We live in a world in which the next generation will never understand or get the concept of free love. In the Sixties and Seventies you could hump freely with pregnancy and minor STD's being your only worry. It's amazing how that generation has grown up into such stodgy old pricks with sticks up their asses.

In any event, on tap right now we have your first look at the Seventies / Eighties inspired flick Rabid Love directed and written by Paul J. Porter for Rogue Taurus Productions and BAR Productions in Association with Open Wound Films.

Director Paul Porter wrote in to let us know some pretty interesting news to boot!

"Rabid Love has secured U.S. THEATRICAL distribution" writes Porter. "This doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to go to just any theater and see the movie, but it does mean that we have signed a contract that adds Rabid Love to the 2013 B Movie Road Tour. This tour will put Rabid Love in at least 90 theaters across the country, mostly in the Midwest, and guarantees at least 200 screenings of the film!"

Neat!

Hayley Derryberry, Jessicsa Sonneborn, Brandon Stacy, Josh Hammond, and Hannah Landberg star in the indie flick which centers on five recent college grads who get together for one last vacation in the woods during the summer of 1984. Of course something goes violently wrong and one of them is infected with a mad scientist's synthetic rabies virus.

The Silver Cinema in Poughkeepsie, NY, is the home of the Hudson Horror Show. Set in a location that is convenient for both upstaters and city dwellers, HHS7 is planning another sellout show this Saturday, June 8th.

The 12-hour film festival is being headlined by a 20th anniversary screening of Army of Darkness as well as the film that introduced us to Bill Moseley, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. Also screening will be cult favorites Infra-Man and the first ever Hudson Valley screening of 70's exploitation flick Gone With the Pope. Hudson Horror Show recently unveiled the name of their mystery fifth film... Lucio Fulci's House by the Cemetery.

In addition to the films mentioned, Hudson Horror Show 7 will also screen classic trailers, feature a variety of vendors and host a ton of giveaways, including a bunch of swag being tossed to the crowd by yours truly, Dread Central's Doctor Gash, Scott Hallam.

For tickets and more information on the show, visit the official Hudson Horror Show website, 'like'Hudson Horror Show on Facebook and follow Hudson Horror Show on Twitter (@HudsonHorror).

One of the questions The Seen and The Unseen has thought about on a regular basis is simply this: If ET's are from such an advanced civilization, why the heck can’t they drive?

UFO lore is full of supposed crashes, including the world famous Roswell Incident of 1947. Now we have this report from the International Business Times (must have been a slow business news day) that an alien crashed into the active Mexican volcano Popocatepetl. According to the reports, this might be the real deal, as a certified visual expert, Marc Dantonio, believes the video is for real, although he refused to speculate as to nature of the object. (Come on, Marc; SPECULATE ALREADY!)

Dantonio states that, “When played back at normal video speeds, the object is made to appear to be moving very fast, but, in fact, it is moving at aircraft speeds if you play it at the proper frame rate for the capture.”

Which really begs the question: Will Dantonio be called by some Glaxaor Farm Insurance agent to testify about the negligence of one Glacknor, who drunkenly crashed his UFO into a volcano?

The official trailer for Kevin and Michael Goetz's Scenic Route, starring Josh Duhamel and Dan Fogler, has hit the interwebs; and we have it for you hot, fresh, and deliciously bloody! Read on to check it out!

Look for the flick to be available on VOD July 26, 2013, in theatres August 23, 2013, and on DVD September 24, 2013.

Synopsis
Mitchell (Josh Duhamel) and Carter (Dan Fogler), life-long friends who have drifted apart, are on a road trip when their old pickup breaks down, leaving them stranded on an isolated desert road. Nobody can pick apart a man like his best friend, and as the relentless elements of the desert grind them down, they start to attack each other’s life decisions with unwavering brutality. As they question who they are and who they could have been, their agitation leads to physical confrontation and ultimately knife-wielding madness, and what begins as an inconvenience becomes a very real life or death struggle.

In the UK and wondering when you might be able to see "Under the Dome," which begins airing in the US on June 24th? Well, wonder no longer as Channel 5 has closed a deal with CBS Studios International to acquire the exclusive first-run UK broadcast rights to the show.

Per TV Wise, the series will begin airing sometime in the fall with the exact dates to be announced soon.

Speaking about the deal, Katie Keenan, Channel 5′s Head of Acquisitions, said:“We are thrilled to be bringing this unmissable drama event to our viewers later this year. Stephen King, the master of mystery and suspense, transports the viewer into a world of intrigue, drama, and action.”

Armando Nunez, President and CEO of CBS Global Distribution Group, added: “'Under the Dome' is a very unique and highly anticipated summer television event in the US. We’re excited to be working with Channel 5 to bring this high-quality CBS production to UK audiences.”

Synopsis:
"UNDER THE DOME" 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.

"UNDER THE DOME" is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Amblin Television. Neal Baer, Stephen King, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider, and Brian K. Vaughan, who wrote the television adaptation, serve as executive producers. Acclaimed director Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) directed the first episode. The series stars Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre, Dean Norris, Natalie Martinez, Britt Robertson, Alexander Koch, Colin Ford, Nicholas Strong, Jolene Purdy, Ned Bellamy, and Aisha Hinds.

Visit underthedome.com to sign up for more info.

Square Enix has unveiled the next game in the Deus Ex series entitled Deus Ex: The Fall. Fans will be able to get the game on their mobile or tablet devices in an all-new adventure set in the year 2027. Read on to learn more about what is ahead.

From the Press Release
Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announced DEUS EX: THE FALL, the new installment of the award-winning DEUS EX® series, coming soon to mobile and tablet devices.

DEUS EX: THE FALL is set in 2027– a golden era for science, technology and human augmentation, but also a time of great social divide and global conspiracy. Powerful corporations have seized control from governments and command the drug supply needed by augmented humans to survive. In this chaos Ben Saxon, a former British SAS Mercenary who underwent physical augmentation, is desperate for the truth behind the drug conspiracy. Betrayed by his private military employers, the Tyrants, not only is his own life at risk, but for all augmented humans, time is running out…

Developed by the Square Enix Mobile division in Europe, in collaboration with the original DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION® team at Eidos-Montréal and N-Fusion, DEUS EX: THE FALL is a story-driven action-RPG and the first DEUS EX in the series to be released on mobile and tablet devices. The game includes never before seen characters from the novel published by Random House, DEUS EX: THE ICARUS EFFECT, picking up directly where the book finishes.

“We’re really excited to continue the DEUS EX series on mobile and start a new journey”, said Jean-François Dugas, Executive Game Director at Eidos-Montréal. “The team has done an incredible job creating a whole new story and controls for intuitive touch screen gameplay, whilst staying true to the DEUS EX universe. Players can expect exploration, action, hacking, stealth, social enhancers, player choice and consequence- the full DEUS EX experience.”

“Smart devices are central to Square Enix’s platform strategy, and we approach it with the same attention as our boxed and digital releases. DEUS EX: THE FALL is going to be testament to our commitment in delivering high quality entertainment on mobile and tablet devices,” said Antony Douglas, General Manager of Square Enix Mobile.

Priced at $6.99, the first installment of the mobile series will be available this summer.

DEUS EX: THE FALL will be playable at the Square Enix booth at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in the South Hall #1647.

To learn more, visit the official Deus Ex: The Fall website.

While we wait for Anthony DiBlasi's Cassadaga and Missionary to get released here Stateside, the director is already hard at work on his next feature, Paymon, and we've got the first details and more!

DiBlasi directs from a script he wrote with Scott Poiley, who also serves as producer along with Mary Poiley. Juliana Harkavy stars.

Synopsis
Officer Jessica Loren (Harkavy) has the last shift at a transitioning police station, assigned to wait for a hazmat crew who’s coming to pick up bio-hazard waste from the armory. But unbeknownst to Jessica, it’s more than just an old station. Cult leader John Michael Paymon has haunted the department ever since he and two of his followers committed suicide on the night they were captured. And now Jessica is about to find out how dangerous they can really be when she’s left all alone on this graveyard shift.

Some quick casting news is coming in for Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak. The Wrap reports that Emma Stone has left the project and taking her place could be Stoker's Mia Wasikowska.

Wasikowska is being eyed to play a young author named Edith Cushing, who discovers that her charming new husband is not who he appears to be. Jessica Chastain also stars alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Charlie Hunnam. Plot details are unknown as del Toro and Lucinda Coxon work through a rewrite on a script del Toro and Matthew Robins originally penned.

Del Toro previously described the film as “a very set-oriented, classical but at the same time modern take on the ghost story. It will allow me to play with the conventions of the genre I know and love and at the same time subvert the old rules.”

Legendary will produce and be a participating financing partner on the movie, with Universal Pictures retaining an option to finance at a later date.

Look for more hopefully soon!

The pilot for A&E's "Occult" has just expanded by two as both Daniel Henney and Brennan Brown have signed on to co-star in the project, which already boasts a pretty impressive cast with Josh Lucas, Lynn Collins, and Agnes Bruckner.

The potential new series is written by James Wong ("The X-Files,""Millennium,""American Horror Story"), who will executive produce with Michael Bay and his partners at Platinum Dunes, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller, producing.

"Occult" revolves around Dolan, an FBI agent (Lucas) who has returned from administrative leave after going off the deep end while investigating his wife’s disappearance. Eager to be back on the job, he is paired with an agent with her own complicated back story who specializes in the occult (Collins). Together, they will solve cases for the newly formed occult crimes task force. Bruckner will play Lucy, an attractive, edgy young soul caught up in the occult. Presumed dead after being shot in the heart, she rises from the autopsy table, possessed and hell-bent on joining her fellow cultists.

Henney (below left; The Last Stand, "Three Rivers") will play Thompson, the Special Agent in Charge, investigating the abduction of the Governor’s daughter, who has recruited Dolan. Brown (below right; "Person of Internest,""It Could Be Worse") will play Monroe, Assistant Director of the FBI field office in New Orleans.

Breaking news from Alice Cooper on Twitter! The king of your rock 'n roll nightmares just announced that he's recorded a commentary for Scream Factory's upcoming Blu-ray release of John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness!

Here's how Alice broke the news:

"Just did some commentary for the upcoming #BluRay release of #JohnCarpenter's #PrinceOfDarkness! I still look good!"

Pre-order links will be up soon at ScreamFactoryDVD.com, where there will be an exclusive limited 18” x 24” poster offer with purchase. More details on additional extras will be announced later on this summer.

Street date is set for September 24th. For more in the meantime visit the official Scream Factory website, and "like"Scream Factory on Facebook.

Synopsis
Proving that you can never guess what you'll find when you clean out the basement, a man of the cloth discovers that ultimate evil has made a hiding place in his cellar in this tale of terror. Father Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is a priest who discovers a strange object in a church basement -- a canister filled with a swirling and volatile green substance. With the help of Professor Birack (Victor Wong), Loomis discovers the startling truth about his find -- it seems that Satan, who is actually an alien life form, had a son, and the essence of the devil's spawn is trapped inside the canister. The evil spirit has been guarded by a group calling themselves "The Brotherhood of Sleep," but the spirit has the ability to free itself whenever it decides the time is right...and it seems that time is just around the corner. Prince of Darkness was directed by horror master John Carpenter; he also wrote the screenplay under the pseudonym Martin Quatermass.

The first stills from the latest indie spooker, A Haunting in Thornby, have arrived, and we have every paranormal-based pixel of them right here for your perusal. Check them out, and look for more on this one soon!

From the Press Release
A Haunting in Thornby is a co-production from Raging Bull Entertainment and Khoury A. Marriot Productions. This haunted house styled thriller completed production in May, and the film has secured a fourth quarter release through UnCork’D Entertainment. In the vein of Stanley Kubrick’s classic The Shining and Tomas Alfredson’s dark coming of age thriller Let the Right One, A Haunting in Thornby will unsettle audiences in a similar fashion this November.

Several photos from the film shoot at the Taft Ranch in Atascadero, California, have been released. The stills show some of the gorgeous sets and eclectic cast, which were part of production. Actor Judd Nelson, who stars as Mr. Franklin, is shown in two of the photos. Mr. Franklin is the owner of a prestigious architectural firm in the film. Also, actress and producer Autumn Federici is shown comforting young actress Vivienne Bollinger in between takes. Autumn plays Anne, a waitress who knows something about the mysterious old town. A dark secret lurks in this secluded home and in the town of Thornby. Part of that secret can be previewed in one of several stills found here, released by director Matt Hish.

The cast and crew recently celebrated the film’s final wrap. Autumn Federici said of the cast, "Justin Jones and I hit a home run with this cast, director and crew! Everyone brought their ‘A Game’ and it will show with the final product."

Actor Neil Dickson, who plays Erik, had praise for director Hish: “Working with Matt Hish is an absolute joy; he is an actor's director, a rarity in film! He is disgustingly talented and I want to work with him again.”

Synopsis
A traumatic event forces Tom (Rib Hillis) and Brenda (Jessica Morris) to move with their young son from Los Angeles back to Brenda’s small Northern California hometown. In their new homestead odd occurrences and bizarre, unsettling events begin to unfold. A century’s old secret that threatens to destroy the family begins to reveal itself in a horrifying fashion.

With Universal’s Blumhouse Productions horror/thriller The Purge opening wide in theatres this Friday, June 7th, we chatted with cast member Max Burkholder regarding his experiences while working on the film. Read on!

Fifteen-year-old Burkholder, who portrays son Charlie to parents James (Ethan Hawke) and Mary (Lena Headey), has had a rather prolific career as a voice actor for several animated television series and films, and in addition he currently appears on the dramatic-comedy television series "Parenthood." In filmmaker James DeMonaco’s The Purge his wholesome and comedic acting talents are dampened, however, as in the narrative he finds himself a member of a suburban family terrorized by home invaders during a twelve-hour period in which any and all criminal activity has been made legal.

Dread Central: What drew you to a project so much heavier in tone than your previous work?

Burkholder: Yeah, this is a little heavier. I guess I just thought that it was a really cool idea, and I’ve always liked things that are sort of based off a singular idea and then build from there. Also, I thought it might be good to go a little past my comfort zone because I’ve never really done anything like a thriller or a horror film before, so I thought that could be interesting.

Dread Central: Were you a fan of horror films prior to joining this production?

Burkholder: I don’t watch them much, but after how fun it was to shoot this one, I might actually start watching more.

Dread Central: How was your working relationship with Ethan Hawke?

Burkholder: He’s very, very serious about his job, but he’s such a nice guy. He was great to work with, and he taught me a lot. And I love “Game of Thrones,” so working with Lena (Headey), oh my god, I was star-struck. It was surreal, but after a while for me she sort of stopped being [her character on that series] Cersei and was just Lena, just my friend Lena.

Dread Central: As an actor, what did you find more challenging: the physicality of the role or maintaining the intensity inherent to it?

Burkholder: I think it was definitely keeping up the intensity. The physicality wasn’t very hard. For most of the movie I’m in a continuously deteriorating emotional state, so that was hard to keep up for five hours a day.

Dread Central: What place within yourself did you go to in order to fuel that intensity?

Burkholder: I don’t suppose that I really go to a place, and I don’t know what other people do, but what I do is sort of try and not to get to a fearful, terrified or scared state. I sort of clear any emotion and then sort of let it manifest.

Dread Central: How was your working relationship with writer and director DeMonaco?

Burkholder: He’s so amazing. He really trusted us with the characters and the script a lot, and the only time he gave direction was when it was necessary. He didn’t over-direct us, which was really nice. We also had a common interest. We both like video games, so that was fun when we were not working, something that we could talk about.

Dread Central: What are your thoughts on the film?

Burkholder: I saw it a couple of nights ago, and I hate watching myself [on screen] personally because I always look and see something and think, ‘I could have done that better, and I can see now that there was a way that I could have done that better,’ but the fan screening was really fun because I got to see their actual reactions to the movie in real time. That was interesting. There was a lot of cheering going on with all of the killing, and that was fun.

Read our The Purge review here!

Directed by James DeMonaco (writer of Assault on Precinct 13 and The Negotiator), The Purge is produced by Jason Blum of Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister) and Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form (The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as well as Sébastien Kurt Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13). It stars Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, and Adelaide Kane.

Look for it in theatres on June 7th.

Synopsis
In an America wracked by crime, the government has sanctioned an annual 12-hour period in which any and all criminal activity—including murder—is legal. The police can’t be called. Hospitals suspend help. It is one night when the citizenry regulates itself without thought of punishment. On this night plagued by violence and an epidemic of crime, one family wrestles with the decision of who they will become when a stranger comes knocking.

The weekend is officially in sight, and we have a question for you... Who's down for a little vampire action to get through the morning? Not the brooding or sparkling kind either. The real deal! If you answered "yes," then this story is for you!

From award-winning director Ben Mole comes The Case of Mary Ford starring Branko Tomovic (Entity), Yannis Stankoglou (Hostage), and Dimitra Hatoupi (The Third Night) with newcomer Tamar Karabetyan.

Check out the first set of stills from the flick, which was adapted from the award-winning short story by John Mole and tells the story of the Greek legend of the Vrykolakas, a vampire from the sea.

Synopsis
New York City, 1913. Recent Greek immigrant Mary Ford is accused of killing her lover. Mary claims the real murderer is her husband. But her husband… is already dead. Maria’s defense relies on the story of how she came to America. Her tale begins five thousand miles away in her birthplace in the old world, a village on the shores of the Black Sea in Greek Asia Minor. Here a web of jealousy, intrigue, mystery, deceit, murder, and finally escape leads us to a dramatic climax, in which love endures beyond the grave.

Konami has announced that fans will be able to purchase the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Ultimate Edition in August for PC. The game will feature the full game alongside two add-on chapters.

If you can't wait for Lords of Shadow 2, then this is the perfect way to hold yourself over until its release.

From the Press Release
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced that its acclaimed Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be released for Windows PC in an Ultimate Edition in August via both physical and digital means.

A stunning sales success since its launch on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a dark and vivid reimagining of the Castlevania mythology. The PC edition features the full game and two add-on chapters and will be available across Europe to download via Steam on August 27th, with a boxed product following on August 30th.

The stunning 3D epic is set at the end of days, and dark powers isolate the Earth. The World’s alliance with the Heavens has been threatened by a dark and malevolent force – the eponymous Lords of Shadow. Across this shattered land, the souls of the dead wander unable to find peace, whilst creatures of evil wreak chaos and death upon the living.

Enter Gabriel Belmont: a member of the Brotherhood of Light, an elite group of holy knights who protect and defend the innocent against the supernatural. His beloved wife was brutally murdered by evil forces and her soul trapped for eternity. Neither living nor dead, she foresees the horrific truth of what is at stake and guides Gabriel to his destiny – and hopefully salvation for the world.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Ultimate Edition boasts a number of key advances:

New Exploration: Explore gothic ruins, dark castles, barren forests and frozen wastelands. Discover a whole world to investigate with many routes and hidden secret places that contain items to aid Gabriel on his quest.

To learn more, visit the official Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Steam page.

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Just how evil can one person be? When it comes to the exploits of one Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski, his devilry knows no bounds. Don't believe us? Then check out this latest crop of clips from The Iceman.

The film, directed by Ariel Vromen, stars Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, James Franco, Ray Liotta and Chris Evans. Look for more on this one intermittently.

Synopsis:
The Iceman is the true story of Richard Kuklinski: loving husband, devoted father, ruthless killer. He is believed to have killed more than 250 people between 1954 and 1985.

A new clip has arrived for V/H/S/2 (review), and it's home to one full minute of bizarre and bloody happenings! Look for the anthology film on iTunes/On Demand TODAY followed by a July 12th theatrical release via Magnet Releasing.

For more information right now, check out the official V/H/S/2 Facebook page!

V/H/S/2 is produced by The Collective, Salient Media, and Brad Miska and Tom Owen’s Bloody Disgusting. Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Edúardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Timo Tjahjanto, Gareth Huw Evans, and Jason Eisener all directed entries in this latest anthology. The cast includes Adam Wingard, Lawrence Levine, L.C Holt, Kelsy Abbott, and Hannah Hughes.

Synopsis:
Searching for a missing student, two private investigators break into his abandoned house and find another collection of mysterious VHS tapes. In viewing the horrific contents of each cassette, they realize there may be terrifying motives behind the student’s disappearance.

Like us, haven’t you long suspected that all Taco Bells are portals to the warped dimensions of Cthulhu or the Great God Pan? Think about it. You know you shouldn't eat at Taco Bell. You know the meat is Grade Z, at best...

Yet, somehow, for some reason, the pull to eat there is slow, insistent and comes when you've had a few too many beers. Not to mention all the videos of Taco Bell employees doing unspeakable things to your food. Only possessed people would so such things, right?

It’s now been confirmed many Taco Bells are haunted. Oh, and that employees do demonic things to your food. In an article from The Examiner, Taco Bell employees are telling their ghost stories, which include the tale of one Taco Bell where there appear to be three spirits that linger around for the fourth meal - the ghosts of a young girl, a military service veteran, and a woodsman have all been witnessed in the building. Even more disturbing, the Examiner reports, is that employees are doing awful things to the food like licking taco shells - you know, like that Gene Simmons devil from Kiss - thus proving the spirits of the damned don’t want you to enjoy your soft shell taco.

Excuse me while I vomit in my mouth a little.

So, the next time you get a craving for “Fourth Meal”, take along a voice recorder. You might just get an EVP that says, “Dude, that isn’t an extra dab of guacamole. Travis blew snot into your burrito.”

We cannot wait to hear the reaction of you cats when you finally get to see Franck Khalfoun's masterful reboot of Maniac (review). Sit tight! We're just a few weeks away, but for now we have several new images to tide you over. Check 'em out!

Look for Maniac to open in select theaters, on iTunes, and on VOD platforms June 21st.

Synopsis:
Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt. Frank (Elijah Wood) is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna (Nora Arnezeder) appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank's obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill. A 21st century Jack the Ripper set in present day L.A., Franck Khalfoun's Maniac, produced by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Haute Tension) and composed by Rob of the band Phoenix, is a re-boot of the William Lustig cult film considered by many to be the most suspenseful slasher movie ever made - an intimate, visually daring, psychologically complex and profoundly horrific trip into the downward spiraling nightmare of a killer and his victims.

Alrighty, kids, it's time for a little exclusive eye candy! On tap right now is the official poster for Harrison Smith's new tale of indie terror, Dead.tv. Call your local cable provider and scream for it. If only to hear the reaction of the poor schlep answering the phone.

Eric Roberts and Felissa Rose co-star. Writer/director B. Harrison Smith's Dead.tv will be released later this year.

For more info check out some exclusive stills here, visit the official Dead.tv website, and follow @deadtvmovie on Twitter.

Synopsis
Shot in Northeast Pennsylvania, Dead.tv focuses on Eric Roberts' character, Julian Barrett, a former 80s horror director whose career hit the skids and who is attempting a reboot of his faded horror franchise. A group of young adults are hand-picked to star in a reality show pilot based on the plots of all three of Barrett's former films. Syfy Channel's "Monster Man," Cleve Hall, designed and supervised the makeup effects.

You want badass? You've GOT badass. Special effects legend and Academy Award-winning creature designer Tom Woodruff, Jr., is getting ready to slide into the director's chair for a project you're hearing about here for the very first time!

Below you'll find the first artwork and a sneak peek at the short film King of Miseries directed by Woodruff as a stand-alone film that will set the stage for his feature length directorial debut, Fire City: The Interpreter of Signs.

Woodruff brings 20-plus years of experience and dozens of big-budget studio projects under his belt as well as his creature effects house, Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. with partner Alec Gillis. ADI’s movies include X-Men: First Class, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Alien 3, Alien vs. Predator, and most recently Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

After years working under Sam Winston, the godfather of special effects, known for everything from Aliens to Terminator to Avatar, Tom Woodruff, Jr., partnered with Alec Gillis to create Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. in the late 1980’s. Their first film was Tremors, followed by David Fincher’s sequel Alien 3. ADI quickly grew to become one of the major character effects companies in the business today, with their work gathering numerous accolades and awards including an Academy Award for Death Becomes Her and multiple Academy Award nominations for Starship Troopers and Alien 3.

The duo are currently trying to raise funds for another all practical effects monster movie Harbinger Down.

Tom also played the demon “Rufus” in the January 2011 footage of Fire City and is looking forward to helming its prequel, The Interpreter of Signs.

King of Miseries stars John Robinson, Stacy Haiduk, and Denesa Chan. Writing-producing team Brian Lubocki and Michael Hayes, under their banner Okay By Me Productions, created a new story world called Fire City, where demons live in a fragile balance among us, but humans can’t see them for what they are. With a unique mythology, a world origin never seen before, a host of creatures, characters and storylines, Lubocki and Hayes plan to slowly roll out their world to an avid fan base waiting for a new franchise, beginning with a short film premiering online.

The short film centers on a fortune teller in the demon world, called an interpreter of signs (Haiduk), who reads the fortune of a paranoid demon named Christopher (Robinson) and discovers he’s not telling her the full story. After forcing him to reveal he’s found a device, a chronolet, that allows its user to travel back in time, the interpreter pleads with Christopher not to use the device. Not only is it impossible for her to read the fortune of a past which hasn’t happened yet, the device poses too great a danger. Will he take her advice or will he risk our future and his own for a demon’s chance at an untold fortune?

Dig on the goods below, which include the aforementioned sneak peek and poster art along with the tarot cards that are used by the Interpreter in the film (they are said to be the demon tarot and come with their own mythology as well) and an early look at the comic book tie-in, which will be available next month at San Diego Comic-Con next month and explains what happened to our characters before the start of the short film. Is that a lot to digest? Well, sure it is, but damn if it isn't sweet!