Cathy Garcia-Sampana wants out of romcoms, eyes suspense thriller next

Hit Filipino filmmaker behind “Hello, Love, Goodbye” reveals dream genre shift as she and Vanessa R. Valdez explore darker, high-stakes storytelling.

Are we about to see a darker, more thrilling cinematic universe from the masters of Filipino romance?

Despite cementing their legacies in the “tortured poets department,” “Tayo sa Wakas” director Cathy Garcia-Sampana and screenwriter Vanessa R. Valdez are setting their sights on entirely different genres.

Known for her works “The Hows of Us,” “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” and “She’s Dating the Gangster,” the hitmaker Direk Cathy made a highly unexpected confession about her viewing habits: she doesn’t actually watch love stories.

“Ang gustong-gusto kong pangarap talaga is suspense. Suspense thriller,” Direk Cathy revealed during an exclusive interview with radar Entertainment on May 23.

She shared that she recently met with network bosses to pitch fresh, non-romance concepts that she is genuinely excited to helm, hoping to move beyond the usual holiday horror offerings.

Writer and producer Vanessa echoed this hunger for genre exploration as a lifelong fan of action movies. 

She opened up about the heartbreak of stalled projects, revealing she poured late nights into the script for a “Darna” film that ultimately didn’t push through. She also teased “Elena 1944,” another action-driven project directed by Olivia Lamasan that is currently waiting in the wings.

Beyond action, Vanessa is eager to elevate the local suspense scene. “I want to watch a thriller talaga na lokal… na appealing to a wide market,” she explained, pointing out that local thrillers are often produced strictly for niche audiences.