With a brand new year approaching, we edge even closer to the inevitable end of our own mortality.  I mean… 2017 is just around the corner, which means we have 12 whole months worth of new releases to look forward to.  From  blockbuster monster movies, to reboots of beloved franchises, independent gems and everything in between, I’m sure you’ll find there’s something for all genre aficionados taste buds on this list.  Of course, this doesn’t feature every single movie we’ll see this year – and no doubt some of the best ones will be the gems which appear seemingly out of nowhere, terrify our souls and capture our hearts – but I do hope it you find something new which sparks your interest amidst the obvious ones I have to mention because they’re unmissable.

Underworld: Blood Wars (Release Date: January 7th)

The year gets underway with some mindless popcorn action-horror, as Selene (Kate Beckinsale) goes to war with some werewolves and vampires.  It is what it is, and at this stage (it is the fifth instalment after all) you’ve probably made up your mind about the Underworld franchise.  If you’re a fan, you can see it in theatres this January.

The Bye Bye Man (Release Date: January 13th)

The Bye Bye Man is a bad dude.  He likes to make people commit unspeakable acts of evil, but if you say his name or even think it then he’ll come for you.  He has no problem taking over your free will, but God forbid you invade his privacy.  Part Candyman, part A Nightmare On Elm Street, part It Follows, it looks like some generic, but serviceable fun.  Then again, given that it’s being released in January, chances are it won’t be very good at all.  But all movies should be approached with an open mind, and The Bye Bye Man might surpass Candyman, Freddy and The Entity.  You never know…

Detour (Release Date: January 20th)

Christopher Smith makes his long-awaited return to genre cinema with Detour, a twisted neo-noir starring Tye Sheridan as a mourning son whose attempts to get revenge on his stepfather don’t go as planned.  So far what we know is that this is a film that keeps the audience on its toes until the very end, and if you’ve seen Smith’s overlooked masterpiece Triangle, then you’ll know he’s more than capable of doing just that.

Split (Release Date: January 20th)

I’ve never been a fan of M. Night Shyamalan, but every time he has a new movie coming out I’m somewhat intrigued to see it.  For me personally, I’m hoping Split is the movie that converts me to his cause, as the concept of James McAvoy playing a character with multiple personalities is a concept I can get behind. But despite being a hit-or-miss director, he does have a multitude of fans, and with the positive reception following its festival run – with some critics even comparing it to Hitchcock – it’s definitely worth checking out.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (January 27th)

Well, it’s been an adventure.  But all adventures have to come an end – a bloody, gruesome one hopefully.  Milo Jovovich returns as our kickass, zombie bothering heroine Alice, the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead hordes. But the battle isn’t over yet, and she must return to where the nightmare began – Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

Rings (Release Date: February 2nd)

Set 13 years after the last instalment, Samara returns to exact terror in seven days for those who watch the cursed video tape. However, there is more to the tape than meets the eye in this case, with a plot involving a movie within the movie. What secrets does it behold?

Patient Zero (Release Date: February 17th)

Starring Natalie Dormer, Patient Zero is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has become “Infected” killers. Only a band of heroes can set out into the ravaged remnants of society to find the cure.  Starring alongside Dormer is former Doctor Who actor, Matt Smith.

XX (February 17th)

XX is a horror anthology with a gender twist – each segment is helmed by a female directors and will star female leads. The directors Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), St. Vincent, and others.  It also features a segment based on Jack Ketchum’s “The Box.”

Get Out (February 24th)

The trailer for Get Out became a viral sensation when it was released earlier this year, for both its oddness and social commentary pertaining to racial tensions.  Written and directed by Jordan Peele, it follows an African American man who visits his white girlfriend’s family estate, where he isn’t made to feel very welcome.

Kong: Skull Island (Release Date: March 10th)

Following the success of 2014’s kaijutastic Godzilla reboot, Legendary Pictures continue their quest to bring our favorite giant monsters back to the big screen, this time with the King himself.  This film promises to provide a bold new take on the mythos of another iconic beast, and if the trailers are anything to go by it looks like a crossover between Apocalypse Now and Jurassic Park. What’s not to look forward to with Kong: Skull Island?  We’re living in an age of monster mayhem and with a collision with G set for 2020, it’s a good time to be alive if you like seeing gargantuan beasts tear it up.

Raw (Release Date: March 10th)

Ooh baby I like it raw, yeah baby I like it raw…  Yep, I’m talking about consuming human flesh here, folks.  Julia Ducournau’s cannibal shocker garnered some notoriety at the Toronto International Film Festival when members of the audience were reported to have been physically sick, along with paramedics having to be brought in because audience members passed out. I can’t think of the last time a movie came with this much gruesome buzz.

The Belko Experiment (Release Date: March 17th)

Wolf Creek director Greg McClean directs a James Gunn script in a movie which looks like a mix between Battle Royale and Office Space.  The plot follows a group of American office lackeys working in Brazil who are forced to kill each other, or else they’ll be killed themselves. It has all the ingredients to be an unhinged, violent good time and with the talent involved it’s bound to go down a treat with bloodthirsty genre fans.

Ghost in the Shell (Release Date: March 29th)

Based on the wildly popular anime, Ghost in the Shell‘s inevitable Hollywood live action live adaptation was met with initial scepticism, but the trailer turned out to be pretty damn awesome and now most people are really looking forward to it.  It stars Scarlett Johansson as The Major, a half-cyborg enforcer tasked with bringing down a dangerous hacker in a future that looks all Blade Runner-esque and stunning.

The Devil’s Candy (Release Date: March TBA)

I had the pleasure of seeing this movie at FrightFest in the UK and it’s incredible.  Following his savagely funny debut The Loved Ones, Sean Byrne’s sophomore effort is going to solidify his place as a rising genre stalwart once this hits VOD.  It’s a haunted house tale, but it’s not your conventional haunted house tale either; Byrne reminds us that there is life left in houses occupied by the spirits of the dead after all.

Blade of the Immortal (Release Date: April 29th)

Based on the manga of the same name, Blade of the Immortal follows an immortality cursed warrior who must kill 1000 evil men in order to break the curse.  Directed by prolific Japanese maestro Takashi Miike, this should be the violent, action-packed opus we know he’s more than capable of.

Alien: Covenant (Release Date: May 19th)

Ridley Scott returns to the Alien universe with the second chapter of the prequel quadruple that began with 2012’s Prometheus.  It also promises to be a return to the franchises’ roots in unbridled terror and if the trailer is anything to go by, it looks awesome.  The story follows a crew bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, who, mistaking it for an uncharted paradise, find themselves entering a nightmare.  Scott has promised two more sequels after this before the storyline links up with the original Alien.  Maybe after those we’ll finally get that Neil Blomkamp movie we’ve all been waiting for as well, which is a sequel to Alien 3 that isn’t Alien Resurrection.  Got it? Good.

The Mummy (Release Date: June 9th)

Universal are bringing back their iconic monsters to share a brand new cinematic universe, a “Brand New World of Gods and Monsters.” Up first is their reboot of The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise as hero Nick Morton who must go up an apocalyptic threat when an ancient princess is awakened all pissed off at humanity.  It couldn’t be any different to the Boris Karloff original, but it looks like fun blockbuster action at least.  Some people think it’s a reboot of the Brendan Fraser movie, so if one positive comes from it then it might remind people that movies existed before 1999.

World War Z 2 (Release Date: June 9th)

The first World War Z film was beleaguered with production problems so the fact it turned out to be semi-entertaining was a miracle.  It also made a big pile of money, so a sequel was always going to happen.  The comics are fantastic and the series has a lot of potential to translate well on the screen.  David Fincher is helming this one, so it might kick start the momentum the franchise needs.  In Fincher we trust… even if this does feel kind of beneath him.

The Dark Tower (Release Date: July 28th)

Stephen King’s fantasy western adventure finally gets its long-awaited cinematic adaptation after years of people trying to figure out how the hell they were going to adapt it.  Inspired by everything from Lord of the Rings to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, this has the potential to be the best the next great grand scale adventure for the ages.

Annabelle 2 (Release Date: August 11th)

I know, I know… who cares about a sequel to a movie that didn’t exactly set the world on fire?  Well, if Ouija: Origin of Evil is anything to go by, it showed that sequels to bland supernatural movies can be pretty entertaining and reignite their respective franchises.  Much like Mike Flanagan when he took the reigns for Origin of Evil, David F. Sandberg enters Annabelle 2 on a wave of momentum following the success and acclaim of his debut full-length feature Lights Out.   This could be the surprise mainstream release of the year.

Sky Sharks (Release Date: September 1st)

Deep in the ice of the antarctic, a team of geologists uncover an old Nazi laboratory where twisted experiments were carried out in the past. In their bid for world domination, they created flying sharks who were flown by the undead. Basically, it’s a movie about Nazi zombies and flying sharks and it’s going to be bonkers.

IT (Release Date: September 8th)

Like the antagonist clown Pennywise, the IT reboot was devised with the sole purpose of killing childhoods.  Those of us who grew up with the dated mini-series are going to feel our nostalgic memories sucked into the eternal, black nothingness of death just because this movie exists.  Or, it might turn out to be a welcome adaptation of one of the best horror stories ever written, and we’ll all enjoy it and realize that reboots of the movies we grew up with can be good after all and our childhood’s will remain firmly intact, even though remakes don’t really affect their original counterparts in the slightest.

Flatliners (Release Date: September 29th)

A remake of the underrated 1990 movie, which tells the story of students who experiment with “near death” experiences, is perhaps unnecessary and a prime example of how every property is being milked.  That said, it has a fairly original premise that’s open to new nightmarish interpretation and the results could be interesting.

Friday the 13th (Release Date: October 13th)

Jason is back and he’s going to kill people.

Insidious: Chapter 4 (Release Date: October 20th)

Plot details are still fairly unknown about the latest instalment in the uber popular franchise, but what we do know is that the story takes place closer to the timeline of the first film and it’ll probably have lots of spooky shenanigans happening.  Adam Robitel, who directed the fantastic The Taking of Deborah Logan, will be helming the project, which sees Lin Shaye return to star and Leigh Whannell supplying the script.

Saw: Legacy (Release Date: October 27th)

Since the Saw series has been on hiatus, I’ve actually missed it.  I think the influx of supernatural horror in recent years has made me appreciate it more because it’s a guaranteed gory good time at the movies.  I’m happy to see Jigsaw return to our screens, and even though it’ll be business as usual, at least blood and guts will grace our multiplexes this Halloween.

God Particle (Release Date: October 27th)

Set in the Cloverfield-verse, God Particle follows a team of astronauts aboard a space station who must fight for survival while their reality has been altered after making a shocking discovery.  How it connects to Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield is a mystery at this time, but we can’t wait to find out.

Leatherface (Release Date: TBA)

A prequel which follows a teenage Leatherface who, after escaping from a mental institution with three other inmates, kidnaps a young woman and takes her on a road trip she doesn’t ask to be a part of. Along the way they are pursued by an deranged lawman out for revenge.  This premise sounds absolutely incredible, and the fact it’s being helmed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury gives me hope.

Death Note (Release Date: TBA)

Adam Wingard’s American remake of the Japanese manga, anime series and live action movie tells the story of a student who discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone he writes down.  This leads to a a deadly game of cat and mouse when a detective begins to track down the young man, attempting to end his reign of terror once and for all.

Death Wish (Release Date: TBA)

Eli Roth and Bruce Willis team up to unleash vigilante justice in this remake of Michael Winner’s 1979 classic, which starred Charles Bronson as a NYC businessman who cleans up the streets of its criminal filth following the death of his family at the hand’s of ruthless gangland thugs.

The Void (Release Date: TBA)

The genius’ behind the Astron-6 collective make their first full-length foray into straight horror fare with The Void, which takes place in a hospital where the inmates are transforming into inhuman creatures.  However, judging by the trailer, there’s a deep-rooted mythology here that hearkens back to the glory days of 80s, nightmare-inducing gateway horror like Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 and The Beyond.  The creators have described it as an homage to movies of that nature, and that sounds just perfect.

Hellraiser: Judgement (Release Date: TBA)

Pinhead told us our suffering would be legendary, and those of us who watched Hellraiser: Revelations knew exactly what he meant.  Hopefully Judgement will be a return to form for a franchise that deserves to be treated better; the potential for stories within this universe is too great not to explore, but with each passing entry it’s continued to move away from what made it special in the first place.  But this is a Hellraiser movie, therefore it’s somewhat intriguing.

Mayhem

Joe Lynch is one of the most underrated and exciting directors working in genre cinema at the moment.  His movies are genre-bending treats, which give us the violent, action-packed, intense thrills we need in our lives.  Mayhem tells the story of a virus which causes its infected act out their wildest and most deranged fantasies.  Sounds insane.  Count us in.

Mohawk (Release Date: TBA)

Ted Geoghegan’s follow-up to the excellent We Are Still Here follows a young Mohawk woman who finds herself pursued by a battalion of military renegades hell-bent on revenge after one of her tribe sets their camp ablaze. Fleeing deep into the woods, a twisted tale of survival ensues.  Much like We Are Still Here was in 2014, this could be the coolest movie to hit our screens in 2017.

Patchwork (Release Date: TBA)

Patchwork is an outrageous throwback horror-comedy that follows three young women who go out partying one night and find themselves Frankensteined together in one body. Now they must put aside their differences so they can find who committed this atrocity and exact their revenge.  This movie is a blast, and if you like the classic schlock of auteurs like Frank Hennenlotter you’ll love Patchwork.

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich (Release Date: TBA)

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich tells the story of a divorced young man who gets entangled in a nightmare at an auction he’s attending in a bid to sell an antique doll.  But when the various puppets come to life and go on a bloody killing spree, things don’t exactly go according to plan.  What makes this instalment so exciting is that it’s penned by Bone Tomahawk writer/director and acclaimed author S. Craig Zahler, whose sophomore outing Brawl In Cell Block 99 – a brutal prison drama – is also expected to arrive in 2017.

Re-Animator: Evolution (Release Date: TBA)

We’ve covered Serge Levin’s upcoming Re-Animator remake extensively here at Dread Central, but we haven’t heard any information in quite some time.  That said, what we do know is that it stars Lin Shaye, it’s a more faithful adaptation to Lovecraft’s original short story and we’ll get to see it at some point next year.

Neon Doom/Benny and Steve Almost Die/Her Name Was Torment II: Agony (Release Dates: TBA)

Dustin Mills is one of the hardest working directors on the planet and a filmmaker who epitomizes the creativity and originality bursting out of the underground horror scene.  In 2017, he’ll be releasing an unholy trifecta of movies which couldn’t be more different.  The first, Neon Doom, is a video game-inspired post-apocalyptic tale of futuristic bounty hunters.  Her Name Was Torment II: Agony on the other hand is the sequel to the 2014 film which saw Mills unleashing his darkest work to date.  Little is know about the plot for Benny and Steve Almost Die, but it’s a horror comedy – and that’s the genre where Mills is at his most outlandish, weird and and wonderful.

The post Cool Movies to Look Forward to in 2017 appeared first on Dread Central.

Yeah, I know it’s still many moons away, but that doesn’t mean we cannot revel in the goodness of the Halloween season until it arrives! We know you’re as sweaty with anticipation as we are so here’s something more to look forward to…

Justin Mabry of Trick or Treat Studios took to his Mabry Masks Instagram account to unveil its new Pumpkinhead mask, and as you’ll see for yourself, it’s fucking STELLAR.

Artist Bruce Spaulding Fuller worked on this gorgeous piece of artwork that would have Ed Harley spinning in his grave.

The post Get Revenge Next Halloween with an Incredible Pumpkinhead Mask appeared first on Dread Central.

A fresh crop of TV spots are here for The Bye Bye Man, and we have each of them ready and waiting for you. Dig in!

Michael Trucco stars with Douglas Smith, Cressida Bonas, Lucien Laviscount, Doug Jones, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Faye Dunaway.

Stacy Title directed from Jonathan Penner’s script, based on Robert Damon Schneck’s short story “The Bridge to Body Island.” Trevor Macy produced for Intrepid, and Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman produced for Los Angeles Media Fund.

Synopsis:
When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession?

The post Say Hello to More The Bye Bye Man TV Spots appeared first on Dread Central.

Formerly known as Valley of the Sasquatch, the newest sliver of Sasquatchploitation to come our way is Hunting Grounds, and we’ve got new stills, artwork, and more!

From the Press Release:
Uncork’d Entertainment has set award-winning creature feature HUNTING GROUNDS for a February 7, 2017, release.

Winner Best Sci-Fi Horror Film at the Toronto Independent Film Festival 2015, writer-director John Portanova’s acclaimed film sees a fractured family forced to go up against an angry clan of Bigfoot.

Festival audiences and horror critics have gone crazy for the story of a father and son, forced to move to an old cabin in the woods after a devastating tragedy, who unearth a tribe of Sasquatch.

Written and directed by John Portanova and produced by horror label The October People, Hunting Grounds stars Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Jason Vail, David Saucedo, D’Angelo Midili, and Emmy winner Bill Oberst, Jr..

HUNTING GROUNDS will be available On Demand beginning February 7th.

Synopsis:
After losing their home following a devastating tragedy, a father and son are forced to move to an old family cabin. When two old friends arrive for a weekend of hunting, what begins as a bonding trip becomes an unimaginable nightmare. This trip deep into the forest will not find wild game but does unearth a tribe of Sasquatch that are determined to protect their land.

The post Bill Oberst, Jr., Takes Us to the Hunting Grounds in February appeared first on Dread Central.

It looks like there’s gonna be a Castlevania TV series coming out way soon, and seeing as Konami seem to want to discontinue to game series, we couldn’t be happier that the franchise is gonna live on in some capacity.

Last year, we reported that the awesome Adi Shankar was working on what he referred to as a “super violent Castlevania mini-series” alongside “Adventure Time” producer Fred Seibert. There were no updates since, until Seibert mentioned the following on a Nickelodeon podcast (thanks to Indiewire for pointing it out):

We have a project now that we’re doing that needs to go unnamed based on one of the most world-famous video games of the last 30 years, that we’ve had in our shop for 12 years without being able to get it started. But there were great characters and a great story, and eventually we got it going.

Now, although he didn’t specifically mention Castlevania, it logically seems to be the franchise that he’s referring to, given what we know so far. Shankar then pretty much confirmed that the speculation was correct in the following Facebook post:

I asked in the comments if he was referring to the Castlevania series, and Mr Shankar very kindly gave my comment a like. So yeah, it’s happening.

The Castlevania franchise follows the Belmont family of vampire hunters as they do battle with Dracula and his minions. To date, over 20 million games in the series have been sold.

The post Update on the Castlevania Animated Series appeared first on Dread Central.

Fifty-six years ago, Alfred Hitchcock terrified audiences all around the world with his genre defying masterpiece, Psycho. To this day, it continues to shock and awe moviegoers, some of which decided to take to Imgur to display a replica of the iconic Bates Motel and House out of gingerbread.

And while I’ll admit that there is a certain degree of futility in taking the time to build something that’s eventually gonna rot, you still gotta admit the lengths they must have gone to to painstakingly create every exact detail from the film, with even the positioning of the characters being as accurate as possible.

I don’t even want to think about how hard it’s gonna be for them to throw this out when it starts smelling bad and showing signs of decay.

The post The Bates Motel and House Get Immortalized in Gingerbread Form appeared first on Dread Central.

Looking to experience supernatural phenomena of a violent and hostile nature? Then look no further than The Covenant.

From the Press Release:
Uncork’d Entertainment has a soul to take this February with The Covenant, available On Demand from February 7.

After the tragic deaths of her husband and daughter, Sarah Doyle moves back to her childhood home with her estranged brother, Richard. It’s not long before Sarah begins to experience supernatural phenomena of a violent and hostile nature. Bewildered and desperate, Richard enlists the aid of a paranormal investigator who confirms that Sarah has become possessed by a powerful demon. Together, the three men will go to battle to save Sarah’s soul.

Directed by Robert Conway (Krampus Unleashed), and starring Monica Engesser (Krampus the Reckoning), Clint James (The Encounter), Owen Conway (Exit to Hell), Sanford Gibbons (Tombstone), and Maria Olson (I Spit On Your Grave : Deja-Vu), The Covenant hits February 7 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

The post Evil Descends from The Covenant appeared first on Dread Central.

You want nightmares? You’re about to have them. If you haven’t seen Shin Godzilla you may want to avoid this story because its impossible to write without giving away some key plot moments.

SPOILERS INCOMING!

As you know if you’ve seen the movie there are several variations of Godzilla throughout the film. Seeing Godzilla evolve before our eyes was neat to say the least. Seen briefly at the very end of Shin Godzilla we saw what appeared to be some form of humanoid creatures spawning from Big G’s tail.

Now thanks to Gormaru Island we can get a really good look at the hideous creatures courtesy of some scans they did from The Art of Shin Godzilla art book.

Check them out below. These bad boys could give the Xenomorph a run for its money!

The post A Look at Shin Godzilla’s Nightmarish Humanoid Army appeared first on Dread Central.

Elm Street stars Amanda Wyss and Lisa Wilcox take center stage in Ryan Burton’s upcoming short film The Watcher of Park Avenue.

Chengusoyane Kargbo, Ryan Burton, and Christopher Robert Thompson also star. The film is anticipated to be released in December of 2017.

Check out your first look at Wilcox as Gwen Hedren, “a feisty and eccentric woman who is attending a New Year’s Eve party in Manhattan,” courtesy of Wilcox herself on Facebook below. Wyss will play Lt. Samantha Warren.

Synopsis:
Blanche Montgomery finds herself in the a dangerous mix of paranoia and frustration as stories emerge of a Serial Killer who has been terrorizing the neighborhood she is currently living in.

The post Elm Street Veterans Keep an Eye on The Watcher of Park Avenue appeared first on Dread Central.

It’s that time of year again, kids!  Time for Dread Central’s Best and Worst Horror Films of 2016 lists.  We have a whopping 12 people weighing in (including one done comics style), and we’ve also compiled everyone’s picks to come up with the year’s overall winners and losers.

Anthony kicks things off for us. The other contributors’ picks can be found by scrolling through the pages or clicking the links below.

We averaged out the top and bottom vote-getters on our collective lists, and here are the results:

BEST: THE WITCH
Runners-up: Train to Busan, The Monster (tied for 2nd); Green Room, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Lights Out, The Conjuring 2, Don’t Breathe (tied for 3rd)

WORST: 31
Runners-up: The Forest, The Disappointments Room

• Anthony Arrigo’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Matt Boiselle’s Best and Worst of 2016
• April Marie’s Best and Worst of 2016
• David Gelmini’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Mr. Dark’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Foywonder’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Ted Hentschke’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Matt Molgaard’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Debi Moore’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Matt Serafini’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Uncle Creepy’s Best and Worst of 2016
• Kevin D. Clark’s Best and Worst of 2016 – Comics Style

The post Dread Central’s Best and Worst Horror Films of 2016 appeared first on Dread Central.

As always, it’s with great pleasure that we give this year the proverbial finger and officially look forward to 2017! Please join us in stabbing at 2016 with an erect middle digit. Seriously, year, take yourself and your onslaught of death, misery, and general shittiness; and be gone with you!

Because of the foulness of these past 12 months, at this point we don’t even know if we’ll be here for 2017, and that’s not even remotely hyperbolic in any way. Our survival is very much in your hands. You can make a difference and be a part of history. Lord knows we hope to be around for a long, long time. If you’ll have us, we’ll be here working harder than ever. We have so much more to give.

Here’s hoping, but either way… Goodbye, 2016! Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out! Be safe tonight, everyone, and have a happy and healthy 2017! Here’s to ya!

The post Happy New Year 2017! appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve heard of success stories on Kickstarter, but the board game Kingdom Death: Monster 1.5 looks like it’s gonna hit it out of the park. With a goal of $100,000, it’s currently sitting at an incredible $8,415,136. No, that wasn’t a typo, it really has raised over $8 million.

Described as a “cooperative nightmare horror game experience”, Kingdom Death: Monster 1.5 is an expanded reissue of the 2012 horror board game in which you struggle to survive and develop your settlement in a world filled with horrific monsters. It’s also became infamous for its insane difficulty level, so prepare to lose a lot.

There’s just under two weeks left in the campaign, so you can get in on some of the action by donating here.

Synopsis:
A cooperative nightmare horror game experience. Hunt intelligent monsters and develop your settlement through a self-running campaign.

Kingdom Death Monster is an massive cooperative board game about survival in a nightmare-horror world. Survivors fight for their lives against an onslaught of bizarre and fearsome creatures. They will use the fruits of these battles to build a fragile civilization in a place where humans are at the bottom of a monstrous ecology.

The post Cooperative Nightmare Horror Game Kingdom Death: Monster 1.5 Raises Millions on Kickstarter appeared first on Dread Central.

The adult coloring book craze continues, with one of the most popular horror TV shows of all time now getting the treatment. Published by Dark Horse and available now, the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” coloring book features no fewer than 45 pages of black and white illustrations just waiting to feel the touch of your colored pens.

Enter the world of the Slayer, the Chosen One who wields the skill to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness . . . Favorite characters and moments from the beloved television series are represented in this delightful adult coloring book. Containing 45 black-and-white, detailed, and original illustrations, you can add color to Buffy and Co.—and, of course, all the Big Bads!

Includes 45 pieces of beautifully detailed black-and-white artwork!

The post Enter The World of the Slayer with Buffy Adult Coloring Book appeared first on Dread Central.

The Bye Bye Man will soon be haunting theatres nationwide and if you live in San Diego, our home base, we have your chance to score tickets to an early screening!

Location
AMC Mission Valley 20
1640 Camino Del Rio North
San Diego, CA 92108

Date & Time
January 11, 2017
07:00 PM

Click here to get your first come first serve passes!

Michael Trucco stars with Douglas Smith, Cressida Bonas, Lucien Laviscount, Doug Jones, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Faye Dunaway.

Stacy Title directed from Jonathan Penner’s script, based on Robert Damon Schneck’s short story “The Bridge to Body Island.” Trevor Macy produced for Intrepid, and Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman produced for Los Angeles Media Fund.

Synopsis:
When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession?

The post Attention San Diego: See The Bye Bye Man Early! appeared first on Dread Central.

Underworld is fully formed urban fantasy. Subject matter found rarely on movie screens, reserved instead for book pages. It’s modern gothic without the angst, and in full command of the tropes: a human drawn into a hidden world of warring creatures, a rivalry that’s older than time, and the forbidden romance that threatens to bring everything crashing down. In Underworld, vampires have been at war with lycans for the better part of a millennium, and combat has evolved so technical innovations can further tilt the scales.

Bringing this vampire/werewolf throw down to life wasn’t easy. Writers Danny McBride (no, a different one), Kevin Grevioux (who plays the lycan Raze), and Len Wiseman (who directs) tried for years to get Underworld made, but they lacked the experience to bolster studio confidence. Wiseman persisted, however, feeling the conceit of warring vampires and werewolves had been sorely underserved by Hollywood, eventually finding buyers with independent production company Lakeshore Entertainment. This level of dedication makes Underworld unique in modern action/fantasy because its creators have crafted their story with such meticulous detail. The larger history of this world creeps in from the edges, allowing all of the characters their own allegiances and motivations.

Admittedly, Underworld has no defining characteristic bolder than the image of Kate Beckinsale stalking rainy city streets and subway stations in skintight leather. Because of that, it’s easy to forget the movie isn’t explicitly her vehicle. Selene’s our hero, sure, but she’s a mere foot soldier for the cause. The sequels turned her into a “one man army” (a decision that isn’t without its own joys), but the first Underworld presents a menagerie of clashing personalities, and Selene is just a part of that.

She’s a Death Dealer, a vampiric soldier on the frontlines of the vampire-lycan war. As Underworld opens, that war has stagnated for nearly 600 years. Lycan leader Lucian (Michael Sheen) was slain and his werewolf army scattered. It’s been up to the Death Dealers to clean up the mess by hunting them to extinction, but the lycans have a few final tricks up their sleeves. During a chaotic battle on a subway platform, Selene discovers they’re on the hunt for Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), a trauma surgeon who somehow holds the key to their species’ survival.

It’s all about the blood. Michael’s genetic makeup carries The Corvinus Strain, named for immortal Alexander Corvinus (progenitor of both the vampire and lycan species). Turns out, Michael is the last descendant of Corvinus, and the lycans need his blood to evolve their bloodline. Selene pursues Michael out of curiosity, only to discover that the long-perished Lucian is somehow alive and eager to claim him. This creates much larger problems for Selene, because Lucian’s surprise appearance contradicts her coven’s recorded history. Vampire elder Kraven (Shane Brolly) has a lot to answer for, because he’s the one who allegedly killed him.

That’s a lot to digest, but the script’s world building is only getting started. It takes the time to dive into the traditions of the vampire clan to explain their modern complacency. I sort of love how much Underworld cares to do this, because while many have dismissed this as a throwaway low-tier action movie, so much effort has gone into creating this universe. Only one vampire elder is awake at any time—insurance so there’s always someone to guide the covens. Kraven leads the current era, and Selene’s trust in him has completely eroded thanks to her discovery. There wasn’t much to begin with: Kraven has lusted after her for years, and her rejection has fostered resentment that clouds him in all matters Selene. It puts her in a position, because how is she supposed to trust her leader when she knows that much of her clan’s history has been built on a lie? Plenty of little details flesh this world out further. When Selene returns from combat, she receives scornful, almost mocking looks by the bourgeois class she serves—like the war has been “over” for so long and Selene is a foolish relic from a bygone era. The vampiric caste system is ripe for exploration in a later installment, but we’ve yet to get there. It’s still a nice subtle touch that gives the universe another layer.

Selene is frustrated by her clan’s inaction; Kraven refuses to act on her suspicions, and others grow incensed by her disruption of the status quo. Centuries of servitude are questioned as she realizes Kraven is out to make himself the sole ruler of their kind. She revives another elder, Viktor (the great Bill Nighy), to help sort this mess but he’s anything but an ally. Viktor is the most traditional and devious of the elders, and is so disgusted by the prospect of Selene’s interest in Michael, that he feels like her judgment has been compromised.

Everything Selene does is met with adversity, and Underworld strips away her quarter at every turn. I like how her efforts at resolution fail, and it sort of makes sense why her character becomes a lone wolf in subsequent outings. There are three villains at one point, Lucian, Viktor, and Kraven, and each one shifts the war’s paradigm. Lucian falls into a sympathetic light as he only cares for the survival of his species. Kraven is entirely power hungry and self-serving. Viktor is so blinded by traditions (as well as his hatred of lycans) that he cannot listen to reason. His daughterly love for Selene is debatable—she resembles the daughter he condemned to death long ago (because of an affair with Lucian), and when he emerges as the largest threat, it’s as personal as it is preservational.

The story particulars are nailed down. Character motivations are in place. But it becomes harder to praise Underworld in the context of its action. Much of this has to do with Wiseman’s inexperience behind the camera, as well as budgetary limitations, I’m sure. With $22 million spent, the action is hardly spectacular, though far be it from me to balk at simple gunplay. This doesn’t change the fact that Underworld is an action movie in search of a killer setpiece. The crumbling cityscape where Underworld takes place is the perfect visual metaphor for the war itself: old and stagnant. Wiseman’s visual palette takes inspiration from a hundred graphic novels, and it’s another important piece of world building. If only he’d been able to quicken our pulses with some of the frequent dual wielding gunplay, this might’ve been a classic.

Subsequent Underworld movies transform Selene into a vampiric Übermensch, but it’s refreshing how vulnerable she is here. A close encounter with a hulking werewolf leaves her rattled. Later, she’s stabbed and loses so much blood she’s out of the action for a while. Despite being a movie about immortals, her vulnerability gives the movie some stakes. And that’s true for all of the characters throughout Underworld. Important characters can be taken out just like everyone else—and some are.

Underworld isn’t perfect by any stretch, but it’s earnest and you can feel the effort almost everywhere. Scott Speedman is a bit of a weak link, both in performance and as he’s written. His character is undersold nearly every step of the way, though, so it’s not like he has a lot to work with. Still, he never fully sells the idea of an everyday human who crosses the threshold into a supernatural world. I don’t think the movie is all that interested in it, either, as his presence in the story is more symbolic than physical: It’s what he represents to both sides that makes him important, far more than anything the character actually does. As such, it’s not at all surprising to see that the sequels have found his character even harder to work with.

The rest of the cast is miraculous. Beckinsale’s Selene is one of my favorite action heroes. Her icy veneer is an intrinsic characteristic, but Beckinsale isn’t afraid to lend uncertainty and vulnerability to her badass. She does great work with this character throughout the series, always finding something new to do with Selene. Bill Nighy seizes the role of Viktor, establishing his persona with the subtly and force of a sledgehammer. It’s the perfect moustache-twirl, and Underworld is infinitely better because of him. Michael Sheen is sympathetic and desperate without losing his edge. Shane Brolly embraces smarminess full stop and with such relish that I wish this guy would work more.

It’s currently difficult to find the original theatrical cut of Underworld. The extended cut runs twelve minutes longer, and has become the only version. I’m torn on it. At 133 minutes, the film overstays its welcome just a tad, though many of the additions are both welcome and necessary. A lot of it focuses on the power struggle in Selene’s coven, with a young bourgeoisie vampire named Erika (Sophia Myles) desperate for Kraven’s acceptance. There’s allegedly an even a newer version floating around that incorporates footage from the third film, Rise of the Lycans, into flashbacks (Rhona Mitra now appears as Viktor’s daughter). An interesting bit of revisionism that perhaps reinforces this franchise’s dedication to mythology.

Underworld may be a minor franchises, but in an age of comic book blockbusters and other established property franchises, it’s a miracle it exists at all. I like having an ongoing series with its own sandbox to play in. None of the movies are a slam-dunk, but I’ve found each thoroughly entertaining. They offer glimpses into a world that’s fun to visit. A world I’m glad continues to exist.

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Japan continues to cement Godzilla as their no.1 popular culture icon with “Godzilla: The Real 4D”, a new attraction at Osaka’s Universal Studios theme park which is set to open in early 2017. Visitors will enter a large theater-like room displaying an interactive film featuring a 118 meter tall version of the radioactive lizard. They also created a 15 second TV spot for the event that looks like it probably cost more to make than most of us would earn in a decade.

This will be the latest in a series of attractions at the park based on popular Japanese franchises, with Case Closed, Monster Hunter, Attack on Titan and Gundam getting similar treatments in the past, as shown in the bottom promotional image below, and a Resident Evil experience known as “Biohazard: The Real” also opening back in 2013. If I ever become rich, Japan will be high up on my list of travel destinations.

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Get excited, Beantown! We have your chance to score early tickets for the next film from M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, titled Split! Dig it!

Click HERE for your chance to win tickets to an exclusive January 17th showing!

Split Release Details:
Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan returns to the captivating grip of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs with Split (review), an original thriller that delves into the mysterious recesses of one man’s fractured, gifted mind. Following last year’s breakout hit The Visit, Shyamalan reunites with producer Jason Blum (The Purge and Insidious series, The Gift) for the film, which Universal Pictures is releasing on January 20th.

While the mental divisions of those with dissociative identity disorder have long fascinated and eluded science, it is believed that some can also manifest unique physical attributes for each personality, a cognitive and physiological prism within a single being.

For Split, Shyamalan and Blum reassemble their core team from The Visit, the No. 1-grossing horror film of 2015. Their fellow collaborators include producer Marc Bienstock and executive producers Ashwin Rajan and Steven Schneider.

Synopsis:
Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him—as well as everyone around him—as the walls between his compartments shatter apart.

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It’s a new year, which means it’s time for some new resolutions to get our bodies back in shape… or maybe not. According to these new motivating video and audio messages relating to the upcoming A Cure for Wellness, there has been a breakthrough!

Every January we make promises – to ourselves and others. By February they are broken, a distant memory; but 2017 will be different because soon, all of us will be able to take the “Cure.” And this Cure is forever!

Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, and Mia Goth star. The screenplay is by Justin Haythe; story by Justin Haythe and Gore Verbinski, who directed.

Look for A Cure for Wellness in theaters on February 17, 2017. You can learn more about the Cure in the below videos.

Synopsis:
An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from an idyllic but mysterious “wellness center” at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. He soon suspects that the spa’s miraculous treatments are not what they seem. When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests here longing for the cure.

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If your tastes run toward the dark side, you won’t find much on TV that’s darker than “Salem” on WGN America.  Just four episodes remain in the show’s final season, and we have a few new photos to share to get you ready for this Wednesday night’s Episode 3.07, “The Man Who Was Thursday,” in which loyalties will be tested like never before!

“Salem” stars Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel, Ashley Madekwe, Tamzin Merchant, Elise Eberle, Iddo Goldberg, Joe Doyle, and Oliver Bell, with Marilyn Manson guest-starring in Season 3. This week’s ep was written by Kelly Sounders and Brian Peterson and directed by Jen Lynch (Surveillance).

“Salem” Episode 3.07 – “The Man Who Was Thursday” (airs 1/4/17)
Anne (Merchant) tells Cotton (Gabel) the great news of her pregnancy but is forced to partake in an unthinkable action that will wipe Gloriana (Azure Parsons) of her memories. While Alden (West) prepares to kill the Sentinel (Samuel Roukin), Mary (Montgomery) continues to trick Sebastian (Doyle) into thinking she loves him. Completely “under her spell,” Sebastian tells her that he will find a way to destroy the Boy (Bell) once and for all where an epic plan of twists and turns unravels and true loyalties surface.

The post New Images Tease that Loyalties Will Be Tested in Salem Episode 3.07 – The Man Who Was Thursday appeared first on Dread Central.

2017 has just begun and it’s already claimed its first horror star… Night of the Living Dead‘s Sheriff McClelland, George Kosana.

The news comes via John Russo on Facebook who writes, “My close friend George Kosana, who played the sheriff in NOTLD, has regrettably passed away after a long battle with various illnesses. He will be greatly missed by me, by his fellow NOTLD cast and crew members and by his many fans. For the past few days, I have been constantly reliving my many good and often funny remembrances of him.”

Kosana was 81 and was been dealing with a variety of illnesses including including emphysema, COPD, and macular degeneration. He reprised his role of Sheriff McClelland in 2012’s My Uncle John is a Zombie. A release date for that is pending.

We here at Dread Central would like to take this time to offer our sincerest of condolences to Kosana’s friends, family, and constituents. Rest in peace, sir, and thank you!

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