Today is the day that we were going to announce the winners for our Monsterworld film. Last weekend we let you know that the submission drive was entering its last week.

Little did we know that we’d be inundated and overwhelmed with new entries. Damn you guys for waiting for the last minute! As a result of needing to go through all these new submissions we’re gonna need just a bit longer to pick our winners.

Stay tuned as we will be announcing winners shortly and let me tell you… some of these films are absolutely insane. Great job, guys! You’ve made our jobs more difficult in the best possible of ways!

The post Monsterworld Update! appeared first on Dread Central.

The Exorcist and the story that it was based upon just keeps on giving. THR is reporting that Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch, the duo behind the horror movie Starry Eyes, have signed on to rewrite and direct Exorcism Diaries for Lionsgate label Summit Entertainment.

Based on true story that inspired the 1970s horror classic The Exorcist, Exorcism Diaries tells of a young woman, fresh out of rehab and looking to make amends, who discovers her family’s horrifying connection to the most famous exorcism of all time may be the cause behind her brother’s increasingly violent behavior.

Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard (Oculus) wrote the initial draft.

Producing are Roy Lee, Doug Davison, and Sonny Mallhi. John Middleton and Adam Stone are exec producing.

The post Exorcism Diaries Opening for Starry Eyes Duo appeared first on Dread Central.

Season 2 of “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” kicks off in exactly one week on August 25th, and to celebrate, we have an exclusive early look at a set of character cards from the show to share.

“From Dusk Till Dawn” airs on Tuesdays on the El Rey Network at 9pm ET. Robert Rodriguez, El Rey Network’s founder and chairman and creator of the 1995 cult-classic film of the same name, directs the season premiere and finale; additional Season 2 directors include showrunner Carlos Coto, Eduardo Sanchez, Alejandro Brugués, Joe Menendez, and Dwight Little.

Rodriguez said: “The first season of ‘Dusk’ reimagined the original film to allow us to expand our story and characters for future seasons. I’m excited for fans to now experience this completely new story arc where they will learn more about the ‘Dusk’ universe and their favorite characters within this dark, dangerous, crime world with a supernatural edge.”

Returning cast members D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Jesse Garcia, Eiza González, Wilmer Valderrama, Madison Davenport, Brandon Soo Hoo, and guest star Jake Busey are joined in the show’s sophomore season by Danny Trejo, Esai Morales, Jeff Fahey, Briana Evigan, and a guest starring appearance by Demi Lovato.

With 10 all-new, action-packed hour-long episodes, Season 2 of the horror/crime drama delves into a new and unexpected chapter for the characters after a night at the Titty Twister ripped apart everything they knew about themselves, each other, and their souls.  Our characters are all living in very separate worlds: Santánico and Richie are outside Houston, doing their best Bonnie and Clyde; Seth and Kate are scraping by South of the Border; and Freddie Gonzalez is protecting his wife and young daughter in the suburbs. Carlos Madrigal and Scott Fuller emerge from the Titty Twister changed men. They will all come together once again – this time facing off against an even bigger threat.

Miramax is distributing “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” internationally in all territories.

The post Exclusive Early Look at the From Dusk Till Dawn Character Card Series appeared first on Dread Central.

The After Dark “8 Films to Die For” Horrorfest returns this Halloween season, and joining previously announced titles Re-Kill, Murder in the Dark, The Wicked Within, Lumberjack Man, and Suspension is Unnatural, centered on a massive killer bear. Dig in for all the details!

From the Press Release:
Courtney Solomon’s After Dark Films is set to release the next ravenous horror film, Unnatural, in the “8 Films to Die For” horror lineup, hitting theaters October 16, 2015. This latest addition travels us to the cold, stark Alaskan wilderness, promising plenty of screams with no one to hear them.

Written by Ron Carlson and Arch Stanton, directed by Hank Braxtan, and produced by Ron Carlson, the film preys on our fear of the unknown and the unnatural.

“This film takes us far from civilization to the land of blood and snow, where it answers the age old question of what happens when Man plays God,” says Stephanie Caleb, EVP of Creative Affairs & Acquisitions at After Dark Films.

The film stars James Remar (“Dexter”), Sherilyn Fenn (Rude Awakening), Graham Greene (The Green Mile), Stephanie Hodes (Life Blood), Q’orianka Kilcher (The New World), Ivana Korab (If You Only Knew), Ray Wise (RoboCop), and Allegra Carpenter (The Fault in Our Stars).

“I really tried to take an old school approach to the movie,” said director Hank Braxtan. “We shot on anamorphic lenses, and I tried to do every gag, kill, and effect in camera. Our bear is a real animatronic monster, made by masters of the craft, so what you see on screen is really there. It was a challenge, as it always is with practicals, but that’s the magic of filmmaking.”

“8 Films to Die For” will be released in theaters on October 16, 2015, with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment handling all ancillary forms of media, including Digital HD, DVD, and VOD.

For more info visit the official After Dark Films website, “like” After Dark Films on Facebook, and you can follow After Dark Films on Twitter as well as After Dark Films on Instagram.

Synopsis:
A morally ambiguous corporation experiments with genetic modification, resulting in the creation of a man-hunting creature. When it escapes, a group of unsuspecting cabin dwellers become its prey in a horrifying game of cat and mouse. 

The post Unnatural – Sixth After Dark Horrorfest Title Announced appeared first on Dread Central.

New Line Cinema is moving forward with a new A Nightmare on Elm Street film, and fans are split as to the announcement. After Samuel Bayer’s underwhelming 2010 remake, there’s good reason to call for pause. Perhaps the franchise needs a few more years to breathe. Then again, maybe now is the perfect time to get the train back on the tracks, properly aligned.

With Orphan scribe David Leslie Johnson attached to the upcoming project, there’s clear hope for something refreshing, but any time an icon like Freddy Krueger is approached, there’s a risk of fumbling the ball, no matter how amazing you may be at crafting a story and transferring it to script format.

This is one of those situations that only time can clarify. No one expected Jackie Earle Haley to be able to hold a candle to Robert Englund’s performance as Krueger, and it turned out that Haley’s effort was the only good aspect of the remake… at times every bit as disquieting as Englund was in Wes Craven’s first franchise picture. Could anyone have accurately predicted such a shocking reality? Probably not. But we got it. And we could potentially get an astounding piece of art when New Line’s latest attempt to revive the brand makes its way to the masses.

We’re not going to hold our breaths for something special here, but we are going to lean on a positive thought process. Maybe if we will this film to be remarkable, it will be. As it stands, we’re dealing with a group of connected films that are sometimes remarkable, and sometimes a bit disappointing. Krueger is a hard character to nail, and his victims are hard to paint as sympathetic individuals. A few directors have sent the ball out of the park, and a few have popped out with little in the way of a fight. Here’s a look at the entire franchise and ranking of each piece, from best to worst. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the franchise we know (and love) as A Nightmare on Elm Street.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: One of the most petrifying films ever released, Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street not only ignited very genuine fear, it served as a launchpad for one of history’s most successful genre franchises and one of the world’s most recognizable and memorable antagonists. Let’s be real about it: Freddy Krueger is to 2015 what Dracula and The Wolf Man were to the generations before us. The burned murderer with knives for fingers turned the genre world on its head, the background of the character haunts to the core of our soul, and the execution of the project as a whole is deeply, deeply disconcerting. This is a fine example of a pitch-perfect horror film, and it has yet to be surpassed by any sequel’s attempt to replicate its impact.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors: After a dreadful immediate follow-up (sorry, it’s hard to get too into the homoerotic and sloppy experiment that was A Nightmare on Elm Street 2), Freddy’s transformation from king of nightmares to stand-up comedian was nearly complete. It shouldn’t have worked, not in a million years, but it did… at times. This is one of those times. There is still a very dark tone attached to the story, the special effects are top-notch times two, and there are characters that we invest a great deal of emotion in. That’s a wicked, wicked combination. There’s a very real reason that Dream Warriors is widely recognized as one of the very best of the franchise, and you don’t have to gaze too intently to see it. There’s magic to behold here.

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare: One of the earliest mainstream “meta” movies you’ll find, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare has everything that dedicated followers of A Nightmare on Elm Street adore. First, there’s an excellent, innovative story that carries us through the all too brief 112-minute runtime (no, that’s not a short film, but for a flick this engaging, it becomes hard to not crave more by the time the final credits roll). Next, just about all the players we grew to love (it would have, admittedly, been nice to see Johnny Depp make a serious appearance) from the first few films are present: Heather Langenkamp, Robert England, and even Wes Craven take on significant roles. And finally, the movie is frightening. All the comedy that began to contaminate the scare factor of the franchise is toast. It’s back to the old school days, and it works like a damn charm.

Freddy vs. Jason: In a lot of ways Freddy vs. Jason should be discarded from this list, It isn’t – technically speaking – an ANOES installment. However, it’s definitely got that feel, and it obviously puts Freddy Krueger on center stage as he battles fellow genre stud Jason Voorhees. The movie never takes itself too seriously but still manages to be rather creepy, and watching Freddy and Jason go toe-to-toe is very reminiscent of vintage Universal crossover pictures, which most of us (at least the older crowd) will likely agree are a true treat to take in. For a brainless blast, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than Freddy vs. Jason.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010): Here’s where the quality of the franchise begins to wane. Some may be surprised to see Samuel Bayer’s 2010 remake positioned this high in the list, but it does a few things very, very well. The faults of the film outweigh the glorious moments by a wide margin, but that can’t steal away from the respectable attempt at injecting new, original ideas into a very conversant story. Beyond the originality, however, is the absolutely stunning performance offered forth from Jackie Earle Haley, who replaces Robert Englund as the great Freddy Krueger.

Prior to the release of the film fans pegged the swap as a guaranteed pitfall of the film. It seemed the one thing that was just too taboo to attempt. Ironically, it just so happens to be the one and only truly – unquestionably – successful aspect of the flick. Haley is amazing and once more manages to make Krueger a terrifying menace. That performance alone elevates this picture above about half of the series installments.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master: The fourth feature in the series is a fun one, but the continued trend of shifting from horror to comedy weighs it down a bit. We all still want Freddy to be frightening because he’s one of, if not the most alarming villain ever conceived. We lose that in The Dream Master, but we do get to take in a few very innovative death scenes (Debbie’s death in particular is bonkers), and we also witness the deaths of a small handful of franchise favorites. It’s not a home run, but The Dream Master isn’t an outright dud either.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child: The well begins to feel extremely dry once we hit the fifth installment of ANOES. That’s kind of expected, as it is extremely rare to see any horror franchise truly thrive beyond a few feature-length pictures. There are still a small handful of endearing characters to study here, Krueger drops a handful of noteworthy punchlines, and the practical effects are commendable, even if not perfect.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge: It doesn’t get a whole lot uglier than this film. The screenplay is completely preposterous, and the rules of Krueger’s nightmare reality are suddenly abandoned in numerous sequences. The fact that the movie is an exercise in homosexual analysis isn’t a deal-breaker (I’m not homophobic, in the least, but in this particular instance it was not only a weird decision to make, but a wrong one as well), but it doesn’t add anything to a growing franchise with a mythos that has space to be explored. There are too many left-field scenes and plot points to consider the film much more than a nostalgically fun but technically weak pic.

Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare: There is no competition; Freddy’s Dead is the worst ANOES flick ever shot. It’s so over-the-top that even the comedy falls completely flat. The look of the film is abysmal and feels uncharacteristically cheap. There are no genuinely memorable moments in the picture, and there is absolutely nil in the way of appealing personalities. It’s hard to imagine anyone involved in this one actually carrying a sense of pride affixed to the production. It’s just an utter failure in every way, shape, and form.

The post Ranking the A Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise from Best to Worst appeared first on Dread Central.

Here at DC, we are huge fans of James Balsamo and his Acid Bath Production Company. We have good news for our readers in Kansas City, MO, as there’s a free screening of his newest film, Bite School, taking place on August 20th.

In addition, we have the film’s new trailer right here!

Featuring his usual insane number of cameos (including one of Dread Central’s own Doctor Gash, which you can see if you look closely at the trailer… watch for nachos and garbage cans), totally outrageous special effects, and blatantly gratuitous nudity, Balsamo’s newest film, Bite School, is just what you would expect from an Acid Bath film. The movie features Butch Patrick, Herschell Gordon Lewis, and Ron Jeremy with cameos by members of the bands Iced Earth, Nile, Goatwhore, Fit for an Autopsy, and The Banner.

There will be a free screening of Bite School at the Screenland Crossroads in Kansas City, MO, on Thursday, August 20, at 8 p.m. If you can’t make the screening, look for James Balsamo at Crypticon in KC over the weekend of August 21-23. “Like” Acid Bath Productions on Facebook to keep up with all the latest news and James Balsamo appearances.

Now enjoy the crazy, over-the-top insanity of the Bite School trailer. And if you dig it, you can pre-order Bite School here.

Synopsis:
Tony never thought a toilet plunger-shaped stake would save his life. Fast cars and big-breasted supermodels could be a thing of the past when Tony’s life takes a sudden change after his grandfather cuts him off from his inheritance. That is, unless Tony goes to night school to get his GED.

With his fortune on the line, Tony has no choice but to go back to school, where he falls in love with his classmate Vicky, a vampire princess, and makes friends with her roommate, a Hawaiian-shirt wearing, pot-smoking bat named Spat. Vicky, the heir to the throne of a vampire underworld, wants nothing more than to abandon her royalty, but a power-hungry high priestess is hellbent on taking Vicky’s crown anyway. When a blood moon rises, the priestess shows her true form as a two-headed bat creature with a snake body. Armed only with his plunger, Tony will need to stop her from destroying the world. But killing the beast and studying for a final won’t be easy.

See the most outrageous vampire horror-comedy that doesn’t suck. It’s an education you can really sink your teeth into.

The post James Balsamo Unleashing Bite School in Kansas City; Check Out the Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

Originally set to begin production this summer, the feature adaptation of Stephen King’s It recently ran into a major speed bump when Cary Fukunaga (“True Detective”) and New Line had a falling out, leaving the project without a director. Now, Fukunaga explains what happened.

Per Entertainment Weekly, Fukunaga has revealed this week what it was that caused him to depart the two-part adaptation, and he cites a simple case of clashing visions as the downfall of his involvement in bringing Pennywise to the big screen.

“It’s never easy,” he says. “Chase [Palmer] and I had been working on that script for probably three years. There was a lot of our childhood and our experience in it. Ultimately, we and New Line have to agree on the kind of movie we want to make, and we just wanted to make different movies.”

“It’s like a relationship,” he continued. “You can try to make the other person who you want them to be, but it’s impossible really to change. You just have to work.”

As we reported last month, Mama director Andy Muschietti is set to take over the directorial reins. A new script is currently in the works.

King’s massive 1986 novel — with 1,136 pages in its original publication — was adapted as a TV miniseries in 1991 starring the late John Ritter and Tim Curry. The story follows seven outcast children who come together over summer break to take on a monster troubling their town, only to face their own personal demons in the process.

The post Cary Fukunaga Explains Why He Departed Stephen King’s It appeared first on Dread Central.

There’s nothing quite like a Takashi Miike film, and those who have seen his movies like Audition, Ichi the Killer, and 13 Assassins surely know what I mean when I say that. Up next from the wacky Japanese filmmaker is Yakuza Apocalypse, which has just been scooped up for distribution.

THR reports that Samuel Goldwyn Films has picked up the comedic vampire action thriller ahead of its North American premiere at next month’s Toronto Film Festival. The distributor is penciling in an October 9, 2015, release date.

“I wonder if it’s really okay to let this film loose outside of Japan,” noted Miike. “As it’s not anything anyone can deal with on their own, it’s best to watch with friends.”

Yakuza Apocalypse premiered at the 2015 Cannes International Film Festival and will screen as part of the Midnight Madness sidebar at the Toronto Film Festival.

Synopsis:
Yakuza boss Kamiura is also a bloodsucking vampire. One day men arrive from a competing clan and deliver him an ultimatum: Play nice or die. Kamiura refuses and, during a fierce battle, is torn limb from limb. With his dying breath, he passes on his vampire powers to his loyal lieutenant, Kageyama. His first order of business is to avenge his mentor, setting him on a collision course with the seemingly unstoppable foreign syndicate, and take his place as the new Yakuza boss

The post Takashi Miike’s Yakuza Apocalypse Slices Up a Release Date appeared first on Dread Central.

After Relativity Studios recently filed for bankruptcy, it seemed that the long-gestating remake of The Crow was dead in the water. The project has been riddled with problems from day one, though franchise creator James O’Barr says that Eric Draven is not down and out just yet. Read on.

Per ComicBook.com, O’Barr was on hand for a panel at last weekend’s Twin Tiers Comic-Con in Elmira, New York, and he assured the audience that The Crow remake, whether anyone wants it or not, is going to take flight in the very near future.

“It’s still very much a live property,” said O’Barr. “The company, Pressman Films, that owns The Crow film and TV rights, licensed it to a studio named Relativity. And Relativity made like a hundred bad movies and lost money so now they’re in financial trouble. So the producers are just going to take it to another studio if Relativity can’t get backing again.”

“It’s going to happen,” he continued. “I talked to Pressman Films a couple of weeks ago, and they said within two or three weeks we should have it placed at a new studio. Because the day Relativity announced that they were having financial problems, there were like a dozen other studios that called about getting The Crow property. Ot definitely will happen.”

The original 1994 film The Crow centered on a murdered rock star who is resurrected in order to hunt down his killers. Brandon Lee, son of martial arts star Bruce Lee, died during the film’s production after he was shot with a defective blank.

The post The Crow Remake Definitely Taking Flight Says Franchise Creator appeared first on Dread Central.

What’s a carnival with a few fools dancing around? No fun, that’s what! Which is why the folks behind Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival made sure to include at least one in their new production.

Heavenly Productions Inc. has cast out horseplay, but inside Hell’s big top it’s a fool’s paradise as The Major (J. LaRose) and The Fool (Mighty Mike Murga) ready for battle!

After triumphant collaborations on 2008’s Repo! The Genetic Opera and 2012’s The Devil’s Carnival: Episode One, cult filmmakers Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich are back with the second installment to their fantasy-musical film franchise. In Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival (review), Lucifer sets a plot in motion against Heaven, and all hell breaks loose.

The film embarks on its road trip in just a few more days – check out the dates and cities below.

Barry Bostwick, Ted Neeley, Adam Pascal, David Hasselhoff, Terrance Zdunich, Paul Sorvino, rapper Tech N9ne, Emilie Autumn, Briana Evigan, Marc Senter, and Dayton Callie star along with musicians Chantal Claret, Jimmy Urine, and Kevin “Ogre” Ogilvie from Skinny Puppy.

Zdunich wrote the script and co-wrote the musical numbers with Saar Hendelman. Producers are Chang Tseng, Chris M. Bonifay, and Sean E. Demott. Brian Perera is executive producer.

Visit TheDevilsCarnival.com for more info. Also be sure to check out The Devil’s Carnival on Facebook and follow The Devil’s Carnival on Twitter.

The post Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival Introduces The Fool appeared first on Dread Central.

Eli Roth is about to begin a journey across the United States as The Green Inferno Fan Appreciation Tour gears up for launch! We here at Dread Central, in association with Crypt TV, are giving you YOUR CHANCE to score tickets for a screening at a location near you!

We’re giving away five (5) pairs of tickets for each of the following tour stops so you can join director Eli Roth and star Lorenza Izzo at the screenings!

Tour Schedule:

Chicago, Illinois
8/23
Muvico Rosemont 18
9701 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont, IL 60018
8:00 PM – reception
9:00 PM – screening

San Francisco, California
9/14
AMC Van Ness – Aud#4
1000 Van Ness Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94109
7:00 PM – reception
8:00 PM – screening

Los Angeles, California
9/15
Arclight Hollywood – Aud#8
6360 West Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
7:00 PM – reception
8:00 PM – screening

Miami, Florida
9/17
Cinepolis Coconut Grove
CocoWalk
3015 Grand Ave., Miami, FL 33133
7:00 PM – reception
8:00 PM – screening

New York City, New York
9/21
Regal Union Square – Aud#1
850 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
7:00 PM – reception
8:00 PM – screening

Winning is SUPER easy! Just like, comment, share, or RT this post using the hashtag #GreenInfernoDC. That’s it.

NOTE: You must be a resident of the city of your choice as you’ll be required to handle your own transportation to and from the screening.

Aimed at acknowledging and thanking Roth’s loyal fans who have supported The Green Inferno in its journey to the big screen, the tour will include stops in San Francisco on September 14, Los Angeles on September 15, Miami on September 17, and New York on September 21, with additional cities still to be named. The tour will also feature a companion online experience, The Green Inferno Room, which brings fans around the country behind the scenes to get an insider’s look at Eli as he travels from city to city to meet his fans, including a live feed of select events.

Roth said: “I am so excited to hit the road and spend time with the fans whose undying support really helped bring The Green Inferno to theaters nationwide. We plan to pull out all the stops and give them the ultimate Green Inferno experience, with special surprises in every city.”

Eli Roth’s The Green Inferno hits theaters on September 25.

The post Win Tickets to Eli Roth’s Green Inferno Fan Appreciation Tour appeared first on Dread Central.

A new teaser has arrived for Fox’s upcoming “Scream Queens,” and it’s full of pretty faces with a healthy dose of evil.  Check it out as we await the series’ September premiere.

Skyler Samuels stars as Grace, a new student at Wallace University who hopes to join Kappa Sorority, led by Emma Roberts’ Chanel Oberlin. Keke Palmer plays Grace’s genius best friend. Their co-stars include Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele, Oliver Hudson, Abigail Breslin, Billie Lourd, Diego Boneta, Lucien Laviscount, and Glen Powell. Ariana Grande, Charisma Carpenter, and Nick Jonas are among the guest stars.

“Scream Queens” debuts via a two-hour series premiere beginning at 8pm on Tuesday, September 22nd.

The comedy-horror anthology series hails from 20th Century Fox TV and Ryan Murphy Television. Murphy exec produces with “Glee’s” Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan, and Dante Di Loreto.

Synopsis:
The new anthology series “Scream Queens” revolves around a college campus which is rocked by a series of murders and is set in a sorority house.

Learn more by visiting:
The official “Scream Queens” site: http://fox.tv/ScreamQueens
“Scream Queens” on Facebook: http://fox.tv/ScreamQueensFB
“Scream Queens” on Twitter: http://fox.tv/ScreamQueensTW
“Scream Queens” on Instagram: http://fox.tv/ScreamQueensIG
“Scream Queens” on Tumblr: http://fox.tv/ScreamQueensTB

The post New Scream Queens Teaser Is Pretty Evil! appeared first on Dread Central.

Those who had fun with Joe Dante’s Burying the Ex will likely want to mark Clinger down on their calendar, a horror-comedy that looks to be cut from the same cloth. It hits theaters and VOD on October 23rd, via Paragon Releasing, and we invite you to check out the trailer today. Dig it!

Michael Steves directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Gabi Chennisi Duncombe and Bubba Fish.

Clinger (review) tells the story of a high school senior (newcomer Jennifer Laporte) whose possessive dead boyfriend (Vincent Martella) returns as a lovesick ghost to kill her so they can be together for eternity. Julia Aks, Alica Monet Caldwell, Shonna Major, and Rebecca Gail also star alongside Debbie Rochon and Lisa Wilcox.

The post Official Trailer Is a Stage Five Clinger appeared first on Dread Central.

More casting news has arrived for There Are Monsters as THR is reporting that Scott Speedman (pictured; Underworld), Aaron Douglas (“Battlestar Galactica”), and Ella Ballentine (The Captive) have signed up for monster-slaying duties.

They join the previously announced Zoe Kazan. Bryan Bertino (The Strangers) directs. There Are Monsters will be distributed by A24 in the U.S. and is set to release in 2016.

Synopsis:
From the creator of The Strangers comes a world of the lost: freezing, spitting needles of rain, thunderbolt lightning, hypothermic cold, and disorientating utter darkness.

A mother and daughter are trapped and tormented in a black forest by a screeching creature – it is unlike anything we have heard before. Not human. Not animal. Like a thousand horses, like a mother’s clamour, a baby’s wail, a father’s howl.

Their relationship at the breaking point, 10-year-old Lizzy is all out of faith in her mother, Kathy, but tries to stay brave and fearless. Kathy, on the edge and barely keeping it together, knows that only a mother’s protective love, her most primal instinct, can save her daughter from what’s lurking in the darkness…

The post Three More Know There Are Monsters appeared first on Dread Central.

Partially funded through Kickstarter and produced by the legendary Joe Dante (Gremlins), psychological thriller Dark draws inspiration from 2003’s real-life blackout in New York City. It marks the narrative feature debut of Nick Basile (American Carny), and we’ve got premiere details today.

The indie thriller will make its world premiere at the Oldenburg International Film Festival this September. Dubbed the “European Sundance,” the festival runs this year from September 16-20.

Check out a still below along with the poster art.

The cast includes Michael Eklund (“Bates Motel”), Brendan Sexton (Boys Don’t Cry), Whitney Able (Monsters), and Alexandra Breckenridge (“American Horror Story”).

In Dark, written by Elias and directed by Basile, Able plays a disturbed young woman who must confront her worst fears when she finds herself trapped alone in a New York City loft during the 2003 blackout.

The post World Premiere Announced for Joe Dante-Produced Dark appeared first on Dread Central.

One film fest we always keep a close eye on is the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, and now they’ve announced their Opening Night feature, a few other special screenings, and a batch of international filmmaker guests.  If you live in or near Buffalo, NY, this is an event you don’t want to miss!

From the Press Release:
Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival will screen Black Fawn Films’ horror feature Bite as the Opening Night film of its 2015 season. Special guests during the Fest include Christopher G. Giroux and Chad Archibald, two of the producers of the Canadian film (Archibald also directed); renowned filmmaker Isaac Ezban, visiting from Mexico; and local filmmakers Aceifer and Fawn Genovese. They join already announced guest Debbie Rochon, who screens her directorial debut Model Hunger, filmed in Buffalo.

Buffalo Dreams runs for seven days — Friday, November 6th, through Thursday, November 12th — at the Dipson Eastern Hills Cinema, 4545 Transit Road.

“Last year Black Fawn’s The Drownsman won our Best Horror Feature award,” says festival director Greg Lamberson. “At the Q&A, when Christopher Giroux revealed an ambitious plan to produce ten horror films over a two-year period, I wondered if his team could sustain the same quality. Judging by their follow-up feature, Horsehead, and now Bite, they’ve surpassed it. Black Fawn has become a major company for quality horror, and we look forward to bringing more of their work to Buffalo.” Other members of the Black Fawn team may attend the festival as well.

Buffalo Dreams will present encores of Isaac Ezban’s audacious science fiction short Cosas Feas and his critically heralded science fiction feature El Incidente/The Incident as part of a special salute to the filmmaker. Last year Buffalo Dreams presented him with its George Pal Visionary Award, reserved for filmmakers possessing extraordinary talent, and El Incidente took home awards for Best Director, Best International Feature, and Best of the Fest.

“Isaac is truly one of the most talented filmmakers working in cinema today,” says festival co-director Chris Scioli, “and we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to screen these incredible films in Buffalo again. After our El Incidente screening last year, we were deluged with requests to show it again. We’re happy to oblige with Isaac once again doing a Q&A. It isn’t often that festival-goers get the chance to meet an artistic genius, especially one from another country. Isaac will become a world famous filmmaker very soon.”

Aceifer and Fawn Genovese will premiere The Outlaw: Virus 5, the fifth installment of their continuing series, dubbed The Living Comic Book, about Sixx, an outcast demon fighting the forces of evil on earth. Aceifer plays the starring role with Fawn among the supporting players. Last year Aceifer received the festival’s Indie Genre Spirit Award.

“Aceifer is from the band Ace in the Hole, and these films he and Fawn make reflect their heavy metal spirit,” Lamberson says. “The Outlaw series is experimental, erotic, action-packed, and wrapped in a grand mythology. Last year’s premiere of The Outlaw: Evil Women proved so popular that we can’t wait to show their latest effort.”

The Late Deadline for submissions to Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival is September 1st with an Extended Late Deadline of September 14th. The programmers seek Original Screenplays, Music Videos, Web Series, Micro-Shorts, Short Films, Medium Length Films, and Feature Films in the following genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Action, Comedy, Animation, Thriller, Family, and Fan Films. There are three divisions: Western New York, North American, and International. Submissions must be made through Without a Box and Film Freeway.

A full list of selections will be announced between September 15th and October 10th. Lamberson and Scioli anticipate screening a minimum of 25 features.  In the meantime keep your eyes on the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival website.

The post Buffalo Dreams Announces Opening Night Feature, Special Screenings, and More Guests appeared first on Dread Central.

With the continual rebooting of monsters, both classic and modern, and the relegation of most new would-be paragons of splatter to the realms of straight-to-VOD and DVD, your Scream Addicts can’t help but wonder – ”Where are all the new horror icons?”

By taking a look the long lineage of cinematic boogeymen (from Universal’s heyday to the fall of the House of Hammer, from the blood-spattered 70s and 80s to the remake-choked aughts), your horror hosts discuss the genre’s current lack of villains with the sort of mainstream crossover appeal boasted by Dracula and Freddy, Frankenstein’s Monster and Jason Voorhees, The Mummy and Michael Myers. We’ll also take the time to scream about which recent scary movie villains are deserving of just such gruesome status.

So trade in your chainsaw for a sickle, your machete for a hatchet, your pointy incisors for a porcelain doll’s mask – and prepare for ten minutes of horror chat so very nerdy it should be illegal. Here’s our newest episode – ”Where Have All Our (Horror) Heroes Gone?”

THE VIDEO WILL BE BACK IN A BIT DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES. PLEASE STAND BY!

And if you missed our previous episodes, start catching up here.

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And be sure to scream away in the comments section below to tell us what you thought! Liked it? Hated it? Let us know!

The post Scream Addicts #7 – Where Have All Our (Horror) Heroes Gone? appeared first on Dread Central.

The new horror comedy Fear Inc. is making some noise and generating some buzz in Los Angeles. We were on set so stay tuned for our impressions, but right now we have some new casting news for the project.

The Wrap is reporting that Eric Lange (pictured; “Lost”), Mark Moses (“Mad Men”), and Emmy winner Leslie Jordan (“Will & Grace”) have joined the cast of the flick, which is currently filming in Los Angeles.

Lucas Neff (“Raising Hope”), Caitlin Stasey (“Reign”), Chris Marquette (The Girl Next Door), and Stephanie Drake (“Mad Men”) star. The supporting cast is rounded out with Naomi Grossman (“American Horror Story”), Ashlynn Yennie (The Human Centipede), Patrick Renna (The Sandlot), Ronnie Gene Blevins (The Dark Knight Rises), and Richard Riehle (Office Space). Vincent Masciale is directing from a script by Luke Barnett.

The story follows a company of degenerates who can be hired to bring your greatest fears to life. But when horror junkie Joe Foster’s customized scare seemingly begins, he and his friends must decide if this company is there to scare them or make them pawns in their own sick game.

The post More Hired to Work at Fear Inc. appeared first on Dread Central.

Mamoru Oshii’s Garm Wars: The Last Druid is coming to the United States courtesy of ARC Entertainment and we have all your details right here. Read on for the skinny!

From the Press Release
ARC Entertainment has acquired US rights to the action-sci-fi thriller GARM WARS: THE LAST DRUID. Directed by Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) and co-written by Geoffrey Gunn (Siren), the film stars newcomer Melanie St-Pierre (Barney’s Version), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Lance Henriksen (Aliens). ARC Entertainment will be releasing the film in-theaters and on VOD on October 2, 2015. The deal was announced today by ARC Entertainment’s Head of Acquisitions Scott Moesta.

“Mamoru Oshii’s creative vision shines brilliantly throughout this film, with remarkable action and special effects from beginning to end,” said Moesta. “We’re excited to bring this unique story to the big screen for audiences, and especially genre fans to enjoy across the U.S.”

Visionary director Mamoru Oshii is best known for his seminal film Ghost in the Shell, a work famously cited by the Wachowski’s as a direct influence behind their iconic film The Matrix. 15 years in the making, GARM WARS: THE LAST DRUID is a live action/CGI hybrid about a world on the brink of total collapse. The planet Annwn, inhabited by the Garm, is engaged in perpetual warfare among three tribes. One Columba fighter pilot, Khara (St-Pierre), embarks on a quest with an unlikely trio: Kumtak tribal elder Wydd (Henriksen), a sacred dog Gula, and one of the last remaining mystical Druids from a long forgotten time. A Briga soldier, Skellig (Durand), accompanies the small band after forging an uneasy truce with Khara. As they struggle across the land in the search for answers to their existence, they encounter raging storms, fierce giants, and mechanical mayhem. They survive these trials only to meet their most difficult challenge yet, a desperate battle against impossible odds for the truth they seek.

Joining forces with his longtime collaborator, composer Kenji Kawai (The Ring), and three-time Oscar Nominated Sound Designer Tom Myers (Up, Toy Story) of Skywalker Sound, Palme D’Or Nominee Mamoru Oshii delivers a feast for the eyes and ears. Lending their VFX artistry is acclaimed Toronto company Intelligent Creatures (Orphan Black). GARM WARS: THE LAST DRUID is produced by Makoto Asanuma (Gundam Wing), Tetsu Fujimura (Tekken), Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Ghost in the Shell, Attack on Titan), and Lyse Lafontaine (On the Road).

Recent ARC Entertainment releases include The Barber starring Scott Glenn and Chris Coy; Molly Moon starring Emily Watson, Raffey Cassidy, Joan Collins and Dominic Monaghan; and Safelight starring Juno Temple, Evan Peters, Ariel Winter and Kevin Alejandro.

The post Garm Wars: The Last Druid Casts Spell on the U.S. appeared first on Dread Central.

Good news for those of you looking forward to the wondrous lunacy of Deathgasm (review)! Dark Sky Films just announced that the festival favorite will be exploding into U.S. cinemas on October 2nd!

Written and directed by Jason Lei Howden, Deathgasm stars Milo Cawthorne, James Blake, Kimberley Crossman, and Stephen Ure.

Synopsis:
New kid in town Brodie and bad-boy Zakk quickly bond over their mutual admiration of heavy metal. But when these two metal thrashing losers unwittingly summon malevolent forces, their dreams of stardom may just have to be put on hold.

The post Dark Sky Giving Us a Domestic Deathgasm appeared first on Dread Central.