Movies
‘The Evil Dead’ Returns in the Form of iPhone/iPad Game!!
Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert‘s The Evil Dead is getting a new life in the form of an iPhone and iPad game that will bring the gore and campy humor of the cult classic film into the digital age!!
Ghost House Pictures has partnered with Trigger Apps, part of digital marketing firm Trigger, to launch a paid iPhone and iPad game app for the film from the production label’s co-founders. It is one of the early attempts at keeping fans in touch with and making additional revenue off classic movies, which some predict will become a growing business. It also can help classics find new fans.
Details inside!
“This is the first time we’ve taken an older franchise and re-created it,” said Jason Yim, president of Trigger. “A lot of filmmakers we have talked to are interested in doing something similar.”
Trigger and other companies have mostly focused on current releases to date, such as Green Hornet and The Karate Kid, whose number of downloads to date is in the seven figures, according to Yim.
The Evil Dead app, which will be available for $2.99 for the iPhone and $4.99 for the iPad (once Apple approves it in the coming weeks), is an action-heavy 3D shooter game that allows players to take control of Bruce Campbell‘s character Ash to lead his group of friends to safety while fighting off evil zombies.
“Sam, Bruce and I have always been interested in finding ways to bring our 1980’s Evil Dead into the digital age,” said Tapert. “And taking this first step with Trigger has been a great experience.”
Giving fans of the campy classic something new and fresh in the digital age was one key driver behind the development of the game. Ghost House has also shown a broader interest in developing new media ways to produce content, including Web series, mobile shorts and portable app games.
The app also provides an opportunity to get new revenue as Trigger offers intellectual property owners a way to create apps on iconic but dormant franchises, around which the firm can create a new revenue stream. Revenue from such apps tends to get split.
The Evil Dead game’s more than 30 levels are spread over two chapters. The first follows the film’s story line, while the second features a new story and new enemies. The app uses the film score, as well as signature weapons from the movie.
The companies worked together on Ghost House projects in the past. “So we knew they were fans of the movie, and would stay true to the feel of Evil Dead, which is essential,” Yim added.
Said the Trigger CEO: “I hope it’s something that audiences who love the movie will embrace, and that it will also introduce and engage new fans, who may discover this amazing series for the first time by playing this app.” He added: “For older movies, this is a chance to keep a property relevant. Evil Dead is 30 years old, but recognized by every fanboy. And this way it can be introduced to new audiences and fans.”
Movies
‘The Exorcism’ Trailer – Russell Crowe Gets Possessed in Meta Horror Movie from Producer Kevin Williamson
Russell Crowe (The Pope’s Exorcist) is starring in a brand new meta possession horror movie titled The Exorcism, and Vertical has unleashed the official trailer this afternoon.
Vertical has picked up the North American rights to The Exorcism, which they’ll be bringing to theaters on June 7. Shudder is also on board to bring the film home later this year.
Joshua John Miller, who wrote 2015’s The Final Girls and also starred in films including Near Dark and And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird, directed The Exorcism.
Joshua John Miller also wrote the script with M.A. Fortin (The Final Girls). This one is personal for Miller, as his late father was the star of the best possession movie ever made.
Miller said in a statement this week, “The origins of the film stem from my childhood spent watching my father, Jason Miller, playing the doomed Father Karras flinging himself out a window at the climax of The Exorcist. If that wasn’t haunting enough on its own, my dad never shied away from telling me stories of just how “cursed” the movie was: the mysterious fires that plagued the production, the strange deaths, the lifelong injuries— the list went on and on. The lore of any “cursed film” has captivated me ever since.”
“With The Exorcism, we wanted to update the possession movie formula (“Heroic man rescues woman from forces she’s too weak and simple to battle herself!”) for a world where no one group owns goodness and decency over another,” he adds. “We were gifted with an extraordinary cast and creative team to tell a story about how we’re all vulnerable to darkness, to perpetuating it, if we fail to face our demons. The devil may retaliate, but what other choice do we have?”
The film had previously been announced under the title The Georgetown Project.
“The Exorcism follows Anthony Miller (Crowe), a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play.”
Sam Worthington (Avatar: The Way of Water), Chloe Bailey (Praise This), Adam Goldberg (The Equalizer) and David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) also star.
Of particular note, Kevin Williamson (Scream, Sick) produced The Exorcism.
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