I really liked the first MAZE RUNNER. The Young Adult adaptation effectively mixed adventure, mystery and scifi-horror. Its sequel, MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS, promises to take it to the next level, with bigger set pieces and very talented additions to the cast.

I recently talked via telephone to some of the key payers in the Twentieth Century Fox blockbuster, young actors Dylan O’Brien (Thomas), Kaya Scodelario (Teresa), Rosa Salazar (Brenda), and the always fascinating Giancarlo Esposito (Jorge).

DH: Describe for me your anticipation levels now, just a few days away from this film’s opening.

Dylan O’Brien: For us it is exciting to be part of something that we are very proud of.

Giancarlo Esposito: You make a movie and you have great days, and mediocre days. Long hours. But this is the icing on the cake. It’s nice because we haven’t seen each other in a while. I am excited because my kid introduced me to this world. She was 13 and this was her favorite set of books. When I started having talks about this movie she was like “Make the deal!” I am nervous because she is coming tomorrow [to the Premiere] with her three sisters and a bunch of folks. I hope she loves it.

MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS

Mr. Esposito, I just want to say that for us, Latin Americans, it is an honor when you play a Hispanic character.

Esposito: It’s an honor for me too. I try to get stereotypes out of what I do. Many times the Latino or the African American character is responsible for the comedy. I didn’t want it to be funny like that. I am glad to see Latin characters on film, I am glad to have played so many of them, and I hope to honor the Latin tradition.

What’s the biggest difference between small projects and something like this? Just more time and bigger trailers?

Esposito: Yeah, more time. In TV, for example, you have to do a lot of episodes. Here you can be more specific. I like both, but I love film. There is more time, more money, and more attention. But it doesn’t change my style, nor the way I work. If you don’t have time just do your homework at home and get to the set ready.

The marketing campaign for this sequel doesn’t reveal much. How important is that for you?

O’Brien: It’s very important. We try not to reveal details, as much as we can. Ideally, you wouldn’t have to see the trailer and you would wait for the movie to tell you everything you need to know, to take into this journey. But that’s not the world we live in. It’s good to hear that the trailers are kind of confusing and don’t reveal a lot.

Esposito: Sadly, more and more, Hollywood is showing the whole movies in their trailers. That’s a drag because when people then see the film they feel that they have seen it already.

MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS

For you Rosa and Kaya. How was playing these strong female characters?

Rosa Salazar: She is not a damsel in distress. She has a viewpoint…

Esposito: A woman with balls! [Laughs]

Kaya Scodelario: I have been lucky. But I also have made a conscious decision of not playing damsels in distress. We are professionals and we choose characters because we like them and we find them interesting. Both of us will continue to do that in future projects.

Did you guys go through a specific physical training, or are actors now expected to be always fit and ready to go?

Esposito: You have to be mentally strong, baby. Mentally strong. [Laughs]

Salazar: I had this woman that kept yelling at me: “You have to train harder! They are pushing themselves to the limit!” Then I got there and they were like “What’s up?”

Esposito: Keep in mind that these are not superheroes. They are regular young people. Some are stronger than others. You need to be strong to survive. So, you are watching this thinking “Who’s gonna make it?” This is not the unreal world of superheroes. They become “super humans” because they have strong brains, strong commitment, and strong courage. That’s what makes you more than an average person.

These Young Adult stories are more ‘adult’ than ‘young’ in the sense that they parallel real life struggles like civil wars, etc. Right?

Salazar: That’s correct, these are adult themes.

Esposito: Don’t give up. Question authority. Have your voice be heard. There are many important messages in this movie for young people. At the end of the first “Maze Runner” Thomas says “We need to get out of here! This is a fish bowl!” but some people wanted to stay because they felt safe. There is no safe place, even in the world we live in today. It’s a jungle out there, baby. We need to make a move to make things better. We elect people, we put all of our faith in them, and then they get lost in the machine. If you stand up we can get real change. Now the rich keeps getting richer and they are ruling us. But we handed them the reasons to do that, because we don’t want to do it. In this movie, Thomas convinces all these people to stand up. Is he right? Well, you will find out.

MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, Sept. 18.

In this next chapter of the epic “Maze Runner” saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD’s vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.