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Horror streaming giant Shudder is pulling out all the stops this October with an unmissable lineup for UK and Irish viewers. From terrifying new original films to the return of the Emmy-nominated The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, Shudder’s October releases will leave horror fans shivering well into the spooky season.

Kicking off the horror fest on 1 October, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Season 666 makes its dramatic return, promising to be the most twisted and ambitious season yet. Expect iconic drag superstars facing off in intense physical challenges, backed by world-renowned directors and actors sitting on the judge’s panel. Every episode of this 10-part season will push boundaries, blending extreme drag and heart-pounding horror like never before.

The chills continue with V/H/S/Beyond, a Shudder Original anthology film streaming from 4 October. This instalment brings together six new twisted tapes, each taking viewers on a terrifying sci-fi-inspired ride. Highlights include “Fur Babies,” a...

Why are we so afraid of clowns? If you ask my sister, it's because a clown once popped a balloon in her face. His name was Macaroni, and he used to entertain families at a diner near where we grew up, and she was so afraid of him that if we were eating there, and she realized it was a Tuesday night (aka Family Night), she would burst into tears. And she's not alone. During the craziness of the 2016 election, the country was gripped by creepy-clown fever, with sightings of sinister roadside clowns reported all across America.

Professor Andrew McConnell Stott credits the scary clown to Charles Dickens, who edited the memoirs of a real-life British jester named Grimaldi. Dickens explicitly tied the many tragedies of Grimaldi's life -- alcoholism, poverty, chronic pain -- to his willingness to debase himself for an audience. Ever since, Stott told Smithsonian Magazine, we've...

In its first week of availability on Hulu, “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini” reached 3.6 million views.

This marks the most-watched Hulu docuseries ever, according to the streamer, which calculates views by dividing the total amount of time a project is watched by its runtime.

As exclusively reported by Variety, the most recent title Hulu touted as its nonfiction record-holder was “Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story,” the 2022 docuseries about the 1972 kidnapping of seven-year-old Steven Stayner. An exact number of views was not provided, though the streamer did share at the time that it calculated its rankings based on each title’s first month of viewership, rather than its first week as with “Perfect Wife.”

“Perfect Wife,” which premiered on June 20, tells the story of the 2016 Sherri Papini kidnapping hoax. The official logline reads, “Keith and Sherri Papini’s seemingly idyllic family life is shattered when Sherri...

Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Anonymous Content has signed Anthony Caronna, the filmmaker behind HBO’s acclaimed docuseries Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York, for representation. The company will look to support Caronna as they transition into narrative filmmaking.

Caronna co-created, wrote, and directed Last Call alongside Howard Gertler. Debuting on HBO in July 2023 and going on to earn the Golden Tomato for Best Docuseries of 2023 from Rotten Tomatoes, the four-part documentary crime series examines a serial killer that preyed on gay men in New York City during the 1990s by infiltrating the queer nightlife scene.

Caronna’s debut feature doc, Susanne Bartsch: On Top, explores New York City culture through the influence of nightlife legend Susanne Bartsch. Premiering at Hot Docs in 2017, the film went on to receive the John Schlesinger Award at the Provincetown Film Festival before being acquired by Netflix.

Other notable film...

Hulu has ordered a new documentary series on the Sherri Papini disappearance story, Variety has learned.

Hailing from filmmakers Erin Lee Carr, Michael Beach Nichols, and Marwar Junction Productions, the limited series dives into “the six-year journey of Sherri Papini’s disappearance to her arrest and the ripple effect of the case felt across the nation,” per Hulu.

Sherri Papini was 34 years old when she disappeared from a rural neighborhood in Northern California which catapulted her family — including her husband, Keith Papini — at the center of a global news story as they waited for answers. Suddenly, after 22 days of searching, Sherri was found alive. Burned and battered, with a metal chain tied around her waist, she claimed that she’d been kidnapped at gunpoint and had been tortured for three weeks by her captors.

Six years after her disappearance, Sherri Papini began serving 18 months in prison for lying to the FBI about her kidnapping.

Truth may be stranger than fiction, but it’s often scarier as well. After all, it’s not unusual for real life mysteries and deaths to leave Hollywood in the dust when it comes to producing genuine fear. With that in mind, we’ve previously published a couple of lists celebrating some of the scariest documentaries ever made.

However, there’s no shortage of authentic scares when it comes to filmmaking, and that’s why we’re back with another list recommending six more scary documentaries that horror fans might enjoy. After all, whether you’re into true crime or paranormal investigations, there’s something for everyone when it comes to non-fiction thrills.

As usual, we’ll be abiding by a couple of rules when selecting our movies. First of all, no docs that have been previously featured on any of our lists. Second, we’ll be excluding mockumentaries like...

Freeform is bolstering its executive ranks following the departure of Lauren Corrao.

The Disney-owned youth-skewing network has promoted Jamila Hunter and brought in former Quibi docs boss Jihan Robinson following Corrao’s exit and the appointment of Tara Duncan as President of Freeform.

Hunter, who was previously SVP of Current Series and Alternative Programming, has been named EVP, Original Programming and Development. In the role, she will oversee all scripted and unscripted development and current original programming for the network. She reports to Duncan.

Separately, Robinson, who was formerly Head of Documentaries at short-lived, short-form service Quibi becomes VP, Alternative Programming. She reports to Hunter and will oversee non-fiction and alternative content for the network as it ramps up its programming in the unscripted arena.

In her previous role, Hunter oversaw scripted series including grown-ish, Good Trouble and Everything’s Gonna Be Okay and lead the order of limited series...

Freeform has promoted Jamila Hunter to executive vice president of original programming and development, where she will oversee all scripted and unscripted development and current originals for the Disney-owned youth cabler. The network has also named Jihan Robinson vice president of alternative programming, where she will oversee nonfiction and alternative content, reporting to Hunter.

“Jamila is a beloved and experienced executive with impeccable taste and relationships. It’s a coup for us to have her at Freeform, where she regularly demonstrates strong leadership and a genuine enthusiasm for our brand,” said Freeform president Tara Duncan. “As we venture into non-fiction, it was crucial to find an executive with a finger on the pulse of what’s relevant. Jihan is a hip and seasoned executive who brings pedigree and a fresh perspective to the network. I am excited to have these two powerhouses leading the team.”

Most recently, Hunter was senior...

Next month, Hulu will ring in Valentine’s Day with some counterprogramming. The streaming service will debut its original series “High Fidelity,” a gender-swapped reimagining of Nick Hornby’s novel of the same name. Previously, the book was adapted into a 2000 movie from Stephen Frears starring John Cusack. Zoë Kravitz stars as Rob Brooks, a music-obsessive record store owner in Brooklyn re-examining her previous romantic relationships to figure out what went wrong.

On the film front, the “Bridget Jones” trilogy, “Buffalo ’66,” “The Fugitive,” “Ghost” and “When Harry Met Sally” are among the new selections being offered in February. Releases from last year, like “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” and “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral,” are also making their way onto the platform.

New seasons of reality series like “The Voice” and “American Idol” will also be available to stream later in the month.

See the complete list below.

Hulu is out with its list of all the content that’s coming and going to the streaming service in February.

Highlights include the series premiere of Zoë Kravitz’s “High Fidelity” reboot, coming on Valentine’s Day, in which she stars as a record store owner in a gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, revisiting past relationships through music and trying to get over her one true love. Her character was played by John Cusack in the 2000 film, and both are based on Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel of the same name.

There is also a new episode of “Into the Dark” titled “My Valentine,” which will be released on Feb. 7, in which a pop singer’s ex-boyfriend and manager steals her songs and gives them to his new protégé.

Also Read: Why Hulu Programming Chief Is Ok Sharing Classic Content Like 'Svu' With Rival Streamers

Season 1 of Hulu Original “Utopia Falls” comes out Feb.

While 2019’s home media releases ended on a quiet note, taking off the week of Christmas and New Year’s, this first Tuesday of 2020 is more than making up for it with an array of titles that should delight horror and sci-fi fans of all tastes. In terms of recent films, both Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse, Travis Stevens’ Girl on the Third Floor are making their way to Blu-ray and DVD this week, Michael Beach Nichols' documentary Wrinkles the Clown is coming to DVD from Magnet Releasing, and Scream Factory is releasing Larry Fessenden’s take on Frankenstein—Depraved—as well.

Kino is showing some love to the sci-fi classic Doctor Cyclops, and Rlje Films is keeping busy with both The Shed and The Nightshifter this Tuesday. Other notable releases for January 7th include Trespassers, Cosmos, Dark Encounter, Mermaid Down, Savage Creatures, and Dark Light.

Depraved

The legend of Frankenstein...

Industry veterans, Dov Kornits and Lou Balletti have announced the launch of a new theatrical distributor operating in Australia. The company pitches itself as a one-stop shop straddling distribution and media promotion, and will begin operations with a Friday 13 December release of horror title “Wrinkles the Clown.”

Kornits is publisher of Australian film magazine and website FilmInk. He has also been head of theatrical for specialty distributor Umbrella Entertainment, and has consulted with distributors Label, Bonsai, Universal and Athabasca on local releases.

The company’s co-director Lou Balletti had her earlier career in exhibition, before becoming head of theatrical sales for distributor Hopscotch Films. In recent years she headed digital sales across Australia and New Zealand for Entertainment One, with responsibility for launching titles including “Peppa Pig,” “Vice,” “Green Book” and “The Walking Dead.”

The company’s 2020 release slate includes “Talking About Trees” (an audience winner at the Berlin and...

While there will be legions of Pennywises roaming the streets this Halloween, fans of real-life horror clowns may want to emulate the titular star of the recent documentary Wrinkles the Clown. Who exactly is Wrinkles? Read my interview with director Michael Beach Nichols by following the link below. Related Article: Exclusive Interview with Wrinkles The […]

The post Dress Like Wrinkles The Clown on Halloween with This Printable Mask & Costume Guide appeared first on Dread Central.

One of my favorite films out of Fantastic Feast 2019 was the documentary Wrinkles the Clown. As opposed to Pennywise, Art the Clown, and the legion of grease-painted villains haunting the horror genre, Wrinkles is real. No seriously. You can call him right now at 407-734-0254 (although you’ll most likely get his voicemail). Wrinkles offers […]

The post Exclusive Interview with Wrinkles The Clown Director/Documentarian Michael Beach Nichols appeared first on Dread Central.

After Judy opened to nearly $3 million last weekend, the specialty box office has a hard act to follow this frame. But there are a couple of films that could possibly match Roadside Attractions and Ld Entertainment’s biopic about musical legend Judy Garland.

Fox Searchlight is releasing Lucy in the Sky today. The space drama stars Natalie Portman, who’s always a box office draw, and the pic marks the first theatrical release for Noah Hawley — we’ll see if the collaboration can strike gold at the box office. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Classics is riding a wave of confidence, kicking down the door with Pedro Almodovar’s Pain and Glory starring Antonio Banderas. Cinephiles are expected to flock to the Spanish auteur’s latest, which marks the eighth cinematic collaboration between the director and star.

Also opening this weekend is Michael Beach Nichols’ too-creepy-to-be-true documentary Wrinkles the Clown, which can...

“I’ve been asked before if I feel guilty. You know, that’s a contract between me and Mom and Dad. You got a problem with me, you can take it up with Mom and Dad. ‘Cause I’m just doin’ my job.”

Is there any profession that could require that defense, and still be a good idea? Doubtful. But even if there is, it’s definitely not “Terrifying Middle-Aged Clown Hired by Parents to Scare Naughty Children.”

You may have heard of the gentleman who gives Michael Beach Nichols’ documentary, “Wrinkles the Clown,” its name. And if you aren’t familiar with Wrinkles, you might know of the many imitators he’s inspired, from that time your oldest relatives forwarded you Facebook stories about how clowns were terrorizing suburban neighborhoods across America.

Also Read: Joaquin Phoenix's 'Joker' Is 'Brooding,' 'Fearless,' 'Divisive,' Critics Say

To tell the truth,...

This Friday, Magnet Releasing is unleashing Michael Beach Nichols’ intriguing documentary Wrinkles the Clown in theaters and on demand. The project is centered around the mysterious figure known as “Wrinkles the Clown,” who shows up randomly to terrorize small children and even has a phone number you can call if you want to try and connect with him. In his exploration of the Wrinkles mythology, Nichols also examines the clown hysteria that was happening around the country a few years back and how the internet has changed the landscape of modern urban legends.

While at Fantastic Fest 2019, Daily Dead spoke with Nichols, who discussed what drew him to the project initially, what he uncovered during his filmmaking processing, getting Wrinkles involved in the doc, and more.

What was the initial appeal about going into this story in particular and exploring the phenomenon of Wrinkles? It does seem like right now clowns are everywhere.

Right in-between Pennywise the Dancing Clown and Joaquin Phoenix’ Clown Prince of Crime, a different type of clown wants to make it to the big screen – Wrinkles the Clown. Director Michael Beach Nichols takes a hard look at one of the most fascinating Internet legends of the past few years, a clown that is […]

The post ‘Wrinkles the Clown’ Director Michael Beach Nichols on Internet Urban Legends and Why We’re Afraid of Clowns [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

One of my favorite films to screen at Fantastic Fest last week was the documentary Wrinkles the Clown. It’s a chilling and surprisingly poignant romp that weaves an engrossing and compelling story. Give the trailer a spin at the top of the article and look for Wrinkles the Clown in select theaters and On Demand […]

The post Trailer: Wrinkles The Clown Stalks Select Theaters and On Demand This Friday appeared first on Dread Central.

Horror lovers looking for new scares after the release of It: Chapter 2 are in luck.

The trailer for the documentary Wrinkles the Clown was recently released, and it features a real-life clown eerily similar to It‘s Pennywise.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, the story of Wrinkles went viral in 2015. The clown was featured in a Washington Post story that year, which reported that parents in Naples, Florida would pay him to scare their misbehaving children.

Wrinkles was then spotted at multiple points along the western coast of Florida, according to the Times, and went viral on social media...

Despite their non-fiction foundation, documentary films are seemingly limitless in their presentation. Sure, you can go the tried-and-true method of presenting talking heads, archival footage, and some narration to tell the story that you intend. Or, as in the case of “Cunningham,” you can give the information that you feel is necessary, but also immerse the audience in the subject, allowing them to see the beauty of the work themselves.

Read More: ‘Wrinkles The Clown’ Trailer: Michael Beach Nichols’ Chronicles A Youtube Clown Paid To Scare Children

As seen in the new trailer for “Cunningham,” the film is obviously a look at the life and career of one of the most respected and acclaimed dancers/choreographers of all time — Merce Cunningham.

Continue reading ‘Cunningham’ Trailer: Dance Takes Centerstage In New Doc Focused On The Life & Career Of Merce Cunningham at The Playlist.

Spencer Mullen Sep 12, 2019

Wrinkles the Clown, The Vampire Diaries, Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, and more in today's daily Link Tank!

Scientists have detected water for the first time on a planet outside our solar system.

"Good news: We’re all moving 110 light-years away! Well, maybe not quite yet, but scientists just made a major breakthrough in the search for habitable worlds beyond our own: A team of astronomers detected water vapor in the atmosphere of a super-Earth."

Read more at Inverse.

Here's why The Vampire Diaries won the vampire franchise war of the 2000s.

"I remember the first season of The Vampire Diaries coming out. I was just starting my freshman year of college, and I’d initially dismiss the series because the pilot hadn’t moved me, but then I heard about how the show had grown and developed so I decided to check it out. I was hooked.

This past weekend Pennywise The Clown was back in theaters for It: Chapter 2 to scare the crap out of audiences. Pennywise is a fictional clown, but the good people of southwest Florida have a real life clown named Wrinkles that they can hire to scare their kids!

No joke! Parents are actually hiring this clown to punish their children for misbehaving! It’s madness! After a video of Wrinkles went viral people were hiring him for his “behavioral services”. I guess some kids in southwest Florida are going to grow up having some serious clown issues.

This is real and director Michael Beach Nichols (Welcome to Leith) has made a documentary called Wrinkles the Clown that dives into the story of this craziness. Here’s the synopsis:

In late 2014, a low-res video of a person in a clown mask emerging from underneath a sleeping child’s bed appears on YouTube.

"You don't know if he's trying to do this for fun, or trying to kill you..." Magnolia Pictures has debuted an official trailer for an indie documentary titled Wrinkles the Clown, the latest doc film from filmmaker Michael Beach Nichols. In Florida, parents can hire Wrinkles the Clown to scare their misbehaving children. This for-hire clown service first went viral in 2014, and they decided to make a doc about him. Who is he? Why exactly does he do this? Is it really for real? "With incredible access to the mastermind behind the mask, Wrinkles the Clown is a cryptic and playful exploration of these questions, as well as an inside look at myth-building and the unpredictable spread of imagination in the internet age." Ahaha this looks so deliciously creepy, and mysterious, and the perfect doc film to tie in with Stephen King's It Chapter Two ...

Looking for to learn more about the real-life creepy clown phenomenon that has swept the nation in recent years? Ahead of its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, the documentary Wrinkles the Clown was acquired by Magnet Releasing, with an October 4th theatrical release planned. Here's a look at the new trailer:

Previous Press Release: New York, NY – Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today that they have acquired worldwide rights to Wrinkles The Clown, an unnerving new documentary that seeks to uncover the mystery behind chilling accounts of a nightmarish clown seen terrorizing disobedient children throughout Florida. Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Beach Nichols (Welcome To Leith) and financed and produced by Topic Studios, Wrinkles The Clown will world-premiere at Fantastic Fest, followed by an October 4th theatrical release.

It started with a silent black and white surveillance video uploaded to YouTube that depicted a child sleeping peacefully.

Children at a young age can be naughty and unruly, but when the parents have had enough, it was time to bring in “Wrinkles The Clown” to scare the bad behavior right out of them. The documentary is based on a clown who went viral from a YouTube video where he is seen emerging from under a sleeping child’s bed. The video description claimed the parents had hired him to scare the child for misbehaving.

Continue reading ‘Wrinkles The Clown’ Trailer: Michael Beach Nichols’ Chronicles A Youtube Clown Paid To Scare Children at The Playlist.

Pennywise isn’t real. But Wrinkles is. Variety reported the other day that, ahead of its world premiere at Fantastic Fest next month, Welcome to Leith director Michael Beach Nichols‘s documentary Wrinkles the Clown was acquired by Magnet Releasing with plans to unleash on the world October 4th. We now have the trailer for the documentary that explores the story of the […]...

Pennywise the Dancing Clown is horrifying audiences in theaters everywhere this weekend in It: Chapter 2, but the people of southwest Florida have been terrified by a real life clown named Wrinkles, and it’s time for his story to be told. Wrinkles the Clown is a new documentary from director Michael Beach Nichols (Welcome to […]

The post ‘Wrinkles the Clown’ Trailer: A New Documentary Profiles a Clown Hired to Scare Children appeared first on /Film.

Looking for to learn more about the real-life creepy clown phenomenon that has swept the nation in recent years? Ahead of its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, the documentary Wrinkles the Clown has been acquired by Magnet Releasing, with an October 4th theatrical release planned.

Press Release: New York, NY – Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today that they have acquired worldwide rights to Wrinkles The Clown, an unnerving new documentary that seeks to uncover the mystery behind chilling accounts of a nightmarish clown seen terrorizing disobedient children throughout Florida. Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Beach Nichols (Welcome To Leith) and financed and produced by Topic Studios, Wrinkles The Clown will world-premiere at Fantastic Fest, followed by an October 4th theatrical release.

It started with a silent black and white surveillance video uploaded to YouTube that depicted a child sleeping peacefully. Until a disheveled old man disguised...

We’re in for a literal flood of creepy clown-themed horror movies. In addition to It: Chapter Two and the lesser-known titles we featured in a recent video, we’re also looking forward to Clownado, Clown of the Dead, and Hipsters, Gangsters, Aliens and Geeks coming down the pike. Add to this ever-expanding list: Wrinkles the Clown! […]

The post You’ve Met Pennywise, Art, & Gags–Now Get a Load of Wrinkles The Clown appeared first on Dread Central.

Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, has acquired global rights to “Wrinkles the Clown,” Variety has learned.

Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Beach Nichols (“Welcome to Leith”), the film is eyeing an Oct. 4 theatrical release. The documentary looks at a creepy clown who is hired to terrify misbehaving children in Southwest Florida. Wrinkles went viral after a silent black and white surveillance video was uploaded to YouTube, depicting a child sleeping peacefully before a disheveled old man disguised as a clown slid out from beneath her bed. That led to an outpouring of similar videos and the creation of an internet sensation that rivals Pennywise in sheer, malevolently cheery creepiness.

“Michael has concocted an incredibly unsettling film evocative of urban legend classics like ‘Slender Man’ and ‘The Blair Witch Project,’” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “From Pennywise to the Joker, creepy clowns have terrified people for decades. ‘Wrinkles the Clown...

Alec Bojalad Jan 16, 2020

We have a list of the new Hulu movies and shows arriving in February 2020.

February is a month for love and Hulu knows exactly what to do with it. For its February 2020 new releases, Hulu is introducing an original series fit for Valentine's Day. High Fidelity premieres on Valentine's Day and this modern adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel and Stephen Frears film will bring some love and music to the mid-February doldrums.

Hulu's only $5.99/month now, grab the deal here!

Another original arriving in February is Utopia Falls (also premiering on February 14), which looks to be teenage-oriented series combining Harry Potter, The Expanse, and music. That sound like something that might interest you?

February 1 sees the arrival of plenty of films to enjoy like 300, When Harry Met Sally, The Fugitive, and 28 Days Later. That's about as diverse an array of genre films as you'll get.