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Blizzard Entertainment wraps up its Diablo IV Beyond the Veil series with Episode 3, spotlighting acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Mikhail Red. Known for works such as Eerie, Deleter, and Nocturno, Red delves into how Diablo’s dark and immersive universe has shaped his creative journey as a storyteller.
Red recalls his introduction to the franchise during his formative years in 1999 with Diablo II. “When I booted it up, I saw Diablo II. I was so immersed and amazed by all the cinematics, the imagery, and the tone. It always lingered with me. I like the demonology in Diablo,” he says. This fascination has influenced his films, which often feature elements reminiscent of Diablo’s gothic aesthetic. “I’ve had films where there are cult-like elements, firelight that you find in Diablo, red hellish lighting. I like that look, especially scenes in cathedrals and churches.”
The connection between Diablo and his work goes beyond visuals. Red finds inspiration in the narrative complexity of characters like Marius from Diablo II. “I like the idea where it’s told through his perspective, even though you’re playing a different character and following his journey, his footsteps,” he says.
This storytelling ethos resonates with the morally ambiguous characters central to his films. “I realized that in my films, it’s always centered on morally ambiguous characters who have to make challenging decisions to survive an ordeal. So that’s a big part of my perspective as a storyteller and artist. And so definitely the atmosphere, the tone, the elements of Diablo, has influenced some of my work.”
Red also appreciates the themes introduced in Diablo’s latest expansion, Vessel of Hatred, particularly the Spiritborn class. “I like that the new spirit-born class is a combination of spiritual possession and summoning. It’s a very interesting class, representative of Philippine folklore, you know, where we have a lot of spirits and enchantments and forests and rural settings. And that combination I’ve done in some of my folklore horror films.”
Beyond its creative influence, Diablo serves as Red’s outlet for relaxation. After a long day of filmmaking, he enjoys grinding for loot and optimizing his builds. “I find Diablo very relaxing. After a busy day at work, I go home, boot it up. And sometimes farming, grinding, just looking for loot. Especially if you have your build together with your character and it’s already at its most efficient level. I also play a lot of Rogue. I have a Barrage Rogue, Andariel’s Barrage Rogue.”
Red even dreams of collaborating with Blizzard to bring Diablo to life on screen. “I hope Blizzard gets me one day, you know, to shoot something, maybe in the Diablo universe that focuses on a Barbarian going up Mount Arreat and then facing the Ancients. Because that was pretty challenging back in Act 5, Diablo II. And I want to see that on screen. I want to see a leap attack and a war cry on screen. That would be so cool to pull off with the snow rippling after a Barbarian shout. The whirlwind attack in live action—I don’t know how to do that, but I’ll think of a way.”
As Beyond the Veil concludes, Mikhail Red’s reflections remind fans of how Diablo’s dark, intricate world continues to inspire creativity across art forms. If you’re interested, be sure to check out the finale of Beyond the Veil here!
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is available now on Windows PC via Battle.net and Steam, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Game Pass. The game is also on sale on Steam until 5 December.
For more insights, check out our review of the game’s DLC expansion, Vessel of Hatred and visit the official website for more details.
