It's here in the Archives section that you will find the news of the last three months.
----- February 25, 2021 -----
** ARMY OF THE DEAD: Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. Starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Raúl Castillo, Michael Cassidy, and Garret Dillahunt.
** PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and PET SEMATARY sequels: ViacomCBS has announced major plans for their Paramount+ service which kicks off next week with the CBS All Access app being rebranded. The biggest announcement is that unlike WarnerMedia with their day-and-date plan for HBO Max, ViacomCBS will not be breaking the theatrical window. Previously reported on new installments in the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and PET SEMATARY franchises will head directly for the Paramount+ service as opposed to going theatrical. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** GORDON HEMINGWAY & THE REALM OF CTHULHU: Spike Lee has been set to produce the period feature GORDON HEMINGWAY & THE REALM OF CTHULHU for Netflix. Stefon Bristol will direct the project based on an original screenplay by Hank Woon and Fredrica Bailey.
Set in East Africa in 1928 the story follows roguish Black American gunslinger Gordon Hemingway who teams up with the elite warrior Princess Zenebe of Ethiopia to rescue the country's kidnapped regent from an ancient evil. Cthulhu of course is the famed cosmic entity creation of author H.P. Lovecraft.
Lee's DA 5 BLOODS producers Lloyd Levin and Beatriz Levin are also onboard while award-winning visual effects company Goodbye Kansas will lead visual effects. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** CENSOR: Magnolia Pictures acquired the North American rights for Prano Bailey-Bond's video nasty horror flick CENSOR. Baily-Bond's debut film had its world premiere in the Midnight Section of the Sundance Film Festival and generated immediate buzz afterwards.
When film censor Enid (Niamh Algar) discovers an eerie horror that speaks directly to her sister's mysterious disappearance, she resolves to unravel the puzzle behind the film and its enigmatic director – a quest that will blur the lines between fiction and reality in terrifying ways. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
----- February 24, 2021 -----
** Ti West's horror film X: Just a few months after the project was first announced to be in development at indie powerhouse studio A24, Ti West's horror film X has continued to expand its ensemble roster with the addition of Brittany Snow, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Plot details are currently unknown at this time, but the film is said to be akin in tone and story to West's past horror films and the 40-year-old filmmaker is set to write and direct the project, which will include Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi, Jenna Ortega and Mia Goth in its cast. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** MR. THISFORTHAT: Thomas Mendolia will direct a feature film adaptation of his own horror short film MR. THISFORTHAT for Stars Collective. Michael Karr will pen the script while Peter Luo, Craig Flores and Alexandre Aja produce.
In the short, a girl from a broken home is visited in her closet by a mysterious creature who promises her anything she wants – at an irreversible price. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** CREEPSHOW Season 3: Shudder has announced that they have officially given creator Greg Nicotero's hit anthology series CREEPSHOW an early third season renewal. The AMC-owned streamer also revealed that production on CREEPSHOW Season 3 has already started with Andrew Bachelor and Ethan Embry joining as the first confirmed guest-stars. This renewal comes ahead of the series' upcoming second season which is scheduled to make its debut on Thursday, April 1, 2021, on Shudder and on AMC+. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** JAKOB'S WIFE: Ahead of its world premiere at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW), RLJE Films and Shudder have acquired the North American rights to the Barbara Crampton-starring horror-thriller JAKOB'S WIFE, with the former setting it for an April theatrical and VOD release date.
Directed by Travis Stevens (GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR) and co-written with Mark Steensland (THE SPECIAL) and Kathy Charles (CASTLE FREAK), the film centers on Anne, who is married to a small-town minister and feels like her life and marriage have been shrinking over the past 30 years. After a chance encounter with "The Master," she discovers a new sense of power and an appetite to live bigger and bolder than before. As Anne is increasingly torn between her enticing new existence and her life before, the body count grows and Jakob realizes he will have to fight for the wife he took for granted. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
----- February 23, 2021 -----
** TRAIN TO BUSAIN remake: It has been more than two years since New Line Cinema successfully won the rights to the American remake of 2016's hit South Korean zombie film TRAIN TO BUSAIN in a competitive bidding war against major studios, and now it looks like the project is finally making some progress. According to the Deadline web site, acclaimed Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto (MAY THE DEVIL TAKE YOU) is currently in negotiations to direct producer James Wan's long-in-development TRAIN TO BUSAIN remake. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** CREEPSHOW Season 2: CREEPSHOW, the new anthology series based on the 1982 horror comedy classic, is still the most fun you'll ever have being scared! A comic book comes to life in a series of vignettes, exploring terrors ranging from murder, creatures, monsters, and delusions to the supernatural and unexplainable. You never know what will be on the next page...
** THE TOLL: When Cami orders a taxi service to take her to her father's country home, she's hoping for a quiet and uneventful ride. But a wrong turn by Spencer, her chatty driver, results in the car stalling on a dark and remote road. After several threatening and inexplicable occurrences, Cami and Spencer realize they are being watched—by an unseen presence that sees them as trespassers, and is ready to exact a deadly toll.
** LIKE DOGS: Genre specialist sales outfit Black Mandala has acquired the survival horror movie LIKE DOGS. Science can reach unimaginable limits when emotions come into play. LIKE DOGS, directed by Randy Van Dyke, follows a group of young scientists who lose their sanity in the quest to experiment with human behavior. Mengele's spirit haunts this story where there is also place for a furious rape revenge. A behavioral experiment treating humans like animals goes awry when a university student manipulates the research with deadly results. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** Marian Dora's CANNIBAL: TetroVideo has officially announced the limited collector's editions of Marian Dora's CANNIBAL(2006). The German extreme horror movie is scheduled to be released on DVD in March 2021 with 3 different limited collector's editions: the "Golden Edition", the "Ultralimited Edition" and the "Standard Edition".
Written, directed and produced by Marian Dora, Cannibal is the story of a mentally disturbed man with cannibalistic fantasies. He makes a deal with a suicidal man who agrees to let the cannibal eat him. Carsten Frank and Victor Brandl star. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
----- February 22, 2021 -----
** ARMY OF THE DEAD: Netflix has announced a May 21st premiere date for Snyder's $80 million or so budgeted ARMY OF THE DEAD which begins in the wake of a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas. A group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana De La Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighofer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Tig Notaro, Raul Castillo, Huma Qureshi, Samantha Win, Richard Cetrone and Michael Cassidy all star in the project which Snyder dubs a "balls-to-the-wall zombie heist movie".
In addition, the streamer has released the film's official poster and announced that the first trailer will arrive this coming Thursday. Netflix is betting big on the property with both a prequel film and an anime series spin-off already in the works. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** SLAXX: A possessed pair of jeans is brought to life to punish the unscrupulous practices of a trendy clothing company. Shipped to the company's flagship store, Slaxx proceeds to wreak carnage on staff locked in overnight to set up the new collection. Starring Romane Denis, Brett Donahue, Sehar Bhojani and Stephen Bogaert. Directed by Elza Kephart.
** KOKO-DI KOKO-DA: As an unhappy couple embark on a camping trip to find their way back to each other, a sideshow artist and his shady entourage emerge from the woods, terrorizing them, luring them deeper into a maelstrom of psychological terror and humiliating slapstick. Directed by Johannes Nyholm.
** BEAST WITHIN: Actor and producer Steven Morana makes his directorial debut with BEAST WITHIN, a lycanthropic whodunit centered around a gaming app launch party that takes a sudden turn when a murder is discovered. Morana stars in the lead role as August, the tech wonder turned action hero who must protect his guests when a mysterious predator crashes his big night. BEAST WITHIN will be available February 23 on DVD from Stonecutter Media, following a smash success as a cable and digital release in the fall.
** THE STYLIST: Arrow Video is excited to announce the March 1 release of Jill Gevargizian's The Stylist, the headliner of the March 2021 lineup of their subscription-based Arrow platform.
Based on Gevargizian's award-winning short of the same name, THE STYLIST reunites Gevargizian with the short's lead actor Najarra Townsend. Townsend stars as Claire, a lonely hairstylist who becomes obsessed with her clients... to their peril. Genre star Brea Grant joins the feature as Olivia, an unsuspecting bride who makes the deadly mistake of hiring Claire for her big day.
----- February 19, 2021 -----
** Jordan Peele's next horror film: While we may still be in the dark on what to expect from the Oscar winner's next genre project, the Collider web site has brought word that Jordan Peele has begun building the cast for his next horror film as Keke Palmer has signed on to star. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** THE BEING: Coming June 15th from Code Red DVD and distributed by Kino Lorber! A strange creature roams and kills people in the small town of Pottsville. Local cop, Detective Mortimer Lutz (Bill Osco) is on the case as the fiendish beast kills losers one by one in this classic 80s monster film!
- 2017 2K Scan of the Original Vault Elements
- Audio Commentary with Director Jackie Kong
- Audio Commentary with Star Johnny Dark
- Theatrical Trailer
- Region A/B/C
** THE STRANGENESS: Coming June 22nd from Code Red DVD and distributed by Kino Lorber. A group of young miners venture into the Gold Spike Mine in search of gold, even after being warned by old-time prospectors to stay away. The miners proceed into the caverns anyway and soon realize that there's no gold in these mines, but also that they're not alone. What they find is a horrific man-eating monster sliding through the caverns looking to fill its carnivorous appetite… it's feeding time and the miners are on the menu.
** COME TRUE: Looking for an escape from her recurring nightmares, 18-year-old Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone) submits to a university sleep study, but soon realizes she's become the conduit to a frightening new discovery. Dreams twist and nightmares come true in this mind-altering new work of science-fiction from Anthony Scott Burns (OUR HOUSE) that haunts the space between wakefulness and sleep. COME TRUE is an unforgettable cinematic dream well worth the submersion.
** LUCKY: Life takes a sudden turn for May (Brea Grant), a popular self-help book author, when she finds herself the target of a mysterious man with murderous intentions. Every night, without fail he comes after her, and every day the people around her barely seem to notice. With no one to turn to, May is pushed to her limits and must take matters into her own hands to survive and to regain control of her life. Premieres March 4th on Shudder.
----- February 18, 2021 -----
** VIOLATION: With her marriage about to implode, Miriam returns to her hometown to seek solace in the comfort of her younger sister and brother-in-law. But one evening a tiny slip in judgement leads to a catastrophic betrayal, leaving Miriam shocked, reeling, and furious. Believing her only recourse is to exact revenge Miriam takes extreme action, but the price of retribution is high, and she is not prepared for the toll it takes as she begins to emotionally and psychologically unravel. Directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli. Premieres March 25th on Shudder.
** PSYCHO GOREMAN: The film is coming to Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. on March 16th. RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, and Shudder, AMC Networks' streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural will release the horror/comedy, PG: PSYCHO GOREMAN, on DVD and Blu-ray on March 16, 2021.
** MAHAKAAL: Coming to Blu-ray from Massacre Video featuring a new 2K scan from the original camera negatives, with the coloring process already underway! A demon torments the family and friends of Anita in order to take revenge on his death, which was caused by her police-officer father. The rest of the movie is how Anita tackles the demon with the help of her boyfriend.
** PUZZLE: Coming to Blu-ray 6/8 from VCI Horror Movies. Duccio Tessari's PUZZLE (1974) featuring a new 4k Restoration from a 35mm Archival Print.
** Scream Factory update: We're going back again into our deep Roger Corman-produced vaults for more of his wild (and obscure) films on Blu-ray! Today we present three cult favorites that will only be available on our site at Shoutfactory.com and only 1,000 each will be manufactured. They're in stock and ready to ship now! TWICE DEAD (1988) and THE TERROR WITHIN (1989) and THE TERROR WITHIN II (1991).
----- February 17, 2021 -----
** SOUND OF VIOLENCE: Alex Noyer' slasher hroror film has been picked up by Gravitas Ventures for North America. A young girl recovers her hearing and gains synesthetic abilities after witnessing the brutal murder of her family. Finding solace in the sounds of bodily harm, as an adult, she pursues a career in music composing her masterpiece through gruesome murders. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** HALLOWEEN KILLS: Filmmaker John Carpenter has always fairly bluntly spoken his mind about not just his legendary work but the film industry in general. In an interview with the NME last week, Carpenter touched upon the upcoming HALLOWEEN KILLS which was originally scheduled to arrive in theaters last October but got delayed a year.
Intriguing while he talked up how "balls-out" the film is and how it's "the ultimate slasher movie" as he has before, he also says he isn't shocked by the idea that it may be sent directly to streaming either day-and-date or exclusively given the current state of filmgoing right now:
"These guys are making decisions that they consider in their best interests. This is what they see the future is going to be like and so to get these things out they think this is the best way to do it.
HALLOWEEN may be shared that way [streaming] because theatres are dead. It's just the reality right now. And it's a tragedy, but it's true. We just have to face it. The studio did contact David [Gordon Green, director] and I, and they had us put off the new one by a year in the hope that things got better. So we're still hoping it will get better."
Producer Jason Blum has remained adamant that HALLOWEEN KILLS will arrive on October 15th this year no matter what: "come hell or high water, vaccine or no vaccine. It is coming out" he says. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** DEAD & BURIED: The lenticular covers features THAT infamous scene! Deluxe 3-Disc Limited Edition coming this Summer from Blue Underground.
** SCREAM: Coming on June 8th from Code Red DVD and distributed by Kino Lorber. In SCREAM, a group of people on a rafting excursion happen upon a deserted town and decide to set up camp. Out of the blue, a murder occurs. It appears that the town is not as deserted as they originally thought, someone out there does not want them around and when they desperately try to escape, their rafts are destroyed. What possible hope of survival can they have now…
** THE LOVE BUTCHER: Coming on June 1st from Code Red DVD and distributed by Kino Lorber. A string of murders in a posh neighborhood has the police department stumped and the local press is breathing down their necks. Strangely, nobody notices that several victims share the same gardener, a bent, elderly man with a crippled arm named Caleb (Erik Stern).
----- February 16, 2021 -----
** PARANORMAL ACTIVITY reboot: UNDERWATER director Will Eubank is teaming with HAPPY DEATH DAY and FREAKY writer/director Christopher Landon on a reinvention of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY supernatural horror franchise. Eubank will direct while Landon, who wrote the second through fifth PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films, will executive produce and pen the script for Paramount Players. Jason Blum of Blumhouse and Oren Peli are back as producers and Steven Schneider is back as executive producer.
The new film is said to be an "unexpected retooling" of the franchise. The previous films were all famously shot for cheap, using the once popular found footage technique with security cameras, phone cameras, nanny cams, etc. used. That technique is expected to remain in place. The six films came in at a cost of $28 million combined, but they were massive box-office generators and have made a total of nearly $900 million at the box-office. The new film has set a March 4th 2022 release. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** 29 NEEDLES: Unearthed Films announced the latest in its Too Extreme for Mainstream Line (TEFM), 29 NEEDLES is now available on Blu-ray and DVD for a limited 30 pre-order period, exclusively at www.UnearthedFilms.com. Each disc also comes with a bonus 11x17 poster of the cover of this brutal film. Pre-order is available until February 25, 2021, and then sales for the film will close. Due to the nature of Too Extreme for Mainstream films, these are not available through the usual commercial outlets.
** SON: Ivan Kavanagh's horror flick is coming to U.S. cinemas (wherever allowed), On Demand and Digital on March 5th. The release is being managed by RLJE Films and Shudder.
After a mysterious group of individuals breaks into Laura's home and attempts to steal her eight-year-old son, David, the two of them flee town in search of safety. Breaut soon after the failed kidnapping, David becomes extremely ill, suffering from increasingly sporadic psychosis and convulsions. Following her maternal instincts to save him, Laura commits unspeakable acts to keep him alive but soon, she must decide how far she is willing to go to save her son. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** ANIMALES HUMANOS: A married couple and their young daughter are terrified of the neighbors' dog, which ends up biting the girl. The dog is sacrificed to the desolation of its owners who saw it as their son. They enter the married couple's house at night to take revenge. What they want is justice: sacrifice the girl.
----- February 11, 2021 -----
** THE LAST OF US series: GAME OF THRONES alum Bella Ramsey has been cast in the coveted role of Ellie while THE MANDALORIAN star Pedro Pascal has signed on to star as Joel in the adaptation of the hit video game franchise. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** PSYCHO GOREMAN: Here's a look at the upcoming Ultimate Edition from Raven Banner Entertainment. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** SCARE ME: The film is coming to Blu-ray and DVD from RLJE Films who has unveiled the full details and a March 2nd release date for the Shudder original horror-comedy.
- Director & Cinematographer Commentary
- Interviews with the Cast
- Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery
- Make Cool Sh!t Podcast Episode 1: Scare Me
- Outtakes
- Feel the Music, Feel the Light" Music Video
(thanks to ComingSoon.net)
----- February 10, 2021 -----
** THE WALKING DEAD: Ahead of the premiere for the extended tenth season of THE WALKING DEAD, writer and producer Kevin Deiboldt took to Twitter to reveal that filming on the upcoming eleventh and final season of AMC's hit post-apocalyptic horror series has finally begun. The series will conclude its eleven season-run in 2022 with a two-year broadcast consists of 24 episodes. THE WALKING DEAD will then be followed by a new spinoff series centering around Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride's fan-favorite characters Daryl and Carol which is expected to air in 2023. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** LA LLORONA: Accused of the genocide of Mayan people, retired general Enrique is trapped in his home by massive protests. Abandoned by his staff, the indignant old man and his family must face the devastating truth of his actions and the growing sense that a wrathful supernatural force is targeting them for his crimes. Coming to Digital on March 2, 2021.
** DEMENTER: The film follows Katie, a young woman who flees a backwoods cult and takes a job at a care center for special needs adults in her determination to do some good with her life. But despite her best intentions, Katie can't escape the signs that "the devils" are coming for Stephanie, a woman with Down syndrome she cares for, who keeps getting sicker despite Katie's rituals to ward off evil spirits.
** THE PARISH: A widow haunted by the gruesome death of her husband uproots her daughter and moves them to a peaceful rural town. Then the real nightmares begin when she and her daughter stumble upon a long-buried scandal. They team up with the town's priest after encountering a creepy young boy, a hostile janitor and a blood thirsty nun who will stop at nothing to protect the deadly secrets of The Parish.
** DEATH TRIP: Four friends take a cottage vacation in the dead of winter, seeking refuge from their busy urban lives, if only for one weekend. However, the few residents who remain in the secluded cottage town of Rideau Ferry don't seem to take kindly to strangers.
----- February 9, 2021 -----
** Scream Factory update: Coming in May to Blu-ray from Scream Factory.
** MEATBALL MACHINE: Coming to Blu-ray 4/12 from Terracotta Distribution in the UK!
** FREAKY and HAPPY DEATH DAY crossover: In an interview with writer and director Christopher Landon, here's what he had to say about the potential project;
"Well, look it's funny, like the crossover thing is certainly a fun idea and I think that people are very into this sort of shared universe concept. But, I really, first and foremost, had wanted and continue to want to make a third movie in the HAPPY DEATH DAY franchise just because I've wrote an idea. I didn't write the whole script, I'm not that crazy. But I had outlined a third movie because I really knew what I wanted it to be and it was sort of the conclusion to it. It was a trilogy for me, so it's a bummer that I haven't had the opportunity yet to make that movie and I know that Jessica Rothe really wants to do it.
In terms of a sequel to FREAKY, you know, I don't think it's ever gonna happen, because I honestly don't know if the studio has an appetite for a sequel. I think they're quite comfortable with it being a standalone movie, and to be honest, I am too, because we didn't really have an idea for a sequel. It wasn't like, "Oh, this has to be the continuation of this story," whereas with the HAPPY DEATH DAY movies they kind of had a whole life after after that, but you never know. You never know what can happen. I would love to see, you know, Millie and Tree in a movie together. But I just don't know what that movie is." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** NECROPATH: Encompassing many elements relating to issues happening in today's world, the Grindhouse-style piece tells of a mysterious virus, plague, and pharmaceutical drug conspiracy that erupts over a city causing a pandemic. In the midst of the chaos, a mentally deranged maniac seeks to fulfill continuous addiction and vengeful murder, despite the imminent demise of society happening around him. The story leads to a family being destroyed leaving an abandoned little girl to save her baby sister.
----- February 8, 2021 -----
** SAINT MAUD: A24's critically acclaimed horror film SAINT MAUD will be available exclusively on EPIX linear channels and streaming through the EPIX NOW app on February 12th.
The debut film from writer-director Rose Glass, SAINT MAUD is a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and salvation in a fallen world. Maud, a newly devout hospice nurse, becomes obsessed with saving her dying patient's soul — but sinister forces, and her own sinful past, threaten to put an end to her holy calling. Starring Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lilly Frazer, Lily Knight, Marcus Hutton, Turlough Convery, and Rosie Sansom.
** CUBE remake: A mysterious cube. 6 men and women are suddenly trapped in Cube. It's unclear where this is, why they are trapped, whether there is an exit, whether they can survive, or what the room even is.
** M. Night Shyamalan's OLD: This summer, visionary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan unveils a chilling, mysterious new thriller about a family on a tropical holiday who discover that the secluded beach where they are relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly … reducing their entire lives into a single day.
** RESIDENT EVIL: With filming progressing smoothly and a star-studded cast attached to the project, Constantin Films and Sony Pictures' upcoming reboot of the RESIDENT EVIL film franchise has landed a release date of September 3rd.
The film is set to be an official origin story to Capcom's long-running survival horror video game franchise and will be set on an infamous night in Raccoon City in 1998 when the Umbrella Corporation unleashed hell upon the world and it was up to a select group of people to stop them. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** DRACULA: Hot off her Golden Globe nomination for NOMADLAND, filmmaker Chloe Zhao has set her next project – tackling a very different film re-imagining of DRACULA for Universal Pictures.
Bram Stoker's original story and Universal's most famous 'classic monster'. Zhao will write, direct and produce the film through her production company Highwayman. The movie is said to explore themes she's regularly tackled in her work films – namely the overlooked or misunderstood living on society's fringes. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
----- February 5, 2021 -----
** HALLOWEEN KILLS: He's a legend, but one thing filmmaker John Carpenter is also famous for is his bluntness. Even when out promoting some other's remakes of his past works, such as 2005's terrible THE FOG, Carpenter made it very clear he was only involved for the money and famously said "no comment" when asked about the film's quality.
With HALLOWEEN he admits he's not seen a bunch of the sequels, and famously slammed Rob Zombie's reboot. Even 2018's well-regarded semi-reboot of the series his highest praise was along the lines of "this was as good as I've seen since we did the first movie."
Recently he sat down for an interview with EW to promote his latest album – "Lost Themes III: Life After Deat" – and spoke about the upcoming HALLOWEEN KILLS. The film serves as a direct sequel to the 2018 film. In both cases, Carpenter served as an executive producer and handled the score.
Yet while the 2018 film he was upbeat about, with HALLOWEEN KILLS he sounds downright enthusiastic saying: "It's brilliant. It's the ultimate slasher. I mean, there's nothing more than this one. Wow! Man."
This is similar to comments he made last year when discussing the film which he'd just seen saying: "It's the quintessential slasher film. It is so intense… oh my god…it even stuns me how incredible it is. [Director] David [Gordon Green] just did a great job. Can't wait to have you see it." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** Error 4444: The first title coming from new Asian-centric genre label Error 4444 is ANATOMIA EXTINCTION (1995) the first film written/directed by Japan's splatter-king-in-chief Yoshihiro Nishimura, director of 2000s era classics such as TOKYO GORE POLICE and VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL. Details on release date and more to come in the following weeks!
The story is about a man who becomes infected by the Engineer and slowly mutates. Once infected, the Engineer's victims go on relentless murder sprees and it is made quite clear that this is seen as the only way to get the exploding population back under control.
** DEAD & BURIED: From Blue Underground; "We've got your first look at one of the covers for the upcoming DEAD & BURIED Limited Edition, due this Summer. If you liked our ZOMBIE lenticulars, you'll really dig these!"
** MAGDALENA POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL: Coming to Blu-ray from Dark Force Entertainment. You are looking at the awesome collector's slipcover that glows in the dark. We can't show you the uncensored slip on here but when you order you'll not only get the uncensored slip but you'll also get the uncensored US version which actually has more than the supposedly uncensored German version. This movie is a genuine winner and is Exorcist-like scary.
** SHOCK: Here's the two trailers for the upcoming film from Jennifer Harrington.
----- February 2nd, 2021 -----
** TetroVideo: TetroVideo are releasing two more horror flicks on DVD; Scott Schirmer's 2016 flick PLANK FACE and Salvador Haidar's 2007 flick SNUFF 102. Both releases are limited to 150 copies and are all region even though TetroVideo is based out of Italy. You can order them here! (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** ALL THE MOONS: Filmax just completed work on the fantasy/vampire film ALL THE MOONS by director & co-screenwriter Igor Legarreta. The film stars Haizea Carneros, Josean Bengoetxea, & Itziar Ituño.
** NO REASON: Unearthed Films announced that it is releasing a new version of German Director Olaf Ittenbach's gorefest NO REASON on Blu-ray May 11, uncut and off a new scan from the master. This is the first Ittenbach title Unearthed is releasing in 2021, next will be PREMUTOS: THE FALLEN ANGEL.
----- February 1st, 2021 -----
** CLOVERFIELD sequel: British scribe Joe Barton has been hired to pen the script for another entry on the monster-fuelled CLOVERFIELD film franchise for Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot.
While it's the fourth film overall set in this universe, this will serve as much more of a direct follow-up to the original J.J. Abrams-produced and Matt Reeves-directed 2008 feature than either 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE or THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX were.
Unlike the 2008 film though, this will not be in the found footage format, but further details on this take are under wraps. Abrams and Hannah Minghella will produce. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** MALIGANT: James Wan's new horror movie has finally settled on a launch date with a September 10th release.
** LAST VOYAGE OF DEMETER: Corey Hawkins is set to star in the very long-gestating seafaring horror thriller LAST VOYAGE OF DEMETER for Amblin Partners. The story is inspired by a section of Bram Stoker's novel DRACULA in which a Russian schooner vessel named after the Greek goddess transports Dracula's coffin from Carpathia to London. The vampire picks off the crew one-by-one along the way until the ship washes up ashore in England with one raving-mad survivor. This will center its story around that journey.
Zak Olkewicz penned the most recent draft of the script. Andre Ovredal (SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK) directs the project which Bradley Fischer, Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer will produce the film which has been in development for nearly two decades. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THREE MIRRORS CREATURE'S FLASHES OF FLESH: And here it comes the raising collapse. And the unearthly awakening. A repossession. The voyage to light and spirit starts over. Ecstatic, sensorial, absolute. Flashing. Straight to an extreme and piercing choice of eternity.
----- January 29, 2021 -----
** WRONG TURN: The eerie backwoods journey begins when WRONG TURN arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD February 23 from Lionsgate.
Backwoods terror and never-jangling suspense meet when Jen (Charlotte Vega) and a group of friends set out to hike the Appalachian Trail. Despite warnings to stick to the trail, the hikers stray off course—and cross into land inhabited by The Foundation, a hidden community of mountain dwellers who use deadly means to protect their way of life. Suddenly under siege, Jen and her friends seem headed to the point of no return— unless Jen's father (Matthew Modine) can reach them in time.
** ADRIFT: REQUIEM FOR A DREAM alums Jared Leto and Darren Aronofsky (MOTHER!) are reportedly reuniting on a new feature titled ADRIFT with Jason Blum (GET OUT) attached to produce. Leto will star in the feature with Aronofsky set to direct and co-write.
ADRIFT is based on a short story by the same name written by Koji Suzuki, author of RINGU, and published in the short story collection DARK WATER. The story is set in the dead calm of the open sea, where a fishing boat discovers an abandoned yacht with a strange distress call. A deckhand agrees to take lone control of it while it's towed into port, but he soon discovers why the rest of his more experienced crew members call it a "Ghost Ship." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** THE BLACK PHONE: Four-time Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke is looking to keep his upcoming dance card full as the soon-to-be Marvel Cinematic Universe star has signed on to reunite with SINISTER co-writer/director Scott Derrickson and producer Jason Blum for their upcoming adaptation of THE BLACK PHONE.
Based on the 2004 novella of the same name from Joe Hill, who will also executive produce the film, the logline for the source material reads as follows:
Imogene is young and beautiful. She kisses like a movie star and knows everything about every film ever made. She's also dead and waiting in the Rosebud Theater for Alec Sheldon one afternoon in 1945. Arthur Roth is a lonely kid with big ideas and a gift for attracting abuse. It isn't easy to make friends when you're the only inflatable boy in town. Francis is unhappy. Francis was human once, but that was then. Now he's an eight-foot-tall locust and everyone in Calliphora will tremble when they hear him sing. John Finney is locked in a basement that's stained with the blood of half a dozen other murdered children. In the cellar with him is an antique telephone, long since disconnected, but which rings at night with calls from the dead. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** BONES AND ALL: CALL ME BY YOUR NAME actor Timothee Chalamet and director Luca Guadagnino are potentially re-teaming on the coming-of-age horror story BONES AND ALL. WAVES actress Taylor Russell is in talks to lead the film based on the novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis.
The story follows Maren Yearly on a cross-country trip as she searches for the father she's never met in an attempt to understand why she has the urge to kill and eat the people that love her. No distributor is yet set, but filming aims to begin in April or May. Dave Kajganich penned the screenplay. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** IN A FOREIGN TOWN: Recovering from a suicide attempt, a troubled man recalls a strange childhood journey to a town with no name—and the horrifying apparition that has followed him ever since. Check out the film here.
----- January 27, 2021 -----
** PSYCHO GOREMAN: Coming to Blu-ray 3/16 from Raven Banner in Canada is the Ultimate 3 Disc Limited Edition. Bonus Features:
- 3 Commentary Tracks Featuring Cast and Crew
- Behind The Scenes Featurettes
- FX Shop
- The Paladin Fight
- PG vs Pandora
- Miniatures
- Interviews
- Hidden Easter Eggs
- New Trailer
- CD Sound Track (First Print Run Only)
- Double Sided Art (First Print Run Only)
- Limited Slip Case (First Print Run Only)
** AUTOPSY: Armando Crispino's 1975 giallo is coming to the upcoming February giallo boxset from Vinegar Syndrome.
** ESCAPE ROOM 2: After pulling the film from its schedule and setting it for an unspecified 2021 debut, Sony has announced its horror sequel ESCAPE ROOM 2 has found a new release on January 7, 2022, just three years after the original's release. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** HONEYDEW: Strange cravings and hallucinations befall a young couple after seeking shelter in the home of an aging farmer and her peculiar son.
----- January 25, 2021 -----
** MEN BEHIND THE SUN: Coming soon from Massacre Video! We have received many emails/messages about our upcoming MEN BEHIND THE SUN restoration, specifically if we will be sharing the same master that was on the recent German and HK Blu-ray's. The answer is NO, we received the raw 4k scan files from the lab and have been working on our unique restoration of the film. We are doing new stabilization, restoration and color correction all mastered and finished in 4k. The aforementioned scan was finished at a HK lab and finished in HD.
** A QUIET PLACE PART II: Paramount is once again moving the release date for its horror/thriller sequel. The John Krasinski-directed film will now open wide on September 17th – this marks the fourth release date the project has been given, its first being March 20th 2020, due to the ongoing pandemic. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE BABADOOK: Coming soon to 4K UHD from Second Sight Films.
** Eli Roth's HISTORY OF HORROR: The series has been renewed for a third season at AMC, with six episodes expected to launch later this year. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** LIVE OR LET DIE: Through an outbreak of a virus, the human race has come near to extinction. The undead walks among the land and hunts the living. The very few that are left, aimlessly searching for a better tomorrow. The survivor and lone wolf Nick (Jan Bohlenschmidt) finds an old diary that contains a map, his last chance for hope to a safer sanctuary. After a bloody encounter with reckless John (Manuel Urbaneck), both get together and wander through the dead and destroyed land. Day after day it`s a hard fight of survival for their own lives until they realize that only one thing is clear: among the dead the survivors are the biggest threat!
----- January 22, 2021 -----
** SPIRAL FROM THE BOOK OF SAW: In a recent interview with Empire, SAW director Darren Lynn Bousman has opened up about the process of making Lionsgate's horror reboot. He revealed that David Fincher's 1995 SEVEN was one of the main inspirations that they've had when they were first conceptualizing the upcoming reboot.
"Chris came in with a thriller concept," Bousman said. "He pitched this very elaborate, dense idea. We wanted it to feel much more like SEVEN. But it has so many ties to the mythos of SAW."
He also confirmed that unlike previous SAW installments, SPIRAL will feature toned down gore and violence in order to highlight the film's story and character. "Gore and violence was the gimmick, I think. Gore and violence is no longer a gimmick – it just serves the story. This is much more about character, tension and fear." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** WRONG TURN: Here's the second trailer for the upcoming reboot remake sequel.
** THE NIGHT HOUSE: David Bruckner's horror-mystery THE NIGHT HOUSE will debut July 16th, 2021. The film debuted last year to good reviews at Sundance. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** ANTLERS: Scott Cooper's supernatural horror tale ANTLERSwill arrive October 29th, 2021. The film was originally planning to release in April last year. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** NIGHTMARE ALLEY: Guillermo del Toro's NIGHTMARE ALLEY will hit December 3rd, 2021.
** LAST NIGHT IN SOHO: Edgar Wright's LAST NIGHT IN SOHO has moved by six months – now opening it on October 22nd, 2021.
----- January 20, 2021 -----
** DAY OF THE DEAD series: In a recent interview with the Bloody Disgusting web site, director Steven Kostanski has opened up about SYFY's upcoming series adaptation of George A. Romero's classic horror film DAY OF THE DEAD, confirming that the 10-episode series will indeed have some ties to the original 1985 film. Kostanski also revealed that he has already completed filming the first four episodes of the upcoming series.
"I actually wrapped up working on that back in December; I ended up shooting the first four episodes of the show. So it's a ten-episode series; it does have ties to the original movie. I can't go into too many specifics, unfortunately. I'm not really allowed to say much of anything," Kostanski said.
He also went on to share the process of making the episodes on a low-budget while also describe the project as weird and interesting, "It was a very scrappy, low budget affair, and I had a ton of fun making it. We got Masters FX to once again provide creature effects for it. So I can say that, at the very least, the zombies are super awesome. It's a very weird, interesting show, that I don't think is what people are going to be expecting. I had a ton of fun making it, and really utilized all my low-budget sensibilities to pull it off. It was another case of like, a very ambitious premise, with the bare minimum of resources. And I think that yielded a lot of great creativity from the team." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** FREAKY: From writer-director Christopher Landon (HAPPY DEATH DAY) and prolific horror producer Jason Blum, comes a horror-comedy about a stalker, a high school senior, and the brutal truth about surviving high school available on Digital on January 26 and on Blu-ray and DVD on February 9th.
** DARK WHISPERS: DARK WHISPERS - Volume 1 is Australia's first women's horror anthology. The feature film follows Clara, a young woman who inherits her mother's Book of Dark Whispers only to discover 10 disturbing tales within its pages. Each chapter reveals a new facet of the twisted human psyche... or the not-so-human... as the case may be. From the horror of grief to a share-house living disaster, existential dread to right-swiping vampires, there's something for all tastes; as long as those tastes are twisted.
----- January 18, 2021 -----
** WILLY'S WONDERLAND: Nicolas Cage stars in this FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S inspired horror film.
** THE BLACK PHONE: Jeremy Davies has joined the cast of SINISTER duo Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill's new horror film THE BLACK PHON based on a short story by Joe Hill. Shooting is expected to begin soon.
The story follows a kidnapped boy locked in a basement with a creepy, unconnected telephone that suddenly starts ringing. Since the kidnapper is the only adult in the story, Davies will be playing that character. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw also star. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** URBAN LEGEND Trilogy: Coming to Blu-ray on March 29th from 88 Films.
** TOXIC ZOMBIES: Charles McCrann's low budget horror film TOXIC ZOMBIES (BLOODEATERS, FOREST OF FEAR) is coming to Blu-ray from Massacre Video.
----- January 14, 2021 -----
** VORE GORE: Here's the teaser trailer for TetroVideo's upcoming VORE GORE, the extreme horror anthology about vorarephilic fantasies often connected with sexual masochism. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** VIOLATION: Pacific Northwest Pictures have picked up the rights to VIOLATION from filmmakers Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinell. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** TEN MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT: Caroline Williams returns to the DJ booth for the first time since her star-making turn as Stretch in THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2. The film begins when veteran punk rock disc jockey Amy Marlowe (Williams) is bitten by a rabid bat on the eve of her final graveyard shift broadcast. When a raging storm traps Amy, her mysterious replacement, and the uneasy staff inside their small-town radio station, reality begins to fracture as they move further and further into the graveyard shift.
** A NIGHTMARE WAKES: A gothic period piece inspired by the torrid love affair of Mary and Percy Shelley and the creation of her famous novel, Frankenstein. As she creates her masterpiece, she gives birth to a monster. Starring Alix Wilton and Giullian Gioiello, written and directed by Nora Unkel.
** SPIRAL: In SPIRAL, a same-sex couple moves to a small town so they can enjoy a better quality of life as they raise their 16-year-old daughter. But nothing is as it seems in their picturesque neighborhood. And when they see that the folks next door are throwing a very strange party, being the new family in town suddenly feels extremely dangerous.
----- January 13, 2021 -----
** SAINT MAUD: A24 has announced that the acclaimed psychological horror pic SAINT MAUD is finally coming to audiences in select theaters on January 29th followed by a streaming premiere on Epix! (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** Netflix upcoming horror films: Coming out to the streaming service in 2021 are ARMY OF THE DEAD, FEAR STREET TRILOGY, NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE, THERE'S SOMETHING INSIDE YOUR HOUSE and THINGS HEARD AND SEEN.
** I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER: Just a few months after getting the greenlight from the streaming platform, Amazon's series reboot of the horror franchise I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER has taken a big step forward as nine cast members have been attached.
Though character details are being kept close to the chest, the cast for the series is believed to be led by Madison Iseman with the rest of the roster including Brianne Tju, Ezekiel Goodman, Ashley Moore, Sebastian Amoruso, Fiona Rene, Cassie Beck, Brooke Bloom and Bill Heck.
The series, based on the 1973 Lois Duncan novel, is being written and executive produced by Sara Goodman with Craig Macneill set to helm and executive produce the pilot and production expected to begin this month in Hawaii. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** BLOODY HELL: The film follows a man with a mysterious past who flees the country to escape his own personal hell... only to arrive somewhere much, much, worse. In an effort to survive this new horror, he turns to his personified conscience. Together, they must race against time to free themselves from a twisted family hiding.
----- January 11, 2021 -----
** HAPPY DEATH DAY and FREAKY crossover: Both films were directed by Christopher Landon. Actress Jessica Rothe was recently asked about it in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter;
"I think that's totally the way to go because, as you said, [Kathryn Newton's character in FREAKY] embodies so much strength, power and twisted badass-ness in that role. I was so lucky to get to see it on opening weekend, and it has such fun, wild performances from both Kathryn and Vince [Vaughn]. So I agree with you that it totally needs to be a showdown of Tree versus Millie. And maybe Vince can make a cameo as a scream queen because he gave us scream queens a run for our money. He did a really good job."
** BAD BLOOM: Vera Farmiga will star in and produce the horror fairytale BAD BLOOM. Filming begins in the second half of 2021.
Bryce McGuire makes his feature directorial debut on the story which will portray a family living in isolation on a remote island to keep an unknown creature at bay. Their tightly-guarded reality begins to unravel when one of the children learns the monster they feared is not the monster they envisioned.
Renn Hawkey, Jon Rubinstein and Galt Niederhoffer will produce. Farmiga will soon be seen in the third main film in THE CONJURING franchise. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** John Carpenter's Alive After Death: Here's a new music video from the master of horror.
----- January 8, 2021 -----
** FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 4K: Looks like Robert Rodriguez teased a 4K release of FROM DUSK TILL DAWN in a recent interview with Forbes; "I just finished a color correction for a 4K version. It looks gorgeous. It was cool to see. I can't wait for that to come out to celebrate the anniversary," Rodriguez just told the site.
** Severin Films April titles: Alejandro Jodorowsky SANTA SANGRE in 4K UHD, GRIZZLY, Joe D'Amato's DEEP BLOOD and DAY OF THE ANIMALS.
** ARMY OF THE DEAD: The story takes place after a plague has been released from Nevada's Area 51, the U.S. government managing to contain it by building a wall around Las Vegas as it is overrun by zombies.
Dave Bautista plays the leader of a group of mercenaries who venture into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Raul Castillo, Omari Hardwick, Tig Notaro, Nora Arnezeder, Matthias Schweighofer, Samantha Win and Rich Cetrone also star.
Speaking with EW, Snyder says the film is more than meets the eye and will contain more emotional depth than you might expect:
"It is a full-blown, balls-to-the-wall zombie heist movie, so it's genre-on-genre in a great way. So you expect pure zombie mayhem, and you get that, 100 percent. But also you get these really amazing characters on a fantastic journey. It's going to surprise people that there's a lot of warmth and real emotion with these great characters."
He adds that the film will contain "metaphors about immigration, consumerism, and a jingoistic president." Snyder's last foray into zombies was his 2004 remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD which had some of the best notices of his career.
Netflix has already greenlit an anime spin-off series and is planning a prequel feature as well with Matthias Schweighofer helming. ARMY OF THE DEAD arrives on the service sometime in 2021. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** SACRIFICE: After his mother's death, Isaac and his pregnant wife return to his birthplace on a remote Norwegian island to claim on unexpected inheritance. During their visit, the couple discover dark secrets from Isaac's past. Their pleasant trip quickly turns into a nightmare when Isaac and his wife encounter a sinister cult that worships a sea-dwelling deity.
** BRIGHT HILL ROAD: When a misstep after a workplace shooting puts alcoholic Marcy on leave, she heads out to see her sister in California. Halfway there, she stops for a couple of days at the Bright Hill Road Boarding House. The walls close in on the deeply troubled Marcy, as she loses touch with reality and comes face to face with the misdeeds of her sordid past.
----- January 7, 2021 -----
** Neil Marshall's THE RECKONING: A trailer is out today for THE DESCENT filmmaker Neil Marshall's new supernatural horror film THE RECKONING. The film hits cinemas and on demand on February 5th.
Charlotte Kirk plays a woman who, after losing her husband to the plague, is unjustly accused of being a witch and placed in the custody of England's most ruthless witch-hunter, Judge Moorcroft (Sean Pertwee). Joe Anderson and Steven Waddington co-star. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** HALLOWEEN KILLS: A new photo is out from David Gordon Green's sequel which promises to be a scarier and bloodier follow-up to the 2018 film revival of the franchise. Speaking about it with Empire, he says: "This one gets right to the action. It's very aggressive. It's more efficient." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** James Wan's MALIGNANT: A month after it was announced that the film would receive a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release alongside Warner Bros. other films, James Wan's return to the horror genre MALIGNANT has now earned an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association for "Strong horror violence, gruesome images, and for language". (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** THE NIGHT: Following a tense night out with friends, Babak (Shabab Hossein), Neda (Niousha Jafarian) and their infant daughter find themselves spending the night in a hotel. As a malevolent energy torments the family, Babak and Neda's deeply guarded secrets are summoned from their dark hiding places. THE NIGHT will not end until they confront the truth within themselves.
----- January 6, 2021 -----
** RESIDENT EVIL reboot: Sony Pictures' reboot of the RESIDENT EVIL film franchise has officially wrapped its shoot – a fairly quick one considering it only began filming in early November. Set in the year 1998, the new film is ditching the Milla Jovovich-led films' action tone in favour of more classic horror tropes like the Capcom games themselves.
Johannes Roberts (47 METERS DOWN) helms the project which will be an origin story taking place in Raccoon City with Spencer Mansion to be a key location. The cast includes the dropdead gorgeous Kaya Scodelario as Claire Redfield, Robbie Amell as Chris Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine, Tom Hopper as Albert Wesker, Avan Jogia as Leon S. Kennedy, Neal McDonough as William Birkin and Donal Logue as Chief Irons.
The new film is set to arrive September 9th next year and comes in addition to the animated series which will be released next year on Netflix. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** Stephen King's REVIVAL: While busy with a number of projects for both the big and small screen, fans have come to adore Mike Flanagan's adaptations of Stephen King's bibliography but after much excitement and development of bringing REVIVAL to the screen for Warner Bros., it appears that the project is now dead again. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS: Coming April 27th from Code Red DVD and distributed by Kino Lorber. This edition will feature a brand new HD master and theatrical trailer.
----- December 24, 2020 -----
** Shudder films on Blu-ray: A few new titles are coming physically from RLJE Films and Shudder in February such as HOST, RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE and ARCHENEMY.
** HUNTING GROUND: Sometime in early 2021, Mondo Macacro will be releasing Jorge Grau's notorious early 80s exploitation/thriller HUNTING GROUND aka COTO DE CAZA!
** Dario Argento's SLEEPLESS: Coming April 6th from Scorpion Releasing and distributed by Kino Lorber.
- Audio Commentary by Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
- Interview with Director/Co-Writer Dario Argento
- Interview with Co-Writer Franco Ferrini
- Interview with Set Designer Massimo Antonello Geleng
- Interview with Actor Gabriele Lavia "Mr. Betti"
- Interview with Actor Paolo Maria Scalondro "Commissioner Manni"
- Trailers
- Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
- In English and Italian with English Subtitles
** ARMY OF THE DEAD THE PREQUEL: Filmmaker Zack Snyder has revealed via Twitter that filming has officially wrapped on ARMY OF THE DEAD THE PREQUEL, the multi-language prequel film to Snyder's own zombie heist action movie ARMY OF THE DEAD.
Netflix is backing the Snyder film, the just-wrapped prequel which was helmed by Matthias Schweighofer, and the anime series ARMY OF THE DEAD LOST VEGAS – all three properties are tied together and will feature character crossovers.
Schweighofer also stars in the prequel, reprising his role of Ludwig Dieter from the main film, alongside GAME OF THRONES alum Nathalie Emmanuel. None of the projects mentioned has so far been given a release date by Netflix. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** SATOR: Secluded in a desolate forest home to little more than the decaying remnants of the past, a broken family is further torn apart by a mysterious death. Adam, guided by a pervasive sense of dread, hunts for answers only to learn that they are not alone; an insidious presence by the name of Sator has been observing his family, subtly influencing all of them for years in an attempt to claim them.
----- December 23, 2020 -----
** THE EXORCIST remake reboot sequel: Having revived the HALLOWEEN franchise with the 2018 entry and its upcoming sequels, filmmaker David Gordon Green is readying a follow-up to another horror classic... THE EXORCIST. Green is reportedly in talks to direct the project which hails from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Productions. Whether this will follow the 2018 HALLOWEEN model and ignore all the other previous sequels is not clear.
William Friedkin directed the original 1970s film, based on William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel, which earned $193 million globally and held the highest-grossing, R-rated horror movie of all time crown until IT in 2017. It was nominated for ten Oscars in all.
Multiple sequels followed including John Boorman's second film starring Richard Burton, which was widely derided but has improved with time. Blatty himself helmed the third film which has become a cult favourite and boasts arguably the best jump scare ever put to film. A prequel was filmed first with Paul Schrader and then with Renny Harlin with both versions ultimately released to weak reviews. A few years back a two-season TV reinterpretation of the property premiered to excellent reviews for a network series.
Friedkin, who wasn't involved in any of the sequels or series, took to Twitter earlier this week and denied any involvement in this project: "There's a rumour on IMDB that I'm involved with a new version of THE EXORCIST. This isn't a rumor; it's a flat-out lie. There's not enough money or motivation in the world to get me to do this." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** PSYCHO GOREMAN: The Canadian horror comedy from Steve Kostanski is coming back home next month. If a theatrical release on January 22nd is not possible then PSYCHO GOREMAN will be on digital same day on iTunes, Cineplex, Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Telus & Vimeo. Then look for PG on March 16th in a limited edition DVD/Blu-Ray combo. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** THE ORACLE: Coming in March 2021 from Media Blasters is Roberta Findlay's THE ORACLE from 1985.
** BAXTER: Scorpion Releasing and Kino Lorber Studio Classics, in conjunction with Studio Canal, proudly presents the 1989 cult movie BAXTER on Bluray. BAXTER is the 80's French Horror/Comedy about a not-so-nice Bull Terrier. More like Bull Terror...amirite? The upcoming Blu-ray will feature a commentary with filmmaker Mark Savage.
----- December 21, 2020 -----
** MIDNIGHT MASS: DOCTOR SLEEP director Mike Flanagan took to Twitter to reveal that filming on Netflix's newest horror series MIDNIGHT MASS has finally been completed after getting delayed earlier this year due to the ongoing pandemic. Describing the series as "the best production experience," of his career, Flanagan went on to detail the process that they went through in order to ensure the smooth flow of production as well as the health and safety of the cast and crew. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** HUNTED: A modern and radical take on the Little Red Riding Hood fable, HUNTED is an exhilarating, transcendent, and frequently brutal survival tale that elevates itself with the power of myth and magic, while still holding an exacting mirror to present-day society. Starring Magritte Award-winning actors Lucie Debay (THE CONFESSION) and Arieh Worthalter (GIRL). Directed by Vincent Paronnaud. A Shudder Original.
** THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC: In this terrifying and gory tale of buried secrets and supernatural revenge from two of Indonesia's modern masters of horror, a middle-class family travels into rural Indonesia to visit the terminally ill director of the orphanage where the father was raised as a child. Sinister and terrifying events soon befall them and the other visiting families as the orphanage's dark history reveals itself. Screenwriter Joko Anwar (IMPETIGORE) and director Kimo Stamboel (HEADSHOT) deliver a bloodthirsty spine-tingler that grabs you and doesn't let go. Premieres January 28th on Shudder.
----- December 17, 2020 -----
** WRONG TURN reboot: Here's the trailer for Mike P. Nelson's upcoming reboot.
** VIOLATION: After first shocking Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness audiences last year, Madeline Fewer-Sims and Dusty Mancinelli's incredibly intense revenge thriller VIOLATION will move to AMC's Shudder streaming service in 2021. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** SATOR: Secluded in a desolate forest home to little more than the decaying remnants of the past, a broken family is further torn apart by a mysterious death. Adam, guided by a pervasive sense of dread, hunts for answers only to learn that they are not alone; an insidious presence by the name of Sator has been observing his family, subtly influencing all of them for years in an attempt to claim them.
** IN THE EARTH: As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.
----- December 15, 2020 -----
** Álex De La Iglesia 4K UHD: Coming to 4K UHD on March 30th from Severin Films!
DAY OF THE BEAST
- Heirs Of The Beast - Feature Length Documentary by Diego López and David Pizarro on the Making and Cultural Impact of DAY OF THE BEAST
- Antichrist Superstar - Interview with Director Alex De La Iglesia
- The Man Who Saved the World - Interview with Actor Armando De Razza
- Beauty and the Beast - Interview with Actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta
- Shooting The Beast - Interview with Director Of Photography Flavio Martínez Labiano
- Mirindas Asesinas - 1990 Short Film by Alex De La Iglesia
- Trailers
PERDITA DURANGO
- On The Border - Interview with Director Álex De La Iglesia
- Writing PERDITA DURANGO - Interview with Writer Barry Gifford
- Dancing With The Devil - An Appraisal By Film Scholar Dr. Rebekah McKendry
- NARCOSATANICOS: PERDITA DURANGO and the Matamoros Cult - Interview with Abraham Castillo Flores and 'Cauldron of Blood' Author Jim Schutze
- Canciones de Amor Maldito: The Music of PERDITA DURANGO
- Interview with Composer Simon Boswell
- Shooting Perdita Durango - Interview with Director of Photography Flavio Labiano
** NIGHTMARE ALLEY: Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has confirmed that he's wrapped filming on his adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel NIGHTMARE ALLEY and has set a December 2021 release date for the feature.
Bradley Cooper stars as a manipulative carnival worker who falls in love with a mysterious, dangerous psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett). The film also stars Willem Dafoe as the carnival's barker, Ron Perlman as a strongman, Richard Jenkins as a wealthy industrialist, Rooney Mara as Cooper's co-worker.
Shooting on the movie started back in January, but shut down because of the pandemic. It later kicked off again in the Fall but didn't complete filming until this week and marks del Toro's first directorial effort since the Best Picture Oscar win for THE SHAPE OF WATER. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** FALSE POSITIVE: Hulu has picked up the Ilana Glazer-starring and co-written horror film FALSE POSITIVE from A24. John Lee helms the contemporary ROSEMARY'S BABY redo which also stars Justin Theroux, Pierce Brosnan, Gretchen Mol, Josh Hamilton and Sophia Bush. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE VIGIL: Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, THE VIGIL is a supernatural horror film set over the course of a single evening in Brooklyn's Hasidic Borough Park neighborhood. Low on funds and having recently left his insular religious community, Yakov reluctantly accepts an offer from his former rabbi and confidante to take on the responsibility of an overnight "shomer," fulfilling the Jewish practice of watching over the body of a deceased community member. Shortly after arriving at the recently departed's dilapidated house to sit the vigil, Yakov begins to realize that something is very, very wrong.
----- December 14, 2020 -----
** Neil Marshall's THE RECKONING: After losing her husband during the Great Plague, Grace Haverstock is unjustly accused of being a witch and placed in the custody of England's most ruthless witch-hunter, Judge Moorcroft. Forced to endure physical and emotional torture while steadfastly maintaining her innocence, Grace must face her own inner demons as the Devil himself starts to work his way into her mind.
** SHADOW IN THE CLOUD: Coming soon from Vertical Entertainment and starring Chloë Grace Moretz. Moretz plays a young woman who hitches a ride aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress in 1943 with orders to escort a mysterious, highly classified package from Auckland to the plane's destination.
However she's not the only passenger on the aircraft as a gremlin has also stowed away with the intention of wreaking havoc on the flight. Stuck in a claustrophobic ball turret, she must battle the monsters to save the misogynistic crew and deliver her package.
** PSYCHO GOREMAN: Siblings Mimi and Luke unwittingly resurrect an ancient alien overlord who was entombed on Earth millions of years ago after a failed attempt to destroy the universe. They nickname the evil creature Psycho Goreman (or PG for short) and use the magical amulet they discovered to force him to obey their childish whims. It isn't long before PG's reappearance draws the attention of intergalactic friends and foes from across the cosmos and a rogues' gallery of alien combatants converges in small-town suburbia to battle for the fate of the galaxy.
** NOSFERATU IN VENICE: Coming to Blu-ray on 3/30 from Severin Films. Featuring a new 2K scan from the original camera negative and new feature length Kinski documentary.
----- December 10, 2020 -----
** SWITCHBOARD: According to The Hollywood Reporter, THE BATMAN director Matt Reeves has partnered with PARANORMAL ACTIVITY EP Steven Schneider to produce a new period horror film titled SWITCHBOARD. Reeves is no stranger to the horror genre as he previously directed 2008's monster film CLOVERFIELD and 2010's Chloe Grace Moretz-led film LET ME IN.
Written by actor-scribe Devon Graye, SWITCHBOARD will be set in the late 1940s. It will center around a young female switchboard operator who finds herself communicating with, and possibly targeted by, an active serial killer. As their conversation intensifies, she begins to question her safety, her sanity, and, ultimately, her very reality. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** FLESH CONTAGIUM: Coming soon to disc and VOD from Massacre Video is this Italian sleaze-fest by director Lorenzo Lepori.
** CLIMATE OF THE HUNTER: Dark Star Pictures has acquired critically acclaimed indie auteur Mickey Reece's award-winning and super stylish vampire feature.
** DARKROOM: Coming soon from 88 Films. Opening with a brutal double axe murder by an unknown murderer, no one can say Darkroom doesn't start as it means to go on – a tough, gory thriller that's equal parts nail-biting mystery and gruesome slasher. Who is this mad killer, that photographs their victims as they die (horribly, of course) – and what drives them to kill?
Features:
- Limited Edition Slipcase
- 4 Collectible Postcards
- 4K Remaster from the Original Negatives
- DTS-HD MA 5.1
- DTS-HD MA 2.0
- Optional English Subtitles
- "Developing Fear" - An Interview with Actor Aarin Teich
- "Exposing the Truth" - An Interview with Actor Jeff Arbaugh
- Original Trailer
- Stills Gallery
----- December 9, 2020 -----
** Neill Blomkamp's horror film: DISTRICT 9 director Neill Blomkamp has made an under the radar supernatural horror movie during the pandemic. Backed by Midway outfit AGC Studios, the untitled film shot in British Columbia over the summer and is the director's first feature film since 2015 sci-fi movie CHAPPIE.
Plot details are being kept under wraps on the project but we hear it is something the filmmaker had always wanted to make and is expected to be finished around spring next year. Blomkamp scripted. The cast is largely made up of Canadian actors and there is said to be a strong sci-fi and VFX component in keeping with Blomkamp's previous three movies. (thanks to Deadline.com)
** REUNION: READY OR NOT directors Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett and Chad Villella) and writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy are all coming back together to work on the high school horror movie REUNION at MGM.
In REUNION, the horrific experience of high school reunions is taken to a new extreme when a group of uninspired old friends become the only hope for survival against an unwelcome shape-shifting creature. William Sherak, Tripp Vinson, James Vanderbilt and Paul Neinstein will produce. Busick and Radio Silence recently shot the fifth film in the SCREAM franchise due out in 2022. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** FEAR THE WALKING DEAD: AMC's THE WALKING DEAD: spinoff FEAR THE WALKING DEAD has officially been renewed for a seventh season following the Season 6 midseason finale. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** Olaf Ittenbach's NO REASON: Here's the amazing cover for the upcoming release of NO REASON from Unearthed Filmns.
----- December 3rd, 2020 -----
** SCREAM: After officially wrapping up production on the new SCREAM movie last month, producer William Sherak has opened up about Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's highly-anticipated fifth installment, revealing that some members of cast don't really know the identity of the sequel's Ghostface. In a recent interview with Cinema Blend, Sherak confirmed that in order to keep the film's ending a secret, they've decided to hand out multiple versions of the script to the cast during filming.
"I think the two things to remember for us. One is there are multiple versions of the draft out there and most of the cast don't know if they have the right version or not," Sherak said. "So, we've been playing that game with them as well. And the fun of a SCREAM movie is that everyone is guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around. So, the goal is to keep that going for as long as possible and have fun with it." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** Ruggero Deodato's video game: Previously known as Deodato's CANNIBAL, the game is in development thanks to the active collaboration with the famous director Ruggero Deodato. BORNEO A JUNGLE NIGHTMARE is now the official title of the new video game by Fantastico Studio, available for PC and console in the Summer 2021. Based on a completely new screenplay, it is an original chapter in the famous cannibal cinematic line, representing a brand-new episode of the saga.
----- December 2nd, 2020 -----
** THE TOXIC AVENGER remake: Peter Dinklage (GAME OF THRONES) is set to star in the Macon Blair-directed contemporary reimagining of Troma's classick THE TOXIC AVENGER at Legendary Entertainment.
When a struggling everyman is pushed into a vat of toxic waste, he is transformed into a mutant freak who must go from shunned outcast to underdog hero as he races to save his son, his friends and his community from the forces of corruption and greed.
Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz will serve as producers on the new take. The original became a popular midnight movie and went on to three sequels, a stage musical, a cartoon series and a Marvel comic. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** VAN HELSING reboot: Universal Pictures is reportedly developing an original horror/thriller set in the world of monster hunter Abraham Van Helsing. In addition, OVERLORD helmer Julius Avery will direct and James Wan will produce the feature through his Atomic Monster banner. Michael Clear will also produce.
The details of the script are being kept under wraps. The character first appeared in Bram Stroker's novel DRACULA and was famously played by Peter Cushing in several films opposite Christopher Lee as Dracula.
In 2004 Universal tried to a launch a big budget action franchise with Hugh Jackman playing the title role, but that film underwhelmed. Eric Pearson penned the original script for this new take which Avery is now polishing. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** PAINTBALL MASSACRE: Old school friends go on a paintball trip, miles away from civilization. Things go horribly wrong when they discover a cold-blooded masked killer is among them. Soon the paint is mixed with blood as they fight to survive their school reunion.
----- December 1st, 2020 -----
** Alex Garland's horror film: Oscar-nominated EX MACHINA and ANNIHILATION writer/director Alex Garland is prepping his next feature – a low-budget horror movie that will be set in the UK. Empire magazine broke the news, confirming Garland wrote and will direct the project which is still lining up financing. He hopes to start production this spring or summer, depending on cast availability.
Garland tells the outlet: "I wrote a low-budget horror movie, set in the UK. I don't know if it's unrealistic or not. Always at this particular moment, a film always feels unrealistic, but then somehow it works out." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** A SERBIAN FILM and TORCHED: Stephen Biro and Unearthed Films are proud to present TORCHED, from good friend and colleague, Ryan Nicholson. This is a continuation of the Plotdigger catalog from Unearthed Films to honor Ryan's memory. Stay tuned for more great Plotdigger releases in 2021.
Also releasing very soon is A SERBIAN FILM, in all of its uncut and uncensored glory. The film shines on beautiful Blu-ray and DVD with English Subtitles. It's the first time the film has been released from the 4K master! Stay tuned for A SERBIAN FILM extended cut and A SERBIAN DOCUMENTARY later in 2021.
** PULSE: The slick, suspenseful techno-horror and VHS favourite from director Paul Golding, will be released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK as part of the Eureka Classics range from 22 February 2021. The first print run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited-Edition O-card Slipcase and Collector's Booklet.
** MINDWARP: The post-apocalyptic gore-filled sci-fi horror classic of the early 90s (aka BRAIN SLASHER), will be released on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK as part of the Eureka Classics range from 22 February 2021. The first print run of 2000 copies will feature a Limited-Edition O-card Slipcase and Collector's Booklet
