News

“Stranger Things” star Matthew Modine will portray a baseball coach in the independent family drama “Chance.”

John B. Crye, a distribution executive with Wrekin Hill Entertainment and Newmarket Films, makes his feature directorial debut from a screenplay by Michael P. Daly (the real-life coach) and Seth Daly. Former actor Michael Hagerty is producing under his production company, Okerty Entertainment. Filming begins June 6 in Ohio.

“Chance” is based on the life of local baseball star Chance Smith, who committed suicide in 2012 at the age of 16 following a breakup. “I’m proud to be a part of this unique project — a town coming together to work through their grief at losing a cherished member of the community by sharing their story,” Crye said.

The drama raises questions how teens communicate with each other and the responsibilities of the adults who are raising and mentoring. The script is based upon actual text messages,...

A while back, I did a q&a with filmmaker James C. Ferguson's whose Woody Allenish comedy-drama Happy Holidays, co-written by Ferguson and Tom Misuraca, centers on the dysfunctional friendship of three school friends reunited at their Connecticut hometown right before Christmas. One man (Paul Hungerford) is a gay guy at odds with his father; another (Thomas Rhoads) is a cheating husband (and devout Catholic) in town for his father's funeral; and a third (John B. Crye) has just converted to Judaism so as to match the faith of the latest woman in his life. Ferguson has some news about Happy Holidays. Some of it can be found below. More details can be found on the film's Facebook page. Happy Holidays now has a commentary track, split up into chapters, on its YouTube page. New Happy Holidays trailer can be watched here. Los Angeles screening on Dec. 2 at Theatre...

Chris Ball, Newmarket president and co-founder, will leave to form Wrekin Hill Entertainment, a new specialty film production and distribution label. Ball will continue his association with Newmarket's owner, Exclusive Media Group, getting the new shingle started by releasing the Peter Weir-directed The Way Back, the harrowing period survival tale that stars Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong and Colin Farrell. Wreckin will also release the Billy Joel documentary The Last Play at Shea. Both pictures were financed by Exclusive. Wrekin will also release Hesher, the Sundance Film Festival acquisition Hesher, starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, Natalie Portman and Rainn Wilson. All three films will be released in tandem by Newmaket and Wrekin Hill, but the latter will be the active shingle. Ball will be joined at Wrekin Hill by longtime Newmarket colleagues Rene Cogan, who was Newmarket COO-cfo and John Crye, who had been Newmarket's president of production and acquisitions.

Chris Ball is leaving Newmarket Films, which he co-founded in 1994, to form a new distribution company Wrekin Hill.

In November, Exclusive Media Group acquired Newmarket, which has produced such movies as "Memento" and released titles like "The Passion of the Christ," and Ball took on the added title of co-chairman of Exclusive.

Although his new company will continue to do business with Exclusive, Ball said in an announcement, issued jointed with Exclusive CEO and co-chairman Nigel Sinclair, that "forming Wrekin Hill will give me and my partners the flexibility to work on a wide variety of films and craft distribution plans that are unique and appropriately scaled for each film we acquire."

Ball's Newmarket colleagues Rene Cogan, COO-chief financial officer, and John Crye, president of production and acquisitions, will join him at Wrekin Hill.

Besides releasing films under the Wrekin Hill label, the new company will also license the Newmarket Films...

Exclusive: With Sundance buyers so cautious, how can sellers get them excited enough to step up and make a distribution deal? For Hesher, the answer was showing the film to a paying crowd of regular moviegoers. After the pic received a rousing reception at last night's screening away from the festival at the Broadway Centre Cinemas in Salt Lake City, Newmarket captured U.S. distribution rights after an all-night bargaining session. Several other distributors were in the mix, insiders said. In the deal negotiated by Wme Global’s Mark Ankner and CAA, Newmarket’s Chris Ball and John Crye paid a low 7-figure [...]...

The horror genre might be a better place because of the writer's strike a few years back. After all, if it hadn't been for the strike, Fewdio Productions may never have started and the world of independent horror would be an entirely different landscape. Originally founded by Drew Daywalt, David Schneider, John Crye, Kirk Woller, and Paul Hungerford, the group decided that just because all of them were facing a strike that would keep them from working, it didn't mean they were ready for a vacation just yet.

Daywalt took a few moments recently to speak with Dread Central about Fewdio and his upcoming web series "Camera Obscura".

Fewdio is a small production company that specializes in horror shorts. "We were all a little bit burned out on dealing with studio execs around the time the strike hit," explained Daywalt. "I had been a script writer for 17 years, and I'd...

Anniversary, directed by Marichelle Daywalt, is a 6 minute short horror movie screening at the Big Bear Horror Film Festival October 16-18th, 2009, alsongside Mary Lambert's latest horror creation, the complete web series The Dark Path Chronicles!

On Sunday, Oct 18th, there will be a Q and A with director Mary Lambert and producer Elizabeth Stanley after the Dark Path Chronicles screening...

The Dark Path Chronicles is about Samantha, a teenager who hears voices, answers the call of Jurgen, a rogue vampire who was “made” during the waning days of the Third Reich and who has just awakened after 75 years. Despite the warnings of her friend and advisor, Father Raymond, she develops a romantic attraction to Jurgen and is drawn into his conflict with Luke and Enid, powerful vampires from the old world. The ensuing life-and-death struggle is played out on the streets of Los Angeles and in the inhospitable environment of The Dark Path.

To create the entertainment of the future, writer-director Drew Daywalt reaches back into the past to fuel his imagination. The creator of Camera Obscura, the upcoming supernatural thriller web series from Mwg Entertainment, draws much of his inspiration from the short form storytelling of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on the horror of anticipation. Camera Obscura shares the sense of dread prevalent in such literary classics as Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven," and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The series follows Clara, an orphan brought up by her alcoholic, absent grandfather. After he dies, she finds a camera that belonged to him, and discovers that it can capture demons. She also discovers that her grandfather's work was not done, and it falls on her shoulders to complete his task. It's a nice little family story with a whole lotta' scary going on. The cast features familiar...

The 2009 Edition of Comic-Con gets underway this week at the San Diego Convention Center, promising the biggest pop-culture event of the year.

Fangoria will be there reporting on the action live from the show floor, with constant updates on all the genre panels, announcements, and more - bringing all the latest Sdcc '09 Horror News direct to you right here on Fangoria.com

For those of you planning to attend the 100% Sold-out show, here's a look at what to expect for genre programming on Saturday, July 25th, 2009.

10:00-11:00 Idw: Angel on the Rise— With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall...

While it may seem as if a lot of the "big name" genre projects showing off their wares at 2009's San Diego Comic-Con have favored the front end of the show's run, the last two days are pretty chock full of panels and screenings as well. Here's a rundown of Saturday's schedule for those of you sniffing out the horror goods.

Saturday, July 25

10:00-11:00 - Idw: Angel on the Rise — With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall), Peter David (Fallen Angel), plus the reveal of the all-new monthly Angelwriter and more! Room 7Ab

10:15-11:15 - Eastwick Pilot Screening and...

The second round has been announced which includes some feature length world premiers as well as a host of crazy shorts. Nicolás López's Santos will be premiering in a sweeping tale of comic book nerds vs superheroes in a battle for the future makind, with a Chilean tip. Also playing will be Acolytes or how kids blackmail a serial killer which is quite beautifully shot. One of our favorite shorts will be playing, Osbert Parker's Film Noir. Eel Girl and the twisted Butcher's Hill will also be screened. Check out all the films after the break!

Santos

World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.

Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo, Chilean prodigy director Nicolás López returns with Santos, a wild, sweeping tale of comic book nerds versus superheroes in a battle for the future of mankind. Think Ultraman with a Latin American brain transplant. From...

Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008

Press Release: For Immediate Release

Subject: Second Wave of Fantastic Fest content announced

Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar, Austin, TX

Fantastic Fest, September 18-25, 2008

Contact:

Tim League

(512) 912-0529

info@fantasticfest.com

www.fantasticfest.com

We are proud to announce the second wave of our feature film programming for the 2008 edition of Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. For the past 9 months, we have been scouring the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films. With over 100 films representing over 30 countries, Fantastic Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. We are proud to announce our second announcement of 15 confirmed feature films as well as our first announcement of official short film selections and details on special “fantastic-fest-themed” Alamo signature events.

Round 2: Fantastic Features:

Santos

World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.

Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo,...

Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008

Press Release: For Immediate Release

Subject: Second Wave of Fantastic Fest content announced

Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar, Austin, TX

Fantastic Fest, September 18-25, 2008

Contact:

Tim League

(512) 912-0529

info@fantasticfest.com

www.fantasticfest.com

We are proud to announce the second wave of our feature film programming for the 2008 edition of Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. For the past 9 months, we have been scouring the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films. With over 100 films representing over 30 countries, Fantastic Fest is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. We are proud to announce our second announcement of 15 confirmed feature films as well as our first announcement of official short film selections and details on special “fantastic-fest-themed” Alamo signature events.

Round 2: Fantastic Features:

Santos

World Premiere / dir. Nicolás López / Chile / 2008 / 100 min.

Three years after his SXSW debut feature Promedio Rojo,...