Exclusives
Dante Won’t Direct ‘Gremlins 3’, But is Working on Blu-rays!
Bloody-Disgusting dropped by the set of THE HOLE this week to speak with iconic director Joe Dante (GREMLINS, THE HOWLING) and check out the production. We’ll have a full report from the set and an extensive interview with Dante in the coming weeks, while right now you can read the latest on a possible Gremlins 3 and the forthcoming Gremlins Blu-rays!
During our chat, we couldn’t resist turning the conversation to GREMLINS, although Dante was pretty resolute that he won’t be involved in a third film. “They did that once, they won’t do it again,” Dante told BD, laughing. “They made that mistake once. Its a moot point, they won’t be coming to me.” (Laughs) “I can tell you that for a fact.”
When asked to elaborate, Dante only grinned, saying, “I don’t have to. See Looney Tunes: Back in Action and I think that will explain it. That was not a pleasant experience.”
Still, Dante believes GREMLINS 3 will happen one of these days, whether he’s involved or not. “I find it hard to believe that they won’t make a GREMLINS 3 because they’re remaking ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING. I mean, they’re gonna remake everything.”
Dante is involved in the current Blu-ray remasters of GREMLINS and GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH and says Amblin is making a diligent effort to see they are done justice. “One thing about Amblin is that they are extremely filmmaker-friendly,” says Dante. “When your movie is put out on any sort of video system, they bring you in and you check it out, they get your opinion. They color correct it, they run things for you. They are very, very good about that. We’ve been involved quite a lot.”
The Blu-ray discs will likely feature the same material from the DVD special editions, although Dante is hoping to include a popular YouTube fan film. “I think its the same edition. I did two commentaries for GREMLINS 1. I don’t have any more commentary. I’ve been trying to get this GREMLINS short done by the guy in Belgium, which he did in his basement. He built his own Gremlins and shot them on green screen going into other Warner Bros. movies. This is on YouTube. It’s really clever, they guy is really talented. I’ve been trying to get Warner’s to put this thing as an extra on the disc, but I think it may be complicated by the fact that one scene is from the movie Indiana Jones, which they don’t own. And that may be what’s killing the deal. I really think this guy’s talented and people [should] discover him, because he should do GREMLINS 3.”
The Blu-Ray version of GREMLINS has been temporarily delayed, but hopefully that will mean a better version at the end of the day. “I’ve seen the transfer,” says Dante. “We did them over. In fact, I think GREMLINS 1 was supposed to come out this summer because it’s the 25th anniversary, but they didn’t make the date because they said, `We can do better than this, we can make it look better,’ and its worth making it look better, so they’re still working on it.”
Watch this spot for our THE HOLE set report and interviews soon!
Exclusives
New Documentaries Explore the Cult Legacies of ‘The Keep’ and ‘Wolfen’; Watch the Trailers Now [Exclusive]
Undersung werewolf gem Wolfen and Michael Mann’s The Keep get the spotlight in a pair of feature documentaries acquired by Antenna Releasing.
A World War II Fairy Tale, which covers the infamous production of and reception to The Keep, will receive a limited theatrical release in October, followed by a TVOD release on Apple/Amazon. The Keep will also screen as a double feature for some showings.
For Uncovering Wolfen, Antenna eyes a limited theatrical release for 2027. Both films are currently available for booking via Antenna prior to their theatrical and digital releases.
Both documentaries are directed by Stewart Buck, who co-helms with Stéphane Piter on A World War II Fairy Tale.
“We at Antenna are obsessed with film history,” said Chief Acquisitions Officer Billy Ray Brewton. “Stewart has done such a remarkable job of really diving into the deepest recesses of how these films were made and, in doing so, has created the definitive histories of both projects.”
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Antenna Releasing!” said director Buck. “It’s refreshing to see a filmmaker-friendly approach to distribution with people who know what it’s like to be in the trenches with independent projects that struggle to find a home in the crowded marketplace.”
Check out our exclusive trailer and poster reveal of both documentaries below.
Released in 1983, Michael Mann’s The Keep was a notorious box office bomb, critically lambasted and all but forgotten for years, save for the fascination with Tangerine Dream’s iconic score. In recent years, the film has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence and is widely considered a cult classic, though director Michael Mann and many cast members refuse to acknowledge it.
Wolfen, on the other hand, was critical success but was overshadowed heavily by its flashier 1981 siblings An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. It’s also a trailblazer for socio-political horror, and the doc will explore that via the craftspeople who made it.
Look for them both in theaters soon. Stay tuned for more as it arrives.
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