News

Indie horror master Larry Fessenden has secretly shot Trauma, a monster mashup sequel that unites three of Fessenden’s monsters in one film, Variety reports today.

Larry Fessenden’s Trauma Or, Monsters All serves as a sequel to three monster movies that he’s written and directed: 1995’s vampire movie Habit, the 2019 Frankenstein riff Depraved, and his 2023 werewolf feature Blackout.

When we previously spoke with the filmmaker about the latter, he shared his desire to see how all three monsters would fare in one monster mashup feature. “No, what I’m more interested in, I could just say this, is doing a mashup, and that would probably end my business of recreating the Universal Monsters. I want to see them all together, and what would that look like? So, that’s actually what I’m thinking about, and I don’t know who would finance that.”

With the upcoming Trauma,...

Indie film icon Larry Fessenden is planning a monster mash — and it’s gearing up to be a graveyard smash.

The horror multi-hyphenate has just wrapped filming of his upcoming film — “Larry Fessenden’s Trauma Or, Monsters All” — and is heading into post-production, Variety can report exclusively. The film serves as a sequel to three other films he has written and directed: 1995’s vampire tale “Habit,” his 2019 “Frankenstein” riff “Depraved” and 2023 werewolf film “Blackout.”

“It was a slightly absurd mission to present my existential take on these monsters in a contemporary mash-up, but I enjoyed the challenge and I hope the film will feel both familiar and provocative,” Fessenden said in a statement, which also shared that he is “a lifelong fan of Universal Monster classics and the powerful messages about us that they can convey.”

The shoot quietly took place on and off in upstate New York during a three-month stretch.

Manhattan Theatre Club has revealed the complete casting for the American premiere of James Graham’s Punch. Punch centers around Jacob, a young man who makes a fatal mistake that lands him in prison. But as he struggles to accept the consequences of his actions and build a new life, he finds an unusual source of salvation: the parents of the boy he killed. Two-time Tony Award winner and five-time Tony nominee Victoria Clark joins the production as the victim’s mother, Joan, and appears alongside Cody Kostro (Broadway: Six Degrees of Separation) as Raf/Sam and Piter Marek (Broadway: Cyrano de Bergerac) as Tony/Derek/DS Villers. The previously...

Exclusive: Two-time Tony winner Victoria Clark has joined the cast of Manhattan Theatre Club’s Punch, the James Graham play set to open on Broadway this fall.

Clark joins the previously announced cast Camila Canó-Flaviá as Clare/Nicola; Will Harrison as Jacob, Sam Robards as David/Raf’s Dad, and Lucy Taylor (Broadway’s Betrayal) as Mum/Wendy.

In addition to Clark, who will play the victim’s compassionate mother, other newcomers announced for the Punch cast are Cody Kostro (Broadway: Six Degrees of Separation) as Raf/Sam and Piter Marek (Broadway: Cyrano de Bergerac) as Tony/Derek/DS Villers.

Cody Kostro, Piter Marek Courtesy Production

Punch centers around Jacob, a young man who makes a fatal mistake that lands him in prison. But...

All is fair in love and war, but what if you’re at war with the one you love? First time director Josalynn Smith’s debut “Ride or Die” challenges the idealization of a long-festering crush with a queer thriller twist. Jamie Foxx’s Foxxhole Productions produces the feature, which will premiere at Tribeca in the U.S. Narrative Competition.

“Ride or Die” centers on Paula (Briana Middleton), who is unexpectedly reunited with her not-quite-ex Sloane (Stella Everett). Together, they decide to drive across the country to start a new life…but little do they know there is a darkness on the horizon. The below clip hints at some of the turmoil the duo will endure.

The synopsis reads: “When Paula (Middleton), a young Midwesterner who dreams of a fresh start in California, runs into Sloane (Everett), her secret high school crush, who has her demons, the chemistry is electric.

Mare of Easttown's finale unravels the twisted truth behind Erin's murder, exposing deep family secrets. The miniseries masterfully delves into Mare's personal trauma, grief, and struggles to cope with loss. Relationships are tested and mended in Mare of Easttown's gripping conclusion, shedding light on the dark secrets in a small town.

Spoilers are ahead for HBO's Mare of Easttown.

After six tense, twist-filled episodes, Mare of Easttown episode 7, Sacrament, brings the HBO crime drama to an end. While Mare of Easttowns ending finally reveals who killed Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny), a teenage single mother, it also brings the miniseries more personal threads to a close, especially where Detective Marianne Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) is concerned. Besides Mare of Easttowns central mysteries, the show does not shy away from examining Mares trauma and deferred grief over the loss of her own son, Kevin Sheehan (Cody Kostro), to death by suicide...

Stan and Roxy are the last survivors, but their fate is uncertain due to their exhaustion and the relentless vampires. Stan's crush on Roxy may have been their downfall, distracting them from the obvious solution to surviving the vampire threat. The Shed ending offers social commentary on the impact of high school bullying and how it can lead to irrational and dangerous actions.

Director Frank Sabatella's 2019 horror movie, The Shed, adapts a simple premise with an open ending that left audiences questioning the safety of the heroes and wondering what happened to Stan and Roxy. The Shed takes standard-issue vampire movie tropes and tucks them behind a smart, character-driven feature film. Stan (Jay Jay Warren) is an orphan who thinks he's dealing with the normal high school woes bullies, unrequited crushes, and an overbearing grandfather until he realizes that a vampire has taken up residence in the shed on his property.

"We're representing the United States of America... Who are we?" Samuel Goldwyn Films has revealed an official trailer for an indie film titled Foxhole, the second feature from filmmaker / actor / composer Jack Fessenden. This premiered at a few small film festivals last fall, and will be out on VOD in the US this May. Unfolding over 36 hours in three different wars - the American Civil War, World War I, and Iraq. Foxhole follows a small group of soldiers who are confronted in a confined space with questions of their morality, the futility of their actions, and an increasingly unpredictable combat situation. Description from one of the fests: "There is no war, there is no patriotic goal, not even orientation in the most elementary sense. All there is, is a foxhole, a wall of fog and a desperate will not to die." This stars Motell Gyn Foster, Alex Hurt, Cody Kostro,...

Samuel Goldwyn Films has released the first trailer for the upcoming film, Foxhole.

Unfolding over the span of 36 hours in three separate wars–The American Civil War, World War I, and Iraq–Foxhole follows a small group of soldiers trapped in a confined space as they grapple with morality, futility, and an increasingly volatile combat situation.

From writer and director Jack Fessenden, watch the trailer now.

According to his IMDb page, Fessenden “was recently cited as one of “11 Filmmakers 30 or Under You Need to Know” at age 17, is a filmmaker based in New York City. He finished his first feature film, Stray Bullets, during his sophomore year in High School. The film premiered at the Oldenburg International Film Festival in September 2016 and went on to be distributed by Screen Media Films in a 12-city release that included New York and LA. Starring James Le Gros and Kevin Corrigan, Stray Bullets...

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the North American rights to Jack Fessenden’s war film Foxhole after a world premiere at Oldenberg.

The drama — which stars Motell Gyn Foster, Alex Hurt and Cody Kostro — over a span of 36 hours captures Americans in three separate wars — the U.S. Civil War, World War I and the Iraq war. Foxhole follows a small group of soldiers trapped in a confined space as they grapple with morality, futility and volatile combat.

The movie casts the same five actors in each of the three wars as the film captures changing roles of race and ...

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the North American rights to Jack Fessenden’s war film Foxhole after a world premiere at Oldenberg.

The drama — which stars Motell Gyn Foster, Alex Hurt and Cody Kostro — over a span of 36 hours captures Americans in three separate wars — the U.S. Civil War, World War I and the Iraq war. Foxhole follows a small group of soldiers trapped in a confined space as they grapple with morality, futility and volatile combat.

The movie casts the same five actors in each of the three wars as the film captures changing roles of race and ...

Emmy nominated actress Kate Winslet admits that she has spent the past year eating far too much Cheez Whiz.

In HBO’s Emmy nominated show, “Mare of Easttown” Winslet plays a no-nonsense police detective who eats the liquid spray cheese right from the can. And yes, the British actress confesses she “actually likes Cheez Whiz… I must have gone through about three and a half cans.”

For six weeks, viewers tuned in to follow Winslet’s Mare as she worked to solve the murder and the disappearance of a local teenage girl. By the series finale, 3 million people tuned in to learn who committed the murder — but only after a series of twists that led to a satisfying conclusion.

Winslet joined Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast for a conversation about “Mare of Easttown,” Cheez Whiz, and a lot more. Listen below!

Winslet is not on social media, and admits she...

Kate Winslet spent two years with the character of Mare Sheehan, a small town cop, mother and grandmother for HBO’s limited series “Mare of Easttown.” Becoming this woman wasn’t just about adopting a Delaware County accent, pulling her hair back into a ponytail, keeping her face free of makeup and never drinking water — although those were all essential elements for Winslet, too — it was also about tapping into a deep sense of grief and guilt over the loss of her character’s adult son to suicide. That’s why, months after wrapping production on the project, Winslet tells Variety she has felt a “huge crater” in her life, where Mare previously sat.

“We did have Covid cut right into the middle of our shoot, so in a way she almost became a bit of an alter ego for me — that was my coping mechanism,” Winslet explains. “People have...

Shudder has a packed August lineup that should excite any horror fan, including exclusive premieres, classic titles, and special events. Here's a look at their offerings:

From the Press Release:

Host (premieres Thursday, July 30)

Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance over Zoom during lockdown but get far more than they bargain for as things quickly go wrong. Host was shot remotely during quarantine and features practical scares, stunts, and surprises, all filmed by the actors in their own homes. Director Rob Savage (Dawn of the Deaf) never set foot in the same room as his actors at any point during production and instead directed them remotely. Starring: Haley Bishop (Deep State), Radina Drandova (Dawn of the Deaf), Edward Linard (The Rebels), Jemma Moore (Doom: Annihilation), Caroline Ward (Stalling It) and Emma Louise Webb (The Crown). A Shudder Original (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

LA Llorona (premieres Thursday,...

Shudder continues its push to bring the latest and greatest horror movies to their streaming platform. Today, we have official word that Color Out of Space and The Shed have been acquired, with plans to premiere on the service later this year:

"June 3, 2020 — Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced that it has acquired exclusive U.S. streaming rights for Richard Stanley’s Color Out Of Space starring Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Joely Richardson (“The Rook”) and Madeleine Arthur (“Snowpiercer”). Shudder also announced the acquisition of exclusive U.S. streaming rights for The Shed, the sophomore feature from writer/director Frank Sabatella (Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet), starring Jay Jay Warren (“Bosch”), Cody Kostro (“City on a Hill”), Sofia Happonen (Woman of a Certain Age), Frank Whaley (Pulp Fiction), Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Men in Black) and Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show). Both...

Exclusive: Genre-driven streaming service Shudder has acquired the U.S. streaming rights for both the Richard Stanley-directed sci-fi horror Color Out of Space as well as Frank Sabatella’s vampire pic The Shed. Both pics, which are from Rjle Films, are set to debut on Shudder in the U.S. later this year.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing Shudder members Stanley’s masterful adaptation of one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most influential stories—as well as another unforgettable Nicolas Cage performance—and Sabatella’s inventive new take on the vampire genre,” said Shudder General Manager Craig Engler. “The first half of 2020 has been the most successful in Shudder history, and these two great films will be part of an already-strong second half of the year, alongside titles like Scare Package, The Beach House, La Llorona, Scare Me and our upcoming original documentary on the history of Queer Horror.

Stars: Frank Whaley, Timothy Bottoms, Siobhan Fallon, Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen | Written and Directed by Frank Sabatella

As an orphan living with his abusive grandfather, life sucks for Stan (Jay Jay Warren). But he’s got it better than his best friend Donmer who regularly needs defending against the school bullies. When Stan discovers a murderous creature has taken refuge inside his tool shed, he tries to battle the demon alone until Donmer (Cody Kostro) comes up with a far more sinister plan.

Part 976-Evil, part Fright Night, The Shed is something of a combination of old-school 80s monster horror and more modern “woke” horror, dealing with not only the effects having a vampire in your shed can have on your mental health but also how going to school with bullying assholes can effect your mental health too! Though instead of dealing with those effects, the...

Tormented at home and at school, a troubled teenager faces new challenges when a recently infected blood-sucker holes up at the bottom of the garden

Orphaned teenager Stan (Jay Jay Warren) has been forced to live with his abusive grandfather Ellis in a house on the edge of some nowheresville. At school, he and his slightly weedier friend, Dommer (Cody Kostro), are regularly bullied by a jock thug (Chris Petrovski) who, just to rub salt in the wounds, has a thing going with Roxy (Sofia Happonen), the girl Stan has had a crush on for years.

Into this classic teen-drama set up, writer-director Frank Sabatella injects a goofy horror element: a newly infected vampire (Frank Whaley), desperate to avoid burning sunlight, holes himself up in the shed at the bottom of Stan’s garden and starts picking off every creature that comes near, starting with an unfortunate alsatian dog.

Continue reading.

Actors Jay Jay Warren and Cody Kostro are set to unleash sinister destruction from ‘The Shed‘ on society once again, as Rlje Films will release their horror-thriller, ‘The Shed,’ on January 7, 2020 on Blu-ray and DVD. The distributor will unveil the movie on Blu-ray for an Srp of $28.97, and on DVD for an […]

The post Jay Jay Warren and Cody Kostro Release Destruction From The Shed In Horror Film’s Blu-ray and DVD Giveaway appeared first on Shockya.com.

Stars: Frank Whaley, Timothy Bottoms, Siobhan Fallon, Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen | Written and Directed by Frank Sabatella

As an orphan living with his abusive grandfather, life sucks for Stan (Jay Jay Warren). But he’s got it better than his best friend Donmer who regularly needs defending against the school bullies. When Stan discovers a murderous creature has taken refuge inside his tool shed, he tries to battle the demon alone until Donmer (Cody Kostro) comes up with a far more sinister plan.

Part 976-Evil, part Fright Night, The Shed is something of a combination of old-school 80s monster horror and more modern “woke” horror, dealing with not only the effects having a vampire in your shed can have on your mental health but also how going to school with bullying assholes can effect your mental health too! Though instead of dealing with those effects, the characters...

Frank Sabatella's (Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet) latest horror film is The Shed. Based on the concept of putting a vampire in a tool shed, Sabatella's feature is slated to show on DVD and Blu-ray this January. To be released in an unrated format, this release stars: Frank Whaley (Pulp Fiction), Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Jay Jay Warren and Cody Kostro. Some of the film's release details have been announced this week and they are available below. Director Sabatella has talked quite a bit about his latest film. At the Daily Geek, he mentioned how the film's concept came together: "the idea started with a friend of mine in film school. He wrote a short story about a vampire trapped inside of a tool shed." This idea has led to the creation of this ninety-seven minute thriller. Sabatella also talked about the monster in this film: "I didn...

Directed and penned by Frank Sabetella, The Shed centers on Stan (Jay Jay Warren) a teenager who discovers a vampire (Frank Whaley) who’s living in the backyard of his grandfather’s (Timothy Bottoms). Having a creature trapped inside the shed becomes a nightmare experience for Stan, but his bullied best friend Dommer (Cody Kostro) sees the [...]

The post Director Frank Sabatella Explores Deeper Horror Layers Inside ‘The Shed’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Best friends Stan (Jay Jay Warren) and Dommer (Cody Kostro) find a solution to their bullying problem via a vampire in Stan's backyard in the new horror movie The Shed, but their solution becomes a problem due to its insatiable (and problematic) appetite for blood. Written and directed by Frank Sabatella, The Shed is coming to theaters, VOD, and Digital HD on November 15th, and we caught up with Sabatella in our latest Q&a feature to discuss the importance of taking a unique approach to vampires, The Shed's long journey from story idea to screen, linking vampires to real-life issues such as bullying, and the bloodsucking cinematic influences that inspired Sabatella while making his latest film.

Thanks for taking the time to catch up with us, and congratulations on The Shed! When and how did you come up with the idea for this film?

Frank Sabatella: The idea...

Actors Jay Jay Warren and Cody Kostro are set to unleash sinister destruction from ‘The Shed’ on society, as the official trailer for the horror movie has been released by Rlje Films. The distributor is set to distribute the thriller in theaters, as well as On Digital and On Demand, on November 15. Frank Sabatella […]

The post Jay Jay Warren and Cody Kostro Release Destruction From The Shed In Horror Film’s Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.

Rlje Films Presents “The Shed” Available in Theaters and on VOD and Digital HD Nov. 15, 2019 AMC Networks’ Rlje Films has acquired U.S, rights to the horror film The Shed. Written and directed by Frank Sabatella (Blood Night), the film stars Jay Jay Warren (“Bosch”), Cody Kostro (“City on a Hill”), Sofia Happonen (Woman …

The post The Shed – Available in Theaters and on VOD and Digital HD Nov. 15, appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net.

Exclusive: Rlje Films has acquired U.S. rights to The Shed, a vampire horror film written and directed by Frank Sabatella (Blood Night). Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen, Frank Whaley, Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Timothy Bottoms star in a pic, which will now hit theaters beginning November 15 day-and-date with digital.

The deal comes ahead of the pic’s world premiere next month at the Sitges Film Festival. It’s having its North American premiere at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. Cmg is handling international sales.

The plot revolves around Stan (Warren) and his best friend Dommer (Kostro), who have put up with bullies their entire lives. It all changes when Stan discovers he has a murderous vampire living in his shed. Seeing the bloodshed and destruction the monster is capable of, Stan knows he has to find a way to destroy it. But Dommer has a more sinister plan in mind.

I’ve got a fun trailer for a new indie monster horror film for you to check out today called The Shed. The story centers around a young man named Stan, who learns that there’s a monster that has taken refuge inside a shed in his back yard.

The film was produced by Bloody-Disgusting and it was written and directed by Frank Sabatella. Here’s the synopsis:

Stan (Jay Jay Warren) and Dommer's (Cody Kostro) lives suck. The first boy’s only family is his abusive grandfather, and the second is being subjected to a regime of perpetual bullying at school. One night, Stan discovers a monstrous creature has taken refuge in his shed. The boy will try to battle the beast, but Dommer will see it as a blessing that emerged from the dark, one which could help him put an end to those who make his everyday life a living hell.

"Let me see your pet monster." Bloody Disgusting has debuted an official trailer for an indie horror thriller titled The Shed, which is premiering at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain in a few weeks. The Shed is the latest from writer / director Frank Sabatella, about a monster that takes refuge inside a shed. Stan lives with his abusive grandfather and tries to protect his best friend from high school bullies. When he discovers a murderous creature has taken refuge inside his tool shed, he tries to battle the demon alone until his bullied friend discovers the creature and has a far more sinister plan. Starring Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen, Frank Whaley, Timothy Bottoms, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Chris Petrovski, and Uly Schlesinger. Looks like a high school coming-of-age mashed up with a monster movie. Might be good? Here's the first promo trailer for Frank Sabatella's The Shed,...

Frank Sabatella, director of Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet, is back with The Shed. Starring Frank Whaley (Vacancy), Cody Kostro (Worst Friends), Sofia Happonen (Women of a Certain Age), Timothy Bottoms (Parasomnia, Last Picture Show), and Jay Jay Warren (“Bosch”), the film is a Bigger Boat production, the company behind Frozen, Saw VI-Jigsaw, and the forthcoming Pumpkinhead remake. Peter Block and Cory Neal (Hatchet) produce. Here’s a lengthy synopsis from the sales agent […]...

Madame Tussauds Hollywood's new "Illusions of Horror" experience is opening this month. Also in today's Horror Highlights: Netflix's Castlevania TV series collectibles by Diamond Select Toys, The Shed production details, Mara Blu-ray/DVD release details, and a new trailer for Followed.

New Horror Attraction at Madame Tussauds Hollywood: "Just in time for Halloween, Madame Tussauds Hollywood is excited to launch a New fully immersive and selfie-ready Illusions Of Horror - set to debut this month. Family, friends and wicked minds alike are welcome to delight in delusion and indulge in deception as nightmares come to life!

The world-famous attraction will be transformed into an interactive space, themed with various creepy installations unlike any other - perfect for that epic scary selfie. Guests are invited to pucker up to Dracula, cuddle in a coffin with your mummy, and indulge in Chianti with Hannibal Lector. To add to the fury of fear,...

Frank Sabatella, director of Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet, is back with The Shed. Starring Frank Whaley (Vacancy), Cody Kostro (Worst Friends), Sofia Happonen (Women of a Certain Age), Timothy Bottoms (Parasomnia, Last Picture Show), and Jay Jay Warren (“Bosch”), the film is a Bigger Boat production, the company behind Frozen, Saw VI-Jigsaw, and the forthcoming Pumpkinhead remake. Peter Block and Cory Neal (Hatchet) produce. Here’s a lengthy synopsis from the sales agent […]...

Starring Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show), Frank Whaley (Pulp Fiction), Siobhan Fallon (Men in Black), Jay Jay Warren (Amazon Prime’s Bosch), Cody Kostro (CBS’ Elementary), and newcomer Sofia Happonen, The Shed tells the story of Stan, an orphaned teenager stuck living with his abusive grandfather and tasked with routinely protecting his best friend from high school bullies. When Stan discovers a murderous creature has taken refuge inside the toolshed in his back yard, he tries to secretly battle the demon alone until his bullied friend discovers the creature and has a far more sinister plan in mind.

The Shed is produced by Peter Block, godfather of Lionsgate’s blockbuster Saw franchise, and producer of House At The End Of The Street); Cory Neal, producer, who produced the ski-lift thriller Frozen with Block, as well as the Hatchet series; and Wing & A Prayer’s Josh Crook (The All Nighter...

Lez Bomb, Hide & Seek on roster.

Edward Noeltner’s La-based Cinema Management Group (Cmg) has boarded sales on horror thriller The Shed from A Bigger Boat Productions as part of its slate for the upcoming Afm.

New titles include Lez Bomb starring Cloris Leachman and Bruce Dern, who just replaced the late Burt Reynolds on Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and Locarno premiere Hide & Seek.

Cmg handles international sales on The Shed (pictured) from producers Peter Block and Cory Neal, which just wrapped principal photography in upstate New York.

Frank Sabatella directs the feature from A...