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On July 11th, a horror film called The Breach – which was executive produced by legendary musician Slash, who also co-produced the score – will be getting a VOD and digital release in the United States. And Variety reports that Slash has already lined up his next horror project: he’s teaming with Steven Schneider of Room 101, Inc. and Spooky Pictures – a producer whose genre credits include Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch, and Old – for a film called Janus.

Jason Zada (The Forest) will be directing Janus from a screenplay he wrote with Nate Atkins. The story centers on three band members seeking refuge in an old farmhouse where they encounter a woman harboring an unspeakable secret.

Alex Neustaedter (American Rust), Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky), Jack Kilmer (Lords of Chaos), Grace Van Dien (Stranger Things), and M.C. Gainey (Con Air) have already been cast in the film.

Slash and Schneider are producing...

A new slate of horror movies is on the way from Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity) and Malkier Studios, with musician Slash on board as well, Variety reports this week.

The collaboration will be focused on “creating IP driven horror, animation and thriller content.”

The first project in the works is a horror film titled Janus from director Jason Zada (The Forest). Written by Nate Atkins, the film will follow three band members seeking refuge in an old farmhouse where they encounter a woman harboring an unspeakable secret.

Alex Neustaedter (“American Rust”), Natalie Alyn Lind (“Big Sky”), Jack Kilmer (“Lords of Chaos”), Grace Van Dien (“Stranger Things”), and M.C. Gainey (“Emperor”) will star.

Slash is producing Janus alongside Steven Schneider.

From there, period horror movie The Worthless Remains is next up. Director X. (Superfly) is directing the project, which was written by Micah Ranum (The Silencing).

Schneider said, “Producing a horror...

Prolific genre producer Steven Schneider of Room 101, Inc. and Spooky Pictures, is teaming with Malkier Studios on a slate of horror films.

Schneider’s credits include “Paranormal Activity,” “Blair Witch,” and M. Night Shyamalan’s “Old.”

Producing alongside Schneider will be D.C. Cassidy, Michael Fisk and Julia Wang Zhu under the newly formed Malkier Studios production company that will focus on creating IP driven horror, animation and thriller content.

First up under the collaboration is “Janus,” written by Nate Atkins (“Blood-Red Ox”) and Jason Zada with Zada also directing. It will follow three band members seeking refuge in an old farmhouse where they encounter a woman harboring an unspeakable secret. Schneider and Joe Heath will produce alongside Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who will bring his musical expertise and oversight to the film. The cast includes Alex Neustaedter (“American Rust”), Natalie Alyn Lind (“Big Sky”), Jack Kilmer (“Lords of Chaos...

What if you could interact with the main character in a horror movie?

That’s the premise behind Emerson, a psychological horror film that plays out in real-time via the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. The main character, Emerson, posts videos for a period of 10 days, documenting something she at first perceives to be supernatural, only to discover it’s something even more sinister.

Created by Jason Zada and Nate Atkins, Emerson is being billed as “the first horror film to be made exclusively for TikTok,” and it’s being posted authentically from the main character’s social media account (@lostgirl_emerson) in short snippets over 10 days.

“Emerson is an experiment in next-generation storytelling designed for a new generation of entertainment consumers,” we’re told, with the final part releasing on October 28.

You can follow along on Tiktok and Instagram now. Watch the teaser below…

Jason Zada and Nate...

If you think the scariest thing about TikTok is how it makes anyone older than 30 feel culturally ignorant, you’re in for a treat. The platform has its first horror movie under the tag @lostgirl_emerson, and it seems to have it all: horrifying noises, creepy dolls, and, of course, a goth girl dancing around her living room, unaware that a mysterious figure is reflected in her TV screen.

@lostgirl_emerson

TikTok, I need your help! #horror #halloween #scary #goth #creepy

♬ original sound – Emerson Hayes

“The main character, Emerson, posts...

Breaking Glass Pictures has snagged North American rights to “Blood-Red Ox,” the first genre pic by award-winning Bolivian director-producer Rodrigo Bellott, now playing at the 18th Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) sidebar Visions of the World.

“A mind-bending trip into the depths of myth and madness, Bellott has crafted a haunting tale that pays homage to classic horror films while offering commentary on contemporary environmental and social issues,” said Scott Motisko, Breaking Glass VP of acquisitions, business development and sales, who together with Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff negotiated the pact with Ida Martins, CEO of Media Luna.

“We have a longstanding business relationship with Breaking Glass Pictures and couldn’t think of a better outlet for “Blood-Red Ox,” said Martins, adding: “They have been doing an excellent job with all Media Luna previous titles, and we are honored to have one more title in their care.”

Shot on location...

After a ten-year hiatus where he produced the films of other directors in the U.S. and Latin America, Rodrigo Bellott returned to directing with gay drama “Tu Me Manques,” which trumped other local contenders to represent Bolivia at the Academy Awards and Spain’s Goyas.

He confesses that the experience nearly broke him. “It was a very personal drama that took over eight weeks of production, 56 actors and 18 months to edit,” he said. It was such a painful experience, he thought he’d never direct again.

Advised to take a break, Bellott instead pulled a Wong Kar Wai, who while shooting “Ashes of Time,” allegedly took two weeks off to make “Chungking Express” before restarting his dramedy.

Bellott opted to do the same, directing his Blood Window entry “Blood Red Ox” from a screenplay he co-wrote with American genre writer Nate Atkins. Shot on location in Bolivia and upstate...

Oh, baby! Netflix dropped the trailer for “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby” Wednesday, the third film in its “A Christmas Prince” holiday rom-com franchise. And based on the trailer, Amber (Rose McIver) is going to have way more problems this Christmas season than just the general drama that comes with giving birth to your first child.

Watch the trailer above, which features the return of Queen Amber, her husband King Richard (Ben Lamb) and a whole lot of problems for Aldovia if they don’t find a stolen treaty before Christmas!

Here’s the official synopsis for the third “A Christmas Prince” film:

It’s Christmastime in Aldovia, and a royal baby is on the way! Queen Amber (Rose McIver) and King Richard (Ben Lamb) are getting ready to take some time off to prepare for their first child’s arrival, but first they have to host King Tai...

A Christmas Prince 3: The Royal Baby is officially happening at Netflix. And as you can tell from the title, a little prince or princess is on the way. And who knows, twins could be delivered as the ultimate Christmas Prince miracle for the holiday season.

Netflix announced the big news earlier today. The next chapter in the Christmas Prince franchise will not only be bringing a baby into the mix. Amber, once again played by Rose McIver, and Prince Richard, played by the returning Ben Lamb, will welcome another royal family to Adolvia, as they try to renew an ancient royal truce between the two camps.

A Christmas Prince 3: The Royal Baby is playing off the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also expecting a little bundle of joy sometime in the near future. Netflix announced the exciting sequel news with a Twitter post with a...

“A Christmas Prince” became a trilogy Monday, with Netflix setting a third film in the franchise for this coming holiday season.

But the most important piece of that news was that the followup to the sequel a “The Royal Wedding” will include a tiny new addition to the cast — and Amber (Rose Iver) and Richard’s (Ben Lamb) family.

The streamer made the royal announcement via its “See What’s Next” Twitter account early Monday, sharing a sonogram picture of an unborn infant wearing a crown with the text: “Baby Makes 3. ‘A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby.’ This holiday season.”

Stars McIver, Lamb, and Alice Krige will return for “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby.”

Here’s the official description for the film: “It’s Christmastime in Aldovia–and a royal baby is on the way! Amber and Richard host royals from a faraway kingdom to renew an ancient truce,...

Exclusive: Activist Artists Management has tapped literary manager Jon Kanak to work alongside the firm’s talent department.

Based at Los Angeles headquarters, he will continue to focus on representing writers and directors as well as concentrate on Activist’s film and TV development and packaging.

Last year, Kanak set up several projects, including Reset (Paramount) and Anima & Saci (Hindsight Media).

Activist’s roster of clients now includes Marcus Kryler & Fredrik Akerstrom, Nate Atkins, Bill Marsilli, Jason Zada (The Forest), Philippe Van Leeuw (In Syria), Jay Longino and Justin Kreutzmann (Long Strange Trip) among others.

Kanak will also be representing the works of The New York Times Best Seller, Stephen Frey (The Chairman), as well as international best-selling authors Richard Doetsch (The 13th Hour) and Patricia Dunn (Rebels by Accident).

“Jon...

Keep away from Pumpkinhead. Unless you’re tired of living. We’re still waiting for more news on the forthcoming reboot of the Pumpkinhead franchise, which was first reported last summer. Peter Block, one of the executive producers of the Saw franchise, obtained the rights and grabbed Nate Atkins to pen the script, though we have no way of knowing what’s […]...

Saw franchise producer Peter Block has picked up the rights to the 1988 horror film Pumpkinhead, and he plans on rebooting the horror franchise. According to EW, he’s currently on the hunt for a director to take on the project, which he is planning as a theatrical release.

The original film was directed by the great Stan Winston and starred Aliens actor Lance Henriksen, and I thought the original film was a great and fun horror flick. The story centers on a man who summons a terrifying demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy the teenagers who killed the man’s son in a tragic accident.

In regards to the film project, Block told the outlet:

“Pumpkinhead is one of my favorite horror films of the late ’80s, early ’90s. Stan Winston sits on that Mount Rushmore of iconic filmmakers because of his creature designs, and that was his first directing effort.

There are a staggering amount of reboots, long awaited sequels and the sometimes confusing requel being made right now. Horror movies have always been a big moneymaker for studios, so it isn't at all surprising that some classic horror icons are in the process of being brought back to the big screen. The latest of these icons is none other than the cult classic Pumpkinhead, which is being revived by Saw producer Peter Block.

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Block has obtained the rights to the classic horror franchise, which was originally brought to life by visual effects legend Stan Winston, his directorial debut in 1988. The original Pumpkinhead tells the story of a grieving father who loses his son in a tragic accident, who then conjures up a vengeful, terrifying demon to punish the teenagers responsible. According to the report, the reboot is set to start shooting in 2017, but no...

One of cinema’s most vengeful creatures could be coming back to the big screen, as a Pumpkinhead reboot is currently in the works and could start filming as early as next year.

EW reports that Peter Block, executive producer of the Saw films, Holliston, Frozen, John Carpenter’s The Ward, and numerous other horror movies, has purchased the rights to the Pumpkinhead franchise that kicked off in 1988 with Stan Winston’s directorial debut and continued in three sequels (the latest one being 2007’s TV movie Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud).

Along with writer Nate Atkins, Block has put together a screenplay for a Pumpkinhead reboot (at this time titled Pumpkinhead) that has the same spirit of the first film without being a shot-for-shot remake. Block is currently searching for the right director to helm the reboot, and he’d like to begin filming in early 2017.

With special effects wizard Winston at...

The demonic 1988 classic horror franchise is getting rebooted by an executive producer who is no stranger to horror! Come inside to find out more!

An exclusive report from Entertainment Weekly, reveals that Saw Executive Producer Peter Block has claimed the rights to the Pumpkinhead franchise and plans to shoot a reboot of the 1988 horror film in 2017!

“Pumpkinhead is one of my favorite horror films of the late ’80s, early ’90s, Stan Winston sits on that Mount Rushmore of iconic filmmakers because of his creature designs, and that was his first directing effort. The creature’s great but the emotional story is wonderful as well. I got the rights to Pumpkinhead, and hooked up with a great young writer called Nate Atkins, and we developed our script, which is really solid.”

Block confirmed that the reboot won't be an exact remake. He plans on enhancing characters, elevating the setting, but still...

Funny how things can evolve throughout the creative process. When I first saw a listing for Deadly Descent on UFO International Productions' website months ago, the synopsis described skiers and snowboarders trapped on a mountain by an avalanche having to also deal with a pack of wild dogs after them. Somewhere along the way those ravenous dogs got turned into a Yeti and the title got massively elongated to Deadly Descent: The Legend of the Abominable Snowman.

In 1992 Glacier Peak, Washington, a small group of back country skiers climb Glacier Peak, one of most remote mountains in the Cascade Range. Lead by Jake Tanner, the group is somewhere high up on the mountain where they disappear and are never seen again.

Present Day - Glacier Peak. A helicopter soars over the snowy peak. In the rear cabin is a U.S. Special Forces member fresh off a long tour in Afghanistan: Brian Tanner.

S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale Directed by: Chris Fisher Written by: Nathan Atkins Starring: Daveigh Chase, Briana Evigan, Jackson Rathbone, Ed Westwick, Elizabeth Berkley, John Hawkes Although Richard Kelly's directorial debut Donnie Darko didn't break even upon its initial theatrical release back in 2001, the movie went on to find a pretty massive cult following on DVD and has since become a bit of a cash cow. To this day I'm not quite sure what it is about the film that connected with teen audiences, but I suspect it has something to do with Jake Gyllenhaal's performance as an emotionally troubled outcast and its reputation for being such a mindbender of a film. Either way, it was successful enough to result in a Director's Cut re-release a few years later, and now, a direct-to-dvd sequel. Yes, that's right a sequel. There are certain movies that lend themselves well to sequels,...

The Origin Film? Whoop-doo!

The origin film has dominated the box office for most of May. We learned how Wolverine got his claws, how James T. Kirk came to captain the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, how John Connor came to lead the Resistance, and how Robert Langdon settled for that goofy-ass hairdo. Despite these tales being repetitive and unnecessary, they've pulled in record grosses. Some have been enthralling; others have left their fans irate. But all have been successful on some level. That can only mean one thing in Hollywood: More of the same. For each origin film that tops $100 million in ticket sales, another five are being placed into production. Why are they so popular? Because they breed familiarity. They are an easy sale item. Even though we know these epic myths and legends by heart, that won't stop some lofty director from churning them out...

It’s not hard to ruin a sequel. We’ve all seen it before: producers hungry for a quick buck and devoid of new ideas rehash for the cash, with little care for trivial pursuits like story or production value. Even with noble intentions, there are innumerable ways to mess up a winning formula. While there are a few sequels that arguably bested the originals — Godfather II, Evil Dead II, The Empire Strikes Back — we’ve come to expect that they won’t measure up.

Which is why S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale was so utterly confounding. I’m a big fan of the original, a singular film that successfully blended thought-provoking sci-fi with a moving portrait of adolescence. It would be challenging to come close to that film’s strange power. So I went in with low expectations and was still blown away by how completely inept and...

Chicago – How bluntly can I put this? “S. Darko” is one of the worst movies ever made. It is an absolute head-scratching experience that leaves you not pondering the secrets of the universe but how this cinematic nightmare got made in the first place. Donnie saved the world for this? I’d rather get hit by a plane engine than sit through it again.

Blu-Ray Rating: 0.0/5.0 I can usually find something to like about a movie. The worst films are usually so-bad-they’re-fun. I have rarely been as aggravated by a film as “S. Darko”. I know what the “S” stands for and it’s a word I can’t use here without asterisks.

S. Darko was released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009.

Photo credit: Paramount/Showtime

Why so upset? Because “S. Darko” will now always spring to mind when I think of or re-watch Richard Kelly’s excellent “Donnie Darko...

Hey, Paulington! Is a new Cinephile advice column that looks at life, love, and the movies. Anyone can send in a question, and Paulington will answer it. Sure, it's a really cryptic, cliched concept that has been around since the dawn of time. But we're going to spice it up a little bit. Topics can range from anything: Sex, violence, haints and taints, your favorite movie! Paulington doesn't care. He's basically doing it for a paycheck. He's not really an expert on anything. But he sure does know a lot about movies and human nature. You can send your questions to (as in, click on the giant red letters and you will automatically be sent to his email):

Hey, Paulington!

And he will be sure to answer all of them in a very timely manner. Here are this week's letters. Enjoy!

Hey, Paulington!

I saw you recently interviewed Christian Bale...

It seems only logical that the creators of a sequel to Donnie Darko—the 2001 cult creeper starring Jake Gyllenhaal—should have a strong appreciation of the original’s strengths: its sense of place, its perfectly puzzled plot, its deep, dark sense of humor, its fundamental tone. But S. Darko director Chris Fisher and writer Nathan Atkins—with zero involvement from Donnie Darko writer-director Richard Kelly—take a few simple, surface elements from the story and fail spectacularly in trying create a franchise. (Original title: S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale.) In search of something as profound as their source ...

At one point on the S. Darko DVD’s audio commentary, director Chris Fisher says something along the lines of, “I’m not sure I know what’s going on.” That wasn’t exactly comforting to hear while trying to make sense of everything that had transpired thus far.

This sequel to Richard Kelly’s cult fave Donnie Darko, debuting on disc from Fox Home Entertainment, isn’t the completely awful film many thought it would be (or wanted it to be), but it’s not great by any means, and many of its flaws derive from how this continuation adapts the original’s mythology and concepts. So take note: This review may become a bit spoiler-heavy. For those who want to sit this review out until they see the film, know simply that S. Darko may be intriguing enough to be worth a peek for fans of the original,...

In a follow-up to Kiran Aditham’s Feature Story in Fangoria #283 (on-stands now), Fango caught up with Filmmaker Chris Fisher for some final thoughts on S. Darko, which arrives on DVD and Blu-Ray next Tuesday.

In the continuation of the world established by Richard Kelly in the 2001 cult favorite Donnie Darko, Fisher found himself treading in what many fans consider “sacred territory”.

James Zahn (Fangoria): So I have to ask, are you tired of talking about S. Darko yet?

Chris Fisher: You know, I’m not because I haven’t really done much press on it yet. We’re getting theatrical releases in most foreign markets like England, Germany, Italy, etc., and that’s all the really long-form stuff which is just getting started. Since this film unfortunately is going straight-to-dvd here, I’m just doing press for it. In fact, the main thing I’ve done is...

Fox Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment sent along a few exclusive new photos from S. Darko, the Donnie Darko sequel that they release on DVD and Blu-ray May 12. Below the cut you can see shots of actresses Daveigh Chase (reprising her role as Samantha Darko, Donnie’s sister), Briana Evigan (as her best friend Corey) and the Shadow Bunny.

Directed by Chris Fisher, who previously helmed the serial-killer flicks Nightstalker and Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders, from a screenplay by Nathan Atkins, S. Darko takes Samantha and Corey to Los Angeles, where they encounter new bizarre sights and people and premonitions of the end of the world. The cast also includes Twilight’s Jackson Rathbone, 100 Feet’s Ed Westwick, James Lafferty, Matthew Davis and Elizabeth Berkley; DVDetails are coming soon, and the official website (which right now consists of just the trailer, which you can also see at the...

Fox Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment have announced that guests from S. Darko, the sequel to the genre-blending cult favorite Donnie Darko, will be attending the New York City Comic-Con, being held Friday-Sunday, February 6-8, at the Jacob Javits Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets). With that news comes word of a DVD street date for the movie.

S. Darko, which was directed by Nightstalker's Chris Fisher, will hit disc April 28, and its trailer will premiere at the Comic-Con, where cast and crew (specific names to be announced) will take part in a Q&A. The Ring’s Daveigh Chase returns in the Nathan Atkins-scripted film as Donnie’s little sister Samantha Darko, who sets out with her best friend Corey (from Fear Itself’s New Years Day episode and the upcoming Sorority Row) on a road trip to Los Angeles that turns strange and hallucinatory.