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Stars: Chelsea Edmunson, Cullen Douglas, Chad Michael Collins, Tony Todd, Tobin Bell | Written by Charles L. Bunce | Directed by Brian Hanson

An alien fleet, known as the Travellers, has descended on Earth, occupying the airspace above every continent. The fate of humanity rests in the hands of an elite crew of scientists to devise a bio-weapon and eradicate the alien threat.

From its opening moments, director Brian Hanson’s The Bunker draws the audience in with familiar images from other sci-fi thrillers within its family tree. Namely, District 9, when we see an ominous-looking spacecraft during a news broadcast and Independence Day, as the exposition details the options that Potus has considered, including firing a nuclear missile at the mothership.

The plot progresses, and we are introduced to Michelle Riley (Chelsea Edmunson). An expert microbiologist was assigned to work in the “Bunker”, a military lab located deep underground. Fortunately, preliminary investigations...

In the crowded landscape of alien invasion films, Brian Hanson’s The Bunker attempts to carve out a niche by combining the tension of isolation with the existential dread of extraterrestrial threat.

From the outset, The Bunker sets its tone with a familiar yet effective premise: mysterious alien ships appear in the skies, casting a shadow of impending doom over humanity. The film doesn’t linger on the spectacle of global chaos; instead, it zooms in, both literally and figuratively, on a single character, Dr. Michelle Riley, played by Edmundson. Tasked with the unenviable mission of creating a bio-weapon to defeat the extraterrestrial invaders, Riley is confined to a claustrophobic underground bunker, isolated from her team, who are similarly sequestered in their own bunkers.

This setup immediately brings to mind the psychological horror of films like 10 Cloverfield Lane, where the terror is as much about the unknown as it is about the physical threat.

As Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024 is now well underway, legions of horror film fanatics are eagerly anticipating the premieres on offer, and today one such premiere is The Bunker, a sci-fi horror film directed by Brian Hanson. Known for his previous work on The Black String, Hanson brings his unique vision to the alien invasion genre, blending psychological horror with a claustrophobic setting and a star-studded cast that includes Tobin Bell, Tony Todd, and Chelsea Edmundson.

In The Bunker, mysterious extraterrestrial ships suddenly appear in the sky, sparking global panic. As the world teeters on the brink of destruction, government scientist Dr. Michelle Reilly, portrayed by Edmundson, is thrust into a high-stakes mission.

In this exclusive interview, Hanson shares insights into the making of The Bunker, his journey into filmmaking, and what he’s most excited about at this year’s FrightFest.

Brian Hanson, writer/director 1. Tell us about your film...

At long last, the sci-fi horror film The Bunker, directed by Brian Hanson, is set to make its international premiere at this year’s Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on 23 August. Featuring an impressive cast of genre icons, including Tobin Bell (Saw franchise), Tony Todd (Candyman franchise), and Chelsea Edmundson (Army of the Dead), the film promises to deliver a chilling and unique take on the classic alien invasion tale. And we can’t wait to check it out.

In The Bunker, mysterious extraterrestrial ships suddenly appear in the sky, sparking global panic. As the world teeters on the brink of destruction, government scientist Dr. Michelle Reilly, portrayed by Edmundson, is thrust into a high-stakes mission. Sealed inside an underground bunker, Dr. Reilly is tasked with creating a bio-weapon that could be humanity’s last hope against the invaders. However, as the days stretch on and paranoia begins to set in, she...

The Popcorn Frights Film Festival is back this year, both in-person and virtually, from August 8-18. They’ve unleashed the first wave of programming, indicating that the fest is going big for its tenth anniversary celebration with new premieres, virtual screenings, and exciting retro showings including the “Lost First Cut” of Brian Yuzna‘s Return of the Living Dead 3.

To add to the pure mayhem of its anniversary celebration, Popcorn Frights 2024’s in-theater experience will be offered free and open to the public, as a gift back to the community for ten years of their dedicated support and moviegoing love. Popcorn Frights’ free festival is made possible by the generous support of Nightmare Weekend Miami.

Highlights include the 35th anniversary presentation of Brian Yuzna’s spectacularly insane masterpiece Society, one of the ickiest, sweatiest, gloopiest, horniest, and most original body horror shockers of all time. The master of horror will...

The 25th edition of Pigeon Shrine FrightFest is set to deliver an exhilarating blend of horror and fantasy films, with the festival moving to a new venue, the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. Running from Thursday, 22 August to Monday, 26 August, the event will take over all seven screens at the venue, promising an unforgettable experience for horror enthusiasts.

As we can barely contain the excitement, we’re sharing the films on offer in each screen so you can quickly decide which films to add to your ‘must watch’ list.

Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024 – Discovery Screen 1 Thursday, 22 August 2024

8:15 Pm – Cinderella’s Curse (World Premiere) Directed by Louisa Warren and starring Kelly Ryan Sanson, Chrissie Wunna, Lauren Budd, and Natasha Tosini, this spine-chilling reimagining of the classic fairytale sees Cinderella summon her fairy godmother from an ancient book to exact bloody revenge on her tormentors.

10:35 Pm – Carnage for Christmas (International Premiere) Directed by Alice Maio Mackay,...

Jackrabbit Media is heading to Cannes with five new sales projects led by Aimee Kuge’s festival winner Cannibal Mukbang.

The film takes audiences into the bizarre world of mukbanging, where people broadcast themselves eating huge amounts of food, as an introverted nerd finds himself out of his depth after falling for a mysterious woman.

Horror sci-fi Peripheral from Sulayman Tahir explores the unsettling events that unfold when a woman’s husband goes missing, only to return with strange and paranormal occurrences.

The Bunker stars Tobin Bell from the Saw franchise and Tony Todd from Candyman. The sci-fi horror thriller...

Back in November, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Funny or Die regular Luke Barnett, who co-wrote, acted in, and produced the Christian film industry satire Faith Based, had signed on to star in a thriller called Teacher’s Pet. That project has since made its way through production, and our friends at Bloody Disgusting – along with director Noam Kroll himself – have confirmed that Barnett is joined in the cast by Clayton Royal Johnson (Stranger Things), Kevin Makely (Young Rock), Drew Powell (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Sara Tomko (Resident Alien), Josh Pafchek, genre icon Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), and newcomers Michelle Torian, Alexe-Anne Godin, and Makenna Ginn.

Kroll wrote a blog entry about the making of the film, complete with behind-the-scenes images, that can be read at This Link. Kroll made his feature directorial debut with the 2012 drama Footsteps and has followed that up with the mystery thriller Shadows on the Road, the thriller Psychosynthesis,...

Horror icon Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, Suitable Flesh) and more join Faith Based actor Luke Barnett in the creepy thriller Teacher’s Pet.

The upcoming thriller centers on “a malevolent new high school teacher with a sinister past who becomes disturbingly fixated on a brilliant female student. As he unveils his true sociopathic nature, the young woman is forced to navigate a treacherous battle of wits to survive high school.”

A perfect recipe for intense, skin-crawling thrills.

Sara Tomko (“Resident Alien”), Drew Powell (“Gotham”), newcomer Michelle Torian, Kevin Makely (“Young Rock”), Clayton Royal Johnson (“Stranger Things”), Alexe-Anne Godin, Richard Handley (The Black String), and Alexis DawTyne have also joined the cast alongside Crampton and Barnett.

Teacher’s Pet is written and directed by Noam Kroll.

The official logline for Teacher’s Pet follows “a gifted high school senior (Torian) whose charismatic new teacher (Barnett) offers an escape from her turbulent life, but as the year progresses,...

Faith Based actor Luke Barnett is set to star in Teacher’s Pet, the fourth feature from writer and director Noam Kroll.

Launch Releasing will finance, produce and distribute the indie set to start production in Los Angeles in early January 2024. The project signed a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement just before the Hollywood actors strike ended.

A Funny or Die regular, Barnett co-wrote, acted in and produced Faith Based, a satire on the Christian film industry, which was toplined by Jason Alexander, Lance Reddick and Margaret Cho. He also produced Your Lucky Day, which starred the late Angus Cloud.

Barnett will appear in the fourth season of AppleTV+’s sci-fi drama For All Mankind and the indies Tapawingo, opposite Jon Heder, and Tonic, with Lori Petty.

Teacher’s Pet is set to portray a malevolent new high school teacher with a sinister past who becomes disturbingly fixated on a brilliant female student.

Exclusive: Tony Todd (Candyman franchise), Tobin Bell (Saw franchise) and Chelsea Edmundson (Thunder Road) are leading the cast of sci-fi horror The Bunker, which is now shooting in Los Angeles.

Written by Charles Bunce and Brian Hanson and directed by Hanson (The Black String), The Bunker is set during a mysterious alien invasion. A government scientist (Edmundson) is sealed in an underground bunker and must create a bio-weapon to stop the mysterious travelers before they take over Earth.

Producers are Kayli Fortun, Sharif Ibrahim, Kelby Thwaits, Charles Bunce, and Brian Hanson. The production unit has also teamed with the upstart genre consulting firm Blood Oath that includes Aaron B. Koontz and David Guglielmo, who are co-producing.

“We’ve been reading a mountain of scripts, and this one immediately leapt off the page as a fast paced, character driven story within a high concept none of us had seen before. It...

A potent blend of It Follows and Jacob's Ladder, The Black String follows convenience store clerk Jonathan (Frankie Muniz), who is plagued by a vicious rash and disturbing visions following a one-night stand with a mysterious woman from a singles hotline.

The Black String is easily one of my favorite films of the year, and with the movie now on DVD, Digital, and On Demand from Lionsgate, Daily Dead had the great pleasure of catching up with co-writer/co-star Richard Handley to discuss acting opposite Frankie Muniz, keeping the movie's horror ambiguous, teaming up with fellow military veteran Brian Hanson to help bring the film to life, and the cinematic influences behind The Black String.

Thanks for taking the time to catch up with us, Richard, and congratulations on The Black String! It’s one of my favorite films I’ve seen this year—it feels like Jacob’s Ladder meets It Follows.

A potent blend of It Follows and Jacob's Ladder, The Black String follows convenience store clerk Jonathan (Frankie Muniz), who is plagued by a vicious rash and disturbing visions following a one-night stand with a mysterious woman from a singles hotline.

The Black String is easily one of my favorite films of the year, and with the movie now on DVD, Digital, and On Demand from Lionsgate, Daily Dead had the great pleasure of catching up with co-writer/director Brian Hanson to discuss working with Frankie Muniz on his feature film debut, keeping the movie's horror ambiguous, teaming up with fellow military veteran Richard Handley to help bring the film to life, and the many cinematic influences behind The Black String.

Thanks for taking the time to catch up with us, Brian, and congratulations on The Black String! It’s one of my favorite films I’ve seen this year...

You may know him best as Malcolm Wilkerson from Malcolm in the Middle, Swink from Stay Alive, or even himself on Preacher, but in the new horror film The Black String, Muniz completely detaches himself from previous portrayals to wholly immerse himself in a story that's equal parts horrific, haunting, and darkly humorous.

A potent blend of It Follows and Jacob's Ladder, The Black String follows convenience store clerk Jonathan (Muniz), who is plagued by a vicious rash and disturbing visions following a one-night stand with a mysterious woman from a singles hotline. The Black String is easily one of my favorite movies of 2019, and with the film now on DVD, Digital, and On Demand from Lionsgate, I was thrilled to speak with Muniz about the movie, including the story's clever ambiguity when it comes to Jonathan's mental state, the everlasting passion of the movie's cast and crew, and how...

If you need any more convincing to attend Dread Central’s celebrity-packed La screening of The Black String this Thursday night, our nasty little exclusive clip should do the job! The scene features poor Frankie Muniz suffering a waking nightmare at the hands of a slithering demon! Come see the Brian Hanson-directed film this Thursday, September […]

The post Gruesome Demonic Terror in Our Exclusive Clip from The Black String appeared first on Dread Central.

Back in 2006, Frankie Muniz co-starred in the video game horror movie Stay Alive, and he's returning to the genre this fall in The Black String. Starring Muniz as a man dealing with an evil infection following a one-night stand, The Black String is coming to DVD, Digital, and On Demand on September 24th via Lionsgate, and we've been provided with the trailer, cover art, and full list of special features to share with Daily Dead readers.

"Golden Globe® nominee Frankie Muniz gives a chilling performance in the thrilling horror film The Black String, arriving on DVD, Digital, and On Demand September 24 from Lionsgate.

Muniz plays Jonathan, a lonely twenty-something, stuck in his hometown working night shifts at the local convenience store. When an unexpected encounter with a mysterious woman turns his life upside down, Jonathan is stricken by illness and nightmarish visions. Friends and family believe he's losing his mind,...

Stars: Frankie Muniz, Jackie Moore, Chelsea Edmundson, Ravi Patel, Blake Webb, Alexander Ward, Colby French, Cullen Douglas, Laura Richardson, Mary K. DeVault | Written by Richard Handley, Brian Hanson | Directed by Brian Hanson

Lonely slacker Jonathan is stuck working night shifts at a convenience store. When he goes on a blind date with a strange woman, his world suddenly begins to unravel in horrifying fashion. Plagued by paranoia, illness and nightmarish visions, he desperately searches the suburbs for the mysterious seductress. His friends and family believe he’s losing his mind, but he believes he’s the target of a sinister occult plot.

The Black String comes from director Brian Hanson, who also co-wrote the film with Richard Handley – who also stars in the film as Dr. Ronaldi. For both this is their first feature, with Handley having penned some shorts previously. However in the case of Hanson is his first film period.

Dread Central will be hosting a free screening of the Frankie Muniz-starring psychological horror flick The Black String on Thursday, September 19th at 7:30 pm at Hollywood’s swanky Arena Cinelounge Sunset (6464 Sunset Boulevard; 323-924-1644). Actress Camilla Jackson will host a Q&a after the screening headlined by: Co-writer/director Brian Hanson; producer Charles Bunce; actress Chelsea […]

The post Dread Central to Host Free La Screening of The Black String with Filmmakers on September 19th! appeared first on Dread Central.

It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen Malcom in the Middle star Frankie Muniz star in anything, but he’s got a horror movie coming out called The Black String and we have a trailer to share with you for it!

The Black String is a supernatural infection thriller that follows a character named Jonathan, “a lonely twenty-something, stuck in his hometown working night shifts at the local convenience store.” Jonathan’s life is turned upside down after he has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious woman. “Jonathan is stricken by illness and nightmarish visions. Friends and family believe he's losing his mind, but Jonathan is convinced he's the target of something far more sinister.”

The Black String was directed by first-time filmmaker Brian Hanson from a screenplay written by Richard Handley and Brian Hanson, which is based on a story by Andy Warrener. The movie also stars Chelsea Edmundson,...

"This is worse than poison." Lionsgate has debuted an official trailer for an indie paranoia horror-thriller titled The Black String, which first premiered at the Austin Film Festival last year and is finally getting a direct-to-dvd/VOD release this fall. This stars Frankie Muniz (remember him?) as a twenty-something drifter whose life is turned upside down after an "unexpected encounter with a mysterious woman." He's soon overcome by illness and nightmarish visions. His friends believe he is losing his mind, but Jonathan is convinced he's the target of something far more sinister. The cast includes Chelsea Edmundson, Blake Webb, Jackie Moore, Alexander Ward, Ravi Patel, Cullen Douglas, and Angie DeGrazia. This looks a bit like It Follows, but twisted into a nightmarish, infection horror thriller. Maybe it's freakish fun? Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Brian Hanson's The Black String, direct from YouTube (via Bd): Jonathan (Frankie Muniz) is a lonely twenty-something,...