Last October, we heard that Rachel McAdams was in talks to reteam with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi on the 20th Century Studios horror thriller Send Help, which Raimi would be producing and directing. McAdams was quickly joined in the cast by Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner), Chris Pang (Interior Chinatown), and Dennis Haysbert (24). Filming began in early February, putting the film on track for a January 30th, 2026 theatrical release – and with that date right around the corner, a featurette has dropped online to let us know what Raimi, McAdams, and O’Brien have to say about the story and characters. Along the way, McAdams assures us that this film has “all of Sam’s great qualities to it,” which is nice to hear, given that Raimi is one of my favorite directors. You can watch the featurette at the bottom of this article.

Creative Team

In 2007, it was rumored that Sam Raimi would be producing a fantasy film with a screenplay written by Freddy vs. Jason and Friday the 13th 2009 writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. That didn’t pan out, but a decade later Raimi considered directing a Bermuda Triangle project that once had Shannon and Swift working on the script. Again, that didn’t pan out, with Scott Derrickson and more recently Marc Webb picking up the project after Raimi dropped it. In 2019, it was announced that Raimi would be directing an untitled island horror thriller, working from a script by Shannon and Swift. Then the pandemic hit and Raimi went on to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness… but now he has circled back to the island horror thriller, and A Quiet Place writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have done a rewrite of the script. They previously worked with Raimi on the Adam Driver dinosaur movie 65 and the anthology series 50 States of Fright. They also wrote and executive produced the Stephen King adaptation The Boogeyman for 20th Century Studios.

Raimi is producing Send Help alongside Zainab Azizi, the President of his company Raimi Productions.

Survival Horror Thriller

When Send Help was first announced, it was said to be like “Misery meets Cast Away” in tone. That’s still the description being given, as Deadline mentioned, “the film is described as a two-hander horror thriller set on an island, falling somewhere between Rob Reiner’s Stephen King adaptation Misery and Robert Zemeckis’ classic Castaway.” They report that the film is a survival horror thriller about two colleagues who become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.

Film scooper Daniel Richtman recently revealed that Send Help has the following logline: Comedy-adventure horror about a female put-upon employee and her jerk boss. On a business flight together with their company, the plane crashes on an island and only those two make it. She has serious survival skills which means she’s his only hope. Richtman also shared character details: LINDA: Smartest person in the room, but no one takes her seriously. Actor can’t be overly comedic, has to be believable in serious office setting. Eyed Sandra Bullock. BRADLEY: LINDA’S misogynistic boss.

I’m glad that Rachel McAdams landed the Linda role, and think it’s really cool that she’s working on a project like this with Sam Raimi, twenty years after she worked with another genre icon, Wes Craven, on the thriller Red Eye.

Raimi has described the film as being “really outrageous,” and I’m very much looking forward to this one, as “really outrageous” is exactly the sort of description I want to hear for a Sam Raimi horror thriller. Will you be watching Send Help? Take a look at the featurette, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Special Features

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t include a robust helping of extras (at least for the moment), but the special features include:

• 4K Transfer from the 35mm Original Camera Negative
• Presented in Dolby Vision
• Audio Commentary with Director Taylor Hackford
• Audio Commentary with Taylor Hackford
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

What is The Devil’s Advocate About?

The Devil’s Advocate stars Reeves as a gifted young Florida lawyer who is invited to work for a major New York City law firm. As his wife (Charlize Theron) becomes haunted by frightening visions, the lawyer slowly realizes that the firm’s owner, John Milton (Pacino), is the Devil. The rest of the cast includes Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, and Heather Matarazzo.

We Have Keanu Reeves to Thank for Al Pacino Playing the Devil

The Devil’s Advocate received mixed reviews upon its release, but it’s hard not to admire a film that lets Al Pacino go completely full-throttle as the Prince of Darkness. That said, the iconic actor initially wanted nothing to do with the project, turning it down three separate times. Pacino even suggested that Robert Redford or Sean Connery might be better suited for the role, but the studio had its heart set on him.

A rewrite was commissioned to make the material more appealing, and Pacino eventually signed on—only for the production to realize it couldn’t afford him. Enter Keanu Reeves, who was so eager to work with Pacino that he reportedly took a multi-million-dollar pay cut to make it happen. For that sacrifice, cinephiles everywhere owe him a sincere thank you.

A Lawsuit Delayed the Home Video Release

Before it could even reach home video, the film became entangled in a lawsuit. The massive wall sculpture featured in Milton’s apartment was deemed to closely resemble Ex Nihilo, a work by sculptor Frederick Hart. A federal judge ruled that the film’s video release would be blocked until the case went to trial, unless a settlement was reached. Ultimately, Warner Bros. agreed to edit the scene in future releases and affix warning stickers to unedited videotapes clarifying that the artwork in the film was not related to Hart’s sculpture.

Will you be adding The Devil’s Advocate to your 4K collection?

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This is MacDonald’s fourth collaboration with IFC Entertainment Group, as they released all three of his movies mentioned above.

Cast and Synopsis

The film follows Sloane and a small group of her classmates who take cover in their high school to escape their suddenly apocalyptic hometown. As danger relentlessly pounds on the doors, Sloane begins to see the world through the eyes of people who actually want to live and takes matters into her own hands. Holt is joined in the cast by Froy Gutierrez (The Strangers: Chapter 1), Luke MacFarlane (Bros), Corteon Moore (Overcompensating), Chloe Avakian (John Wayne Gacy), and Carson MacCormac (Clown in a Cornfield).

If you’re curious about the length of the movie, we have that information, too. This Is Not a Test has a running time of 102 minutes.

Statements

When the distribution deal was announced, MacDonald provided the following statement: “Courtney Summers’ book This Is Not a Test captivated me completely with its raw energy and dynamic characters, a story I felt personally and knew it had to be brought to the screen. I couldn’t be happier with Olivia Holt’s exceptional talent stepping into Sloane’s shoes (Docs) and bringing her to life. I’m beyond thrilled the film is in great hands and found a home with Independent Film Company and Shudder, a team that puts so much passion in the films they release. Producer Cybill Lui and I brought together the very best creative team to realize this deeply emotional, gritty, intense film, one that puts you on the very edge of your seat and will leave you with hope at the end of the world.” Independent Film Company’s Director of Acquisitions and Productions, Adam Koehler, added, “Adam MacDonald has an unmatched ability to elevate genre filmmaking with heart, intelligence, and raw human emotion. We’re thrilled to bring This Is Not a Test to a new generation of viewers who crave horror that hits both the gut and the soul.“

Rating

The MPA has given This Is Not a Test an R rating for strong bloody violence, gore, suicide, language, some sexuality and brief teen drinking.

Are you glad to hear that This Is Not a Test has secured an R rating? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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28 Days Later director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland finally reunited to make a sequel to their zombie (or, if you prefer, infected people) movie classic. 28 Years Later, which is meant to launch a whole trilogy of 28 Days Later sequels, reached theatres at the end of June, and the second chapter in the trilogy, 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple, is scheduled to be released on January 16, 2026. Garland also wrote the screenplays for the sequels that will come after 28 Years Later – but for the second movie, Boyle has passed the helm over to Candyman and The Marvels director Nia DaCosta for the sequel. With just one week to go before DaCosta’s film reaches theatres, the Motion Picture Association ratings board has confirmed that they’ve given 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple an R rating.

The Story Continues

Boyle might circle back to direct 28 Years Later Part III, which currently has Cillian Murphy in talks to reprise his role from 28 Days Later. 28 Years Later made $150 million at the global box office, but seemed to have trouble connecting with the audience. JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray gave 28 Years Later a 7/10 review, and when we got a second opinion from Kier Gomes, he gave it a 6.5.

Empire has previously let us know that in The Bone Temple, we should expect more danger from the Jimmies as young hero Spike (Alfie Williams) is brought into their ranks, while Ralph Fiennes’ benevolent Dr Kelson strikes up an unlikely kinship with marauding Alpha infected Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Among it all, audiences will learn more about the bizarre belief system Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) has constructed for himself – channeled through pop cultural memories from his childhood, like Teletubbies, Power Rangers, cricket, and Jimmy Savile; who, in 2002, had not been unveiled as the monstrous predator he truly was. 

Weird

DaCosta told Empire, “My movie is quite… weird. It’s surprising. There were multiple moments reading the script where my jaw dropped, literally.” O’Connell added that The Bone Temple is the “weird, demented, relative cousin of what we’ve seen before, in a way I’m really f*cking proud of. Because it’s rooted in soul, and the what-ifs. Massive what-ifs. And it’s f*cking shocking.“

Rating

28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple has officially earned an R rating for strong bloody violence, gore, graphic nudity, language throughout, and brief drug use.

What do you think of the reasons given for the film’s R rating? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Almost forty years ago, writer/director Dan O’Bannon delivered one of the most highly entertaining zombie movies of all time with The Return of the Living Dead… and in the process, spawned a franchise. There was the goofy comedy of The Return of the Living Dead Part II, the “Romeo and Juliet with zombies” love story Return of the Living Dead ///, and a couple sequels nobody paid much attention to, Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis and Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave. The franchise has been dormant for twenty years – but now we have dueling Return of the Living Dead projects heading our way! And the “duel” part is pretty serious, because the folks behind these projects keep tossing lawsuits back and forth. We’ve seen some recent updates on Trash’s Revenge, which is described as being part of the “Return of the Living Dead Universe” and is coming from ROTLD Originals LLC and DRagonSTUDIOS, but a year has passed since we saw the teaser trailer for the reboot of The Return of the Living Dead, which is coming from Muck and Kill Her Goats director Steve Wolsh, who also happens to be the CEO of the company Living Dead Media. The reboot appears to be on track for release later this year, though – and it has been reported that footage was recently screened!

Cast and Synopsis

Information found on the Living Dead Media website reveals: Our reboot of Return of the Living Dead will expand the existing world created by the original 5 films, while staying true to the R-rated, sci-fi, horror, dark comedy roots adored by fans of the cult classic around the world for the last 35 years. ​We are excited to resurrect this storied franchise for current fans and new generations of zombie fans. Here’s the set up: Taking place 18 months after the events at the UNEEDA Warehouse in Louisville, KY, a new Trioxin 2-4-5 leak puts a small Pennsylvania town on the brink of a zombie outbreak during Christmas, 1985. If surviving a zombie outbreak isn’t hard enough, the characters and the Army will have to also contend with blizzard conditions. This Christmas, it’s Tarman who will be coming to town. Since it picks up after the events of the original film, you could call this a sequel rather than a reboot.

Devon Sawa (Chucky) plays a character named Isaac Horton in the film, with Casimere “Cash” Jollette (Tiny Pretty Things) as Delilah Horton and Kynlee Heiman (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) as Sophia Horton. Alexander Ward, who has played “demons, monsters and villains” in the likes of Teen Wolf, Ghosted, Annabelle Comes Home, Escape the Night, Westworld and American Horror Story is this project’s version of Tarman.

Behind the Scenes

The new Return of the Living Dead will be released by WithAnO Productions, only in theatres. The filmmakers promise a bloody, stunning new chapter, made with no CGI and all practical FX. Special effects artist Tony Gardner, best known these days for his work on the Chucky franchise, is working on the reboot – a return to the franchise, as he created the half-corpse zombie for the original film. Gardner created the new version of the iconic zombie Tarman, featured in the teaser trailer. Storyboard artist Pete Von Sholly, who worked on Return of the Living Dead Part II and III, created the storyboards for the teaser. Sawa revealed that Gardner was the one who brought him into the reboot.

When we first heard about this project, it was aiming for a Christmas 2025 release, but it was quickly pushed back to November 2026.

Footage Report

The official Instagram page and Dread Central report that Return of the Living Dead reboot footage was recently shown at the London Hotel in Hollywood, California. “The guest list included various industry, talent, media, and more for a festive red carpet event that included a thirteen-minute sneak peek of the new movie.”

The footage shown featured the characters played by Sawa, Jollette, and Heiman, as well as Ward’s Tarman. Insiders told Dread Central that “this footage was not only impressive but quite gory, and that Wolsh ‘understood the assignment.’ It’s time to get HYPED.“

Are you interested in the Return of the Living Dead reboot, and are you glad to hear that the footage was impressive? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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What Is Artichoke?

If you’re not familiar with giallo movies, I’ll let Google explain what they are: “A giallo movie is a stylish Italian thriller-horror genre, named after the yellow-covered mystery novels popular in Italy, featuring lurid murder mysteries with eroticism, shocking violence, psychological suspense, and distinctive visual flair (vivid colors, experimental camera angles). These films often feature a black-gloved killer, convoluted plots, and iconic soundtrack.”

The giallo short Artichoke is coming our way from director Amir Moini, who previously wrote and directed the 13 minute short film Slashr. Deadline notes that Moini is a former comms manager at Netflix, Chief Marketing Officer at Fangoria, and the Director of Executive Communications at Tubi. He’s directing this short from a script by Adam Van Dyke of Skull Globe Productions. Bria O’Brien and Sam Van Dyke will produce for Skull Globe Productions, while Prince Chenoa serves as an executive producer for Galore.

Alyson Gorske (Obliterated) is taking on the lead role of “a young woman trapped in a macabre fever dream, ruthlessly exploring the cages we create for ourselves and others in complex human relationships.” Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) is also in the cast.

Here’s the synopsis: Held captive in a violent relationship, a woman named Cynara (Gorske) discovers a phoropter that opens a portal to another world. In a terrifying cat and mouse chase between worlds, Cynara finally comes face to face with The Man (Dekker) and must decide what she’s willing to destroy, in order to survive.

Statements

Moini provided the following statement: “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Skull Globe Productions, Galore, Anna, Thomas and Alyson to create Artichoke. As a lover of the visceral style of giallo and art-house cinema, we are excited to join together to create something that is both ethereal and haunting.“

Dekker added, “Artichoke is pure cinema. An abstract peek into a thematically complex space where sensation and visual provocation reign and narrative questions are boldly asked and then left to hang in the ripe and dazzling air of its world.“

Artichoke is set to go into production soon in Castroville, California, which is said to be known for its large artichokes.

Anna Lou Castoldi has previously had acting roles in the drama Misunderstood, which was directed and co-written by her mother, and the coming-of-age Netflix series Baby. She has also been a contestant on Ballando con le stelle, the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars. Are you glad to hear that she’s getting into the giallo world? Share your thoughts on Artichoke by leaving a comment below.

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Back in 1991, New Line Cinema decided that the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise had run its course, so they tried to kill it off with Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (watch it HERE). The movie ends with the dream stalker Freddy Krueger being dragged into our reality and blown up with a pipe bomb. The heroine smiles, “Freddy’s dead.” Roll credits. But more than thirty years later, director Rachel Talalay has confirmed that an ending was shot for the movie that would have shown the Dream Demons that gave Freddy his supernatural powers finding a new host!

Refresher

In addition to directing the film, Talalay also crafted the story with New Line executive Michael De Luca. Freddy’s Dead has the following synopsis: Murderous ghoul Freddy Krueger has slaughtered every last child in his hometown. He ventures on to a new location, scouting fresh young victims to hack up with his finger blades. He arrives in a small town in which his long-lost daughter, Maggie, works as a therapist for troubled youths. He attempts to recruit her for his dastardly pursuits, but she has other ideas. Father and daughter meet for a bloody showdown that will determine Freddy’s fate once and for all.

The film stars Lisa Zane, Shon Greenblatt, Lezlie Deane, Yaphet Kotto, Breckin Meyer, and Ricky Dean Logan, with cameo appearances by Johnny Depp, Roseanne, and Tom Arnold. And of course, Freddy Krueger is played by Robert Englund.

Lost Ending

In a video posted to her YouTube channel, Talalay reveals that she recently found proof that they filmed a coda for Freddy’s Dead that had “the demons from Freddy going into another boy’s body, and the cycle perpetuates. Very horror film sequel. Actually, we cut the sequence out of the film almost immediately, so we never even tested it. It was pretty much agreed universally that you can’t call the film Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare and market it as ‘The Final Nightmare’ and then have a coda like that.”

Talalay shares a shot of a script page (with this coda, the last line in the movie would have been the Dream Demons asking, “Hey, kid… you want a job?”) and a couple of images of the kid that would have been Freddy’s replacement. Unfortunately, that may be all we ever see of the scene, as the footage has been lost.

Would you like to see this footage? Do you think Freddy’s Dead should have ended with a scene setting up a new host for the Dream Demons? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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Cast and Synopsis

Said to be inspired by the likes of Shaun of the Dead and From Dusk Till Dawn, the film follows a coven of the blood-suckers who are struggling to come to terms with the modern world and their own mortality as they are locked in a battle with a deadly foe. Sherman is producing Vampires of the Velvet Lounge alongside Marcus Englefield and George Lee of Storyoscopic Films. Noémi Santo is co-producing for Adam Sherman Film.

Mena Suvari (American Beauty) and Dichen Lachman (Severance) were announced as the leads of the cast. Their co-stars include Stephen Dorff (Blade), Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel), Lochlyn Munro (Freddy vs. Jason), India Eisley (I Am the Night), Sarah Dumont (Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse), Mark Boone Jr. (Sons of Anarchy), Tom Berenger (Platoon), Timothy V. Murphy (The Fabulous Four), Sherman Augustus (Stranger Things), and Tyrese Gibson of the Fast & Furious franchise.

Statements

Sherman provided the following statement when the project was first announced: “I’m making a modern-day feature with an amazingly talented cast and crew about the most prolific serial killer in history, the historical countess Elizabeth Bathory, in the style of the ’70s and ’80s horror movies that I grew up watching. She believed bathing in the blood of young women would make her live forever, and there’s no physical or scientific evidence that she ever died. I look forward to the day I can share this insane, twisted, and surrealist story with audiences.“

Englefield and Lee said the movie is “a sexy, funny, and original thriller packed with stunts and action that takes viewers on a fun ride. Between Adam’s vision and the stellar performances delivered by our incredible ensemble, we know the film will have strong market appeal both in the U.S. and internationally.“

Are you interested in Vampires of the Velvet Lounge, and are you glad to hear that this horror comedy has an R rating? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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The “rabid chimp” horror film Primate is set to reach theatres on January 9, 2026, courtesy of Paramount Pictures – and just one week out from that date, the Motion Picture Association ratings board has announced that the film has earned an R rating for strong bloody violent content, gore, language, and some drug use.

Cast and Synopsis

At the helm of Primate is genre regular Johannes Roberts, who has previously directed Hellbreeder, Darkhunters, Forest of the Damned, F, Roadkill, Storage 24, The Other Side of the Door, 47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. He also contributed a segment to the horror anthology V/H/S/99. Roberts has written the Primate screenplay with his frequent collaborator Ernest Riera. In this one, a group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival.

Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur (CODA) stars alongside Johnny Sequoyah (Dexter: New Blood), Jessica Alexander (Amadeus), Victoria Wyant (My Fault: London), Benjamin Cheng (d’ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical), Gia Hunter (Sherlock and Daughter), Miguel Torres Umba (National Theatre co-production Kin), Kae Alexander (Ready Player One), Tienne Simon (Grime Kids), Charlie Mann (Lazarus), newcomer Amina Abdi, and Albert Magashi (National Theatre Live: Dear England).

A while back, former DC Films boss Walter Hamada signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures, the idea being that he would become, as Deadline put it, “the architect of Paramount’s mainstream horror genre pod, with the mission to release several low- to mid-budget films per year across theatrical and streaming.” Primate is part of Hamada’s horror-minded efforts at Paramount, and he is producing the film through his 18hz production company alongside John Hodges and Bradley Pilz. Roberts serves as an executive producer with Vicki Dee Rock, Nathan Samdahl, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, and Andrew Lary.

Bloodbath of Fun

If you’d like more information on Primate, you can check out the 8/10 review from JoBlo’s own Mike Holtz at THIS LINK. He described the film as “an unapologetic bloodbath of fun” that’s about a rabies-crazed chimp. Given that “bloodbath of fun” description, it’s no surprise to hear that the movie has been given an R rating.

Are you looking forward to Primate, and are you glad to hear the reasons given for its R rating? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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Predator: Badlands, director Dan Trachtenberg’s third contribution to the Predator franchise (following the 1719-set Prey and the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers, both released through the Hulu streaming service), reached theatres almost two months ago, so we’ve been wondering, when is the movie going to get a digital release? Well, now we know the answer to that question, as the film’s digital release is scheduled for January 6th. We’ll be able to watch the movie at home next week!

Coming Soon reports that the 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release will follow on February 17th.

Cast and Synopsis

According to a casting call, Predator: Badlands had the following description: A groundbreaking film in which one of the two main storylines delves into the intricate bond of two very different sisters, their familial ties are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and missions. The casting call was searching for a lead actress who could take on the dual role of twin sisters Thia and Tessa: This casting is for a dual character, and describes both characters. Character identifies as female or non-binary, open ethnicity, mid 20s – mid 40s. Thia has spent most of her life in a laboratory and is now embarking on her first big adventure in the world. She is incredibly smart, witty, enthusiastic, and unflappable. She has an innate disregard for danger, not because she’s fearless, but simply because she’s naive. Strong comedy chops required. // The other sister, Tessa, has a militant intensity when it comes to achieving her family’s goals and mission objectives. She will not let anything get in her way, not even her twin sister. These characters ended up being played by Elle Fanning.

The official synopsis tells us the film is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator, outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. The film is produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor. The lead Predator is played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.

Bonus Features

Predator: Badlands comes to home video with the following bonus features:

Deleted & Pre-Visualization Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary:

• Sand Trap – An early animatic version of Dek’s very different first encounter with Thia.
• Squirt Canyon – The full version of Dek and Thia traversing the water-filled trench while trying to survive Genna…and each other.
• Tessa vs. Abe – Tessa faces off against a superior synth in this deleted scene and storyline.
• Razor Grass – The original previsualization of Dek, Thia, and Bud’s first hunt together…sort of.
• The Outpost – Thia takes Dek to a small Weyland-Yutani field facility, where they experience a few things that ended up being used elsewhere in the final film.
• Super Power Loader Extended – Special additional moments during Dek’s climactic final battle with the Super Power Loader and the Kalisk.

Featurettes:

• Embodying the Predator – Meet the talented team of designers, performers, and effects artists responsible for bringing one of cinema’s most terrifying creatures to life on screen in ways we’ve never seen before!
• Authentic Synthetics – Get up close and personal with synths Thia and Tessa as star Elle Fanning walks us through the process of crafting two characters who may look the same but have evolved in surprisingly unique ways.
• Building the Badlands – With razor-sharp grass, killer trees, and terrifying animals, never has a planet been more deadly than Genna. Uncover how a team of artisans built this threatening landscape, transforming real locations into the dangerous environments seen on screen.
• Dek of the Yautja – For the first time ever, director Dan Trachtenberg has given audiences an extended peek at Predator culture. Follow the evolution as filmmakers reveal the process behind developing the Yautja’s home world, spacecraft, and family dynamics.
• Audio Commentary: Watch the film with audio commentary by Director Dan Trachtenberg, Producer Ben Rosenblatt, Director of Photography Jeff Cutter, and Stunt Coordinator Jacob Tomuri.

Will you be watching the digital release of Predator: Badlands, or adding a copy of the movie to your physical media collection? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Cornish

Cornish and Netflix previously worked together on the series Lockwood & Co., based on the novels by Jonathan Stroud. Cornish headed up the adaptation and directed multiple episodes of the show. He has also directed the films The Kid Who Would Be King and – this is the one he’s best known for – Attack the Block. Cornish wrote the screenplays for both of those films, and also worked on the scripts for The Adventures of Tintin (with Edgar Wright and Steven Moffat) and Ant-Man, where the script he wrote with Wright was revised by Adam McKay and Paul Rudd.

Dark Park

In his newsletter, Sneider wrote, “I am 100 percent certain that Netflix is developing a movie titled Dark Park, which is about a group of young people who dare to enter a haunted amusement park, where each ride could very well be their last.”

Sneider is 75% sure that Cornish is in early talks to direct the film. As for Millie Bobby Brown’s involvement, Sneider only gives it a 50% chance that she’ll sign on to star in the film. Of course, Netflix is hoping that she will, but she has a busy schedule. If she does take the job, she might also end up producing the film through her company, PCMA Productions.

Sneider noted that “Brown may feel like Dark Park is a little too close to Stranger Things territory and decide to pass on the genre flick, but I think she’d be wise to align herself with Cornish, who would be one of the more talented directors she has worked with to date.“

What do you think of the idea that Joe Cornish and Millie Bobby Brown could team up to make a haunted amusement park movie for Netflix? Share your thoughts on Dark Park by leaving a comment below.

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The Exorcist

Directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on Blatty’s own novel (which was loosely inspired by actual events), The Exorcist is one of the most profitable horror movies ever made, having made over $441 million at the box office on a budget of $12 million. The synopsis: When young Regan (Linda Blair) starts acting odd — levitating, speaking in tongues — her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest (Jason Miller), however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow) to help with the difficult job.

Linda Blair, who is just two months younger than Curtis, turned 14 during the production of The Exorcist.

Jamie Lee Curtis as Regan?

Speaking with Barrymore, Curtis said that a producer who was involved with The Exorcist called her mom to see about having Curtis audition for the role of Regan. She said (with thanks to The Hollywood Reporter for the transcription), “He called my mom and said, ‘Hey, I’m producing the movie of the book The Exorcist. Will you let Jamie audition for it?’ And at the time I was probably 12 and, like, cute and kind of sassy and I had some personality, and I’m sure he saw me at a party and was like, ‘Oh, she’d be funny.’ And my mother said, ‘No.’ My mom really wanted me to have, thank God, a childhood, which I understand you didn’t get. You didn’t get that option. People didn’t step in and say, ‘No, she will have a childhood. She will have protection.’“

Curtis is thankful that her mother didn’t let her get anywhere near The Exorcist, and it all worked out in the long run. But would you like to get a glimpse into a dimension where Curtis actually did play Regan in The Exorcist? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

The post Janet Leigh wouldn’t let Jamie Lee Curtis audition for The Exorcist appeared first on JoBlo.

The “rabid chimp” horror film Primate is set to reach theatres on January 9, 2026 – and with that date getting shockingly close, Paramount Pictures is continuing to build the hype by unveiling a clip that shows a creepy moment involving the chimp. You can check it out at the bottom of this article.Bloodbath of Fun

At the helm of Primate is genre regular Johannes Roberts, who has previously directed Hellbreeder, Darkhunters, Forest of the Damned, F, Roadkill, Storage 24, The Other Side of the Door, 47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. He also contributed a segment to the horror anthology V/H/S/99. Roberts has written the Primate screenplay with his frequent collaborator Ernest Riera. In this one, a group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival.

If you’d like more information on what’s going on, you can check out the 8/10 review from JoBlo’s own Mike Holtz at THIS LINK. He described the film as “an unapologetic blood bath of fun” that’s about a rabies-crazed chimp.

Cast and Producers

Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur (CODA) stars in Primate alongside Johnny Sequoyah (Dexter: New Blood), Jessica Alexander (Amadeus), Victoria Wyant (My Fault: London), Benjamin Cheng (d’ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical), Gia Hunter (Sherlock and Daughter), Miguel Torres Umba (National Theatre co-production Kin), Kae Alexander (Ready Player One), Tienne Simon (Grime Kids), Charlie Mann (Lazarus), newcomer Amina Abdi, and Albert Magashi (National Theatre Live: Dear England).

A while back, former DC Films boss Walter Hamada signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures, the idea being that he would become, as Deadline put it, “the architect of Paramount’s mainstream horror genre pod, with the mission to release several low- to mid-budget films per year across theatrical and streaming.” Primate is part of Hamada’s horror-minded efforts at Paramount, and he is producing the film through his 18hz production company alongside John Hodges and Bradley Pilz. Roberts serves as an executive producer with Vicki Dee Rock, Nathan Samdahl, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, and Andrew Lary.

Primate looks to have the makings of a good time to me (especially since I just caught up with, and was blown away by, the 1986 killer chimp movie Link within the last couple of years), though I know I’m also going to be feeling sorry for this poor, sick killer chimp.

Are you looking forward to Primate? Take a look at the clip, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Cast and Synopsis

Fox, Barbeau, and Roebuck are joined in the cast by Elle Riot Fox (Little Bites), Aaron Abrams (Clown in a Cornfield), Kevin Keppy (Smile), Kirby Bliss Blanton (The Green Inferno), Yoson An (Heart Eyes), and Nelson Leis (The Last Of Us).

Directed by Welles, who wrote the script with Krsy Fox, Hannah Goes to Hell will follow Hannah (Krsy Fox) and her young daughter Louise (Elle Riot Fox) as they return to Hannah’s childhood home to assist her brother (Abrams) in caring for their ailing mother (Barbeau). Soon, strange encounters with the townspeople, a nightly demonic visitor, and whispers of a secret church ceremony fuel Hannah’s fear that something more nefarious is at hand. She begins to suspect it all could be related to her family-owned funeral home, and a deep, dark, not so buried secret belonging to their late grandfather (Roebuck).

Producers

Krsy Fox and Anne Welles are producing the film, with Barbeau serving as an executive producer alongside Tyler Connolly.

Krsy Fox provided the following statement: “I’m so proud of this script and to be working with a cast that I find incredibly inspiring and careers I greatly admire. Anne is going to bring some fantastic and terrifying visuals, and Andy Patch, with whom I’ve worked on so many projects, is the perfect cinematographer to capture this beautifully dark and brutal story. Our special effects team Kenneth Calhoun, Ryan Ward, and Salina Ward have some stunning practical effects in store. Most of all, I am personally excited and proud to be working with my real life daughter Elle Riot Fox! This story is so scary and surprising, we truly can’t wait to share it.“

Well, I’m sold on this one. Does Hannah Goes to Hell sound interesting to you? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Synopsis

Handfield, who is known for producing The Founder and co-creating History’s Knightfall, wrote Widow with Joshua Malkin. The plot synopsis: Desperate and on the run with her infant son, a young mother races across empty highways and forgotten truck stops, hunted by ruthless cartel enforcers and relentless federal agents. But in the shadows between predator and prey, something far more terrifying is stirring—and nothing in this story is what it seems.”

Handfield is also producing the film for AMP Comics, alongside Lauren Vilchik of Walker Street Entertainment, Eshan Kamarsu of Tambura Pictures, and Chase McNaughton of Frigate Filmworks.

Statements

Handfield told The Hollywood Reporter, “This is a film that weaponizes your assumptions. The less you know going in, the more devastating the experience.” The Hollywood Reporter article notes that “the producers tease that like recent hits such as Barbarian and Strange Darling, this feature will shift gears mid-way through in an unexpected way.“

Vilchik said that, “What drew me to Widow is the character at its center. She’s a fully dimensional woman fighting for survival, and her choices force the audience into impossible moral territory. That complexity—and ferocity—is rare.” Kamarsu added, “This is a film people will be talking about—and debating—long after the credits roll.“

Widow sounds interesting to me and I’m very curious to learn more about this terrifying, stirring thing that will cause a surprising mid-way shifting of gears. I just don’t want to learn about it until I’m watching the movie. As with Barbarian and Strange Darling, I will be trying to avoid spoilers for this one.

Are you interested in Widow? Share your thoughts on this project by leaving a comment below.

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Trancers Refresher

The Trancers franchise dates back to the pre-Full Moon days, but all of the sequels were Full Moon releases. It began with the first Trancers in 1984, which happens to be one of my favorite Christmas movies. Tim Thomerson took on the role of Jack Deth, a police trooper from the 23rd century who specialized in hunting down trancers, people who were turned into violent, mindless “zombies” by a psychic villain. Deth had to travel back in time to ’84 to bring that villain to justice… but even though that bad guy was defeated, different variations of trancers kept popping up, giving Deth reason to come back for Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth (1991), Trancers III: Deth Lives (1992), Trancers 4: Jack of Swords (1994), Trancers 5: Sudden Deth (1995), and Trancers 6 (2002). Thomerson played Jack Deth in all of the sequels except Trancers 6, where Zette Sullivan stepped in as his daughter Jo Deth. There’s also a 20 minute short film called Trancers: City of Lost Angels, which was shot in the ’80s but not released until 2013.

Trancers 4 and 5

Trancers 4: Jack of Swords has the following synopsis: Jack is back to the future. While heading out for another assignment, something goes wrong with the TCL chamber. Jack finds himself in a whole new, more dangerous dimension. He also runs across a different version of trancers. These creeps have total control of this new planet and Jack agrees to assist a rebel group known as the “Tunnel Rats” to crush the rule of the evil Lord Calaban. The dimension-hopping story continues in Trancers 5: Sudden Deth, where the iconic Jack Deth finds himself once more lost in – and running out of – time and desperately trying to find his way home from the evil interdimensional world of Orpheus, where magic works and the trancers are the ruthless ruling class. Thomerson was joined in the cast of these films by Stacie Randall, Ty Miller, Terri Ivens, Mark Arnold, Clabe Hartley, Alan Oppenheimer, Lochlyn Munro, and Stephen Macht.

David Nutter directed the films from screenplays by Peter David – and now, with Trancers: The Whole Dethly Affair, “Get ready for the ULTIMATE Trancers experience with this newly re-edited “master cut” of director David Nutter’s TRANCERS 4 and TRANCERS 5, remixed into one mega movie!“

Discounting opening titles and end credits, the original version of Trancers 4 ran for 69 minutes, while Trancers 5 only managed to fit 62 minutes between its opening titles, a recap of what happened in 4, and end the credits, so I have always felt like these movies would have been better off being combined into one movie. Now, Full Moon has given an official version of that combo. Trancers: The Whole Dethly Affair has a running time of 135 minutes.

Will you be watching Trancers: The Whole Dethly Affair? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Many of us take in a viewing of the 1990 sci-fi action classic I Come in Peace as part of our Christmas celebrations, so it seems very fitting that this year’s holiday season has brought word that actor Matthias Hues, who played the villainous alien in that movie, has just released a new novel! It’s called Shadow Affairs, and it’s available for purchase on Amazon.

Background

A press release lets us know that before Shadow Affairs became a novel, it was meant to be a film. Here’s some background information on the project: “Actor and filmmaker Matthias Hues, known for more than four decades in Hollywood action cinema, traveled to Uzbekistan as a guest of an international film festival. Immersed in the country’s post–Cold War history and geopolitical reality, he wrote a CIA thriller screenplay on location. The project gained immediate traction. A major Uzbek bank expressed interest in financing the film, pending approval from the President’s daughter, a powerful cultural and political authority. After hearing Hues’s pitch, she agreed in principle and ordered an intelligence review. Despite strong interest, the intelligence services ultimately declined the project, judging the story too close to sensitive historical realities. The film was never made. Years later, free from political constraints, Hues returned to the material and rewrote it as a novel. The result is Shadow Affairs, a relentless CIA thriller shaped by lived experience, survival, and global geopolitics. What could not be told on screen became a story that had to be written and is now looked at by a major action director in Hollywood.“

Plot

Here’s what the book is about: When the CIA turns on its own, there is nowhere left to hide. Mark Anderson, a deniable operative, is erased after a mission goes wrong and disappears into the mountains of Central Asia. When a buried conspiracy resurfaces, he is forced back into a world of betrayals, fractured loyalties, and global power plays. Blending cinematic action with geopolitical realism, Shadow Affairs is a modern CIA thriller in the tradition of Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher—a story of survival, reckoning, and what happens when a weapon refuses to stay buried.

Here’s a description and excerpt from the Amazon listing:

The CIA created him. Then they tried to erase him.
Now he’s coming back.
Hunted by the system he served, Mark Anderson becomes something far more dangerous.

Mark Anderson was the kind of operative the Agency swore didn’t exist — a ghost with muscle, instinct, and a kill record buried so deep it was never meant to surface. But when the people he served betray him, Anderson vanishes into the frozen mountains of Kyrgyzstan with nothing but a bloodied knife, his training, and the brutal will to survive.

Out there, wolves don’t run with him — they fear him.

— The room is quiet in the way of bad dreams. A man in a shirt too tight across the chest—Sergje—bends over a girl on the bed, fingers at her ankle, sliding a shoe off a foot that looks too small. A syringe rests on the nightstand, the needle catching the lamp’s light like a thin, cruel smile.

“Встань,” Anderson says evenly. Stand up.

Sergje turns. His eyes narrow as they try to fit this intruder into a category he understands. The girl moans, head turned away. A heavy shape rises up behind Anderson—a guard who had melted into the corner’s shadow. Thick arm snakes for a choke.

Anderson’s body answers without asking the mind. He drops weight, grips fabric, turns hips. The goon lifts off the ground and lands where the carpet buckles under his back. The move isn’t pretty. It is efficient—an old judo trick learned in a room that smelled of mats and sweat and long afternoons.

Sergje kicks the girl off the bed without looking at her. She tumbles, wig slipping, a streak of mascara on her cheek like a bruise drawn by a child. In the moment her face turns, Anderson sees the shape of memory underneath, the damage—the line of the jaw, the set of the mouth. Older. Emptier. Anna.

The recognition lands like a fist to the chest. He takes one step toward her, and that is when Sergje’s hand appears from under a pillow with a pistol that has lived there too long.

Anderson moves the way a man moves when he has counted this possibility three times already. There is no time to cross the room–

If you crave thrillers like Jack Reacher, Mitch Rapp, Jason Bourne, Tom Clancy, or Jack Carr, this will be your next obsession.

You must read this book — once you enter the shadows, there’s no going back.

Will you be picking up a copy of Matthias Hues’ novel Shadow Affairs? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Director Renny Harlin shot an entire trilogy of Strangers movies at the same time, and while there was a point when it looked like Lionsgate might be releasing all three of the movies within 2024, but that idea was clearly pushed aside. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (read our review HERE) reached theatres back in May of 2024, and The Strangers: Chapter 2 (read that review HERE) didn’t come along until September of 2025. Thankfully, the wait for The Strangers: Chapter 3 won’t be as long, as Lionsgate recently announced that the film will be reaching theatres on February 6, 2026. With that date swiftly approaching, a new poster for the film has appeared online, sporting the tagline, “Embrace your fears.” It can be seen at the bottom of this article.

What’s the synopsis?

Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) stars in this trilogy and is joined in the cast by the likes of Richard Brake (31), Froy Gutierrez (Cruel Summer), Rachel Shenton (All Creatures Great and Small), Gabriel Basso (Hillbilly Elegy), and Ema Horvath (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). The Strangers: Chapter 1 centered on Petsch’s character as she drives cross-country with her longtime boyfriend (Gutierrez) to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest. When their car breaks down in Venus, Oregon, they’re forced to spend the night in a secluded Airbnb, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers. Lionsgate plans from there to expand the story in new and unexpected ways with its sequels. Here’s the synopsis for Chapter 3: This final chapter delves into newer and darker territory, the franchise’s darkest descent yet — a ruthless thriller with scares that deliver. The Strangers: Chapter 3 closes the trilogy with a full-circle reckoning that expands the mythology of the iconic masked killers. Madelaine Petsch returns as Maya for the Final Girl’s long-awaited vengeance, delivering a final chapter that fans won’t want to miss. Tethered by a frightening conclusion, Maya and the Strangers are locked on an unavoidable, unforgiving collision course — a showdown that proves they’re far from strangers now.

Enhanced with additional photography

Harlin has said The Strangers: Chapter 1 “is close to the original movie in its set-up of a young couple in an isolated environment in a house and a home invasion happening for random reasons.” Then Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 “explore what happens to the victims of this kind of violence and who the perpetrators are of this kind of violence. Where are they coming from and why?“ Harlin has also said that viewer feedback was taken into account when they were making changes and enhancing the sequels in the additional photography process. The financial success of Chapter 1 allowed for Harlin and his cast and crew, who had completed principal photography on the trilogy in just 52 days, to go back for 8 days of additional photography on Chapter 2 and 15 days of additional photography on Chapter 3. 

Are you looking forward to seeing The Strangers: Chapter 3 in February? Take a look at the new “Embrace your fears” poster, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Synopsis and Cast

This film marks the feature directorial debut of Nathalia Pizarro, who has previously written, directed, and/or produced a handful of short films. Pizarro also crafted the screenplay with Talar Baker and Alex Baumgardner, working from a story by cinematographer Brent Mata. The story follows a young widow whose life begins to fracture after a sudden tragedy, drawing her into a confrontation with a mysterious, century-old vampire.

Rodríguez is joined in the cast by Lou Lou Safran (Annabelle: Creation), Booboo Stewart (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Joshua Homme of the band Queens of the Stone Age, Cameron Cowperthwaite (Fallout), Bonnie Aarons (The Nun), Dax Campbell (S.W.A.T.), Tayler Buck (Superman & Lois), Fivel Stewart (Atypical), and Jesse Hughes of the band Eagles of Death Metal. There’s also a special appearance by The Black Lips as the OldBoys Bar Band.

Beauty and Annihilation

Pizarro says, “This film was designed to be felt as much as seen. By embracing a saturated, giallo-influenced palette and a visceral, hands-on visual language, Illomen pushes classical genre into a raw, maximalist space between beauty and annihilation.“

Producers on the film include Brent Mata and Dax Campbell of HasBeen Productions, Nathalia Pizarro and Alix Brown of New American Picture Show, Megan Freels Johnston, Aimee Schoof, and Isen Robbins of Intrinsic Value (which we recently heard is developing the Stephen King adaptation Mister Yummy), and Max Neace. The plan is for Illomen to expected to make the festival rounds next year.

The blend of colorful, giallo-influenced visuals, vampires, and musicians makes it sound like this could be an interesting project. Does Illomen sound like something you would want to watch? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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While the first M3GAN made $180 million during its theatrical run, M3GAN 2.0 sputtered out at $39 million. Wolf Man only made $34.1 million. Drop couldn’t quite reach $29 million – which is a shame, because that’s a really good thriller. The Woman in the Yard earned just $23.3 million. Those were all Universal releases.

But there were successes in the mix. The Stephen King adaptation The Monkey, released by Neon, made just under $69 million at the global box office. Black Phone 2, a sequel to a film that was based on a story by Stephen King’s son Joe Hill, made $132 million worldwide. ($29 million less than its predecessor.) That was also released by Universal, in hopes that it would get an extended franchise rolling – and with numbers like that, it might have.

Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and Universal also had a hit on their hands with the video game adaptation Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. It hasn’t reached the heights of the first Five Nights at Freddy’s, which made over $291 million, but it’s $202 million haul is nothing to sneeze at.

Their biggest hit of the year: the Warner Bros. / New Line Cinema release The Conjuring: Last Rites. Their merger with Atomic Monster brought Blumhouse into the Conjuring Universe business, and it paid off for them in a major way, because The Conjuring: Last Rites became the first entry in the franchise to make over $400 million at the box office. It left that milestone in the dust, earning almost $495 million worldwide.

And that’s how Blumhouse surpassed $1 billion at the box office in one year for the first time in the company’s history.

The future looks bright, as the companies are working on new entries in the Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch Project, and Saw franchises, there’s a sequel to the Blumhouse film Ma in development, they have a new take on The Mummy coming our way (but that’s a New Line Cinema project, not a continuation of the Universal property), there’s a M3GAN spin-off called SOULM8TE, and much more.

What do you think of Blumhouse/Atomic Monster projects crossing $1 billion at the box office in 2025? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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This is MacDonald’s fourth collaboration with IFC Entertainment Group, as they released all three of his movies mentioned above.

Cast and Synopsis

The film follows Sloane and a small group of her classmates who take cover in their high school to escape their suddenly apocalyptic hometown. As danger relentlessly pounds on the doors, Sloane begins to see the world through the eyes of people who actually want to live and takes matters into her own hands. Holt is joined in the cast by Froy Gutierrez (The Strangers: Chapter 1), Luke MacFarlane (Bros), Corteon Moore (Overcompensating), Chloe Avakian (John Wayne Gacy), and Carson MacCormac (Clown in a Cornfield).

If you’re curious about the length of the movie, we have that information, too. This Is Not a Test has a running time of 102 minutes.

Statements

When the distribution deal was announced, MacDonald provided the following statement: “Courtney Summers’ book This Is Not a Test captivated me completely with its raw energy and dynamic characters, a story I felt personally and knew it had to be brought to the screen. I couldn’t be happier with Olivia Holt’s exceptional talent stepping into Sloane’s shoes (Docs) and bringing her to life. I’m beyond thrilled the film is in great hands and found a home with Independent Film Company and Shudder, a team that puts so much passion in the films they release. Producer Cybill Lui and I brought together the very best creative team to realize this deeply emotional, gritty, intense film, one that puts you on the very edge of your seat and will leave you with hope at the end of the world.” Independent Film Company’s Director of Acquisitions and Productions, Adam Koehler, added, “Adam MacDonald has an unmatched ability to elevate genre filmmaking with heart, intelligence, and raw human emotion. We’re thrilled to bring This Is Not a Test to a new generation of viewers who crave horror that hits both the gut and the soul.“

Are you glad to hear that This Is Not a Test has a February theatrical release date? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Six years ago, genre regular Samara Weaving starred in a very cool horror comedy called Ready or Not, which was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who went on to make the two most recent Scream sequels and the “Dracula’s daughter” movie Abigail. Last year, it was announced that a sequel is now moving forward – and while Escape Room director Adam Robitel was attached to take the helm of Ready or Not 2 (now known as Ready or Not 2: Here I Come) when it was first announced, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have since stepped up to direct the sequel, which they have promised will be “an absolute banger.” Weaving is returning for the follow-up and is joined in the cast by Kathryn Newton (who worked with the directors on Abigail), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings), Shawn Hatosy (The Faculty), Néstor Carbonell (Lost), Kevin Durand (also from Abigail), and legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg. The movie had been aiming for an April 10, 2026 theatrical release – but now, Searchlight has moved it up to March 27th. As Deadline puts it, this demonstrates that they have “a big confidence” in the film.

One potential issue: with its new release date, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is now in direct competition with the New Line Cinema horror thriller They Will Kill You, produced by Andy Muschietti. Given that we haven’t seen any marketing for that movie yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if They Will Kill You decides to do some release date moving of its own.

Ready or Not refresher

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are part of a filmmaking collective (and production company) called Radio Silence, which they formed with Justin Martinez and Chad Villella in 2011. Ready or Not was written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. Weaving took on the role of Grace, a young woman who is invited on the night of her wedding by her new husband’s rich, eccentric family to participate in a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival. Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy have written the script for the sequel.

Sequel synopsis

In addition to the actors mentioned above, the cast of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come includes Kara Wooten (Revival), Juan Pablo Romero (Please, After You), Varun Saranga (Wynonna Earp), Masa Lizdek (Simulant), Nadeem Umar-Khitab (Wedding Season), Daniel Beirne (Ginny & Georgia), Antony Hall (Run the Burbs), and Olivia Cheng (Warrior).

Here’s the synopsis: Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.

Are you looking forward to Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, and are you glad to hear that it will be reaching theatres in March? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Back in 1987, writer/director Rick Roessler and producer Jerry Encoe teamed up to bring the world the slasher film Slaughterhouse (watch it HERE) – a movie that has been a favorite of mine ever since I rented it on VHS at a very young age. Roessler always had thoughts of making a sequel, but it took more than thirty years to get one into production. Slaughterhouse 2: Death Metal was recently filmed in and around the Motor Transport Museum and old feldspar mill in Campo, California, and now it’s making its way out into the world! The first film has been available to watch on the Tubi streaming service for a while, and now Slaughterhouse 2: Death Metal is on there with it! You can watch it at THIS LINK.

Synopsis

Roessler was inspired to finally get Slaughterhouse 2 rolling after Quentin Tarantino held a screening of the first film at his New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles and the screening drew in a full house. The original Slaughterhouse starred Don Barrett and Joe Barton as Lester Bacon and his pig-like son Buddy, who turn to murder in an effort to save their family slaughterhouse. The sequel has the following synopsis: 37 years later, the original team behind the cult classic Slaughterhouse are back to serve you a second helping of special surprises. Slaughterhouse 2: Death Metal centers on Les Bacon’s third son, Cleavon, who left the pig farm for a better life and was merely hinted at in the first movie. Like his father, Cleavon has a mute son, RemDog, who produces “Wonder Jerky” to sell around town. Wonder Jerky has a little extra something in it that you should already be able to figure out.  Pt. Loma-OB Monthly adds that the father and son team make beef jerky inside the Motor Transport Museum, an old feldspar mill surrounded by hundreds of decaying trucks. That’s where they add the secret ingredient: human flesh.

As mentioned, Cleavon’s son is named RemDog, and he uses a flamethrower to dry out the meat for their Wonder Jerky. Wonder Jerky sales help pay the museum’s bills, with the people who buy and eat the jerky having no idea that they’re consuming treats made from the ground-up body parts of ill-fated hikers who are snatched from the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cast

Slaughterhouse 2: Death Metal was made on a budget of $250,000. Motor Transport Museum owner Bryan Butler stars as Cleavon, with local high schooler Remington Tully playing Rem Dog. Another local high schooler, Mary Grondona, plays a character named Ashley, and Lance Garmo – who runs the general store The Green Store – appears as the town storekeeper. The metal band Hemlock also makes an appearance. Returning from the first film is Sherry Leigh, who played heroine / sheriff’s daughter Liz Borden. Now the character has grown up to become the sheriff herself. Leigh’s husband Jim Larimore plays a “rich developer who covets the transport museum land.” The Hemlock track “Nobody Knows What a Killer Looks Like” serves as the title song for the film.

It’s a shame Buddy Bacon never got to come back for a sequel (Barton passed away in 2010), but I’m glad Roessler and Encoe were finally able to take us back to the world of Slaughterhouse. I’ll be watching Slaughterhouse 2: Death Metal on Tubi at the first opportunity. Will you? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Making a cinematic adaptation of the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Doctor Moreau was a passion project for Hardware / Dust Devil director Richard Stanley, who had first read the book as a child. He spent four years developing an adaptation, and then – as chronicled in David Gregory’s documentary Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau – it all fell apart just days into production. With tons of problems stacking up, Stanley was fired three days into filming and replaced by John Frankenheimer for the infamous 1996 Moreau that starred Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer… but Frankenheimer wasn’t the first choice to take Stanley’s place at the helm. While sorting through the movies in “the cellar” of Severin Films, an independent film production and distribution company known for restoring and releasing cult films on DVD and Blu-ray, Gremlins director Joe Dante discussed the fact that he was offered the job, but cast member Ron Perlman warned him away!

Synopsis and Cast

Based on the 1896 novel by H.G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau was scripted by Richard Stanley and Ron Hutchinson and has the following synopsis: Dr. Moreau is a brilliant geneticist on the brink of superseding evolution. When a U.N. diplomat visits Moreau’s laboratory, he uncovers fantastic but brutal experiments turning animal life forms into human-like beasts. As Moreau and his assistant race toward their barbaric goal of creating the perfect life form, the beasts revolt, threatening not only the island but ultimately all mankind! Ron Perlman was joined in the cast by David Thewlis, Fairuza Balk, Daniel Rigney, Temuera Morrison, Nelson de la Rosa, Peter Elliott, and Mark Dacascos, as well as Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer, who were exhibiting strange behavior while dealing with tragedy and heartbreak.

Perlman’s Warning

While checking out Severin’s Blu-ray release of Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau, Joe Dante said The Island of Dr. Moreau was “a picture that I almost did because when Richard Stanley was fired, I was called by the company and asked to take over the movie. Ron Perlman, who is a friend of mine, was in the movie, and he said, ‘Don’t do this. Don’t come down here. This is a mess. Don’t do it, you’ll regret it.’ And so I turned it down. It went, amazingly, to John Frankenheimer, who is one of my favorite directors. I had lunch with him once and I asked him a lot of things about the movie, none of which I can repeat, unfortunately, without being sued.“

Joe Dante’s visit to the Severin Cellar can be seen in the video embedded at the bottom of this article.

What do you think of The Island of Dr. Moreau, and do you think it could have been better if Joe Dante had taken the helm? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Joe Dante was asked to replace Richard Stanley on The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996), but Ron Perlman warned him away appeared first on JoBlo.

The video game adaptation Five Nights at Freddy’s (read our review HERE) quickly became Blumhouse Productions’ highest-grossing movie when it reached theatres and the Peacock streaming service back in October, surpassing the likes of Split, The Invisible Man, The Black Phone, M3GAN, the recent Halloween sequel trilogy, and the Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and The Purge franchises with its haul of $295 million. So, of course, we got a sequel this year, with Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 reaching theatres on December 5th. (You can read our review at THIS LINK.) Now, the question is, when will Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 get a digital release? And the answer is: very soon! In fact, it will be available on digital as of tomorrow, December 23rd.

Animatronic Terror

The first Five Nights at Freddy’s follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through. Now, a shocking new chapter of animatronic terror begins. One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest.  Former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends.  But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.

As the synopsis mentions, the first film’s stars Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), Elizabeth Lail (You), and Piper Rubio (Holly & Ivy) have returned for Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. So have Matthew Lillard (Scream) and Theodus Crane (Underground). New characters are played by Freddy Carter (Shadow and Bone), Wayne Knight (Jurassic Park), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters franchise), Teo Briones (Final Destination: Bloodlines), and Lillard’s Scream co-star Skeet Ulrich. Megan Fox (Jennifer’s Body) is voicing Toy Chica, MatPat (FNAF the Musical) is voicing Toy Bonnie, and Kellen Goff (Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic) provides the voice of Toy Freddy.

The first adaptation was originally set up at Warner Bros., where Gil Kenan (Monster House) was going to direct the film from a screenplay he was writing with Tyler Burton Smith (the Child’s Play remake). Then the project moved over to Blumhouse, where Chris Columbus (Home Alone) was attached to direct it for several years. It finally went into production with Emma Tammi – director of The Wind, Into the Dark: Delivered, and Into the Dark: Blood Moon – at the helm, working from a screenplay she wrote with Seth Cuddeback (Mateo) and video game creator Scott Cawthon. Tragedy Girls writers Tyler MacIntyre and Chris Lee Hill share story credit with Cawthon. Tammi has directed the sequel from a script by Cawthon.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is produced by Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum and Scott Cawthon, who also produced the first film. The executive producers are director Emma Tammi, Beatriz Sequeira, Christopher Warner, Russell Binder, and Marc Mostman. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop handled the special effects that bring the homicidal animatronic animals to life on the screen. 

Bonus Features

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 comes to digital with the following bonus features (when you purchase at participating retailers):

• EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH: THE CAST – Revealing interviews and behind-the-scenes footage highlight how actors develop their roles to fill the FNAF world with new mysteries, thrilling surprises, and fan-pleasing lore.
• BRINGING FREDDY & FRIENDS TO LIFE – Learn how stunt doubles and puppeteers advance animatronic terror to the next level.
• MANGLE MAYHEM – Witness Mangle come to life as a nightmarish, multi-limbed monstrosity.
• HIGH-STRUNG – Cast and crew reveal the multiple methods used to turn the Marionette into an eerie entity whose unique design and haunting movements are unlike any other animatronic.
• SENSORY OVERLOAD: EXPLORING THE SETS – Actors join the artists behind the production design to serve up details on the Easter eggs and game inspirations lurking inside the incredible sets.

The physical media release will follow in a couple of months, as the film will be getting a 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on February 17th.

Will you be watching the digital release of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Paramount Pictures has decided to celebrate the holidays in a very fun way. To promote the fact that they have a large selection of horror movies that are available on digital, as well as the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life, they have shot a “Season’s Screamings” video that features iconic Friday the 13th slasher Jason Voorhees and Friday the 13th: A New Beginning heroine Melanie Kinnaman! You can check it out in the embed at the bottom of this article.

40th Anniversary

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, the fifth film in the Friday the 13th franchise, happens to be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, so it’s very cool that Paramount chose to have Kinnaman in their “Season’s Screamings” video.

Directed by Danny Steinmann, who also crafted the screenplay with Martin Kitrosser and David Cohen, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning has the following synopsis: Years after Tommy Jarvis murdered hockey-masked serial killer Jason Voorhees, he resides in a mental hospital and struggles with the trauma of the experience. When Tommy moves to an isolated halfway house, he has nightmares about Jason’s return, and soon one of the patients is killed. As the body count grows, Tommy begins to question his sanity and wonder if Jason has risen from the dead. But, to determine the killer’s identity, Tommy will need to survive. Kinnaman was joined in the cast by John Shepherd, Shavar Ross, Richard Young, Dick Wieand, Marco St. John, Tiffany Helm, Juliette Cummins, Jerry Pavlon, Vernon Washington, Debi Sue Voorhees, John Robert Dixon, William Caskey Swaim, Richard Lineback, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Jere Fields, Bob DeSimone, Rebecca Wood, Corey Parker, Anthony Barrile, Todd Bryant, Curtis Conaway, Sonny Shields, Dominick Brascia, Mark Venturini, Carol Locatell, Ron Sloan, Ric Mancini, Suzanne Bateman, Eddie Matthews, Chuck Wells, Tom Morga, and Johnny Hock, with a cameo appearance by Corey Feldman.

Christmas Party

The set-up for the video is that Kinnaman is throwing a Christmas party and has invited Jason Voorhees as one of the guests. She mentions that this is the first time they’re meeting face-to-face because Jason was not the killer Friday the 13th: A New Beginning. The hockey-masked maniac Kinnaman had to deal with in that movie was a copycat.

It’s not known who played this Christmas sweater-wearing variation of Jason Voorhees, but he is wearing a version of the classic hockey mask as it was seen in Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI, and (under his Santa hat) appears to be wearing a “rotting corpse” headpiece similar to the one used in Jason Lives. After spending most of the year seeing the questionable redesign of the hockey mask that was used in the short film Sweet Revenge, it’s nice to see some new footage of the classic hockey mask.

Will you be watching Paramount’s digital versions of It’s a Wonderful Life or one of the many horror films they have in their library? Take a look at the “Season’s Screamings” video, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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With Luc Besson’s Dracula coming to theatres in February and the releases of movies like Nosferatu, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and Renfield in the not-too-distant past, Dracula is once again on everyone’s mind. While we wait to see how Caleb Landry Jones’ performance is in the Besson movie, so we can find out how he stacks up against some of the best versions of the fanged Count, we have assembled our list of the Best Dracula Actors!

C​hristian Camargo – Penny Dreadful (2016)

W​hile Universal was trying to figure out how to create their Dark Universe, over on Showtime, Penny Dreadful was already doing a fantastic job beating them to the punch. The series pulled together literary versions of Frankenstein’s monster, the wolfman, Dorian Gray, and eventually Dracula himself. Christian Camargo played Dr. Alexander Sweet in Season Three, who begins to seduce Eva Green’s Vanessa Ives. It is revealed later that this doctor is, in fact, the Count himself, making him an unconventional addition to the Best Dracula Actors list. Carmargo brought out the seductive side of the vampire while later revealing just how deadly he could be.

D​uncan Regehr – The Monster Squad (1987)

His version of Count Dracula appeared in the kid’s film The Monster Squad but brought a lot of menace to the role. He appears in town with his other monster friends, looking for Van Helsing’s diary. Our group of young heroes crosses paths with him multiple times and only barely escape with their lives. Dracula has no problem using some dynamite to blow up their tree house and sees no problem with wanting a group of children killed. He was so terrifying in the role that child actor Ashley Bank legitimately screamed for her life during their face-to-face confrontation. Cage’s version in Renfield seems a little darker and funnier than this version, but Regehr scared a whole generation of movie fans. We would for sure list him as one of the best on-screen Dracula portrayals… and to make things he even better, he spends a good portion of his screen time hanging out with versions of Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, and the Gill-Man.

K​laus Kinski – Nosferatu The Vampyre (1979)

I​n 1979, Werner Herzog remade the classic vampire tale, and in a twist of genius casting, put Klaus Kinski in the title role. His version of Dracula is more animalistic in its approach. He doesn’t seduce his victim but instead drinks from them in their sleep. His creepy look harkens back to the Max Schreck version but has even less humanity than that film put on display. With his giant lips and sharp teeth, he seems more like a leech than anything that can pass for human. Even though the performance from Kinski is completely strange (from Kinski? Go figure), it still is one of the best on-screen versions of Dracula. It’s probably safe to bet that Cage’s version in Renfield will take less inspiration from this one.

J​ack Palance – Dracula (1974)

W​ith the popularity of Dan Curtis’s series like Dark Shadows and his Kolchak TV movies, he decided to turn his attention to bringing Dracula to the small screen. He teamed up with his usual collaborator Richard Matheson to bring it to life. They cast Jack Palance in the role of Dracula, and he brings an edge of pathos to the character. In this version, he sees a woman that reminds him of his long-dead wife. We see a little more of the character’s humanity as he tries to find the one thing that used to make him happy. He’ll get it no matter who he has to kill.

W​illem Dafoe – Shadow Of The Vampire (2000)

T​his fictional take on the making of Nosferatu turns Max Schreck into an actual vampire. The director F. W. Murnau brings aboard this strange actor who suddenly seems too well-equipped to play the famed vampire. Dafoe disappears into the role of the strange creature. The interactions between him and the rest of the cast is fantastic to watch, and Murnau getting frustrated that he won’t stop killing the cast is great. A strange meta performance but still ranks as one of the best on-screen Dracula portrayals even if it’s by technicality.

G​ary Oldman – Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Sometimes Dracula just can’t help falling in love. I​ don’t think it will be a shock to say that Gary Oldman is an amazing actor. Francis Ford Coppola cast him to play Dracula in his 1992 big-budget story version. They used some of the best state-of-the-art effects to transform Oldman during different stages of his rejuvenation. He starts out as a decrepit old man, and as he feeds, he ages backward until he becomes a spry young man. Oldman plays the character perfectly, and you can see how easily seductive he is. At the same turn, there is a danger underneath that seeps through onto the screen. Easy to see why he’s a contender for the best on-screen Dracula.

C​arlos Villarias – Dracula Spanish Version (1931)

W​hen sound was first introduced to films, studios would sometimes make foreign language versions as well with different actors on the same sets and using the same costumes. For the 1931 Dracula, they shot the English version with Bela Lugosi during the day, and then another crew would come in to shoot the Spanish Language version of the horror film at night.

When compared, Villarias’ version of the character isn’t quite as stiff as Lugosi’s. His expressions and movements were more free-flowing and set this version apart. This, along with making the female leads sexier due to less stringent film codes in other countries, made this version of the story stand out from its English counterpart. Some even like it better than the Todd Browning film that everyone knows. Should be interesting to see if it’s closer to Cage’s take on the character in Renfield.

M​ax Schreck – Nosferatu (1922)

E​ven if someone hasn’t seen this film they definitely know the look of Max Schreck in the film. It has transcended the film and lodged itself so completely in pop culture that a single image of the film is enough for people to recognize it. This silent film from Germany used light and shadow to give Schrek’s Count Orlok (we all know it’s really Dracula) such a commanding presence in the film. His look and mannerisms have given generations the creeps just by looking at him. The filmmakers were sued by Stoker’s estate and lost. All film copies were to be destroyed, but a few survived, which is good for history as this version of the character might just be the creepiest it has ever been.

C​hristopher Lee – Horror Of Dracula (1958)

W​hen Universal’s monster series began to grow long in the tooth (pun intended), they began to shift away from some of the classic monsters and move more into the atomic-age films that had started to become popular. Across the pond, Hammer Films decided to do their own version of these classic creatures. Christopher Lee was cast, and his take on Dracula was something audiences hadn’t seen up to that point. His version was very proper and dignified, but once he went into his blood-lust, he became savage and unhinged. You were in trouble if you were unlucky enough to come across him at this stage. He bared his fangs and hissed while his eyes became bloodshot and unsettled. The switch almost happens instantly. You could be having a thoroughly normal conversation, but he would suddenly go into a rage, and there would be no way to calm him down until he was able to dine. A scary portrayal of the character for sure.

Lee portrayed Dracula in a total of ten films. In addition to Horror of Dracula, he starred in Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), Scars of Dracula (1970), Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). He also played the character in Jess Franco’s Count Dracula (1970), Jerry Lewis’s One More Time (1970), and Édouard Molinaro’s Dracula and Son (1976).

B​ela Lugosi – Dracula (1931)

The Universal horror icon. U​ntil the world finally turns to dust and escapes into the vacuum of space, no other actor will be as associated with the character of Dracula as Bela Lugosi. His slow walk and deep gaze became a stereotype for how the character was portrayed in every version afterward. His menacing stare and slow walk toward his victim became the stereotype for every characterization of Dracula. It will be interesting to see what Nic Cage took from this version in Renfield.

Even when Lugosi would return to the role in the Abbott and Costello movies, his presence was enough to send a chill down your spine even with all the comedy going on around him. The simple delivery of the line, “Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!” is enough to send Lugosi to the Dracula hall of fame. Even with a smile on his face, the darkness in his performance is bone-chilling.

Who do you think is the best on-screen Dracula? Would you have included Frank Langella, Gerard Butler, John Carradine, or Richard Roxburgh? Maybe George Hamilton in Love at First Bite? Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania)? Lon Chaney Jr. (Son of Dracula)? Let us know in the comments.

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The Asylum has brought us many mockbusters over the years, including Ballerina Assassin, Morgan: Killer Doll, The Jolly Monkey, The Twisters, Road Wars: Max Fury, The Exorcists, Bullet Train Down, Jurassic Domination, Top Gunner, Top Gunner: Danger Zone, Battle Star Wars, Alien Predator, Triassic World, Tomb Invader, Atlantic Rim, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, Almighty Thor, Thor: God of Thunder, AVH: Alien vs. Hunter, Transmorphers, Snakes on a Train, The Da Vinci Treasure, War of the Worlds, Hillside Cannibals, Battle for Pandora, Pandora: Fire and Ice, Predator: Wastelands, and many more. On December 25th, Sony’s Columbia Pictures will be giving a theatrical release to a comedic reboot of the “nature run amok” thriller Anaconda – so The Asylum has swooped in a given a digital release to a mockbuster called The Anacondas! You can watch the trailer in the embed above, and if you want to watch the full movie, it can be rented on Amazon for $2.99, or purchased for $9.99.

Synopsis and Cast

The Anacondas was directed by Marcel Walz (Garden of Eden) from a screenplay by Ryan Ebert (Shark Side of the Moon) and Marc Gottlieb (Ape X Mecha Ape: New World Order). The film has the following synopsis: Explorers in Mexico uncover the ruins of an ancient snake-worshiping civilization. Celebration turns to horror when they awaken an ever-growing anaconda, starved of human sacrifices for centuries. Now, the team must band together to survive.

The cast includes Dominic Keating (Star Trek: Enterprise), Danielle Titus (Jurassic Reborn), Bix Krieger (V/H/S/Beyond), Hannah Hueston (Curse of the Re-Animator), Jordan Iverach (Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo), Philipp Karner (Like You Mean It), Maureen Kedes (Gingersnap Christmas), Marcus Mannis (Ballerina Assassin), Brian Russell (The Sintern), Andrew Tong (Airplane 2025), and Michael James Vargas (Fighting Olympus).

Are you a fan of The Asylum’s mockbusters, and will you be watching the digital release of The Anacondas? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

In addition to the new reboot, the original Anaconda movie spawned a handful of sequels, including Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Anaconda 3: Offspring, and Anacondas: Trail of Blood, plus the crossover Lake Placid vs. Anaconda. There was also a Chinese remake, which centered on a group of circus performers as they battle a giant snake. 

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The “rabid chimp” horror film Primate is set to reach theatres on January 9, 2026 – and with that date getting shockingly close, Paramount Pictures is building the hype with a featurette that focuses on cast member (and Oscar winner) Troy Kotsur (CODA) and a sequence where the film enters the perspective of Kotsur’s character – who, like the actor, happens to be deaf. You can check it out at the bottom of this article, along with an audience reaction promo that shows how the movie is terrifying people in early screenings.

Bloodbath of Fun

At the helm of Primate is genre regular Johannes Roberts, who has previously directed Hellbreeder, Darkhunters, Forest of the Damned, F, Roadkill, Storage 24, The Other Side of the Door, 47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. He also contributed a segment to the horror anthology V/H/S/99. Roberts has written the Primate screenplay with his frequent collaborator Ernest Riera. In this one, a group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival.

If you’d like more information on what’s going on, you can check out the 8/10 review from JoBlo’s own Mike Holtz at THIS LINK. He described the film as “an unapologetic blood bath of fun” that’s about a rabies-crazed chimp.

Cast and Producers

Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur (CODA) stars in Primate alongside Johnny Sequoyah (Dexter: New Blood), Jessica Alexander (Amadeus), Victoria Wyant (My Fault: London), Benjamin Cheng (d’ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical), Gia Hunter (Sherlock and Daughter), Miguel Torres Umba (National Theatre co-production Kin), Kae Alexander (Ready Player One), Tienne Simon (Grime Kids), Charlie Mann (Lazarus), newcomer Amina Abdi, and Albert Magashi (National Theatre Live: Dear England).

A while back, former DC Films boss Walter Hamada signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures, the idea being that he would become, as Deadline put it, “the architect of Paramount’s mainstream horror genre pod, with the mission to release several low- to mid-budget films per year across theatrical and streaming.” Primate is part of Hamada’s horror-minded efforts at Paramount, and he is producing the film through his 18hz production company alongside John Hodges and Bradley Pilz. Roberts serves as an executive producer with Vicki Dee Rock, Nathan Samdahl, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, and Andrew Lary.

Primate looks to have the makings of a good time to me (especially since I just caught up with, and was blown away by, the 1986 killer chimp movie Link within the last couple of years), though I know I’m also going to be feeling sorry for this poor, sick killer chimp.

Are you looking forward to Primate? Check out the Troy Kotsur featurette and the audience reaction promo, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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It’s trendy these days to take a character from popular children’s stories and given them a horror twist. Lately we’ve been hearing about horror movies based on the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Bambi, Pinocchio, Three Blind Mice, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, etc. On April 1st, Alpake Entertainment and Gravitas Ventures teamed to release a slasher horror comedy called Shiver Me Timbers, which put a horror twist on Popeye the Sailor. It was an April Fools Day trick, it was a real movie – and it was successful enough to get a sequel. Alpake Entertainment will soon be launching an IndieGogo campaign to raise funds for Shiver Me Timbers 2: Chainsaws Are for Children – and this time, Popeye will be sharing the screen with his fellow public domain characters Tarzan and Betty Boop!

Refresher

In Shiver Me Timbers, Olive Oyl, her brother Castor and friends, go on a camping trip to see the meteor shower with Halley’s Comet. But the night turns into horror as a meteor transforms Popeye into an unstoppable killing machine. With thrilling 80s slasher references and comedic twists, the film combines elements of horror and comedy in a fresh take on both genres. Shiver Me Timbers pays tribute to classic slasher films while delivering hilarious moments, shocking scares, and nostalgic nods that will delight both horror and Popeye fans alike. Here’s another synopsis: In Northern California during the summer of 1986, Olive Oyl, along with her cinema-obsessed friends and brother Castor, embark on a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip to witness the dazzling meteor shower accompanying the arrival of Halley’s Comet. But what starts as a serene evening of stargazing quickly turns into a harrowing nightmare when a meteor from the comet transforms Popeye, into a terrifying and unstoppable killing machine.

Sequel Synopsis

Weeks after the shocking events of Shiver Me Timbers, Popeye lands in New York and goes on a brutal killing spree in Little Italy, tearing through the local mafia’s ranks. Olive Oyl, now armed with a bionic, super-powered hand, travels to the city to avenge her brother’s death. Her journey leads her straight to the mafia boss’s nightclub, where she unexpectedly bonds with sultry singer Betty Boop. Meanwhile, Father Flannigan and Sister Mary deliver exciting news to Mafia boss, Don Sangue: his long-lost son, now a grown man, has been found after disappearing as a child during a vacation in the jungle. However, while attempting to rehabilitate him, he escapes, tackling Popeye and taking a puff from his legendary pipe. The result? He transforms into a savage beast man, forging a twisted alliance with Popeye. Now, Olive and Betty, with a little help from the mafia, must face the monstrous duo before it’s too late.

The filmmakers are aiming to make Shiver Me Timbers 2 “twice as crazy, twice as wild, and way more over the top. Expect three times as many kills, more blood, and even more gore.” This will all build up to “the most outrageous finale you’ve ever seen! Imagine a mobster’s nightclub, packed with mafia goons, living it up until Popeye and his new partner-in-crime storm in and absolutely tear the place apart. It’s like the club scene from Scarface or Goodfellas—but with two Toxic Avengers rampaging through the chaos. There’s going to be three times as many kills as the first film, and these kills are going to be twice as bloody, twice as brutal—people getting ripped in half, disemboweled, and faces torn off in a frenzy of gore. On the defense, we’ve got Olive Oyl and Betty Boop, doing their best to save the day in the middle of the madness. To pull this all off, we need to build all kinds of crazy contraptions and bring in insane special effects makeup that will blow your mind. There will be stunts, blood, extras—you name it, we’re bringing it. And to top it all off, Bernice (Olive’s giant buzzsaw) is going to be twice the size.“

Are you ready to see Popeye, Tarzan, Betty Boop, and Olive Oyl wade through blood and gore in Shiver Me Timbers 2: Chainsaws Are for Children? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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