News

Felissa Rose, Sadie Katz, James Pratt, Eva Hamilton, Lew Temple, Rufus Dorsey, Randy Charach

Michael Merino, ( Acceleration ), is set to deliver another spine-chilling thriller with his upcoming horror film, Texas Nightmare. Felissa Rose and Lew Temple ( The Walking Dead ) have joined the cast which already includes Sadie Katz, James Pratt, Eva Hamilton and Rufus Dorsey ( Pearl Harbor ).

Texas Nightmare is being produced by veteran producer Randy Charach, whose past credits include John Travolta’s The Fanatic, Beyond the Law with Steven Segal, and Wild Oats, with Demi Moore, Jessica Lange, and Shirley MacLaine.

The plot revolves around Angie (Katz), who, in order to complete a novel, heads to an isolated home in Texas Hill Country owned by a mysterious man named Tepes (Pratt). Soon she finds herself at the center of a life-and-death struggle.

Rounding out the cast is Chelsea Newman ( Nope ), Jon Castro ( Stitches ) and David E Bailey ( Clutch...

Director Michael Merino’s upcoming action-thriller “Clutch,” starring Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6), Kaiwi Lyman (Den of Thieves), Augie Duke (Mayans M.C.), Mike Ferguson (Showdown at the Grand), with Michael Pare’ (Streets of Fire) and Vernon Wells (Mad Max 2) has wrapped production and is headed into post.

“Clutch” was partially inspired by true events; writer-producer Michael Merino based the story on a real life car-jacking of a female rideshare-driver who was taken hostage by a criminal on the run from his less-than-law-abiding accomplices, who were involved in a deleterious enterprise that was never solved.

According to the official logline, “Clutch” follows the story of Tonya (Sadie Katz), whose life is in a bit of a shambles and works as a share-driver to make ends-meet, and is under the thumb of her sugar daddy (Michael Pare’). One evening while working Tonya is car-jacked and finds herself in the dark underbelly of the city’s mob.

Stars: Dolph Lundgren, Natalie Burn, Sean Patrick Flanery, Chuck Liddell, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Danny Trejo, Al Sapienza, Olya Banar, Riccardo Berdini, Ryan Carnes, Neb Chupin, Joe Corzo | Written by Michael Merino | Directed by Michael Merino, Daniel Zirilli

I’ve been a big fan of actress Natalie Burn since her role in 2016’s Left to Die (aka Awaken). That film, which she also co-wrote, saw her take the lead role in a Most Dangerous Game-esque movie but be sidelined by the marketing materials who focused on the appearance of Vinnie Jones in the cast. And Acceleration does something very similar.

To the uninitiated Acceleration looks like yet another Dtv star-vehicle for Dolph Lundgren; hell, even the cast listing atop the DVD cover puts Sean Patrick Flanery, Lundgren and Chuck Liddell ahead of Burns. But this Is Burns’ film, she and her character are the driving force behind the action. It...

Veteran plays crime boss who kidnaps boy of woman who betrayed him.

Los Angeles-based CineTel Films has acquired worldwide rights to the action feature Acceleration to star Dolph Lundgren and Natalie Burn from Expendables 3.

Lundgren will play a crime lord who is betrayed by someone close to him and kidnaps her son in revenge, only to discover the boy may be his. Samy Naceri also stars, and Michael Merino directs from his screenplay.

“Acceleration is an extraordinarily compelling action film that boasts a stellar cast headlined by Dolph Lundgren, the renowned Swedish actor and martial artist who first came to...

By Colleen Wanglund, MoreHorror.com

Horrorfind Weekend 14

Once again Labor Day weekend rolled around and it was time for another trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for the Horrorfind Weekend Convention.

The convention combines all things horror—books, movies, collectibles, etc—and that’s what I really enjoy about it. Last year I had a blast, getting to meet authors I knew online in person and hang out with friends who live in other parts of the country but gather in Gettysburg once a year.

This year’s movie guests included Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange {1971}, Halloween {2007}, and Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse), Ray Wise (Robocop {1987} and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks), Doug Bradley (the Hellraiser series), Mary Woronov (The House Of The Devil {2009}, Eating Raoul {1982}, Death Race 2000 {1975}) and Patty Mullen (Frankenhooker {1990}).

There were quite a few authors representing the small horror press Samhain Publishing, including John Everson, Brian Moreland, David Bernstein,...

2011 - 105 mins. - Not Rated

D: Michael Merino

C: Tracy Teague, Joe Estevez, Ken Arnold, Regen Wilson, Julie Price, Mick McGuire, Suzi Lorraine

A couple purchase a former halfway house for shell shocked soldiers with the intent of renovating it into a bed and breakfast, but the house's dark history comes back to haunt the couple and their friends. 

"The Haunting of Pearson Place" is one of those films that is all over the map. The story really doesn't make much sense. Chunks of the film either drag on much longer then necessary or are far too repetitive. And some of the film's better scenes, feel as though they belong in an entirely different film all together. Mick McGuire steals the film in a performance that strikes the right balance between being funny and generating tension & unease, however his scenes are not conductive to a haunted house / supernatural thriller. That's...

From McM Films and director Michael Merino (The Haunting of Pearson Place) comes a new take on the vampire legend - Drakul starring horror legend Joe Estevez (Soultaker). A group of "Vampire Killers" must stop a handsome JFK Jr type from solidifying his political power and his ultimate goal of starting a new world order. 

Sen. Drake is a wealthy, handsome, and well-connected - and perhaps a Vampire? He is on a quest to use his political power to initiate a sinister Vampire rapture upon the world. As Drake pursues increasing political power, he is being hunted by a group simply known as "Cronos". The members of Cronos - labeled as international terrorists - will risk all to save the world from the darkness of Drake and his minions, known as The Drakul.

Drakul is currently in pre-production and is expected to film in spring 2012 in the Washington DC area.

Joe Estevez (Scar), Suzi Lorraine (Bikini Girls on Ice), Logan Anderson (One Tree Hill), Matthew James Gulbranson (Ninjas vs. Vampires), Ken Arnold (Dog) and Tracy Teague (Respire) star in a supernatural themed horror film directed by Michael Merino of   

The Haunting of Pearson Place  

Director Michael Merino just unleashed this teaser trailer (see below) for his latest effort. The film which is currently in post production is expected to have a release date in late Spring. 

The Haunting of Pearson Place: In hopes of rebuilding their once-storybook marriage, Gwen and Steven (a young, attractive and successful couple) purchase a vacant Victorian house in a small town, intent on rebuilding the once beautiful house along with their marriage. The house at Pearson Place was once used as a hospice for returning soldiers from World War I. The now long-dead veterans were expecting kindness upon arrival at Pearson Place only to...

Joe Estevez, Suzi Lorraine, Logan Anderson, Tracy Teague, Matthew James Gulbranson, Ken Arnold and Gabriel Voss star in director Michael Merino's haunted house horror thriller chiller "The Haunting of Pearson Place". 

The Haunting of Pearson Place deals with a couple, Gwen and Steven (a young, attractive and successful couple), who in hopes of rebuilding their once-storybook marriage, purchase a vacant Victorian home in a small town, intent on rebuilding the once beautiful house along with their marriage. The house at Pearson Place was once used as a hospice for returning soldiers from World War I. The now long-dead veterans were expecting kindness upon arrival at Pearson Place only to find that the war was Heaven compared to the house which is truly Hell. Our modern day couple intend to use the house as a B&B, but Pearson Place and its previous tenants have their own ideas.

The film...