If you still haven’t seen Havenhurst, I suggest you find a cinema where it’s playing and head to a screening immediately. Because it’s really not to be missed. It’s also hitting DVD on March 7, so you might want to pre-order your copy on Amazon.

In addition to my earlier talk with director Andrew C. Erin, I was also lucky enough to get the chance to interview lead actress Julie Benz, whom you may remember from her roles in “Dexter,” Rambo, Saw V, and Punisher: War Zone. It was truly an honor to speak with such a talented and respected actress, and I found what she had to say to be illuminating. I hope you will too.

Dread Central: I thought you did a great job in Havenhurst. What attracted you to the script?

Julie Benz: Thank you. Two elements attracted me to the script– The character of Jackie and the story structure. Jackie is battling demons on many different levels… internally and externally. She has to live with the knowledge that her addiction caused a horrific tragedy. That was interesting to me. I also loved how the script interwove the story of HH Holmes into a modern day setting. And the ending… I don’t want to reveal too much… but that ending really got me!

DC: How did you find the process of playing a recovering alcoholic? Was it a difficult role to get into?

JB: It was a challenge. In preparation for the role, I did a lot of research about recovery and read quite a few memoirs written by former addicts that revealed their personal struggles with recovery. Jackie has to live with the knowledge that her addiction resulted in the death of her own daughter…. I tried to infuse that into her physicality… into every breath. She has to carry that burden with her for the rest of her life. She was definitely a tough character to shake off at the end of the day…

DC: Were there any stunts involved?

JB: There are a lot of stunts in Havenhurst! My stunt double, Janelle Beaudry, did an amazing job! She’s fearless!!! I love trying to do stunts, but on a film like this it was impossible for me to do anything too dangerous. I did get to be locked in the furnace as the fire was igniting… and I had the floor pulled out from underneath me a couple times (which is a pretty scary feeling). But ultimately Janelle did the heavy lifting and took a beating!!!

DC: What do you hope audiences will take away from Havenhurst?

JB: My hope is that audiences are scared and left wanting more!! Andrew Erin and Daniel Farrands created a compelling story inside the walls of Havenhurst. And the ending suggests there is more to reveal!!

DC: Do you have an affinity for the horror genre?

JB: I have a love/hate relationship with horror. As an actor, I find the horror genre incredibly challenging, emotionally and physically… the given circumstances are always so extreme, and it takes a lot of imagination to make it real…. but as an audience member I’m a big scaredy cat… horror films (especially psychological horror films like the Saw franchise) affect me on a deep emotional level, leaving me with nightmares and insomnia. And yet, I can’t not watch!! It’s like I’m addicted to being terrified!!! Watching horror films during the day helps a little bit.

Synopsis:
Welcome to Havenhurst, a Gothic apartment complex in the heart of New York City’s historic Tudor City district. A beautifully maintained, turn-of-the-century building that houses over 3,000 residents… and countless dark secrets. The rent is what you can afford, and the rules are simple: Live a good and decent life, and you can stay forever. Break the rules and…

Jackie (Julie Benz), a troubled young woman with an unyielding alcohol addiction, is released from rehab and given a second chance with a new job and a furnished apartment at Havenhurst. Guilt-ridden over the tragic loss of her 8-year-old daughter, Jackie is quickly drawn into the mysteries of Havenhurst, in particular the unsolved disappearance of the apartment’s previous occupant, a young woman (Danielle Harris) she befriended in rehab who disappeared recently without a trace.

Aided by a hardened New York police detective (Josh Stamberg) and a lonely foster child (Belle Shouse) who lives under the shadow of her caretakers’ sadistic whims, Jackie must not only battle her inner demons… but the very real ones that live deep within the walls of Havenhurst.

The post Exclusive: Julie Benz Talks Havenhurst appeared first on Dread Central.

We have a short list for you this week with only 5 total releases, but if you take into account that one of those listings is a double feature, that bumps the movie count up to 6. That’s good, right?

Further, when taking the double feature into account, exactly half of our release list consists of classics. Reaching back as far as 1959 with Vincent Price’s House on Haunted Hill and spanning to 1973’s Psychomania, you can make two purchases and get three great oldies.

Check out the other three movies listed below, and keep checking back each week for your most up-to-date horror movie release listing anywhere on the internet. As always, pleasant viewing.

MOVIES

#Followfriday (2017)

Starring:

Ramsey Hanchette, Ashley Bratcher, Courtney Lakin, Joseph Poliquin, Elliott Armstrong

Synopsis:

Students and faculty on a college campus are targeted by a killer using social media.

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It Watches (2016)

Starring:

Ivan Djurovic, Rick Irwin, Sanny van Heteren, James Duval, Mary Balser

Synopsis:

Andre, recovering from a recent accident, agrees to help his friend Robert by taking over a house sitting job at a creepy home nestled in the hills above Los Angeles. As night comes, the house reveals its insidious nature as Andre begins hearing ominous sounds and experiencing strange occurrences throughout the house that lead him to believe he is not alone, and that someone, or something is in the house with him.

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Kill, Granny, Kill (2015)

Starring:

Donna Swensen, Alicia M. Clark, T.J. Pack

Synopsis:

A flesh-eating Granny and her murderous tribe lure unsuspecting young women into their home! Answering an in-home help ad for an elderly woman, Abby Daniels leaves family and friends for a remote farmhouse in the country. But all is not as it seems with her new employer, whose locked doors and cellar seems to be hiding some unusual hobbies. Soon Abby is plunged into a nightmare of hellish proportions – pitted against a clan of ruthless, amoral and degenerate flesh-eaters lead by their murderous GRANNY!

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Psychomania (1973)

Starring:

Nicky Henson, Beryl Reid, George Sanders

Synopsis:

The United States gave motorcycle-mad cinemagoers Easy Rider, The Wild One and The Wild Angels. The United Kingdom gave them Psychomania, the tale of zombie bikers run amok in southern England.

The Living Dead are a delinquent biker gang, fond of causing havoc on British roadways and making out in graveyards. Gang leader Tom (Nicky Henson) also has a Satanist for a mother, and when he discovers the secret of immortality, the name of his motley crew takes on a more literal meaning…

Directed by Hammer veteran Don Sharp (The Kiss of the Vampire, The Devil-Ship Pirates) and co-starring Beryl Reid (Dr. Phibes Rises Again) and George Sanders (Village of the Damned), Psychomania is a wonderfully offbeat gem, outlandish and eccentric in equal measure.

BUY IT NOW!

COLLECTIONS

Tormented / House on Haunted Hill

Starring:

Vincent Price, Richard Carlson

Synopsis:

This DVD contains a terrific double-dose of vintage chills (both films presented in 1.78 enhanced-widescreen transferred from 35mm film elements): Bert I Gordon’s thrilling ghost story Tormented and William Castle’s classic spookfest House On Haunted Hill.

Shiver in fear as the ghost of a murdered singer haunts the local lighthouse seeking revenge in Tormented (1960, directed by Bert I. Gordon), and then spend the night in the House on Haunted Hill (1959, directed by William Castle) for a chance to win $10,000… or a chance to join the ghosts! Stars Richard Carlson, Vincent Price, Elisha Cook, Jr., Susan Gordon, Joe Turkel, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long.

BUY IT NOW!

The post DVD and Blu-ray Releases: February 21, 2017 appeared first on Dread Central.

The 1997 Spawn movie turns 20 in August, which means that we’ve been waiting nearly two entire decades for a sequel/reboot. And although Todd McFarlane’s constantly teasing us, it doesn’t seem to be coming our way anytime soon. However, the franchise will be coming to the small screen, as Deadline reports that none other than Kevin Smith is working with BBC America on a TV series centered around the characters Sam and Twitch.

BBC America president offered the following details about the show in the Deadline interview:

Well, we’ve got some high-profile talent that we have attached to a show that we’re doing. It’s Kevin Smith. We’re super excited about him. Obviously, he is attached to Comic Book Men in the family on AMC. He is attached to write, direct and EP a series based on the Sam And Twitch comic book series for us.

“They were originally introduced in Spawn, and it’s Todd McFarlane’s comic book series about these big-city homicide detectives who face a series of super grizzly crimes that are connected to the occult. Its kind of frightening and sort of gallows humor. It’s, again, procedural, but in a very modern, contemporary way. So each episode is closed ended, although there are certain character-serialized aspects to the storytelling.

Then when asked about when we can expect to see the show, she said the following:

It’s just in development right now. But I bumped into Kevin Smith at Sundance and he is beyond himself excited about this, about the show.

Introduced in Spawn #1 back in 1992, Sam Burke and Maximilian “Twitch” Williams are two no nonsense members of the NYPD who pride themselves on being some of the only honest cops in their department. They later received their own spinoff comic series in addition to appearing in HBO’s animated “Spawn” series and making a brief appearance in the movie (they were the two cops who arrested Jason Wynn at the end), despite the fact that McFarlane wanted them to have a much bigger role.

Sam is usually depicted as being loudmouthed and hugely overweight due to his love of donuts, and has a tendency not to keep his temper on a leash. On the other hand, the small and lanky Twitch is generally seen as having a much more cold and calculating personality. Because of their contrasting appearances and personas, the duo are obviously ripe for comedic material, so I’m stoked to see what Kevin Smith does with them. This is the guy who bought us Jay and Silent Bob, after all.

I’ll admit that this is a story that I thought I’d never write because it seems almost to damn strange to be true, but goddamn I’m excited for this. We’ll definitely be keeping our ears open for any updates on this series.

The post Kevin Smith Developing a Sam and Twitch TV Series appeared first on Dread Central.

It was quite a weekend at the box office as The LEGO Batman Movie proved to be a force to be reckoned with. How did they two Hollywood horror offerings, The Great Wall and A Cure for Wellness, fare?

The most expensive Chinese backed movie ever made, The Great Wall took in $21,651,060 in its first week of release on 3,326 screens, while A Cure for Wellness came in 11th as it was edged out of the Top 10 by The Weinsteins’ Lion. At the end of the four-day holiday weekend, Wellness made back just $5,000,000 of its $40m budget playing on 2,704 screens.

Meanwhile Rings chimed in at 12th, clearing $2,730,000 on 1,560 screens. This edged it over its budget of $25m, making its total gross $26,153,218. As for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, after 4 weeks it fell to 25th place with a measly $380,000, giving it a total $26,386,883, not so great considering its $40m budget.

For more details, visit Box Office Mojo.

The post Box Office Report: February 21st – No Cure for Wellness appeared first on Dread Central.

It’s always a risk to use a real-life crime as the subject of a film, and then to make it a found footage flick? Well, “risky” would be an understatement.

Will Capture Kill Release beat the odds and be a film horror fans will flock to? You can check it out on VOD in early March courtesy of Midnight Releasing. Here are a few more details.

From the Press Release:
Midnight Releasing has announced the March 7th Digital HD and MOD premiere of Capture Kill Release. Co-directors Nick McAnulty and Brian Allan Stewart deliver a romantic bloodbath that blends the true horrors of the Ken and Barbie Killers (Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka) with the tropes of found footage… to stomach-curling effect.

Capture Kill Release will be available to rent or own beginning March 7th on iTunes, Amazon Instant, Google Play, Vudu, Xbox, FlixFling, and more.

Capture Kill Release has been a hit with critics and audiences since its World Premiere at the Sunscreen Film Festival. The film has screened at genre fests around the world, sending chills through crowds at Shriekfest, Splat!, the Bram Stoker International Film Festival, HorrorQuest, Blood in the Snow, Fright Night Film Fest, and many others over the past year.

Leading lady Jennifer Fraser makes her debut in Capture Kill Release as the unhinged wife with awards for Best Newcomer (Blood in the Snow) and Best Actress (Louisville Fright Night, HorrorQuest). Co-directors McAnulty and Stewart took two awards (Shriekfest, HorrorQuest) and two nominations (British Horror Film Festival, Torremolinos) for Best Feature Film, with Best Actor wins for Farhang Ghajar as the devoted yet reluctant husband (HorrorQuest) and Jon Gates (Louisville Fright Night) for his turn as an acquaintance who gets too close to the lovebirds for his own good.

The MOD physical release of Capture Kill Release will be available exclusively from Amazon.com (exact date TBD).

Synopsis:
A young married couple document their descent down the rabbit hole as they seek to fulfill one of their darkest desires: kill a stranger and film it for posterity. Strain and second thoughts pull at their devotion to each other as they carefully plot out a heinous crime for the sake of curiosity. While they may have carefully thought out every small step and detail of getting away with murder, nothing can prepare them with the guilt and the weight of moving on in the aftermath.

Shot in a documentary style from the perspective of the couple’s camera, the film follows unflinching as they document their moral decay for the sake of “art.”

The post Capture Kill Release Uses Found Footage to Explore the Ken and Barbie Killers appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Kinga Preis

Directed by Agnieska Smoczynska

Oh, those magnificent nymphs of the sea – I’m talking about mermaids: those mythical fin-tailed sirens who have been known to croon their song to lonely sailors and drag them to their deaths. Interestingly enough, director Agnieska Smoczynska’s latest film, The Lure, relies heavily on the usage of song as a communicative measure, and combines it with a little crimson in the water, if ya catch my drift – all in all, an extremely (ahem) “interesting” take on the tale of the water spirit.

Set against the backdrop of an 80’s type nightclub, two of the aforementioned enchantresses are hired by the club’s owner in the hopes of livening up the paying crowd. We’re then introduced to our two damsels of the ocean: Golden (Mazurek) and Silver (Olszanska), and the two immediately become a hit with the patrons, and one of the gilled gals even has a budding love interest in Mietik (Jakub Gierszal), the house band’s guitarist. This attraction doesn’t sit well with the other mermaid, and conflict becomes a front-and-center issue rather quickly, and let me tell you: when these ladies are pissed off, the teeth come out in sharp quantities, and the blood will flow in mass quantities. Take all of this love and hatred, singing, spoken dialogue, and bodacious beauty – chuck it into a blender, and hit “symphonious.” Now while this format might not seem like one that falls under the horror scope, there are certain images that could be deemed as disturbing to some…and not everyone digs musicals either, so there’s that.

Visually, the film is a winner with its ever-changing color palette that sometimes reflects the overall moods on display, but the plot is forcibly thin and only the performances of Mazurek and Olszanska can fish this chum out of the water, and the contrast of one mermaid attempting to find love, while the other wants to feed is an interesting one at best. My advice to those willing to cast their lines into the blue of this one: keep your rod and reel close to the boat, as you could get yanked in after listening to the first sonorous refrains – in layman’s terms, if musical’s aren’t your gig, skip this one, but if the idea of ravenous pixies of the tide gets your outboard motor runnin’, then dive on in.

The post Lure, The (2017) appeared first on Dread Central.

A new image from Alien: Covenant has arrived, which introduces us to the full crew.  And we have news about when you can watch a new teaser; if you’re a fan of FX’s “Legion,” you should be pretty happy!

Look for the exclusive Alien: Covenant sneak peek tomorrow, February 22nd, during the airing of this week’s episode of “Legion.”

Sci-fi thriller Alien: Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, hits theaters on May 19, 2017. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby, and James Franco.

Synopsis:
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

The post New Alien: Covenant Image; Teaser Coming Our Way on Wednesday appeared first on Dread Central.

Shut In was in and out of theaters in the blink of an eye, so we’re glad it’s finally getting set to hit Blu-ray and DVD. We hate when things fall through the spooky cracks!

In any event, on tap right now is an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip. Look for the film in stores and online next week on February 28th.

From the Press Release:
Terror hits home in this harrowing psychological thriller that will chill you to the bone!

Recently widowed child psychologist Mary Portman (Naomi Watts) lives an isolated existence caring for her bedridden stepson (Charlie Heaton) in rural New England. But when a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) Mary is treating goes missing in a snowstorm and is presumed dead, she becomes convinced that his ghost is haunting her…and soon Mary’s grip on reality turns as slippery as her icy surroundings.

Special Features:

• Nightmare vs. Reality: Imagining Shut In
• House on Delphi Lane: A Classic

BUY IT NOW!

The post Shut In – Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Clip appeared first on Dread Central.

Sad, sad news is coming in for fans hoping for a third Hellboy movie. Director Guillermo del Toro took to Twitter to make the announcement that a new flick featuring big red just isn’t in the cards.

“Hellboy 3 Sorry to report: Spoke [with] all parties. Must report that 100% the sequel will not happen. And that is to be the final thing about it.”

At the end of the day, I guess it’s better to have a definitive “No” than it is to just keep on hoping. We’ll miss you, Hellboy. Rest easy.

The post Hellboy 3 Officially Dead appeared first on Dread Central.

If you missed the myriad of eye candy we had for you last week from Kong: Skull Island, we’d suggest you click here before moving on to this latest IMAX featurette. I mean, you can’t have too much Kong in your life!

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Kong: Skull Island reimagines the origin of the mythic Kong in a compelling, original adventure from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts.

Kong: Skull Island stars Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly. The international ensemble cast also includes Tian Jing, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, John Ortiz, Thomas Mann, Shea Whigham, Toby Kebbell, and Eugene Cordero.

Vogt-Roberts directs the film from a screenplay by Max Borenstein, John Gatins, Dan Gilroy, and Derek Connolly. To fully immerse audiences in the mysterious Skull Island, the director, cast, and filmmaking team filmed across three continents over six months, capturing its primordial landscapes on Oahu, Hawaii; on Australia’s Gold Coast; and finally in Vietnam, where filming took place across multiple locations, some of which have never before been seen on film.

Kong: Skull Island will be released worldwide in 2D, 3D in select theaters, and IMAX beginning March 10, 2017, from Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Synopsis:
A diverse team of scientists, soldiers, and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful. Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

The post New Kong: Skull Island IMAX Featurette Goes BIG! appeared first on Dread Central.

A new behind-the-scenes look at The Belko Experiment has arrived, and it features co-star Tony Goldwyn discussing his role in the film.

Along with Goldwyn, The Belko Experiment stars John Gallagher, Jr. (“The Newsroom,” 10 Cloverfield Lane), Adria Arjona (“True Detective”), John C. McGinley (Stan Against Evil, “Scrubs”), Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”), Michael Rooker (“The Walking Dead,” Guardians of the Galaxy), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Melonie Diaz (Fruitvale Station).

Look for the film, which was directed by Greg McLean and written by James Gunn, in theaters on March 17th.

Synopsis:
The Belko Experiment explores a twisted social experiment, in which a group of 80 Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogata, Colombia, and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company’s intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed.

The post Tony Goldwyn Takes Us Behind the Scenes of The Belko Experiment appeared first on Dread Central.

The biggest news of last week broke late in the day on Friday – Hulu is getting set to join J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Stephen King to bring us “Castle Rock,” a new series based upon the infamous town conceived by the King of written horror.

With a new week come more details as Deadline is reporting that Hulu has given a 10-episode order to “Castle Rock,” a psychological-horror drama series from J.J. Abrams and Stephen King. The streaming service also has released more details about the show, whose production is set to begin this year.

The series, which hails from Abrams’ Bad Robot and Warner Bros. TV, where the company is under a deal, is based on the world created by King in his works. It is named after Castle Rock, the fictional town in King’s native Maine that is featured prominently in a number of his novels, novellas, and short stories, including Cujo, The Dark Half, IT, and Needful Things and novellas The Body and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.

“Manhattan” creator Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason developed the project for television, based on characters and situations created by Stephen King and serve as writers. They executive produce with Abrams, Ben Stephenson, and Liz Glotzer.

A teaser for the project, released by Bad Robot on Friday, has garnered more than 1 million views.

“Castle Rock” reunites Hulu, King, Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. Television, which previously collaborated on event series “11.22.63” based on King’s same-named novel. The series will stream exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu, and Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution will distribute globally.

Synopsis:
A psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse, “Castle Rock” combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King’s best-loved works, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light, played out on a few square miles of Maine woodland. “Castle Rock” is an original suspense/thriller — a reimagining that explores the themes and worlds uniting the entire King canon, while brushing up against some of his most iconic and beloved stories.

The post Castle Rock – Hulu Orders 10 Episodes appeared first on Dread Central.

While we’re still waiting for the home video release of Beyond the Gates (details below), news of a sequel has hit the Interwebs! Speaking with the Scream Addicts Podcast, director Jackson Stewart broke the news.

“I am writing a sequel to Beyond the Gates, which will definitely take some cues from A Nightmare on Elm Street 4. It’s a little bit of a different story and kind of changes up some things. It’s definitely bigger scale, and a little bit more in the vein of the ’80s paranoia horror movies like The Stuff and Society, and even the ’70s Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It would be focusing on John from the previous movie. He has a new girlfriend in the mix; probably going to be [played by] Alex Essoe or Jocelin Donahue, someone cool like that.”

Look for the original film on home video May 2nd from IFC Midnight and Shout! Factory.

BUY IT NOW!

Graham Skipper (Almost Human, The Mind’s Eye), Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End, Sire, The Guest), Brea Grant (Halloween II, “Heroes”), Barbara Crampton (You’re Next, Re-animator), Matt Mercer (Contracted), Justin Welborn (FX’s “Justified”, The Signal, V/H/S/ Viral), Henry LeBlanc (“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”), Jesse Merlin (FDR: American Badass), David Bruckner (co-director of V/H/S, The Signal), Sara Malakul Lane (Kickboxer: Vengeance, Sunchoke), and Pierson Ryan (“Red Team Go”) star.

Synopsis:
Two estranged brothers reunite seven months after their father’s disappearance to liquidate his anemic video store. While there, they unearth an old VCR board game that acts as an inter-dimensional hub to a nightmare world where their father’s soul is trapped and can only be saved by playing the game.

The post Go Beyond the Gates Again; Taking Cues from Elm Street 4 appeared first on Dread Central.

Who’s ready for a little throwback fun? The Stan Winston School website just shared some really neat behind-the-scenes images from the fan favorite flick The Monster Squad, and we have a smattering of them here for you. Be sure to hit up that link for the whole enchilada.

The film is largely populated by the beloved Universal Monsters, but of course the powers-that-be couldn’t use those iconic creatures in the movie, so they set out to include them… without including them!

Click HERE for more Horror History

“The challenge was to suggest those classic creatures, without really copying them, because we didn’t have permission or the license to use those specific images. So we could do a ‘Gillman,’ for example, but it couldn’t look too much like the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It was frustrating for us at first because, of course, we wanted to do the original designs! But we couldn’t. We could only suggest those designs. So the Frankenstein monster looks a bit like the Karloff creature; but instead of bolts in the neck, he has bolts in the forehead. There was a certain percentage of changes we had to make to get away from any legal copyright infringement. Stan Winston designed each of the characters for The Monster Squad, drawing sketches that were evocative of the original monsters, but within the legal restrictions.”

And what a hell of a job he did! Bravo!

The post Horror History: Go Behind the Scenes of The Monster Squad appeared first on Dread Central.

With the game arriving on PS4 today, Koei Tecmo has released both a launch trailer and two gameplay trailers for Berserk and the Band of the Hawk, the ultraviolent adaptation of Kentaro Miura’s 40+-million-selling dark fantasy manga series. You can also get a load of some of the ugly ass monsters that you’ll be facing in addition to human enemies in the official artwork below.

So if you feel like venting some anger by sending your enemies’ limbs flying across the battlefield, then you can purchase either a physical copy of Berserk and the Band of the Hawk or a digital copy from the PlayStation Store. This is one gore-soaked adventure that it absolutely not to be missed.

From the Press Release:
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is now available on the PS4 (physical/digital), digitally on the PS Vita, and on Windows PC via Steam.

Based on the world-renowned manga and anime series Berserk by Kentarou Miura, Berserk and the Band of the Hawk closely follows the events of the most well-known story arcs from the iconic manga’s narrative, focusing on the violent and heroic adventure of Guts, Casca, the Band of the Hawk, and Guts’ Traveling Party throughout their perilous conquest against a sinister realm of demonic fiends. A brand-new trailer was released to celebrate the action title’s eagerly anticipated arrival.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk blends the signature ‘one versus thousands’ style action from the long-running Warriors franchise with the grim and gruesome atmosphere of Berserk. Fans of either series and newcomers alike will enjoy a gripping, action-packed adventure as they harness the powers of iconic characters such as Guts and Griffith to slash and smash through hordes of enemies.

Players familiar with the Warriors series of hack and slash titles will be able to feel the difference in gameplay through the way each character handles combat. For example, Guts’ massive Dragonslayer Great Sword allows for devastating attacks, and players will subsequently feel the weight of the weapon throughout battle. Alongside a vast array of weapons and sub-weapons, playable characters also possess devastating abilities that must be “awakened” to draw out their true potential. Players can take advantage of Guts’ Berserker Armor to unleash deadly blows, Griffith’s demonic Femto form to deal swift bursts of damage, and Zodd’s giant Apostle form to effortlessly topple foes. The game also incorporates various battle mechanics to better bring the world of Berserk to life, such as Magic and Transformations.

An endless swarm of enemies awaits those brave enough to take on the game’s Endless Eclipse Mode, where players can prove their worth as they go toe to toe with countless enemies in the formidable Eclipse dimension. Offering a unique and challenging respite from the main story, the new mode has players fighting for their life as they rush to complete various missions to overcome the deadly Eclipse. Those who manage to withstand the challenge will find themselves better equipped to tackle the main game mode.

The post The Battle Begins with Berserk and the Band of the Hawk’s Launch Trailer appeared first on Dread Central.

Eric Heisserer is white hot right now, and rightfully so. The guy knows his horror. That being said, he’s getting ready to ply his trade on the small screen with a new TV show.

Deadline is reporting that film and TV production and finance veterans Erin Eggers, Chase Hudson, and Matthew Porter have launched Penchant Entertainment. The plan is to produce 2-3 feature films per year for multiple platforms and 2-4 scripted TV projects for network and non-traditional outlets.

The first TV project on the slate is “The Scrawl,” a one-hour drama series being executive produced by Oscar-nominated Arrival screenwriter Eric Heisserer. Penned by “Heroes Reborn” writer Zach Crawly, the supernatural thriller explores what happens when collective negativity gives birth to an actual monster. Penchant developed and will exec produce along with South Korea’s CJ Entertainment, which released Killer Toon, on which the series is based.

More on this as it comes.

Eric Heisserer – Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The post Eric Heisserer Brings The Scrawl to TV appeared first on Dread Central.

With production now in full swing up in Vancouver, Canada, the cast of Shane Black’s The Predator continues to grow. Next on the menu?

THR is reporting that Alfie Allen, who plays Theon Greyjoy in HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” has joined the cast of Black’s reboot.

Allen will play an ex-Marine who teams with several other outsiders, including one played by Boyd Holbrook, to stop the human-hunting creatures.

Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay, and Trevante Rhodes star. Black is directing from a script by Fred Dekker. John Davis, Joel Silver, and Lawrence Gordon — who produced the original — are producing.

In The Predator, which will be rated R, Munn is playing a scientist opposite Holbrook’s Special Forces commando.

Look for The Predator in theaters on February 9, 2018.

The post Game of Thrones Star Hunting The Predator appeared first on Dread Central.

The hype wheel for The Belko Experiment is turning, and now, for those of you with VR tech at your disposal, we have a unique way to participate in this most deadly game.

From the Press Release:
“Belko VR – The Escape Room Experience” is being released for free for one day only, March 3, 2017, in celebration of “National Employee Appreciation Day.” The game was inspired by the upcoming horror thriller THE BELKO EXPERIMENT from Orion Pictures, to be released in theaters by BH Tilt on March 17, 2017.

Belko VR – The Escape Room Experience, created by filmmakers David Yarovesky and Dan Clifton, will be available to play on HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets through the Steam Platform.

Exploring the themes in THE BELKO EXPERIMENT, the Belko VR – Escape Room Experience provokes the question: “What does it take to survive at work?” Players are prompted to solve a series of challenging puzzles in order to escape from their office before a microchip in their head explodes.

“We felt that we had a unique opportunity to do something a little crazy by taking the core idea of being trapped in the Belko Industries building and distilling that down to a Roomscale experience,” states Dan Clifton, who co-produced the film and also developed the game. “Players will become a Belko employee and be immersed into a fight for survival. It’s fun, at times threatening and scary, and fully interactive.”

“Because I was there for the shoot in Bogota, Colombia, and worked extensively with director Greg McLean and the cast and crew, it felt very natural for us to extend the experience and story into a VR game. The film leaves you with the question: ‘What would I do?,’ and we knew we could have some fun building that into a VR experience.”

David Yarovesky, who also served as a post-production consultant on the film, is the co-creator of the game. “Having been an extremely early adopter of Vive, I was thrilled that Orion Pictures and BH Tilt were bold enough to allow Dan and I to run with this idea. Other films have done 360 video experiences, but this is a truly interactive standalone playable game set in the extreme Belko universe.”

Yarovesky added, “We were tired of VR experiences that felt like tech demos. We wanted to make something that was fun and engaging and set a new bar for how VR and film can work together.”

James Gunn said, “The Belko VR – Escape Room Experience is scary as hell with lots of insane puzzles and moral choices. As an active gamer, I’m so excited about where VR is going, and this is a step in the right direction. David Yarovesky and Dan Clifton did an amazing job capturing the film’s unique tone, and the game is just as twisted and fun as the movie.”

John Hegeman, President of Marketing of BH Tilt, noted, “The Belko VR – The Escape Room Experience is complete insanity, and to have the game available for free on Employee Appreciation Day is an incredible treat.”

To bring their vision to life, Clifton and Yarovesky partnered with developers Paper Crane Games out of Los Angeles, CA, who recently developed the Call of Duty Jackal Assault VR Experience for PlayStation VR.

Clifton and Yarovesky previously collaborated on The Exorcist 360 Experience for 20th Century Fox Television in the fall of 2016.

Presented by Orion Pictures, an arm of MGM, THE BELKO EXPERIMENT is directed by Greg McLean (The Darkness, Wolf Creek), written by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), and produced by Peter Safran (The Conjuring, Annabelle) and Gunn. The film stars John Gallagher, Jr. (“The Newsroom,” 10 Cloverfield Lane), Tony Goldwyn (“Scandal”), Adria Arjona (“True Detective”), John C. McGinley (“Stan Against Evil,””Scrubs”), Melonie Diaz (Fruitvale Station), Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”), and Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy). Director of Photography is Luis Sansans, A.M.C. (“Narcos”). Production designer is Carlos Osorio (“Homeland,” “24”). Costume designer is Camila Olarte Suárez (The Wind Journeys).

The post Can You Escape The Belko Experiment in VR? appeared first on Dread Central.

On tap right now we have a behind-the-scenes look at the new film from Sleep Tight and [REC] director Jaume Balagueró, entitled Muse. Check ’em out!

Filmax’s latest dip into the supernatural is based upon the novel Lady No. 13 by Jose Carlos Somoza; it stars Christopher Lloyd, Joanne Whalley, Elliot Cowan, Franka Potente, Ana Ularu, Manuela Vellés, and Leonor Watling. The flick’s filming locations include Ireland, Belgium, and Spain.

Synopsis:
Since the tragic and unexpected death of his girlfriend, Samuel, a professor of literature, suffers a recurring nightmare in which a woman is brutally murdered by a strange ritual. When the same woman who appears every night in his dreams is found dead in identical circumstances, Samuel sneaks into the crime scene to investigate. There he meets Rachel, a young woman who does not know anything but claims she also dreamed of the murder.

Together, they will make every effort to discover the identity of the mystery woman, plunging into a dark world ruled by the muses that inspired the poets of all time.

The post Jaume Balagueró’s Muse: Go Behind the Scenes appeared first on Dread Central.

Prepare to know fear next month, because Alone in the Dark creator Frédérick Raynal’s 2Dark will be arriving on PC and consoles on March 10.

From the Press Release:
2Dark, the new stealth-horror game from the creator of Alone in the Dark, is coming in North America March 10th as a digital download on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One.

In addition to the standard PC release, 2Dark will also be available on Steam as a deluxe edition including “The Art of 2Dark” uncensored art book along with the original soundtrack containing 21 orchestral tracks.

From Frédérick Raynal, the creator of Alone in the Dark and pioneer of survival-horror, 2Dark is a grim journey of stealth and courage into the heart of corruption. Plagued by a string of child abductions, darkness hangs over the once-picturesque city of Gloomywood like a curse. As former detective Mr. Smith, use your cunning to infiltrate six bastions of cruelty. Uncover the secrets of the deranged psychopaths within, seek retribution for their crimes, and bring the children to safety.

For additional details, follow 2Dark on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GloomywoodGames
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloomywood.studio
Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/435100/

The post 2Dark Infiltrating PC and Consoles Next Month appeared first on Dread Central.