It absolutely does not feel like a year has passed since the last time the madness struck.  When the moon rose and triggered the animal impulses in the pack.  A year since the mad roamed the halls while their keepers cowered in the cells.  Graveyards empty, streets full.

But it has.  Almost.  In just one short month, Texas Frightmare Weekend will be upon us once again.

As always, the Hyatt Regency DFW will host three days of complete mayhem from May 5-7.  Music, movies, madness.

While young star Millie Bobby Brown recently had to cancel due to exhaustion, the guest list is still absolutely insane this year.

Prepare yourself, this is gonna take a bit.

Dario Argento (!!!) along with stars of his classic, Suspiria, Stefana Casini, Barbara Magnolfi, and Udo Kier.  Claudio Simonetti of Goblin.  Freddie Highmore, Max Theriot, and Nestor Carbonell of “Bates Motel”.  The Thing reunion with Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Thomas Waites.  Legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey.  Virtually the entire cast of Rob Zombie’s 31: Malcom McDowell, Meg Foster, EG Daily, Judy Geeson, Richard Brake, Pancho Moler, Jeff Daniel Phillips, David Ury, and Torsten Voges.  Filmmaker Frank Henenlotter.  The Shining‘s Danny Lloyd. Austin Amelo and Tom Payne from “The Walking Dead”.  From The Woman, Polly McIntosh. Wrestling legends Ric Flair and Sting.  A Fright Night reunion with director Tom Holland and stars Chris Sarandon, Amanda Bearse, Stephen Geoffreys, William Ragsdale, and Jonathan Stark.  The one and only Ted Raimi.  Punk rock legend Doyle of The Misfits.

And those?  That’s not it.  That’s not even the whole list.  I’m just tired of writing names.  You’ll have to hit the official TFW website for the current list, and it’s STILL GROWING.

On top of all that?  You’ve got panels, 13 film screenings, incredible professional photo ops, the Texas Frightmakers filmmaking seminars, parties, Scaraoke, trivia contests, two massive rooms full of vendors, and a massive gathering of horror fans just like you from all over the planet.  (The record holder last year for ‘furthest traveled’ I ran into was NEW ZEALAND.  Yes.  I’m serious.)

What else is there to say?  Get to Dallas on Cinco De Mayo.  You won’t regret it.

The post One Month Till Texas Frightmare Weekend 2017 appeared first on Dread Central.

The German occult horror film Reyes has released a brand new trailer, which you can see here. The film is still in production, so no release date has been given.

Directed by Patrick Templin and René Wiesner, Reyes stars Kim Sønderholm (Follow the Money, Sinister Visions), Bill Hutchens (Human Centipede 2 & 3), Shawn C. Phillips (The Corpse Grinders, Return to Return to Nuke ‘Em High aka Vol. 2), Antonio Monroi (Apocalypto, “Texas Rising”), Patrick Jahns (Bunker of the Dead, Break), Peter Ahlers (Skatecop), and Aileen Dankyi-Sampong.

Synopsis:
A down-at-heel author is getting into the vortex of an almighty death cult and finds out soon that his destiny is connected to a mysterious woman. While on a journey back to himself, will he be able to get free and to save her? Can the secret society get dashed into pieces, or will it get even stronger?

The post Enter a World of Occult Ritual Sacrifices in Reyes appeared first on Dread Central.

Fresh off his fight with King Kong in Kong: Skull Island, Samuel L. Jackson has confirmed his appearance in a new remake of The Blob, which he announced back in 2015.

Just yesterday we gave an update about the long-gestating remake, which will be directed by Simon West (Con-Air, The Expendables 2, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, When a Stranger Calls) and produced by Richard Saperstein and Brian Witten.

Now, in an interview with The Toronto Sun, Jackson lets loose that he still plans on being a part of this remake, which comes from Goldcrest Films.

Jackson tells the site, “I’ve been running from or chasing King Kong, Godzilla, the Wolfman, whatever, since I was a kid [in Chatanooga, Tenn.]. We’d go home and pretend to do all that stuff. So I’m doing Kong for the same reason I’ll probably be doing The Blob. I just got a call the other day (where the producers) said they finally got their money from China to do Blob.”

The site also states that filming of The Blob will take place before Jackson goes off to film his parts for Avengers: Infinity War.

You can read the full interview at the link above.

Synopsis:
A terrifying reimagining of an enduring horror icon, based on the 1958 sci-fi classic that starred Steve McQueen and has thrilled genre fans since. When a band of miners uncover something hidden deep beneath the earth, they unwittingly unleash a hideous creature beyond imagination. Now the townsfolk must fight back… before it destroys everything.

The post Samuel L. Jackson Is Going to Face The Blob! appeared first on Dread Central.

Oh, The Asylum… Is nothing sacred to you? Haven’t you already had enough butchering of blockbuster films with your mockeries like The Hitchhiker, Invasion of the Pod People, or Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies? Are you not satiated by all of the Sharknado films you’ve released over the years?

Apparently not because now you’ve decided to tread upon one of the most sacred horror titles in recent memory: Stephen King’s IT.

Yup, you read it correctly. The Asylum is (of course) going to make its own version of IT, which they’ve hilariously titled THAT. I’ve gotta hand it to them… it’s (or should I say, that’s) rather clever.

However, what ISN’T clever is the fact that they’ve decided a clown isn’t scary enough for their meager budget, so why not create a shark/clown hybrid? You can see it for yourself below along with the first bit of artwork.

Directed by Rob Boss and written by Scott Foy, THAT stars Dean Cain, Kevin Sorbo, Casper Van Dien, Jaleel White, Tori Spelling, Dustin Diamond, Elizabeth Berkley, Tom Arnold, Eric Roberts as Mayor Bachman, and Gary Busey as THAT. THAT is set for release later in 2017.

Are you ready for this year’s most anticipated mockbuster from the studio that has to put a fucking shark in everything? This is not IT; it’s THAT!

Synopsis:
Seven nostalgia-obsessed middle-aged geeks reuniting in their seemingly idyllic small town of Kingston are forced to contend once more with a demonic shark-clown named Nickelbottom, who once terrorized them in their youth and abducted one of their childhood friends, never to be seen again. Meeting a young girl with psychic powers who has just escaped from Nickelbottom’s clutches, they realize their old friend may still be alive and prepare to rescue him by venturing into the sewers to find the portal to “The Downside Up,” the sinister alternate dimension in which Nickelbottom resides.

But the horrifying harlequin that preys upon childhood fears is ready for them, fighting back by making them confront their scariest movie fears growing up: a rabid dog, a driverless car, a pyrotechnic prom queen, horny werecats, a rampaging virtual reality lawnmower, a haunted laundry machine, an angry gypsy armed with a cursed pie, ass-bursting alien worms, and corn — lots and lots of evil corn.

The post The Asylum Announces Stephen King’s IT Mockbuster THAT! appeared first on Dread Central.

Well, this is an interesting concept for a film…

Russia’s Dance to Death is a sci-fi thriller that takes place in a post-apocalyptic Moscow where young people are pitted against one another in fights to the death. Their allowed method of attack? Dancing. Yes, you read that right. They have to perform competitive dances in order to best their opponents, who, if they lose, immediately fucking disintegrate into a fine ashy powder of what the hell just happened?!

Supposedly, the reason for this evaporation is because a new technology was found that can convert a human body into energy. Since you can’t just go around killing people all willy nilly, why not create a reality game show where you put your life on the line? Hell, it worked for The Running Man, right?

All right, so the film sounds absolutely ludicrous, but if you watch the below trailer (no English subtitles, sorry), you’ll see that they embraced the concept to the max and have crafted what looks to be a high-production film with tons of eye candy.

Directed by Andrey Volgin and starring Agnia Ditkovskite, Denis Shvedov, and Evgeniy Mikheev, Dance to Death apparently comes out April 6th in Russia, according to IMDb.

Synopsis:
The old energy technologies, such as oil and coal, were lost decades ago during the nuclear war. But a new technology has been developed that converts the human body directly into energy, leaving behind only a flurry of gray ashes. In a sealed bunker in the post-apocalyptic ruins of Moscow, young people struggle against each other in a deadly dancing tournament. The winners will live. The losers will be consumed for energy to power the city.

The post Russia’s Dance to Death Is an Aptly Named Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Massacre appeared first on Dread Central.

You’ve gotta hand it to IDW… in the crowded comics field, it’s hard to stand out; but based on their titles alone, we can’t wait to learn more about the publisher’s projects that were announced this weekend at WonderCon 2017.

Three hail from IDW’s new line with Ominous Press – Dread Gods and Demi-God, both written by Ron Marz, and Bart Sears’ Giantkillers – while the fourth entry is new IDW imprint Black Crown’s debut title, Kid Lobotomy from Peter Milligan and Tess Fowler.

From the Dread Gods/Giantkillers/Demi-God Press Release:
IDW Publishing announces a partnership with Ominous Press to bring a new line of epic adventure comics to the market. The brainchild of comic art master Bart Sears, Ominous Press will tell stories of larger-than-life heroes and villains in fantasy and science-fiction settings.

Ominous Press had a brief, initial life in the mid-’90s, before the crash of the comic market brought down so many fledgling publishers. Now Ominous Press returns, releasing all-new material through IDW beginning in July. Ominous Press is comprised of Chief Creative Officer Bart Sears, Publisher Sean HusVar, Editor-in-Chief Ron Marz, and Art Director Andy Smith.

The initial lineup of Ominous Press titles includes:

• Dread Gods, written by Ron Marz and drawn by Tom Raney, in which gods in a fantasy world discover they’re actually monsters in a post-apocalyptic hell;
• Giantkillers, written and drawn by Bart Sears, telling the story of a broken warrior who must protect a child destined to be the universe’s last hope against the ultimate villain; and
  
• Demi-God, written by Ron Marz and drawn by Andy Smith, about a fame-seeking hero gaining great power, but forgetting the great responsibility part.

“Telling your own stories, the way you want to tell them, is the dream of everyone creating comics,” said Sears. “Ominous Press partnering with IDW gives all of us the chance to do just that. These are the kind of epic stories we grew up on, the kind of stories that made us want to create comics in the first place.”

Ominous Press Publisher Sean HusVar said, “I’m so pleased that Ominous has become part of the IDW family. We couldn’t ask for a better home, and I have every confidence that this will be a long and prosperous partnership.”

Each title will initially launch as a four-issue mini-series. Each series stands alone, intended to be read independently, but with connecting plot threads that create a larger canvas.

Dread Gods will be the first title, with Issue #1 debuting in July. Dread Gods #1 will have a standard cover by series artist Tom Raney, a wraparound cover by Bart Sears, and incentive covers by Kenneth Rocafort (1-in-10) and the legendary Neal Adams (1-in-25). Dread Gods #1 will be an oversize 48-page issue, including the lead feature by Marz and Raney, a backup story by Bart Sears, and a wealth of additional content, all for $3.99. Giantkillers and then Demi-God will follow.

From the Kid Lobotomy Press Release:
Shelly Bond made headlines when she announced Black Crown, her new creator-owned imprint during IDW’s ECCC panel. She’s back at it again, this time at WonderCon, with juicy details to divulge about how Black Crown is taking shape, and she’s invited Peter Milligan and Tess Fowler to headline the imprint’s debut.

Milligan (Shade, the Changing Man) and Fowler (Rat Queens) will team on Kid Lobotomy, which will not only kick off Black Crown in face-melting fashion, but also set the tone of the buzz-worthy and hotly anticipated new line (no pressure, guys)!

Kid, as he’s affectionately referred to, is the youngest descendant of a strange, overbearing hotelier. While he sports rock star good looks, Kid Lobotomy has more in common with Hannibal than Morrissey in his prime. Unsuspecting hotel guests who check in to “The Suites” are in danger of losing more than their luggage. Living up to his name, Kid has shed a few brain cells in his day, which naturally makes him qualified to perform a lobotomy or two. And why let those brain bits go to waste when he can use them to help — or unwittingly harm — his subjects? Ultimately, Kid hopes to restore some of his sanity. But can he survive the truth about his cursed lineage and face what runs rampant throughout the torturous hotel hallways? Simply put, you’ve never read anything like this.

Editor Shelly Bond proclaimed that “Peter Milligan is one of the most talented writers in the history of the written word. One of comics’ original provocateurs, Milligan is quietly crafting a new monthly series that’s worthy of your consideration. In other words: He. Cannot. Be. Stopped. It was either give him the Black Crown debut series or commit him to the nearest… posh hotel… so he can get on with his goddamn writing!”

Co-creator/writer Peter Milligan added, “Kid Lobotomy is a sub-cranial Gothic scream of obsession, love, and the perennial dream of an upgrade to the executive suite. Torn from the deepest region of my hippocampus and hurled at an unsuspecting world, this is different from anything I’ve written and unlike anything you’ve read.”

“Fortunately,” Bond continues, “Milligan is aided and abetted by co-creator/artist extraordinaire Tess Fowler, whose bold storytelling, lush inks, and affinity for all things dark and twisted will no doubt make Kid Lobotomy your new favorite monthly series.”

Tess Fowler was quoted as saying, “I’ve just done the comic artist equivalent of running off to join the circus. Send help. No wait. Don’t. Just come with me.”

The post WonderCon 2017: IDW Announces Dread Gods, Giantkillers, Demi-God, and Kid Lobotomy appeared first on Dread Central.

Remember when Asian horror was all the rage? There were fantastic films being spoken of like Ringu, One Missed Call, Kairo, A Tale of Two Sisters, Whispering Corridors, Three Extremes, The Eye, Shutter, and so many more. It was the golden age of foreign horror that then saw nearly every single one of these titles get a remake that, for the most part, was garbage. Still, the originals are wonderful films that are well worth revisting for a nostalgic spookfest.

A new entry in the Thai horror world is Siam Square, which follows high school kids who get caught up trying to prove the existence of an urban legend. Of course, this backfires completely, and now they’re being picked off one by one.

A trailer for the film can be seen below, but I have to warn you that the English subtitles aren’t exactly the greatest. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that they ran the lines through Google Translate and just accepted the results without thinking twice.

Directed by Pairach Khumwan, Siam Square stars Morakot Liu, Eisaya Hosuwan, and Nothasit Kotimanuswanich. It just came out in Thailand, and an interview with Khumwan can be found over at The Nation.

Synopsis:
The so-called “Shibuya” of Thailand has been the center of Bangkok for half a century. The shopping centers, hip standalone shops, popular cafes, and restaurants are all there. With increasing competition in the University entrance examination, a lot of cram schools have shot up all over the area, leading to more traffic and activities for teenagers. But when night falls, it becomes the place of an urban legend.

They say that to pass the National Entrance Exam, you have to worship an evil spirit. By tying red threads onto a specific chair, you increase your chances of passing the exam. When a group of nonbelievers find the “red threads chair” in one of the so-called cram schools, they decide to perform the rituals and try to find out what happened.

During the same time, there is a rumor that the evil spirit of a girl who disappeared mysteriously over thirty years ago has now come back and is walking the empty streets late at night. When one of their friends is haunted and dies after an incident, the gang tries to find out what’s really going on. Who is the mysterious girl who turns up in the restroom on the day they did the ritual? Is there something really wrong with Siam Square?

The post Thai Horror Film Siam Square Shows the Horror of High School Romances…Plus There Are Ghosts appeared first on Dread Central.

In what’s being described as one of the biggest bloodbaths in TV history, The CW has emerged victorious in the battle to land the hot property “The Vampire Chronicles,” an adaptation of Anne Rice’s much-loved novels centered around the vampire known as Lestat. And some of their plans are sure to ruffle a few feathers…

Looking to fill the void left by the recently concluded “The Vampire Diaries,” the network outmuscled and outbid the much higher profile HBO, Netflix, and Amazon and expects to put the project in pre-production by the end of this summer.

While Rice and her fans were no doubt hoping for an outlet that would allow the graphic violence and nudity contained in the source material, The CW is considering an approach similar to what AMC has done with Negan and his f-bombs on “The Walking Dead”: shoot two different versions of certain scenes, one for broadcast and one for Blu-ray/VOD.

Rice is being diplomatic about the situation. “In the end,” she said, “we had to trust our instincts and go with the people who had the most enthusiasm for the series and would allow us the most artistic freedom.”

Her son, Christopher, who’s writing several episodes and will also be filling the showrunner role, enthused, “Just look at what The CW has done with their DC properties. Our goal is to one day have the ‘Chronicles,’ mom’s witches, and even a mummy or two all airing on different nights with cross-overs and spectacles the likes of which TV hasn’t even seen yet!”

As for who might be following in the iconic footsteps of Tom Cruise (and yes, Stuart Townsend) to portray the aforesaid Lestat, the Rices shared that they have their hearts set on none other than Justin Bieber. Before you scoff, Anne explained, “It’s vital that whoever plays Lestat be not only the right age, but also able to sing and convey that ‘rock star’ persona. We have the utmost confidence that Justin will be able to bring the Brat Prince to life…,” at which point Christopher jumped in with, “After all, who better to play a brat than a brat? Besides, he’s so dreamy.”

A few other names floating about are Stephen Amell as Marius; Robbie Amell as Louis, and the great Rutger Hauer, whom Anne always pictured as Lestat, instead playing his deformed, elderly creator, Magnus. And in a real shake-up, it’s rumored that Lestat’s friend and lover Nicolas de Lenfent, aka Nicki, is being “reimagined” as a woman with The CW said to have “The Originals” alum Danielle Campbell in mind for the part.

Stay tuned for further developments!

The post The Vampire Chronicles Series Lands at The CW; Justin Bieber Being Eyed for Lestat appeared first on Dread Central.

You may recall that our own Heather Buckley was fortunate enough to attend the fall 2016 edition of the Night Visions film fest in Finland, and with a lineup that includes over 30 features and a half-dozen short films (including 5 World Premieres), you better believe we’ll be keeping our eyes on their spring 2017 event!

Read on for the full details of this year’s lineup.

From the Press Release:
Night Visions International Film Festival has announced the Official Selections of its April 2017 edition. The spring edition of Scandinavia’s biggest genre film festival takes place in Helsinki, Finland, from April 19th-23rd. The complete lineup includes a total of 31 feature films and a selection of carefully hand-picked shorts.

One of the headliner themes of the festival, our Killer Female Directors section features a trio of international festival hits and two strong genre outings from Scandinavia. Alice Lowe’s pitch black comedy Prevenge (UK 2016), Julia Ducournau’s Raw (France/Belgium 2016), and the omnibus hit XX (USA/Canada 2017) will all have their Finnish premieres now in Helsinki. Jonna Nilsson’s Drip Drop (Sweden 2017) is an original take on the monster in the house theme. Charlotte Brodthagen’s Lau & Laudrup (Denmark 2017), one of Night Visions’ World Premieres, is a story of two Bosnian immigrant siblings in the midst of a zombie outbreak somewhere outside Copenhagen.

The Mentors: Kings of Sleaze Rockumentary (USA 2017) also fits the bill of Killer Female Directors, though its director, April Jones, is not dealing with fiction. This Night Visions World Premiere provides an in-depth, feature-length look at the infamous “rape rock” group of nearly mythical proportions.

Other highlights of the festival’s documentary selection include Marty Langford’s Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four (USA 2016), Alexandre O. Philippe’s Sundance hit 78/52 (USA 2017), and Dominik Graf & Johannes Sievert’s Berlin Film Fest Panorama entry Open Wounds – A Journey Through German Genre Films (Germany 2017). All three now have their Scandinavian premieres on the big screen at the festival.

The vibrant genre cinema scene of Argentina is also presented through two Scandinavian premieres: Still Life director Gabriel Grieco’s Hypersomnia (2016) is a modern, multi-layered take on the almost forgotten sub-genre of women-in-prison movies. Sebastian Perillo’s directorial debut, Amateur (Argentina 2016), is a unique serial killer thriller with distinctly De Palma-esque flavours.

Among its World Premiere shorts, Night Visions also presents the Nightsatan and the Loops of Doom auteur CHRZU’s latest Carlotta Moore adventure, The Consequence (Finland 2017); Ramin Sohrab’s highly anticipated action extravaganza Viulu (Finland 2017); and the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired Sound from the Deep (Finland 2017), directed by Joonas Allonen and Antti Laakso.

On the retro side, one of the definite highlights of the lineup includes a retrospective of the legendary U.S. genre filmmaker Gary Sherman. Sherman’s Death Line (aka Raw Meat, UK, 1972), Dead & Buried (USA 1981), and Vice Squad (USA/UK 1982) are all now seen for the first time ever in their uncut form on the silver screen in Finland.

Ticket sales are now open. For more info visit the Night Visions International Film Festival website at nightvisions.info.

The post Night Visions Spring 2017 Lineup Includes Raw, Prevenge, XX, Gary Sherman Retrospective, and Lots More appeared first on Dread Central.

As someone who grew up in the South, I’m well aware of how easily the kudzu vine can take over everything in its path. Mix in the undead, and you have the killer combination found in Kudzu Zombies – The Game, a free app wherein players kill zombies and round up chickens. Cock-a-doodle-die, motherfucker!

It’s tied in with an upcoming movie, and we have all the details right here.

From the Press Release:
Kudzu Zombies – The Game has launched this weekend in honor of WonderCon in Anaheim, CA. The killer tie-in to the upcoming horror film Kudzu Zombies, which will be released later this year, is a free app available for download from Google Play, the iTunes App Store, and Amazon Apps for Kindle, announced Daniel Wood, Producer.

In Kudzu Zombies – The Game an experimental chemical is used in an attempt to deal with the spreading menace that is the kudzu vine. However, things take a turn for the worse as the chemical transforms the local population into a zombie horde. As the only remaining human, the player has to face the undead and fight his way out to safety.

“While we’re wrapping up post-production on the film, we thought a free game app would be a great way to get word out about the upcoming Kudzu Zombies film on the popular platforms and on people’s devices, where they are more and more likely to watch our film,” said Wood.

The filmmakers are already working on updates to the game for players to enter randomly generated codes for chances to win exclusive free Kudzu Zombies t-shirts and other fun swag. Within the game players will be given a randomly generated code to enter on the website to see if they are a swag winner.

Non-game players and other visitors to the website at KudzuZombies.com who sign up for the Kudzu Zombies mailing list will also be given a randomly generated code for a chance to win as well.

The game features two play modes, Survival and Missions. In Survival Mode the player must outlast the zombies as long as possible. There is a global leaderboard for survival mode where players’ scores compete against all other users. In Mission Mode the player has different goals which must completed while avoiding death from zombies. The game has different weapons such as shotguns and flamethrowers.

Keeping it all in the family, Kudzu Zombies – The Game was developed by Wood’s nephew, game developer Angel Paunov Georgiev, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, along with digital artist Renie Aganchyan. Although the film is live-action, Wood and the team went for a cartoony aesthetic for the game and used a 3D perspective combined with 2D art for the top-down game. The enemy sprites are layers which are randomly generated to get more visual variety.

The game was developed using the Unity game engine. Unity3D’s program allowed the game designers to create the game for multiple platforms and then publish it to both iOS and Android. The game features the film’s theme song, “Kudzu Zombies” by the Truck Patch Revival, along with memorable quotes from the film. The trailer and other media will be added as they are released to the public.

Movie Synopsis:
Lonnie, a crop duster pilot, must lead a mismatched group of survivors to escape the deadly zombie horde after an experimental chemical, intended to control the invasive kudzu vine, transforms the citizens of Charleston, Mississippi, into zombies.

The post WonderCon 2017: Kudzu Zombies – The Game Now Available for Free Download; Ties in with Upcoming Film appeared first on Dread Central.

We told you about The Asylum’s mockbuster of Stephen King’s IT, entitled THAT, just a little while ago, and already a Mondo variant of the one-sheet has been announced.

Featuring artwork from French artist Jean Khandeet, Mondo’s THAT poster will be a limited edition run of just 250 and will cost $45 per print – limit two (2) per customer. Keep an eye on the Mondo Twitter account for a random announcement on when you can try to secure one sometime today.

Directed by Rob Boss and written by Scott Foy, THAT stars Dean Cain, Kevin Sorbo, Casper Van Dien, Jaleel White, Tori Spelling, Dustin Diamond, Elizabeth Berkley, Tom Arnold, Eric Roberts as Mayor Bachman, and Gary Busey as THAT. THAT is set for release later in 2017.

Are you ready for this year’s most anticipated mockbuster from the studio that has to put a fucking shark in everything? This is not IT; it’s THAT!

Synopsis:
Seven nostalgia-obsessed middle-aged geeks reuniting in their seemingly idyllic small town of Kingston are forced to contend once more with a demonic shark-clown named Nickelbottom, who once terrorized them in their youth and abducted one of their childhood friends, never to be seen again. Meeting a young girl with psychic powers who has just escaped from Nickelbottom’s clutches, they realize their old friend may still be alive and prepare to rescue him by venturing into the sewers to find the portal to “The Downside Up,” the sinister alternate dimension in which Nickelbottom resides.

But the horrifying harlequin that preys upon childhood fears is ready for them, fighting back by making them confront their scariest movie fears growing up: a rabid dog, a driverless car, a pyrotechnic prom queen, horny werecats, a rampaging virtual reality lawnmower, a haunted laundry machine, an angry gypsy armed with a cursed pie, ass-bursting alien worms, and corn — lots and lots of evil corn.

The post Breaking: THAT Variant Mondo Poster Revealed! appeared first on Dread Central.

It may be April Fools’ Day today, but this surprising piece of news is all too real. Sega has released 8-Bit Bayonetta on Steam, a free side-scrolling game featuring everyone’s favorite Umbra Witch. Apparently being bad never felt so retro.

Series developer PlatinumGames actually created this 2D spinoff back in 2010, so it’s about time we finally got to play it. The game’s achievement list contain segments of code which, when combined, form a link to a countdown site. We don’t know what project the site is teasing, but we’ll find out in 11 days.

Could they be teasing the announcement of Bayonetta 3? We sure hope so.

Although it was assumed that Nintendo had obtained the rights to the Bayonetta series, as they published the second game as a first-party exclusive, it would appear that Sega has retained ownership. Roll on Bayonetta 3!

Synopsis:
SEGA’s favourite Umbran Witch climaxes her way onto PC! Thrill to her signature beehive do in 8-bit pixelated glory! Jump! Shoot! Score! Being bad never felt so retro.

In pixelated retro glory – for free!

Features:

• Jumping!
• Double jumping!
• Shooting!
• Scoring!
• Achievements!
• Wicked chip-tune Bayonetta theme song!

The post Sega Releases 8-Bit Bayonetta for Free on Steam appeared first on Dread Central.

The trailer for the upcoming horror prequel Annabelle: Creation has arrived and it is packed to the brim with creepy footage and a few jump scares, to boot. While the first spin-off, Annabelle, didn’t really do all that much for me, I do have to say that I’m far more intrigued by this one. That being said, the footage I saw at SXSW (link below) didn’t leave the greatest of impressions. No matter, though. I’m going to give this film a chance and see what it has to offer!

Related Story: SXSW 2017: We Saw Footage From Stephen King’s It and Annabelle 2

From New Line Cinema comes Annabelle: Creation, with David F. Sandberg (Lights Out) helming the follow-up to 2014’s hugely successful Annabelle, which scared up nearly $257 million at the worldwide box office during its run in theaters. The new film is once again being produced by Peter Safran and James Wan, who also partnered so effectively on The Conjuring movies.

Sandberg directs from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman, who also wrote Annabelle. The film stars Stephanie Sigman (Spectre), Talitha Bateman (The 5th Wave), Lulu Wilson (Ouija 2, Deliver Us from Evil), Philippa Coulthard (After the Dark), Grace Fulton (Badland), Lou Lou Safran (The Choice), Samara Lee (The Last Witch Hunter), and Tayler Buck in her feature film debut, with Anthony LaPaglia (TV’s “Without a Trace”) and Miranda Otto (Showtime’s “Homeland”).

Serving as executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, and Hans Ritter. Collaborating with Sandberg behind the scenes from his Lights Out team are production designer Jennifer Spence, editor Michel Aller, and composer Benjamin Wallfisch; they are joined by director of photography Maxime Alexandre (The Other Side of the Door) and costume designer Leah Butler (Paranormal Activity 3 & 4).

Currently scheduled for release on August 11, 2017, Annabelle: Creation is a New Line Cinema presentation, an Atomic Monster/Safran Company production. The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Synopsis:
Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.

(L-R) The Annabelle doll and TALITHA BATEMAN as Janice in New Line Cinema’s supernatural thriller “ANNABELLE 2,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

The post Annabelle: Creation Trailer Brings Mystery, Terror, and Ghosts to One Creepy Farmhouse appeared first on Dread Central.

Before Stargate, Godzilla, Independence Day, and a slew of disasterporn flicks, Roland Emmerich made smaller, tighter films such as 1985’s Making Contact (aka Joey); and Kino Lorber is ready to remind us of that by releasing the haunting shocker next month!

From the Press Release:
Making Contact (1985) Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: May 9, 2017
Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Joshua Morrell, Eva Kryll, Tammy Shields

Synopsis:
Following the death of his father, nine-year-old Joey finds himself at the center of a frightening series of phenomena, including telekinesis, phone calls from beyond the grave, and one very sinister ventriloquist dummy with extremely homicidal instincts. But when the authorities arrive to investigate Joey’s gifts, they unknowingly unleash a horrific supernatural force that no scientist can comprehend and only one boy can hope to stop. 

BUY IT NOW!

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To mark the arrival of a new season of “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” which kicks off today, Netflix has created a short promo video of the hosts watching one of the streaming giant’s most popular shows, “Stranger Things.”

They riff on the aesthetic of the visuals, a child’s drawing, the title sequence, and more in what can only be described as a charming, nostalgic throwback. You can watch the clip below.

For all posts “Stranger Things” (including the upcoming second season) and “MST3K” related, be sure to click here and here, respectively!

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Around these parts we have a tendency to like animals way more than we do people. If you are a fan of these living angels – whether it be a dog or cat or whatever – and are also a fan of the paranormal, you need to listen up!

Right now via the Animals 2017 website, you can bid on an exclusive once in a lifetime experience while doing your part to save an animal. Note: This story will be pinned atop Dread Central until the auction ends.

About the Auction:
This is an exclusive opportunity to join Zak Bagans personally for a one-hour sneak peek tour of his Haunted Museum, which is not yet open to the public! The Haunted Museum is located in an historic home and neighborhood in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zak, the host and executive producer of “Ghost Adventures,” will host you and your guest for an experience of a lifetime to preview his world-famous collection, sharing special insights and stories. (The value of this auction item is priceless, and Zak is not offering an equivalent personal experience for sale or through any other means.)

100% of proceeds from this auction will go towards animal rescue and rehab for @NevadaSPCA. Let the bidding begin!!!

What are you waiting for? Do something good! Get something good. Be someone good.

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“April showers bring May flowers…”

The horror streaming service Sudder has released a short video to entice everyone who’s feeling blue from all these April showers to stay indoors, get comfy, and binge some genre flicks that they feel capture just the right mood!

For example, why not peep the 2011 thriller Take Shelter, which stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain? Or how about 2005’s Thai supernatural horror Ghost of Mae Nak? Maybe something a bit more dour and serious is what you’re after, in which case they recommend Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist.

Personally, I think that if you want something that feels a little “wet” and “misty”, you should check out “Jordskott”. If you want to know more about it, check out this piece I wrote about the first three episodes.

No matter what kinda mood you’re in, I’m sure you’ll find something worth checking out! Just click the link above and see what they have to offer!

The post Shudder Wants April Showers to Mean Something a Bit More Sinister appeared first on Dread Central.

Did someone order some lamb for Good Friday?

We’ve scored an exclusive first peek at the upcoming thriller Even Lambs Have Teeth in the form of a new clip, which shows Kirsten Prout and Tiera Skovbye doing some good ol’ fashioned shopping… at the hardware store, where they’re loading up on items meant to cause a ton of bodily harm. Y’know, everyday kinda stuff.

Even Lambs Have Teeth is being distributed globally by Syndicado across all VOD/digital and cable platforms beginning on May 2, 2017.

Written and directed by Terry Miles, Even Lambs Have Teeth also stars Michael Karl Richards, Craig March, Garrett Black, James Parker, and Christian Sloan.

You can pre-order Even Lambs Have Teeth via iTunes.

Synopsis:
Dreaming of a trip to NYC, the beautiful Sloane and Katie leave for the countryside to earn money working on an organic farm. But on the way they are kidnapped and abused by a sinister family of small-town psychopaths.

When the girls finally escape, they decide to return to the scene of the crime and settle the score. It’s not pretty.

The post Exclusive: Get in Loser, Even Lambs Have Teeth Are Going Shopping…For Weapons appeared first on Dread Central.

The upcoming issue of Empire Magazine features a cover devoted entirely to the upcoming sci-fi horror film Alien: Covenant and it pays homage to Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger’s “Necronom IV”, the painting that inspired Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien. The magazine cover features a Xenomorph in the middle of a sweeping tail that wraps it in a circle while the painting features a similar looking creature holding onto an umbilical cord-esque protrusion emerging from its stomach. However, the painting also has a somewhat circular feel about it and I feel like Empire giving a nod to this painting is all but a certainty. You can see both below.

Related Story: SXSW 2017: Ridley Scott, Katherine Waterston, and Danny McBride Talk Alien: Covenant

Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, and Benjamin Rigby star in Alien: Covenant. Ridley Scott directed the film, which was written by John Logan and Dante Harper based on a story by Jack Paglen and Michael Green.

Look for Alien: Covenant everywhere on May 19th.

Synopsis:
Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with ALIEN: COVENANT, a new chapter in his groundbreaking ALIEN franchise. 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 Empire Magazine Alien: Covenant Cover Pays Homage to H.R. Giger Painting appeared first on Dread Central.

“Supernatural” is currently on spring break, returning April 27th with Episode 12.19, “The Future”; but in the meantime, the group of producers and editors for the show known as Shaving People Punting Things is making sure you haven’t forgotten that “icky” moment in Episode 12.18, “The Memory Remains,” when Ketch (David Haydn-Jones) brought up “hunting” with Mary (Samantha Smith).

In this hilariously edited video, Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) avoid the awkwardness by instead focusing on the British Man of Letters’ pronunciation of “chupacabra”… just take a look below.  As all fans of the series know, the “Supernatural” folks truly appreciate the finer points of outtaking, and Shaving People take it to the next level.

Enjoy!

“Supernatural” Episode 12.19 – “The Future” (airs 4/27/17)
KELLY MAKES A BOLD CHOICE – Sam (Jared Padalecki) comes up with a way to stop Lucifer’s (Mark Pellegrino) baby, but Castiel (Misha Collins) has something else in mind for Kelly (guest star Courtney Ford). Dean (Jensen Ackles) is furious when he finds out someone stole the colt. Kelly makes a bold choice about the baby’s future. Amanda Tapping directed the episode written by Robert Berens & Meredith Glynn.

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