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From the highs of The Last of Us to the lows of Duncan Jones' Warcraft, video game adaptations can often be hit-or-miss, proving much more often a miss in the noughties and a hit in more recent years. One such example of a failed adaptation comes from the 2007 Timothy Olyphant-led Hitman, a conspiracy thriller based on the video game series of the same name. Olyphant plays the titular Hitman, Agent 47, and is joined in the cast by Prison Break alum Robert Knepper and Olga Kurylenko of Thunderbolts* fame.

Considered by many to be one of the worst video game adaptations of all time, Hitman holds a 16% score from critics and a 57% rating from audiences on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, one of the worst scores in The Mandalorian alum Olyphant's stacked career, and his second-worst score of the decade. However, despite such a poor initial response, Hitman has found some...

From the genius Under the Skin to Alex Garland's Ex Machina and the big-budget, Timothée Chalamet-led Dune: Part Two, the 21st century has graced audiences with some of the finest sci-fi movies of all time. However, with the good inevitably comes the bad, with many citing Jon Amiel's 2003 sci-fi disaster The Core as one of the worst, despite a strong cast and an impressive 2003 budget working in its favor.

Loathed for its nonsensical premise and a complete and utter disregard for the science element of science-fiction, The Core received just 39% from critics and an even worse 34% from audiences on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. However, over 20 years later, the film has found unlikely success, thanks in no small part to the ever-present desire for Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank movies. Officially, as of July 14, 2025, The Core is one of the ten most-streamed titles on Tubi in the U.

Stephen King fans love a good page-to-screen adaptation. The horror genre has been greatly enriched with several young and acclaimed filmmakers adapting his work. Among some of his iconic works, Pet Sematary, directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, keeps on giving, whether you like the changes in the story or not, and its streaming success is a testament to it.

As the spooky season approaches, the fans are turning to see the 2019 film as it has climbed the charts of Tubi and is currently sitting at #7. The movie made a space for itself on the charts in a matter of days as it was added to the streamer earlier this month. Other movies on the chart include another King adaptation, Dreamcatcher, Titanic, Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, and more. Pet Sematary adapted by Jeff Buhler, follows the Creed family, who relocate from Boston to rural Maine. When they discover a...

Stephen King is a prolific writer whose many works have received adaptations both as TV shows and as films. Some of his most popular works have been adapted more than once.

One such example is Pet Sematary. King wrote the novel of the same name in 1983, and it was adapted in 1989, and later in 1992 with the sequel Pet Sematary Two. Three decades after the first film, it received a new adaptation, 2019's Pet Sematary, which received a lot of criticism. Even so, Pet Sematary, which also stars John Lithgow, has now become a massive hit on streaming, FlixPatrol indicates.

The 2019 adaptation of Pet Sematary headed back to Paramount+ on July 1, after a hiatus on the streaming platform. The recent adaptation was distributed by Paramount Pictures. So, its presence on its streaming platform is not surprising, although it often surges on other services, as well.

Pet Sematary appeared in the Top 10 charts recently,...

Stephen King stories make some of the best pages to screen horror flicks. The gifted writer has given us many brilliant features like It, Carrie, The Boogeyman,andmany more. But Pet Semataryremains one story that keeps on giving with more horror and thrill. The movie has several versions, and each person has a favorite based on the generation they belong to. Nonetheless, the 2019 remake by director duo Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer is fresh in fans’ minds, and it has finally found a streaming home.

Per ComicBook, Pet Sematary is now available again on Paramount+. The movie, which was available on the streamer, has returned after a hiatus for fans to enjoy at leisure. The movie follows the Creed family, who relocate from Boston to rural Maine. When they discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home, tragedy strikes, and the patriarch, Louis, turns to his neighbor for help,...

Gold Derby is celebrating its 25th anniversary with our "25 in '25" series highlighting the best, worst and weirdest of the 2000s.

The Studio, the incisive new Seth Rogen comedy on Apple TV+, is a deliciously poignant look at the current state of Hollywood. It’s the best Hollywood satire in years, joining the ranks of films like Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, Federico Fellini’s 8½, Joel and Ethan Coen’s Barton Fink, and Robert Altman’s The Player. The new millennium has seen a host of intelligent satires poke fun at almost every aspect of showbiz, from the idiocy of out-of-touch executives to the perils of chasing and maintaining fame, from rampant industry racism and sexism to shifting audience tastes that make production painful.

Here are the 25 best Hollywood-skewing films and TV shows satires of the past 25 years.

25. Bamboozled (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes: 54% | Metacritic: 56%

One thing every creator should learn from...

The shortest month of the year will soon be a thing of the past and we set our sights on the Spring thaw and getting out from Old Man Winter's oppresive, frigid regime ... ... ... only to still stay inside and watch more movies.   Our friends at Arrow have announced March's programming on the Arrow Video Player. Headlined by the premiere of Dw Medoff's I Will Never Leave You Alone on March 10th, there is the expected swell of genre goodness to come. Arrow is also sharing the 4K version of Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling. There are a lot of cool titles from Japan, some cool cult gems in the mix, and Pet Sematary's Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer are next months Selects honorees.   ...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Arrow has revealed an electrifying new slate of films for March, delivering a mix of cult horror, psychological terror, and classic genre cinema. Films include chilling haunted house tales to a remastered giallo masterpiece, this month’s collection promises an unmissable selection for horror and cult film devotees.

The month kicks off on 3 March with Play It Cool, a long-lost Japanese drama that delves into the seedy underworld of Tokyo’s nightclub culture. Directed by Yasuz? Masumura, the film is a bold and stylish exploration of power, gender, and survival in a world dominated by men.

Following that, on 10 March, I Will Never Leave You Alone makes its exclusive debut on Arrow. This eerie, psychological horror from Dw Medoff offers a fresh take on the haunted house formula, weaving supernatural terror with a deeply unsettling sense of psychological unease. A descent into trauma and paranoia, the film has been described...

Occult horror is a broad umbrella that deals with the esoteric, witchcraft, mysticism, alchemy, spiritualism, cults, magic, and supernatural beliefs beyond mainstream religion and science. That pursuit of arcane knowledge yields no shortage of nightmarish terror here in the world of horror cinema, whether through violent cultists or demonic forces from another plane.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to occult horror movies that unsettle with haunting depictions of secret societies, sects, and supernatural terror. Here’s where to stream them.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

A Dark Song – AMC+, Shudder

Sophia Howard (Catherine Walker) contracts an acerbic, callous occultist, Joseph Solomon (Steven Oram), to help her enact the Abramelin Operation, a grueling 18-month dark magic ritual to meet with a guardian angel and receive a granted wish. As daunting as the spell can be, Sophia risks their work, lives, and souls by harboring a hidden agenda.

The Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox is home to a variety of unique horror content, from originals and exclusives to cult classics and documentaries. With such a rapidly-growing library, there are many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

Here are five recommendations you can stream on Screambox right now.

Evil Dead Trap

Mix up your January Giallo viewing with Evil Dead Trap. Although its title invokes Evil Dead – and there’s a bit of Sam Raimi-esque kineticism in the camerawork – the 1988 Japanese film shares more in common with the lurid Italian thrillers: a mysterious killer, elaborate murder set pieces, gruesome violence, stylish cinematography, a dreamlike atmosphere, and an infectious synth score.

Upon receiving a graphic snuff film, a late-night TV host (Miyuki Ono) rallies a small production crew to investigate its origins at an abandoned military base. The story plays out in a manner that could be considered a slasher, but...

For all of its innovative plots and wild ideas, so many of the horror genre's scariest concepts come from real life. Many creators understand the everyday fears that people go through, the everyday stress and worries that can be used to fuel whatever petrifying project they're trying to make. One of these is the horrors of Hollywood, with movies trying to capture just how terrifying the entertainment industry can be for those trying to succeed within it — though none do as well as Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer's Starry Eyes.

Exclusive: Walden Media has snapped up the life rights of Brian Schwartz, an advertising exec turned lawn care philanthropist known as “The Lawn Ranger,” for the development of a dramatic feature titled Grassroots.

Based on Schwartz’s true story, the film will explore his journey from corporate executive to a beacon of hope, as he selflessly mowed lawns for seniors, veterans, and the disabled during the Covid-19 pandemic and started a national movement. In Theory’s Samuel Kochman and Aperture’s Adam Goldworm will serve as producers, with Walden’s Frank Smith and Benjamin Tappan serving as executive producers.

In early 2020, when Schwartz faced the daunting challenge of unemployment after being let go from his advertising job, he found himself navigating a whirlwind of personal crises: his wife’s pregnancy and his father’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis. Initially seeking solace in mowing his own lawn,...

Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is a bold, grotesque, and satirical dive into the world of body horror, vanity, and Hollywood’s brutal fixation on youth. Following Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a fitness icon desperate to reclaim her glory days, the story explores the dark lengths one might go to for rejuvenation. When Elisabeth injects a mysterious elixir to regain her youthful appearance, it spawns her younger doppelgänger (Margaret Qualley), igniting a twisted rivalry between the two halves of her identity. In this candy-colored nightmare, The Substance exposes how our obsession with youth can lead to a moral struggle, haunted by the reflection staring back. If you enjoyed its surreal horror and piercing commentary, here are eight movies like The Substance that blend psychological depth, body horror, and biting satire.

1. Men (2022)

Alex Garland’s Men is a visceral psychological horror that delves into the cyclical trauma of grief and self-perception.

Coralie Fargeat’s ‘The Substance’ is a body horror masterpiece that’s as smart as it is gross, but the film’s exploration of vanity, desperation, and the male gaze have coursed through her entire filmography.

“Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect.”

This article contains spoilers for The Substance.

There have been sensationalist advertisements for radical, renegade filmmaking as far back as the days of William Castle’s boundary-breaking cinematic experiences. In an age where 20-minute standing ovations at film festivals are the norm and horror film screenings are accompanied by nurses, priests, and barf bags, it’s become increasingly easy to tone out and dismiss buzzy advertisements. It may therefore seem redundant and hollow to praise Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance as a body horror masterpiece that will make the audience scream, squirm, and spew, but it’s a rare...

Of all the subgenres of horror, body horror has a way of getting under our skin like no other, figuratively and otherwise. There’s no end to the creative ways body horror violates, mutilates, and mutates basic biology, finding endless ways to test the gag reflex in the process.

Body horror has also long provided fertile ground for filmmakers to explore the psychologically and physically disturbing ways human anatomy can be abused. Case in point? This week brings the theatrical release of The Substance, Coralie Fargeat’s rage-filled and absurdly funny body horror magnum opus. In celebration of one of the year’s best horror offerings so far, this week’s streaming picks are dedicated to body horror movies that’ll make you squirm.

Whether you’re in the mood for gallows humor or squeamish frights, these five body horror movies put the emphasis on repulsive horror filled with abnormal growths,...

Exclusive: Adam Goldworm’s Aperture Entertainment has signed Kyle McConaghy and Joe DeBoer, a Missouri filmmaking duo whose acclaimed horror thriller Dead Mail will soon have its Canadian premiere in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto Film Festival.

A mainstay on the genre festival circuit since its premiere this year at SXSW, Dead Mail has won a number of awards, including Best Film and Best Director at UK Fright Fest, and is currently rated 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Still in search of distribution, the film watches as an ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.

We’re told the viewing experience is as if you found a vintage Fincher VHS, lost to time, in the back of your ’80s video store. Veteran genre producers Roy Lee and Steven Schneider took to the film so strongly...

There’s some undeniable wisdom in that Mark Twain quote about writing what you know, and that’s likely the reason why some of the best films of all time are about filmmaking itself. This also applies to the horror genre, as we can see from beloved classics like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and even The Blair Witch Project.

And in honor of recent meta horror flicks like MaXXXine and The Exorcism (not to be confused with The Pope’s Exorcist), we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating 6 underrated Hollywood Horror Films that explore the dark side of show business.

For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining ‘Hollywood Horror’ as scary movies where filmmaking itself is a source of scares. That being said, we’ll be avoiding Found Footage movies since most of them are already exercises in meta storytelling.

With that out of the way,...

Trim Season

Production designer Ariel Vida's sophomore directorial feature, Trim Season, follows a group of young people who isolate themselves on a secluded farm in Northern California, making easy money trimming marijuana. When Emma (Bethlehem Million), Julia (Alex Essoe), and Dusty (Bex Taylor-Klaus), begin to suspect the farm and its matriarch Mona (Jane Badler) are shrouded in dark practices, they realise they might not escape with their lives.

When I connected with Essoe virtually, she was full of enthusiastic energy. The Canadian actress has long been a personal favourite genre performer after first seeing her in Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Starry Eyes. The visceral character she played in Marcus Dunstan's The Neighbour, opposite Josh Stewart, remains one of her most seductive and captivating performances. Together they show her emotional range, moving effortlessly between vulnerability and a cold, distant and rawer presence, that she has built upon throughout her career,...

After making the little-seen 2009 thriller Absence, the filmmaking duo of Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer went on to make the impressive 2014 horror film Starry Eyes, which led to them getting the chance to direct the 2019 remake of Pet Sematary. That movie didn’t become as popular as the original film, but it did earn over $100 million at the box office. Five years later, Kölsch and Widmyer have finally set up their next feature: the survival thriller The Swallow, which is set to star Grace Van Dien, who had a memorable role in season 4 of Stranger Things.

Kölsch and Widmyer wrote the screenplay for The Swallow, which was previously featured on the Bloodlist, a list assembled through a survey of industry professionals, who recommend their favorite unproduced thriller and horror scripts. Thanks to producers James Harris and Mark Lane of Tea Shop Productions, John Finemore of Lost City, Adam Goldworm of Aperture Entertainment,...

Kevin Kölsch & Dennis Widmyer, the duo behind Starry Eyes and the Pet Sematary remake, are back with the brand new survival horror film The Swallow, Deadline reports.

The cast for the film is led by Grace Van Dien (“Stranger Things”).

“Van Dien stars as Ziggy, who, along with her four friends, journeys out on a camping trip to a picturesque remote forest. But trespassing into an off-limits area, they awaken an uncanny terror in the woods… and a ravenous hunger from within the Earth. Soon, the ground itself is trying to swallow anything and anyone it comes into contact with and Ziggy and her friends have nowhere to run as every trembling step they take could be their last.”

Kölsch and Widmyer said in a statement, “The Swallow is a lean, mean horror film that never lets its foot off the gas. Essentially, one extended set piece of tension and...

The duo behind Pet Sematary have found their next project, with Deadline reporting that Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer will work on a survival thriller titled The Swallow. Grace Van Dien, known for playing Crissy Cunningham in Stranger Things, is attached to star in the project as Ziggy, with Kölsch and Widmyer also writing the screenplay for The Swallow. Before cameras on the movie start rolling during the summer, additional characters will be cast. There will be no escape for the lead characters of the upcoming story, which will be produced by James Harris, Mark Lane and John Finemore.

Exclusive: Pet Sematary filmmakers Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer have found their next project in the shape of survival thriller The Swallow, in which a group of teens are abandoned in a deadly forest.

The duo are teaming with producers James Harris and Mark Lane of Tea Shop Productions and John Finemore of Lost City (Watcher) on the project, which will star Grace Van Dien (Stranger Things).

The filmmakers also penned the screenplay for The Swallow, which previously landed on the Bloodlist, the best horror scripts of the year. Architect have launched for worldwide sales ahead of the EFM, and are co-representing U.S. rights with Verve Ventures. Filming is being lined up for the summer with additional casting underway.

Van Dien stars as Ziggy, who, along with her four friends, journeys out on a camping trip to a picturesque remote forest. But trespassing into an off-limits area,...

Warning: The following contains major spoilers for Pet Sematary (2019) and Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023).

In the Master of Horror’s vast collection, few stories cast a shadow so dark as Pet Sematary. Stephen King’s 1983 novel follows Louis Creed and his young family as they fall victim to the grim shadow of death lurking in the woods behind their new house. When the family’s cat Church dies, their friendly neighbor Jud Crandall leads Louis past the charming Pet Sematary deeper into the forest to a burial ground where the dead don’t rest easy. As darkness creeps closer, Louis’s young son Gage becomes the busy road’s next victim and the grieving father attempts to harness whatever power lies beyond the Pet Sematary to reverse the terrible tragedy threatening to destroy his life.

Directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer adapted King’s devastating novel in a 2019 film which reverses...

Quick Links Most Recent Pet Sematary Bloodlines 2 News Pet Sematary Bloodlines 2 Isn’t Confirmed Pet Sematary Bloodlines 2 Release Date Prediction Pet Sematary Bloodlines 2 Cast Pet Sematary Bloodlines 2 Story Pet Sematary: Bloodlines 2 is not confirmed yet and will likely depend on the success of the first movie in Lindsey Anderson Beer's prequel franchise. If greenlit, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines 2 may explore different points in Ludlow's history and focus on different characters besides Jud Crandall (Jackson White). The plot of Pet Sematary: Bloodlines 2 is unknown, but it has the potential to further explain Jud's transformation into the troubled man who warns Louis Creed about the dangers of the burial ground in Ludlow.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines 2 would continue the story of Lindsey Anderson Beer’s Stephen King prequel. The first movie in the Pet Sematary franchise from the writer-director, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines focused on the character of Jud Crandall prior to...

The Losers’ Club receive a letter from the Crandalls and return to Ludlow, Maine for the first time in years. Why? There’s been a series of murders. Unspeakable violence that sounds… otherworldly… perhaps from beyond the grave even. Whatever it is, it’s nothing the Losers haven’t seen before. After all, the undead is expected in King’s Dominion.

After much anticipation, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, the long-awaited prequel to Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer’s 2019 remake has arrived. Join Losers Randall Colburn, Justin Gerber, and Jenn Adams as they review the film, thirst over Hot Jud and Norma, praise the practical effects, and debate whether this IP is franchisable.

That’s not all. After you hear their thoughts, you can join Losers Michael Roffman and Jenn Adams as they speak to Pet Sematary: Bloodlines writer-director Lindsey Anderson Beer. Together, they discuss how the prequel came to fruition, what...

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines attempts to provide a more detailed explanation of the burial ground, but fails to fully reckon with the problematic cultural portrayal. The film unnecessarily focuses on an inconsequential character, Jud Crandall, instead of exploring the more intriguing backstory of the Mi'kmaq tribe and the town's residents. While the cast delivers committed performances, the film lacks genuine suspense or intrigue, and the cinematography feels flat. It may appeal to Stephen King fans, but isn't truly inspired.

In 2019, the Pet Sematary remake was released. Directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer and written by Jeff Buhler, the remake revisited the Creed family with a few minor tweaks that ultimately did not stray too far away from the original plot of the 1989 film. The consensus was that while the film had an updated look, the resurrected story offered very little. Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, a direct prequel to the novel and the 2019 film,...

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is a prequel to the 2019 film and focuses on the young Jud Crandall and his connection to the town of Ludlow. The horror prequel takes inspiration from a single chapter in Stephen King's novel and explores dark family secrets. The upcoming film delves deeper into the origins of the Pet Sematary and promises to be the most terrifying installment in the franchise yet.

The cast and crew of the upcoming horror prequel, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, including stars David Duchovny and Henry Thomas, discuss Paramount+'s approach to the franchise in a new featurette courtesy of Collider. The upcoming movie Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is directed by Lindsey Anderson Beer and written by Beer, Jeff Buhler, and Stephen King. Bloodlines stars Duchovny, Thomas, Jackson White, Forrest Goodluck, Natalie Alyn Lind, Jack Mulhern, Samantha Mathis, and Pam Grier.

The new movie serves as a prequel to the 2019 horror thriller...

Stephen King has given his seal of approval to Paramount+'s upcoming prequel film Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, praising David Duchovny's performance. The new film serves as a prequel to King's Pet Sematary and takes stylistic choices from the 2019 remake. It is set decades before the events of the original story. Pet Sematary: Bloodlines follows a young Jud Crandall as he discovers dark family secrets in Ludlow, Maine. It confronts an ancient evil that threatens to destroy everything. The film releases on October 6th.

Iconic author Stephen King recently gave his seal of approval for Paramount+'s upcoming prequel film Pet Sematary: Bloodlines.

The upcoming horror movie serves as a prequel to King's Pet Sematary, which itself was adapted into a much-loved movie in 1989 and again in 2019. The 2019 film was adapted from King's 1983 horror novel, and starred Jason Clarke, John Lithgow, Amy Seimetz, Alyssa Brooke Levine, Jeté Laurence, and Hugo Lavoie.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, a new film that serves as a prequel to the 2019 adaptation of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, has gotten an official trailer along with a premiere date.

Set to start streaming on Paramount+ on Oct. 6, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines goes back to the past, decades before the Creed family would have their unfortunate experience with the titular burial ground for pets. The new film follows a younger version of Jud Crandall, the neighbor played by Fred Gwynne in the original movie and John Lithgow in the 2019 film. Horror fans can get an early look at Jud's first visit to the cemetery by watching the new trailer below.

Related: 10 Creepiest Kids In Horror Movies

In Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, per the synopsis, "In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine, behind but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront...

One of Stephen King‘s famous tales of reanimation gone awry was reimagined in 2019 with Pet Sematary from Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer. John Lithgow would portray Jud Crandall in that adaptation. Now, behold the beginning of the story as Pet Sematary: Bloodlines shows fans how Jud first discovered the cursed graveyard. Paramount+ has just released the new trailer for the horror prequel. Those who wish to see it before its streaming premiere will be able to catch its debut at Fantastic Fest, which is set to be held at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, Texas, from September 21st – 28th. The movie will then be available on Paramount+ on October 6.

This film is boasting that it is an untold chapter from Stephen King’s original beloved story. The synopsis for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines will involve “a young Jud Crandall in 1969, who has dreams of leaving his hometown behind...

Dreams require sacrifice… and so do they.

August has been a significant month for Screambox, which celebrated the anniversary of Tobe Hooper’s original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, took a look back at the classic 1985 Clue in Who Done It: The Clue Documentary, got creature feature crazy with the sci-fi horror Subject, and had a blast with the Ghostbusters-inspired sci-fi horror comedy The Ghastly Brothers.

In addition to the extremely controversial The Woman hitting the streaming service last week, Screambox has now added the extremely popular cult horror Starry Eyes, the directorial debut of Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer (Pet Sematary), courtesy of MPI and Dark Sky Films.

In the city of dreams, a desperate actress will do whatever it takes for the role of a lifetime…no matter what the cost.

Kölsch and Widmyer’s Satanic take on Hollywood fame is filled with gross body horror, a shocking descent,...

Director Daphné Baiwir examines not the literary work of prolific author Stephen King but the vast body of ongoing adaptations of King’s work, beginning with 1976’s Carrie, in the documentary King on Screen. With over 80 films and TV series and counting, adapting his work by over 50 directors, the horror author remains one of the most adapted in the world. King on Screen assembles talking heads to examine what it is about his literary work that translates to the screen so well and why his audience remains captive decades later. However, the documentary’s feature format struggles to encapsulate its subject’s overwhelming scope.

Baiwir begins her examination with an extended opening sequence that sees her traversing a fictional realm packed with King references. She drives through a forest, emulating the opening of The Shining, until she arrives at a shop named after the short story “In the Tall Grass.

Guillermo del Toro has yet to helm an adaptation of a Stephen King story, and the one book he really wants to do is perfect for him. Over the decades, a truly impressive roster of filmmakers has picked over the work of King, from John Carpenter to David Cronenberg, Frank Darabont, Mike Flanagan, Stanley Kubrick and countless others. Even with a great director, some of these adaptations have been found wanting, as King's work can be tricky to condense into a two-hour movie. The author's work is so beloved that some of his most popular books have been adapted more than once.

Case in point is Pet Sematary, one King's darkest novels from his early career. This sees a grieving father bury his son Gage in the "sour," cursed ground of a local pet sematary, with the infant coming back to life and going on a killing spree. George A Romero...

Many of Stephen King’s stories have been adapted to TV and film for decades, but not all of them have been as successful as the source material, and King himself has been very honest about the ones he doesn’t like, among them the 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary – and here’s why he didn’t like it. The first adaptation of a Stephen King novel was Brian de Palma’s Carrie, in 1976, two years after the novel’s publication, and since then, many other novels and short stories have followed, some even with multiple adaptations.

The 1980s saw a variety of Stephen King adaptations, among them Pet Sematary, directed by Mary Lambert and with a screenplay by King. Pet Sematary was a box office hit, but it didn’t do as well with critics, who found it lacking credibility, motivation, and not being as scary as the novel, though with time,...

It’s hard to forget one of the first disabled women I ever saw on the big screen. In the 1989 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, “Pet Sematary,” Zelda (Andrew Hubatsek), the deceased sister of Rachel Creed (Denise Crosby), suffers from spinal meningitis. She is seen predominately in flashbacks, and Zelda becomes a literal and metaphorical ghost who haunts Rachel throughout the film. Zelda is skeletal, her spine deformed.

To see Zelda in the film is to see a monster.

Growing up with a bone disability, Zelda utterly terrified me, because I had no other disabled women, on screens large or small or elsewhere, to compare her to. To me, I wasn’t just scared of Zelda because the movie portrayed her as a villain, I was scared because I worried that this is what disabled women ended up like. That this is what I was going to end up like.

Timur Bekmambetov, the filmmaker behind the action banger "Wanted," is developing a new cinematic universe based on iconic comic book writer and publisher Stan Lee's work -- but this universe might hold more bumps in the night. Under Bekmambetov's production banner, Bazelevs, the "Night Watch" director is assembling a series of connected films based on Lee's unexplored horror works, with Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer, and Matt Greenberg taking care of the screenplay.

Bazelevs will be working arm-in-arm with producer Ara Keshishian's Zq Entertainment on "Sawbones" and "Carnival of Killers." Lee's Pow! Entertainment, co-founded with Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman after Lee's...

The post Stan Lee's Horror Comics To Get The Cinematic Universe Treatment From Timur Bekmambetov appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: Wanted filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov and his production banner Bazelevs are in development on a new cinematic universe based on the unexploited horror works by Stan Lee.

Bazelevs will team with Zq Entertainment, a production company belonging to CAA vet and producer Ara Keshishian, on Sawbones and Carnival of Killers, both of which show a darker side of Lee’s world. Stan Lee’s Pow! Entertainment, the company the comic book architect co-founded post-Marvel, will serve as EPs on the projects.

Sawbones follows a frail 12-year old, Alex Covin, who reads a mysterious comic book and is transported into the comic’s terrifying world: a haunted Juvenile Detention Center overrun by demonic forces led by Sawbones, a homicidal entity who preys upon the troubled inmates. Has Alex gone insane? Or is this nightmarish world his new reality? If he is to escape, Alex must find a way to defeat Sawbones,...

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror Review — Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror (2021) Film Review from the 25th Annual Fantasia International Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Kier-La Janisse, featuring Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer, Piers Haggard, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched: A History Of Folk Horror: A Spooky, Gargantuan Marvel of Genre Analysis [Fantasia 2021]...

Pam Grier has boarded the Pet Sematary prequel in the works at Paramount+. The upcoming movie, which is still as of yet untitled, serves as a prequel to the studio's reboot that was released in theaters in 2019. Not much else has been revealed about the plot, but the prequel will delve into the origin story of the cursed graveyard that brings back the dead as something much more sinister than they were before.

As of now, details about Grier's role in the Pet Sematary prequel haven't been revealed. Several names have previously been announced for the cast, as it's been reported that Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) will play a young Jud Crandall, the elderly neighbor played by John Lithgow in the reboot and Fred Gwynne in the original Pet Sematary. The prequel also stars Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant), Jack Mulhern (Mare of Easttown), Natalie Alyn Lind (The Goldbergs), and Isabella...

Lindsey Beer will direct Paramount Player’s follow-up adaptation of 2019’s “Pet Sematary,” based on Stephen King’s bestseller, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.

Beer also wrote the most recent script based off a draft by Jeff Buhler. The film will debut exclusively on Paramount+. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian will produce.

Plot details are being kept under wraps.

The film was announced in February as part of the studio’s new push to move original content to the relaunched streamer.

King wrote the book in 1983, which was adapted into a film in 1989 and in 2019. The 1989 film was directed by Mary Lambert and starred Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Blaze Berdahl, Fred Gwynne and Miko Hughes. It grossed $57.5 million on a budget of $11.5 million, and a sequel was released in 1992.

The second film adaptation from 2019 starred Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz and John Lithgow. Directed by Kevin Kölsch...

A reimagining currently known as Paranormal Activity 7 and a prequel to Stephen King's Pet Sematary are confirmed and will be heading straight to Paramount's new streaming service, Paramount+. The Paranormal Activity reboot was a project that fans were already aware of, but the Pet Sematary prequel comes as a complete surprise. The former was originally scheduled to be released in theaters on March 4, 2022, though it is unknown whether the streaming release will keep this same date, while the latter's release schedule is unknown at this time but would likely also hit screens the same year.

The new installment in the Paranormal Activity activity franchise has already tapped Underwater's William Eubank to helm the project, which will be written by Christopher Landon, who has previously written four movies in the hugely successful found footage horror series. While details of the direction for this reimagining are currently unknown, it has...

With Clapboard Jungle, filmmaker Justin McConnell brings together two things I’m extremely passionate about: genre-driven documentaries and independent horror. Most people may not know this about me, but years (and years) ago, I created and spearheaded a movement known as Indie Horror Month as a means to help underrepresented content creators in the horror filmmaking community have an opportunity to get their moment in the spotlight. It’s been something I’ve wanted to resurrect, especially because it seems so hard these days for truly independent voices to be heard, but trying to carve out that time has been difficult.

That being said, when I read the description for Clapboard Jungle, I knew this was going to be something that would be extremely pertinent to my interests and McConnell didn’t let me down. The project is an enlightening look at the ups and downs that many indie filmmakers are constantly facing,...

It’s that time again. Another year has come to an end. Another decade, even. We defied the odds and live to fight another day, just like horror cinema proved itself – once again – a genre that continues to survive, adapt and thrive. Even at that, 2019 was an odd year for horror in that mainstream titles featuring household villains ended up leaving less of a mark than so many vastly different indies (in my opinion). If anything, 2019 was a reminder of the tremendous diversity among horror subgenres that offer a cornucopia of terror. Take your pick, choose your fate and dive into Part I of our top horror movies of 2019.

20) Pledge

In a year when toxic masculinity takedowns skewered fratboy culture on a rotating spit, Pledge paddles Greek life into submission. Three boys, a “dudes only” initiation and the true meaning of “Hell Night.” Director Daniel Robbins and writer Zack Weiner...

“The Blackcoat’s Daughter” director Osgood Perkins has signed on to write and direct the supernatural thriller “Incident at Fort Bragg” for Lionsgate.

The project is inspired by the true story of Irish priest Malachi Martin, who was brought in by the U.S. government to perform a sanctioned exorcism on a young soldier at Fort Bragg, N.C., the largest military installation in the world.

FlynnPictureCo’s Beau Flynn will produce. Flynn previously produced “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” which totaled $144 million worldwide for Screen Gems, and “The Rite,” starring Anthony Hopkins, which earned $96 million worldwide.

Scott Glassgold of Ground Control Entertainment is also a producer, with Scott Sheldon of FlynnPictureCo serving as executive producer. Meredith Wieck and Aaron Edmonds are overseeing development of the project for Lionsgate.

In addition to writing and directing A24’s “The Blackcoat’s Daughter,” starring Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka, Perkins wrote and helmed...

Lucky New Yorkers will have an unprecedented opportunity to view Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary. The show happens July 9th, kicking off at 9 Pm (Est) at the Koneko Cat Café, 26 Clinton St. What’s more, there will be some special guests. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Jeté Laurence, who gave […] The post New Yorkers: Win a “Purrfect” Evening Watching Pet Sematary Surrounded by Cats + Steelbook Giveaway! appeared first on Dread Central.

2019 is a red-letter year for Stephen King. We’ve already seen Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary and we’ve got It: Chapter Two coming in September with Doctor Sleep to look forward to in November. We’ve also got new seasons of Mr. Mercedes and Castle Rock in the works, not to mention remakes of […] The post Alamo Drafthouse Celebrating “King-Sized Summer” with Films of Stephen King on the Big Screen appeared first on Dread Central.

Be aware there are spoilers for Pet Sematary. Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer's Pet Sematary took some big swings when it came to adapting Stephen King's celebrated horror classic. They caused quite a stir when Paramount revealed the new adaptation swapped an undead Gage for an undead Ellie, the film's re-imagined ending proved quite a talking point in its own right, but one of the biggest changes in their adaptation centered on dear Jud and never fully made it to the final cut. But we've got an exclusive deleted scene from the upcoming Pet …...

Yesterday, we shared a chilling alternate ending for Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s recent adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. Today, we’ve got another spooky deleted scene (courtesy of our friends at Bloody Disgusting). Watch as the creepy kids in masks torment the dreams of the Creed family in the footage embedded at the top […] The post Special Features Announced for Pet Sematary 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray/DVD + “Night Terrors” Clip appeared first on Dread Central.

Everyone loves a good Stephen King adaptation, good being the key word there. This year’s remake of Pet Sematary was divisive, sitting at a measly 57% on Metacritic (although our own Matt Donato seemed to enjoy it). One of the major criticisms was just how far the film divulged from the book, which led some to claim the original 1989 effort was a better adaptation, at least in that regard. Be that as it may, in anticipation of the upcoming home video release of the remake, the directors have now shared the original, scripted ending, and you can check it out down below.

What changed, exactly? Well, in the film proper, during the climactic fight between Louis (Jason Clarke) and his re-animated daughter Ellie (Jete Laurence), Louis’s knocked out at one point, during which time Ellie buries her near death mother, Rachel (Amy Siemetz). Louis wakes back up and just...

The ending of Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary was completely gut-wrenching, but an alternate cut shared by Entertainment Weekly over the weekend is even more fucked up! Give it a spin below, but be warned: The context of these scene takes us into Spoiler Territory! Per EW: As in the climax of the […] The post See It Now: Alternate Ending to Pet Sematary is Even More F***ed Up appeared first on Dread Central.