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"I dare you, city girl." "You're on, cowboy." The CW and Fathom Events have revealed an official trailer for a cowboy romance movie titled Montana Mavericks, which is getting a theatrical debut in theaters this August. This Montana love story is basically a TV movie made for / by The CW, but they're upping the ante opening it in theaters for a few days first. "These feel-good stories, inspired by hugely successful blockbuster Harlequin novels, are the perfect blend of nostalgia and escapism, and thanks to our exciting partnership with Fathom, we're thrilled to bring these movies to the big screen first—giving fans the chance to laugh, swoon, and fall in love, together in theaters this summer." Montana Mavericks is about a New York City gal who goes to Montana to sell off a family ranch, only to suddenly fall for the charming cowboy veterinarian from next door, of course.

“Days of our Lives” alum True O’Brien is set to star in “Recipe for Romance,” one of six original primetime movies slated to premiere later this fall on The CW, inspired by beloved and bestselling Harlequin novels.

In the movie, would-be enemies turn into heartwarming lovers in the story of two warring businesses in Little Manila. Sari (O’Brien) is given the long overdue opportunity to prove herself when her parents head for vacation, placing the family’s coffee shop in her hands. Sari’s big plans are derailed when a bakery run by the annoyingly handsome and charming Gabe opens right next door. This launches a prank war to end all prank wars, bringing Sari and Gabe together in a story of love, family, community, and irresistibly delicious pastries. In the week leading up to the big Little Manila Festival, the two competitors clash, kiss, and make up as...

The CW is turning up the romantic heat with a slate of six original primetime movies premiering later this fall, based on beloved and bestselling Harlequin novels. Presented by CW Originals, Centinel Media, and Bell Media, developed in association with Fremantle, and produced by Neshama Entertainment, these heartwarming romances feature fan-favorite stars from hit CW series.

Kicking off the lineup in cinematic style, The CW has teamed up with Fathom Entertainment, the leading specialty distributor of content to theatrical partners worldwide, to premiere the first of these movies, Montana Mavericks, in select theaters nationwide on August 26-27, giving fans an early, big-screen experience before the film’s television debut.

Montana Mavericks

“The CW has been building a passionate weekend audience of movie lovers, and this new slate of original films is for romance fans everywhere,” said Heather Olander, Head of Scripted and Unscripted Content.

“These feel-good stories, inspired by hugely successful blockbuster Harlequin novels,...

The CW is getting into the primetime movie business with six upcoming films based on Harlequin romance novels.

The network will begin airing the original movies in Fall 2025, but the first one will get a limited theatrical release this summer thanks to Fathom Entertainment.

Montana Mavericks, starring Katherine McNamara, will be released in theaters from August 26-27 ahead of its network debut later in the year. The other five movies will all premiere in primetime.

“The CW has been building a passionate weekend audience of movie lovers, and this new slate of original films is for romance fans everywhere,” CW’s head of scripted and unscripted content Heather Olander said (via Variety). “These feel-good stories, inspired by hugely successful blockbuster Harlequin novels, are the perfect blend of nostalgia and escapism, and thanks to our exciting partnership with Fathom Entertainment, we’re thrilled to bring these films to the big screen...

The CW’s yet-to-be-revealed fall slate will include a half-dozen TV-movies based on “beloved and bestselling Harlequin novels,” it was announced on Tuesday.

Danielle Panabaker (The Flash), Katherine McNamara (Arrow, Walker Independence) and Amber Riley (Glee) are among the movies’ headliners.

More from TVLineNetflix's Perfect Match Adds a Former Bachelor and Bachelorette to Season 3 Cast - See the Full LineupVampire Diaries Boss Julie Plec Still Has Ideas for Another Spinoff: 'All Anybody Has to Do Is Ask'The Pitt Season 2 Adds Sepideh Moafi as New Series Regular Katherine McNamara and Danielle PanabakerCourtesy of Everett Collection

First out of the gate will be Montana Mavericks,...

The CW has ordered six original primetime movies based on Harlequin romance novels, the first of which will get a theatrical release in August in a partnership with Fathom Entertainment.

Starring “Walker: Independence” actress Katherine McNamara, “Montana Mavericks” will be released nationwide in select theaters Aug. 26-27. The film will then debut on the CW broadcast network this fall, followed by primetime-only airings for the other five movies in the channel’s Harlequin series: “Ordinary Girl in a Tiara,” “Paws in the City,” “Recipe for Romance,” “Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell,” and “Second Guessing Fate.”

Presented by CW Originals, Centinel Media and Bell Media, developed in association with Fremantle and produced by Neshama Entertainment, these films star a curated list of CW vets like McNamara, including actors from “Gossip Girl” and “The Flash.” The six movies will be distributed internationally by Fox Entertainment Global.

The film announcement comes as...

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Prime Video is ready with an entertainment-packed October this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some of Prime Video’s best original shows including The Legend of Vox Machina and also new hit movies like Challengers. Just like every month, Prime Video is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 12 new movies and TV shows coming to Prime Video in October 2024.

Challengers (October 1)

Challengers is a romantic sports drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino from a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes. The 2024 film revolves around a love triangle between an injured tennis star turned coach, her low-circuit tennis player ex-boyfriend, and her tennis champion husband in a span of 13 years. Challengers stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist in the lead roles with Darnell Appling, Shane Harris,...

If you grew up in the ’90s, you’re more than familiar with how a tween or teen girl’s hobbies and interests were crucial to their identity.

For a long time in the ’90s and early ’00s, “Horse Girls” reigned powerfully, whether you actively pursued equestrian skills on ranches and in stalls or simply admired the entire concept from afar.

For those looking for their next endearing coming-of-age series, Beyond Black Beauty is perfect for you.

(Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios/Canva Overlay) Is Beyond Black Beauty Inspired By a Book?

Yes.

Beyond Black Beauty is actually inspired by the classic Anna Sewell novel Black Beauty.

As a result, the series is advertised as a reimagining of the novel.

Chicago Pd Showrunner Gwen Sigan Teases “Season of Identity,” New Dynamics, and More!by Jasmine Blu Beyond Black Beauty Season 1: Premiere Date, Trailer, and Everything We Knowby Jasmine Blu...

Today, Prime Video released the trailer and key art for Beyond Black Beauty, which was inspired by the iconic novel Black Beauty.

All eleven episodes of Beyond Black Beauty will be available on October 15 exclusively on Prime Video in the US and UK.

Beyond Black Beauty follows young equestrian Jolie Dumont, whose Olympic dreams are dashed when her mother moves them from Belgium to her family’s urban ranch in Baltimore. An angry Jolie wants to escape until she bonds with a spirited horse named Black Beauty.

Jolie will learn to embrace her heritage while continuing toward her Olympic-hopeful future and discover the value of family and home.

The series stars Kaya Coleman (Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders) as Jolie Dumont, Gina James (Transplant), Sagine Sémajuste (Grand Army), Lisa Berry (Supernatural), and Gilles Marini (Sex and the City).

The project is executive produced by Leif and Agnes Bristow, Blair Powers,...

Exclusive: NBC and Universal TV are developing Keats (w/t), a new drama series from Bassett Vance Productions, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s production banner.

The duo executive produce the project alongside Bassett Vance Productions President, Lynnette Ramirez and writer Pilar Golden.

Keats follows Alex Keats, a fourth-generation police officer who walked away from the badge and her family, who returns to Philadelphia to bury her mother. Mom is a decorated officer who supposedly died by suicide. The closer Alex gets to discovering the truth about her mother’s death, the closer she gets to joining her family back on the force … where she belongs.

Bassett Vance Productions most recently produced the Showtime film Heist 88 written by Dwayne Johnson-Cochran, Bassett and Vance’s producing partner. Ramirez joined the company in 2021 with a focus on developing and uplifting Bipoc projects and storytellers.

Stars: Kaya Coleman, Trey Anderson, Scarlett Sperduto, Cissy Ly, David Mitchum Brown | Written and Directed by Zac Locke

While Santa Isn’t Real is only his second film as a director, the supernatural slasher #Float being his first, Zac Locke is no stranger to the genre. He has a long string of credits as a producer on films ranging from Mercy Black and Climate of the Hunter to, for better or worse, the most recent version of Black Christmas.

Santa Isn’t Real opens with Nikki ignoring a text from her boyfriend Nathan (Trey Anderson; Performance Anxiety) to celebrate with spiked eggnog and a bottle of Zoloft As the clock strikes midnight Santa comes down the chimney and attacks her before eating the cookies, laying a finger aside his nose and going back up the chimney. The attack leaves her in a coma for nearly a year. She comes out of it days before Christmas,...

Awakened from a coma nearly one year after surviving a near-death experience, Nikki (Kaya Coleman) just wants to enjoy this Christmas with her friends at a secluded cabin in the woods, but as the snow piles up outside and the eggnog is knocked back inside, Nikki's sanity is questioned when she insists that the person who tried to kill her last Christmas Eve was none other than not-so-jolly Saint Nick... and he may be coming back down the chimney to finish what he started.

This is the snowbound setup for the new psychological slasher Santa Isn't Real, and with the film now on Digital and VOD via XYZ Films and Rotting Press, I had a chance to catch up with writer/director Zac Locke (Float) to discuss his new movie, including the importance of subverting audience's expectations, creating a creepy take on a killer Santa Claus, keeping elements of the story ambiguous,...

Between Thanksgiving and It’s a Wonderful Knife, it’s been an especially rewarding year for seasonal slasher fans, an esteemed group that Santa Isn’t Real does not join. Writer and director Zac Locke’s low-budget Christmas massacre barely has a pulse until the final few minutes, only thanks to a few teaspoons of gore. Performances are stiff, characters have no spatial awareness with a killer on the loose, and technical elements can get pretty ugly, all dooming this snoozy Christmas Horror dud to the naughty list.

The film opens with the eggnog-sipping Nikki (Kaya Coleman) cozying up by the fire after setting red frosted cookies and milk by a decorated tree per Christmas traditions. Much to Nikki’s surprise, Santa shimmies down her chimney — and slices her arm open with a kitchen knife before bashing her unconscious with a snowglobe. A year later, Nikki wakes from her coma...

Out on VOD / digital on Friday, December 8th, we have an exclusive preview of Santa Isn't Real that you can watch right now!

"After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas eve, a young woman, Nikki, struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive."

Written and Directed by: Zac Locke (The Voyeurs, Black Christmas) Country of Origin: USA Language: English Genre: Horror Distributor: XYZ Films Run Time: 76 minutes Cast: Scarlett Sperduto, Dana Millican, Kaya Coleman

The post Watch an Exclusive Clip from Santa Isn’T Real appeared first on Daily Dead.

Santa Isn't Real: "After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas eve, a young woman, Nikki, struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive."

Written and Directed by: Zac Locke (The Voyeurs, Black Christmas) Country of Origin: USA Language: English Genre: Horror Distributor: XYZ Films Run Time: 76 minutes Cast: Scarlett Sperduto, Dana Millican, Kaya Coleman

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The Cello: "Like many musicians, accomplished Saudi cellist Nasser (Samer Ismail) has aspirations for greatness, though he feels like he’s held back by the old, dilapidated instrument he’s forced to play. When Nasser is offered the chance to take possession of a gorgeous red cello by a mysterious shop owner (Tobin Bell), he finds new inspiration both for his playing and for his composing.

From Santastein and There's Something in the Barn to A Creature Was Stirring and The Sacrifice Game, holiday horror is alive and well even in the days after All Hallows' Eve, and Zac Locke has more seasonal scares to add to your watch list with his new film Santa Isn't Real.

Following a group of friends being stalked by a killer who may or may not be Kris Kringle, Santa Isn't Real is coming to Digital and VOD on December 8th via XYZ Films and Rotting Press, and we have a look at the trailer and poster ahead of its release!

Written and directed by Zac Locke, Santa Isn't Real stars Scarlett Sperduto, Dana Millican, and Kaya Coleman.

Synopsis: "After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas eve, a young woman, Nikki, struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to...

Ol’ Kris Kringle wants everyone to have a Scary Little Christmas in Santa Isn’t Real. Bloody Disgusting can exclusively reveal the trailer for the upcoming holiday horror film, which offers a psychological twist to the killer Santa concept.

The holiday horror movie will be spreading holiday fear when it arrives on VOD and Digital on December 8 from XYZ films, with a limited theatrical release in Los Angeles.

In the film, “After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas eve, a young woman, Nikki, struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol’ Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive.”

The trailer below decks the halls with murder and cheer, and teases a psychological component when Nikki finds herself trying to convince everyone that Santa is indeed real.

When a vlogger and her crew embark on their annual river float, they are plunged into a life and death battle with a sinister paranormal force.   Starting today readers in the U.S. can watch the horror flick #Float for free on the streaming service Tubi. Because there is no movie like a free movie!    #Float is the directorial debut of longtime producer Zac Locke and stars Scarlett Sperduto, Kaya Coleman, Grant Morningstar, Christina Nguyen, Kate Mayhew, Miguel Muñoz, Matt Wise and Cristobal Reyes.    XYZ Films have asked us to share with you the second trailer for the flick. Check it out below.   ...

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

Coming to VOD and digital platforms on December 9th from XYZ Films, #Float is the directorial debut from Zac Lock and we have an an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers!

"Young, beautiful and full of life, vlogger Kali and her friends are heading to the river for their annual float, but it's the first time since their friend overdosed and drowned last year. Their partying turns deadly as a sinister paranormal force plunges them into a life and death struggle forcing them to face their own fears as they turn on each other - and proceed to die one by one.

#Float skillfully plays on classic tropes of ’80s slasher films – beautiful young, selfish people blithely ignore warnings about the dangers awaiting them and then get gruesomely killed off – while employing a modern sensibility."

Written and Directed by: Zac Locke (The Voyeurs, Black Christmas) Country of Origin: USA...

Stars: Kate Mayhew, Miguel Muñoz, Scarlett Sperduto, Kaya Coleman, Grant Morningstar, Christina Nguyen, Ophelia Lichtenstein, Cristobal Reyes | Written and Directed by Zac Locke

#Float, the debut feature from producer turned writer/director Zac Locke, is the latest vlogger/influencer-themed horror film to be washed up onto my viewing list. It’s the story of Kali Fyre (Kate Mayhew) an aspiring online celebrity who lives with her less than supportive boyfriend Jackson (Miguel Muñoz).

Every year they and some friends, Madison, Dee, Blake, Zola (Christina Nguyen; Lion) take a float trip down a local river, but this year the mood is a bit different. One of their group died of an Od on last year’s trip and they’re going to scatter his ashes on the river this year. That just adds to the tension between Kali and Jackson. It also doesn’t help that Dee is interested in Blake...

It’s the first full week of December, and we’re kicking off the final month of the year with a handful of brand new horror movies – including three Christmas-themed holiday horrors.

It’s that time of the year, after all…

Here’s all the new horror releasing December 6 – December 11, 2022!

First up, Cinedigm and Bloody Disgusting present Argentinian horror movie History of the Occult on Screambox today, which was notably the highest-rated horror movie of 2021 on Letterboxd‘s Year in Review roundup, as rated by Letterboxd users.

From writer/director Cristian Ponce (creator of the animated series “The Kirlian Frequency”), History of the Occult pulls viewers deep into a world of conspiracy and witchcraft.

Filmed in black and white and set in the 1980s, History of the Occult takes place during the last broadcast of the #1 news show on TV, ’60 Minutes Before Midnight.’

“A band of journalists races against time to convince the lead guest,...

Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions Presents Quiet Part Loud, A Fictional Horror Podcast with Immersive Audio and Sound Design: "Conservative radio personality Rick Egan (Tracy Letts) lost his platform in the wake of 9/11 for spreading xenophobic rumors surrounding a group of missing Muslim teenagers. Eight years later, a washed-up Rick is slumming it on the convention circuit when a mysterious woman (Christina Hendricks) presents a tantalizing revelation: One of the missing teens is back. This sends Rick on a quest for vindication as he follows a trail of unfathomable events. He is left face to face with the true culprit…The Blank (Taran Killam), a faceless sound parasite that thrives on the air of hatred. Rick receives a Faustian bargain from the mysterious entity and is about to find out exactly how far he will go to claw his way back to the top."

About Quiet Part Loud

"From Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions,...

If you miss the ’80s supernatural slashers of yesteryear then you’re in luck; #Float swims into release next month.

XYZ Films will release the film domestically on Digital and Vod on December 9, 2022.

Zac Locke, producer behind 2019’s Black Christmas, wrote and directed #Float. The slasher promises to play with the classic slasher tropes while updating them with modern sensibilities.

The slasher follows “Young, beautiful and full of life, vlogger Kali and her friends are heading to the river for their annual float, but it’s the first time since their friend overdosed and drowned last year. Their partying turns deadly as a sinister paranormal force plunges them into a life and death struggle forcing them to face their own fears as they turn on each other – and proceed to die one by one.”

The brand new trailer below teases some of the killer mayhem, featuring characters prone to the...

After spending two years as the Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs at Blumhouse Productions and producing such films as Country Gold, Vengeance, The Voyeurs, and the poorly received 2019 version of Black Christmas, Zac Locke has now made his feature writing and directing debut with the supernatural slasher #Float, and Deadline reports that XYZ Films has acquired the North American distribution rights to the film. They’re planning to release it on December 8th.

#Float follows the young, beautiful, and full-of-life vlogger Kali and her pals, who are heading to the river for their annual lazy river float, the first one since their friend Chuy overdosed and drowned a year earlier. But their partying suddenly takes a dark turn when a mysterious force plunges them into a life-and-death struggle, forcing them to face their own fears as they turn on each other – and proceed to die one by one.

Another slasher movie is headed our way before the year is out, with Deadline reporting that XYZ Films has acquired a movie titled #Float, billed as a supernatural slasher movie.

XYZ Films will release the film domestically on December 8, 2022.

Zac Locke (Black Christmas 2019 – Producer) wrote and directed #Float.

“The film follows the young, beautiful, and full-of-life vlogger Kali (Kate Mayhew) and her pals who are heading to the river for their annual lazy river float, the first one since their friend Chuy overdosed and drowned a year earlier. But their partying suddenly takes a dark turn when a mysterious force plunges them into a life-and-death struggle, forcing them to face their own fears as they turn on each other – and proceed to die one by one.”

Scarlett Sperduto (Those Who Walk Away), Kaya Coleman (Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders), Grant Morningstar (Meathook), and Christina Nguyen (Lion) also star.

XYZ Films’ James Emanuel Shapiro said,...

Exclusive: XYZ Films has picked up the North American distribution rights to the supernatural slasher #Float, written and directed by Zac Locke (Black Christmas) and starring newcomer Kate Mayhew.

The deal was negotiated by XYZ’s Executive VP of U.S. Distribution, James Emanuel Shapiro. XYZ Films will release the film domestically on December 8.

The film follows the young, beautiful, and full-of-life vlogger Kali (Mayhew) and her pals who are heading to the river for their annual lazy river float, the first one since their friend Chuy overdosed and drowned a year earlier. But their partying suddenly takes a dark turn when a mysterious force plunges them into a life-and-death struggle, forcing them to face their own fears as they turn on each other – and proceed to die one by one.

The flick is the first from Locke’s genre micro-studio Rotting Press and it recently had its festival premiere...

"The killer is on the loose, solve the puzzles to send them home. To win the game, only one shall remain." Paramount + Sp Media Group have revealed an official trailer for nail-biting new thriller from director Sean McNamara titled Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders. This almost seems like a riff on Knives Out and Ready or Not and Jumanji all in one, or any of the whodunit movies these days, with a focus on family with many secrets. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jon Voight star in this suspenseful thriller filled with twists and turns. A family reunion at a remote mansion takes a lethal turn when they are trapped inside and forced to play a deadly survival game where only one will make it out alive. The ensemble cast also features Will Sasso, Laura Mennell, Megan Charpentier, Kaya Coleman, Skyler Shaye, Dylan Playfair, and Bradley Stryker. This looks like it's...

Exclusive: Amazon Freevee coming-of-age drama series Beyond Black Beauty has begun principal photography, with shooting of the Amazon Studios, Sinking Ship Entertainment and Leif Films show underway in Canada.

Inspired by the novel of the same name, Beyond Black Beauty follows Jolie Dumont, an Olympic-driven equestrian whose journey is halted when her mother moves them from their posh Belgium life to Baltimore. There Jolie struggles to find roots but as she bonds with an equally spirited horse named Black Beauty, and learns to embrace her family’s ranch, where Black cowboys have been entrenched in their DNA for over a century.

Kaya Coleman (The Sinners) stars as Jolie and Sagine Sémajuste (13: The Musical) as her mother Janelle. Gina James (Hogtown: Code\Switch) and Lisa Berry (Workin’ Moms) also star in the Canadian/Belgian co-production, which began filming recently in Canada, with production scheduled to wrap in Belgium in October.

Exclusive: Zac Locke, former Head of Business Affairs at Blumhouse and partner with Divide/Conquer, has launched Rotting Press, a self-styled ‘micro studio’ that will look to uncover, support and promote new voices in horror.

Locke said the venture was backed by Silicon Valley funding and proprietary marketing/distribution algorithms. The company will work across production, financing, acquisition, distribution, and marketing.

The outfit’s initial slate features Locke’s own feature directorial debut Float, which just wrapped principal photography on the Russian River, and Frogman, the feature directorial debut from filmmaker Anthony Cousins, which is currently ramping up production. A third film, a contained creature-feature, is in pre-production and slated to begin shooting at the beginning of 2022.

“Having been on all sides of the filmmaking process myself, I’m excited to be in a position to help empower independent genre filmmakers,” said Zac Locke. “Rotting Press’ resources, along with our ability...