Most movies that fall under the sub-genre of “slow burn” could also be called boring. I just don’t get this trend… well, not a trend as these types have existed for a long while, but they aren’t all too common, and when they do come out, I can’t get into them.

The way I classify slow burn, and I may be wrong in assuming this, is a plot that builds the tension so much so that there is a final and sudden release within the closing moments of the film. In other words, there is a payoff which justified the amount of “nothingness” that happened beforehand. Here’s the argument, though: When does it become boring?

Movies like The Changeling, The Omen and Rosemary’s Baby are some examples from yesteryear that I can come up with where the slow burn was done correctly and wouldn’t be taken as boring. I know there are more, but I’m fast-forwarding to the present, where the motivation to write this article spouted.

Ti West and his handful of movies that gained him notoriety really rub me the wrong way. I’m not necessarily saying that his movies are bad or that he isn’t a talented writer/filmmaker, but the method by which he leads us to the finale is downright boring and unwatchable. I know I’m going against the norm here, but I really don’t care; if I’m taking 90 minutes out of my day, I better be entertained to say the least. Sitting there watching mindless and pointless conversation for 80 minutes, then seeing some violence for the remaining 10 doesn’t do anything for me.

When you look at The Innkeepers, The House of The Devil and The Sacrament, one thing I can say is that these movies got progressively better. A couple of other small releases from him were his segments in V/H/S and ABC’s of Death titled “Second Honeymoon” and “M Is for Miscarriage,” respectively. The theme of the shorts suffered the same fate of his features, which is sad.

With that out of the way, I’d like to mention a few other slow burns which were done right, the first being Kill List (pictured below) from the always interesting Ben Wheatley. I’m sure most readers of Dread saw this, and it was discussed at length on Dinner for Fiends so I won’t take too much time talking about it. What I will say is that the constant building of tension and “what the hell is going on” more than satisfied me regardless of the slower pace. The “shock” ending was also something nice to see in a slower paced film, though most of us kind of saw it coming.

Next up is my favorite of 2015 – Bone Tomahawk. This is the definition of what a slow burn should be in that you have interesting (and different) characters with enough dialogue to make you forget that not too much is actually happening on screen. The dialogue has to be top quality, and there has to be some tension throughout. Bone Tomahawk is a prime example of both of these things, and by the time we were given the climax, everything leading up to that point was well worth the wait.

Another thing: If you’re doing a movie with a slower pace, please give us bits and pieces of “something” throughout the film. Don’t bore us with conversation that leads nowhere and characters with no depth. If that’s what you want to do, stick with the slasher sub-genre.

Ki

The post The Jaded Horror Fan – Slow Burn or Boring? appeared first on Dread Central.

Adult Swim, basic cable’s #1 home with millennials for over a decade, is departing from tradition by announcing its new programming in advance of the Turner Network’s Upfront 2016 presentation on May 18 in New York City. Of interest to the horror crowd is “Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special.”

Intrigued? Read on for the details!

“Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special”
In keeping with the tradition of working with major franchises such as Star Wars and DC Comics universe, the Emmy Award-winning team behind “Robot Chicken” joins forces with the executive producers of “The Walking Dead” to bring fans an all-new and extra bloody half-hour special. “Robot Chicken” creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, their Stoopid Buddy Stoodios partners, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner, and executive producers/head writers Tom Root and Doug Goldstein will bring an animated zombie apocalypse to Adult Swim with “The Walking Dead’s” creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman and showrunner, executive producer, and writer Scott M. Gimple.

No release date was revealed, but we’d suspect it’ll air around the same time as the show’s Season 7 premiere in October.  To stay updated, connect with Adult Swim as follows:

• Website: adultswim.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/adultswim
• Twitter: twitter.com/adultswim
• Adult Swim app available for iOS and Android Platforms

The post Adult Swim Announces Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special appeared first on Dread Central.

The last film that was worked on by the great Wes Craven was The Girl in the Photographs (review), on which he served as an executive producer. The composer of the film, Nima Fakhrara, kindly choose to talk with us about what it like to work with the late horror legend in addition to his own successful career.

Dread Central: How do you approach the process of scoring a film? Do you read the script and try to imagine what kind of score would be most appropriate for each scene, or do you have another working process?

Nima Fakhrara: Well, every project is a bit different. I usually like getting involved as early as possible. However, due to schedules and other factors, my process has to be adaptable. One of the things I like doing for every project is to write a long suite of ideas and explore colors and textures. This turn out to be a 30- to 40-minute piece of music based on the story, characters, locations, and moods. After watching the film, I like sitting with it and trying to complement the storytelling perspective. I like to create the correct atmosphere and mood by utilizing what the filmmaker and myself agree is the right approach.

DC: How did you find the process of working with Wes and director Nick Simon? Did you and them map out exactly how you wanted the film’s score to sound? Was it a gradual, step-by-step process?

NF: I have been very lucky to be able to work with Nick on many projects. Our process is to start talking about the music very early. For The Girl in the Photographs, the discussion of music started during his writing process of the script. We knew we wanted to do a throwback type of score but with a modern twist and approach. We also wanted to create thematic ideas for all the characters. After many different experiments we ended up with two main themes, one for Colleen and one for Tom and Jerry. For Colleen I wrote a lullaby that has a bit of unsettled feeling to it. And for Tom and Jerry I wrote a variation of a passacaglia. A passacaglia is a piece of music that starts with a motif and builds on that motif gradually. I utilized a cello quartet and had the musicians in their extreme registers so I can capture a constant unsettled feeling.

DC: What made Wes different from other filmmakers?

NF: Well, Wes brings an entirely different type of filmmaking to the table. He has franchises that he has created and has also changed the horror/thriller genre in many different ways. Being a fan of his work, it was an absolute pleasure to be involved with this project and be able to collaborate with him in a very small way and for unfortunately for a very short time.

DC: You also composed the score for the upcoming Japanese zombie film I Am a Hero based on the bestselling manga series. How did you find that?ᐧ

NF: Being a fan of the manga, it was a pleasure to be a part of it. I have scored many Japanese projects so this came to me via connections to the past films and shows. It was a fun project to score as the characters were very familiar to me. Even before working on the film as I was reading the manga, I was already creating thematic ideas and thinking about textures and colors in hopes if a movie would have been made I wanted to be involved with it. When I heard that a movie was being made, I absolutely wanted to be a part of it.

The post Composer Nima Fakhrara Talks Working with Wes Craven appeared first on Dread Central.

When we brought you a preview of the “Bates Motel” season finale earlier this week, we didn’t know much about the episode, but now we have its official synopsis along with a few stills to share.

In addition, you can join executive producers/creators Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin for a LIVE Facebook Q&A this coming Monday, May 16th, at 11am PT/2pm ET on the “Bates Motel” Facebook page. Stop by the page now to leave your questions for Carlton and Kerry.

“Bates Motel” Episode 4.10 – “Norman” (airs 5/16/16)
Norman (Freddie Highmore) and Norma’s (Vera Farmiga) relationship faces its greatest test yet; Romero (Nestor Carbonell) faces pressure from all sides; Dylan (Max Thieriot) considers reaching out to Norman — but wants nothing to do with Norma.  Written by Kerry Ehrin; directed by Tucker Gates

The post New Stills and Official Synopsis of the Bates Motel Season Finale Episode 4.10 – Norman appeared first on Dread Central.

Known for his short films, acclaimed writer/director Michael Pearce is set to make his directorial debut with Beast, which sounds to be enough of a horror film to warrant coverage here on Dread. As the headline suggests, it’s being billed as a horror love story, so to speak, and we’ve got casting news for ya today.

Deadline reports that Johnny Flynn (below) and Jessie Buckley are in advance talks to star in the project. A love story trapped within a horror film, Beast is a dark fairytale about an emotionally isolated woman who comes under the spotlight of an island community when she falls in love with a man who is suspected of a series of brutal murders.

Agile Films and Stray Bear Films are co-producing, with Kristian Brodie, Lauren Dark, and Ivana MacKinnon on board as producers. The BFI and Film4 have developed and will finance the film.

More on this one as we learn it.

The post Michael Pearce’s Beast Traps a Love Story Inside a Horror Film appeared first on Dread Central.

Have you entered our contest yet to win a copy of Issue #1 of the new Penny Dreadful prequel comic from Titan?  While you wait to find out if you’re a winner, you should check out this exclusive video with the writers to learn a bit more about it.

In the below video “Penny Dreadful” co-executive producer and comic story writer Chris King and “Penny Dreadful” staff writer and comic story writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns discuss the making of and what to expect from Issue #1 of the Penny Dreadful prequel comic book series.

Based on the hit series on Showtime, this prequel reveals the terrifying events that led Vanessa to try to find her missing childhood friend, Mina Harker, and exposes the true nature of the vampiric monsters infesting Victorian London. It is beautifully realized by Louie De Martinis’ artwork and written by the scriptwriters of the award-winning television series.

Issue #1 is on sale now! Collect all five covers plus look for exclusive covers at these retailers: Forbidden Planet, Newbury Comics, and Books-A-Million.

The post Exclusive: Go Behind the Scenes of the Penny Dreadful Comic appeared first on Dread Central.

To celebrate the release of Dead Effect 2 on Steam, we’ve teamed up with developer BadFly Interactive to allow three lucky people a chance to win Steam keys for both Dead Effect 1 and 2 in addition to the awesome T-shirt pictured below.

To enter for your chance to win, just send an email to contests@dreadcentral.com including your FULL NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS along with “Dead Effect” in your subject line. We’ll take care of the rest.

This contest will end at 12:01 AM PT on May 16th. Note: By entering this contest, you are consenting to allow Dread Central and its subsidiaries use of your email address.

Both Dead Effect games received great reviews so this is simply too good an opportunity to miss!

The post Win Dead Effect 1 and 2 on Steam! appeared first on Dread Central.

Happy Friday the 13th! Shudder is celebrating the day with a series of spooky Facebook livestreams. Black and grey kittens will be exploring a witch’s lair, rolling across pentagrams, and more.

As a cat person, this has my name all over it! If you’re the same, read on for the details. The streams have just started on Shudder’s Facebook page and will be continuing all day.

From the Press Release:
Shudder, the AMC- backed horror streaming service, is celebrating one of the horror world’s most notorious holidays by hosting a streaming black kitten cam. On Friday the 13th, a “spooky” livestream of black and grey adoptable kittens and cats will be live on Shudder’s Facebook page. A lifetime of bad luck – not included.

They say bad luck comes in threes, but in this case seven kittens will be pouncing and playing in the creepy setting. Meet the cast of cats bringing the feline fright to life:

You can help the kittens participating in this livestream find a forever home through Venice Beach Kitten Rescue.

Viewers can tune in as the kittens explore a witch’s lair, scurry under mini ladders, attack salt shakers, roll across pentagrams, toy with occult offerings, and more. After the livestream, fans can continue their Friday night fright by streaming a film from Shudder’s huge collection of horror films, which now includes a brand new addition every weekday in May as part of Movie Mayhem.

The post Celebrate Friday the 13th with Shudder’s Streaming Black Cat Cam appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Heather Morris, Ryan Doom, Perez Hilton, Chad Addison, Tess Christiansen

Directed by Anthony DiBlasi

After gaining attention for adapting Clive Barker’s Dread as well as the Netflix Instant sleeper hit Last Shift, Anthony DiBlasi is back with the Eighties-style slasher Most Likely to Die. Taking some obvious cues from Wes Craven’s Scream (which might make you wonder why none of that franchise’s sequels ever featured a killer returning to Woodsboro for a high school reunion), Most Likely to Die also pays homage to films like Graduation Day and House on Sorority Row.

There’s enough on display here to make a watch worthwhile, but with a short running time and an unfortunate lack of inventiveness, DiBlasi’s latest doesn’t completely follow through with its engaging premise. Most likely due to budget constraints, the film feels rushed and a little half-baked at times, causing Most Likely to Die to not quite live up to its potential.

The night before their 10-year high school reunion, a group of old friends try to reconnect, but as the night goes on, they slowly discover that someone is killing them off one by one based on what they were voted most likely to do in their senior yearbook. This is a great setup for a slasher movie and immediately generates some excitement around just how each classmate’s moniker will translate into an ironic, untimely death scene. Witnessing the killer create a mask resembling a scratched out, defaced senior picture during the opening credits also establishes a promising new character that’s eventually seen chasing victims wearing a royal blue cap and gown.

What’s somewhat disappointing is the fact that some of the characters’ monikers just reflect their personality traits or they become clues foreshadowing the ending rather than the over-the-top death sequences we would all rather see. As examples, the main character, Gaby (Morris), is a professional poker player who was voted “Most Likely to Play the Hand She’s Dealt,” and Freddie (Hilton) is an ex-alcoholic whose claim to fame is his party persona that’s “Most Likely to Spike the Punch.”

Other high school predictions are also used to reveal how the story is going to end or how characters will regress back to their adolescent ways, which, although clever, subtracts from the number of murders and robs slasher fans of creative kills that would make the killer more memorable.

If we’re on the sidelines watching the big game, we’re not really sure whom to root for by the end of Most Likely To Die: the killer or the victims. That’s a problem that a lot of slasher films have had since the Eighties, specifically the stories that have come out in the post-Voorhees era. Sidney Prescott is the clear hero of the Scream franchise, and we’re on her side just as much as we want to see Jigsaw win out and outsmart everyone in gruesome style in the Saw series. Because of a lower budget and what I’m guessing was a fast and loose production schedule, Most Likely to Die was already an underdog; but it’s also stuck deciding whether to side with the film’s lead or set up a sequel to usher in its new B-movie slasher icon, The Graduate. I actually would like to see a sequel that delivers on such a great premise, but as it stands, Most Likely to Die is a fun send-up of the slasher genre that, although entertaining, fails to reach the top of the class.

Most Likely to Die is in select theaters and on digital HD/On-Demand today, May 13th. Give it a watch and decide for yourself!

The post Most Likely to Die (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

There are incredibly gory days ahead for you guys thanks to Eibon Press’ Fulci Comics. And if you’re a Box of Dread subscriber (and shame on you if you’re not), things are only gonna get bloodier!

From the Press Release:
Eibon Press is proud to announce the coming of our awesome line of Fulci Comics. This bold new imprint has been 16 years in the making, hell-bent on bringing you the ultimate experience in four-color horror. Starting in June, you’ll be able to order our super-collectible single issue comics based on Fulci’s classic horror film Zombie—utilizing premium printing and special prestige packaging never before seen! But Lucio Fulci’s Zombie is just the beginning. In addition to our licensed titles based on the films of Lucio Fulci, you’ll be seeing OTHER classic films immortalized as super badass comic series and ALL NEW ORIGINAL titles, inspired by the reddest, wettest psychotronic film traditions of the grindhouse era.

And we’re especially proud to announce our innovative new comic preview magazine, which is a co-production with our pals at Dread Central. In THE BOOK OF EIBON, you’ll be getting preview stories from all our upcoming comic books, including Zombie, Gates of Hell (City of the Living Dead), and the hard-hitting original series Bottomfeeder, which is inspired by Humanoids from the Deep and Bad Lieutenant!

Each issue of THE BOOK OF EIBON will be available exclusively in Dread Central’s BOX OF DREAD and will contain not only exclusive art and stories, but articles and behind-the-scenes looks at our upcoming books. The first issue will be included in August’s specially-themed Box of Dread, featuring the mind-blowing Shark vs. Zombie preview story from our second stunning issue of issue of Lucio Fulci’s Zombie, available this Halloween!

Pre-orders for Lucio Fulci’s Zombie #1 begin exclusively at our website on Friday, June 10th, at 12 midnight.

It’s an all-new era of ongoing Fulci Comics, and we’re proud as hell to bring it to you. For more information follow Eibon Press on Twitter and Eibon Press on Instagram. The official Eibon Press website will go LIVE June 6th. Issue 1 pre-orders start on Friday, June 10th, at 12 midnight.

Promotional covers only. Final art may vary.

Promotional covers only. Final art may vary.

The post Eibon Press Makes it Official! The Book of Eibon Coming EXCLUSIVELY to Box of Dread Quarterly! appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Kevin Bacon, Radha Mitchell, Lucy Fry, David Mazouz, Matt Walsh,  Jennifer Morrison

Directed by Greg McLean

The Taylor family is on vacation in the Southwest, hunting through ancient cave formations, when the youngest, Michael (Mazouz), finds a few cool aboriginal artifacts and brings the oddly-marked stones home in his pocket. Bad idea. (Just ask Bobby Brady.)

Not that bringing evil that’s been simmering for centuries home is going to make that much of a difference in the Taylors’ terrible lives. Dad Peter (Kevin Bacon) is a workaholic, mom Bronny (Radha Mitchell) is an alcoholic, big sis Stephanie (Lucy Fry) is bulimic, and stone-snatching Michael is autistic.  But still… They’re not exactly thrilled when their house becomes possessed and crazy things start happening.

Bad smells – check. Water taps that run on their own – check. Pets that go crazy – check. Things going bump in the night – check.

The most sensitive to the disturbance is Bronny, and ultimately it is she who decides to do something about it.

While she is out to a chi-chi dinner with her husband and his boss (Paul Reiser) and wife (Ming-Na Wen), talk turns to witch doctors and exorcists. Luckily, the bossman’s lady has the hook-up, and pretty soon the Taylor two-story is being blessed. The evil entities are not happy to see a pair of brujas (Alma Martinez, Ilza Rosario) stepping into their newly-staked territory, so they pull out all the stops – and all the CGI.

Unfortunately, The Darkness relies almost entirely on CGI and jump scares. I wasn’t expecting this from Greg McLean, but then again, the only other movie I have seen of his is Wolf Creek. So maybe he uses a lot of CGI all the time, and I’m just out of the loop. McLean co-wrote the script also, which is dreadful. Apparently he never met a cliché he didn’t like, which would be fine were The Darkness a comedy or schlock, but it’s meant to be serious and scary.

The only saving grace, and the reason I’m giving The Darkness a generous 2.5 rating, is the cast. The actors are all top-notch – especially the principals playing the flummoxed family. It’s always great to see Kevin Bacon in anything, and Radha Mitchell is one of my favorite actresses in any horror sub-genre (ICYMI, she was in Pitch Black and Silent Hill and also McLean’s Rogue which I did not see). Lucy Fry is fantastic (she was the best thing in Vampire Academy), and I haven’t seen David Mazouz before but he’s very convincing (he also plays a young Bruce Wayne in the “Gotham” TV series).

Unless you’re really desperate to see a story about old spirits in new digs, I’d suggest holding off on seeing The Darkness until it debuts on streaming services.

The post Darkness, The (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

The words “legal” and “streaming” don’t often go together, but thanks to The Paramount Vault on YouTube, you can now stream tons of your favorite movies for free without robbing anyone. Saints be praised!

Streaming now on the service:

• My Bloody Valentine
• Ghost Team One
• Twisted
• Area 51
• Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh
• Tales From the Darkside
• Satan’s Satellites
• Rumpelstiltskin
• In Dreams

And tons more full movies and clips! You have no reason not to head over and get your horror on! Do it!

The post Legally Stream FREE Horror Classics in The Paramount Vault appeared first on Dread Central.

One of the films that made some noise at this year’s Sundance was Richard Bates, Jr.’s Trash Fire, and it was hot enough to land some distro! Screen Daily reports that Vertical Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to the flick which stars Adrian Grenier.

Co-president Rich Goldberg anticipates a fourth quarter release on the Circle Of Confusion and Snowfort Pictures production about a man who confronts his past and becomes entangled with his wife in a web of lies, deceit and murder.

Angela Trimbur, Fionnula Flanagan, AnnaLynne McCord, Sally Kirkland, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Ray Santiago round out the key cast.

David Clark Lawson Jr produced with Lawrence Mattis and Matt Smith, while Makan Delrahim served as executive producer.

Bates Jr directed Sundance 2012 entry Excision as well as Suburban Gothic.

“Ricky [Bates Jr.] has delivered another cult classic,” said Goldberg. “The film is a wild ride, and performances from Adrian, Angela, and the rest of the cast are fantastic – this is a team we’ve been wanting to collaborate with for some time now and are delighted that it’s finally coming to fruition.”

“Trash Fire has been the ultimate labour of love,” said Bates Jr. “We nearly killed ourselves making it, and have been incredibly particular about whom we’d sell it to. The gang at Vertical is a bunch of film freaks. They’re just like us, only dressed nice. It’s the perfect fit.”

Synopsis:
When Owen is forced to confront the past he’s been running from his whole adult life, he and his girlfriend, Isabel, become entangled in a horrifying web of lies, deceit, and murder. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll be scarred for life.

The post Vertical Entertainment Puts Out a Trash Fire appeared first on Dread Central.

While we wait for Toho’s Godzilla Resurgence, coming later this year, the 2014 American reboot of the franchise is soon getting a sequel of its own. Earlier this week, Legendary gave the Kaiju flick a March 22, 2019 release date, nearly a year later than originally expected, and now some more bad news has taken a bite out of the Big G.

Deadline reports that Godzilla director Gareth Edwards will no longer be directing Godzilla 2, and the site notes that the split was an amicable one for Legendary, Warner Bros. and the director. Edwards recently wrapped production on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and he’s keen on next focusing on smaller projects.

Max Borenstein wrote the current version of Godzilla 2.

Legendary and Warner Bros are now looking for a director to replace Edwards as they also work on the epic mash-up film Godzilla vs. Kong, set for release on May 20, 2020.

The post Director Gareth Edwards Departs Godzilla 2 appeared first on Dread Central.

Few filmmakers can squeeze optimum entertainment out of a fun premise like Mike Mendez, who directed films such as Big Ass Spider! and Lavalantula, and also contributed one of the most fun segments to last year’s anthology Tales of Halloween. Up next, Mendez arms Dolph Lundgren with a shotgun in Don’t Kill It, and he damn sure uses it.

Check out the hyper-violent sales trailer below, courtesy of Archstone Distribution!

Written by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, the film also stars Kristina Klebe, Michael Aaron Milligan and Miles Doleac.

Synopsis:
An ancient evil is unleashed in a small Alaskan town leaving a trail of death and destruction as it passes from host to host. The only hope of survival lies with a grizzled demon hunter (Lundgren) who has faced this terror before. Together with a reluctant FBI agent he has to figure out how to destroy a demon with the ability to possess its killer

The post Dolph Lundgren Hunts Demons in Bloody Don’t Kill It Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

You may recall that around this time last year (pilot season for new TV shows), a reboot of “Tales from the Darkside” was being considered by various networks and outlets; but alas, it wasn’t meant to be.  However, that doesn’t mean that author Joe Hill’s work on the idea is going to waste…

IDW is releasing a collected volume of his scripts this October as Tales from the Darkside: Scripts by Joe Hill.  This will be in addition to the four-issue Tales from the Darkside comic coming from Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez in June.

From the Press Release:
World Fantasy, International Horror Guild, and Bram Stoker Award-winning author Joe Hill turns his attention to a legend—”Tales from the Darkside.”

Originally planned as a reboot for the storied series, Hill’s scripts for these never-broadcast television episodes allow the New York Times bestselling author to stretch his creative muscles, his effortless mastery of the twisted subject matter injecting new terrors into this silver screen legend.

Joining Hill in resurrecting this classic is Charles Paul Wilson III, known to many Joe Hill fans as the artist responsible for the nightmare vision made real in their most recent collaboration, Wraith, a graphic novel prequel to the Hill’s bestselling book N0S4A2. In Tales from the Darkside: Scripts, Wilson’s tack-sharp interpretation of Hill’s vision is on display in a series of illustrations accompanying the scripts.

“When I was offered a chance to reinvent ‘Tales from the Darkside,’ I leapt,” said Hill. “This was a landmark show for my generation: our ‘Twilight Zone,’ our ‘Outer Limits.’ Right away, I wanted to do something that honored the spirit of the original ‘Darkside’… and at the same time I wanted to go bigger, to do something fresh, something with scope. In the end I wrote three scripts and sketched a vision for a whole ‘Darkside’ universe. I envisioned a series of individual horror stories that would, ultimately, turn out to be connected by a single mythology. I really wanted to do something with the scale of Locke & Key. TV is tough, and in the end we didn’t quite make it to the little screen. But it’s a delight and a thrill to share the scripts alongside Charles Paul Wilson’s beautifully sick illustrations. Here’s the show that could’ve been, now playing in your imagination.”

“Working with Joe and Charles is always a pleasure. I mean, what we create is terrifying—why else would you pair the two together—but the results are never short of exemplary,” said project editor Justin Eisinger. “And this exploration of an alternate ‘TFTD’ television universe that could have been… well, if you’re a fan of horror anthologies, this is one you do not want to miss.”

First created by George A. Romero, “Tales from the Darkside” offered a grim but compelling anthology-style series. Hill’s scripts for the unaired reboot of the series will debut in the eponymous comic series beginning this June, but for fans looking for more raw Hill, this new scriptbook provides a unique glimpse into the creative process… and a look at what could have been.

Look for Tales from the Darkside: Scripts by Joe Hill wherever books are sold this October.

The post Joe Hill’s Collected Tales from the Darkside Reboot Scripts Being Released in October appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Mikayla Gibson, Jamie B. Cline, Adam Dunnells

Directed by Jim Lane

Look, no one ever said that looking for that special lady you want to spend your days with was an easy task – some people just prefer to take them by force.

Betrothed, the second film from director Jim Lane, gives the viewer a new look at a fad that is sweeping the criminally insanes’ love lives: strong-arm dating. Jokes tossed to the side of the road, the movie focuses on a small, yet extremely twisted family of kooks that truly believe the way to a woman’s heart is to chain her up and MAKE her love you, whether she wants to or not… and if not, may she rest in peace.

Mikayla Gibson plays the sassy and oh-so-cute as a button Audra, who is home from college and, while making a quick stop at an out-of-the-way convenience store, gets kidnapped by the loony Cooper brothers, Adam (Cline) and Nate (Dunnells). Turns out that Audra is next in line for a little backwoods marriage to the homicidal Adam, and controlling the entire show is Ginnie (Bunny Gibson) – the boys’ mother. Needless to say, Mom is nuttier than a squirrel turd. Her plan to find her boys a couple of worthy wives who can breed some kin for her has been met with some opposition from previous candidates, and when that happens, the blood covers the walls quite energetically.

With a detective (Trae Ireland) out of his jurisdiction, a tucked away family member, and the ever so plucky attitude of our flaxen-haired heroine, it looks as if Mama and her boys are in for a bit of trouble, but just how much blood will be spilled before some justice can be served? Upon first inspection, you could say that this one should more than hold its water; yet, once you dip a toe into the tub, you realize that this cinematic cistern is rather shallow. The performances are stale as week-old bread, the gore is uninspired, and the premise wreaks of derived ideas. Only the all-too-short screen presence of Bill Oberst, Jr., is enough to ratchet this one up a notch or two on the mention-meter; otherwise, I’d advise those looking for some solid matchmaking pointers to either sign up for an online dating site, or skip all of the above and head to a Vegas chapel for a quickie ceremony – no muss, no fuss.

The post Betrothed (2016) appeared first on Dread Central.

With films like Severance, Black Death, and Triangle on his resume, Christopher Smith is one of our favorite directors; and we’ve been anxiously awaiting an update on his latest, Detour, a psychological thriller.  Today news has come regarding the film’s distribution.

Per Deadline, Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, has acquired North American rights to Detour, the twisty new thriller from writer/director Christopher Smith, which world premiered last month at the Tribeca Film Festival. Detour stars Tye Sheridan (Mud, The Tree of Life), Emory Cohen (Brooklyn), and Bel Powley (Diary of a Teenage Girl) in a stylized noir tale about a college student whose attempts for revenge don’t go exactly as planned. Detour marks Smith’s third collaboration with Magnet.

Employing a split-narrative structure to tell this tale of deception and murder, Smith takes his audience on a thrill ride full of hairpin turns, where it’s never quite clear what or who can be trusted.

Detour was produced by Julie Baines of Dan Films and Jason Newmark of Newscope Films, together with Phil Hunt and Compton Ross. Head Gear Films provided production finance, and Bankside Films is handling international sales.

“We’ve been big fans of Christopher Smith for a long time, and we’re excited to work with him again on Detour,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Like its classic noir predecessors, the film keeps you guessing until the very end.”

“I’m absolutely thrilled that my film is being released by Magnet,” said Smith. “They did such a great job on both Severance and Black Death, and I’m really excited that we get to do it all over again with Detour.”

The deal was negotiated by Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Magnolia VP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden with CAA and Bankside Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

Synopsis:
Law student and all-around good guy Harper (Sheridan) suspects that his scheming stepfather, Vincent, is responsible for the car crash that sent his mother into a coma. Drowning his sorrows one evening in a seedy L.A whiskey bar, Harper is interrupted by a tough looking redneck called Johnny Ray (Cohen), who offers to “take care” of his stepdad for the cool sum of $20,000. Angry, intent on revenge, and fueled by alcohol, Harper agrees to the deal and spends the rest of his evening downing shots with Johnny Ray.

The next morning Harper wakes to the mother of all hangovers with hazy memory of the previous night’s events. Answering a knock at the front door, he is surprised to find Johnny Ray and his beautiful but distant girlfriend, Cherry (Powley), ready and waiting to drive to Vegas to kill Vincent. Harper’s claims that he was drunk and didn’t know what he was doing mean nothing to Johnny Ray, who is more threatening than ever in the cold light of day. Harper quickly realizes that there is no easy way out; if he wants to survive this, he has no choice but to go along with the plan.

What follows is a tense and deftly constructed noir thriller in which Harper’s story takes an unexpected detour, presenting the audience with two alternate versions of events with two very different outcomes. Did Harper really want to kill his stepfather, and which road did he actually take?

The post Magnet Acquires North American Distro for Christopher Smith’s Detour appeared first on Dread Central.

Being the big fan that I am of Luchagore Productions’ recent short film El Gigante, and having loved all the artwork Hiro Fujii and Daiju Kurabayashi have been creating for them of late, to say I’m a tad excited for the soon-to-be-released online comic based on said short is a bit of an understatement.

While the release was pushed back slightly, the first FREE teaser is now finally available for download right here. And both Fujii and Kurabayashi – being the big Luchagore fans that they are – have turned the project into something so much bigger than anyone ever expected, with incredible illustrations to die for…

From the Press Release:
El Gigante, the short film based on Shane McKenzie’s novel Muerte Con Carne, has been a massive hit for Luchagore Productions, playing in festivals worldwide and receiving insane critical acclaim. We are pleased to announce that the famous short film has now been turned into a graphic novel by the extremely talented team of Hiro Fujii and Daiju Kurabayashi from Japan!

The vibrant colors and eye-popping visuals of the comic perfectly capture the tone of the film, and this is sure to be a huge hit with fans of the story.  The BLOOD and GORE ooze from the pages and will leave the reader feeling dirty and filthy, yet satisfied!

The comic is expected to roll out sometime this summer, but keep in the know by heading to the official comic page.

Keep up-to-date with all things Luchagore:

Official Website: luchagoreproductions.com
Facebook: Luchagore Productions
Twitter: @LuchaGoreFilm

The post Free Sneak Peek Download of Luchagore’s El Gigante Comic Adaptation appeared first on Dread Central.

Word came earlier this week that Winchester, a film based on the legend of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA, that was first announced back in April, 2012(!), has finally received financing with the Spierig brothers set to write and direct; and now it looks like an A-list star will be portraying the main character, heiress Sarah Winchester.  Who could it be?  Read on for the info!

Per Deadline, Oscar winner Helen Mirren is closing a deal to portray the conflicted multimillionaire heiress to the Winchester Arms fortune. The supernatural thriller is expected to begin production early next year, filming both in the Winchester Mystery House itself and in Australia.  Michael and Peter Spierig penned the most recent draft of the script after Tom Vaughan wrote the first draft. The film is set for financing by Diamond Pictures and Bullitt Entertainment, and territories will be sold in the Cannes Market, which is currently under way. It was developed by Imagination Design Works, which owns the rights to the house and is allowing a film crew to shoot on the premises – a first!

IDW’s Brett Tomberlin and Blacklab’s Tim McGahan are producing, with Bullitt’s Benedict Carver, Diamond’s Daniel Diamond, and Tobin Armbrust as exec producers. Andy Trapani, Tony Lianos, Brian Gilbert, Marc Shipper, and Simon Oakes are also exec producers.

Diamond and Bullitt are co-financing with Australia’s Blacklab Entertainment, with Diamond selling international territories and WME brokering the U.S. rights deal.

More About the Winchester Mystery House:
The Winchester Mystery House has a startling history and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. Popular belief holds that Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Rifle fortune, was convinced she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by her family’s guns. Following a medium’s advice, Sarah built a massive house in Northern California to appease the spirits. For the next 38 years she never stopped building, believing that if she continued, she would live forever, and if she stopped, she would die. Known as the “house built for the spirits,” there have been many inexplicable ghost sightings there, and to this day visitors share their terrifying stories of having been in the presence of these departed souls who continue to roam the grounds of the intricate and enigmatic house.

The post Helen Mirren Closing Deal to Star in Winchester appeared first on Dread Central.