Horror https://comicbook.com/horror/feed/rss/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 11:11:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Horror RSS Generator Interview With the Vampire: Delainey Hayles Talks Claudia's "Toxic" Relationship With Louis https://comicbook.com/horror/news/interview-with-the-vampire-delainey-hayles-talks-claudias-toxic-relationship-with-louis/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 02:45:00 +0000 Nicole Drum 8a62bc66-2b0b-43bd-8678-825ab20db58f

In Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire, things have never been exactly easy for Louis and Claudia. Even after the pair teamed up to kill their maker, Lestat, their relationship remained strained while they journeyed through Europe in search of Old World vampires. While things started to settle after they arrived in Paris and discovered the coven there, this week's episode, "I Want You More Than Anything in The World" saw things grow more complicated between the pair than ever before -- all while Claudia started to develop a relationship outside of Louis all her own. Now, Delainey Hayles is breaking down Claudia's "toxic" relationship with Louis as well as why that new relationship has such interesting potential.

Warning: spoilers for this week's episode of Interview With the Vampire, "I Want You More Than Anything In The World", beyond this point.

In the episode, Claudia finds out that Armand knows what they did to Lestat and comes to realize that Louis has chosen someone else over her once again. It leads to an emotional confrontation in their apartment where she calls him out for having once again chosen anyone but her despite having previously told her that it was the two of them, always. While it might seem like Louis was lying to Claudia in some respect when he gave her that "you and me" pep talk in Episode 1 -- especially given the hallucination Lestat of it all -- Hayles says she doesn't think Louis was lying then, but he was certainly confused and that the pair of them are both toxic on their own as well as toxic together.

"I don't think Louis was lying to her in the beginning," she said. "I think Louis is confused. I think he doesn't know exactly what he wants. He just wants somebody to be with him and I think Claudia has given him the benefit of the doubt for a long time, like he's her Louis, he is all she has. She relies on him. He relies on her to an extent and when he picks Armand over her, it's a bit like, 'oh, okay he's gone and done it again. Now you've really sealed it. This is it. How f-cking dare you.'"

"They're both toxic," she said of Claudia and Louis. "I hate talking about Claudia in that light, but she is toxic. She does what she needs to do to get by and whether that involves manipulation, we'll see. But she has to keep herself alive and keep herself safe, but their relationship is very toxic. Their toxic relationship is toxic."

But while her relationship with Louis is falling apart, Claudia is also forging a new relationship of her own with the dressmaker, Madeline. It's the first time viewers have seen Claudia connect with a woman, but also the first time that they've seen her take a genuine interest in someone. For Hayles, it's because they balance one another out.

"I think it's when they meet each other, they have this mutual understanding that they've both been through something," she said. "And in the beginning, they're not entirely sure what that is. But they're kind of talking to each other because they're both being ostracized by their communities. And the eyes are like windows to the soul so they're seeing something in each other and it's like a weighing scale; they're both on either end, balancing it out."

She also said that while this take on Claudia and Madeline is different than the book, she thinks the writers did a great job of keeping the heart of the relationship authentic while keeping it relevant to this version of Claudia's story.

"When I was filming it, I was reading the book at the same time I was watching the series, so I kept watching the series over and then I had the book with me and I was familiar with it," she said. "And it's kind of interesting to see how the series was going to portray that relationship and I think the writers did an excellent job at maintaining their characters kind of faculties and what they stand for and their relationship but making it relevant to Claudia's story today."

What Is Interview with the Vampire Season 2 About?

You can read AMC's official description of the second season of Interview With the Vampire here: "The interview continues in season two. In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Anderson) recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Picking up from the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis and teen fledgling Claudia (Hayles) conspired to kill the Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (Reid), Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris, with Claudia. It is in Paris that Louis first meets the Vampire Armand (Assad Zaman). Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories.

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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Interview With the Vampire Star Delainey Hayles Breaks Down Claudia's Horrifying New Coven Reality https://comicbook.com/horror/news/interview-with-the-vampire-star-delainey-hayles-breaks-down-claudias-horrifying-new-coven-reality/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 02:30:00 +0000 Nicole Drum c470dc60-648c-4efe-99f2-e035ae4efc6f

At the end of last week's Interview With the Vampire, "No Pain", Claudia gets the thing she's been wanting the most, a place to belong, when she's finally made a full member of the Paris coven and part of the Theatre des Vampires. Her happiness is short-lived, however, when moments after her induction she's given a new play written just for her that forces her to play a child for at least the next fifty years. For Claudia, it's just another cruel blow in an un-life that has been full of them after she was given the Dark Gift too young and is forever trapped in a girl's body. Now, Delainey Hayles breaks down Claudia's horrifying new reality with the coven to Comic Book as well as reveals what Claudia really thinks about Armand.

Warning: spoilers for this week's episode of Interview With the Vampire, "I Want You More Than Anything In The World", beyond this point.

In the episode, Claudia dutifully takes the stage as "Baby Lulu" in the play specially written for her, but while the play is a massive success, the toll of constant infantilization soon takes its toll on her, leaving her disinterested, despondent, and just going through the motions on stage. When she eventually moves to stand up for herself with Armand, he responds with a cruel punishment, one that forces her to wear her little girl costume at all times, never able to escape the hell she's in. For Claudia, Hayles says it is all pure horror, even from the moment she gets the script.

"It's pure horror for her," Hayles said. "She doesn't entirely know what to expect from the show. She's got the script, but it's... she wants to see the show, do it, but yeah, when we leave three, it's horror. It's the same. It's confusion. It's very sad."

She continued, "From the get-go, she's just appeasing everyone, but she hates it from when the script is placed in her hand."

Hayles also said that when it comes to Armand, however, she feels that Claudia both admires his role within the coven, but her thoughts about him change over time -- and she also isn't especially surprised by his treatment of her because she's already experienced Lestat.

"I think she admires that he's the ma?tre, he's in charge of the coven, but she doesn't know him. I don't want to say she doesn't like him. I think she gets to not liking him," she said. "She doesn't mind him in the beginning and in episode two, there's an element of 'okay, go ahead Louis, let's have fun in Paris.' But towards the latter, she can also read Armand. She knows him, basically because she's come from being Lestat's daughter, and worse treatment that she's had. So, she knows how to deal with Armand because she's been around, she's done that, but yeah, I wouldn't say it's a shock to her."

What Is Interview with the Vampire Season 2 About?

You can read AMC's official description of the second season of Interview With the Vampire here: "The interview continues in season two. In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Anderson) recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Picking up from the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis and teen fledgling Claudia (Hayles) conspired to kill the Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (Reid), Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris, with Claudia. It is in Paris that Louis first meets the Vampire Armand (Assad Zaman). Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories.

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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Interview With the Vampire Season 2 Episode 4 Recap With Spoilers: "I Want You More Than Anything In The World" https://comicbook.com/horror/news/interview-with-the-vampire-season-2-episode-4-recap-with-spoilers-i-want-you-more-than-anything-in-the-world/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 02:13:00 +0000 Nicole Drum 8ab2b6ea-d518-4aec-8cf6-12bca6a5972a

Last week on Interview With the Vampire, Claudia became a full member of the Theatre des Vampires and the Paris coven, but her joy quickly turned to horror when she realized that the coven planned to have her spend the next half a century playing a child on stage. Meanwhile, Armand and Louis' relationship continued to develop, but Armand revealed to Louis that he knows about the murder of Lestat. This week, Claudia tries to settle into her new life with the coven but finds it more difficult than she ever could have imagined.

Warning Spoilers for Interview With the Vampire Season 2, Episode 4, "I Want You More Than Anything in The World" beyond this point.

Claudia takes the stage performing in the new play the Theatre has written for her and Louis attends her performance. The audience loves her but she's miserable, though in the interview, Armand tries to do dismiss it as Claudia paying her dues. The play ends up being so popular that they had to add additional shows and audiences grew. The coven isn't thrilled with the success Claudia is having and Claudia isn't either. The more she has to perform, the more detached and bored she becomes. Armand says it's sabotage. When she speaks up for herself to Armand, she's punished by being forced to wear her infantilizing costume constantly. Santiago sort of stands up for Claudia, but instead uses it to take shots at Armand's relationship with Louis and his own distraction.

The interaction forces Louis and Armand to define their relationship and Armand isn't excited that Louis doesn't see it as a companionship the way he does. Louis agrees to spend more time with the coven. Louis continues to be haunted by Lestat. For Louis, it's a tactile experience, though Armand says it was nothing he was aware of. Daniel ends up asking Armand and Louis about the fire at the theatre, something they hadn't brought up. Armand goes on the defense and it triggers more memories for Daniel, unsettling him.

Claudia continues to journal and is caught by Santiago. She defends her journal by saying it's just her thoughts and he has her read some to her. He warns her that Armand may not see her journal as harmless and reveals that his maker was killed for making him in violation of the law. Later, while out advertising for the Theatre, Claudia visits the dressmaker and leaves her a flyer for the show.

The coven is out together and Louis has joined them, spending most of his time talking with Claudia about what he's been experiencing in Paris, much to the annoyance of the coven who are dealing with changes issues as things are coming apart for them. Santiago mimics Louis and makes it clear that he knows Louis is not actually from Gary, Indiana. Louis attacks Santiago, enraging Armand who pauses time and controls the situation. Louis leaves. Sometime later, Louis goes to try to get his photography a dealer. The dealer tells Louis that his work doesn't really have the same level of artistic skill as others, upsetting him. In the present, Daniel looks over the photography and Louis comes to realize that many of the photographs in his portfolio aren't actually his own. Daniel continues to have memories of Armand in his head, unsettling him and asks for aspirin for his "migraine".

The dressmaker attends on of Claudia's shows and she's happy. Upset back at home, Louis vents about his photography being critiqued to the Lestat that is haunting him. Lestat suggests Louis have patience. They're interrupted by Armand quoting Shakespeare outside for Louis. They go for a walk. Claudia visits the dressmaker at her shop with the dressmaker making her a new dress. The dressmaker opens up to Claudia about her own history, how her family all died and how during the war, she was lovers with a German soldier and after the war it made her a traitor to her countrymen.

Armand takes Louis to an art museum. The paintings are Armand's versions of photographs in a sense. Louis is upset after the confrontation at the restaurant and accuses Armand of acting like Lestat. Louis eventually asks Armand who he is and Armand takes him to a particular painting by a contemporary of his maker, Marius. He reveals that he is in the painting, Amadeo at 20. He reveals that he was rescued from a brothel when he was 15, that his real name was Arun and that his parents had unknowingly sold him into slavery. Marius eventually rescued him, though he did still sometimes share him. He reveals the coven in Rome named him Armand after the coven killed Marius and sent him to Paris to that coven. Armand is interrupted with the coven alerting him that Claudia missed her chore at the Theatre and he drags her back and reveals he knows about Lestat -- and tells her she cannot see the dressmaker again.

At home, Louis burns his photos. Claudia confronts Louis about Armand's knowledge of Lestat and how Louis has filled in the details. Claudia tells Louis that Armand threatened her but Louis doesn't believe her. She's enraged that he's picked Armand over her and storms out. Louis leaves with "Lestat" to hunt and while out, Santiago breaks into the apartment. Louis breaks up with the ghost of Lestat he carries with him, silencing the voice which is really is own. Lestat fades away and Armand approaches. Armand explains that the coven is about to mutiny and Santiago wants his job. Louis says he's going to stay in Paris and suggests that Armand let Santiago think he's in charge and he will overplay his hand letting Armand have control again. At the apartment, however, Santiago finds Claudia's journal and proof of her involvement in Lestat's murder.

In Dubai, Louis is enraged about the photos in his portfolio and he and Armand fight. Even as it happens, Daniel is flooded with memories of San Francisco and the first interview. He also finds photographs of himself with Louis... and enhanced audio from the 1973 interview that reveals so much more than he previously recalled: Armand.

New episodes of Interview With the Vampire air Sundays on AMC.

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Terminator Zero to Share First Look at Anime Expo https://comicbook.com/anime/news/terminator-zero-anime-expo-first-look/ Sun, 02 Jun 2024 23:58:00 +0000 Nick Valdez 971c791e-dd68-43bd-b31f-48236e7bcfa6

Terminator Zero will soon be introducing fans to a whole new anime take on the massively popular Terminator franchise, and the first look footage from the new series will be making its debut during Anime Expo this year! The Anime Expo convention is the biggest anime event of the year overall, and with it coming next month, fans are starting to get new info about some of the big premieres and reveals planned for the convention. This includes one of the hottest new releases coming our way later this Summer with Terminator Zero hitting Netflix soon. Thankfully, we'll be seeing it in action soon enough too.

Anime Expo has announced that they will be sharing the first look at never before seen footage and more during a special Terminator Zero panel taking place on July 5th with creator and showrunner Mattson Tomlin in attendance. Along with the first look, Anime Expo teases there will be more discussions about the new characters fans will see in the anime as well. It's yet to be revealed if this first look will be released online, so fans in attendance will certainly want to keep an eye on this panel! Check out the announcement below:

What Is Terminator Zero?

Created and executive produced by Mattson Tomlin (Project Power, The Batman II) for Skydance Animation and Production I.G, Terminator Zero is directed by Masashi Kudo and will be running for eight episodes with its debut season when it releases on August 29th with Netflix. As for what to expect from the series, Netflix begins to tease Terminator Zero as such, "2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet gained self-awareness and began its war against humanity."

The synopsis for the anime's story continues with, "Caught between the future and this past is a soldier sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet's impending attack on humanity. As Malcolm navigates the moral complexities of his creation, he is hunted by an unrelenting assassin from the future which forever alters the fate of his three children."

Terminator Zero teases a new take on the franchise with new story, setting, and characters, so even fans of the films will have new material to enjoy!

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The Watchers Cast and Director Talk Filming in Ireland and Irish Folklore https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-watchers-cast-and-director-talk-filming-in-ireland-and-irish-folklore/ Sun, 02 Jun 2024 20:55:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak f8dc913a-9ef5-445c-9917-060f39be4913

The Watchers is being released in theatres later this week, and the new horror film is based on the novel of the same name by Irish author, A.M. Shine. In addition to taking place in Ireland, the film is also rooted in Irish folklore. In honor of the project, ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with the film's director, Ishana Night Shyamalan, in addition to stars Dakota Fanning (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Georgina Campbell (Barbarian). During the interviews, they spoke about working in Ireland and what they learned about folklore.

"I have worked in Ireland before and loved it, I worked in Dublin," Fanning shared. "So going back was something I was very excited about and I loved that this story was incorporating that folklore and that fairytale kind of mythical vibe. And I think it was something that I felt like I hadn't seen in a movie in the genre before, of getting to kind of blend the realistic parts and the groundedness with that kind of fairytale magic. And the nature in Ireland is so - it lends itself to the story so much - and really is a character. So yeah, it was really fun to feel like you were in an Irish folk tale."

"I feel like I kind of got to know a little bit," Campbell shared. "Olwen Fouere was really good. She kind of knew a lot about the folklore and had lots of stories to tell. I can't really remember any of it now. But yeah, I learned a little."

"I mean, it's just such a wonderful place," Shyamalan added. "I was so kind of enamored with just both the culture and the storytelling of the Irish culture, so it was totally cool for me to sort of dive into that mythology and I read a bunch of stuff and it's just really, really rich and kind of a wonderful story that they sort of have. So it's just really cool to kind of go into that particular folklore."

What Is The Watchers About?

The Watchers follows an artist (Fanning) named Mina "who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland." Mina eventually finds shelter, but she "unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night."

Joining writer/director Shyamalan behind the camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (Lamb, Hospitality), production designer Ferdia Murphy (Lola, Finding You), editor Job ter Burg (Benedetta, Elle), and costume design by Frank Gallacher (Sebastian, Aftersun). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (Till, The Nun). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan, and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

"Well, it was very much just imagining what the four or five of these people were like, and what they would be like together. Then, as the continual lesson that I learned during the filmmaking process, there's just a certain alchemy that happens," the filmmaker revealed during a Q&A in which ComicBook.com was in attendance. "If you're lucky enough to catch it, you do. With this path, there were all these movements that just led to this group being together. They have such an electric energy when they're all together. It's really, really cool. It's so fun. It felt like theater!"

The Watchers lands in theaters on June 7th.

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The Watchers Director Ishana Night Shyamalan Shares What She Learned From Servant, Addresses Future in Horror https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-watchers-director-ishana-night-shyamalan-shares-what-she-learned-from-servant-addresses-future-in-horror/ Sun, 02 Jun 2024 01:53:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak 7bc080c2-551e-4a5a-bcb1-b7cb82d335b9

The Watchers is being released in theatres next week, and the new horror film was helmed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan. The new movie was based on the novel by A.M. Shine and marks the younger Shyamalan's first feature. Previously, she directed multiple episodes of Apple TV+'s Servant, so ComicBook asked Shyamalan what she learned from working on the horror series, and if it is a genre she plans to continue working in.

"Oh my God. So many lessons," Shyamalan said of working on Servant. "Yeah, I think those experiences I really used as sort of a training ground. I felt really unequipped to embark on this artistic process that I loved so much. And so it was very much kind of looking, observing as much as I could and watching as much as I could and trying out different skills and techniques, and then really got to put those all I think into this feature process."

"[It] wasn't really an intentional choice that I go into horror. It's just sort of the material that I think I'm interested in," she explained. "I feel for whatever reason, I just connect to darker, scarier things I think I have since I've been young. So yeah, it's more so the palette that I enjoy playing in, but I really enjoy this kind of expanding the genre and touching other things. So for example, this sort of fantasy horror intersection I think is really compelling and cool to me, and would love to go even deeper into that."

Dakota Fanning Talks Working With Ishana Night Shyamalan:

During ComicBook's interview with The Wachers star, Dakota Fanning, she shared what it was like to work with a first-time feature director.

"Yeah, she's super, super excited. Always had a smile on her face, such a bright person and somebody that was clearly put on this earth to create," Fanning said of Shyamalan. "She's super creative, super collaborative, comes from a family of artists who love to make cool things, and so that's inspiring to be around."

"She wrote this and was directing it and had such a clear vision of what she wanted to do and you can't help but feel inspired to collaborate with someone like that," Fanning added.

In addition to Fanning, The Watchers stars Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, Suspicion), Oliver Finnegan (Creeped Out, Outlander), and Olwen Fouere (The Northman, The Tourist). Joining writer/director Shyamalan behind the camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (Lamb, Hospitality), production designer Ferdia Murphy (Lola, Finding You), editor Job ter Burg (Benedetta, Elle), and costume design by Frank Gallacher (Sebastian, Aftersun). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (Till, The Nun). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan, and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

The Watchers lands in theaters on June 7th. Stay tuned for more from our interviews about the upcoming horror film.

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Stranger Things Season 5: Is Weird Al Teasing a Cameo? https://comicbook.com/horror/news/stranger-things-season-5-is-weird-al-teasing-a-cameo/ Sat, 01 Jun 2024 23:52:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak 236afe16-d5d3-4f1e-aa4b-985d0edd69cb

It looks like Weird Al Yankovic might be heading to Hawkins, Indiana. The fifth season of Stranger Things is currently in production in Atlanta, and Weird Al just teased a cameo in the show's final season. The beloved musician took to Instagram today to share a photo of himself with Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler) and Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson).

"Yesterday was pretty bizarre, but stranger things are happening today," Weird Al captioned the post. If Weird Al is actually popping up in Stranger Things, there are endless possibilities of who he could be playing, but we're willing to bet he's going to show up as himself. Dustin is known to be a Weird Al fan and rocked a t-shirt with the parody songwriter's face on it in the fourth season. In fact, Weird Al reacted to the show referencing him. You can check out his new post below:

How Will Stranger Things End?

"I'm gonna just make a bold statement," David Harbour told ComicBook last year. "Each year, it feels like the show's getting bigger and bigger and more exciting. And we have a real responsibility to knock it out of the park in the final season. So if we don't, give me all of your fan rage. Write the petitions. Go ahead, do it. Because I'm going down there next week to start and I'm going to pour my whole heart into this thing. I've read some of the scripts and in my mind, they're stunningly beautiful. It's time. We're going to knock it out of the park. We're going to deliver you the finale that you need, that you want, that I want."

Stranger Things creators, Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, recently revealed that their pitch for the fifth season was a tear-jerker.

"Listen. It's our process but it's just like, we really just try to focus on one season at a time," Ross Duffer previously told The Wrap. "We do have an outline for season 5 and we pitched it to Netflix and they really responded well to it. I mean, it was hard. It's the end of the story. I saw executives crying who I've never seen cry before and it was wild. And it's not just to do with the story, just the fact that it's like, Oh my God, this thing that has defined so many of our lives, these Netflix people who has been with us from the beginning, seven years now, and it's hard to imagine the journey coming to an end."

Stranger Things is expected to return for its final season next year.

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The Watchers Stars Explain How They Adapted Characters From A.M. Shine's Novel https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-watchers-dakota-fanning-explain-how-adapted-characters-from-am-shine-novel/ Sat, 01 Jun 2024 20:04:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak 0e9c15df-4edb-4773-9ebc-f82c9db6b7a3

The Watchers is being released exclusively in theaters next week, and the new horror film was adapted from the novel by A. M. Shine. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with the film's director, Ishana Night Shyamalan, in addition to stars Dakota Fanning (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Georgina Campbell (Barbarian). During the interviews, Fanning and Campbell revealed how they approached bringing book characters to life.

"I usually go more with the script just because ultimately that's what you are bringing to life," Fanning explained. "I think it's so lucky that this story has such a great book behind it to be inspired by and the source material is so excellent. I met the writer A.M. Shine of the book and he was awesome. And so he created such a great world to make this movie off of. But I usually focus more on the script. I feel like if you're doing something that's in the book, but maybe it's not necessarily relevant to the story ... just can be kind of complicated to mix them. So I usually focus on the script."

"Yeah, I read the book before I took my meeting, so I just wanted to kind of get more of an understanding, and it's great to be able to look at more of a reference of the character, but Ciara, you don't find out that much about her," Campbell explained. "You're only from her perspective for one chapter of the book, which gave me a lot of freedom to be able to also build upon her, which was really nice because actually when A.M. Shine came to the set, he was like, 'Oh my God, you've made Ciara really interesting. She's kind of annoying in the book.'"

"I think that compassion and that kind of sweetness and she really just wants to take care of people and sometimes to her detriment, but I think that's kind of a lovely, she's kind, she's a kind person, which is good," Campbell added of her character.

What Is The Watchers About?

The Watchers follows an artist (Fanning) named Mina "who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland." Mina eventually finds shelter, but she "unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night."

The film also stars Oliver Finnegan (Creeped Out, Outlander) and Olwen Fouere (The Northman, The Tourist). Joining writer/director Shyamalan behind the camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (Lamb, Hospitality), production designer Ferdia Murphy (Lola, Finding You), editor Job ter Burg (Benedetta, Elle), and costume design by Frank Gallacher (Sebastian, Aftersun). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (Till, The Nun). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan, and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

"Well, it was very much just imagining what the four or five of these people were like, and what they would be like together. Then, as the continual lesson that I learned during the filmmaking process, there's just a certain alchemy that happens," the filmmaker revealed during a Q&A in which ComicBook.com was in attendance. "If you're lucky enough to catch it, you do. With this path, there were all these movements that just led to this group being together. They have such an electric energy when they're all together. It's really, really cool. It's so fun. It felt like theater!"

The Watchers lands in theaters on June 7th.

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The Watchers and Barbarian Star Georgina Campbell Wants to Work With Ari Aster https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-watchers-and-barbarian-star-georgina-campbell-wants-to-work-with-ari-aster/ Sat, 01 Jun 2024 01:51:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak 524eb65c-7da7-44f9-894b-e8d489bcd44d

The Watchers is heading to theaters next week, and the new horror film stars Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouere. Campbell is no stranger to horror having previously starred in Barbarian, Bird Box: Barcelona, Black Mirror, and more. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with Campbell in honor of The Watchers, and we mentioned how she's made a name for herself in the horror genre, and wondered if there are any directors she like to work with or any horror subgenres she'd like to tackle.

"I mean, I love Ari Aster," Campbell shared. "I think everyone would give their arm to work with Ari Aster. Sub-genres? I don't really know. I'm not sure, but I would love to work with Ari Aster."

Ari Aster has also made a big name for himself in horror in recent years by helming Hereditary and Midsommar. Last year, the director helmed Beau Is Afraid, and he's expected to reunite with the film's star, Joaquin Phoenix, alongside Pedro Pascal for his next project, Eddington.

You can watch our interview with Campbell at the top of the page.

What Is The Watchers About?

The Watchers follows an artist (Dakota Fanning) named Mina "who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland." Mina eventually finds shelter, but she "unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night."

Joining writer/director Ishana Night Shyamalan behind the camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (Lamb, Hospitality), production designer Ferdia Murphy (Lola, Finding You), editor Job ter Burg (Benedetta, Elle), and costume design by Frank Gallacher (Sebastian, Aftersun). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (Till, The Nun). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan, and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

"Well, it was very much just imagining what the four or five of these people were like, and what they would be like together. Then, as the continual lesson that I learned during the filmmaking process, there's just a certain alchemy that happens," Shyamalan revealed during a Q&A in which ComicBook was in attendance. "If you're lucky enough to catch it, you do. With this path, there were all these movements that just led to this group being together. They have such an electric energy when they're all together. It's really, really cool. It's so fun. It felt like theater!"

The Watchers lands in theaters on June 7th. Stay tuned for more from our interviews about the film.

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X-Men Reboot Preview & In A Violent Nature Review https://comicbook.com/comics/news/x-men-reboot-preview-mcu-blade-delay-in-a-violent-nature-review/ Sat, 01 Jun 2024 01:16:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw 813e61a1-b6bc-4fdb-b3bd-d92133bcc241

The ComicBook Nation crew breaks down Marvel's milestone ending to X-Men's Krakoa Era and previews what's coming with the "From the Ashes" reboot of the comics. There's also a look at the teaser trailer for Disney's Moana 2 and the all-star cast of Knives Out 3!

PLUS: A review of Jennifer Lopez's Netflix movie Atlas, the MCU Blade Movie is in trouble (again); is James Gunn Tapping a The Boys star for a major DCU Role? As well as streaming reviews for Madame Web, The First Omen and more!

MORE: Full List of New X-Men Comics Coming in 2024

In A Violent Nature Review

ComicBook Nation host Kofi Outlaw gives In a Violent Nature 3 out of 5 stars, writing that while the main distinguishing feature of the film (being told from the perspective of a Jason Vorhees Slasher-Killer) wears thin at times, some innovative kills (including one instant-classic scene) and a wave of anxiety and fear that's achieved in the final section make writer/director Chris Nash's debut a noteworthy one.

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Each episode has a deep dive into the current biggest discussion topics and debates within geek culture: movies, tv, comics, and video games are regular features, with genres like sci-fi, anime, and wrestling also featured regularly. The ONLY show covering ALL THINGS Geek Culture!

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(Photo: Producer Pete)


After every show we'll keep the discussion on Twitter:

Have thoughts to share? Want us to cover something on the show? Let us know in the comments!

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Goosebumps Season 2 Full Cast Confirmed https://comicbook.com/horror/news/goosebumps-season-2-full-cast-confirmed/ Fri, 31 May 2024 23:55:00 +0000 Nicole Drum d2f5c7db-58ad-4f65-83e0-5901b6a69e7b

The second season of Goosebumps is growing its cast. On Friday, Disney+ announced that the series has added six more, rounding out the cast for the series. Joining the Season 2 Goosebumps cast are Arjun Athlaye (Are You Afraid of the Dark?), Eloise Payet (The End of the Party), Christopher Paul Richards (The Kids Are Alright), Kyra Tantao (Zombies 3), Stony Blyden (American Born Chinese), and Sakina Jaffrey (Billions). All six are described by Deadline as coming on in recurring roles.

The six will join the previously announced cast of series regulars which includes David Schwimmer, Ana Ortiz, Sam McCarthy, Jayden Bartels, Elijah Cooper, Galilea La Salvia, and Francesca Noel. It was also previously announced that Season 2 of Goosebumps will not be a direct continuation of the first season of the series, but will instead shift the series into an anthology, featuring new characters dealing with otherworldly events. Here's how Season 2 is described: "Season 2 will follow teenage siblings who discover a threat stirring, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. As they delve into the unknown, the duo find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994."

"Audiences everywhere fell in love with the series' chills, thrills, heart, and humor, making it one of Disney Branded Television's most-watched shows of last year," Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, shared "We can't wait to dive deeper into the brilliant mind of R.L. Stine, and to collaborate once again with Sony Pictures Television, Scholastic Entertainment, and our fantastic creative team to bring an entirely new mystery to Disney+ for season two."

"We are incredibly proud of the work of our writers, producers, cast, and crew and the vision they brought to season one, which a new generation of fans are loving alongside those who grew up in R.L. Stine's iconic world," Katherine Pope, president of Sony Pictures Television Studios, added. "Like when you cracked open a new book in the 'Goosebumps' series, we can't wait to see how the writers flip the show on its head as we explore the series as an anthology. Thanks to Disney Branded Television, who remain steadfast partners throughout this wonderfully chilling journey."

Goosebumps Season 1's Cliffhanger to Be Resolved in a New Book

While Season 2 will feature an all-new story and characters, Season 1's cliffhanger will get resolved in a new young adult Goosebumps novelization from Scholastic. Set to be released on October 1st and written by Kate Howard, Goosebumps: The Haunting Returns will be a novelization of the first season of the Disney+ series in which readers will "discover what happens to Isaiah, Margot, Nathan, and the rest of the folks in Port Lawrence in this official Goosebumps novel based on the hit Disney+ series!"

Per the official description, "thirty years ago, Harold Biddle died in a tragic accident -- but there's more to the story. Now, the teenage kids of Harold's classmates are determined to find out what happened to him all those years ago...as long as Harold's spirit doesn't exact his revenge first! But Harold Biddle isn't the only monster roaming the streets of Port Lawrence. From doppelgangers to haunted books and one creepy dummy, Isaiah, Margot, James, and the rest of their friends have to fight to stay alive or risk becoming monsters themselves! This official novel tells the story of Season 1 of the hit series -- plus additional scenes and information not seen on the show, including resolving the show's cliffhanger ending!"

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Alien: Romulus Director Offers New Character Details https://comicbook.com/horror/news/alien-romulus-character-details-backstory-fede-alvarez/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:40:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 63b7c2bc-f0cb-44b7-bfd6-e056d28029d0

Horror fans know that the upcoming Alien: Romulus will be taking place between the events of Alien and Aliens and that it is billed as a spinoff more than as a direct continuation of anything else seen in the Alien franchise, though director Fede ?lvarez has now offered some new insight into the figures who will be tormented by the frightening xenomorph. The series has brought together groups of characters for a variety of reasons in the past, with ?lvarez explaining how the human Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and synthetic Andy (David Jonsson) came together and became an unlikely family. Alien: Romulus is set to hit theaters on August 16th.

"When [Rain's] father was dying, he left Andy to be a kind of caretaker," ?lvarez shared with Empire Magazine. "But Andy is a bit damaged and he's an older model. So more than a surrogate father, he becomes a younger brother to her. And that was always the heart of the story: this relationship between the two... and how that relationship unfolds once sh-t hits the fan."

In the original four movies, the main narrative connection is that the movies followed Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley, and while Romulus isn't narratively connected to the rest of the franchise, the filmmaker confirmed he made sure to include ways to tonally connect the dots between Alien and Aliens.

"To ask an Alien fan to choose between [Alien and Aliens] is a perverse question," the director joked. "So I thought, 'How do I do both?'"

He continued, "There's a moment where the characters are walking around areas familiar from the Nostromo ... Then they cross through that building and on the other side: boom! You're in a hallway that looks like Hadley's Hope [from Aliens]."

The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful Alien franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla), David Jonsson (Agatha Christie's Murder is Easy), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Spike Fearn (Aftersun), Aileen Wu. Fede ?lvarez (Evil Dead, Don't Breathe) directs from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues (Don't Breathe 2) based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

Alien: Romulus lands in theaters on August 16th.

Are you looking forward to the movie? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Return to Silent Hill Movie Gets First Full Trailer https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/return-to-silent-hill-movie-trailer/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:26:00 +0000 Tanner Dedmon 6cb61132-4fd2-4d0b-9076-b353187aab62

Following a behind-the-scenes look at the movie shared on Thursday and a preview before that which showed off our first look at the new version of Pyramid Head, Return to Silent Hill finally has its first full trailer. The trailer for the Silent Hill movie showed off even more of Pyramid Head (or Red Pyramid, if you prefer) as well as other characters like our protagonist, James Sunderland, during his search for Mary. The Silent Hill movie does not yet have a release date, but the trailer ends by saying that Return to Silent Hill is "coming soon."

You can find the trailer below now that it's been shared by the official Silent Hill accounts on Friday. For those who tuned into the Silent Hill transmission that aired on Thursday, you'll recall seeing some behind-the-scenes segments there that have made their way into this trailer to better show how all the pieces fit together. Based on what's been shown so far, people seem keen on the new movie, perhaps more so than they are on the remake of Silent Hill 2.

https://x.com/SilentHill/status/1796572353041965063It's unclear why this was not shown off during the Silent Hill transmission on Thursday which would've given it its very own space to be presented as opposed to just putting it out in the world the next day. But again, people seem pretty lukewarm on the Silent Hill 2 game that Bloober Team is handling which just got a release date yesterday, so perhaps Silent Hill will be back in favor again now that this trailer is out.

Return to Silent Hill is meant to adapt the events of Konami's Silent Hill 2 and has been a long time coming now with rumors of a new Silent Hill movie circulating for years. It's directed and produced by Christophe Gans, the same director responsible for the 2006 Silent Hill movie as well as 2014's Beauty and the Beast and more. It wrapped filming several months ago, and while it does not have an official synopsis yet to indicate anything might be changing, Silent Hill fans should expect it to closely follow the events of Silent Hill 2.

Return to Silent Hill does not yet have a release date beyond a broad release window of 2024, but we'll likely get one soon now that the first trailer is out.

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Universal Monsters Funko Pops: Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride, and Gill-Man https://comicbook.com/horror/news/universal-monsters-funko-pops-dracula-frankenstein-bride-and-gill-man/ Fri, 31 May 2024 16:08:00 +0000 Sean Fallon 10522ee9-59b5-48d4-bee0-65732b842e78 universal-monsters-funko.jpg

Universal Monsters horror icons Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula and Gill-Man just got a reboot after the first wave launched in 2014. The lineup includes Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, and Gill-Man / Creature from the Black Lagoon, all of which are available to pre-order via the links below.

If you're wondering where Wolf Man is in this lineup, fear not. Packaging images on the product pages reveal that a Pop figure is on the way. Hopefully the Mummy, Phantom of the Opera, and the Invisible Man will follow suit either as part of a second wave or as exclusives. If/when that happens you'll find the info right here.

The New Wolf Man Movie Launches on January 17, 2025

The new film will star Christopher Abbott as the title character, with Ozark's Julia Garner and The Handmaid's Tale's Sam Jaeger also starring in the picture. Whannell wrote the film with Corbett Tuck, Lauren Schuker Blum, and Rebecca Angelo, while Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Productions, Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell all serve as executive producers. Also serving as an executive producer is Ryan Gosling, who had been attached to star in the project since 2020. The film is directed by Leigh Whannel.

The original movie focused on a man who was bitten by a creature that caused him to transform into a werewolf "when the wolfsbane blooms and the Autumn moon is bright." Much like how The Invisible Man (2020) took inspiration from the original Universal Monsters movie and reimagined it, the upcoming Wolf Man is expected to be an unconventional take on the material.

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The First Omen Offering Los Angeles Fans Unique Pizza Offer on 6/6 https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-first-omen-pizza-june-6-los-angeles-promotion-cost-digital/ Fri, 31 May 2024 15:57:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 1f57d09a-0519-40cf-b448-84002ee43e4a

The 20th Century Studios prequel The First Omen landed in theaters earlier this year, and horror fans have even more reason to celebrate the franchise, as next week marks the iconic date of 6/6, a significant date for the long-running franchise. In addition to the notable date's connection to the franchise itself, 20th Century Studios has teamed up with Purgatory Pizza in Los Angeles for a unique promotional opportunity, in which fans ordering two pizzas can get $6.66 off their order with the code "666." Additionally, the first 200 orders will receive a copy of The First Omen on Digital. The First Omen is out now on Digital and streaming on Hulu and hits Blu-ray and DVD on July 30th.

Per press release, "To celebrate The First Omen home entertainment release, 20th Century Studios has partnered with Purgatory Pizza to offer a devilishly good deal. On June 6th, consumers can enjoy $6.66 off their order of two or more pizzas. As an added treat, the first 200 customers will receive a free digital copy of The First Omen to make it a movie night at home."

Promotional details are as follows:

  • Enjoy $6.66 off your order of two or more pizzas on 6/6 at Purgatory Pizza (online and in-store) at 1326 E. 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
  • Use code 666 for online orders
  • The first 200 orders will receive a free digital copy of The First Omen
  • Promotion is available for one day only

The First Omen is described, "In this psychological horror prequel to the classic Omen films, a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. Soon, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith, and that reveals a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. The First Omen stars Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman), and Bill Nighy (Living). The film is directed by Arkasha Stevenson based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (Bleed) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson, and Keith Thomas (Firestarter)."

Special features on the home video release are as follows:

  • The Mystery of Margaret - Join director Arkasha Stevenson and stars Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, and Maria Caballero as they dive into the character of Margaret, her relationships with other characters, and how she's manipulated while trying to solve the film's horrifying mystery.
  • The Director's Vision - Director Arkasha Stevenson talks about her love of horror films, the opportunity to expand on The Omen legacy, and crafting The First Omen entirely through a female lens. She also describes shooting in Rome, and the cast recounts working with Arkasha.
  • Signs of The First Omen - Join the director and talented artists as they reveal some of the symbolism within the set designs and the costumes. Learn how the use of practical effects blurs the line between what is real and what is not in The First Omen's terrifying world.

The First Omen is out now on Digital and streaming on Hulu and hits Blu-ray and DVD on July 30th.

Will you be checking out the promotion? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: Winona Ryder Shares New Details About Lydia's Return https://comicbook.com/movies/news/beetlejuice-2-winona-ryder-interview-lydia-deetz-return-story-tv-show/ Fri, 31 May 2024 15:06:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw 28c0cb16-b334-4784-815e-8bbc2934d298

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will bring back Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, the goth girl whose fascination with the paranormal had her stumble into the world of the afterlife and almost become the bride of Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice. We know that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will have Lydia as a mother to her teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), but there's also more to Lydia's continuing story.

Winona Ryder (along with the rest of the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast) is getting some feature attention in Empire Magazine. During the interviews, Ryder shared a few more details about where we find Lydia in the Beetlejuice sequel.

"I went through so many stages of, 'Who is she now?', but I always wanted to have it be Lydia. She can't lose who she was," Ryder explained to Empire. "She can't be the same person, she can't be just completely deadpan, she has to have evolved, but she also has to have kept that thing she had when we first met her. So that was the big challenge for me."

One of the big changes in Lydia's life (besides motherhood) is that she now has Elvira-style TV series called Ghost House With Lydia Deetz. If you watch the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer, you can catch a small snippet of Lydia doing the show - a great reflection of all the paranormal reality series (ex: Ghost Hunters) that have come along since the original Beetlejuice's release. Given Lydia's experience with seeing the afterlife, she is uniquely suited to offer expertise on the subject - although we suspect the reception from the Internet wouldn't be universally glowing.

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(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Behind the scenes, Ryder admitted that getting back into the character was hard - especially after so much real life has passed since she first played the role. "You know, you grow up, and things change. Life happens."

Still, the process of making the Beetlejuice sequel seems to have been a breakthrough experience for Ryder. She echoes Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton in her excitement over what they've done with the sequel.

"I struggle to find the words. It's just one of the most special experiences that I've ever had. The fact that we're coming back to it, it's... It's beyond," Ryder explained. "I don't know if I've ever felt this way. This is a first for me. I've never revisited a character, ever."

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released in theaters on September 6th.

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The Watchers Star Dakota Fanning Teases Collaboration With Elle Fanning https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-watchers-dakota-fanning-teases-collaboration-with-sister-elle-fanning/ Thu, 30 May 2024 23:54:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak 4652e3e5-6e22-416f-90b6-bc74caf7233a

The Watchers is heading to theaters next week, and the film is based on A. M. Shine's novel of the same name. The movie stars Dakota Fanning as an artist named Mina who "gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland." Mina eventually finds shelter, but she "unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night." Early in the film, Mina listens to a voicemail from her sister, and ComicBook recently admitted to Fanning that we initially thought the voicemail was a cameo from her real-life sister, Elle Fanning. This led to us wondering if the sisters plan to work together in the future.

"Oh, funny!" Fanning replied when we mentioned our mistake. "I'm wondering if people ... what they're going to think," she added. "We have definitely talked about it," she shared when asked about a collaboration with her sister. "We never acted together on screen. She's played me younger, but definitely you'll see it one day for sure. I feel confident saying that."

You can watch our interview with Fanning at the top of the page.

Dakota Fanning Talks Working With Ishana Night Shyamalan:

The Watchers marks the feature directorial debut of M. Night Shyamalan's daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan. During ComicBook's chat with Fanning, she shared what it was like to work with a first-time feature director.

"Yeah, she's super, super excited. Always had a smile on her face, such a bright person and somebody that was clearly put on this earth to create," Fanning said of Shyamalan. "She's super creative, super collaborative, comes from a family of artists who love to make cool things, and so that's inspiring to be around."

"She wrote this and was directing it and had such a clear vision of what she wanted to do and you can't help but feel inspired to collaborate with someone like that," Fanning added.

In addition to Fanning, The Watchers stars Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, Suspicion), Oliver Finnegan (Creeped Out, Outlander), and Olwen Fouere (The Northman, The Tourist). Joining writer/director Shyamalan behind the camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (Lamb, Hospitality), production designer Ferdia Murphy (Lola, Finding You), editor Job ter Burg (Benedetta, Elle), and costume design by Frank Gallacher (Sebastian, Aftersun). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (Till, The Nun). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan, and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

The Watchers lands in theaters on June 7th. Stay tuned for more from our interviews about the upcoming horror film.

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The Backrooms: Lost Media Fans Have Finally Identified Where the Creepypasta Photo Was Taken https://comicbook.com/movies/news/the-backrooms-lost-media-identified-original-creepypasta-photo/ Thu, 30 May 2024 19:34:00 +0000 Russ Burlingame cd582e1f-1e0c-457f-af2d-66bf933b0f90

"The Backrooms" is that rare 4Chan post that not only became familiar to mainstream audiences, but broke out of the social media bubble to become a fairly mainstream pop culture phenomenon. Originally just a creepy photo, an anonymous user attached it to a short "creepypasta," and it almost immediately took off. The story of The Backrooms is short, to the point, and basically a perfect creepypasta: "If you're not careful and you noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you'll end up in the Backrooms, where it's nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately six hundred million square miles of randomly segmented empty rooms to be trapped in. God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you."

In the decade or so since, there has been a webseries adaptation, video games, and A24 is reportedly developing a feature film based on the concept. So, it's probably not surprising that eventually people started to wonder what the actual story of the photo was. That kicked off a search -- which ended yesterday.

A number of Discord users -- handles Serrara, Semliot, Xaft, and PerditusRedux -- have discovered an Internet Archive link that shows off the very first version of the photo that was posted online. PerditusRedux was key in finding the origins of the photo, and it was actually a fairly simple idea: they took the earliest known filename for the image (one discovered and identified by Serrara), and plugged it into X's search function. That kicked back a years-old tweet that featured a link to a post from Hobby Town in Oshkosh, WI.

You can see a pretty great breakdown from YouTuber Farrell McGuire below.

While a number of people after them would find the image liminal, unsettling, or downright creepy, the photo was originally presented without any such context. Instead, the link detailed the process of tearing apart some old display walls from a closed-down furniture store, so they could build a race track for remote control cars.

The furniture store theory was one that had been put forth by McGuire about a month ago, in a video where he speculated that's why there were so many odd, seemingly false walls, why the walls had a protective rail mounted on them, and why there seemed to be so few plugs for such a large area.

Maybe if we get lucky, A24 can include some creepy RC cars in their version of The Backrooms now...!

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The Watchers: Dakota Fanning and Georgina Campbell Talk Being Directed By Ishana Night Shyamalan https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-watchers-dakota-fanning-georgina-campbell-being-directed-by-ishana-night-shyamalan/ Thu, 30 May 2024 19:07:00 +0000 Jamie Jirak 7fdf766d-f990-452f-ac63-715786097a59

The Watchers is heading to theaters next week, and the new horror film marks the feature directorial debut of M. Night Shyamalan's daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan. The younger Shyamalan previously helmed episodes of Servant, and now she's teaming up with Warner Bros. for The Watchers, which is adapted from A. M. Shine's novel of the same name. The film stars Dakota Fanning (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Ocean's Eight), Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, Suspicion), Oliver Finnegan (Creeped Out, Outlander), and Olwen Fouere (The Northman, The Tourist). ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with Fanning and Campbell, and they shared what it was like to work with a first-time feature director.

"Yeah, she's super, super excited. Always had a smile on her face, such a bright person and somebody that was clearly put on this earth to create," Fanning said of Shyamalan. "She's super creative, super collaborative, comes from a family of artists who love to make cool things, and so that's inspiring to be around."

"She wrote this and was directing it and had such a clear vision of what she wanted to do and you can't help but feel inspired to collaborate with someone like that," Fanning continued.

"She was so passionate and excited and so everyone, all the producers, everything, it felt very energized and she just had so many ideas and had clearly thought about this for a long time," Campbell added. "So it's lovely being able to work with people when they're that excited about projects."

You can watch our interviews with Fanning and Campbell at the top of the page.

What Is The Watchers About?

The Watchers follows an artist (Fanning) named Mina "who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland." Mina eventually finds shelter, but she "unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night."

Joining writer/director Shyamalan behind the camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (Lamb, Hospitality), production designer Ferdia Murphy (Lola, Finding You), editor Job ter Burg (Benedetta, Elle), and costume design by Frank Gallacher (Sebastian, Aftersun). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (Till, The Nun). The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan, and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

"Well, it was very much just imagining what the four or five of these people were like, and what they would be like together. Then, as the continual lesson that I learned during the filmmaking process, there's just a certain alchemy that happens," the filmmaker revealed during a Q&A in which ComicBook.com was in attendance. "If you're lucky enough to catch it, you do. With this path, there were all these movements that just led to this group being together. They have such an electric energy when they're all together. It's really, really cool. It's so fun. It felt like theater!"

The Watchers lands in theaters on June 7th. Stay tuned for more from our interviews about The Watchers.

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A Quiet Place: Day One Featurette Uncovers the Origins of the Prequel https://comicbook.com/horror/news/quiet-place-day-one-featurette-prequel-lupita-nyongo-joseph-quinn-trailer/ Thu, 30 May 2024 17:31:00 +0000 Aaron Perine 41066044-8652-455b-a0a1-bade77e25098

A Quiet Place: Day One rolled out a brand-new featurette for the prequel. Instead of the eerie farm setting of the first movie. Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn are set to endure the first hours of the alien invasion in formerly bustling New York City. (That chatter is like catnip attracting the otherworldly beings, as fans of the franchise are well-aware.) John Krasinski always designed this series to be adaptable to multiple settings. The first two outings were largely pastoral, and the shift to an urban setting has been massively unsettling to see in the first few clips of A Quiet Place: Day One.

"For A Quiet Place: Day One, we have gone back to the day the creatures invaded Earth," Nyongo explains during the featurette." Quinn adds, "For Part II, where we watched the Abbott family negotiate this invasion. Except, this time we're in New York City." Djimon Hounsou teases that this entry will be even more upsetting and that's largely due to the setting. It was devastating enough when it was just one family against the extraterrestrial. Now, the entire city is in some serious peril. Watch the featurette down below!

A Quiet Place: Day One Marks New Territory For Franchise

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(Photo: Paramount)

Steering this massive property is no small feat. John Krasinski knows that well as he's been there since the earliest days of A Quiet Place. He talked to Empire Magazine about A Quiet Place: Day One last year. Jeff Nichols was a natural choice for the fan-favorite actor. But, when changes occurred, Michael Sarnoski stepped in. It's his first attempt at stepping into this world. Movie fans know him from Pig. But, this is a massive step into the limelight for the franchise as a whole.

"Truly the only person I had in mind when asked whether I would hand this off was Jeff," Krasinski told Empire last year. "I think he's one of the best filmmakers, Mud is one of my favourite movies, and so real and intimate. It's exactly the sort of paints we're painting with in A Quiet Place - very organic characters you fall in love with."

"So he was my first choice for this, and when he said yes I was over the moon," he added. "I pitched him my story, he's gone and developed the world on his own with that jumping-off point, and I'm so thrilled. He's actually just turning in a script now, and I loved it. I absolutely loved it, and I can't wait to see him shoot this thing."

Are you excited for the new A Quiet Place movie? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Take-Two Terminates Publishing Deal for Bloober Team's Project C https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/take-two-private-division-deal-bloober-team-project-c-cancelled/ Thu, 30 May 2024 17:15:00 +0000 Marc Deschamps fc9c7e5d-240e-4436-a8bd-9ec2ddd2c9c5

Bloober Team announced today that Take-Two has ended its publishing deal for a survival horror game codenamed "Project C." The partnership formed in 2021, but was not revealed until 2022, and would have seen the game published by Take-Two's Private Division. In a release from Bloober Team, the studio confirmed that development on the game will continue. At this time, Bloober Team plans to self-publish the game, but has also noted the possibility that it could find a different publisher.

"...at the date of publication of the current report, the Company continues work on Project C in accordance with the planned production and marketing schedule in the self-publishing model. At the same time, the Issuer does not rule out the possibility of continuing this production based on cooperation with a new publisher," the statement reads (translated from the original Polish by Google).

When is Project C Coming Out?

The statement from Bloober Team does not offer additional information about the game, such as a release window. The original announcement about the partnership with Private Division stated that Project C would not be released before 2025. That means we won't be seeing the game until next year at the earliest, and that could give Bloober Team plenty of time to find a different publisher, should it so desire.

In Bloober Team's statement, it's claimed that no reason was given for the partnership termination. However, industry analyst @MauroNL mentioned on Twitter that Take-Two's cost reduction plan might have something to do with it. In April, the company announced layoffs and plans to cancel multiple projects.

Silent Hill 2 and the Future of Bloober Team

It's not all that surprising that Project C is so far out. Bloober Team is a relatively small developer, consisting of less than 100 employees. The studio's focus also seems to be on a remake of Silent Hill 2, which is expected to release within the next year. That's clearly taking priority over a new IP, but hopefully we'll learn a lot more about Project C once Silent Hill 2 is out.

Despite its smaller size, Bloober Team has made a name for itself over the last few years thanks to the company's horror games. Bloober Team has focused on both original IP like Layers of Fear and The Medium, as well as established properties like Silent Hill and The Blair Witch. Silent Hill 2 is easily the biggest thing the studio has done, and if successful, it could help make Bloober Team an even bigger name in the industry. With a Silent Hill Transmission set to take place later today, fans should have a better idea how that project is shaping up.

Do you have any interest in Bloober Team's new games? Have you enjoyed the studio's work? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Reveals New Images and Cover Art in Empire's Latest Issue https://comicbook.com/movies/news/beetlejuice-2-new-images-cover-art-empire-magazine/ Thu, 30 May 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw e241e0d2-fa5e-452f-93f7-941a24e1d1c7

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is gracing the cover of Empire Magazine's latest issue, and the cast is looking frightfully good!

Michael Keaton takes center stage on the main cover, with Beetlejuice 2 stars Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz) Catherine O'Hara (Delia Deetz), and franchise newcomer Jenna Ortega (Astrid Deetz) right alongside him. A second piece of cover art attempts to capture the spirit of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice with a trippy painting of Keaton as Beetlejuice, at the center of a purple-and-green vortex. It already screams "collector's item."

Another feature on Empire comes with a new image of Keaton's Beetlejuice, who is hanging out with old franchise favorite the shrunken head man, 'Harry the Hunter.' Harry's looking far more professional these days, having traded in his hunter's khakis for a nice yellow suit.

The nostalgia bait seems worthwhile in this case: Michael Keaton is openly confident that Tim Burton has done the (near-impossible), by recapturing the magic of the original:

"I love it [the film]" Keaton said. "I absolutely love this thing. And I don't [usually] talk like that. I unabashedly love this. It was not easy to pull off, and I think we did it in spades."

What Is Beetlejuice 2 About?

michael-keaton-in-beetlejuice-2-empire-exclusive-image.jpg
(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Here's the story of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - as per the latest synopsis from Warner Bros. Pictures:

Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

Beetlejuice 2 Cast & Crew Info

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(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

"Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton's award-winning Beetlejuice.

Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Oscar nominee Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O'Hara (Schitt$ Creek, Corpse Bride) as Delia Deetz.

New cast members joining the franchise include Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), Monica Bellucci (The Matrix films), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI) as Lydia's daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, Spider-Man).

When Does Beetlejuice 2 Release In Theaters?

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released only in theaters and IMAX on September 6, 2024 nationwide, and internationally beginning 4 September 2024.

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Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights Offering First-Ever "Premium Scream" Preview Night https://comicbook.com/horror/news/halloween-horror-nights-universal-orlando-resort-premium-scream/ Thu, 30 May 2024 15:23:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh a39f76a8-bc06-4d77-85f6-ea560f6fe0a3

Halloween Horror Nights will be kicking off earlier than ever this year at Universal Orlando Resort, immersing fans in all of the thrills and chills of Halloween, but the park announced today that there will be an all-new opportunity to get a taste of the terror earlier than ever. This year, Universal Orlando Resort will be unveiling its "Premium Scream Night" event that will allow a limited number of guests to get in on the action before the event officially kicks off, while still enjoying the impressive and immersive events only available at Halloween Horror Nights. Tickets for the event will go on sale on June 6th and the Premium Scream Night will be held on August 29th.

Per press release, "It's every Halloween Horror Nights fan's dream (or nightmare) come true -- for the first time ever, guests can experience Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights before it officially opens with limited capacity and shorter wait times at an exclusive Premium Scream Night event on Thursday, August 29th. Tickets for this unparalleled experience go on sale on Thursday, June 6th."

"Premium Scream Night guests will earn the ultimate bragging rights as they will be among the first to face this year's slate of all-new frights comprised of 10 horrifying, movie-quality haunted houses inspired by cinematic greats and eerie original stories created by the twisted minds of Universal's Entertainment team, five scare zones filled with hordes of menacing creatures and outrageous live entertainment.

Ticketholders will also enjoy:

  • Everything fans love about the world's premier Halloween event in a more intimate experience -- complete with limited capacity and shorter wait times;
  • Staggered entry by group into the haunted houses, so everyone will fall prey to the scares lurking at every turn;
  • A selection of all-you-care-to-enjoy food items created by Universal's award-winning culinary team and inspired by this season's haunts, as well as non-alcoholic beverages;
  • An exclusive event souvenir credential and lanyard;
  • Access to select attractions at Universal Studios Florida;
  • and free self-parking on August 29th.

Tickets for the Halloween Horror Nights Premium Scream Night event are limited and will be available for purchase online beginning June 6th for $350 plus tax. Universal Annual and Seasonal Passholders can purchase tickets for the discounted price of $325 plus tax.

Halloween Horror Nights officially kicks off at Universal Orlando Resort on August 30th.

Will you be checking out the Premium Scream Night? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Here's Your First Look Inside Oni's Exciting EC Comics Revival https://comicbook.com/comics/news/heres-your-first-look-inside-onis-exciting-ec-comics-revival/ Thu, 30 May 2024 15:17:00 +0000 Russ Burlingame 54af24c5-c11e-4bd1-9d17-6b3aaf208098
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Interview With the Vampire: Who is Raglan James? https://comicbook.com/horror/news/interview-with-the-vampire-who-is-raglan-james/ Thu, 30 May 2024 02:45:00 +0000 Nicole Drum 1496fc17-c6ae-4e77-a96e-5cd47279b234

The second season of AMC's Interview With the Vampire is in full swing and with three episodes down, the series, based on Anne Rice's iconic novel of the same name, is deep into exploring Louis de Pointe du Lac's time in Paris after he and Claudia killed their maker and fled to Europe in search of others like them. Woven into the telling of Louis' history, however, is a more contemporary story, one of journalist Daniel Molloy's second interview in Dubai. This week's episode, "No Pain", brought into sharper focus that the story in Dubai might be just as interesting as the Paris of the past -- and introduced into the mix a character that has major importance in Rice's novels.

In "No Pain", Daniel (Eric Bogosian), is seen away from Armand (Assad Zaman) and Louis (Jacob Anderson) for a bit at a restaurant where he's trying to make sense of some of his interview notes. It's there that he's approached by a mysterious man who knows quite a bit about not only Daniel's interview, but seemingly about vampires and their workings on a larger scale. The man introduces himself as Raglan James (Justin Kirk) and while Daniel thinks the mystery man could be MI6 or Mossad, Rice fans know he may just belong to a very different secret organization.

By the Book: Who is Raglan James?

In Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, Raglan James is a character introduced in the fourth book in the series and is, indeed, the character the title refers to: The Tale of the Body Thief. James is a human man who has psychic abilities, particularly that he can switch bodies with people. James approaches the vampire Lestat and offers him the chance to trade bodies to experience what it is like to be human again. As it turns out, James was a former Talamasca agent who is also a kleptomaniac and conman. It's revealed that he was thrown out of the organization and that everything James has, he gained by theft -- and he may be trying to steal immortality by trading bodies with Lestat. Things end up going pretty awry when James does indeed try to steal Lestat's immortality, but things work out in the end with Lestat regaining his body and the thief being dispatched -- you'll have to read the book for the finer details.

While AMC's Interview With the Vampire has not yet fully revealed exactly what organization the mysterious Raglan James works for nor has the series given any indication that he's stealing bodies, he does seem to have some uncanny inside knowledge of the vampires and Daniel's interview and is even seen having access to Daniel's laptop, supplying him with notes and records that Armand and Louis very carefully had made sure to not give him access to. With the Talamasca established as an organization in AMC's other Immortal Universe series, Mayfair Witches, and a third series centered around the Talamasca is in development.

"We're developing three other things, at the same time, all of them different," executive producer Mark Johnson said previously about telling stories about the Talamasca. "People ask me what these shows have in common, or what these books have in common, and I actually think it's her characters, no matter how tortured or odd. Her vampires, unlike most vampires that we see all the time, are human beings. It's not humans and vampires. They are human beings who happen to be vampires, and they suffer from loss of love, lack of love, and lack of friendship. The idea that we all say, 'Wouldn't it be great to live forever?' of course, that would be terrible. You'd fall in love with your partner, your parents would die, and you'd still be there, the same age."

"Some of the themes are the same ... in Mayfair Witches, there's that whole middle section about the family and you go off to Haiti, and there's a series in there," Johnson said. "Is there a show to be made about Lasher? Is there a show to be made about the Fang Gang? There's no book that is about the Talamasca, but I think there's a great series about the Talamasca. Their job is to monitor these extraordinary events and creatures and not get involved, but to watch. So, I think that answer is yes, this will keep going."

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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Interview With the Vampire Showrunner Explains Why One Key Book Character Was Absent from Episode 3 https://comicbook.com/horror/news/interview-with-the-vampire-gabrielle-de-lioncourt-season-3/ Wed, 29 May 2024 23:42:00 +0000 Nicole Drum b4d03915-4aa8-4f4d-af9f-968de0ea94a9

This week's episode of Interview With the Vampire, "No Pain", gave fans of the AMC series something they'd been hoping for almost since meeting Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) in Season 1 -- a look at his own origin story. For fans of author Anne Rice's larger Vampire Chronicles novels, the episode offered the first taste of what an adaptation of The Vampire Lestat might look like, revealing Lestat's early time as a vampire and his time in Paris and how it connects to the Theatre des Vampires. But while the episode did give fans an appearance by one beloved novel character, Nicholas de Lenfent (played by Joseph Potter), there was one fan favorite and important character missing: Gabrielle de Lioncourt, Lestat's mother. But while fans may have been disappointed not to see Gabrielle, showrunner Rolin Jones says hasn't been forgotten -- and fans will get to see her if the series gets a third season.

Speaking with TV Insider, Jones explained that while we get a piece of The Vampire Lestat in "No Pain", the story is being told not by Lestat the way it is in Rice's book, but through Armand's point of view, which is why certain characters didn't appear -- including Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle -- not particularly somebody I think Armand wants [mentioned]," Jones said. "But don't worry, it's coming. If there's a Season 3, Lestat will get to tell his version of the story that will be wildly different about what happened here."

He continued, "In my head, other than Lestat, [Gabrielle is] the central character of Season 3. The important character."

Who is Gabrielle de Lioncourt?

As fans of the book know, Gabrielle is a significant character not only to Lestat as a character, but in The Vampire Lestat. Lestat's mother, Gabrielle was turned into a vampire by her son (in the late 1700s in the novel). After founding the Theatre, Gabrielle and Lestat leave Paris to travel around the world, where their relationship eventually fractures and they part ways with Gabrielle eventually going into the African jungles and exploring the world alone for two centuries.

And fans aren't the only people eager to see Gabrielle come to life in the series. Back in 2022, Jacob Anderson, who plays Louis,

told ComicBook that Gabrielle is one of the characters he's eager to interact with.

"I've already text Rolin on numerous occasions and been like, 'I just want to be in a room with Gabrielle and Marius,'" Anderson said.

What Is Interview with the Vampire Season 2 About?

You can read AMC's official description of the second season of Interview With the Vampire here: "The interview continues in season two. In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Anderson) recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Picking up from the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis and teen fledgling Claudia (Hayles) conspired to kill the Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (Reid), Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris, with Claudia. It is in Paris that Louis first meets the Vampire Armand (Assad Zaman). Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories."

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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The Exorcist: Mike Flanagan Confirmed to Write and Direct "Radical New Take" https://comicbook.com/movies/news/the-exorcist-mike-flanagan-confirmed-write-direct-new/ Wed, 29 May 2024 22:50:00 +0000 Jenna Anderson 01e79eb3-dab8-4528-bd95-cd81e845b7e0

A new take on The Exorcist franchise is officially on the way. On Wednesday, it was confirmed that Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher) will be writing, directing, and producing a new Exorcist movie. Flanagan's new film is being described as "an all-new story set in The Exorcist universe and is not a sequel to 2023's The Exorcist: Believer." The film will be produced by Flanagan, Trevor Macy, and John Scherer.

"The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it is an honor to have the chance to try something fresh, bold, and terrifying within its universe," Flanagan said in a statement. "Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I've made some of my favorite pieces of work, only makes this more exciting."

"Mike's voice and vision are indispensable for horror fans and we are excited to welcome him back to Blumhouse," Jason Blum echoed. "I immediately responded to Mike's new take on the world of The Exorcist and can't wait for audiences to experience it."

"It's an honor to be working with Mike," David Robinson, Chairman and CEO of Morgan Creek, added. "I think his vision for this franchise is going to stun audiences worldwide, and I could not be more excited to be working with him, Trevor, Jason and the entire Blumhouse Team."

Why Isn't The Exorcist: Believer Getting a Sequel?

The rights to The Exorcist franchise were acquired by Universal and Blumhouse in 2021 in a $400 million distribution deal, which originally encompassed a new trilogy of films. At the time, there was an option for the second and third installments potentially being exclusive to Universal's Peacock streaming service.

As previous reporting on Flanagan's involvement indicated, this pivot would allow Universal and Blumhouse to deliver the two additional Exorcist movies that they originally signed up for, without necessarily being impacted by Believer's bad reception and box office.

What Is The Exorcist: Believer About?

In The Exorcist: Believer, since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Tony winner and Oscar nominee Leslie Odom, Jr.; One Night in Miami, Hamilton) has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett, Good Girls) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, see out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like this before: Chris MacNeil. The film also stars Emmy winner Ann Dowd (The Handmaid's Tale, Hereditary) as Victor and Angela's neighbor, and Grammy winner Jennifer Nettles (Harriet, The Righteous Gemstones) and two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz (Fosse/Verdon, Bloodline) as the parents of Katherine, Angela's friend.

"Well, it's fun. We had a road map that thought, 'You know, if the world will embrace what we're making here, then we'll keep it going,'" director David Gordon Green previously told ComicBook.com of the prospect of a sequel. "So we have a nice road map, and then once we got into production, the movie took on a life of its own, and we took some detours on that road. But I'm excited that if this movie is well received and we can keep them cranking, we got some new avenues to explore."

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The Crow Star Reveals Unexpected Criticism of the New Film https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-crow-remake-reboot-ending-reaction-bill-skarsgard-eric-draven/ Wed, 29 May 2024 20:58:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 98293103-e786-42c6-9178-689aa645a0a0

Fans still have to wait a few months before getting to see the reimagining of James O'Barr's The Crow, with one of its earliest critics being one of the most surprising, which is star Bill Skarsg?rd. More specifically, the actor recently shared with Esquire how he wishes the ending of the film had a bit more of a concrete resolution. Neither the outlet nor the actor offered specific details on how the film is left open-ended and what characters could be continued in a follow-up film, so we'll have to wait until August 23rd to see if we agree with him.

While speaking with the outlet, Skarsg?rd noted that he feels some detachment from the project that he wrapped filming on two years ago and specifically cites of the film's finale, "I personally preferred something more definitive."

The original 1994 adaptation of The Crow starred Brandon Lee as Eric Draven, who is resurrected by the spirit of The Crow a year after he and his fiancee Shelly are murdered by local thugs. Lee tragically died during filming due to an injury he suffered on set, though the nature of the concept and of the original O'Barr comics allowed new characters to be revived by the spirit of The Crow in subsequent adventures. In addition to earning three movie sequels, the concept was also adapted for a TV series.

Previous movies and attempts to reboot the material pivoted away from Eric Draven, though Skarsg?rd has taken the reins of the iconic figure. Whether the actor's comments reflect that his character could return in another film or if he's addressing another issue entirely is yet to be revealed.

The Crow is described, "Soulmates Eric (Skarsg?rd) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right."

The new The Crow was directed by Rupert Sanders and also stars Danny Huston.

Stay tuned for updates on The Crow before it lands in theaters on August 23rd.

What do you think of the actor's remarks? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Discovery Announces Mysterious New Series Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction (Exclusive) https://comicbook.com/horror/news/alien-encounters-fact-or-fiction-trailer-teaser-discovery-channel/ Wed, 29 May 2024 18:01:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh a5c33050-f393-4714-8969-a07f55d09187

With a number of paranormal TV series, witnesses to strange events are allowed to present their experiences to the camera and allow viewers at home to judge for themselves what they believe. In the all-new Discovery series Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction, two hosts use their years of investigative experience to either cast doubt on or support the claims made by witnesses, marking a new type of program in the realm of the genre. You can check out a teaser for Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction above before the series premieres on Discovery on June 19th at 10 p.m. ET.

"Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction is a fun and exciting addition to our Wednesday night line-up, taking viewers on an out-of-this-world journey with a big payoff," Howard Lee, President of Discovery Networks, shared in a statement. "As audiences listen to these intimate encounters, they can judge for themselves what they believe before our experts weigh in with facts. It packs the thrill of the unknown with a hunt for evidence, while satisfying the thirst for knowledge."

Per press release, "An all-new series will investigate the veracity behind personal accounts of otherworldly experiences when Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction premieres Wednesday, June 19th at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel and Max. With reports of UAPs (unexplained aerial phenomena) on the rise, UFO experts Mitch Horowitz and Chrissy Newton use scientific data and research to dissect real-life encounters with extraterrestrial activity and determine whether or not they can be explained."

"Posting up at a local watering hole in Roswell, New Mexico, a town infamous for its UFO past, Horowitz and Newton meet with individuals who have experienced strange and unexplainable encounters. After listening to each firsthand account, the duo taps into the latest intelligence, technology, and tools to investigate the reported activity. Using recently declassified UFO documents, databases, and more, the pair closely analyze the visual and physical evidence to separate fact from fiction. They'll then render a final verdict on whether each individual experience has a verifiable explanation, or if they believe it to be a real alien encounter.

"In the premiere episode, Mitch Horowitz and Chrissy Newton meet with a farming couple from California who believe they've captured video evidence proving the afterlife is real. Then, a geologist believes he may have unearthed the most important piece of evidence to ever come from a UFO crash site -- leaving even the experts speechless. Finally, they speak with a mother who is struggling to make sense of a harrowing UFO encounter that she believes caused her neurological damage and left radiation burns on her body."

Additional stories this season include:

  • A woman seeks to understand her childhood abduction experience, which yields shocking results.
  • A husband-and-wife bigfoot hunting team believe they have physical proof of an alien presence on Earth.
  • While miles apart from each other, a couple experiences the same UFO encounter.
  • A Maine lobsterman who had a harrowing experience while camping is finally ready to relive the story.
  • Two friends who believe they were abducted by an otherworldly force on a drive through the California desert.
  • A woman traveling to Machu Picchu in Peru captures what might be the most critical photo of a UFO ever taken.
  • Brothers uncover a piece of metal that they believe came from a crashed UFO.

Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction premieres on Discovery on June 19th at 10 p.m. ET.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Nosferatu Star Bill Skarsgård Teases His Vampire as "Gross" and "Sexualized" https://comicbook.com/horror/news/nosferatu-bill-skarsgard-tease-reaction-reboot-remake-vampire/ Wed, 29 May 2024 17:41:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh e7f8cb31-f451-4bb5-a98d-383aa7720a61

When it comes to cinematic vampires, the nature of being a blood-sucker often means there's lots of seduction from attractive figures, though Count Orlok in 1922's Nosferatu marked a much more ghastly take on the monster. In the upcoming remake of Nosferatu from director Robert Eggers, Bill Skarsg?rd promises that his version of the character will be both "gross" and also bring sexuality to the story. Given that fans have only seen glimpses of the supporting characters in the film, these comments from the performer are sure to spark excitement and curiosity about his role. Nosferatu is set to hit theaters on December 25th.

"He's gross," Skarsg?rd confirmed to Esquire of his take on the character. "But it is very sexualized. It's playing with a sexual fetish about the power of the monster and what that appeal has to you. Hopefully you'll get a little bit attracted by it and disgusted by your attraction at the same time."

He added, "I do not think people are gonna recognize me in it."

Not only will the character visually be a darker take on a vampire than many audiences are used to, but the actor expressed that channeling such a nefarious figure took an emotional toll on him.

"It took its toll," the actor expressed. "It was like conjuring pure evil. It took a while for me to shake off the demon that had been conjured inside of me."

Eggers himself echoed that intensity, confessing, "I remember early on, him trying to talk to me about what it meant to be a dead sorcerer -- and I'm into some pretty heavy occult sh-t, but he was on a different level ... I was like, 'This sounds accurate, but I don't know how to converse about this with any fluidity.'"

Robert Eggers' Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. The movie stars Bill Skarsg?rd, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.

While the film is set to hit theaters on December 25th, there's no word on when audiences will get an official trailer.

Are you looking forward to the new reboot? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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William of Newbury #1 Review: A Masterclass Debut https://comicbook.com/comics/news/william-of-newbury-1-review-dark-horse/ Wed, 29 May 2024 14:15:00 +0000 Jamie Lovett 34e99322-3a27-4b5c-aa97-a1021fc547f1

When you read as many comics as I do, you may learn to find a special joy in a perfectly paced first issue. There's a distinct pleasure in a debut that sums up the new series beyond what was already offered in the solicitations and delivers a complete, well-crafted story that's enjoyable entirely on its own. William of Newbury #1 by Michael Avon Oeming offers such joy, presenting readers with a complete tale and a relatable new hero they will surely want to follow on future adventures.

In creating William of Newbury, Oeming took inspiration from the real-life William of Newburgh, a historian-priest who lived through an English civil war called "The Anarchy." William of Newburgh put to paper historical events and local folklore around such undead creatures as revenants. Oeming chooses to anthropomorphize the inhabitants of his fictionalized England, adding a deliberate dose of unreality to separate it from the real history. Although William of Newbury, here rendered as a raccoon, is no less devoted to the Lord, Jesus Christ than his historical counterpart (which leads me to wonder what kind of animal God chose to corporealize into, but that's a divine mystery for another time).

Rather, that faith is William's defining characteristic and source of his power. William's faith is strong enough to cast out demons (which are very real in this version of medieval England) with a sense of routine. He is entirely unperturbed by their infernal appearances, even grateful to learn that it is a demon haunting the lower level of his patron's castle rather than a squatting bandit or dog. Yet, while he's unfazed by the supernatural, he still fears bandits, plague, and rickety stairs, explaining at one point that "God is on the side of my soul... but my body has to look out for itself!" Which, in a way, makes a lot of sense. If your soul is going to be spending all of eternity with God while your body rots away in the dirt, why would the Almighty be all that concerned with your physical well-being? Setting that theological meditation aside, William displays the powerful faith of a saint and the nonstop neurosis of an amateur detective on a network television dramedy, a combination that proves immediately endearing.

Getting to know him quickly, thanks to the structure Oeming has adhered to in the issue, helps readers invest. A cold-open-like mini adventure sees William banishing the demon in the basement, showing readers what he's capable of before sending him back to his monastery and the unhappy circumstances he's dealing with there. Then it's immediately off to another adventure, which also wraps up in this issue and serves to introduce us to William's newly acquired sidekick, a young ruffian named Winnie. It's a lot, but it never feels like a lot because Oeming knows how to pack personality into every panel and bit of prose. The pacing, structure, and anthropomorphized characters are likely to remind readers of Usagi Yojimbo while the occult subject matter and high-contrast, shadowy-heavy artwork share DNA with Hellboy (an elevator pitch combination I swear I formulated in my mind before I noticed Dark Horse Comics using the very same one on their in-house ads for the series).

While the focus is primarily on the adventure, Oeming doesn't let the civil unrest of the historical setting go to waste. There are themes of discontent throughout, as William's clients complain about both sides of the conflict, neither of whom seems to care much about the hardship their fighting is inflicting on the people they are competing to rule. William is more concerned with his brother, Connor, who happens to be the priest running their monastery, and who looks down on William's adventures, seeing them not as William helping those plagued by demons, but as William sullying himself by allowing himself to be put in the proximity of such devilish beings. Connor is more concerned with the financial stability of the monastery, which is not great. William is increasingly coming to believe that his brother has lost sight of his true purpose. There's also William's relationship with Winnie, which is based on the promises that William will teach Winnie literacy in exchange for her protection, a deal struck after a discussion that involves the advantages of the educated upper class. The powerful contrast between light and shadow in Oeming's art style helps underpin these emerging ideas about class stratification and the separation of institutions from those they are meant to serve.

William of Newbury #1 is a masterclass debut. It's thematically rich, gorgeous, and dripping with atmosphere and personality. It's as close to a perfect first issue as I've seen this year, and it makes me hope for many more adventures to come.

Published by Dark Horse Comics

On May 29, 2024

Written by Michael Avon Oeming

Art by Michael Avon Oeming

Colors by Michael Avon Oeming

Letters by Michael Avon Oeming

Cover by Michael Avon Oeming

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Mayfair Witches Season 2 Release Window Revealed by AMC https://comicbook.com/horror/news/mayfair-witches-season-2-release-window-revealed-by-amc/ Wed, 29 May 2024 03:05:00 +0000 Nicole Drum 4b8c6114-ed6f-41db-a277-cf8bbcd68901

Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire's second season is in full swing on AMC and now fans of the second show in the network's Immortal Universe based upon the late Rice's novels knows when they can expect the witches to return for a second round as well. AMC has shared a brief teaser for Mayfair Witches Season 2, revealing that the sophomore run of the series based on Rice's Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy will arrive sometime in 2025. An exact date has not yet been set. You can check the short teaser out for yourself below.

"Crazy" Things Are Coming in Season 2 of Mayfair Witches

While we don't yet know much about what to expect in Season 2 of Mayfair Witches, series star Alexandra Daddario has teased "crazy stuff" is coming, particularly for her character Rowan. As fans will recall, Season 1 ended with Rowan taking over as the Mayfair designee and given birth, presumably seeing Lasher reborn as part of the process.

"Now that Rowan knows who she is, what does that mean for her?" Daddario said. "So, she gets to do all this cool, crazy stuff."

Daddario also teased new locations in Season 2, even with the second season being "pretty continuous" with Season 1.

"We get to have some Irish backdrops," she said. "So, we'll see how that changes the flavor of the show."

What Do We Know About Season 2 of Mayfair Witches?

Season 2 of Mayfair Witches will see some new faces join the cast. It was previously announced that Ben Feldman had joined the cast as Sam "Lark" Larkin, CEO of a genetics startup and Rowan's ex-boyfriend. Thora Birch, Ted Levine, and Alyssa Jirrels are also joining the cast in Season 2 as Gifford Mayfair, Julien Mayfair, and Moira Mayfair respectively. The series also stars Jack Huston, Tongayi Chirisa, and Harry Hamlin in addition to Daddario.

AMC has also teased that Season 2 will see a shift in the hierarchy of witches in the Mayfair story. The network took to social media earlier this year to tease that "Rowan is no longer the only key witch in the Mayfair story." As fans of Anne Rice's novels know, in the second book of the Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy, Lasher, another Mayfair witch -- Mona Mayfair -- ends up playing a major role. It's unclear if that is the direction AMC is going with the series, though with the addition of Jirrels' Moira, anything is possible.

Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches will return for Season 2 in 2025. The second season of Interview With the Vampire currently airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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Evil: Mike Colter Wants to Take Down Big Oil in Paramount+ Series https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/evil-cast-interview-season-5-story-vs-big-oil-companies/ Tue, 28 May 2024 18:03:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw 667bff3c-82fe-4912-ac87-6f0ae96b2498

Evil Season 4 is now streaming on Paramount+, and it's set to be the Final Season of the show. However, over the course of four seasons, Evil's team of paranormal investigators has had to go to some pretty strange and unlikely places for their cases. The Season 4 premiere, "How to Split an Atom", took the team to the site of a particle accelerator that may have been doubling as a portal to Hell. It was a cross-section of peril between science and faith - and exactly the kind of vibe that Evil has always been on.

In that sense, it may or may not be all that surprising that ComicBook's interview with the stars of Evil - Mike Colter (Father David Acosta), Katja Herbers (Dr. Kristen Bouchard), and Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) - resulted in a... unique answer about what "evil" they'd want to show to fight.

"For me it would probably be Michael Emerson's character," Katja Herbers said. "He's a mastermind of so much evil, and he may not be a monster-demon but I'm sure that if we zipped him open there's a monster inside of him."

For me, if we could honestly take down Big Oil, that'd be fun."

"Oh! Thank you!" Herbers exclaimed. "A big corporate monster!"

"We figure out who is pulling all the strings, and then we'd figure out how to change their mind, and convince them that the world is worth saving, and money is not that important, and then we'd all live happily ever after," Colter continued, adding that the storyline "Could be a whole season."

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(Photo: Paramount+)

Herbers and Mandvi were enthusiastically in agreement with that story premise, as both actors joined in the buzz and cacophony of talking with Colter about doing a whole Evil Season 5 arc about 'fixing the Climate Crisis.' So if the powers that be behind Evil (no pun) don't think there's meat still left on the bone... maybe they should reconsider that cancelation?

In all seriousness: it's funny to see how much the cast of Evil embodies the spirit of their characters and the overall show, at this point. While they were clearly in the deep throes of the press tour Q&A marathon, their off-handed and quirky response about "Big Oil" actually feels like the kind of pitch we'd expect for an episode of the show.

...That's all to say, we're going to miss Evil and its stars when this Final Season is over. And we'll be dreaming about the battle with Big Oil that might've been...

Evil Season 4 is now streaming on Paramount+.

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I Know What You Did Last Summer's Jennifer Love Hewitt Offers New Sequel Update https://comicbook.com/horror/news/i-know-what-you-did-last-summer-4-jennifer-love-hewitt-update-jule-james-status/ Tue, 28 May 2024 17:58:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 9b28629f-2d16-4613-acaa-9981f9a8e249

Earlier this year, the new I Know What You Did Last Summer earned a July 2025 release date, and while rumors claim that original star Jennifer Love Hewitt could be returning for the new installment, the actor herself confirmed that things haven't progressed much further than taking a few phone calls about the project. The nature of a slasher movie means that the production time will be relatively faster than a big-budget blockbuster, so with the release date more than a year away, Hewitt has plenty of time to potentially solidify those plans and officially return as Julie James. I Know What You Did Last Summer is set to hit theaters on July 5, 2025.

"I'm Always Gonna Know What You Did That Summer is what I think it should be called. It's in the cooker, let me just say that. It's there," Hewitt shared with Entertainment Tonight. "I've done a couple preliminary phone calls. I keep getting these messages from people, 'We're so excited!' I'm like, 'Okay! But the train is moving really fast and I haven't gotten there yet.' But it's nice to know that people are excited at the possibility and honestly it is wild to even think about. If it truly comes together I don't even know how I'm gonna feel except extremely overwhelmed and grateful."

As far as her feelings about reviving Julie, Hewitt noted that she was "honestly terrified, because it's 26 years later." She added, "There's power in being older, there's power in having gone off and had three kids. There's a sense of, I can do anything now. There's the vulnerability that was Julie James in 1 and 2 that definitely doesn't exist in this one, I don't think. I don't know, I'm just excited to show her grown up."

In the original movie, Julie James and her friends killed a man during a hit and run and opted to dispose of the body, but when they receive threatening letters a year later from someone claiming "I know what you did last summer," their paranoia eats away at them as a mystery assailant begins killing them off. It is revealed that the man they killed didn't die after all, having survived the accident and seeking revenge. Hewitt returned in the sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which followed a similar pattern of cryptic notes, with the killer revealed to be the son of the first film's murderer.

"I think she's gotta go nuts. I don't know who she's fighting, but whoever she is [fighting] is not gonna stand a chance," Hewitt joked. "Between me and a stunt double, we got this, that's all I can say."

She continued, "If it all works out and it happens, I am ready to bring her back with 26 years of angst, knowledge, 'kick-ass-ery,' which I am turning into a word, and have some fun with it."

A third film in the series pivoted into a more supernatural realm, while Prime Video revived the franchise for a TV series.

Stay tuned for updates on the new I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Would you like to see Hewitt return to the franchise? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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New Texas Chain Saw Massacre Update Live, Patch Notes Released https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/texas-chain-saw-massacre-update-patch-notes-ps5-xbox/ Tue, 28 May 2024 16:17:00 +0000 Marc Deschamps f6c0f156-6867-4f3d-bd0a-62b133a415f9

A new patch is rolling out for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and should be live soon for all platforms. The update is on the smaller side, mostly fixing a handful of issues and making some quality of life adjustments. Notably, there have been changes made to the weather in the Nancy's House map, which is meant to improve the experience for players with light sensitivity. There won't be any free content, but players can also look forward to a couple of new paid options, including an outfit pack for Connie, and another Execution pack. Full patch notes from the game's official website can be found below.

PATCH NOTES

Tuned: Nancy's House - Nighttime Weather

  • We have increased the sound of thunder by 25%

  • Lightning strobing will flash 3 times per second at max to aid those who are photosensitive

Fixed: Infinite Skill Points

  • We have fixed an issue where respeccing allowed players to gain an infinite amount of skill points

  • Now when respeccing, players will receive the appropriate amount of skill points

Fixed: Blood on Nancy's Prim 'N Proper Outfit

  • We have fixed the issue where blood was not showing up on Nancy's Prim 'N Proper Outfit when Nancy executes a Victim

Fixed: Johnny Voice Lines Text

  • There was an error with Johnny's voice lines to Nancy that showed his dialogue as "missing string table entry"

  • The proper text now appears when the voice lines trigger

Like the rest of the game's outfit packs, the Connie Outfit Pack II is a cheaper option, costing just $4.99. For that price, players will receive multiple different outfits for the Victim, though the game's official Twitter account says that there is currently an issue with the green one, and the developer is working on a fix. There's also the Execution Pack III, which is priced at $6.99. Gun Media is promising that it includes "some of our most brutal kills to date," so Killer mains might want to consider jumping on this one. From the trailer, it seems this is not for the squeamish, as the family members can be seen violently killing off the game's Victims in increasingly horrifying ways. If you've ever wanted to see Leatherface uppercut a Victim's face with his chainsaw before running the blade down through their chest while they scream in agony on the ground... well, this one is definitely for you, then!

At this time, there's still no news on the game's next Killer. "Hands" was teased earlier this month, and will be arriving sometime in June. We don't know if he'll be accompanied by any other content for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, like a new map, but hopefully Gun Media will have more to say in the next few weeks!

What do you think of this update for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre? Do you plan on buying any of this paid content? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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28 Years Later: Danny Boyle Sequel Begins Filming https://comicbook.com/horror/news/28-years-later-danny-boyle-sequel-begins-filming/ Tue, 28 May 2024 03:34:00 +0000 Spencer Perry 60b5544f-7de1-47f3-bdf4-0c8728582d66

28 Years Later, the highly anticipated sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, has officially started filming. Fans of the Danny Boyle original horror movie have been eagerly awaiting a third chapter in the franchise and with cameras now rolling it's now closer than ever. The BBC brings word of the start of production on 28 Years Later, revealing that production is set-up in the north east corner of England along the coast of Northumberland. This is a very different sect of the United Kingdom than any of the other movies in the 28 Days Later series were filmed, but could provide a unique setting considering the title's implication.

According to the outlet, the production has been seeking extras described as "athletic types" that will "be doing a lot of running." Longtime fans of the 28 Days Later series will know good and well that this means the adrenaline-fueled chases of those infected by Rage will be in front of cameras soon. Screenwriter Alex Garland and Danny Boyle collaborated on the script for 28 Years Later, working together for the first time since 2008's Sunshine.

"A few years ago, an idea materialized in my head for would be really 28 Years Later," Garland told Inverse last year. "Danny always liked the idea. So, we're talking about it quite seriously, quite diligently. If He doesn't want to direct it himself, I'll be well up for it if we can execute a similarly good idea."

28 Years Later cast

Confirmed cast members for 28 Years Later so far include Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Bullet Train, Kraven the Hunter), and Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, The Menu). As 28 Years Later came together very quickly, landing at Sony Pictures after a reported bidding war for the new movie and its planned follow-ups, it was unclear if any of the famous faces from the first two movies would be returning. One actor will be back however, and it's perhaps the character that most people were eager to see, as it's been confirmed Cillian Murphy's Jim will be back. Sony Pictures boss Tom Rothman confirmed the news, but revealed his appearance in the movie will be "in a surprising way."

28 Years Later May Kick Off A Trilogy

Plot details about 28 Years Later, beyond the implication of its title, are scant, but it is confirmed that the movie is planned to be the first in a new trilogy of movies. It's unclear what the titles of the two follow-up movies will be, but it's clear that the studio is betting big on the series and moving forward with the sequel already. After production wraps on Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later, the first sequel, directed by Candyman and The Marvels' Nia DaCosta will begin shooting not long after.

28 Years Later is set to open in theaters on June 20, 2025.

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Evil Cast Reveal the Most Surprising Evolution of Their Characters Across the Series https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/evilfinal-season-4-cast-interview-biggest-twists-surprises-characters/ Mon, 27 May 2024 18:07:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw e2be3b79-7ddb-49f3-bb69-e5ff47d16806

The Evil TV series has taken its principal characters on quite a ride. When the series began in 2019, it followed journalist-turned-priest David Acosta (Mike Colter), forensic psychologist Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), and tech expert atheist Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi), three strong-willed people who were each rigid in their respective views on religion, medicine and skepticism. However, as Evil exposed the team to more and more cases of supposed supernatural phenomena, each of them was challenged to open their mind to the possibilities of more.

Behind the scenes, different episodes of Evil have seen Colter, Herbers, and Mandvi each take some big performance leaps playing versions of their characters that have been attacked, drugged, bewitched, seduced, cursed, or even impersonated by demonic forces. During press interviews for Evil Season 4, ComicBook had to ask each of the principal stars of the show what the most surprising character twists were for each of them.

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(Photo: Paramount+)

Short answer: each of the cast members agreed that Evil creators Robert and Michelle King, as well as their team of writers, kept the surprises coming so often that it became standard to change it up:

"Oh, there's just so much," Herbers admitted. "Every episode that I read it's like 'Oh there's another turn that I didn't expect for these characters.'"

"Yeah it's hard to say on the macro," Mandvi said in agreement. "There are so many micro-turns that happen throughout [a] whole season. When I get the script, I'm like super excited to read every page... because there are so many unexpected things that happen every episode."

The Stars of Evil also indicated that this final season will have some of the biggest twists and character turns yet - turns on turns on turns...

"There's one [in the final episodes] that literally blew my mind; I was like 'I can't believe we're going there! This is unbelievable! Then of course it takes another turn and goes somewhere else." Mandvi teased. "So I really think that rather than a macro thing, it's the constant surprises that we get along the way."

"And I think that's what makes it so gratifying to play these characters over a long period of time," Herbers continued. "We've been doing this for five years and the reason we're still as excited as we were on day one is that our characters seem to be changing and our dynamic keeps evolving; whereas other shows you're more stuck to 'This is who I am, and this is what I'm playing. And I feel like we get to play a lot of different instruments within the same character."

Evil Seasons 1-4 are now streaming exclusively on Paramount+.

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Interview With the Vampire Season 2 Episode 3 Recap With Spoilers: "No Pain" https://comicbook.com/horror/news/interview-with-the-vampire-season-2-episode-3-recap-with-spoilers-no-pain/ Mon, 27 May 2024 02:15:00 +0000 Nicole Drum 84b872b3-5592-43ad-84f4-ed9a45327980

Last episode of Interview With the Vampire, Louis and Claudia were introduced to the Theatre des Vampires -- something that finally gave Claudia the sense of community she had been seeking while also introducing Louis to the vampire Armand. This week, Armand opens up about the Theatre's history and reveals a major part of Lestat's history in the process. Here's what happened in "No Pain".

Warning: Spoilers for Interview With the Vampire Season 2, Episode 3, "No Pain" beyond this point.

Daniel is out at a restaurant going over his notes when another man begins to strike up a conversation with him. The man turns out to know who Daniel is and knows that he is meeting with vampires and knows quite a bit about the interview he's been doing. The mystery man works for an organization that has been tracking rapidly increasing numbers of vampires and confirms that the "Great Conversion" is real and happening. He says that there were four others who have tried what Daniel is doing and they have met grim fates and introduces himself as Raglan James. Raglan says he's placed resources on Daniel's laptop and departs.

Back with the vampires, Daniel makes conversation with Rashid while he looks over his laptop. Armand listens and then sits down to a conversation. Armand says that humanity is at the height of willful ignorance due to their distraction thanks to technology and social media and then starts to tell his own story. Armand says that he and the other vampires were primitive before Lestat. He was sent from the Roman coven in the 1500s to lead the Paris coven, but he was inexperienced and he and his Children of Darkness lived in squalor adhering to medieval laws for two centuries with their archaic rules. Then, Lestat appears, sired by a deserter, performing on the stage and living colorfully largely flouting the archaic rules. Armand seeks to bring him to kneel. Lestat refuses which rattles Armand's power.

Armand eventually confronts Lestat while he is with his human lover, Nicky and the confrontation enrages Armand. He immobilizes Lestat and takes Nicky after telling Lestat that he, too, can have certain powers by way of Magnus' blood. Back at the coven, Nicky is chained and has been fed upon. Lestat shows up carrying a giant crucifix and dismantles their faith and, with it, Armand's leadership. Armand admits to Daniel that he let it happen because he wanted it to. The coven dismantles and many end up going mad and ending themselves. Armand kept up the old rituals alone until Lestat comes to him again. Lestat asks about powers. Lestat comes up with the idea for the Theatre because on the stage, the audience believes what they are told to believe.

The Theatre is a success. Lestat and Armand become lovers -- Lestat had also turned Nicky, but Nicky did not take to being a vampire well. Louis joins the interview and says that a week after an evening at the theatre when Armand taught Lestat the mind gift, Lestat abandoned the Theatre, Armand, and Nicky, leaving Paris. Louis picks his story back up. Louis and Claudia try to get their story about their sire straight and the details Claudia gives about him reveal some of the details of what Bruce did to her and it clearly distresses her but they don't address it. She is getting ready to work at the Theatre. Armand arrives. Backstage, Claudia is working and learning the ropes. Meanwhile, Louis and Armand stroll around Paris. Armand tries to convince Louis to join the coven, but he is not interested. Armand admits he's interested in Louis. Louis is haunted by the ghost of Lestat within his memories.

As the interview continues, Daniel gets a message from Raglan on his computer and a bunch of documents and files get sent over. He covers for the distraction badly, but the interview continues. Claudia asks Santiago how he gets people to submit and he tells he gets into their heads, finds their shame. Santiago also reveals that his own maker was killed by Armand. Santiago also asks about where Louis is from and Claudia lies and says he's from Gary, Indiana. Armand and Louis grow closer while out at a cafe, but Louis remains haunted by Lestat. Armand calls Louis out and he admits that Lestat was his maker and gets him to admit the murder. Armand has known for months. Louis has an emotional outburst and leaves the cafe. He "sees" Lestat and makes out with him. Lestat tells him to kill him again, but it is not Lestat, just a random man.

Back home, Claudia wants to continue sorting out details of their maker. Claudia opens up about her experience with Bruce and how horrific it was until one day he said he had had enough of her gloomy face and just rode off on his motorcycle. That's when she decided to go find Louis and head off to Europe. She then tells him the coven is going to let her join at the end of the week and she wants Louis to attend. He says he will. Rashid interrupts the interview so Armand and Louis can take an appointment. Daniel explores the documents that were sent to his computer and finds newspaper clippings about a great fire in 1949 that destroyed the Theatre.

In Paris, Louis attends for Claudia. Santiago gives Armand an ultimatum about Louis. Claudia is made a full member of the coven and told of the five laws of the vampires -- including that no vampire should write the history of vampires, reveal their true nature to mortals and let them live, or destroy another vampire. Claudia agrees to the laws. The punishment for breaking the laws is death. Meanwhile, Armand is tasked with destroying Louis. Armand says that Claudia wont' last long either, because she will fall apart due to her age at embrace. Armand ends up not killing Louis but instead delivers him to his apartment. Armand tells him that he also had his heart broken by Lestat. Louis invites him in. The Theatre surprises Claudia with a new play -- but she is forced to play a child.

New episodes of Interview With the Vampire air Sundays on AMC.

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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Review & Beetlejuice 2 Trailer Breakdown https://comicbook.com/movies/news/furiosa-mad-max-reviews-beetlejuice-2-trailer-star-wars-acolyte-reactions-podcast/ Fri, 24 May 2024 23:39:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw 25a06766-15c7-47b6-bf3d-c4c67c33b274

The ComicBook Nation crew breaks down the new trailers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the Stranger Things Prequel "First Shadow," and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. There are also reviews of the first summer 2024 movies, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Garfield Movie.

PLUS: What to know about the Summer kickoff of some big WWE and AEW PPV events! - and first reactions to Star Wars: The Acolyte are in!

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Review

ComicBook critic Spencer Perry's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Review gives the film 4.5. out of 5 stars:

Comparisons to Fury Road will no doubt bounce about like a flaming tire rolling down a well-paved Wasteland street, but Furiosa and Fury Road are focused on different things. Though there are similarities to be found, and several characters and key locations appear in both, Furiosa is aiming for something closer in nature to Spartacus or Lawrence of Arabia than Fury Road, despite their aesthetic overlap and narrative loops. If there's a fault to find in Furiosa, it's that some of its attempts to really connect itself to Fury Road aren't seamless. It's not that they don't work, but the timeline of events becomes slightly muddled, which is the film's only real stumbling block and the kind of flaw that will fade into dust with time.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is equal parts post-apocalyptic action thriller and biblical epic. Even if you think you've seen what this world has to offer, there are still surprises to find in the sand.

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Each episode has a deep dive into the current biggest discussion topics and debates within geek culture: movies, tv, comics, and video games are regular features, with genres like sci-fi, anime, and wrestling also featured regularly. The ONLY show covering ALL THINGS Geek Culture!

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(Photo: Producer Pete)

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My Bloody Valentine Getting Reboot From Blumhouse https://comicbook.com/horror/news/my-bloody-valentine-reboot-movie-blumhouse-remake/ Fri, 24 May 2024 20:26:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 6ce3d5ad-7811-4d58-be3b-928b942eb97b

John Carpenter and Debra Hill's Halloween in 1978 changed the entire world of horror in countless ways, one of which being the surge in popularity of slasher movies centered around holidays, including 1981's My Bloody Valentine. While the original movie earned a remake with a 3D angle in 2009, Bloody Disgusting reports that a new take on the property is on the way, this time with Blumhouse Productions leading the charge. No other details about the movie have been released at this point, though given how overlooked the concept has been as compared to other franchises, fans will be excited to see the story of Harry Warden revived.

The original movie focuses on a small mining community where a group of supervisors leaves their mining post to attend a Valentine's Day dance, with the lack of supervision leading to an explosion that traps five miners underground. Harry Warden is the only survivor, having feasted on the bodies of his fellow miners. The next year, Warden kills the supervisors who attended the dance and says he will commit these crimes every year unless the town cancels Valentine's Day plans, though he is apprehended and locked up in an insane asylum. Decades later, the town resumes holiday festivities and the murders resume.

Unlike other slasher series, despite the positive responses the original movie earned from audiences, the film didn't earn any sequels. In 2009, the remake My Bloody Valentine 3D was directed by Patrick Lussier. The film was one of many horror movie reboots that were released in the 2000s, yet what made the project stand out was that it utilized the rising popularity of 3D technology, which R-rated horror films hadn't been embracing at the time.

One of the stars of the reboot was Tom Atkins, who was a fan-favorite genre star thanks to projects like The Fog and Halloween III: Season of the Witch. The actor previously recalled how he was drawn to the movie when he found out about his character's grisly death.

"[Director Patrick Lussier] said, 'I want you to play this sheriff, Jimmy Burke, in this film, but when I tell you how you die, you might not want to do it.' So I said, 'Well, tell me how do I die,'" Atkins shared with ComicBook in 2020. "And he told me half my lower face would be ripped off by a pickaxe and go flying out over the audience's right shoulder, into the corner of the movie theater. And I said, 'Oh, we're on. I'm in. Count me in. That sounds like great fun.' And it was great fun."

Stay tuned for details on the new My Bloody Valentine.

Are you looking forward to the reboot? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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The First Omen Featurette Goes Behind the Scenes of Prequel's Chilling Effects (Exclusive) https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-first-omen-visual-effects-featurette-behind-the-scenes-explained/ Fri, 24 May 2024 14:55:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 18142db4-9c68-42e1-80ae-33611dc554f9

Director Arkasha Stevenson found a number of ways to make The First Omen replicate the overall aesthetic of the original The Omen, thanks to its camera movements, editing, and cinematography. Quite a few things in Hollywood have changed in the decades since the original movie was brought to life, such as visual effects practices that allowed the prequel to pull off things that weren't possible back in the '70s. In an exclusive featurette for The First Omen, you can learn more about how the film's more impressive sequences came to life. You can check out the featurette above before The First Omen hits Digital on May 28th, Hulu on May 30th, and Blu-ray and DVD on July 30th.

The First Omen is described, "In this psychological horror prequel to the classic Omen films, a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. Soon, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith, and that reveals a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. The First Omen stars Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman), and Bill Nighy (Living). The film is directed by Arkasha Stevenson based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (Bleed) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson, and Keith Thomas (Firestarter)."

Special features on the home video release are as follows:

  • The Mystery of Margaret - Join director Arkasha Stevenson and stars Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, and Maria Caballero as they dive into the character of Margaret, her relationships with other characters, and how she's manipulated while trying to solve the film's horrifying mystery.
  • The Director's Vision - Director Arkasha Stevenson talks about her love of horror films, the opportunity to expand on The Omen legacy, and crafting The First Omen entirely through a female lens. She also describes shooting in Rome, and the cast recounts working with Arkasha.
  • Signs of The First Omen - Join the director and talented artists as they reveal some of the symbolism within the set designs and the costumes. Learn how the use of practical effects blurs the line between what is real and what is not in The First Omen's terrifying world.

Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, The First Omen comes with never-before-seen bonus extras on the May 28th Digital release and also on the Blu-ray/DVD release arriving July 30th. Limited-edition Blu-ray and DVD packages include collectible artwork and special edition packaging designed to celebrate the legacy of The Omen franchise.

The First Omen hits Digital on May 28th, Hulu on May 30th, and Blu-ray and DVD on July 30th.

Will you be adding the film to your collection? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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Dead City Season 2 First Look Teases a Walking Dead Gang War https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-dead-city-season-2-first-look-maggie-negan-lauren-cohan-jeffrey-dean-morgan/ Thu, 23 May 2024 17:50:00 +0000 Cameron Bonomolo 7e6a094a-018d-4138-8949-7449fdf8e656

Start spreading the news: Dead City is returning in 2025.

AMC released the first look at The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2, and it teases that enemies Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) -- who were forced to work together on a mission that brought them to post-apocalyptic Manhattan in season 1 -- are once again on opposite sides of another war. This time, it's a gang war for the dead city that never sleeps. The behind-the-scenes sneak peek, below, also comes with an official synopsis revealing how the dysfunctional duo will cross paths when the urban zombie drama returns next year.

"In the growing war for control of Manhattan, Maggie and Negan find themselves trapped on opposite sides," the synopsis reads. "As their paths intertwine, they come to see that the way out for both is more complicated and harrowing than they ever imagined."

When the Walking Dead spinoff concluded its first season in July 2023, Maggie handed over her husband's killer to the Croat (?eljko Ivanek) and The Dama (Lisa Emery). As it turned out, the Dama had Maggie's son, Hershel (Logan Kim), kidnapped so that Maggie would bring her the fugitive Negan before he could be captured by relentless New Babylon Marshal Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles). The Dama then blackmailed the former Savior leader, offering him the keys to the kingdom to unite the island's settlements under one indomitable rule -- lest she go after Maggie's rescued son a second time.

Alongside Cohan and Morgan, Dead City season 2 stars Gaius Charles, ?eljko Ivanek, Mahina Anne Marie Napoleon, Lisa Emery, Logan Kim and series newcomer Kim Coates. Eli Jorn?, who has been a writer and co-executive producer on The Walking Dead for multiple seasons, returns as showrunner and executive producer on the series, along with Scott M. Gimple, chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Cohan, Morgan, Brian Bockrath (The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live), Michael Satrazemis (Fear the Walking Dead) and Colin Walsh (NOS4A2).

The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 is now in production and will premiere in 2025 on AMC and AMC+.

Stay tuned to ComicBook/TWD and follow on Facebook for more TWD Universe coverage.

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Beetlejuice 2 Trailer Reveals First Look at Beetlejuice's Wife https://comicbook.com/movies/news/beetlejuice-2-trailer-cast-beetlegeuse-wife-monica-bellucci/ Thu, 23 May 2024 17:08:00 +0000 Kofi Outlaw bb5c5ad1-c29c-48e7-90bf-c55373ef7002

The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer has dropped, and it reveals a first look at actress Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Reloaded, Passion of the Christ, James Bond: Spectre) as Beetlejuice's Wife!

Bellucci's role has been teased from the very first cast and story information that was released for Beetlejuice 2 - and now we get to see her in all her terrifying glory!

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(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)
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(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

We can only guess the backstory of this clearly toxic couple - or why Mrs. Beetlegeuse is so infuriated with her husband. Running away to realms unknown - as well as attempting to marry teenage girls - seems like it could all be part of the problem.

In any case: Monica Bellucci is (as usual) a vision onscreen, and the Italian model/actress makes even Tim Burton's twisted version of the afterlife look good. The "Lady Frankenstein" is definitely going to be replaced by the "Mrs. Beetlejuice" come Halloween this year.

What Is Beetlejuice 2 About?

beetlejuice-beetlejuice-2-synopsis-plot-details.png
(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Here's the story of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - as per the latest synopsis from Warner Bros. Pictures:

Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

Beetlejuice 2 Cast & Crew Info

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(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

"Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton's award-winning Beetlejuice.

Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Oscar nominee Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O'Hara (Schitt$ Creek, Corpse Bride) as Delia Deetz.

New cast members joining the franchise include Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), Monica Bellucci (The Matrix films), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI) as Lydia's daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, Spider-Man).

When Does Beetlejuice 2 Release In Theaters?

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released only in theaters and IMAX on September 6, 2024 nationwide, and internationally beginning 4 September 2024.

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The First Omen Director and Star Open Up About the Frightening Prequel Film https://comicbook.com/horror/news/the-first-omen-nell-tiger-free-arkasha-stevenson-interview-reaction-explained-future/ Thu, 23 May 2024 16:56:00 +0000 Patrick Cavanaugh 4a8b80c2-c9c4-4187-895e-321b5dfb04b7

A number of iconic horror franchises have been revived in a variety of ways over the years, whether that be with reboots, sequels, or prequels, and many of which fall short of fan expectations due to merely being opportunities to cash in on familiar brands. With The First Omen, however, writer/director Arkasha Stevenson and star Nell Tiger Free saw an opportunity to venture into a world that was seemingly familiar to tell an entirely unexpected tale that offers a more layered exploration of unexpected topics within that recognizable world. The First Omen hits Digital on May 28th, Hulu on May 30th, and Blu-ray and DVD on July 30th.

The First Omen is described, "In this psychological horror prequel to the classic Omen films, a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. Soon, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith, and that reveals a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. The First Omen stars Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman), and Bill Nighy (Living). The film is directed by Arkasha Stevenson based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (Bleed) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson, and Keith Thomas (Firestarter)."

Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, The First Omen comes with never-before-seen bonus extras on the May 28th Digital release and also on the Blu-ray/DVD release arriving July 30th. Limited-edition Blu-ray and DVD packages include collectible artwork and special edition packaging designed to celebrate the legacy of The Omen franchise.

ComicBook caught up with Stevenson and Free to talk about developing the prequel, challenges on set, and more.

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(Photo: 20th Century Studios)

ComicBook: If I get no other answer today, Arkasha, there's one thing that's been plaguing my mind ever since I saw this movie: as someone from western Massachusetts, why was Margaret from Pittsfield, Massachusetts?

Arkasha Stevenson: Man, that was not the question I thought you were going to ask me. I thought, you were wearing a Possession shirt, I was like, "Yes, you're right. It's a Possession homage."

Just for the record, that was in the script before I came on board.

Nell Tiger Free: I think it was purely for the "Pissfield" gag. I honestly do.

Stevenson: Yeah, all love to Massachusetts.

That's not the first time I've heard Pittsfield referred to as "Pissfield," so you know more about western Massachusetts than you're letting on, trying to claim that it was in the script beforehand. But I can rest easy now, I can finally sleep at night. I really appreciate you answering that for me. Nell, I know that with this movie, Arkasha did such a great job of using the script and the direction and the editing to really evoke the 1970s and capture the spirit of the original The Omen. For you as a performer, did you approach the material in any different way than you would with a contemporary storyline? Did you heighten or change things in your performance, or leave that all up to your director?

Free: No, I didn't. I think I just approached it ... I think I performed Margaret the same way that I would've performed her if she was from 2024. Just because when we watch films from the '70s, the acting is heightened, but I think we wanted this to feel as real as possible. So yeah, no, there's not much of an homage or a nod to the '70s in my performance. I left that in the far more capable hands of Kash, and just tried to play her as real as possible, really.

Arkasha, you brought this up with the Pittsfield reference specifically, just about how this project had changed hands and bounced around between a few different concepts and filmmakers over the years. How drastically did you overhaul what the project was when you came on board? Was it pretty similar to those origins and then. also, once you got involved, did you go through major rewrites on your own script?

Stevenson: Yeah, it's interesting because I think that it was so fun to see these different iterations of The First Omen, because there's so many different parallel universe movies out there. But I think what was interesting was, I thought the structure was really fantastic, how it ended up bridging into the original 1976 Omen, because that meant that we had a lot of real estate to play around with a new character and being able to create our own style and sensibility. But it was a little bit more focused on the relationship between Carlita and Margaret and a little bit more grounded in religious horror. And I think just, naturally, because I was bringing my own fears to the story, it became much more about the body, and I think the paranoia that women live in, and how the female body is such a target. And so with that in mind, I think all of the set pieces really started to morph into more body-horror set pieces.

Speaking of body horror, Nell, was there a particular scene, whether it was maybe something much more gruesome or physically taxing than you imagined, or even something more subtle that required a lot of takes, was there a scene from the script that you thought was just going to be a simple thing to take care of that once you actually got on set, proved to be way more challenging?

Free: The scene where I get possessed, I think on the page, originally it was written as, "Margaret crawls out of the car."

Stevenson: It was a classic, "Atlanta burns."

Free: Something like that. "Margaret crawls out of the car, becomes possessed." Honestly, it was really truncated and so small. And then one of the earliest conversations me and Kash had was her saying, "So ..." She gave me the Possession reference and it was also like, "I want to create something like this and this is what I imagine it to be." And I was like, "Oh. Right, okay." And that was really early on when we spoke about that.

And so it was building up because I knew how important that scene was to you, and I had no idea what my version, my interpretation of Kash's image in her head, what that was going to turn out and look like. That was definitely a fun one to anticipate and get to figure out. But a lot of things evolved from the page to what they ended up being. Reading it and watching it, it's a very different experience, for sure. But yeah, and it's always fun. You never know with Kash, we just keep pushing and changing and trying stuff out, really.

Stevenson: It was really fun because we did ... Before you came on board, we were missing the biggest part of the movie. So when you were finally there and we were creating Margaret, and you have amazing instincts, and so everything was evolving once Nell was able to bring input and everything. And for the record, when I showed you the Possession reference, your reaction was like, "Okay, got it. Yes." And I was like, "Oh."

Free: I was like, "Yeah, cool."

Stevenson: And then beyond that, we didn't really talk too much, and you just did it. And I loved that because it was explosive. It was like, "No, I've got this."

Free: I mean, I was totally faking. I had no idea what I was going to do.

Stevenson: I mean, it was electric. It was four in the morning, we just smashed a car, and Nell came on set and I said, "Do you want music? Do you want to talk?" And she said, "No, I'm just going to do it." And then she did it and everybody was terrified and just electrified. It was amazing.

Arkasha, there's the scene, the, "It's all for you," the homage to the original movie, but taken up to a more horrifying version of it. Was that another thing that was in the script when you came on board? Was that something you avoided but then it just came up organically? Was it a touchstone that you knew you wanted to work in? How did that specific scene, specific mirroring of the original, come into your story?

Stevenson: Yeah, it was interesting. I think that's such a pivotal scene for horror fans and just for horror history. And so that was always in the script and I was always not wanting to even talk about it because I was very nervous, and just knew that, because it's such a sacred scene, that it would be hyper-analyzed. And how do you redo that? How do you redo that scene in a new, fresh way? Because the whole horror of that scene is that it's this random act of violence that comes out of nowhere. And if you do that in the prequel, the second somebody goes to a height, you know exactly what's going to happen and it deflates the entire scene.

Something that we were all talking about quite a bit is that this is a horror movie, but also a lot of the horror comes from tragedy. Because you fall in love with Margaret so much, it's a painful movie to watch, more so than it is a scary movie to watch. And so reapproaching that scene through a very different tone, which is Ishtar [Currie-Wilson], who plays Sister Angelica, who hangs herself, she said, "I don't think she wants to do this. I think she's really quite scared and feels obligated to, but maybe doesn't want to do it." And so she brought this almost like a very childlike sadness to the performance, which makes you just ... It's more heart-wrenching, I feel like.

I know you didn't want to get ahead of yourselves before the movie came out, about, "How are we going to do sequels?" But now that it's out there, people love it, it's got such great reviews, clearly fans were interested in this, have there been talks between the two of you about how to continue Margaret's journey? Or do you think it's like, "Let's take some time to breathe and relax and get away from this horrifying body horror,"?

Free: I mean, I don't want any time to breathe and relax, personally, I don't know how you feel.

Stevenson: I'm relaxed already. I'm always relaxed.

Free: We talk about it together just conversationally, what it would be.

Stevenson: Yeah. We've also taken a blood oath to only work together on Omen movies for the rest of our lives.

Free: We'll be making 100 of them.

And lastly here, Nell, your costar Ralph [Ineson] is going to play this guy called Galactus in the Marvel universe. And The Omen, of course, is a big franchise IP--

Free: Is he?

Stevenson: This is news.

Oh, yeah. This was maybe two weeks ago, Ralph was cast as Galactus in The Fantastic Four.

Stevenson: What?

Free: We have to call him.

Stevenson: Oh, my God.

Free: Oh, my God, That's so exciting.

Stevenson: Brilliant.

So for you, Nell, I'm just curious, whether it's Marvel or a Star Wars or a Star Trek, do you have a big franchise that you're a fan of that you'd like the chance to play in, like a big, studio universe type of thing?

Free: I mean, if Harry Potter was still going.

Stevenson: Oh, my gosh.

Free: When it was the OG, I would've loved to have been Hermione.

Stevenson: You would've been a wonderful wizard.

Free: But yeah, that's probably my one. I mean, to be honest, I actually haven't seen Star Wars, so I don't know if I could be, what, an Ewok or something?

Stevenson: Oh, the most beautiful Ewok.

You're a little too tall.

Free: Oh, really?

Ewoks typically are like three, three and a half feet tall.

Free: Are they? Okay. Then I'd be a big one. [Arkasha and I] could be Ewoks together.

Stevenson: Yes.

Well, Marvel is Disney, so Ralph, I'm sure, will put in a good word for the two of you to be able to play Ewoks in the next Star Wars.

Free: Oh, we got a room full of Disney peeps. They heard it here. We want to be Ewoks. We're getting a thumbs up.

Stevenson: Sold.

Free: We're sold.


The First Omen hits Digital on May 28th, Hulu on May 30th, and Blu-ray and DVD on July 30th.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter.

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Scares up 8 Character Posters https://comicbook.com/movies/news/beetlejuice-beetlejuice-character-posters-michael-keaton-jenna-ortega/ Thu, 23 May 2024 16:50:00 +0000 Cameron Bonomolo d474b087-d0a3-4298-ba73-13fbdfc8312f
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New Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Trailer Revealed by Warner Bros. https://comicbook.com/movies/news/new-beetlejuice-beetlejuice-trailer-revealed-warner-bros-watch-online/ Thu, 23 May 2024 16:07:00 +0000 Jenna Anderson 541117d0-11f6-47fa-8899-968fb7b73329

It's showtime! On Thursday, Warner Bros. Pictures released the second full trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the upcoming sequel to the beloved 1988 film Beetlejuice, which you can watch above. The sequel, which is scheduled to be released in theaters this September, has already drawn quite a lot of hype thus far. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be directed by Tim Burton, who helmed the original film, alongside a script from Smallville and Wednesday's Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will see the return of Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz.

"The great thing about playing Beetlejuice is, that clich?d thing, you never make the statement, 'Well, my character wouldn't do that.' He'd do anything, which was so tremendous to play," Keaton previously shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. "However, in the second one, which I'm telling you is so good, Tim lays this idea on me. Admittedly, I kind of went, 'Oh, okay. I don't know, good luck with that.' So there is a kind of backstory, which is kind of a surprise for everyone."

What Is Beetlejuice Beetlejuice About?

In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, after an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

New cast members of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will include Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz, Justin Theroux as Rory, Monica Bellucci as Betelgeuse's wife, and Willem Dafoe as Wolf Jackson.

Why Did Beetlejuice 2 Take So Long?

Although a Beetlejuice sequel was first floated as a possibility shortly after the release of the first film, scheduling and creative conflicts prevented it from being a reality. According to Burton, those ensuing years allowed him to approach the project from a new angle.

"We talked about lots of different things," Burton explained in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. "That was early on when we were going, Beetlejuice and the Haunted Mansion, Beetlejuice Goes West, whatever. Lots of things came up."

"I so identified with the Lydia character, but then you get to all these years later, and you take your own journey, going from cool teenager to lame adult, back and forth again," Burton explained. "That made it emotional, gave it a foundation. So that was the thing that really truly got me into it."

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will arrive exclusively in theaters on September 6th.

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MultiVersus Jason Vorhees Gameplay Trailer Features a Ton of Friday the 13th References https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/multiversus-jason-vorhees-gameplay-trailer-friday-the-13th-ps4-ps5-xbox/ Thu, 23 May 2024 14:15:00 +0000 Marc Deschamps bd280e18-dac3-4379-99aa-5d7da4b92186

Earlier this week, WB Games shocked Friday the 13th fans when it revealed that Jason Vorhees will be a playable character in MultiVersus. The killer of Camp Crystal Lake showed up in a cinematic trailer alongside the Joker and Agent Smith, but we didn't actually get to see how the character will play in the game. Just as we saw with the Joker earlier this month, developer Player First Games has followed that cinematic trailer with one focused mostly on Jason's gameplay. While Jason's violence has been toned down a little, the developers seemed to fit in a lot of references to the character's big screen appearances.

The gameplay trailer for Jason Vorhees can be found below.

A Faithful Take on a Friday Favorite

Jason will be part of the Tank fighter class in MultiVersus, which makes sense given the character's build. He'll have two of his trademark weapons: an ax and a machete. His moveset will also pay tribute to some of his kills from the Friday the 13th films, including one where Jason can stuff an enemy into a sleeping bag to throw them off the stage, and another where he can fold a bed in half to send enemies flying. Jason X fans will also be delighted to see the "Uber Jason" variant, which is based on the character's look from the year 2455.

It's safe to say, an appearance in MultiVersus definitely isn't what Friday the 13th fans were expecting when the franchise rights were recently resolved. However, it seems like the developers puts a lot of thought and care into bringing Jason to the game. His machete strikes might not result in the same level of blood and gore series fans are used to, but it still feels authentic to the character.

MultiVersus Return Date

Hopefully Jason will prove to be as compelling as he looks when he makes his MultiVersus debut next week! The game will make its return to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 28th. Jason is one of three new fighters confirmed for the game that weren't in the original version; Joker and Jason will be available at launch, while Agent Smith will appear later in Season One.

It's going to be interesting to see if MultiVersus can find an audience after being gone for the last 11 months, but WB Games has done a lot to try to appeal to newcomers, including a Happy Meal promotion, an NHL tie-in, and bringing in beloved characters like Jason. We should know soon whether this will be enough!

Are you excited to see Jason in MultiVersus? Is he going to be your new main? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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Spawn Movie: Todd McFarlane Reveals Big Plan for Reboot (Exclusive) https://comicbook.com/movies/news/spawn-movie-todd-mcfarlane-reveals-big-plan-for-reboot/ Thu, 23 May 2024 03:47:00 +0000 Spencer Perry c0353975-219c-4ee3-b737-61ef7ff11f7c

Todd McFarlane's journey to get a new feature film of Spawn off the ground has been a battle in the trenches for years, but when speaking with ComicBook he told us he feels "more confident now" than at any other point in the process. What began as a project that McFarlane was going to write and direct himself for a smaller budget, the new Spawn movie has brought in two-time Academy award nominated screenwriter Scott Silver (The Fighter, Joker) to help it get in front of cameras. McFarlane took us slightly behind-the-scenes of what his conversations with Silver are like for the new Spawn movie, and revealed how they hope to have an official studio partner ahead of the release of Joker: Folie ? Deux.

"There's a script but the writers are, they're not quite sort of satisfied with their own work, which is what all of us creative people are," McFarlane revealed. "We put it on paper and then we criticize ourselves. So they're going through sort of an extensive sort of rework and rewrite of it. I was just on the phone a couple of days ago with Scott Silver, the guy who's sort of manning the lead of it right now. He's also the writer of Joker and Joker 2. We're all planning and hoping and moving towards having this done so that we can take it out so that we can find our studio finally pre-Joker 2 launch, which comes in October."

In order for the movie to get to that place though the script itself will need to be in a place where Todd and the other writers have signed off on it, insuring its the version they want to take out into the world. McFarlane went on to open up about some of the intense storytelling conversations that he has had with Scott Silver, noting that the writer has high hopes for how the Spawn movie's ending will "have some meaning and some purpose, not just that the good guy won."

"I wish everybody could hear the conversation because he is so impassioned about what he's talking about. He is so engrossed in what he's doing...It's not like he's just like, I'm just trying to get it done. It's just not a good guy versus bad guy story... He said the other day, 'I'd rather take a swing and it be too big of a swing then to not take a hard enough swing at it....He's kind of fearless and he doesn't want to replicate what he knows is sort of the safe, probably predictable path that most people would go because it's the proven path, right? Just wants to bend it. He wants it because we're gonna do R rated and we're gonna do it and it can't be mini-Marvel and mini-DC. It can't."

McFarlane went on to predict that there's potential for Deadpool & Wolverine and Joker: Folie ? Deux to become the two highest grossing movies of the year. Should that come to pass, he expects Hollywood to do what it always does, replicate the success and start a trend.

"Between Deadpool and Joker Two. What's the commonality? Comic books, R rated....If they do their work and they look at it and they pay attention and they vet it. They're gonna see that there's like Spawn and then it's a precipitous drop. If you want comic book, sort of superhero, R rated stuff. He's built for it. He's been built for it and he's staring you in the face at the time you're looking for it. He's available."

To cap it all off, McFarlane noted, "I feel more confident now at any point in the process, given all the dynamics that are there right now. So I'm excited, man. I can't wait for it."

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ComicBook Nation's The Pull List: Wonder Woman's Test, Blood Hunt Payback, and More https://comicbook.com/comics/news/comicbook-nations-the-pull-list-wonder-womans-test-blood-hunt-payback-and-more/ Wed, 22 May 2024 23:43:00 +0000 Matthew Aguilar ac6a9f6d-3f90-4991-8618-ec783d027583

A new comic book day is once again upon us, and there is no shortage of fantastic books to choose from. Whether you're into big superhero epics (Superman, Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), introspective character dives (Wonder Woman), edge-of-your-seat horror-tinged adventures (Feral, Something is Killing the Children), or summer-blockbusters (Blood Hunt, Pooh vs Bambi), there's something that will hook you, and we're breaking them all down on this week's new episode of ComicBook Nation's The Pull List, which you can listen to right here. You can also find out the highlights of the week below.

Highlights of the Week

It was a great week overall in terms of quality and fun, but there were a few books that especially stood out, including Wonder Woman #9 and Blood Hunt #2. They couldn't be more different from each other, but that also makes them the perfect one-two punch. Wonder Woman #9 moves the relationship between Diana and Steve Trevor into the spotlight as Diana continues to endure the trials of the Sovereign, and it opens up a host of discussions regarding what Trevor has meant to Wonder Woman in the past, what he means now, and his importance (or perhaps lack thereof) to Wonder Woman's story overall.

Blood Hunt #2 on the other hand is a summer blockbuster at its finest, delivering an action-stuffed issue with real stakes and genuine tension throughout. By the way, the work Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia are creating right now is truly unreal, and the mix of characters and creativity in how they are used is becoming one of the series' strongest elements.

On the complete other side of the summer blockbuster scale is Pooh vs. Bambi #2, an absurdly fun series that has already won over both hosts. While it doesn't have the depth of something like eBlood Hunt, it also doesn't need to, and it leans into its fantastical premise in interesting and often bloody ways.

Speaking of bloody, there's plenty of that in Something is Killing the Children #37, but that's ultimately not why it's one of my favorite issues of the series to date. While the issue is a self-contained tale for the most part, the character pairing of Erica and the girl she is protecting is just brilliant, and their banter and exchanges can't help but make you wish we had more of their adventures to see down the road. That's probably not the case, but even if this is just for one issue, they absolutely steal the show.

Feral does as well, and though it was Janell's introduction to the series, she couldn't help but be swept away in the tension-filled Aristocats meets The Walking Dead adventure. More answers can't come soon enough, and hopefully, some hope lives around the corner after the harrowing journey they've experienced to this point.

Superman also impresses with the fourth chapter of House of Brainiac, once again delivering on previous threads while also moving the characters forward in intriguing ways, all in the midst of a superhero throwdown that looks stunning. Oh, and Queen Brainiac, well, she's something else entirely. You can check out everything we had to say about all this week's books right here, and you can find all of the books we discussed below.

Review Rundown

  • Wonder Woman #9
  • Blood Hunt #2
  • X-Men 97 #3
  • Superman #14
  • Feral #3
  • Something is Killing the Children #37
  • Pooh vs Bambi #2
  • Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong #7
  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #120

Trade Watch

Not done yet! Trades also hit this week, and one in particular that deserves some shine is Mad Cave Studios' Edenfrost. The four-issue series can now be read all in one place, and the story of two siblings and a powerful mystical Golem that defends their bloodline offers something very different from anything else on stands. It's a tale of family and magic that you won't want to miss, and you can check out the official description below.

"After losing their parents in a pogrom, teenage siblings Alex and Yuli use the mystical power of a Golem to survive the chaos of the Russian Civil War. In a harrowing journey through war-torn Ukraine, the duo will face the harsh reality of warfare, ethnic bias, and national pride as they fight for their place in the world."

What did you think of this week's comics, and which were your favorites? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

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The Munsters Getting Horror Reboot TV Series From Producer James Wan https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-munsters-reboot-horror-tv-series-james-wan-universal/ Wed, 22 May 2024 17:51:00 +0000 Cameron Bonomolo c6f71080-80d6-4808-9bcb-09ab1f1cf108

The Munsters are returning to 1313 Mocking Bird Lane.

Television's most frightful family is being brought back from the dead by Universal Studio Group, the unit that consists of Universal Television (behind the original Munsters), Universal Content Productions (the Chucky and Ted TV series), and Universal International Studios. According to Variety, which first reported the news, the Munsters reboot is in the works under the title 1313 and is a horror series that "lives and breathes within the Universal Monsterverse."

James Wan -- the visionary filmmaker behind the Saw and Conjuring franchises whose Atomic Monster banner recently merged with the Universal-based Blumhouse -- developed the series with Pet Sematary: Bloodlines writer-director Lindsey Anderson Beer and Wan's Malignant co-writer and executive producer Ingrid Bisu. Anderson Beer will serve as showrunner and executive producer for Lab Brew, with Wan, Michael Clear (M3GAN), and Rob Hackett (Swamp Thing) executive producing for Atomic Monster; Bisu is co-executive producer and Universal's UCP is the producing studio.

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Universal Television tried to resurrect The Munsters as a darker, updated version in the 2012 pilot Mockingbird Lane, but the potential show from producer Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) was not picked up to series. The 39-minute pilot starred Jerry O'Connell as a human-looking Herman Munster, Portia de Rossi as the vampiress Lily Munster, Mason Cook as wolfboy Eddie Munster, Charity Wakefield as Lily's human niece Marilyn, and Eddie Izzard as the blood-sucking Grandpa.

Universal 1414 Entertainment, Universal's direct-to-video label, rebooted The Munsters again in 2022 with Rob Zombie (Halloween and Halloween II) writing and directing the low-budget feature for streaming.

The original Munsters TV series aired 70 episodes across two seasons on CBS and starred Fred Gwynne as Herman, Yvonne De Carlo as Lily, Al Lewis as Grandpa, Butch Patrick as Eddie, and Beverly Owen and Pat Priest as Marilyn. A full-length feature film, Munster, Go Home!, followed in 1966, as did a 1973 animated special and TV movies in 1981, 1995, and 1996. A three-season sequel series, The Munsters Today, aired between 1988 and 1991 and starred John Schuck, Lee Meriweather, Jason Marsden, Hilary Van Dyke, and Howard Morton in the title roles.

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