It's officially Halloween, and to help kick off the day's festivities, we have the online debut of the latest short film from Patrick Rea and SenoReality Pictures, Split the Check. Enjoy... and be careful whom you share tonight's dinner with!

The short is directed by Patrick Rea; produced by Rea, Michelle Davidson, and Ryan S. Jones; and written by Rea and Brad Meehan (who also stars). The director of photography is Rea regular Hanuman Brown-Eagle with music by Nathan Towns.

Along with Meehan, Split the Check stars Erin McGrane (Nailbiter), Jason Miller, Michelle Davidson, Aaron Laue, Tasha Smith, and Allen Lowman as "The Dickhead Waiter."

Synopsis:
An evening of dining with three couples turns ugly when the waiter won't split the check.

Synchronicity Entertainment has unveiled its debut slate of three new feature films, which include horror project Cooties from writer Leigh Whannell (Saw, Insidious) and producer Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity franchise) starring Elijah Wood.

From the Press Release:
Synchronicity Entertainment is the new genre film production and international sales label launched by Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel’s The Solution Entertainment Group. The other two features are the thriller DUE PROCESS, starring Golden Globe nominee John Cusack, and the completed psychological thriller SMILEY.

Starring Elijah Wood (pictured above; Maniac, The Hobbit), COOTIES is produced by top horror film producer Steven Schneider, who is behind the hugely successful PARANORMAL ACTIVITY franchise. Wood is also set to co-produce COOTIES with partners Daniel Noah and Josh C. Waller under his new horror film production company, The Woodshed, which recently announced the films TOAD ROAD and A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT.

COOTIES is co-written by horror powerhouse Leigh Whannell, who penned and executive produced the SAW films and wrote INSIDIOUS, with Ian Brennan –writer and co-creator of Fox’s “Glee.” To be directed by Ace Norton, the film begins when a mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school, transforming the pre-adolescent children into a feral swarm of mindless savages. An unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives against the monstrous pupils.

Set to start production in April 2013, COOTIES is executive produced by The Solution, who arranged the financing. Writers Whannell and Brennan are also executive producers on the film. Paradigm is handling North American rights.

COOTIES will be shot in Los Angeles utilizing the production and state-of=the-art post-production facilities at Siren Studios, The Solution’s partner in Synchronicity. This falls in line with The Solution’s strategy to provide a fully integrated film finance, international sales, production, and post-production company to benefit their production partners.

“My friend Ian Brennan and I wanted to write a film about one of life’s most universal experiences – hatred for precocious, adorable children. And so we started work on Cooties, a film about a virus that turns school children into monsters and therefore makes it okay to beat them up with hockey sticks,” said Whannell.

Related Story: Elijah Wood Launches Horror Label The Woodshed

As for the rest of the slate, DUE PROCESS is a thriller starring John Cusack to be directed by Paul Currie (ONE PERFECT DAY) from a script by Anthony Derrico. Produced by Mark Holder, Christine Holder, and Mark Williams of Zero Gravity Management (FLAWLESS), the film will begin shooting in January 2013. It tells the harrowing story of two big city bankers who head to a farm to foreclose it but get more than they bargained for when the farmer (Cusack) is not willing to hand it over.

“What’s interesting about DUE PROCESS is that it meshes the socially relevant reality of a personal financial housing crisis with gut-wrenching twists and turns of a taunt thriller,” said Christine Holder. Williams added, “Myles and Lisa partnering up has made The Solution a very viable sales and finance company with friendly faces and a great work ethic. I’m thrilled they are on the DUE PROCESS team.”

Rounding things out is SMILEY, starring Caitlin Gerard (MAGIC MIKE), Keith David (CLOUD ATLAS), and Roger Bart (HOSTEL II). Making its market premiere at AFM, SMILEY is directed by YouTube sensation Michael Gallagher (“Totally Sketch”), who wrote the script with Glasgow Phillips (Comedy Central’s “South Park”). The film is produced by Michael Wormser (SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE) and executive produced by Cindy Cowan (RED LIGHTS), Cynthia Shelton Droke, Gallagher, and Phillips. The film focuses on a mentally fragile teen who must decide whether she is going insane or will be the next victim after she discovers an urban legend of a demented serial killer, who has nothing but a carved ‘smiley’ on his face.

The film also co-stars a number of social media mega stars (Shane Dawson, Toby Turner, DeStorm Power, etc.) that boast a combined subscriber base of 11 million global fans. As a result, the SMILEY trailer has over 19 million views and counting.

“Our debut slate represents some of the most successful and talented filmmakers making genre films today and the very best in up-and-coming talent. With PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 number one at the US box office, it’s good to know the desire for brilliantly made genre films continues to thrive,” said Kegeyan and Nestel. “Keeping production and post-production in Los Angeles and utilizing our facilities at Siren Studios is also a key driver for us. It streamlines the whole filmmaking process, and that has to be good for everyone,” continued Nestel.

If you grew up in the 80's, you'd probably agree that The Monster Squad is one of those quintessential coming-of-age tales that perfectly pays homage to the world of the classic Universal Monsters and still remains one of the greatest kids-oriented adventure flicks of the last 25 years.

Tasked with putting a modern spin on our favorite movie monsters of all time was special effects master Stan Winston, who rose to the challenge of bringing five of the most iconic characters of the genre to life on the silver screen in a way that was faithful to their origins but still made them accessible to the flick's younger audiences as well (i.e., let's give The Wolf Man some nards!).

And while Shane Black's screenplay and Fred Dekker's directorial efforts on The Monster Squad are certainly two of the main reasons why the film continues to find new audiences (and remains a favorite amongst us older fans), there's just no denying that Winston's work on the iconic movie monsters is its heart and soul.

Winston's designs for Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolf Man and The Creature were all simple, yet elegant and, to this writer, felt like Winston took his cues from the classic creature features of the 50's and 60's while still feeling fresh and vibrant all at once. The bottom line is that Winston's approach was as timeless as the characters themselves, making his special effects work on The Monster Squad a personal favorite of this writer.

In honor of his stunning creations for The Monster Squad and countless other projects throughout his career, Dread Central is proud to present to you our exclusive behind-the-scenes photo gallery as part of our Stan Winston's Famous Monsters celebration. Check out our stills from The Monster Squad below courtesy of the Stan Winston School of Character Arts, and look for our final exclusive gallery to wrap up the Halloween season shortly.

Just in time for our most hallowed of days and after the rash of zombie-like attacks that started this past summer, the guys behind the AsapSCIENCE YouTube channel released this easy to understand video to explain the possibility of a zombie apocalypse being real.

"Dying and coming back from the dead? Not so likely. But a virus that induces zombie-like qualities of rage and the incessant need to eat human flesh, hypothetically? Yes," explains the video. All the virus needs is a simple scientific gateway. "This zombie virus will have to use specific neurons to affect particular parts of the brain to induce zombie state without damaging the entire brain." And those specific pathways are located in the olfactory nerves in your nose. Well, watch the video to learn all about it.

Make sure to let us know in the comments below how you would prepare for this possibility. Maybe the animation in the video was to soften the terrifying news somehow?

The video titled "Zombie Apocalypse Science" is written, created and drawn by Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown. Like any good scientists, they included cited sources from PopSci and CNN Health, if you folks are interested in learning more about this possible reality.

Check out the AsapSCIENCE Youtube channel for more science, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter, too.

Having made one of the most ambitious sci-fi/horror films since, well, ever with this past summer's Prometheus, it's always a good thing when Ridley Scott decides to work within the genre - even as an executive producer.

That's the news we've got today, as Scott, along with Scott Free London, has inked a deal with Focus Features International and Orchard Media to produce six science fiction / horror films over the course of three years.

"Our target is to create a structure that enables filmmakers to push boundaries and to excite audiences," said Scott. "Our proposed model of filmmaking allows us to give helmers the opportunity to really innovate through narrative, production techniques and distribution strategies."

"There's an appetite and market for high-concept low-budget films," added Focus Features' prexy of international sales and distribution Alison Thompson. "That, combined with Ridley Scott's pedigree, will be very attractive to international buyers."

What's really great about this venture is that it sounds like these folks are going to be committed to putting some new and interesting content into an increasingly boring market. As long as there's no found footage, I'm in.

So stay tuned, folks; this could be good.

This Friday, November 2, Wu-Tang Clan leader and first-time feature filmmaker The RZA will be unleashing what is the culmination of his life-long love and fascination with kung-fu flicks, The Man with the Iron Fists.

RZA co-wrote the film with Eli Roth and stars as the titular hero who must don... well... two iron fists in order to keep the people of his village and a king's priceless treasure trove safe from various clans of thieves and killers. Also starring in The Man with the Iron Fists are Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Rick Yune, Dave Bautista, Jamie Chung, Cung Lee and Byron Mann with cameos by Pam Grier and Roth as well (Roth's cameo is a bit sneaky though).

During a recent press day for The Man with the Iron Fists, Dread Central caught up with both The RZA and Roth and heard more from the duo about the inspirations behind their screenplay, their experiences collaborating and so much more (including the intricacies of going to the bathroom with two iron fists).

Check out the highlights from the press conference with Roth and The RZA below, and look for more on The Man with the Iron Fists all this week!

Related Story: Official Image Gallery for The Man with the Iron Fists

Question: I know originally you had said you wanted to have Woo-Ping (Yuen) work on this, but it looks like you had to go in a different direction with Corey (Yuen). Can you talk about that and the fight choreography of this movie?

The RZA: I actually did ask Woo, but he had a tight schedule - a really tight schedule - so we went to Cory. He also had a tight schedule but was able to adjust it for us. And I'm glad Cory was able to come through for us; he really represented the flow of this story very well.
Eli Roth: Woo-Ping's daughter actually worked on the movie, though, so we had some family on set, but yeah, Cory was just great. He went above and beyond and felt inspired by the idea of topping himself with every fight in the movie. This movie wouldn't have been what it was without him.

Question: So, RZA, this a culmination of your entire career with this movie- do you see this as the end of an amazing journey or just the beginning of something else completely?

The RZA: If things go properly, it's just the beginning. It's a huge relief that it's coming out soon, for sure, and it feels kind of like giving birth to a child. I mean, I hate to compare something as precious as creating life with creating art, but that's the best analogy I can think of. So I do think a movie is an entity of its own that you want everyone to like- just like you want everyone to like your children - and I'm still so nervous because it still has to come out and everything. But personally, I feel fulfilled; it's not every day that you get to see a thought in your mind come to fruition.

This is a tough movie; it's not an American movie so it doesn't have those same sensibilities that audiences may be used to so it was nice to have this freedom to really do something artistic on my own terms.

Eli Roth: We've also talked about continuing this story, too; while we were shooting, we wanted to create the foundation for something that could continue on if we decided we wanted to in the future. Our focus now is this one, but if we do come back, it has to be more thoughtful than something like, 'Oh hey, it's the Man with the Iron Feet!' or something ridiculous like that.

But this was such great fun and a totally wonderful collaborative experience for me - for us, really - so it's definitely something we want to continue if we can. We spent a year on this script, working on the mythology; we know every weapon, every clan, this whole world and what's out there so that if people really like this and really respond to it, we can revisit it.

Question: Did being in Wu-Tang, managing all those different personalities, prepare you to direct then? How did you convince Russell Crowe to play the part of Jack Knife?

The RZA: Being in Wu-Tang Clan and dealing with all those strong personalities for so many years definitely prepared me to direct this; there were days when I'd get on set and things would be super crazy, but I don't think I ever lost my cool once.

And as far as Russell Crowe, I just talked with him about it for a long, long time, and I wasn't sure at first if he was going to do it or not. But he told me that he trusted me as an artist and I think that says something that you have this guy like Russell who's willing to trust this kid and his artistic vision so he just wants to support me. He comes with a validation of what I can do and I'm grateful he came on board. We found some kindred energy between us- like he's the new ODB.

Eli Roth: We called him Crowe-DB (laughs).

The RZA: Yes, Crowe-DB (laughs)- he was great.

Eli Roth: When we were writing the script, we thought his character Jack Knife had to be good; we just couldn't give him any old reason to go to China- this had to be perfect for him, or it wasn't going to work in the movie at all. I remember when we first got to China and I sat with Russell for like 24 hours straight talking about this character and how he fits into this universe. And that's when I realized how willing Russell was to go crazy in this world so I was like, 'All right, let's go (Marlon) Brando in Apocalypse (Now), let's go Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast- let's just do something so completely fucking nuts that no one else has done it before and something completely out of character for him.

I remember the first day of shooting and we're throwing tables at him while he's fighting guys with his crazy knife and all he could say is, 'Wow, this is not A Beautiful Mind at all,' but when he watched the playback and saw how badass it looked, then he just went for it.

It was also great that RZA created this environment where the whole movie was resting on his shoulders, too; we treated this more like the coming together of a super-group where you've got Cung Lee, who is this huge fighting star; Dave Bautista, who was this huge wrestling star; Eli Roth, who has done horror; RZA, who's a monster in the music industry and then Quentin (Tarantino), too, so I think when Russell saw all of that, he realized he was in good company surrounded by a really creative group of people. And I think this is one of Russell's 'most alive' performances since Romper Stomper.

He'd always be coming up with ideas, too- he'd call me every morning with ideas on what he wanted to do with Jack so it was kind of an adventure seeing what kind of crazy things Russell would come up with every day. One day he said to me, 'Is it okay if I say to Lucy (Liu) in this scene, “Let me put the baby's arm inside you”?' and I just looked at him and said, 'Yes, that's going to be the line that wins us the screenplay Oscar (laughs).'

Question: Eli, as an experienced filmmaker, what did you see in RZA that you knew he was ready to direct this?

Eli Roth: Well, it was actually what I saw in RZA during the flight to Iceland in 2006 that made it apparent he was ready to do this, right before Hostel came out. But he's just got it; he's got the passion, the creativity, the drive and the fresh ideas. I didn't need to watch anything else that he shot to know that he could direct this movie. I just knew it, in the same way that way back in the day, I just knew that I could direct Cabin Fever. There wasn't anything that was going to convince me any more than I was already convinced.

And he really put everything into this; he was so humble, so willing to learn and willing to put his own ego aside to make a great movie. I spent a year hitting him up with every question imaginable that he was going to be asked - by the production designers, the costumers, the weapons people- so we really made sure he was absolutely prepared for this before we even shot a single frame.

RZA has the passion, the commitment, and he's got the balls to tell the story he wants to tell and he's just willing to put himself out there, which is just great.

The RZA: What made me feel like I was ready for this was that I took the time to study movies for years and years. A boxer can't just jump in the ring, you have to practice. Like the old saying, 'How do you get to Carnegie Hall?' Practice, practice, practice. I watched so many movies while preparing for this shoot and bought a few 5D's and 7D's so I could keep practicing with shots and get to know every single lens. I learned about ISO's just so I could talk to my DP about how much light I wanted in each shot.

Every day on set, after working for 12 hours, then I would go and train with the fight choreographer; I was always working on set- around the clock. I really believe that with great input you get great output ,and I think Eli even witnessed just how determined and focused I was on delivering this project and letting it become the foundation for more movies on the silver screen.

If there's a person on this planet who doesn't like Kurt Russell, I don't want to know them. But it's been far too long since we've seen the actor sink his teeth into a truly memorable role, which makes this little nugget all the more wonderful. Read on, as I'm fairly certain you'll agree.

Variety is reporting that Russell will star in Bone Tomahawk, a horror-western genre mashup which finds the eternal man's man strapping on some guns to play a sheriff who must rescue a group of captives (including <"Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter) from a band of crazed cannibal troglodytes. And now you're all on board, right?

Russell and Carpenter will be joined by Richard Jenkins (as a world-weary elder) and Peter Sarsgaard (a cowboy) on his mercy mission.

This flick is slated to shoot this spring and is to be directed by screenwriter S. Craig Zahler (The Brigands of Rattleborge). This marks Zahler's directorial debut and could very well be one of the most badass offerings 2013 has to offer.

Well now. This didn't take long. Fans of this year's horror anthology V/H/S can rejoice, for there's a sequel already taking shape and attracting some considerable talent.

According to THR, The Raid director Gareth Evans and one half of the Blair Witch Project duo, Eduardo Sanchez, have signed up for V/H/S/2. They will each write and direct a segment for the anthology sequel, which will also see slivers from Hobo With a Shotgun director Jason Eisener, Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre) and Sanchez’s producing partner Gregg Hale.

Of course, Adam Wingard and Simon Barrrett will be back as well, the later making his directorial debut in this sequel.

Per THR: The first movie followed a group of students hired to break into a desolate house to find a lost VHS tape, paving the way for the movie to go into a series of found-footage stories directed by up-and-coming genre filmmakers. The new movie follows a similar structure, with a pair of investigators discovering a tape while looking for a student.

V/H/S/2 is being produced and financed by the Collective in association with genre brand Bloody Disgusting, which began life as a horror website but has now branched out into producing, among other things.

The original producing team of Gary Binkow, Bloody Disgusting’s Brad Miska and The Collective's Roxanne Benjamin are back, while Wingard and Barrett are now joining Site B's Zak Zeman and Bloody Disgusting's Tom Owen as executive producers.

A pretty clever new ad campaign is under way for Ben Wheatley's dark comedy Sightseers in advance of its November 30th premiere in the UK, and we just had to share it. Check out these ads that play on some of the themes and props from the film.

Actors Alice Lowe and Steve Oram wrote the script with additional material from Amy Jump.

Synopsis
Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world, and he wants to do it his way - on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina's led a sheltered life, and there are things that Chris needs her to see - the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that separates these wonders in his life. But it doesn't take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina's meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris' dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge...

IFC Midnight will be handling all the Stateside distro when the time comes.

In theaters right now, you can catch John Cusack doing some of his most powerful work as an actor in Lee Daniels' The Paperboy. It's an odd film, with darkly hilarious moments that give way to some truly chilling ones, and Cusack downright terrifies. It's fitting, then, that he signs on for another odyssey of madness, this time from the mind of Stephen King.

Screen Daily is reporting that Cusack will play the lead in Cell, a production which reteams much of the crew behind another successful King adaptation, 1408 - in which Cusack also starred.

Cargo Entertainment will finance the production, which is to be produced by former Dimension Films president of production Richard Saperstein, along with colleagues Brian Witten and Shara Kay.

Cell is based on King’s novel about a father’s desperate journey to find his wife and son in the wake of a catastrophic pulse transmitted via mobile phones.

The best news? King co-wrote the screenplay with The Last House on the Left screenwriter Adam Alleca. No director has been signed yet, although hopefully this project will attract some talent.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Stephen and John again,” said Saperstein. “Cell is an intelligent psychological thriller that delivers on both a visceral and emotional level.”

“Stephen King is a legendary storyteller and the master at this genre,” said Cargo CEO Marina Grasic. “We believe the reteaming of King with Cusack is a winning combination that audiences around the world will want to see.”

The American Film Market (AFM) kicked off today, and if you've been reading this site for a while, you know a LOT of info comes out of it. We'll be bringing you the horror highlights, starting with sales art for three films we've mentioned previously: Kill Your Friends, Jessabelle, and Backmask.

Kill Your Friends: Rafe Spall, seen this year in Ridley Scott's Prometheus and Ang Lee's Life of Pi, stars in Owen Harris' Britpop satire about an A&R man who, desperately searching for the next big hit, takes the concept of killer tunes to a murderous new level. Gregor Cameron produces with Altitude Films. The film is based on a novel by John Niven and is expected to shoot in early 2013.

Jessabelle: The latest film from director Kevin Greutert (Saw VI and Saw 3D) , Jessabelle stars Ana de la Reguera, Amber Stevens, Sarah Snook, Joelle Carter, and Mark Webber and centers on Jessie (Snook), who returns to her father's Louisiana home after an accident robs her of the use of her legs. Once there, she must confront an enraged ghost. Carter plays Sarah, the mother of Snook's Jessie, while Webber plays Preston, an old high school boyfriend of Snook's character who helps her uncover a mystery about her family.

Backmask: Marcus Nispel's new flick stars Gage Golightly, Brittany Curran, Stephen Lang, Kelly Blatz, Brett Dier, Nick Nicotera, Nick Nordella, and Michael Ormsby. Kirsten Elms penned the script that follows a group of teenagers who accidentally release an evil spirit that starts to possess them one by one.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing House at the End of the Street unrated on Blu-ray and DVD January 8, 2013, and while it's light on special features relating to the film itself, if you're a fan of other Fox projects, you should love it!

Synopsis:
Terror hits home in the chilling Unrated Cut of House at the End of the Street (review here) — with a shocking added twist you didn’t see in theaters!

Academy Award® Nominees Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games) and Elisabeth Shue star in this edge-of-your-seat horror hit packed with heart-pounding thrills and gripping suspense. Newly divorced Sarah (Shue) and her teenage daughter, Elissa (Lawrence), have just moved to the suburbs for a fresh start. But their hopes quickly shatter as they learn that, years earlier, a grisly murder took place next door when a deranged girl killed her parents and disappeared. The girl’s older brother, Ryan (Max Thieriot), still occupies the house, and when he befriends Elissa, his secretive past could become her worst nightmare!

Special Features:

BD & DVD
● Sneak Peek
● Stoker (Theatrical Trailer)
● The Blu-ray™ Experience
● Twixt (Look for it)
● "American Horror Story" TV spot
● Red Dawn (Look for it)

BD Exclusive Features
● Journey Into Terror: Inside the House at the End of the Street
● Theatrical Trailer

Ready for Part 2 of our Day 1 coverage of AFM happening in Santa Monica, California? Up now we have early looks at Prisoners, Pompeii, and (one I personally can't wait for) The Quiet Ones from Hammer.

Prisoners: Alcon Entertainment's Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman, Melissa Leo, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Paul Dano with Denis Villeneuve ( Incendies ) helming. Written by Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband), the story revolves around a small-town carpenter named Keller (Jackman) whose young daughter and her best friend are kidnapped. After the cops fail to find them, Keller takes the law into his own hands but in the process runs up against Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal), a hotshot cop with confidence to burn, assigned to the case.

Pompeii: All right, so this one isn't really horror, but it's directed by Paul W.S. Anderson of Resident Evil fame and has dead crows falling from the sky, a seven-foot tall killing machine known as the Beast of Tartarus, and Mt. Vesuvius exploding with the power of 40 nuclear bombs so we figured you guys might be interested. Production is set to begin April 15, 2013.

The Quiet Ones: Starring Jared Harris ("Mad Men", The Ward) and Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and directed by John Pogue, The Quiet Ones (inspired by true events) tells the story of an unorthodox professor who uses controversial methods and leads his best students off the grid to take part in a dangerous experiment: to create a poltergeist. Based on the theory that paranormal activity is caused by human negative energy, the rogue scientists perform a series of tests on a young patient, pushing her to the edge of sanity. As frightening occurrences begin to take place with shocking and gruesome consequences, the group quickly realizes they have triggered a force more terrifying than they ever could have imagined.

Other cast members include Erin Richards ("Breaking In", "Being Human"), Olivia Cooke ("The Secret of Crickley Hall", "The Fuse"), and West End theatre actor Rory Fleck-Byrne. With the story and original screenplay by Tom DeVille, revisions by Craig Rosenberg, Oren Moverman, and most recently John Pogue, the film is produced by James Gay-Rees (Senna, Exit Through The Gift Shop) and Ben Holden in association with TPSC Films.

Well, this is interesting. Along with our first look at The Last Exorcism 2 and The Woman in Black: Angel of Death at AFM today, some early word on Bait 2 came our way. Talk about a Halloween gift!

The Last Exorcism 2: Ed Gass-Donnelly is directing from a script written by him and Damien Chazelle. Ashley Bell returns as Nell, as does Louis Herthum, reprising his role as her father, Louis Sweetzer. Other cast members include Spencer Treat Clark, Muse Watson, E. Roger Mitchell, Andrew Sensenig, Judd Lormand, Julia Garner, Raeden Greer, David Jensen, and Joe Chrest. The sequel follows Nell (Bell), who, six months after the first film’s events, has moved to a halfway house, only to realize that the demon that has ruined her life is still after her! The sequel takes an interesting romantic approach that’s spun around Nell’s new boyfriend, Chris (Clark). A subplot is that Bell is also targeted by a group of rogue reverends who mean to kill her. The twist is said to be something never before seen in an exorcism film.

The Woman in Black: Angel of Death: Tom Harper (The Scouting Book for Boys, Misfits) will direct The Woman in Black: Angel of Death from screenwriter Jon Croker (Desert Dancer), based on an original story by Susan Hill (The Woman in Black). It will continue the story of the original four decades later.

As bombs rain down on London during the Blitz of World War II, a group of schoolchildren are evacuated with Eve, their young and beautiful schoolteacher, to the safety of the English countryside. Taken to an old and empty estate, cut off by a causeway from the mainland, they are left at Eel Marsh House. One by one the children begin acting strangely, and Eve, with the help of local military commander Harry, discovers that the group has awoken a dark force even more terrifying and evil than the city's air raids. Eve must now confront her own demons to save the children and survive THE WOMAN IN BLACK.

Bait 2: This is the first we've heard about the sequel, which looks to move the action from Australia to Los Angeles. To save you from squinting to read the synopsis on the sales art, we've retyped it below:

It's just another perfect day in the City of Angels. That is, until a three-mile long, 100-foot tsunami completely obliterates Los Angeles, not only destroying it, but effectively wiping it from the map. However, for five students in a private school, on detention and missing out on a class trip, they turn out to be the lucky ones...

...or are they?

Because before the day is through, they will have to battle a tidal wave, the elements, each other, atershocks, and, worst of all, a 15-foot Great White Shark that has decided to make the school they are trapped in its new hunting ground. With the water constantly rising, fraying tempers, nowhere for them to go, and one of nature's perfect sea creatures actively pursuing them, they are about to be taught a lesson in survival.

A film we've been hearing about for a while now, Devil’s Night starring Danielle Harris, finally arrived on DVD this week, and we have all the details right here.

From the Press Release:
Devil’s Night is a retro blast of blood-splattering fun from Mindscape Films & Nictophobia Films that recoils back to the 70’s and 80’s with a slaughterhouse of homages that horror fans will scream for. The movie stars Danielle Harris (Rob Zombie's Halloween, Hatchet II & III), Shawn Roberts (George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead, Resident Evil: Retribution), Steve Byers (House of the Dead, Total Recall 2012), and Boyd Banks (Dawn of the Dead 2004, George A. Romero's Land of the Dead, Hellmouth). Devil's Night is an entertaining, scary horror romp that will inevitably become part of every horror fan’s annual Halloween celebration.

The movie tells the story of five frat boys who are involved in a Halloween prank that ends in murder. They keep the accident a close secret until Devil’s Night the following year when a mysterious assailant begins stalking them with a vengeance. One by one the college students start to disappear, and with nowhere to turn the surviving friends are forced to involve the authorities who are already busy hunting Michael Lymburner, a local serial killing pig farmer. With the police convinced that the murders are somehow linked to Lymburner, the frat boys believe that the killer is someone else, someone who must have witnessed the crime they committed the year before.

“I was talking with my brother about creating a movie around a local mansion we could use as a shooting location,” explains writer/director Christopher Harrison. “It immediately reminded us of the frat house in Night of the Creeps, one of our favorite films of that period. One thing led to another, and I quickly suggested paying homage to all of the films that we grew up loving by adding in a masked killer, a scream queen, and an array of genre homages that will surely be noticed by horror fans around the world.”

“We jumped on this film as soon as we watched it,” says Black Fawn Distribution founder Chad Archibald. “We’re also huge fans of 80’s horror, and this movie brought us back to the days where we would pop in VHS tapes and watch a masked killer torment a small town’s youth. Well, that and the fact that the iconic Danielle Harris is in it!”

The Devil’s Night DVD comes packed with loads of special features including a Q&A with director Christopher Harrison and star Danielle Harris, behind-the-scenes and artwork slideshows, audio commentary, trailers, and an exclusive audio player featuring music from the film including Monster Truck, The Creepshow, Saint Alvia, The Reason, and more. Copies of Devil’s Night can be purchased now on DVD or as part of a limited edition package from Black Fawn Distribution.

Get ready, kiddies. Michael Myers has a treat for you just in time for Halloween! This evening Tyler Mane (Rob Zombie's Halloween 1 & 2, X-Men) dropped us a line to let us know that he just posted the first trailer for his upcoming indie horror flick Compound Fracture.

The film, which is currently making the rounds during AFM 2012 (look for a review later this week), is directed by Anthony J. Rickert-Epstein. Mane co-wrote, co-stars in and produced Compound Fracture under his new indie production company, Mane Entertainment; the thriller also stars Derek Mears, Renae Geerlings (who also co-wrote the script), Leslie Easterbrook, Muse Watson, Daniel Roebuck and Todd Farmer.

Synopsis
Michael Silna has just gotten custody of his only sister’s son after she was murdered by her husband before his very eyes. To fulfill his sister's dying wish, Michael takes his nephew and wife and makes the journey home to his only other living relative: his estranged, eccentric (and extremely paranoid) father who is obsessed with building an unassailable compound.

Once there, Michael hopes to repair his shattered family, but instead he finds that they are all trapped inside his father’s creation when the ghost of his vengeful brother-in-law returns to wipe out the rest of the Silna family.

Check out the brand spanking new trailer for Compound Fracture below, and look for more on the project soon!

Happy Halloween indeed!

Following up on all the cool sales art we posted earlier today, some distribution news has come out of the currently running AFM 2012, and we have all the details you need on XLrator Media's pick up of Steven C. Miller's Under the Bed (review here).

From the Press Release:
XLrator Media has acquired all U.S. rights to UNDER THE BED, the new horror/thriller from the producers of V/H/S and director Steven C. Miller (The Aggression Scale, the upcoming Silent Night). Starring Jonny Weston, the young star of Chasing Mavericks, and Gattlin Griffith (Green Lantern, Changeling), the film tells the story of two brothers who team up to battle the monster living under their bed. XLrator Media will release the film in theaters next summer.

“UNDER THE BED is a loving tribute to all the horror classics I grew up with, from Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist to Joe Dante’s Gremlins and The Howling to John Carpenter’s The Thing,” said XLrator Media CEO Barry Gordon. “Films like that are rare today, and director Steven C. Miller perfectly captures the essence, style and sheer fun of those timeless films for a new generation of fans.”

UNDER THE BED was produced by Brad Miska (V/H/S, A Horrible Way to Die), Tom Owen (V/H/S), and William Clevinger (The Devil’s Carnival, Automaton Transfusion) and executive produced by Zak Zeman (The Aggression Scale, A Horrible Way to Die) and Miller. Written by Eric Stolze, the film also stars Peter Holden, Musetta Vander, and Kelcie Stranahan.

The deal was negotiated by Ehud Bleiberg and Giulia Prenna on behalf of Bleiberg Entertainment and by Gordon on behalf of XLrator Media. Bleiberg Entertainment’s Compound B label will be handling international rights during AFM and recently sold German rights to Tiberius.

“I’m thrilled to be working again with Barry and Mike at XLrator, with whom I released my first film, Automaton Transfusion. They completely get the vibe and tone of this picture. I have no doubts this is fantastic hands which, combined with their genre marketing expertise, will get UNDER THE BED out to a broad audience,” said Miller.

Synopsis:
Every child knows about the monster under the bed—Neal Hausman’s mistake was trying to fight it. Neal (Jonny Weston) has returned from a two-year exile following his tragic attempt to defeat the monster, only to find his father ticking ever closer to a breakdown, a new stepmother who fears him, and his little brother, Paul (Gattlin Griffith), terrorized by the same monster. While Neal and Paul work together to try to fight the nocturnal menace, their parents are taking desperate measures to get the family back to normal. With no support from their parents, the brothers have nothing to rely on but each other and courage beyond belief.

What is it with Halloween day and zombies? After our story earlier today about the science behind a zombie apocalypse, a couple more news stories related to zombie preparedness have come our way.

First up, the American Red Cross of Los Angeles posted a disaster-themed emergency preparedness video on its YouTube channel. Using the zombie apocalypse as a backdrop, the survival expert in the video gives some handy tips such as where to find water after you have run out of your three-day emergency supply (make sure to prepare your own kit from this handy guide). "You can find water in many places, like streams, a hot water heater and even the toilet top tank!" Other tips include finding food (did you know dog treats are safe for human consumption, even though they may be an acquired taste?) and starting fires.

So check out the video, and make sure to prepare a family plan in case of such emergencies!

Next up, we learned that the US Military is preparing for a zombie apocalypse, and it’s not a prank. Starting on October 31 and lasting for two days, the US Marines and Navy special-operations forces will be on an island off the coast of San Diego training for a dire scenario that is somewhat based on last year’s CDC Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide.

The emergency response exercises will include a Hollywood-style production of a zombie attack. In the scenario a VIP and his personal detail are trapped in a village, surrounded by zombies when a bomb explodes. The VIP is wounded and his team must move through the town while dodging bullets and shooting back at the invading zombies. At one point some members of the team are bitten by zombies and must be taken to a field medical facility for decontamination and treatment.

With the US Military being trained to deal with zombie attacks and the science of a zombie apocalypse becoming possible, shouldn't we all do our part to prepare ourselves to deal with this and any other such emergencies?

Shout! Factory, a leading multi-platform entertainment company, and SC Films International have entered into an exclusive multi-picture deal to distribute UK gore-drenched comedy feature Cockneys vs. Zombies in both the U.S. and Canada and suspense thriller Tower Block in the U.S.

Both features were written by notable cult film and TV scribe James Moran. The announcement was made by Shout! Factory’s founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer, and Garson Foos and Simon Crowe, Managing Director of SC Films International.

Shout! Factory has secured all distribution rights to the films, including theatrical and digital distribution, home entertainment, and broadcast for cross-platform releases. Shout! Factory plans a strategic rollout of Cockneys vs. Zombies and Tower Block on all packaged media, electronic-sell-through (EST), video-on-demand (VOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), television, and in select theaters in 2013.

“We are excited about this new relationship with Simon Crowe. We look forward to bring these highly entertaining films to North American movie fans through a variety of entertainment distribution platforms and physical home entertainment releases,” stated Shout! Factory’s founders. “The cinematic quality and talented cast make these films perfect additions to our cinema library.”

“SC Films is delighted to announce U.S distribution via Shout! Factory for both Cockneys vs. Zombies and Tower Block. The producers and I are very excited by the enthusiasm shown by the Shout! Factory team, and we hope this is the start of a long term relationship,” said Simon Crowe.

COCKNEYS VS. ZOMBIES Synopsis:
Written by James Moran (Torchwood, Severance) and directed by Matthias Hoene, COCKNEYS VS. ZOMBIES boasts an impressive British cast of Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman, EastEnders), Honor Blackman (Goldfinger, Doctor Who), Alan Ford (Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Harry Treadaway (Fish Tank, Control), Rasmus Hardiker (Lead Balloon, Saxondale), Georgia King (The New Normal, The Duchess), Jack Doolan (The Green Green Grass), Dudley Sutton (Lovejoy), and Richard Briers (The Good Life).

This fast-paced horror comedy is the story of Andy (Treadaway) and Terry (Hardiker), two hapless cockney brothers who try to save their granddad’s (Ford) care home by robbing a bank. At the same time a virus sweeps across East London, turning all the inhabitants into flesh-eating zombies. Faced with hordes of the undead, the challenge is to rescue a home full of tough old folks, escape with the loot, and get out of London alive!

TOWER BLOCK Synopsis:
British thriller TOWER BLOCK is written by James Moran and directed by James Nunn (Torchwood, Doctor Who) and Ronnie Thompson (Screwed). The film stars Sheridan Smith (Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Grownup), Jack O’Connell (Skins, Harry Brown), Russell Tovey (Being Human, History Boys), Ralph Brown (Alien 3, Nearly Famous), and Kane Robinson (AKA rapper Kano).

When Jimmy is brutally murdered by two hooded figures, the residents of the Serenity House tower block are witnesses to the killing but, fearing retribution, are too scared to give detectives any information.

One year later, someone has decided to take justice into their own hands. Picked off one by one, the tenants of the tower block are under threat from a mystery sniper who has set deadly traps throughout the building, keeping them prisoners in their own homes. Unsure of why they have been targeted, the group put their differences aside and undertake daring attempts to escape the building. But with every exit leading to another death, will they ever escape?

The Scream Factory is releasing Deadly Blessing as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and DVD on January 22, 2013, and has announced the discs' bonus features. Also coming on the 22nd is The Nest; look for its bonus features soon!

From the Press Release:
Available for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD, Wes Craven’s classic DEADLY BLESSING (starring Sharon Stone and Ernest Borgnine) Collector’s Edition contains a collectible cover featuring newly rendered retro-style artwork, a reversible wrap with original theatrical key art, new extras, and more! The Blu-ray is priced to own at $29.93, and the DVD is priced to own at $19.93.

Avid horror movie fans and collectors take note: Those who order DEADLY BLESSING from ShoutFactory.com will receive an exclusive 18”x24” poster featuring the newly commissioned artwork from the respective title! Only 200 will be printed so these are only available while supplies last.

When a former member of a religious cult dies in a mysterious accident, his wife, Martha (Maren Jensen, Battlestar Gallactica), who now lives alone and close to the cult’s church, begins to fear for her life and the lives of her visiting friends (Susan Buckner, Sharon Stone). Strange and deadly events begin to happen… Could she be the target of the evil cult and its fanatical leader Isaiah (Ernest Borgnine)?

Directed by Wes Craven (Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street) and starring Jeff East (Pumpkinhead), Lisa Hartman (The 17th Bride), and Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes), this consistently terrifying film delivers “unpredictable plot twists” (Time Out) and visual shocks galore.

Bonus Content:

Original Theatrical Trailer, TV & Radio Spots

Be sure to visit and click the “Like” tab on the official SCREAM FACTORY FACEBOOK page for up-to-the-minute updates or visit the Scream Factory website.

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