More casting news has come for the Len Wiseman-directed pilot "Sleepy Hollow" as John Cho has been tapped for a guest starring role as local cop Andy Dunn.

The Fox pilot was written by Alex Kurtzman, Bob Orci, and Phillip Iscove.

A modern–day supernatural thriller based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the project, from 20th TV and K/O, follows Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) as he partners with Sleepy Hollow’s Detective Abbie Archer (Nicole Beharie) to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by the battle between good and evil. A captain in the Revolutionary War, where he takes off a horseman’s head, Ichabod gets time warped into the present day, where he is confused by modern technology but turns out to be a great detective once his enemy, The Headless Horseman, comes back to haunt the town. Orlando Jones and Katia Winter co-star in the pilot executive produced by Kurtzman, Orci, Wiseman, and Heather Kadin.

If you got turned off of "Being Human" because two of the main characters became... well... human, then you need to check back in because things are not always as they seem! Check out the first four minutes of Episode 3.10, "For Those About to Rot," to see what we mean.

"Being Human" Episode 3.10 - "For Those About to Rot" (airs March 18, 2013, on Syfy)
Josh learns Aidan made a deal with the vampires. Aidan's date with Kat (Deanna Russo) causes him to remember his wife and son. Sally learns more about Nick (Pat Kiely) and Stevie (Robert Naylor).

Related Story:Another Batch of Stills from "Being Human" Episode 3.10 - "For Those About to Rot"

"Being Human" stars Sam Witwer (Aidan), Meaghan Rath (Sally), Sam Huntington (Josh), and Kristen Hager (Nora). The new season also features a stellar lineup of new and returning guest stars including: Mark Pellegrino ("Lost,""Revolution") as Aidan’s vampire mentor Bishop; Amy Aquino ("Harry’s Law,""ER") as Donna, a witch whose supernatural spells are sought out to help find Sally; Xander Berkeley ("Nikita") as Liam, father of purebred werewolf twins who is intent on locating his missing children; Bobby Campo (Final Destination) as Max, a young mortician who develops a connection with Sally; and Kyle Schmid ("Copper") returning as Aidan’s vampire protégé/"son" Henry.

For more visit "Being Human" on Syfy.com, join the Syfy Google+ circle, "like""Being Human" on Facebook, and follow "Being Human" on Twitter.

There's one word that gets our hearts racing like few others, and that word is "monster" so when we heard about Monster Massacre, an epic, heart attack-inducing new anthology series for fans of science fiction, fantasy, big monsters, and all-out mayhem, of course we had to share.

From the Press Release:
Titan Comics and ATOMEKA are pleased to announce the release of the first volume of their brand new graphic novel series Monster Massacre – a sci-fi and fantasy anthology headed up by A1 creator Dave Elliott and starring the greatest comics talent: past, present, and future!

Hitting book stores on September 11, 2013, Monster Massacre Vol. 1 showcases 10 stories from some of the greatest comics talent:

• From the creators of Captain America a Classic Joe Simon and Jack Kirby horror story THE GREATEST HORROR OF THE ALL from Black Cat Mystery!
• MONSTER PUNCH, starring IRA GERSCHWIN: MONSTER FIGHTER by Andy Kuhn (Firebreather, TMNT)!
• HITCH, a post-apocalyptic zombie story by Dave Dorman (Star Wars, Indiana Jones)!
• ZEKE & KRO, a macabre black comedy by Mark A Nelson (ALIENS)!
• A Faery and a Human team up to con everyone in DESTINY'S ROGUES by Ron Marz (Shinku, Sliver Surfer, Green Lantern) and Tom Raney (The Authority, Avengers)!
• DAIKAIJU - Dragons destroy Japan by Vito Delsante (Scooby-Doo) and Javier Aranda (Star Trek, Marksmen)!
• EL ZOMBO by Dave Wilkins (El Zombo, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Masters of the Universe) and Dave Elliott! Guest-starring SHARKY and MR MONSTER!
• Jerry Paris, Arthur Suydam and Dave Elliott bring us DEEP SIX - day one of the return of Cthulhu!
• SHARKY by Dave Elliott and Alex Horley (Sharky, Lobo, Blizzard) sees the novice hero and THOR face Alvin the Dwarf and Devlin the Giant Lice!
• LITTLE MONSTERS is a prologue to the graphic novel Kingdom of the Wicked by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Leviathan, Victorian Undead) and D'Israeli (Lazarus Churchyard, Sandman)!
• Plus art galleries from Alex Horley and Steve White!

“Garry Leach and myself created Monster Massacre for those who wanted their comics less ‘grim and gritty’ and more ‘sexy fun and crazy adventure,’ says creator Dave Elliott. “Whether you like your action-packed comics high-brow or low-brow, we’ve got you covered!”

Monster Massacre Vol. 1 comes with a special wraparound cover by Garry Leach (2000AD, Marvelman, Global Frequency, A1) and Sunny Gho (Superior, Ultimate Avengers, Stellar Labs).

The series will also be available to read day and date on the iPad, iPhone, Web, Android, and Kindle Fire, exclusively through the comiXology app and comiXology.com

After you thumb through the above gallery of interior art, check out a look at the monsters and cover art below.

With his film The Call doing well on its opening day, some possible casting news is coming in for Brad Anderson's next film, Eliza Graves. According to THR, Underworld star and the object of Matt Fini's desire, Kate Beckinsale, is in talks for the lead role.

THR reports that if cast, Beckinsale will play the title character of Eliza, a Harvard Medical School grad who takes a job at an insane asylum, falling for one of the doctors but then discovering that the occupants have taken it over. The film is loosely based upon one of Edgar Allan Poe’s early works, a 1945 short story titled "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether."

Producing are Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson, Mark Amin, Cami Winikoff, and Oren Peli. David Higgins, Christa Campbell, and Lati Grobman are executive producing. Joe Gangemi wrote the script.

A June 21 production start date in Bulgaria is penciled in.

Warner Bros. and DC end the week with a super-sized serving of news and assets for the upcoming superhero fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us, including the results of the Battle Arena quarterfinals.

From the Press Release:
With just a handful of weeks remaining until its April 16th launch from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment, the roster of characters in Injustice: Gods Among Us continues to grow: The nearly indestructible Doomsday is joining the growing roster of superheroes and villains confirmed to be playable in the game.

As we head into St. Patrick’s Day, news surrounding the Green Arrow brings that "touch of green" to close out week. Stephen Amell, star of The CW Network's hit action show "Arrow," reprises his role as the Green Arrow in Injustice: Gods Among Us. Fans can unlock the "Arrow" version of the character in the game, which features Amell's voice and likeness as the legendary archer.

The quarterfinal round of the Injustice Battle Arena also kicked off with Batman vs. Wonder Woman, The Flash vs. The Joker, Aquaman vs. Green Lantern, and Superman vs. Green Arrow as this week’s contenders. Today the victors of these matches are revealed with gameplay videos reflecting the tally votes of the thousands of fan voters.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is an all-new game in development by award-winning NetherRealm Studios. The title debuts a bold new fighting game franchise that introduces a deep, original story featuring a large cast of favorite DC Comics icons such as Batman, Green Arrow, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, Nightwing, Solomon Grundy, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and many others. Set in a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred, players will experience heroes and villains engaging in epic battles on a massive scale.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is scheduled for release on April 16, 2013, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, and the Wii U system from Nintendo.

To learn more, visit the official Injustice: Gods Among Us website.

We're just a few days away from the premiere of the pretty damned good A&E series based on the early days of Psycho's Norman Bates, entitled "Bates Motel," and the studio has released another featurette to further entice you to watch.

A&E Network will premiere the new original scripted drama series “Bates Motel” from executive producers Carlton Cuse (“Lost”) and Kerry Ehrin (“Friday Night Lights”) on Monday, March 18th, at 10 PM ET/PT. “Bates Motel” is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho and promises to give viewers an intimate portrayal of how Norman Bates’ psyche unravels through his teenage years. Fans will have access to the dark, twisted backstory of Norman Bates and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma, truly is.

The series stars Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed), Freddie Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland), Max Thieriot (Disconnect), Olivia Cooke (Blackout), and Nicola Peltz (The Last Airbender). Season One also co-stars Nestor Carbonell (“Lost,” The Dark Knight Rises) and Mike Vogel (“Pan Am”). “Bates Motel” is produced by Universal Television for A&E Network. Cuse and Ehrin serve as executive producers for Carlton Cuse Productions.

Series Premiere Synopsis - "First You Dream, Then You Die" (3/18/13 air date):
Norma Bates buys a motel on the outskirts of an idyllic coastal town seeking a fresh start with her teenage son, the handsome and shy Norman.

For more info visit the official "Bates Motel" website.

PaleyFest 2013 closed with "American Horror Story," and along with the surprise appearance of new cast member Kathy Bates, the highlight of the night was the reveal of what the show's third chapter would be subtitled. Read on, and then check back in a few hours for videos from the panel.

Series co-creator Ryan Murphy announced that in Season 3 "American Horror Story" will be subtitled "Coven.""It's a really cool story that we've been talking for a couple years, and this seemed to be the year to do it,"he said, noting the series will shoot in multiple locations, one of which is New Orleans -- the first time the series has exited its soundstage filming location.

"I've loved it from the very beginning," Bates (who will be portraying Lange's character's former best friend turned enemy) said. "I called up Jessica and told her to talk to Ryan and tell him I'd do anything on the show."She refrained from spilling any additional details about her character, however.

For his part, Murphy said the series will deliver on one thing: "I wanted to see a lot of scenes with Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates going at it, and that's what you're going to see,"he said to wild enthusiasm from the sold-out crowd at the Saban Theatre.

Along with Murphy and Bates, the panel included:

Brad Falchuk, Co-creator & Executive Producer
Dante Di Loreto, Executive Producer
Tim Minear, Executive Producer
Jessica Lange, “Sister Jude Martin”
Sarah Paulson, “Lana Winters”
Frances Conroy, “Dark Angel”
Evan Peters, “Kit Walker”
Lily Rabe, “Sister Mary Eunice”

With A&E’s “Bates Motel” premiering Monday evening, now is a perfect time for Norman Bates to make his one and only B-Sides appearance. What? You didn’t know a Psycho movie spawned a pop song and MTV music video? “Scream of Love” was the Psycho III theme song. Sorry, Norman; can’t blame mother for this one.

For more than a quarter century Carter Burwell has been composing film scores. Over 80 movies boast his musical contributions; you’ve heard his work in such films as The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and even several of the Twilight films. Early in his career Burwell composed the score for the Anthony Perkins directed Psycho III. The soundtrack produced a couple original songs, mostly heard in the background coming from a jukebox. Universal, however, wanted something with more pop to it in order to promote Psycho III on MTV. One soundtrack song got remixed into this pop song, released as a single that became a minor hit with the dance club set and spawned a very Eighties music video. Never mind the fact that this MTV-ified version of the song that became known as “Scream of Love” was never even heard in the film.

Someone for posterity’s sake had their VCR set to record the night Anthony Perkins DJ’d for MTV to unveil “Scream of Love”. What would Alfred Hitchcock have said if he ever saw Anthony Perkins on MTV introducing a music video in which he goes into full Norman Bates mode terrorizing a woman (I believe that is pre-“Baywatch” babe Shawn Weatherly) set to the tune of a jazzy pop song entitled “Scream of Love”? He probably would have said something along the lines of, "What do you mean 'a third Psycho'?"

PaleyFest 2013 came to a rousing end last night (March 15) with the cast and crew of "American Horror Story: Asylum," along with a surprise appearance by new "American Horror Story: Coven" co-star Kathy Bates, and we have videos of the full panel and several of the highlights right here!

Along with co-creator/executive producer Ryan Murphy and Bates, the panel included:

Brad Falchuk, Co-creator & Executive Producer
Dante Di Loreto, Executive Producer
Tim Minear, Executive Producer
Jessica Lange, “Sister Jude Martin”
Sarah Paulson, “Lana Winters”
Frances Conroy, “Dark Angel”
Evan Peters, “Kit Walker”
Lily Rabe, “Sister Mary Eunice”
Naomi Grossman, “Pepper”

Check everything out below thanks to Hulu/Hulu Plus and PaleyFest 2013. Keep tabs on upcoming events by following The Paley Center on Twitter.

The cast members of “American Horror Story” compare their roles and characters from each season of the show.

“American Horror Story” Season 3 star Kathy Bates discusses her fanship of the series and why she’s excited for her new role.

“American Horror Story” co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk discuss the ending of the Season 2 finale and the difference between horror on TV and in the movies.

“American Horror Story” star Lily Rabe confesses to behind-the-scenes musical breaks, and Sarah Paulson reveals that her co-stars are terrible musicians.

“American Horror Story” stars Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, and Naomi Grossman discuss singing on TV and a Pepper for President campaign.

Co-creator Ryan Murphy reveals his initial inspiration for “American Horror Story” and discusses the history of the horror genre.

“American Horror Story” co-creator Ryan Murphy reveals the title and filming location for Season 3 and discusses casting from a repertory company of actors.

Jessica Lange and Lily Rabe reveal sex scenes that were cut from “American Horror Story”.

Stars Frances Conroy and Jessica Lange discuss the pleasures of working together and the secrets to Dark Angel’s wings on “American Horror Story”.

FULL PANEL - A conversation with the cast and crew of "American Horror Story: Asylum."

This clip from "The Vampire Diaries" Episode 4.17, "Because the Night," makes it seem like finally the characters remember Silas is out there running around wreaking havoc. Much more important than the moral implications of feeding on opposing cheerleaders, we'd say! Check it out.

"The Vampire Diaries" Episode 4.17 - "Because the Night" (airs 3/21/13, 9-10 pm)
Realizing that Elena (Nina Dobrev) needs some time away from Mystic Falls, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) takes her to New York City, where he lived and partied hard in the 1970s. When Rebekah (Claire Holt) also shows up in New York, she’s impressed with Elena’s secret agenda. Flashbacks reveal Damon’s hedonistic life in the underground club scene and a complicated encounter with Lexi (guest star Arielle Kebbel).

Meanwhile Caroline (Candice Accola) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) try to convince Klaus (Joseph Morgan) that it would be in his own best interest to help them track Silas down. Bonnie (Kat Graham) struggles to keep her grasp on reality and do the right thing. Garreth Stover directed the episode written by Brian Young and Charlie Charbonneau. The band Dead Sara performs in the episode.

For more visit "The Vampire Diaries" on CWTV.com, "like""The Vampire Diaries" on Facebook, and follow "The Vampire Diaries" on Twitter.

Ready for lots of info on what's ahead for the characters on NBC's increasingly popular series "Grimm"? Yes? Good, because we have everything you need to know about the next three episodes!

Episode 2.15 - "Mr. Sandman" (airing 3/22/13; 9:00-10:00 pm)
NICK MUST FACE A NEW WESEN THAT LEAVES HIS VICTIMS BLIND - When a mysterious case of sudden blindness causes a woman’s death, Nick (David Giuntoli) and Hank (Russell Hornsby) come across a disturbing Wesen that feeds off its victims’ tears. Meanwhile, Adalind (Claire Coffee) contemplates the significance of her new situation, while Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) continues to work with Rosalee (Bree Turner) in an effort to fix her memory. Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, and Reggie Lee also star.

Episode 2.16 - "Nameless" (airing 3/29/13; 9:00-10:00 pm)
‘GRIMM’ TAKES ON THE TALE OF RUMPELSTILTSKIN WHEN A MYSTERIOUS KILLER TARGETS A VIDEO GAME COMPANY - When a gruesome homicide brings an office party to a screeching halt, Nick (David Giuntoli) and Hank (Russell Hornsby) find themselves battling a Wesen on a completely new platform - online. Meanwhile, Juliette’s (Bitsie Tulloch) mysterious hallucinations finally start to take shape, giving them a whole new meaning. Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, Reggie Lee, Bree Turner, and Claire Coffee also star.

Episode 2.17 - "One Angry Fuchsbau" (airing 4/5/13; 9:00-10:00 pm)
ROSALEE IS CALLED TO JURY DUTY AND TAKES ON A LAWYER WITH UNUSUAL POWERS OF PERSUASION - While on jury duty, Rosalee (Bree Turner) tasks Nick (David Giuntoli), Hank (Russell Hornsby), and Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) to help stop a defense attorney from using his particular "Wesen wiles" to overturn what should be an open-and-shut murder case. Back at the precinct, Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) brings Nick and Hank in on his own recent dealings with the Verrat, to keep them on their toes. Meanwhile, a return to the trailer brings a flurry of memories of Nick rushing back to Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch). Reggie Lee and Claire Coffee also star.

For more visit "Grimm" on NBC.com (where full episodes are available for viewing), "like""Grimm" on Facebook, and follow "Grimm" on Twitter.

A sporting new March Madness edition of the Foycast has arrived, and you didn’t even have to wait half a year for it. If you’re into schlocky, obscure, offbeat sports flicks, then this edition will be a treat for you. The Karate Kid goes diving! Leif Garrett plays foosball! Post-apocalyptic snooker pool!

Plus there's much, much more of the rambling nonsense you’ve come to expect.

I’m joined by Matt Fini for a special Foycast primarily about a pair of obscure, one-of-a-kind, underdog sports movies that must be seen to be believed. Fini and I spend about 20 minutes unleashing our mutual admiration society for the little-seen gem Diving In. What’s Diving In, why do we both love it, why should you see it, and why does it deserve more recognition than it gets? You’ll have to listen and find out.

Our second and even more obscure underdog sports flick is one Fini hadn’t seen (and he’s probably better off): Longshot, the world’s only motion picture (that I know of) about competitive foosball starring 1970’s teen sensation Leif Garrett.

Not enough crazy sports movies? I’ll also tell you a little about the world’s only post-apocalyptic snooker pool movie. The one where if you lose at shooting pool, you lose a finger!

You’ll also hear about Syfy’s Flying Monkeys (featuring “Skippy, the cockblocking demon monkey”!), summer blockbuster disappointments that helped make us the cynical bastards we are today, Crazed Cop, K. Gordon Murray movies, and more rambling nonsense.

You could probably turn this show off around the 65-minute mark and miss nothing, but we believe in giving you your money’s worth for a free show so there’s still 20 extra minutes of filler. And it wouldn’t be a Foycast without some minor recording issues, which you will begin to notice during this latter portion. I love Skype.

To hell with college basketball - this Foycast is marching into madness!

Legendary Pictures had released another new image from its upcoming Pacific Rim. If you needed another reason to get excited for this flick, this should do the trick as its sense of scale is pretty amazing. Dig it!

Look for Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro, in theatres July 12th of 2013. Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Rinko Kikuchi, Max Martini, Rob Kazinsky, Clifton Collins, Jr., and Diego Klattenhoff star.

Synopsis
From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ epic sci-fi action adventure Pacific Rim.

Related News: Suit Up for First Set of Pacific Rim Stills

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes--a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)--who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Mold can be a slow-growing organism. For Neil Meschino’s icky, gory throwback to slimy Eighties horror movies, Mold!, it’s been a slow-growing process from conception to digital. The spores finally take hold when the film infects digital this May.

It's 1984, and the war on drugs just got weird. A classified government project is under way to create a new weapon to combat the drug cartels. That weapon is a fast-growing, genetically engineered strain of mold designed to wipe out coca fields - the only problem is, this MOLD also feeds on human flesh. And when the murderous mildew is mysteriously released in a secret lab, it wages its own war on a group of unsuspecting scientists and military officials, who are forced to fight their way to safety while trying to contain the MOLD before it is unleashed on the world.

After self-distributing the film online a year ago, the Neil Meschino horror comedy starring Ardis Campbell, Robert Fattorini, Chris Gentile, and Lawrence George will finally spread its special brand of nasty green on DVD May 21st courtesy of Wild Eye Releasing.

The disc will include a commentary track, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and trailers.

Wild Eye has put out a new trailer hyping the DVD release. Get a wild eyeful of all the green gooey splatter Mold! has to offer.

Welcome to the second installment of Psycho Path, a look at fictional madman Norman Bates from the Psycho franchise. Today we explore second chances.

Intended to run in five parts, Psycho Path will focus on each of Norman’s adventures – in novels, films, and television series – while examining each incarnation of the character and the differences amongst them.

Be sure to check out the first installment, First Impressions, here.

Part II: Second Chances

When we last left Norman Bates, on both the printed page and silver screen, he had just been locked away by the authorities – safe, but dominated by his “Mother” personality and well on his way to years of therapy in a state institution. Cut to over two decades later: Norman would once again find himself free, with the possibility of redemption for his past crimes. However, the choices made by each Norman (both literary and cinematic) would define and differentiate them more thoroughly than their previous outings.

”He knew now that he was Norman Bates, not his mother. He wasn’t crazy anymore.”

Years after the success of his novel (and especially the film version of that novel), Robert Bloch would revisit his most famous creation for Psycho II, an intense (if flawed) book that follows an escaped Norman Bates and the shrink who chases after him. It’s an interesting work, one that seems as unfilmable as the original novel must have before its adaptation. More surprising still is that Bloch makes Norman even more grotesque and unsympathetic in this novel than in the original, which is quite a bold approach considering that mainstream audiences would still have Anthony Perkins’ far more likable psychopath in mind due to Hitchcock’s incredibly popular film.

Over twenty years after the events of the original novel, Psycho II finds Norman Bates still in an institution, being cared for by concerned doctors - including one Doctor Adam Claiborne, Norman’s own personal psychiatrist. Norman has long since exorcised “Mother” from his mind, and is a model patient who acts as the asylum’s librarian. He still has his problems, of course, as his thoughts are typically scattershot and more than a little strange at times. And, deep down, there is still the instinct to kill and be free – an instinct which is acted upon during Psycho II’s first act.

When two visiting nuns arrive at the asylum on a charity mission, Norman sees his chance: After speaking at length to young, well-meaning Sister Barbara, a series of events leaves the two alone together for only a moment. And, sadly, a moment is all Norman needs. He murders the poor nun, then strips her and conceals himself beneath her habit (cross-dressing yet again). He manages to slip away with the older, quite unwitting Sister Cupertine and then murders her as well once they’re off the asylum’s grounds. And then… Norman has sex with the elderly nun’s corpse.

…you read that right. Bloch’s Norman murders a nun, then has sex with her corpse. Not only does the author seem to be disagreeing with the more sympathetic portrayal of Norman that Perkins, Stefano, and Hitchcock gave us, he seems to be attempting to destroy it outright with this novel. It’s a shocking moment, even for those familiar with the more disturbing Norman from the previous book, and one that reveals Bloch’s opinion for his creation: He is a madman, pure and simple. A dangerous psychopath. He is not to be liked or sympathized with.

After Norman escapes in the nuns’ van, the story shifts to Doctor Claiborne, who goes on the hunt for Norman out of a sense of duty and obligation to his patient and those he might hurt. He follows Norman’s trail to Fairvale (site of the original novel’s events), where he finds the freshly-murdered corpses of Sam and Lila Loomis (revenge killings to account for Norman’s incarceration years ago). It is at this murder scene that Claiborne discovers his next clue as to where Norman might be headed: a newspaper article reporting that a film is to be made about Norman’s exploits (titled, crassly enough, Crazy Lady). Claiborne heads to Hollywood, stays on Norman’s trail (and even catches the occasional glimpse of him), and becomes embroiled in the lives of those making Crazy Lady, including the sleazy producer who, for some bizarre reason, looks exactly like Norman.

It all eventually winds down to yet another twist ending (this is a Psycho tale, after all), with Claiborne revealed as SPOILER ALERT the true killer in Psycho II. As it turns out, Norman actually died in the van when he attempted to pick up a hitchhiker he couldn’t overpower, leading to a struggle that left Norman dead. Claiborne discovered this, and – his mind having been so closely linked with Norman’s for so long – he adopts Norman’s personality into his own mind. As Norman, Claiborne murdered Sam and Lila and attempted to shut down the production of Crazy Lady even as he was seeking Norman out, essentially chasing after himself. Claiborne is eventually committed to his own asylum, preserving Norman’s personality inside of himself much as Norman had preserved his own mother. Even the book’s final line manages to be an echo of the previous novel’s ending remark: Norman Bates will never die…

A shame that Bloch’s Norman wound up this way, considering that the novel’s setup allowed for a possible redemption for our favorite psychopath. With Mother gone, and Norman having experienced a catharsis of sorts, there was the possibility that Norman might have lived out his days peacefully in the asylum, working as a librarian and taking part in the occasional theatrical production put on by the patients and staff. Instead, at the first possibility of escape, Norman murders two nuns and attempts to murder a hitchhiker. Bloch’s Norman was never seeking redemption, only a release from his bonds. Mother or not, this Norman – the Norman of the page - was always meant to be evil.

"Oh, Norman. You're mad, don't you know that? You're as mad as a hatter."

Like his counterpart in print, the cinematic version of Norman Bates was kept in an institution for two decades as well - twenty-two years, to be precise. Unlike the Norman of the novels, Perkins’ version is released at the very beginning of director Richard Franklin’s Psycho II film (which shares a title with Bloch’s novel and nothing else). Having been found “restored to sanity” by his institution and the courts, Norman is freed and sent back to his old stomping grounds.

Jittery, easily frightened, but always well-meaning, this version of Norman never fails to elicit sympathy from viewers, as he attempts to simply live out the rest of his life in peace. Of course, this is an impossibility. Norman finds trouble wherever he goes, whether it be from the sleazy, belligerent manager running Norman’s motel in his absence, or with Lila Loomis (formerly Crane) hounding her sister’s murderer since the moment of his release. And of course, new murders begin to occur, carried out by a silhouette that looks quite like “Mother”.

Meanwhile, Norman manages to find a friend in Mary Samuels (a very good Meg Tilly), a young waitress Norman befriends and allows to stay in his home. The two strike up a curious friendship, with Mary aware of Norman’s past but being strangely forgiving of it. When Norman comes under suspicion for a couple of recent disappearances, Mary defends Norman and attempts to keep him calm, even as the tension begins to erode Norman’s tenuous grasp on his newfound sanity. This relationship leads to this writer’s favorite scene of the film, with Mary cradling Norman in her bedroom as he tells her about the toasted cheese sandwiches his mother used to make for him when he was ill, which was the only good memory of her not taken away by the psychiatrists who treated him. It’s in this scene that we realize that Norma Bates was perhaps not completely bad (at least not all the time) and that Norman desperately wants to retain his sanity even as it begins to drift away.

The film, one of the best sequels a horror film ever had, stays intense and engaging throughout, all the way until its inevitable ending: Norman, quite mad again, discovers that Mary was in fact Lila Loomis’ daughter. The two had been working together to destroy Norman’s sanity, until Mary began to genuinely care about him. Mary attempts to reach Norman even as he spirals out of control, until she discovers Lila’s body in his cellar (another of Mother’s victims) and attempts to kill Norman in retaliation. A police officer with impeccable timing arrives and guns Mary down, leaving the authorities and public at large to believe that Mary had committed the recent killings along with her mother.

The film winds up at a police station during its final moments, much like the original film, with the sheriff taking on the Doctor Richmond role from the previous film in trying to explain all of the events that had led to the bloodshed in Norman’s cellar (that Norman is free in this case, and that the sheriff gets everything wrong, are two distinct differences between the two denouements). And just when we think the film has reached its conclusion, a late night visitor appears to Norman at his home: a Mrs. Spool, Norman’s co-worker during his brief stint as a short order cook at a local diner when he was first released from the asylum. Mrs. Spool informs Norman that she is, in fact, his true mother. It seems as though she’d been committed to an asylum herself not long after his birth, with her sister Norma taking him in and raising him before he was even a year old. She’d attempted to make contact with him once he was free, only to discover the various people who were trying to unsettle and harm him. It was she who had murdered the various victims throughout Psycho II’s running time, all in an effort to protect “her little boy”.

Norman smiles, serves her tea as he listens to her tale, and – in one of the most shocking sequences in the entire franchise - clubs Mrs. Spool over the head with his trusty shovel (seriously, I think the filmmakers may have actually murdered the actress for this shot, the effect is so realistic). He picks up her corpse, then begins speaking in Mother’s voice as he places her in that familiar rocking chair in the window. The final shot is superb – Norman, restored to insanity, standing in near-silhouette with his looming mansion against the night sky.

And there we are: Bloch’s Norman is dead and gone, the victim of his own madness and murderous impulses, while the Perkins version of Norman is left alone to haunt his hill again, “mad as a hatter” even for all of his effort to be a good man and live a peaceful life. Redemption comes to neither man, though there is the feeling that it might still be possible for the cinematic Norman to one day atone and live free of all his demons. Just not any time soon…

And so ends this installment of Psycho Path. Join us next time for a look at Psycho III, featuring a still unhinged, yet oddly charming version of our favorite murderer, along with a brief glimpse at the failed 80s television pilot "Bates Motel."

Now that the full WonderCon 2013 schedule has been released, we know what other genre projects will be joining the already announced Evil Dead and "Under the Dome." It looks like a very busy weekend for horror fans!

Below you'll find a majority of the WonderCon 2013 horror highlights (and a few fringy panels that we thought might have crossover appeal). For all the latest updates visit the official WonderCon website.

Friday, March 29
3:00pm - Exclusive Warner Bros. Television Screenings of "Revolution,""Arrow," and "The Following" (more info here) - Arena

6:30pm - Netflix's "Hemlock Grove" - Room 300DE
From executive producer Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and based on Brian McGreevy's novel of the same name, Netflix's Hemlock Grove is a riveting one-hour murder mystery series that revolves around the residents of a former Pennsylvania steel town. When 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell is brutally murdered, any of Hemlock's peculiar inhabitants-or killer creatures-could be suspects. Through the investigation, the town's seamier side is exposed, revealing nothing is what it seems. Beautiful, terrifying, and graphic, Hemlock Grove is unlike anything else in its genre. Appearing are executive producers Roth, McGreevy, and Lee Shipman and cast members Famke Janssen (X-Men), Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible II), Bill Skarsgård (Anna Karenina), Landon Liboiron (Terra Nova), Penelope Mitchell, Freya Tingley, Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), and Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica).

6:30pm - Not Guilty by Reason of Zombification? Law and Forensic Psychiatry After the Zombie Apocalypse - Room 213
During a “zombie apocalypse,” humans play by a new set of rules -- or no rules at all. Zombies kill humans, humans hunt zombies, and humans murder other humans -- with no legal repercussions. But suppose the zombie apocalypse ended after eradication of the zombies or the discovery of a cure that rejoined the dead with the living. When society's laws are restored, what would happen if humans, zombies, and former zombies alike stood trial for their actions? Would any of them be found guilty, or would the circumstances of the apocalypse excuse crimes like theft, breaking and entering, misuse of a corpse, murder, and cannibalism? What legal defenses might apply? Join the forensic psychiatrists of Broadcast Thought, H. Eric Bender, M.D., Praveen R. Kambam, M.D., and Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., and the lawyers of Law and the Multiverse, James Daily, J.D. and Ryan Davidson, J.D. (The Law of Superheroes) as they examine the legal issues faced by a post-zombie-apocalyptic world. In a mock trial, the lawyers will be the prosecution and defense, the doctors will be the expert witnesses, and you will be the jury. Will the walking dead be found guilty, or will they walk free?

7:00pm - BBC America's "Doctor Who" and "Orphan Black" Screening - Room 300AB
Join BBC America for an exclusive Supernatural Saturday screening of Doctor Who and Orphan Black. BBC America's new Supernatural Saturday lineup launches Saturday, March 30, with Doctor Who at 8/7c, Orphan Black at 9/8c, and The Nerdist at 10/9c. Doctor Who will kick off the screening with Steven Moffat's new episode “The Bells of St. John,” the first of eight epic new episodes starring Matt Smith and his new companion Jenna-Louise Coleman. Then, catch the premiere episode of BBC America's new original series Orphan Black. Tatiana Maslany portrays Sarah, an orphan and outsider whose life changes dramatically after witnessing the suicide of a woman who looks just like her. She takes her identity, her boyfriend, and her bank account. But instead of solving her problems, the street-smart chameleon is thrust headlong into a deadly conspiracy. Please note: Doctor Who is TV-PG and Orphan Black is TV-MA.

Saturday, March 30
10:30am - The Music That Makes You Scream - Room 208
Ever question why your spine tingles when watching a scary scene? Join film and television composers as they discuss the art of composing for one of the most demanding genres-horror! Tyler Bates (Day of the Dead, Halloween II), Anton Sanko (The Possession, Nurse 3-D), Frederik Wiedmann (Mirrors 2, Hostel III), and Dino Meneghin (Teen Wolf) discuss the process of scoring for screams and how they manage to sleep at night. Moderating are Anne Cecere (BMI's director of film & TV relations) and White Bear PR founder Chandler Poling. Q&A to follow with special giveaways to attendees.

10:30am - Despair with Layman! - Room 213
A scintillating conversation and Q&A with WonderCon Anaheim special guest John Layman (Chew), where the much-reviled writer, letterer, and ex-editor will discuss his work on Chew, Detective Comics, Mars Attacks, and so very, very much more.

11:30am - Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures - Arena
Pacific Rim with director Guillermo del Toro and New Line Cinema's The Conjuring with director James Wan.

1:00pm - TV Writing Room Secrets Revealed: Inside Writing & Producing For Television - Room 2017
Meet the over-caffeinated and over-worked writers and producers who make genre entertainment what it is today and get an incredible insider look from the scribes behind some of TV's hottest shows as they share their candid thoughts on how to make the series we love (and sometimes loathe). Find out the highly classified secrets to getting TV shows made and how to break-in and break-out in a highly competitive broadcast environment, the deep dark secrets (and low-calorie snacks) of the writer's room -- and why network executives actually care about what you say on message boards! No canned speeches and press releases here, get the straight scoop from television's most talented writers and producers including Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman, Lost), Jesse Alexander (Heroes, Alias, Hannibal), Gabrielle Stanton (Haven, Moonlight, Arrow), Ashley E. Miller (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, X-Men: First Class, Fringe), Jose Molina (The Vampire Diaries, Firefly), Steve Kriozere (Femme Fatales, NCIS), Amy Berg (Eureka, Leverage), Steve Melching (The Clone Wars, Transformers: Prime), David Simkins (Grimm, Warehouse 13), and Mark A. Altman (Femme Fatales, Necessary Roughness). Presented by GEEK Magazine.

1:30pm - Spotlight on Dean Koontz - Room 300DE
#1 New York Times bestselling author and WonderCon Anaheim special guest Dean Koontz (Deeply Odd, on-sale 5/28, and Odd Thomas) shares stories from his life and his work, and takes questions from fans.

2:30pm - Sony Pictures: Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Evil Dead, and This Is The End - Arena
- Mortal Instruments: City of Bones -- Set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother (Lena Headey), Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures. Based on the worldwide best-selling book series. Please join the book's author, Cassandra Clare, along with director Harald Zwart and stars Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower for an exclusive preview and discussion of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.

- Evil Dead -- Producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell have teamed up with director Fede Alvarez to bring you the much-anticipated remake of the 1981 cult-hit horror film, The Evil Dead. When five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin, they discover a Book of the Dead, which unwittingly summons up dormant demons living in the nearby woods. The youngsters become possessed in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival. Please join producer Bruce Campbell and director Fede Alvarez, along with stars Jane Levy (Suburgatory) and Jessica Lucas (Cult) for questions and exclusive clips.

- This Is The End -- The Mayans predicted that the world was supposed to end last December, but we’re still here. So join Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson as they stop by to show the new trailer for This Is The End, which hits theaters June 14. The comedy This Is The End follows six friends trapped in a house after a series of strange and catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles. As the world unravels outside, dwindling supplies and cabin fever threaten to tear apart the friendships inside. Eventually, they are forced to leave the house, facing their fate and the true meaning of friendship and redemption.

3:00pm - Spotlight on Frank Cho - Room 207
Emmy Award-winning artist-writer and WonderCon Anaheim special guest Frank Cho will showcase some of the art and comics that made him a favorite with critics and fans alike, including a quick drawing demonstration. He will also give an advance preview of his upcoming comic projects, How To Draw Women art book and his first horror movie - Zombie King!

3:00pm - VIZ Media - Room 203
Get the latest updates and exciting news from VIZ Media staff on your favorite manga and anime! You'll also get the scoop on new acquisitions and upcoming releases and projects from VIZ Manga, Weekly Shonen Jump, kids publishing, Neon Alley channel, and more! Plus, be the first to hear about an exclusive collector's item, available only during WonderCon Anaheim!

5:00pm - Criminally Entertaining: Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction - Room 207
Authors Stephen Blackmoore (Dead Things), Dana Cameron (Seven Kinds of Hell), Brian D'Amato (Beauty), K. Bennett (Mallory Caine, Zombie at Law series), and Gary Phillips (The Warlord of Willow Ridge) discuss the eternal fascination of the mystery story structure across subgenres with moderator LeAnna Herrera of Mysterious Galaxy bookstore.

6:00pm - Buffy Season 9: The Final Arc! - Room 207
Dark Horse's continuation of Joss Whedon's cult favorite remains one of the most talked-about comics in today's market. As we head toward the Season 9 finale, Dark Horse and WonderCon Anaheim are giving you an exclusive chance to hear all there is to tell about the final arcs of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel & Faith from the creative teams themselves! Join Dark Horse PR director Jeremy Atkins, along with longtime Buffy writer Jane Espenson, Season 9 writer Andrew Chambliss and artist Georges Jeanty, Angel & Faith writer Christos Gage, and maybe a few surprise guests for what is guaranteed to be one panel you don't wanna miss!

6:00pm - MTV's "Teen Wolf" - Room 300AB
Series stars Tyler Posey and Dylan O'Brien along with executive producer Jeff Davis preview what's in store for season 3 of the hit series, with a Q&A moderated by The TV Fanatic and AfterElton.com's Jim Halterman.

7:00pm - Steampunk 101 - Room 207
Trendwatchers predict that 2013 will be the year of steampunk, but what exactly is steampunk? Fashion trend? Literary genre? Anything involving corsets and goggles? Experts in the field delve into the origins of the movement, the active community that has formed around it, and what we can learn about the future by looking to the past. Panelists include Andrew Fogel (League of S.T.E.A.M.), Brian Kesinger (creator of Otto and Victoria), Donna Ricci (Clockwork Couture), Nick Baumann (creative director, League of S.T.E.A.M.), Robin Blackburn (League of S.T.E.A.M.), and moderator Dina Kampmeyer (Lady Steam).

7:00pm - "Under the Dome" Sneak Peek and Q&A - Room 300AB
Get a first look inside the Dome from the stars and creative minds of CBS's highly anticipated summer series at a special WonderCon Anaheim appearance. Stars Dean Norris (Breaking Bad) and Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight) along with executive producers Neal Baer (Law & Order: SVU), Brian K. Vaughan (Lost), and Jack Bender (Lost), discuss the new series based on Stephen King's bestselling novel Under The Dome. The series, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television, is the story of a small town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town's inhabitants must deal with surviving the post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from and if and when it will go away. Join us as the cast and executive producers share exclusive footage followed by a panel discussion.

8:30pm - Exclusive Hannibal Screening - Room 213
From acclaimed executive producer Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies), this is the only public screening of the first two episodes of NBC's new drama series Hannibal, starring Hugh Dancy (The Big C), Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale), and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix). Hannibal premieres on NBC on Thursday, April 4 at 10:00 PM ET/PT.

8:30pm - The 9th Annual WonderCon Anaheim Masquerade - Arena

Sunday, March 31
11:30am - Comics Arts Conference Session #7: The Filter of Fiction: Batman, Spider-Man, and Real-Life Trauma - Room 210BCD
What's the point in examining fictional characters, especially fantastic superheroes unlike any people we encounter in real life? Psychologist Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) and Andrea Letamendi (Barbara Gordon's therapist in Batgirl #16), comics scholar Kathleen McClancy (Wake Forest University), and comic book writers Marv Wolfman (Batman: Year Three) and Bryan Q. Miller (Batgirl) explore how the filter of fiction can allow people to face some of the worst events that happen in real life without turning away and how that, in turn, helps us learn more about the way actual crises affect living human beings.

12:00pm - TheOneRing.net's Unauthorized Sneak Peek: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - Room 207
Staffers Cliff "Quickbeam" Broadway and Larry "MrCere" Curtis, fresh from set visits in New Zealand, discuss, in a multimedia extravaganza format, the next billion-dollar installment of The Hobbit. They will preview new characters, Tolkien's non-Hobbit lore in the film adaptation, dragons, hints, clues, and potential spoilers, as well as the latest breaking info along with glimpses into what might be on the first Hobbit film's Extended Edition Blu-ray. Plus, unmentionable surprises from the biggest and best Tolkien news source in the world.

12:00pm - Nerdist Industries - Arena
Join Chris Hardwick (host of BBC America's The Nerdist and AMC's Talking Dead) and some very relevant-to-your-interests talent from across the many-headed beast that is Nerdist Industries. Chris and friends will engage in lively conversation about the big things to come for Nerdist in the near future. Surprises, big announcements and, of course, quemments await!

1:00pm - Comics Arts Conference Session #8: The Dark Side of Comics - Room 210BCD
James Medina (University of Dundee) compares the politics, style, and purpose of postapocalyptic narratives from different countries. Lindsay Kerstetter (California State University, Fullerton) applies trauma theory to explore the motivations of The Walking Dead characters, who are forced to exist in a world where trauma has become a part of everyday life. Rachelanne Smith (California State University, Sacramento) explains how satirizing the dark, gritty attitudes of contemporary comic book film adaptations actually makes the case that the traditional, altruistic hero is the one society needs.

1:00pm - Spotlight on Jane Espenson with Brad Bell - Room 207
Executive producer Brad Bell (Husbands) talks with veteran TV writer/producer Jane Espenson about their shared work on the hit online sitcom Husbands, the Husbands comic book, and Jane's history of work on such shows as Torchwood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, The O.C., Gilmore Girls, Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, Dollhouse, Dinosaurs, Ellen, Once Upon a Time and others. Join Jane and Brad for this one-on-one interview, Q&A session and screening!

3:00pm - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - Arena
WonderCon Anaheim is going out on a high note! FandomCharities.org and Whedonopolis.com, the folks who bring you the Buffy musical Once More With Feeling, to close out San Diego Comic-Con, present a screening of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog! This will be an event to remember, so come to the show and revel in the musical genius of The Whedons! But remember, the best part of the show is up to you! Cheer for Dr. Horrible! Cheer for Penny! Cheer for Moist! Cheer for the Freeze Ray! Cheer-or whatever-for "Captain Hammer, Corporate Tool"! Just have fun and be sure to make Bad Horse gleeful. Audience participation: it isn't just for Rocky Horror and mob riots anymore.

More casting news has come our way for the latest genre pilot headed to CBS, "Anatomy of Violence," as The Ring and The Grudge 2 actress Amber Tamblyn has signed on for dissection. Read on for details.

According to Deadline Tamblyn has signed on as the female lead opposite Skeet Ulrich in "Anatomy Of Violence," written and executive produced by "Homeland"'s Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and Alex Cary and directed by Mark Pellington.

Inspired by the nonfiction book by Adrian Raine, the 20th TV-produced drama centers on Raines (Ulrich), a maverick FBI Criminal Psychiatrist with an expertise in sociopaths who partners with Abby (Tamblyn), a young female FBI Agent with whom he shares a conflicted past. Abby joined the Bureau after watching her sister get traumatized at the hands of a gunman thirteen years ago.

Judging by the ripples in my glass of water, I'd say that something big is approaching. That's right, kids; the original Jurassic Park is headed your way in 3D, and we have two new TV spots to get you excited for the magic to come.

With his remastering of the epic Jurassic Park into a state-of-the-art 3D format, Steven Spielberg allows longtime fans to experience the world he envisioned in a way that was unimaginable during the film's original release.

Starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L. Jackson, and Richard Attenborough, the film based on the novel by Michael Crichton is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald R. Molen. It tells the tale of a theme park that suffers a major power breakdown, allowing its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok during a preview tour.

For the last interview in our short film series for Indie Horror Month 2013, Dread Central chatted with writer/director Erik Gardner about his latest project Blue Hole, which has found much success on the festival circuit since its premiere at the 2012 Shriekfest Film Festival last October.

Based on a true New Jersey urban legend, Blue Hole follows Michael (Drew Wick) and his intended fiancée Amy (Caitlin Rose Williams) who travel deep within the Pine Barrens of New Jersey to a vacation cabin where he plans to propose to her. Upon arriving they’re attacked by a madman who claims an eerie pond near the cabin called “Blue Hole” can bring back the dead and soon, reality mixes with illusion as the lovers are left to try to figure out if Blue Hole is real or if the madman controlling their fates is truly insane.

Blue Hole also stars Jesse Kristofferson, Aubrey Mozino, Scott Speiser and Jennifer Ruth Jones and was produced by Gardner, Warner Davis, Brian Hillard, Rachel Kooyman, Chris Mills III and Diane Woodhouse. Check out the highlights from our interview with Gardner below!

Dread Central: Start off by introducing yourselves a bit to our readers- how did you get into filmmaking and more specifically, what go you into the horror genre?

Erik Gardner:Well, I'm originally from New Jersey and I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in making horror movies. Why horror movies? When I was about six years old, my grandmother took me to a double feature -- King Kong and William Castle’s Bug which scared the shit out of me. I swear, I had nightmares for months. It was about radioactive cockroaches that would crawl on people’s faces and light them on fire. Probably not something you should take a six-year-old two (laughs)- thanks, Grandma.

And my stepfather was a huge horror buff; when I was in my teens, we’d scour video store shelves for new horror to watch on weekends. He was the kind of guy who would watch a zombie movie, then chase my mother around the house saying, “Braaaiiins!” When he was done, my New Yorker mother would catch her breath and call him a stupid ass.

So I went to film school in Philadelphia; the moment I picked up an old wind-up Bell & Howell camera, it solidified the fact I wanted to be a filmmaker. Actually, I started out wanting to be cinematographer. At the time, Bill Pope was Sam Raimi’s cinematographer and I tracked down Bill through Renaissance Pictures and interview him about the movies he shot with Sam. You know, I wanted to know how they did all those kinetic camera moves. It was awesome.

Once I moved to Los Angeles, I repeatedly sent my resume to Renaissance until I landed a gig on a Sam Raimi television show called American Gothic. The show was created by Shaun Cassidy; the best show I’ve ever worked on. I bounced around on Shaun Cassidy shows at Universal Studios for years and learned a lot about production, development and screenwriting. From there, I moved to MGM and worked there for very long time and while doing this I moonlighted as a horror filmmaker. Then I left MGM for a short time to make a little independent horror movie that Lionsgate distributed called The Mangler Reborn.

Dread Central: Where did the story idea for Blue Hole originate from? I'm very familiar with the Pine Barrens and the Jersey Devil but this seems to be a somewhat different spin on that lore.

Erik Gardner:Most of the horror stories I write start with a true story. I collect stories from newspapers, weird websites, etc. with the hopes that I find stuff that intrigues me. BLUE HOLE was one of those. It caught my eye because, of course, I’m from New Jersey and grew up around those locations. After letting the story gestate in my mind for a while, I came up with a cool spin and wrote the short.

Dread Central: Did you guys go and shoot in the Pine Barrens then?

Erik Gardner:Blue Hole was shot about two and half hours north of Los Angeles in a mountain town called Pine Mountain Club. It’s an amazing community of log cabins nestled within a Pine Forest. It took a while to find a good location, but I think we accomplished it.

When we first scouted the location there was snow. I was very excited. My mind thought- “Great! Blood and snow, that's a perfect color combination.” But when we returned to shoot, it was 24 degrees out and unfortunately, all the snow had melted. It was a bummer, but you adapt. It’s really what independent filmmaking is all about. Use whatever you have and make it work; in doing so, happy accidents can and usually do happen.

Dread Central: Tell us more about your cast for Blue Hole.

Erik Gardner:You know, I've always tried to surround myself with people that I respect and love. You know, use friends and pseudo-family to make movies. And Scott Speiser who’s one of the leads in Blue Hole was my film The Mangler Reborn and we have a great relationship; he’s versatile and I knew I wanted to use him in Blue Hole. At the time, he was performing in Blue Man Group out of New York.

Drew Wicks and I worked together at MGM. He’s an incredibly talented actor who has been in a ton of commercials and television. I wanted somebody with a comedic edge and Drew was the perfect fit. Plus, Scott got to hit them with an axe- I knew I had to see that happen.

I had never met Caitlin Rose Williams or Aubrey Mozino before. After our casting session, I was nervous because I hadn't landed my leading ladies so, I let a few email video reads and that’s how I landed Caitlin and Aubrey. Aubrey had literally just moved to California from Philadelphia and we were making a movie about the New Jersey Pine Barrens, which is somewhat close to Philly so it was kind of like kismet, right? Aubrey had never been in a horror movie, never experienced makeup prosthetics either but she has now.

And Caitlin’s video audition was awesome. She actually sent her video read in before we even had a casting session. It was obvious she was the perfect blend of attractive and tough which is exactly what the lead character needed to be. But at the end of the day, this cast was the best I have ever worked with.

Dread Central: After seeing the teaser, it's very evident that atmosphere is everything in Blue Hole; how difficult is it developing that kind of atmosphere in short-form storytelling?

Erik Gardner:I wanted to tell a cohesive story in around 10 minutes and stay true to a mythology and hook but tone and atmosphere is everything to me. I’m not a fan of fast action and cuts in horror movies; I like to build that impending doom and create a sense of dread. As far as scares are concerned, I think of horror as comedy where there's a set up and payoff; when you mix these elements together with great visual style, and an unnerving score/sound design, and hopefully, you’ve got yourself a creepy film.

Dread Central: You've had a lot of success on the festival circuit with Blue Hole- what's been your favorite memory so far?

Erik Gardner:Strangely enough, I’ve never festival-ed any of my films before this. The festival circuit was a completely new experience for me so it was great meeting many incredibly talented filmmakers.

After having just screened Blue Hole at Shriekfest, an older man behind me starts talking to me about the shorts. He says to me, “Which one was yours?” I answer, and ask if he liked it. He starts going on and on about how cool Blue Hole was and then says bluntly, “It should be a feature.” So, I started writing one and now I'm writing that feature and dream of finding the right financiers to make it. It’s a bit bigger than the short version, but definitely sticks with the mythology and tone.

Dread Central: Are you working on anything else right now then?

Erik Gardner:I’ve written a new web series pilot called I Am an Exorcist; it’s based on another true story about an exorcist who actually killed a young girl and went to prison but of course I’ve taken some artistic liberties. There are some crazy twists and it's definitely not your typical exorcism story by far. I’m using the same cast/crew. My producing partner Michael Alberts (he edited Blue Hole) and I have a budget in place and we’re shooting in a few months. Baked FX (Game of Thrones) will be doing our VFX and it’ll be my first foray into the VFX world. We’re going to shoot the pilot but also cut a short film version with a closed alt-ending that we can take on the festival circuit.

Before last week's "The Walking Dead" episode ended, we already knew that the peace talk would fail, resulting in both Rick and the Governor readying their troops for war. This week's Andrea-centric episode entitled "Prey" was written by Glen Mazzara and Evan Reilly and directed by Stefan Schwartz.

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read any further if you haven’t watched the episode yet. This is a recap with specific details from this episode. Continue only if you have already watched it.

In a flashback, Michonne tied her zombie pets to a tree before joining Andrea for a "girls' night" dinner over the campfire. Michonne hesitated when Andrea asked where Michonne found her pets. "They deserved what they got. They weren't human to begin with," offered Michonne before shutting down the topic. At Woodbury, the Governor shackled up some chains while creepily happy imagining his prisoner in them. We can only guess who that might be, right?

Woodbury fighters were arming their vehicles before Andrea interrupted. Milton clarified that it was precautionary. Milton later found the Governor with torture tools and was disgusted, leading to him revealing to Andrea the Governor's plan. Milton even brought Andrea to the observatory view over the torture room. When Milton begged Andrea to leave, Andrea decided she had to kill the Governor. Andrea aimed her gun from above at the unsuspecting Governor, but Milton stopped her and described the disastrous consequences. So Andrea had to return to the prison, but Milton refused to go with her.

Outside, henchman Martinez accosted Andrea and relieved her of her weapons. The Governor "apologized" to Andrea for keeping her in the dark and asked her to join him at their meeting with Rick the next day.

At a watch, Sasha tried to train a really bad shot Tyreese how to shoot zombies when Andrea showed up to try to distract them from the wall. Failing that, Andrea just climbed over and ran off but not before suggesting the same for Tyreese and Sasha.

Tyreese and Sasha told henchman Martinez and the Governor, who implied that Andrea was not well in the head.

Outside, the Governor told Milton that he would go hunt Andrea. The Governor also got angry when he learned that Andrea knew about his plan for Michonne.

After henchman Martinez ordered Tyreese, Sasha, Allen and Ben to join the armed trucks, Allen and Tyreese had a disagreement about Allen's wife. Turned out that Tyreese had saved her once, and Allen then became jealous of Tyreese.

Running on the main road, Andrea heard an oncoming truck and hid in the woods, where she was attacked by several walkers. Andrea managed to put them down unscathed all by herself and her small knife.

Henchman Martinez brought Tyreese and his group to a pit filled by walkers and ordered them to load the walkers into an attack truck. When Tyreese refused to help and exchanged some heated words with Allen, he and Allen got into a fight. Tyreese overpowered Allen easily and showed some never-been-seen-before anger before it subsided. Henchman Martinez ordered them back to town instead.

Running through a field, the Governor in a truck found Andrea and tried to run her down. She managed to escape then and found some abandoned warehouse buildings with the Governor hot on her trail. The Governor continued to hunt for her in the dark inside the buildings. As he got close to finding her, he was distracted by walkers whom he promptly dispatched of sadistically. When Andrea had to kill one that was in her way, she gave up her location. The Governor found and cornered her, but she was saved by an encroaching horde of walkers.

In the dark of night, both a truckload of walkers and the full zombie pit were torched and burned down by a mysterious figure.

Andrea almost made it to the prison, but before Rick could see her, the Governor caught her by surprise.

Returning to Woodbury, the Governor lied to Martinez about not catching Andrea. Then Martinez informed the Governor about the walker burning sabotage and said he suspected Tyreese and his group. When the Governor met up with Tyreese and his group, Tyreese confronted the Governor about his plan to attack the prison group with walkers, which the Governor brushed off as just a scare tactic. The smooth-talking Governor even got Tyreese to apologize. When the Governor asked about the gasoline, he realized that Tyreese didn't do it.

Milton encountered the Governor, asking if he had killed Andrea, but the Governor answered vaguely. When Milton brought up the walker sabotage topic, the Governor realized who was behind it. As the camera panned inside a building, we found Andrea shackled in the Governor's torture chair.

How will Andrea get out of her jam now? Do you want her to live?

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