It's here in the Archives section that you will find the news of the last three months.
----- January 30, 2020 -----
** FANTASY ISLAND: Every fantasy comes at a price. In theaters Valentine's Day.
** MEMETIC: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Ross Richie and Stephen Christy are set to produce MEMETIC, a horror-thriller feature which has been setup at Lionsgate and is based on the Boom! Studios comic by James Tynion IV. The comic explores the idea of a weaponized meme, a meme named 'Good Time Sloth' which becomes a viral sensation. A half-day later, everyone who saw it from the President to the coffee shop barista become 'screamers' – succumbing to a murderous rage. Some prove to be immune to the meme and the story centers on a young man, color-blind, who tries to navigate society's fall into an apocalypse as he tried to find his boyfriend. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** SWALLOW: Hunter, a newly pregnant housewife, finds herself increasingly compelled to consume dangerous objects. As her husband and his family tighten their control over her life, she must confront the dark secret behind her new obsession.
----- January 29, 2020 -----
** THE THING remake FROZEN HELL: Blumhouse and Universal Studios are teaming for FROZEN HELL, a new version of the original story that yielded both Howard Hawks' 1951 feature THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD and John Carpenter's iconic 1982 film THE THING. Both films, and the 2011 prequel to the Carpenter movie, all tie back to WHO GOES THERE? – a 1938 novella penned by John W. Campbell Jr. for Astounding Science Fiction magazine.
In 2018, John Betancourt announced the discovery of FROZEN HELL, an expanded and never-before-seen novel-length version of the story. It seems Campbell's novella was actually an abridged version of an original novel he wrote which had to be shortened for publication – losing a bunch of backstory and context in the process.
As a result, the original manuscript remained unknown and unpublished for decades. Betancourt took to Kickstarter to fund the release of the novel – a story that deals with a team of scientists in Antarctica who discover and are terrorized by a monstrous, shape-shifting alien entity.
This week, Betancourt and producer Alan Donnes offered an update on the fully-funded project. Betancourt says on Kickstarter: "The movie will be from Universal and Blumhouse. Everyone is super excited about it, and it's being fast-tracked."
Donnes said in a now apparently hidden Facebook post: "It's official. I received my signed contract and first check. I am executive producing a remake of THE THING but with additional chapters of John Campbell's groundbreaking novel, FROZEN HELL, that had been lost for decades. Now, for the first time ever, Campbell's full vision will be realized on the big screen. The new film will include the very best of RKO's THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, John Carpenter's classic THE THING and both books, FROZEN HELL and WHO GOES THERE?". (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** CLOWNPOCALYPSE: Production company 3BlackDot and filmmaker Eli Roth are working on CLOWNPOCALYPSE, a transmedia horror project to encompass a feature film, video game, live event, short-form series, and merchandise. Roth and James Frey have been plotting the project for some time while Philip Gelatt will write the screenplay. A search for a director is underway ahead of filming later this year.
The story begins when a tech genius CEO with a dark hidden agenda releases a massively popular social media photo filter. Suddenly, millions of attention obsessed users are mutated into psychotic clowns. A group of young delinquents go on a horrific journey to take down the CEO behind the madness, and restore the world to its normal kind of crazy.
Roth says in a statement: "For years I've had people tell me 'You can't do that in a game, it's too insane' and I finally found partners who said, 'Let's take this a step further.' It feels like we're making a game, movie and live experience with no parental supervision or studio to tell us to tone it down, and that's the only way to create something spectacular and memorable. This will be a big, fun, scary event for gamers, movie fans, and people who love live events. The CLOWNPOCALYPSE is coming. Get ready."
Roth, James Frey, Reginald Cash, Mitchell Smith and Zennen Clifton will produce and the intent is to have audiences engage in the world of CLOWNPOCALYPSE through the film, a multi-player console game with an AR driven mobile component, and a live event with supporting online content and merchandise. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** ONE MISSED CALL Trilogy: Coming on 2/25/20 from Arrow Video is the multi-disc set. In the first installment in the trilogy, student Yoko receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her death scream. Two days later, she dies in a rail collision. As the phone curse spreads, Yoko's friend Yumi joins forces a detective whose sister met the same gruesome fate. Mimiko's curse continues to wreak bloody havoc in two sequels - ONE MISSED CALL 2 and ONE MISSED CALL FINAL.
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations
- Lossless Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM 2.0 soundtracks
- Optional English subtitles
- New audio commentary on ONE MISSED CALL by Miike biographer Tom Mes
- The Making of ONE MISSED CALL, an hour-long archival documentary on the film's production
- Archival interviews on ONE MISSED CALL with actors Ko Shibasaki, Shinichi Tsutsumi and Kazue Fukiishi, and director Takashi Miike
- Archival interview on ONE MISSED CALL with director Takashi Miike
- Archival footage from the ONE MISSED CALL premiere
- Live or Die TV special
- A Day with the Mizunuma Family
- ONE MISSED CALL alternate ending
- The Making of ONE MISSED CALL 2, a half-hour archival documentary on the film's production
- Gomu, a short film by ONE MISSED CALL 2 director Renpei Tsukamoto
- ONE MISSED CALL 2 deleted scenes
- ONE MISSED CALL 2 music video
- The Making of ONE MISSED CALL FINAL, an hour-long archival documentary on the film's production
- Maki and Meisa, an archival behind-the-scenes featurette on ONE MISSED CALL FINAL with actresses Maki Horikita and Meisa Kuroki
- Behind the Scenes with Keun-Suk Jang, an archival featurette with ONE MISSED CALL FINAL's South Korean star
- The Love Story, a short film tie-in for ONE MISSED CALL FINAL
- Candid Mimiko, an archival location tour with the series' iconic villain
- Theatrical trailers and TV spots
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
----- January 28, 2020 -----
** ANACONDA reboot: Columbia Pictures is reportedly developing a reimagining of the cult 1997 horror film ANACONDA and have hired Evan Daugherty (TOMB RAIDER) to pen the script.
The 1997 original followed a documentary film crew in the Amazon that comes across an obsessed Paraguayan hunter (Jon Voight) looking to find a legendary anaconda. The hunter derails the expedition for his own purpose, with the filmmakers now forced to contend with a murderous madman and a giant snake that will squeeze the life out of them and swallow them whole.
Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz, Owen Wilson, Kari Wuhrer and Jonathan Hyde starred as the boat crew. No producer is attached to the new version at this stage with Sony said to be wanted to take a THE MEG-style approach – taking a B-movie concept and will 'eventize it' with a much larger scope and budget. The original launched a franchise, including one theatrical sequel and three direct-to-home releases, and has proven to be one of the most profitable titles in Sony's library. (thnaks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE NIGHT HOUSE: Searchlight Pictures is close to a major $12 million worldwide distribution deal for THE RITUAL director David Bruckner's supernatural thriller THE NIGHT HOUSE following strong reviews at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
The first major sale of the fest, Rebecca Hall stars as widow Beth, a woman reeling from shock over her husband's sudden death in the pair's lakeside home. A series of disturbing dreams become increasingly real, as Beth unearths a ghostly presence in her home that vanishes during the day. An ongoing investigation through the house (and their marriage) turns up strange secrets and a mystery she must solve. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE SEVENTH DAY: Guy Pearce and Mexican actor Vadhir Derbez will star in the horror tale THE SEVENTH DAY, the story of a renowned exorcist who teams up with a rookie priest for his first day of training.
Stephen Lang will co-star as the serious and deeply pious archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of New Orleans. Keith David is Father Louis, a mentor to Father Peter in his youth. Brady Jenness is Charlie Giroux, a young boy accused of a heinous crime while allegedly under the influence of demonic possession. Chris Galust will play young Father Peter and Robin Bartlett will play New Orleans social worker Helen.
Filming kicks off next month in Dallas and New Orleans. Justin P. Lange is directing from his own script. Dallas Sonnier, Amanda Presmyk, Kimberly Hwang and Chelsea Davenport produce. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** WHAT THE WATERS LEFT BEHIND: The town of Epecuén was flooded on November 10th, 1985 and was deep underwater for over 30 years. When the waters receded, the town was still intact and stayed deserted, at least so they thought. A group of young filmmakers takes a trip to the ruins to film a documentary. Ignoring the warnings, they get stranded. One by one they soon find that you don't have to go to Texas for a massacre.
----- January 27, 2020 -----
** VIVARIUM: Here's the trailer for the upcoming film.
** ZOMBI CHILD: Haiti, 1962. A man is brought back from the dead only to be sent to the living hell of the sugarcane fields. In Paris, 55 years later, at a prestigious all-girls boarding school, Melissa, a young Haitian teenager, confesses an old family secret to a group of new friends - never imagining that this strange tale will convince a heartbroken classmate to do the unthinkable.
** NIGHTMARE ALLEY: Production is officially underway on filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's next directorial effort NIGHTMARE ALLEY. The PAN'S LABYRINTH director is tackling this film noir adaptation of the William Lindsay Gresham novel which follows a corrupt con-man who teams up with a female psychiatrist to trick people into giving them money.
Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette, David Strathairn, Willem Dafoe, and Holt McCallany star. J. Miles Dale produces while Dan Laustsen serves as cinematographer. NIGHTMARE ALLEY will be released by Searchlight Pictures and hasn't set a release date as of yet. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** LOCKE & KEY: Carlton Cuse, the executive producer of Netflix's upcoming LOCKE & KEY series adaptation, says that the show's staff is currently in the midst of penning the second season even though it hasn't been greenlit as yet. The ten-episode first season is set to premiere on February 7th. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
----- January 24, 2020 -----
** SAW 9: The title for the Chris Rock reboot of the horror franchise is rumoured to be SPIRAL FROM THE BOOK OF SAW. Darren Lynn Bousman helms the film which also stars Samuel L. Jackson as the father of Rock's detective character. Max Minghella and Marisol Nichols co-star in the film which opens May 15th.
** HALLOWEEN KILLS: Paul Rudd has passed on a blessing to his replacement, THE BREAKFAST CLUB actor Anthony Michael Hall, in the role of Tommy Doyle in the upcoming HALLOWEEN KILLS.
Doyle was one of the kids being babysat by Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) on that fateful night in 1978 when Michael Myers attacked in the original John Carpenter 1978 film classic HALLOWEEN. Brian Andrews played him in the original, but the character is best remembered for being played by a young Paul Rudd in the sixth film HALLOWEEN CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS.
Logically when it was announced that director David Gordon Green was following up 2018's HALLOWEEN revival with the upcoming HALLOWEEN KILLS, and that an adult Tommy Doyle would appear, fans were keen at the prospect of Rudd returning for the role. Trouble is Rudd is in high demand these days. Instead, Hall stepped into the role and he tells Cinema Blend about Rudd's message to him:
"So one day, [director] David Gordon Green texts me when I'm off – I wasn't shooting that day – and he goes, 'Yeah, I got a call from Paul Rudd, and he sends his best and he gave you his blessings – he's really excited that you're playing the part.' I never met Paul Rudd but I thought that was really nice."
How Doyle fits into the story isn't clear as yet. HALLOWEEN KILLS will be released on Friday, October 16th and will be followed a year later by HALLOWEEN ENDS on Friday, October 15th 2021. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** WEREWOLVES WITHIN: Sam Richardson will star in Josh Ruben's horror-comedy WEREWOLVES WITHIN based on the famous game. Screenwriter and bestselling author Mishna Wolff will pen the project. The story is set in a fictitious medieval town where a werewolf is attacking the townspeople. In a Mafia-style format, the players of the game must guess who among them is the werewolf in disguise. Jason Altman, Margaret Boykin, Andrew Lieberman, Matt Miller, Natalie Metzger, and Benjamin Wiessner will produce. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** VIVARIUM: Here's the poster for the film, which will open in select theaters on March 27th.
----- January 22, 2020 -----
** COLOR OUT OF SPACE: After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner (Nicolas Cage) and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism as it infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a technicolor nightmare.
** LOCKE & KEY: Co-creators Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriquez— join showrunners Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill — to talk about the graphic novels' journey from comic to screen. LOCKE & KEY debuts on Netflix on February 7.
** HARPOON: Black Fawn Distribution is pleased to announce that the company has acquired Canadian physical home video rights for the critically acclaimed genre film HARPOON. Black Fawn Distribution will bring the release home on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 with a special 2-disc collector's edition of the film that will feature a slew of special features, stunning new artwork and a limited-edition retro slipcase.
** FEEDBACK: On DVD February 18, this new take on the home invasion movie follows Dolan Jarvis, the host of a successful late-night radio show, whose whole life changes after armed men burst into the studio and take him and his entire show hostage, forcing them to read from a prefabricated script and exposing a scandal that could destroy Jarvis' life.
----- January 21, 2020 -----
** Glen Danzig's VEROTIKA: Cleopatra Entertainment is set to release the film on VOD February 25, 2020 while a Blu-ray release is planned for March 3, 2020.
** MORGUE remake: BIRD BOX writer Eric Heisserer will produce an English-language version of Hugo Cardozo's Paraguayan film MORGUE. The writer of other faves like sci-fi thriller ARRIVAL and LIGHTS OUT will produce under his Chronology banner.
After hitting someone with his car and fleeing the scene, a freelance security guard is assigned to cover a night shift at the hospital where he discovers the body of his victim in the morgue. As the night progresses, he is tormented by his guilt… or something more sinister. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
** VISE: Shimizu's debut feature centers on Manriki (Saitoh Takumi), a beautician with a dubious moral compass who deploys unconventional methods of plastic surgery and facial reconfiguration. (thanks to ScreenAnarchy.com)
----- January 20, 2020 -----
** DON'T BREATHE sequel: Co-writer Rodo Sayagues has been promoted to director for the sequel to 2016's surprise horror thriller hit DON'T BREATHE. Fede Alvarez helmed and co-wrote the original film with Sayagues who will make his directorial debut on the follow-up. Stephen Lang is set to reprise his role of the deadly Blind Man. The story will be set several years after the home invasion of the first movie, the Blind Man living in quiet solace until his past sins catch up to him.
Sayagues and Alvarez, who also co-wrote Alvarez's 2013 EVIL DEAD remake, are once again writing the script and filming begins in April. Alvarez, Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert will produce. The first DON'T BREATHE was a critical and box office success, generating $157 million worldwide from a budget of only $10 million. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE WALKING DEAD WORLD BEYOND: The new series expands the universe of THE WALKING DEAD, delving into a new mythology and story that follows the first generation raised in a surviving civilization of the post-apocalyptic world. Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers, known and unknown, living and undead on an important quest. Pursued by those who wish to protect them and those who wish to harm them, a tale of growing up and transformation unfurls across dangerous terrain, challenging everything they know about the world, themselves and each other.
** DARK ARMY: Director Paul Feig appeared at the Television Critics Association and talked about his next film, the monster mashup movie DARK ARMY, which sees various Universal classic monsters coming together. Of that project, Feig offers this update:
"I've written the first draft and now I've got some notes from the studio and I'm doing a rewrite right now. Another genre, another genre to have fun with, to treat seriously but also to make fun and have a good time with. I'm in a rewrite and hoping it will go forward. You never know in this business." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
----- January 16, 2020 -----
** SAW 9: One of the more unexpected film projects in 2020 is the upcoming reboot of SAW. Not because it's another SAW film, that's not a surprise in and of itself, but rather the involvement of comedian Chris Rock. The new film is based on an idea from Rock who both penned the story treatment and stars in the film which otherwise is seemingly committed to being much like the other movies in this saga including the enlisting of SAW 2-4 director Darren Lynn Bousman to helm this ninth installment.
Speaking with Collider this week whilst out promoting the fourth season of FARGO at the Television Critics Association, Rock says the film came about due to a chance meeting with the head of Lionsgate and the aim is to still deliver the horror whilst adding a tiny bit more levity:
"There are so many movies that I've watched and gone, 'Three jokes would have made that movie a lot better.' You know what I mean? A lot of times, you can get comedy in things, if it's grounded, without it changing the movie, per se. Just like that story that BEVERLY HILLS COP was written for Sylvester Stallone. Eddie Murphy was hired at the last minute, and they made kind of the same movie, but it was grounded with just a little here, here and here. So, SAW is really scary and really bloody. It's a SSAW movie. But every now and then, you take a little air out. It's gonna be good."
Rock also says a big reason to do the film was an opportunity to do something different. Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella co-star in the new film which opens in cinemas on May 15th. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** 10-31: Gigi Saul Guerrero will direct the horror thriller 10-31 for Orion Pictures. The story is about a young woman who takes her niece and nephew trick-or-treating and discovers a note inside a candy wrapper informing her there's a killer loose on her block.
The script was written by Ian Shorr and Peter Gamble, based on a story by Laurie Ashbourne and screen story by Kathy Charles. Eli Roth is producing alongside Roger Birnbaum through their Arts District Entertainment, and John Zaozirny through Bellevue Productions.
** A QUIET PLACE: Director John Krasinski's sensationally gripping smash hit A QUIET PLACE arrives in a brand new, collectible Mondo X Steelbook 4K Ultra HD Combo on March 10, 2020 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Relive the incredible tension and suspense of the original thriller before its highly anticipated sequel debuts in theaters on March 20th.
This Mondo X SteelBook collaboration #038 features exclusive artwork inspired by Matt Ryan Tobin's atmospheric poster highlighting the film's iconic red string lights. The 4K Ultra HD Combo includes behind-the-scenes footage exploring the exceptionally unique sound design, the riveting visual effects, and how the cast and crew created the movie's distinctive atmosphere both on set and on film. The 4K Ultra HD Disc also boasts a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and Dolby Vision.
The Blu-ray in the 4K Ultra HD Combo includes over 30 minutes of bonus content:
- Creating the Quiet – Behind the Scenes of A QUIET PLACE
- The Sound of Darkness – Editing Sound for A QUIET PLACE
- A Reason for Silence – The Visual Effects of A QUIET PLACE
** SAINT MAUD: Here's another poster for the upcoming film.
----- January 14, 2020 -----
** CHUCKY TV series: After landing the rights to original franchise creator Don Mancini's CHILD'S PLAY series last year, Syfy has finally given a straight-to-series order the long-in development horror series titled CHUCKY, centering on the iconic titular serial killer doll. On top of executive producing, Mancini, who had also written the original film franchise, is set to write the series adaptation and will serve as the showrunner and first episode's director.
"The character Don and David created has terrified audiences for over 30 years. The longevity and legacy of Chucky speaks to the creative storytelling and the loyal fans the film series has collected over the years," President of Entertainment Networks – USA & SYFY, Chris McCumber in a statement (via The Futon Critic). "We are excited to once again partner with Nick and UCP on this new SYFY series, and are incredibly proud to bring Chucky to television for the first time with the original creators." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** THE INVISIBLE MAN: Universal Pictures' forthcoming remake has officially been given an R-rating from the MPAA for "some strong bloody violence, and language." Starring Two-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner Elisabeth Moss and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, the Leigh Whannell-directed film will be making its debut on February 28. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** UNDERWATER: At the Box Office, the Kristen Stewart-led flick, which cost $50 million earned an estimated $7 million and received poor reviews overall from critics and audiences. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** DEATH TRAP: Six friends on Halloween night in '99 crash their car and cross paths with sadistic Baptist zealots. Directed by Deandra Spinner.
----- January 10, 2020 -----
** THE HOWLING remake: IT director Andy Muschietti confirmed in a recent Q&A panel, that he will tackle a new adaptation of the werewolf film classic for Netflix. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** AMERICAN HORROR STORY: Ryan Murphy's anthology horror series has been renewed for an additional three seasons at FX, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Fans can look forward to Season 11, 12, and 13 of the Murphy and Brad Falchuk-produced series while production continues on Season 10, which is expected to premiere this year. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** CIUDAD MALDITA: Here's the trailer for the upcoming South Korean horror anthology.
** THE MARSHES: In the middle of nowhere is a labyrinthine marshland teetering on the verge of extinction. Dr Pria Anan is committed to saving it, using diligence and reason to fight the forces that threaten its existence. With the help of rival Ben and assistant Will, Pria is certain she is in control. But soon fear manifests in the form of a horrifying evil, forcing the team to abandon their efforts to save the marsh and focus on saving themselves.
----- January 9, 2020 -----
** BRAHMS THE BOY II: Unaware of the terrifying history of Heelshire Mansion, a young family moves into a guest house on the estate where their young son soon makes an unsettling new friend, an eerily life-like doll he calls Brahms. Katie Holmes stars in STXfilms and Lakeshore Entertainment's, BRAHMS THE BOY II, alongside Christopher Convery, Owain Yeoman and Ralph Ineson. William Brent Bell returns to direct BRAHMS THE BOY II. The producers are Lakeshore's Tom Rosenberg, Eric Reid, Gary Lucchesi, and Richard Wright in addition to Matt Berenson, Jim Wedaa and Roy Lee.
** LOCKE & KEY: Coming to Netflix on February 7, 2020. Based on the best-selling graphic novels, LOCKE & KEY follows 3 siblings who, after the murder of their father, move to their ancestral home only to find the house has magical keys that give them a vast array of powers and abilities.
----- January 8, 2020 -----
** THE WALKING DEAD movie: Former series showrunner Scott M. Gimple, who now runs the franchise's direction overall, is the one spearheading the upcoming film and spoke with Entertainment Weekly about how it will relate back to the main show:
"We are going to continue to tell Rick's story, and we are going to discover so much of the world through that story. Rick will be challenged in different ways that, in some ways, everything that he's been through has sort of prepared him for. It's a much larger world than one that he had been operating in, and that was challenging in and of itself. Now things are heightened, and just as we're going to the movies – and it is the movies proper, suitably widescreen – we're going to be filling that screen with a brand new world."
Don't expect it soon though. Gimple tells the outlet the project is still in scripting stages and is still being worked on with a director not yet secured. He then adds:
"The scale is bigger and the budget is bigger, and it's THE WALKING DEAD, but heightened, both in the narrative themes, but also in just what we see onscreen. I say heightened, but I should also say it's also very different. It's not going to be the exact same thing we saw on television, just larger. We are going in some wild new directions.
Movies are a different beast than television. Television is like, boom, we're done. Movies, to calibrate an hour and a half, two hours is no joke, and it's been a lot of fun, but it's a real challenge and we take it very seriously for the fans. We really want to deliver them something special, something worth their trip to the movies. We're trying to be very deliberate and deliver something new." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** EXTRACURRICULAR: Four overachieving high school friends have a secret pastime: planning and executing murders. But when one of their plans goes shockingly awry, the relationship between the group is put to the test.
** THE ASSENT: After a series of disturbing supernatural events in his home, Joel, a young single father, comes to suspect that his young son may be possessed.
** DARK PLACE: Five simmering horror tales using impactful, electrifying, pushing new boundaries in narrative and story lines, DARK PLACE focuses on "desire to unpack race relations and examine the impact endured by the Australian indigenous inhabitants through the eyes of the new generation of Australian filmmakers.
----- January 6, 2020 -----
** EVIL DEAD sequel: Half a year ago, back when the well-reviewed CRAWL hit cinemas, filmmaker Sam Raimi suggested he had some ideas regarding the future of the EVIL DEAD franchise and we'd have to wait a while before he could share more. Raimi and star Bruce Campbell's last forays into that world were the Fede Alvarez-directed 2013 film reboot and Starz's ASH VS. THE EVIL DEAD series which ran for three seasons.
With THE GRUDGE reboot now in cinemas, Raimi is back out on the press circuit and sadly the famed filmmaker doesn't have much in the way of new news about the status of another film beyond an obvious desire to do one and that something is in the works right now. Speaking on Reddit, he offered this update:
"Bruce, Rob [Tapert] and I are working with a young filmmaker who is writing a new EVIL DEAD story that he will direct. As for me… I would love to direct a new EVIL DEAD movie… but I'd really like to do it with Bruce. And he says he's retired the character. I hope not." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** MON MON MON MONSTERS: A group of classmates doing community service discover two flesh-eating creatures hiding in an old building. One of the creatures is able to escape, but they capture the other one, torturing her while trying to learn what she really is. It soon becomes clear that the first creature's escape has dire consequences, as she hunts them down and stops at nothing to free her sister.
----- January 3rd, 2020 -----
** A QUIET PLACE PART II: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.
** LUZ: A young cab driver fleeing from the grasp of a possessed woman, whose confession could endanger the lives of everyone who crosses her path.
** GRETEL AND HANSEL: On January 31, witness the terrifying untold story of the classic tale. Sophia Lillis stars in Gretel & Hansel, coming to theaters everywhere.
----- December 23, 2019 -----
** DOCTOR SLEEP: Filmmaker Mike Flanagan has confirmed that the upcoming home video release of DOCTOR SLEEP, his sequel to the iconic Stephen King horror classic THE SHINING, will include a decidedly longer director's cut version.
Specifically the release will clock in with nearly 30 minutes of extra footage, pushing the film's runtime to a full three hours. Flanagan himself announced the director's cut which hits streaming on January 21st and both 4K and Blu-ray disc on February 4th. In addition, there will be new, alternate, and extended scenes and multiple featurettes. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** WHAT JOSIAH SAW: Nick Stahl, Robert Patrick, Jake Weber, Kelli Garner and Tony Hale will star in Vincent Grashaw's forthcoming psychological horror feature WHAT JOSIAH SAW which recently wrapped filming in Oklahoma. Robert Alan Dilts penned the story of a family with buried secrets who reunite at a farmhouse after two decades to pay for their past sins. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** BAD HAIR: Former publicist turned celebrated filmmaker Justin Simien follows up DEAR WHITE PEOPLE with the cheeky horror satire about a young woman from Compton in L.A. who wants to be a VJ in the late 80s/early 90s but doesn't have the right look. She makes a Faustian bargain with the new network head and ends up with a weave in her head that may or may not have a mind of its own. Simien says he wants to do a 'weird horror-satire love letter' to black women who 'suffer quiet little deaths just to be seen in our culture'. Vanessa Williams, Laverne Cox, Michelle Hurd and more star in the film which has its debut at this year's Sundance. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** INTO THE DARK: A group of longtime gay best friends and their resident fruit fly head to a beautiful desert home to celebrate New Year's Eve. One of their annual traditions is to play Midnight Kiss, a sexy but ultimately dangerous challenge to find that special someone to help you ring in the New Year. As friendships have grown strained with secrets, jealousy and resentment, the group faces another challenge when a sadistic killer wants in. Relationships are put to the test and truths are revealed as the night turns into a fight for survival.
----- December 20, 2019 -----
** COLOR OUT OF SPACE: Here's the second poster for the highly anticipated film.
** COME TO DADDY: A man in his thirties travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father.
** THE HAWKLINE MONSTER: Director Yorgos Lanthimos is reportedly in talks to direct a film adaptation of Richard Brautigan's darkly comic horror western novel for New Regency.
The story follows two unlikely hero gunslingers hired by a fifteen-year-old girl named Magic Child to kill the monster that lives in ice caves under the basement of a house inhabited by a young woman named Miss Hawkline. What follows is a unique adventure where there is more to Magic Child, Miss Hawkline and the house than meets the eye.
The film has had a long Hollywood history. The late and great Hal Ashby spent years trying to mount a movie version with the likes of Harry Dean Stanton, Jeff Bridges and Jack Nicholson under consideration in the late 1970s. Tim Burton also tried to do a version with Nicholson and Clint Eastwood but that too collapsed. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** AFTER MIDNIGHT: Ten years into his small-town, storybook romance with Abby, Hank suddenly wakes up to an empty home. With nothing but a cryptic note to explain why she left, Hank's charmed life begins to fall apart. To make matters worse, Abby's disappearance seems to trigger the arrival of a ferocious creature that crawls out of the old grove on the edge of his property.
** THE GRUDGE remake: Here's a clip from the upcoming remake of a remake.
----- December 19, 2019 -----
** Quentin Tarantino's HALLOWEEN 6: Though labelled the worst of the series by many, it's a film that has more going for it than some other entries – including a baby faced Paul Rudd in the lead role – but famously suffered a notoriously troubled production including an entirely reshot and very different third act.
Consequence of Sound reports that in the recently released book "Taking Shape," it has been revealed that filmmaker Quentin Tarantino nearly wrote the movie – the filmmaker offered the chance to write the film by Miramax in the early 1990s.
He didn't take the job, but was far enough along the road to offer some ideas. He says in the book that: "it would have been if I had done it, I never got hired but it would have been my job to figure out who the guy in the boots is."
Tarantino is referring to the Man in Black. The fifth film of the series introduced the first elements of Celtic mythology to the franchise – using a Druidic curse to explain Myers' invulnerability and need to kill at Halloween. At the same time it introduced a mysterious trench-coated figure who saves Myers from a fiery prison but whose face is never seen.
The sixth film's job included much more about the cult and the reveal of the identity of the figure, but it wasn't planned out beforehand – leaving it up to the writer to come up with an explanation. Writer Daniel Farrands ultimately got the gig and included a reveal of the Man in Black's identity towards the film's end. Tarantino explains that his idea would've included that reveal sooner, saying:
"Yeah, I was like, 'Leave that scene where [the Man in Black] shows up, alright, and freeze Michael Myers.' And so the only thing that I had in my mind, I still hadn't figured out who that dude was, was like the first 20 minutes would have been the Lee Van Cleef dude and Michael Myers on the highway, on the road, and they stop at coffee shops and shit and wherever Michael Myers stops, he kills everybody. So, they're like leaving a trail of bodies on Route 66."
Ultimately the film was a flop, putting the franchise on ice for a few years until HALLOWEEN H20 arrived to much greater success and more recently 2018's HALLOWEEN revival rendered the events of HALLOWEEN 6 THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS null and void. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** A QUIET PLACE PART II: Trailer coming New Year's Day. Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.
** COLOR OUT OF SPACE: Here's the poster for the highly anticipated film.
** MALIGNANT: Director James Wan took to Instagram to reveal that production has officially wrapped on Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema's forthcoming horror film MALIGNANT which will be Wan's first non-THE CONJURING horror collaboration with the two studios.
----- December 18, 2019 -----
** SAINT MAUD: From writer/director Rose Glass and starring Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle. SAINT MAUD — Spring 2020.
** BEAR horror comedy: Phil Lord and Chris Miller are teaming with READY OR NOT directors Radio Silence for an untitled project described as a "bear-driven horror-comedy with heart" at Universal Pictures. More specifically it is being dubbed a cross between this year's raunchy underage kids comedy GOOD BOYS and the Leonardo DiCaprio-led survival drama THE REVENANT.
Jimmy Warden penned the spec script which Lord and Miller will produce. The Radio Silence trio of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett will direct while Chad Villella will produce. Warden previously worked as a production assistant on Lord & Miller's 21 JUMP STREET film. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** LOCKE & KEY: Here's the poster for the upcoming Netflix series.
** A QUIET PLACE sequel: Here's the first image from the upcoming sequel.
----- December 17, 2019 -----
** GHOST STORIES: Four mind-bending thrillers from the Directors of LUST STORIES - Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar. Starring Janhvi Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala, Gulshan Devaiah and Mrunal Thakur.
** BLACK CHRISTMAS remake: A remake of the 1974 holiday horror classic, and it was only able to muster an estimated $4.4 million from 2,625 locations. While this isn't the worst wide release for Blumhouse ever, it is the second worst wide release for a Blumhouse feature debuting in over 2,000 theaters. And while the film entered the weekend with a 43% score on RottenTomatoes, horror films can typically withstand poor reviews, but audiences seemed to agree, giving the film a "D+" CinemaScore. Of the opening weekend crowd, 54% were female and 57% were aged 25 or older. (thanks to BoxOfficeMojo.com)
----- December 16, 2019 -----
** GAME OF THRONES producers doing Lovecraft: GAME OF THRONES series creators David Benioff & D.B. Weiss have set up an untitled film at Warner Bros. Pictures that will be inspired by the works of horror author H.P. Lovecraft and Keith Giffen's 2004 graphic novel LOVECRAFT from Vertigo Comics.
They've also enlisted the DESTROYER team of Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi to pen the script and that film's celebrated director Karyn Kusama to executive produce.
Set in 1920 within the Cthulhu mythos, the movie turns on the question – what if author H.P. Lovecraft wasn't making his famous stories up? What if the monsters he wrote about in famed stories like "At the Mountains of Madness," "Shadow over Innsmouth" and "The Dunwich Horror" are real?
A similar premise was explored in John Carpenter's 1995 film IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS which has achieved a major cult following in recent years. Lovecraft himself has seen a resurgence of late with adaptations of his work with the video games "The Sinking City" and "Call of Cthulhu" and the Nic Cage-led film COLOR OUT OF SPACE being releases. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** DRACULA: From the makers of SHERLOCK, Claes Bang stars as Dracula in this brand new mini-series inspired by Bram Stoker's classic novel.
** VFW: The film follows Fred and his military buddies as they must defend their local V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars) post – and an innocent teen – against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants. These Vietnam vets have been to hell and back, but this will be the longest night of their lives.
----- December 13, 2019 -----
** THE DARK HALF: Stephen King adaptations have been all the rage once again and now MGM is getting on board the train as they have signed HER SMELL director Alex Ross Perry to adapt and direct a second adaptation of King's 1989 novel THE DARK HALF, according to the Deadline web site.
The story, first adapted on the big screen in 1993 by George A. Romero, follows an author whose books under his pen name sell better than those under his actual name, but he chooses to retire the pseudonym and write more under his real name after it's exposed. However, after he and his wife give the alter ego a ceremonial burial, those close to the family begin turning up dead as it's revealed his pseudonym has come to life in a second body and the author must stop him before it's too late. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** THE NIGHTSHIFTER: Stênio works the graveyard shift in the morgue of a vast, violent city. Each night he prepares the lifeless corpses for examination, but he's never alone. For Stênio can talk to the dead…and they talk back. But when the whispers of the dead reveal secrets of his own life, Stênio unleashes a curse that brings forth unimaginable danger and darkness.
** THE GRUDGE: The series returns to theaters on January 3, 2020. Here's the Red Band trailer.
----- December 12, 2019 -----
** THE CONJURING 3: Warner Bros. Pictures used their CCXP panel on Sunday to make a couple of announcements. The official title of the third main film in THE CONJURING franchise won't be THE CONJURING 3 but rather THE CONJURING THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT. The film will open in theaters nationwide on September 11th next year.
One of the most sensational cases from the files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the film starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy which then goes beyond anything ever seen before – marking the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the Warrens while Ruairi O'Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Julian Hilliard co-star. James Wan only produces this time, handing over the directorial reins to Michael Chaves. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** Scott Derrickson returns to horror: With the exception of DOCTOR STRANGE, filmmaker Scott Derrickson is mostly known for horror fare from the populist like THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE to the acclaimed SINISTER to the flawed but interesting DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
Derrickson's next film will be DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS described as the MCU's first horror film, and now he has confirmed that once he wraps that project he'll definitely be returning to the genre he knows best:
"I'm often asked if I'll ever return to R-rated horror. The answer is a resounding YES. After DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, I'll go straight into a horror film I've already written with [C. Robert Cargill]."
Cargill and Derrickson previously collaborated on SINISTER and DOCTOR STRANGE and Cargill followed that tweet up, confirming it's an adaptation of one of Joe Hill's books. Derrickson is also slated to tackle Stephen King's THE BREATHING METHOD for Blumhouse Pictures at some point. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** ANTLERS: In ANTLERS, a small-town Oregon teacher (Keri Russell) and her brother (Jesse Plemons), the local sheriff, discover that a young student (Jeremy T. Thomas) is harboring a dangerous secret with frightening consequences.
** GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR: Don Koch (Phil "CM Punk" Brooks) tries to renovate a rundown house with a sordid history for his growing family, only to learn that the house has other plans.
----- December 6, 2019 -----
** TRAIN TO BUSAN sequel: The hit zombie film, which scored critical acclaim and grossed just under $100 million worldwide from an $8.5 million budget is getting a sequel. Over a year ago the film's director Yeon Sang-ho confirmed a sequel was in the works and now The West News web site reports that Yeon is targeting a Summer 2020 release for the film.
Titled BANDO (translation: PENINSULA), the story will take place four years after the major outbreak and the action follows a group of survivors and their fight to escape the infected land. It's expected none of the actors from the first film will return. The project is separate from the James Wan-produced English language remake also currently in the works. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** FROM A BUICK 8: Actor Thomas Jane and producer Courtney Lauren Penn have formed the production company Renegade Entertainment and are planning a film adaptation of the 2002 Stephen King novel FROM A BUICK 8 as their first project. King will also produce.
The story centers around the rural town of Statler, Pennsylvania where the state police have kept a mysterious 1954 Buick Roadmaster in the shed behind the barracks for over twenty years. When the town is plagued by strange and supernatural events, it turns out the Buick isn't what it seems to be.
The late George A. Romero was once developing an adaptation of the property for Hyde Park Entertainment. This will mark the fourth King film involving Jane who appeared in film takes on. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETARY: The outrageous Italian shocker from The Godfather of Gore, Lucio Fulci is coming to Blu-ray as a 3-Disc Limited Edition 4K Restoration on January 21st.
A young family moves from their cramped New York City apartment to a spacious new home in New England. But this is no ordinary house in the country: the previous owner was the deranged Dr. Freudstein, whose monstrous human experiments have left a legacy of bloody mayhem. Now, someone - or something - is alive in the basement, and home sweet home is about to become a horrific hell on earth.
Disc 1 (Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras
- NEW! Audio Commentary with Troy Howarth, Author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films
- Deleted Scene
- Theatrical Trailers
- TV Spot
- Poster & Still Galleries
Disc 2 (Blu-ray) Extras:
- Meet the Boyles - Interviews with Stars Catriona MacColl and Paolo Malco
- Children of the Night - Interviews with Stars Giovanni Frezza and Silvia Collatina
- Tales of Laura Gittleson - Interview with Star Dagmar Lassander
- My Time With Terror - Interview with Star Carlo De Mejo
- A Haunted House Story - Interviews with Co-Writers Dardano Sacchetti and Elisa Briganti
- To Build a Better Death Trap - Interviews with Cinematographer Sergio Salvati, Special Make-Up - Effects Artist Maurizio Trani, Special Effects Artist Gino De Rossi, and Actor Giovanni De Nava
- NEW!House Quake - Interview with Co-Writer Giorgio Mariuzzo
- NEW! Catriona MacColl Q&A
- NEW! Calling Dr. Freudstein - Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci
Disc 3 (CD):
- THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Walter Rizzati
- BONUS! Collectable Booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold
----- December 4, 2019 -----
** IN FABRIC: A lonely woman (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), recently separated from her husband, visits a bewitching London department store in search of a dress that will transform her life. She's fitted with a perfectly flattering, artery-red gown—which, in time, will come to unleash a malevolent curse and unstoppable evil, threatening everyone who comes into its path.
** THE GRUDGE: In one month, experience real horror.
** FAMINE: For the first time on Blu-ray in the US: releases 12/17/19! Two years after a high-school prank that nearly killed popular teacher, Mr. Balszack, the graduating class tries to forget the incident and decides to hold a 24-hour "famine". It isn't long before students and staff start turning up dead at the hands of a killer masquerading as the school's mascot.
----- November 29, 2019 -----
** FANTASY ISLAND: Here's the International trailer for the upcoming film.
** MALIGANT: Director James Wan posted on Instagram a behind-the-scenes photo from his upcoming film.
----- November 26, 2019 -----
** THE LIGHTHOUSE: The film arrives on Digital December 20, On Demand January 7, and on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD January 7 from Lionsgate. From Robert Eggers, the visionary filmmaker behind the modern horror masterpiece THE WITCH, comes this hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers (Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson) on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s. As an approaching storm threatens to sweep them from the rock and strange apparitions emerge from the fog, each man begins to suspect that the other has become dangerously unmoored.
Blu-ray and DVD special features:
- "The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale" Featurette
- Audio Commentary with Co-Writer & Director Robert Eggers
- Deleted Scenes
** THE WALKING DEAD WORLD BEYOND: The end of the world was their beginning. THE WALKING DEAD WORLD BEYOND debuts Spring 2020 on AMC.
** THE HEAD HUNTER: A medieval warrior's gruesome collection of heads is missing only one - the monster that killed his daughter years ago.
** SERVANT: Apple TV+ has greenlit SERVANT Season 2 of the M. Night Shyamalan-produced psychological thriller. The second season order comes ahead of the series' November 28 premiere, which will see three of its ten episodes premiere. (thanks to Comingsoon.net)
** FANTASY ISLAND: Here's the second poster for the upcoming film.
----- November 22, 2019 -----
** Another NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET remake: The estate of late filmmaker Wes Craven is reportedly actively taking pitches for a new take on Craven's own 1984 cinematic horror classic. The estate reportedly acquired U.S. rights to the film two months prior to the open season for pitches and the estate is apparently interested in not just feature film pitches but also ones for a potential HBO Max series.
SpectreVision founds and producers Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah recently expressed interest in having a go at the property with the help of their DANIEL ISN'T REAL filmmaker Adam Egypt Mortimer. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** Yet another THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake: Filmmaker Fede Alvarez and Rodolfo Sayagues' Bad Hombre production company are planning yet another remake, this time penned by Chris Thomas Devlin.
** NIGHTMARE ALLEY: According to the Deadline web site, MINDHUNTER star Holt McCallany has signed up for Guillermo Del Toro's upcoming film. NIGHTMARE ALLEY, written by del Toro and Kim Morgan, will be based on the novel of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham, previously adapted into a movie by Fox in 1947. The novel "follows the exploits of Stanton Carlisle, a ruthless hustler who learns the tricks of the carny trade and uses them to establish himself as a spiritual guru, preying on the wealthy and the weak." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** BLACK SUMMER: Netflix has ordered an eight-episode second season of zombie thriller, headlined by Jaime King. Production is slated to begin in 2020 in Alberta, Canada. King is set to return as Rose and also will serve as a producer for Season 2. Also coming back are Justin Chu Cary as Spears; Christine Lee as Kyungsun. (thanks to Deadline.com)
** ANTEBELLUM: In theaters April 24, 2020. Janelle Monáe, Marque Richardson II, Eric Lange, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Tongayi Chirisa, Gabourey Sidibe, Rob Aramayo, Lily Cowles, and Jena Malone.
----- November 19, 2019 -----
** Bong Joon-Ho returns to horror: In an interview with Variety, critically-acclaimed South Korean director Bong Joon Ho has revealed that he is currently developing two new projects with the first one as a Korean-language film which he describes as a mix of horror and action. The other one will be an English-language film which will be based on a true event. Both films will be very different from one another but both would be in the same scale as PARASITE and MOTHER.
"The Korean film is located in Seoul and has unique elements of horror and action. It's difficult to define the genre of my films." Bong said. "The English project is a drama film based on a true event that happened in 2016. Of course I won't know until I finish the script, but it has to be set half in the U.K. and half in the U.S." (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** EVIL DEAD remake director is back: Director Fede Alvarez is set to helm a Washington, D.C. based horror film under a new overall deal with Legendary Pictures alongside Alvarez's writing partner Rodolfo Sayagues, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Through their Bad Hombre Films banner, Alvarez and Sayagues will create, develop, and produce films, with the D.C. horror serving as the first project. The untitled horror film is being described as THE SHINING set in The White House. Alvarez will likely direct the movie, which will be written by Joe Epstein. (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** BLAIR WITCH: You asked, we listened - the terrifying BLAIR WITCH is coming to PlayStation 4! The game will be expanded with additional content in the form of the "Good Boy Pack", focused of course on our bestest doggo Bullet. Blair Witch is set to launch on PlayStation 4 on December 3rd, 2019 digitally .
----- November 18, 2019 -----
** BLACK CHRISTMAS remake: The film scored a PG-13 rating from the MPAA for "Violence, terror, thematic content involving sexual assault, language, sexual material and drinking."
The original 1974 film was essentially one of the very first slasher film (before HALLOWEEN popularised the genre) and follows an all-female sorority house which is being stalked by a crazed killer.
Indie film favorite Sophia Takal helms the new film which was co-written by film critic April Wolfe and is the first of the three BLACK CHRISTMAS films to not be an R-rated feature. Wolfe herself has taken to Twitter to defend the softer rating and confirms the project was originally going to be 'harder':
"Here's the deal: We wrote it with an R in mind. When they did the test screenings, [it] was clear that this movie needed to be available to a younger female audience because the subject matter is timely. Also I want to indoctrinate girls into horror. Doesn't make it any less vicious… If we can evangelize horror freakdom, we're doing our job.
Oh, and I know people are gonna use 'female empowerment' a lot surrounding Black Christmas. That's fine, but I really hate 'lady buzzwords' that lose meaning over time. And I'll never tell you you HAVE to see our movie to support women. See it if it piques your interest" (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE CONJURING and INSIDIOUS sequels: Actor Patrick Wilson talked with the Heat Vision web site. He recently wrapped filming on a third film in THE CONJURING franchise – reprising his role of paranormal investigator Ed Warren which he also played earlier this year in the spin-off ANNABELLE COMES HOME. James Wan only produces the new film with Michael Chaves taking the helm, but Wilson says one of the reasons it works is that it goes in a new direction for the series:
"I knew going into it that James had a real strong hand in the story and script, and I talked to him a lot about it. Then, once I met [director] Michael Chaves, his energy, his skillset and his passion for it was really infectious. I knew that he was gonna take the reins, both with great respect, but still as its own passion.
The process was fantastic, and it's a much different feel. It's still the same bones; it's still very much Ed and Lorraine. Again, we are pushing our characters to places they haven't gone, but the film will be a really nice addition because it's definitely a different beast. Pun intended. It was exciting; it was really, really exciting."
He was also asked about the possibility of a fifth INSIDIOUS film which his former co-star Lin Shaye teased earlier as being in very early development (with no script at this time). Wilson says he's open to returning but struggles to see the point of bringing his character Josh Lambert back:
"I see these people a lot, but there's no script or anything like that. I just don't know what you'd do, but I haven't talked specifically about anything… I don't know where you'd go. I don't know what you would do, but I never felt like it was closed. I just felt like for Josh Lambert, we've already seen him possessed and free of possession. There's not a whole lot for that guy to do anymore. I don't know where they would want to go with the series, but I never close any doors. There's no big red door that's closed." (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE GEORGETOWN PROJECT: Sam Worthington and David Hyde Pierce have scored the lead roles alongside Russell Crowe in THE GEORGETOWN PROJECT at Miramax. Crowe plays Anthony Miller, an actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) wonders if he's slipping back into his past addictions or if there's something more sinister at play.
Details of Worthington's and Pierce's roles are not known. Chloe Bailey, Tracey Bonner and Samantha Mathis co-star in the film which is being written and directed by Joshua John Miller and M.A. Fortin. Bill Block, Kevin Williamson and Ben Fast are producing. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** SERVANT: From M. Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
** THE GRUDGE: Directed by Nicolas Pesce, THE GRUDGE stars Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin with Lin Shaye and Jacki Weaver. With a screenplay by Nicolas Pesce and a story by Nicolas Pesce and Jeff Buhler.
----- November 12, 2019 -----
** FANTASY ISLAND: Here's the trailer for the upcoming horror remake of the famed TV series in which the enigmatic Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island's mystery in order to escape with their lives.
** DOCTOR SLEEP: Following a decidedly softer than expected opening, the Stephen King adaptation DOCTOR SLEEP is reportedly on track to lose at least $20-30 million by the time it closes out its run reports the Deadline web site. Though the $50 million or so budgeted film scored good reviews, expectations were it would gross $25 million at the U.S. box-office in its opening weekend. Instead, it fell decidedly short at $14 million, and international isn't helping much either with a further $5.6 million added to the total.
As such, the film is expected to finish up its global run in a few weeks with an $80-100 million gross worldwide. In comparison to another recent King reboot, the PET SEMATARY film made over $112 million worldwide from a $21 million budget. That's not even beginning to compare to the fortune the IT films raked in.
Going into more specifics, the trade says the combined production budget, global P&A spend, participations, residuals, and global home entertainment costs of the film stand at $171 million while it will ultimately gross $149 million in global theatrical rentals, global free and pay TV, and global home entertainment (incl. streaming) deals.
Fingers are being pointed with the film's 2.5 hour runtime and lackluster marketing campaign being blamed, and the lack of name recognition compared to some of King's other more famous works. Also not helping are that teenagers, women and Hispanic audiences showed little interest. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE TOKOLOSHE: Busi, a young destitute woman with dangerously repressed emotions, lands a job as a cleaner at a rundown hospital in the heart of Johannesburg. Desperate for the money so she can bring her younger sister to join her, she must cope despite the predatory and corrupt hospital manager. When Busi discovers an abandoned young girl in the hospital, who believes she is tormented by a supernatural force, Busi must face her own demons from her past in order to save the child from the abusive monster that pursues them both relentlessly.
----- November 11, 2019 -----
** PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: Paramount Pictures has set a March 19th 2021 release date for the seventh installment in the franchise.
** THE SEVENTH DAY: Guy Pearce will lead the horror movie for director Justin P. Lange and producers Cinestate and Fangoria. The story follows a renowned exorcist who teams up with a rookie priest for his first day of training. As they plunge deeper into hell on earth, the lines between good and evil blur, and their own demons emerge. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** TREMORS ISLAND FURY: Just announced for this sequel are Jon Heder (NAPOLEON DYNAMITE), Richard Brake (THREE FROM HELL), Caroline Langrishe, and Jackie Cruz, who join series stalwart Michael Gross in the seventh installment of the B-movie franchise (not including the TV series and short films). (thanks to ComingSoon.net)
** THE CRAFT remake: Donald MacLean Jr. has joined the cast of the remake of 1996 film at Blumhouse, Red Wagon and Sony. Michelle Monaghan, David Duchovny, Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, Zoey Luna, Nicholas Galitzine and Julian Grey co-star
Zoe Lister-Jones helms the new take on the story of a newcomer at a high school who falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, and wage curses against those who tick them off. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** FANTASY ISLAND: Blumhouse Productions and Sony Pictures have revealed the first poster and synopsis for FANTASY ISLAND, a supernatural horror film adaptation of the classic ABC series of the same name.
In the film the Enigmatic Mr. Roarke (Michael Pena) makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island's mystery in order to escape with their lives.
The project is said to tonally be a blend of WESTWORLD and THE CABIN IN TEH WOODS with the main cast being a group of contest winners who arrive at the island. Michael Rooker, Lucy Hale, Jimmy O. Yang, Charlotte McKinney, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Austin Stowell, Maggie Q, Portia Doubleday and Ryan Hansen co-star.
Jeff Wadlow helms the film from a script he penned with Chris Roach and Jillian Jacobs. Jason Blum produces the film with a first trailer expected to debut any day now. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
----- November 8, 2019 -----
** SCREAM reboot: Ignoring MTV's three-season TV adaptation of the franchise, it looks like the SCREAM film franchise is making a comeback with Spyglass Media Group reportedly developing a new film to bring the franchise back to its roots.
It's not clear if this will be a reboot or a continuation of the story of Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) from the previous four films. Kevin Williamson, who penned the first, second and fourth films, will apparently not be returning for the new one. The project will mark the second horror reboot Spyglass is developing, the other being a new take on HELLRAISER with David S. Goyer attached to pen the script. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE DUNWHICH HORROR: SpectreVision producers Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah are behind the upcoming Nic Cage-led COLOR OUT OF SPACE film based on the novella by famed horror author H.P. Lovecraft.
The pair have confirmed they are attempting to "build out a Lovecraft universe" with the help of COLOR OUT OF SPACE director and co-writer Richard Stanley. Noah says: "Hopefully there's enough of an appetite for these things, and we can keep them going and make at least three of them."
Noah and Wood also revealed that they are in the very early stages of developing the next one, THE DUNWHICH HORROR. That story revolved around a family of deformed types and a mysterious unseen presence in the farmhouse which seems to be growing. When the hideous young son is killed, the beast is unleashed to terrorize the poor aggrieved local village.
Wood and Noah, who are also behind the well-reviewed DANIEL ISN'T REAL opening next month from director Adam Egypt Mortimer, have also recently expressed interest in rebooting the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET franchise. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE INVISIBLE MAN: What you can't see can hurt you. Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss stars in a terrifying modern tale of obsession inspired by Universal's classic monster character.
----- November 7, 2019 -----
** COLOR OUT OF SPACE: After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner (Nicolas Cage) and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism as it infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a living nightmare.
** SERVANT: Doubt what you believe. From M. Night Shyamalan, SERVANT follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
** HALLOWEEN KILLS: Filming on HALLOWEEN KILLS, the upcoming sequel to 2018's revival of the HALLOWEEN franchise, has officially wrapped after 36 days of production. Announced in June, Blumhouse got to work fast on the film which will now go into the post-production phase and potential additional filming at some point down the line.
While it was originally believed that the upcoming sequel was going to shoot back-to-back with the third film HALLOWEEN ENDS that is not the case and there will be a decent-sized gap between the shoots. David Gordon Green is back in the director's chair for both sequel. HALLOWEEN KILLS is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 16th 2020 with HALLOWEEN ENDS hitting October 15th 2021. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** REVENGE OF THE PONTIANAK: A newly married couple's life is shaken by the arrival of a vengeful Pontianak, forcing them down a dark path of betrayal, witchcraft and murder.
----- November 4, 2019 -----
** Clive Barker's BOOKS OF BLOOD: Veteran sci-fi TV producer Brannon Braga has set up a film adaptation of Clive Barker's horror anthology BOOKS OF BLOOD at Hulu and plans to make it his feature directorial debut. Anna Friel, Britt Robertson, Rafi Gavron, and Yul Vazquez will star in the film which will tell three uncanny tales tangled in space and time. Friel plays a psychologist who has gained fame as a skeptic. She loses her 7-year-old son to leukemia and then meets a charismatic young man (Gavron) who becomes her lover and convinces her that he speaks for her dead child.
Robertson plays a girl who suffers from misophonia (mania triggered by certain sounds) and sets out for Los Angeles. Vazquez plays a professional killer who's latest 'hit' clues him in on a priceless book that may allow him and his wife to permanently retire. Braga and Adam Simon will co-write and the pair will executive produce along with Barker, Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Brian Witten, Jeff Kwatinetz and Josh Barry. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** THE DEVIL'S LIGHT: James Hawes (THE ALIENIST) will direct and Robert Zappia will pen the supernatural thriller THE DEVIL'S LIGHT for Gold Circle and Lionsgate. Filming begins early 2020. The story follows Sister Ann who believes performing exorcisms is her calling, but is at odds with an exorcism school's rules and eventually comes face to face with a demonic force that infests the school and has mysterious ties to her own past. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** HALLOWEEN KILLS: Jamie Lee Curtis has posted a first look behind-the-scenes video reel from HALLOWEEN KILLS, the upcoming sequel to last year's revival of the HALLOWEEN franchise. The project is the first of two back-to-back sequels that will continue and conclude Laurie Strode and Michael Myers' story. The clip offers a brief glimpse of Myers standing alive on the porch of Laurie's flaming house – indicating his escape from the fire in the previous film.
David Gordon Green returns to direct from a script co-written with Danny McBride and Scott Teems. Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Anthony Michael Hall, Dylan Arnold, Robert Longstreet, Kyle Richards, Charles Cyphers, and Nancy Stephens star. HALLOWEEN KILLS" opens October 16th 2020. (thanks to DarkHorizons.com)
** AAMIS: A young graduate student, played by newcomer Arghadeep Baruah, in the northeastern Indian state of Assam falls in love with an older married doctor (Lima Das), but their passion remains chaste apart from a series of increasingly intimate meals. When the young man comes up with a uniquely disquieting way of getting the kind of closeness he craves but cannot have, their forbidden romance takes a gruesome turn.
** PSYCHO: Director Mysskin teams up with leading man Udhayanidhi Stalin and legendary composer Ilayaraja to deliver a very bloody looking psycho thriller that has a really great looking teaser.
