Dread Central reader David K. brought the following trailer to our attention, which is being passed off by its maker as a teaser for Friday the 13th Part 2 (2017). Check it out as it’s definitely well made and… well… it’s Friday so it seems appropriate!

As for the actual film itself, producer Brad Fuller recently noted that, as previously rumored, Jason’s return will be a period piece.

“The story takes place between the late 1970s and the early 1980s,” he said, referring to writer Aaron Guzikowski’s script. “There is a summer camp, and there are camp counselors.”

The new film is on the fast track, but don’t expect it on the upcoming Friday the 13th in January 2017.

“That decision will be made by Paramount, and I’m sure they will announce a release date soon – whether it’s the Friday the thirteenth date in October 2017, or another date altogether,” said Fuller. “Things are moving very fast, and we all know that these films can be filmed and then released very quickly. We’re now looking for a director and hope to start filming soon.”

The post Fan-Made Friday the 13th Part 2 Trailer Hits Our Happy Buttons appeared first on Dread Central.

Lights Out will be bringing screams to U.S. theaters beginning July 22nd, and to go along with our exclusive clip, we have a couple more for you to chew on!

David F. Sandberg directs the film from a screenplay by Eric Heisserer, based on Sandberg’s own short film. James Wan produces alongside Lawrence Grey, Eric Heisserer, and executive producers Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, Richard Brener, Michael Clear, Jack Murray, and Ben Everard.

For more info visit the official Lights Out website, “like” Lights Out on Facebook, and follow Lights Out on Twitter and Lights Out on Instagram.

Synopsis:
From producer James Wan (The Conjuring) and Lawrence Grey’s Grey Matter comes a tale of an unknown terror that lurks in the dark. When Rebecca left home, she thought she left her childhood fears behind. Growing up, she was never really sure of what was and wasn’t real when the lights went out… and now her little brother, Martin, is experiencing the same unexplained and terrifying events that had once tested her sanity and threatened her safety.

A frightening entity with a mysterious attachment to their mother, Sophie, has reemerged. But this time, as Rebecca gets closer to unlocking the truth, there is no denying that all their lives are in danger… once the lights go out.

The post More Lights Out Clips Keep You in the Dark appeared first on Dread Central.

For those who have been following along, The Tension Experience appeared out of nowhere and promised an interactive horror experience like no other. And they quickly lived up to their word when they plunged me into a paranoia-fueled odyssey that has gone on almost daily for the past 5 months.

Part haunt, part ARG/immersive theatre, and part psyche experiment, Tension is the closest thing to living out a horror movie, and the number of things I’ve experienced could easily fill an entire Stephen King novel.

But everything has been a warm-up act for the main event – ASCENSION – and tickets are finally on sale for the full experience, which begins this September in Los Angeles.

I still have no idea what to expect from Ascension, but the website does a good job laying out the bullet points:

– The Tension Experience is a fear-based paranoia, immersive production that will require you to make a series of decisions that will dictate the evening’s outcome. Ascension is only for guests 18 years or older.

– The entire evening will be over two hours once you enter and are checked in.

– Tension will blur the lines between reality and fiction. We will use actors, emails, phone calls, live video streams, in-person events, and just about every other avenue to get inside your head.

And if you’re hesitant because you missed out on the previous events, Tension assures that Ascension exists as its own narrative and has even posted a handy Timeline giving a broad overview of everything that’s happened thus far.

So what the hell are you waiting for? Join us… if you’re brave enough.

The OOA Institute would encourage those interested in taking the path to enlightenment to visit The Tension Experience website, “like” The Tension Experience on Facebook, and follow The Tension Experience on Twitter and on Instagram.

The post The Tension Experience: Ascension – Tickets on Sale Now! appeared first on Dread Central.

We haven’t heard ANYTHING about the proposed “Friday the 13th” TV show to air on The CW for a while now. In fact, it’s been ages! The good citizens of Crystal Lake over at the Friday the 13th Franchise website, however, have dug up this little tidbit from “a source“:

“The show has been shelved with a revisit planned for some time close to April 2017. At that point it will be determined by CW if they can find a story to warrant a series order. If they opt to not go with Friday The 13th at all then the show is open for a different avenue of release. Netflix has long been requested by fans as a destination that would hopefully limit the amount of studio interference.”

Stay tuned. In the interim check out these 25 Possible Friday the 13th TV Series Scenarios!

The post The CW’s Friday the 13th TV Show Not Dead Yet 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, which stars Adrian Grenier; and it was hot enough to land some distro via Vertical Entertainment, which acquired worldwide rights to the flick.

Today we finally have a poster for you!

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.

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 New Poster Causes a Trash Fire appeared first on Dread Central.

Director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II–IV, Repo: The Genetic Opera, Mother’s Day) is telling a highly unique horror story with his latest film Abattoir, which centers on a house that has literally been built out of rooms where horrifying tragedies have occurred. On tap right now we have a shiny new poster for you cats!

Abattoir (review) stars Jessica Lowndes, Dayton Callie, J. LaRose, Joe Anderson, and Lin Shaye. Bousman directed from a script by David Schow, Teddy Tenenbaum, and Christopher Monfette.

Synopsis:
A real estate reporter named Julia Talben unearths an urban legend about a house being built from rooms where horrific tragedies have occurred. The investigation ultimately leads Talben and a detective to the enigmatic Jebediah Crone and the answer to the question: How do you construct a haunted house?

The post Expecting a New Abattoir Poster? Now You Have One! appeared first on Dread Central.

Another Joe Dante Presents film is on its way as Terror Time is reporting that director Andy Palmer (The Funhouse Massacre) will be at the helm of the new flick, Camp Cold Brook.

“I could not be more excited to be taking on Camp Cold Brook,” says Palmer. “In addition to Alex Carl’s script being one of the scariest I’ve ever read, with great characters and frightening imagery, being able to partner with Renfield Productions and Joe Dante is a dream come true. He’s directed and produced some of my favorite films, and I look forward to not only working with him, but learning so much from him as well.”

Petri Entertainment, Busted Buggy Entertainment, and Joe Dante’s Renfield Productions will produce.

Synopsis:
Camp Cold Brook centers around a horrific incident in 1993 when dozens of young campers, without warning, stand at attention, seemingly in a hypnotic trance, and proceed to attack not only each other but the staff as well with deadly intent. The survivors then bind their feet with rope tethered to large rocks and drag themselves into the nearby lake.

Twenty-five years later, reality TV ghost hunter Jack Wilson finds himself in a tough spot. His show, “Haunted Places,” is on the brink of being cancelled. In a last ditch effort to spark ratings to land a final season, he and his producers, as well as their trusted cameraman, choose the legend of Camp Cold Brook to try to save their show.

Their arrival begins like any other episode. Cameras are placed, and the team sets up shop in the dilapidated lodge and waits. But this is not going to be a regular episode. The terror here was real, and the 30 are about to rise.

The post Andy Palmer Heads to Camp Cold Brook for Joe Dante appeared first on Dread Central.

The last time we saw Dane Cook in a horror project was 2011’s Detention, but he’s just landed a role in a pretty big one: Starz’s upcoming “American Gods.”

Cook will portray Robbie, the best friend of main character Shadow Moon, played by Ricky Whittle. According to Deadline‘s description of him, Robbie promises to hold Shadow’s job for him while he’s in prison. Additionally, Robbie is married to Audrey, best friend to Shadow’s wife, Laura (Emily Browning), and he provides another shoulder for Laura to cry on while Shadow is away.

He joins previously announced stars Whittle (Shadow Moon), Browning (Laura Moon), Ian McShane (Mr. Wednesday), Pablo Schreiber (Mad Sweeney), Orlando Jones (Mr. Nancy), Yetide Badaki (Bilquis), Bruce Langley (Technical Boy), Crispin Glover (Mr. World), Demore Barnes (Mr. Ibis), Jonathan Tucker (Low Key Lyesmith), Gillian Anderson (Media), Peter Stormare (Czernobog), and Cloris Leachman (Zorya Vechernyaya).

“American Gods” is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel of the same name, which has been translated into over 30 languages and earned numerous accolades including Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The plot posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity, and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.

“American Gods” is produced by FremantleMedia North America. Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”) and Michael Green (“The River,” “Kings,” “Heroes”) are writers and showrunners. David Slade (“Hannibal,” The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) is directing the pilot and additional episodes. FMNA’s Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk are executive producing the series along with Fuller, Green, Slade, and Neil Gaiman. Senior Vice Presidents of Original Programming Marta Fernandez and Ken Segna are the Starz executives in charge of “American Gods.” Starz retains all network pay TV and SVOD rights to the project. FremantleMedia is distributing the series worldwide.

The post Dane Cook Joins the Cast of American Gods appeared first on Dread Central.

The hunt is on in the upcoming Season 3 of “The Strain”… but exactly who is hunting whom isn’t quite clear.  Check out this trio of new teasers for some clues of what’s ahead when the series resumes on Sunday, August 28th, on FX.

We should also have more info on the new season during next week’s San Diego Comic-Con, where a 25-foot “infected” Lady Liberty statue will be erected to promote the show, whose panel takes place on Thursday, July 21st.

July 21, 3:15-4:15pm – Ballroom 20
“The Strain”: Screening and Q&A
The munchers are back! “The Strain,” FX’s action-packed vampire thriller based on the bestselling books from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, returns August 28. Get an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming third season, plus the debut of a Comic-Con exclusive original video that’s sure to go viral. Showrunner/executive producer/director/writer Carlton Cuse, co-creator/executive producer/writer Chuck Hogan, and stars Kevin Durand (Vasiliy Fet), Ruta Gedmintas (Dutch Velders), Richard Sammel (Thomas Eichhorst), and Miguel Gomez (Augustin “Gus” Elizalde) discuss the challenges of bringing this chilling world to life.

About “The Strain” Season 3:
It can no longer be denied — New York City is rapidly falling to an evil epidemic, and no one is coming to its rescue. Its citizens must fight or die.

Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his unlikely allies tried to take down the embodiment of this evil — the Master — and failed. Now Eph and Dr. Nora Martinez concentrate on creating a biological weapon to wipe out the creatures, while Abraham Setrakian searches for an ancient book he hopes will reveal the strigoi’s entire history… and possibly a way to kill them. Meanwhile, the Master is out for revenge, unleashing new and even more terrifying breeds of bloodthirsty creatures. They need to find a way to defeat him before the infection spreads too far and becomes irreparable… before they become monsters themselves.

The ensemble cast stars Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Kevin Durand, Jonathan Hyde, Richard Sammel, Natalie Brown, Miguel Gomez, Max Charles, Ruta Gedmintas, Rupert Penry-Jones, Samantha Mathis, and Joaquín Cosío. “The Strain” hails from showrunner/executive producer/director/writer Carlton Cuse along with co-creators/executive producers/writers Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Gary Ungar, J. Miles Dale, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, and Regina Corrado also serve as executive producers. “The Strain” is produced by FX Productions.

Check out “The Strain” on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more.

The post New Teasers for The Strain Season 3 Emerge from Underground appeared first on Dread Central.

The new all-female Ghostbusters have finally arrived after months and months of angry fanboys losing their minds in the most embarrassing way possible and their SJW counterparts circling the wagons in often equally embarrassing ways. Can’t we all just get along?

Apparently not, as evidenced by the news on any given day the past two weeks — Gozer may actually be coming at this rate.

After all the ballyhoo and endless online bitchfests about the gender sanctity of paranormal investigation and elimination, the Paul Feig-directed, Melissa McCarthy/Kristen Wiig-led, $144 million Ghostbusters (review) only managed $46 million in its debut weekend. On the one hand, that’s actually okay. On the other hand, this is the relaunch of an iconic franchise, and its opening weekend is barely more than a third what an R-rated Deadpool made ($132 million opening). Suicide Squad is even expected to open in the vicinity of $125 million. While certainly not a total box office bust, Ghostbusters is not exactly busting loose either.

Or, as I’ve been saying for months, so many people needlessly sniping at each other for yet another Hollywood reboot that will more than likely be forgotten about two weeks after it opens.

Maybe they should have relaunched it as an animated film because for the fifth weekend in a row the box office was topped by an animated movie. Week two of The Secret Life of Pets dominated with $50 million, leaving Ghostbusters to second place with $46 million and fingers crossed for future weeks and international box office to carry the film to the lofty profitable heights needed to keep these ladies in business. Otherwise, Ghostbusters could wind up on the same “Just Say No”-stalgia train to oblivion as Independence Day: Resurgence.

Ghostbusters won’t even have the benefit of procuring any of that lucrative Chinese money since the film has been banned due to the country’s absurdly arcane laws regarding occult imagery in films.
Speaking of occult imagery not allowed in China, The Conjuring 2 this weekend became the 13th film of 2016 to cross the $100 million mark.

James Wan returns to theaters next weekend as producer of Lights Out, the PG-13 spookfest hoping to illuminate the box office against the stiff competition of animated animals, busters of ghosts, and a new Star Trek.

Speaking of animation, Star Trek, and Ghostbusters… The new Ghostbusters has gotten mostly decent reviews but looks to do only so-so box office. That means both sides of the great Ghostbusters War of 2016 can claim victory and continue bitching at one another for the considerable future.

The post The Great Ghostbusters War of 2016 Finally Plays Out at the Box Office; Which Side Won? appeared first on Dread Central.

We’re a mere few days away from the July 22 UK cinema release of Dan Pringle’s fast food-themed revenge flick K-Shop, and to get your saliva flowing for the gory goods to come we have an exclusive clip wherein things get a little… tasty. If you have an aversion to boiling oil, stay away from this one!

K-Shop stars Ziad Abaza (Spectre), Scot Williams (Redirected), Darren Morfitt (Dog Soldiers) and Reece Noi (TV’s “The Office”).

Synopsis:
After his father is killed in an altercation with drunken thugs, Salah’s world is plunged into darkness. Forced into running the family kebab shop alone, Salah struggles to manage the increasingly rowdy night life and when a fight with an angry customer goes fatally wrong, he finds himself with a dead body on his hands. With no faith in the authorities Salah disposes of the body in the one place he knows best… the kebabs. As the shop’s gullible customers devour the new recipe, Salah develops a taste for the kill and seizes the opportunity to turn vigilante and seek revenge on the abusive drunkards plaguing the streets.

The post Exclusive K-Shop Clip Shows Revenge is Best Served Fried appeared first on Dread Central.

The autobiographical comic My Friend Dahmer will be getting a film adaptation from writer/director Marc Meyers (How He Fell in Love). The acclaimed true story comes from writer/illustrator Derf (real name John Backderf), who went to high school with the notorious serial killer.

So yeah, we’ve seen a ton of stories about Jeffrey Dahmer in the past, but this one comes from someone who actually knew the man. And before you ask, yes, Dahmer is mostly a supporting character here, but it’s still a terrifying insight into the teenage life of the man who would one day become one of America’s most notorious serial killers.

Aside from very infrequent psychopathic tendencies, he’s mostly depicted as being an awkward, neglected, and anti-social teen; but as Derf tries to be as authentic as possible by only recounting events as they actually happened, we’re never given any kind of insight into Dahmer’s mind.

Per THR, 20-year-old Ross Lynch (“Austin & Ally,” Teen Beach Movie) will star as the future serial killer, with the rest of the cast expected to be filled out soon. Filming begins in Ohio next month.

By the way (spoiler alert), the thing that always haunted me about the comic was how at the end Derf reveals that when he was told one of his former classmates had committed multiple murders, he actually assumed that it was someone else, with Dahmer being his second guess, which serves as a stark reminder of how we should never, ever, judge others without first getting the facts.

The post Autobiographical Comic My Friend Dahmer Hitting the Big Screen appeared first on Dread Central.

We still don’t know much about the upcoming season of “American Horror Story,” but if you were a fan of Season 5’s “Hotel” setting or just need to catch up, we have the skinny on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s upcoming home video release.

You’ll be able to check in to the fifth season of the deliciously diabolical series from creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk on October 4th on Blu-ray, DVD, and DHD. Explore the hidden corridors of this fiendishly entertaining show in the exclusive extras included with the discs.

“Hotel” stars a killer cast that includes Lady Gaga – in her Golden Globe-winning role as The Countess – along with Emmy-nominated Kathy Bates and Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, Matt Bomer, and Denis O’Hare.

Synopsis:
A string of grisly murders is traced back to the sinister, sensuous Countess (Gaga), an infamous resident of the stylish Hotel Cortez in Downtown Los Angeles. “American Horror Story: Hotel” is a visually stunning, visceral feast.

Special Features:

• An Invitation to Devil’s Night
• The Cortez: An Era of Elegance Gone By

The post American Horror Story: Hotel Arriving on Blu-ray/DVD in October appeared first on Dread Central.

Scream Queen Debbie Rochon’s directorial debut, Model Hunger (review), has made the rounds on the film festival circuit, whetting the appetites of horror fans… but not everyone could see it. Until now!

Yes, folks – Model Hunger is finally out on DVD, and we caught up with Debbie to ask her all about it. Not just the making of the film and its reception, but what’s NEW on the disc. (We think it’s pretty great that Wild Eye Releasing went all out on the extra helpings!)

In case you didn’t know, Model Hunger is about a former pin-up, Ginny (Lynn Lowry), who has been cast aside by the heartless and exploitative modeling industry. Let’s just say that didn’t sit too well… over the years she morphed into a revenge-seeking, bloodthirsty, broken, batshit crazy woman. When new neighbors Debbie (Tiffany Shepis) and Sal (Carmine Capobianco) move in, Debbie begins to notice strange things going on next door. Sal writes it off as Debbie’s seeing things, but she is determined to figure out what secret life Ginny is leading. Not a good idea!

Dread Central: Model Hunger has been shown on the festival circuit for a couple of years now… tell us about the feeling you have now, as it’s released for everyone to see.

Debbie Rochon: I have to say what is incredibly exciting about it is not just that everybody will get a chance to see it but that it’s actually coming out and how amazing the DVD turned out; the extras are just mind-blowing. I can’t believe that they got that much onto one disc. It is exciting.  It’s really packed to the gills, but that was something that was really important to me because… the horrible truth is movies are torrented, but there’s so many extras on the DVD that people will really enjoy them and want to own the DVD. So today is a day of celebration because the child is born.

DC: It’s amazing you waited so long to direct, given all the other things you’ve done in the horror genre, not the least of which is acting.

DR: You know, it was way easier than it should have been, and I’ll tell you why. I’ve worked with a lot of actors and worked very hard with a lot of the actors in a good way, but every actor works differently and every actor needs different things. In the case of Lynn Lowry, what she brought to the table was a lifetime of experience and talent, and she is one of the actresses out there, because not all are, that actually knows the important value of studying, and this is a studied actor; it is a craft. She was actually, ironically, one of the people that required the least amount from me. As a matter of fact, my job was more to give her as much play room as possible and to get everybody up-to-speed as far as rehearsals beforehand, before she got to town, so that they could keep up with Lynn Lowry, and they certainly did. I think in the case of Lynn this was just the type of role that you just let her go, and within a certain amount of takes, some are bigger than others, some are more subtle, it’s just going to naturally happen.

Sometimes I’d ask for another take, sometimes she would, but she’s so studied, and as an actor I totally knew that and I saw it. Really, it’s kind of a dream to be able to have that kind of actor. Being in so many movies, some horribly bad, some amazingly good, the thing I know more than anything else walking into this is casting is everything and actors are everything. You could have a great script but you cannot lift up an actor that doesn’t have the ability to be lifted up to that level unless they’re ready… but it was just fate. The movie has its own being, it’s just so fortunate to have her, I’m fortunate to have her, but the movie as a whole [too] because she drives it and she owns it and that’s really how it went. We had a couple of conversations about the character Ginny herself, and she even mentions this character in the movie, but we really said she is the Blanche DuBois who went down the wrong road, who went down a very different road like the one in A Streetcar Named Desire did, you know? Really, that’s one of many hooks that she used – what would happen if… it turned really, horribly bad? What would happen?

DC: It’s such a female-centric story… tell us about working with a male screenwriter on this.

DR: Actually, James Morgart is one of the very few writers that know how to write for women, just starting right there. He has gone to university and studied history and all sorts of women issues. He knows all about the struggles of women, be it politically, even physically as we see in the movie; in so many ways, he just has a real well-rounded view of women and their struggle. So with the script he was a dream because he allowed me to do things I can’t even imagine many other writers would allow me to do. There were things like, to be brief, the character that Michael Thurber plays, Mr. Winters, the next-door neighbor… he had like a three-page monologue with the character of a deputy, and I said to James that Ginny had the monologues in this movie; no other character should really have them because that is her sort of imprint on the movie. So taking all of that out and simply replacing it with her tending a windmill because the monologue was pretty much the same thing, explaining to Debbie about Ginny and sort of betraying his love for Ginny but his need to tell Debbie about Ginny… so things like this, that’s a pretty big thing because that’s three pages of hard-earned writing he was willing and trusting me to let go… Like I said before, it was all designed not just because these people are talented and would be free enough to do anything with their body and just let it all go and hang out, it’s also about… the show is a TV show at the end of the day, even though it is the Greek chorus, and TV shows lie so we have all of those elements in there and once again who’ll pick it up, I don’t know but I had the ability to do that and he gave me the opportunity to do that so I can’t even begin to think of anyone else who would let me play with their work as much as James did so I will be eternally grateful to him. He was insanely easy to work with as far as creating the script and open to the interpretation, and boy, that made the whole thing so great, I have to tell you.

DC: You alluded to all the extras on the DVD… that’s rare these days. So, what fun extras can fans expect to see?

DR: There’s a fun commentary with myself and David Marancik, he was the younger police officer of the two, and there’s a terrific extra with Voltaire called The Lair of Voltaire and it’s actually hilarious. It’s an interview but it’s incredibly entertaining and what Bombshell put together, a fantastic wonderland, sort of if she was to take her character and expand upon it to have her own show, that’s an extra, I love that, I think that’s James’s favorite but don’t tell anybody, actually you can write that, that’s his favorite. Deleted scenes, myself and Hoffman ended up on the cutting room floor because we needed to get to the story, but you will not miss that if you have the DVD because we have the scenes on there. There’s a music video by The Autopsy Boys, there’s an Easter egg and I’m only going to say the name Harry Manfredini beside the word Easter egg and more. The original teaser and trailers and a couple of other surprises but it’s packed but it’s intentionally packed for the film buff who really gets a kick out of owning a DVD.

DC: So… the inevitable question: Will you direct again?

DR: I definitely will be directing again, but just like this one, it has to be the right project. There are a couple of different things that I’m working on right now and I’m sifting through; we’re going to see which one actually flourishes because as we all know, it’s difficult financially to get the projects made. Even with that said, there are a couple of things I want to do; it just has to be something I’m very comfortable living with for as long as one does [making a] movie. I’m just doing it out of an absolute labor of love so I don’t feel a need to rush to anything.

The post Exclusive: Debbie Rochon Talks Model Hunger appeared first on Dread Central.

No decade has more deep-seated nostalgia linked to it than the 1980s, and in the past several years, Hollywood has absolutely mined that nostalgia for all it’s worth. We’ve seen countless direct remakes of beloved ’80s films as well as movies that were clearly inspired by the decade’s finest, but I think it’s safe to say that we’ve finally hit peak ’80s nostalgia with exceptional new Netflix series “Stranger Things.”

Created by the Duffer Brothers, the 8-episode series plucks out pretty much everything we all love about ’80s cinema and rolls it into one big ole ball of nostalgia, and you’d be hard-pressed to find ANYTHING that feels more authentically ’80s than it does. Rather brilliantly, “Stranger Things” is very familiar while also being entirely its own thing, as the Duffer Brothers recapture the feeling of the show’s influences without hammering you over the head with references or trying to be those movies. If you didn’t know any better, you’d probably believe that it was actually made in the ’80s, which is the strongest possible testament to how well executed it is.

Watching “Stranger Things,” it’s impossible to not be reminded of movies you hold near and dear, and that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Here are just five of the classic horror movies we were often reminded of throughout the series – be forewarned that there will be some spoilers within this article!

1) STEPHEN KING’S IT

The most common description of “Stranger Things” is that it’s “Steven Spielberg meets Stephen King,” which pitch-perfectly sums up the general vibe of the show. Two things that were quite obviously huge influences on the Duffer Brothers were Spielberg’s E.T. and King’s It, and it’s often so reminiscent of the latter that it feels like a better adaptation of the novel than the 1990 mini-series was. The show primarily centers on a group of pre-teen outcasts who willingly engage in battle with a nightmarish monster, and the tale kicks off, much like It does, when one of their friends is taken.

The young, often-bullied characters that comprise the “Stranger Things” group would all fit right in with The Losers Club (as well as the titular Monster Squad), and yes, they’re eventually even joined by a female member. I suppose it only makes sense that actor Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series, will next be seen as Richie Tozier in Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of King’s novel!

As King himself noted, “Watching Stranger Things is like watching Steve King’s Greatest Hits.”

2) A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

One of the main characters in “Stranger Things” is Nancy Wheeler, who is Mike’s teenage sister. A good-natured brunette who happens to be dating a handsome jock,  Nancy shares more than merely a name with A Nightmare on Elm Street‘s Nancy Thompson, so much so that she ends up being a way better version of Freddy’s arch-nemesis than the one we got in that awful 2010 remake. Unsurprisingly, the mild-mannered Nancy eventually becomes a total badass, bravely bringing the fight to the otherworldly monster that has taken her friend. Nancy Thompson, needless to say, would be proud.

Speaking of the monster, there are several scenes throughout wherein he literally presses through the wall of a house from the other side, taking a page directly out of Freddy’s playbook.

3) POLTERGEIST

Winona Ryder stars in “Stranger Things” as Joyce Byers, the inconsolable mother of Will Byers: the child whose mysterious disappearance triggers the events of the series. As we learn, Will has been abducted by a supernatural force and taken into an alternate world wherein a terrifying beast roams free, the show essentially echoing the basic plot of the Spielberg-produced Poltergeist. Like Carol Anne, Will communicates with his mother via electrical currents, allowing her to hear him from the other side. There’s even a flashback scene early on wherein Joyce presents her young son with tickets to see Poltergeist, and they have a brief chat about the film.

Strong Poltergeist vibes are also felt during a scene at the Hawkins Laboratory, wherein an employee is tethered to the physical world for a trip over to the dark side – reminiscent of a similar scene involving Diane Freeling.

4) FIRESTARTER

One of the standout performances in “Stranger Things” comes courtesy of young actress Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the peculiar Eleven. Her relationship with Mike Wheeler is undeniably similar to Elliot’s relationship with ET, and several nods are made to the Spielberg classic through her. But another character Eleven reminded us of is Charlie McGee in 1984’s Firestarter, which was of course based on Stephen King’s novel. In the film, Drew Barrymore played Charlie, a little girl with psychokinetic abilities who is, like Eleven, being targeted by a sinister government agency that wants to control her.

Nose bleeds, in both “Stranger Things” and Firestarter, are a side effect of the powers being used.

5) HALLOWEEN 3: SEASON OF THE WITCH

Though not quite as obvious as the others on this list, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to recently-embraced sequel Halloween 3 while watching “Stranger Things.” One of the show’s side plots sees police chief Jim Hopper investigating the strange goings-on at the Hawkins Laboratory, and eventually breaking into the building, and the whole thing calls to mind Dr. Dan Challis’ investigation of the Silver Shamrock factory. There’s even a scene wherein Hopper discovers a seemingly-human body that isn’t actually human, which is also one of the twists in Halloween 3.

As for series antagonist Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine), who’s in charge over at the Hawkins Laboratory, he’s almost a dead-ringer for Season of the Witch villain Conal Cochran.

Oh and of course, it doesn’t hurt that the show’s score is pure Carpenter.

Did “Stranger Things” remind you of any other horror movies? Let us know!

The post 5 Classic Horror Movies Netflix’s Stranger Things Reminded Us Of appeared first on Dread Central.

Fantasy meets reality in The 9th Life of Louis Drax, the latest film from modern horror master Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, Horns). While we wait for it to hit theaters on September 2nd, the official one-sheet has arrived, and it teases the mystery we will soon be jumping headlong into. Check it out!

The film stars Jamie Dornan, Aaron Paul, Sarah Gadon, Oliver Platt, Molly Parker, Barbara Hershey, and Aiden Longworth.

Based on Liz Jensen’s best-selling novel of the same title, the screenplay was written by Max Minghella.

Synopsis:
The 9th Life of Louis Drax begins on Louis Drax’s 9th birthday, when he miraculously survives a near fatal fall. His doctor, Allan Pascal (Dornan), finds himself tangled between his professional responsibility and his growing affections for the boy’s mother (Gadon), a fragile young beauty. When Louis’ father (Paul) comes under suspicion, Pascal realizes other mysterious forces may be at work.

The post The 9th Life of Louis Drax Gets a Headsy New Poster appeared first on Dread Central.

We haven’t heard much chatter from you guys about “BrainDead” on CBS, but personally speaking, I love it.  If you haven’t been watching, you have a little time to catch up because effective immediately, the show will be airing on Sunday nights; and kicking things off on July 24th is Episode 1.05, “Back to Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Congress and How It Gets Things Done (and Often Doesn’t),” in which Emmy-winning Margo Martindale guest stars.

“BrainDead” Episode 1.05 – “Back to Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Congress and How It Gets Things Done (and Often Doesn’t)” (airs 7/24/16, 10-11PM)
Laurel (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) asks her brother, Luke (Danny Pino), for his help to get the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the bugs, but he insists she first consult Dr. Joanne Alaimo (Margo Martindale), a leading entomologist, for her perspective on the invasion. Also, Laurel’s relationship with Anthony (Charlie Semine) takes a drastic turn.

The post CBS Moves BrainDead to Sundays; See What’s Ahead! appeared first on Dread Central.

If HorrorCon 2016, now in its second year, is anything to go by, then this edition of the festival set in Sheffield, England, is waving the flag for all things evil, lurid, and grotesque. HorrorCon set new standards of what a convention should be in a country that is more used to putting on comic cons and sci-fi meetings. It was, in short, refreshing, spectacular, and a joy to behold!

Actors from the horror world such as Kane Hodder, Doug Bradley, David Naughton, and Linnea Quigley graced the dimly lit venue, which only added to the eerie goings-on during what proved to be a typically rainy day in northern England.

That mattered little to the few thousand horror fans inside a vast venue which played host to signing sessions, Q&A’s, photo shoots, FX make-up workshops, and realistic prop masks from our favorite movies.  Even a boa constrictor made an appearance, much to the delight of patrons.

The queues were big for the three main guests of the day, and all seemed to go away happy. David Naughton, most famous for perhaps the greatest werewolf movie ever made: An American Werewolf in London, was in great spirits.

Doug Bradley, known in the horror genre for playing the one and only Pinhead in the Hellraiser franchise, told a packed crowd of his disdain for Dimension Pictures and how the company showed no care and respect for the latest Hellraiser films. The room laughed along as Bradley told the story of how the company wanted him to sign a contract of confidentiality over the plot to the upcoming tenth movie, a film that Bradley rightly turned down. He suggested that with the world in various troubles and strife, he was sure that not many people would care if a new Hellraiser story was ever leaked.

He also told a story about how he met former Beatle Ringo Starr at the 1992 MTV Movie Awards and how to his astonishment the drummer recognized who he was and shouted, “It’s Pinhead!”

Kane Hodder drew a huge crowd and many laughs as he pointed out that a lot of today’s horror actors were not fans of the genre when they were growing up. He coughed and blurted out Robert Englund’s name before backtracking and saying he was just joking. Hodder also asked fans a question: “How many bones do you think I have broken in my career?” The response was 55, then 42, then 25 and then somebody shouted out none, and Kane looked right over and said, “Correct.” He then continued that he was mystified by stuntmen who showed off about how many bones they had broken during their career. His justification was a classic, “Breaking your bones during a stunt means you failed.”

Hodder also pointed to someone wearing a Metallica t-shirt and said that he loved the band.

Convention workers were incredibly friendly throughout, and you could feel the love they have for the genre, which only emphasized their professionalism. It was an event that oozed coolness, awesomeness, and gave you the warmest chill you could imagine. Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and the “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” were all in attendance, just making sure your heartbeat was still thumping.

Later we were treated to a costume contest, which Jason won. Some of the biggest cheers, though, were reserved for the under 15’s competition, which was won by a toddler all geared up like Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise.

HorrorCon (official site here) was rounded up both days by the weirdest and certainly craziest covers act you’re ever likely to witness in Iron Sphcinter. Their lead singer drank blood from a severed brain whilst singing!

Being at HorrorCon for a fan was the ultimate dream- you could see fans enter who didn’t know where to look such was the amount of different things to view and gasp at. The only problem now is the 12-month wait until HorrorCon 2017. But with the reaction that fans gave, it seems that this year’s edition was, emphatically, a horror fan’s wet dream.

Con

The post Event Report: UK’s HorrorCon 2016 Welcomes Kane Hodder, Doug Bradley, and More! appeared first on Dread Central.

If you live on the East Coast (or have the funds to do a little traveling), the one convention that you absolutely should attend at least once in your lifetime is Rock and Shock in Worcester, Massachusetts.  It’s about to celebrate its lucky 13th anniversary this coming October, and the first wave of guests and musical groups that will be there has just been unveiled.

From the Press Release:
MassConcerts is pleased to announce the first of many celebrity guests and musical acts for the biggest yearly horror and music convention in New England. On October 14th through 16th, Rock and Shock will celebrate its 13th year bringing the best in horror and music to Worcester, MA. The convention features celebrity guests, killer bands, incredible vendors, and plenty to do inside the convention. Celebrity guests will appear all three days of the convention unless otherwise noted.

This year Rock and Shock welcomes Matthew Lillard as part of Scream’s 20th Anniversary. Avoiding being typecast, Matthew is an actor who is as popular for his roles in movies for kids (Scooby Doo) as he is comedies (Without a Paddle), rom-coms (She’s All That), cult films (Serial Mom, SLC Punk!), and of course horror, with his role as Stuart in Scream serving as his first big screen genre role.

Joining Matthew is fellow Scream partner-in-crime Skeet Ulrich, who has had a strong career in a variety of genres, starring in movies and television shows such as “Law and Order: LA,” As Good As It Gets, and Jericho, but for horror fans few have had as impactful a year as he did in 1996. Starting with a breakout performance in The Craft and moving right to a career-solidifying turn as Billy in Wes Craven’s Scream, Skeet established himself as a memorable actor from the very beginning, and we are thrilled that he will be with us for Rock and Shock.

Children of the Corn was one of the scariest movies at the time, and Rock and Shock couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Courtney Gains. Not only did he give a masterful performance as Malachai in Children of the Corn, it was also his very first film role. He was an instant horror legend, and after that Courtney cemented his place as an actor with roles in Back o the Future, The ‘Burbs, “Seinfeld,” “Tales from the Crypt,” Rob Zombie’s Halloween, and so many more.

In addition, Rock and Shock will feature another Children of the Corn legend. We’re happy to announce that Isaac himself, John Franklin, will be at the show. Not only did John bring a powerful creep factor as the cult leader, but he also added to his horror film cred by playing “Walkabout” Chucky in Child’s Play and Cousin Itt in both The Addams Family and Addams Family Values before returning to the Isaac character for Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return.

Rock and Shock is never complete without an incredible lineup of bands to keep your day going into the night over at the Palladium. For Friday, October 14th, the lineup features Trivium, Kataklysm, Carach Angren, and Huntress. On Saturday, October 15th, don’t miss Max & Igor Cavalera with their “Return to Roots” all-star lineup and con highlight, The Rocking Dead, and Combichrist. Finally, on Sunday, October 16th, Twiztid return with an incredible support lineup featuring mac Lethal, Lex the Hex Master, Zodiac Mprint, Menace 2 Sobriety, and Godz of Kaos.

Tickets for Rock & Shock 2016 will be available soon at ticketfly.com, FYE stores, or at the Palladium box office. There are still plenty of celebrity guest, musical acts and events yet to be announced so make sure to follow Rock & Shock on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit rockandshock.com.

The post Rock and Shock Celebrates 13 Years of Music and Mayhem; First Group of Guests and Bands Announced! appeared first on Dread Central.

Today the final season of Syfy’s “Bitten” arrives on home video, and courtesy of the show’s co-producer Entertainment One, we have five (5) of the three-disc collector DVD sets to give away. Featuring all 10 unedited, action-packed episodes, Bitten: The Final Season is highlighted by the featurette “A Look at the Final Season” along with a few other extras.

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

This contest will end at 12:01 AM PT on July 24. Note: By entering this contest, you are consenting to allow Dread Central and its subsidiaries use of your email address.

About the BITTEN: THE FINAL SEASON DVD Set:
Based on the Otherworld novels by New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong, “Bitten” stars Laura Vandervoort (“Smallville”, “V”, “Haven”, Ted) as Elena Michaels, the world’s only female werewolf. For three seasons, the show’s rabid followers have tuned in as Elena evolved from a photographer who hides her dark secret after being bitten to a ferocious leader of the Stonehaven pack.

Vandervoort’s co-stars include Greyston Holt (“Once Upon a Time”, “Alcatraz”), Greg Bryk (“ReGenesis”, Immortals, A History of Violence), Steve Lund (“Haven”), and Genelle Williams.

BITTEN: THE FINAL SEASON picks up several months after the harrowing battle in the Season 2 finale. Bolstering their ranks in the wake of the carnage, the Stonehaven Pack is on the hunt for the Russian Alpha and his brethren, seeking to end a decades-old vendetta. Meanwhile, Elena struggles with Pack Alpha Jeremy Danvers’ new draconian leadership style and makes a shocking and surprising discovery about herself. As the thrilling VFX-driven series ends, can the world’s only female werewolf protect her bloodline? 

“Bitten” is produced by No Equal Entertainment, Hoodwink Entertainment, and Entertainment One (eOne) in association with Space and Bell Media, with the participation of Rogers Cable Network Fund and Cogeco Program Development Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, and the Canada Media Fund. The series is executive produced by J.B. Sugar for No Equal Entertainment, John Barbisan and Patrick Banister for Hoodwink Entertainment, Tecca Crosby and John Morayniss for eOne, Wil Zmak, and showrunner Daegan Fryklind. eOne handles the worldwide distribution for the series.

Bonus Features:

· Deleted Scenes
· Extended Scenes
· “A Look at the Final Season” Featurette

The post Win a Bitten: The Final Season Three-Disc Collector’s DVD Set appeared first on Dread Central.