Movies
Tribeca ’09: Magnolia Pictures Acquires Quasi-Horror Pic ‘The Eclipse’
In the first major sale in Tribeca in several years, Magnolia has picked up all worldwide rights to The Eclipse, Conor McPherson’s horror-tinged story of a widower in a coastal Irish town. The company is believed to have paid low-mid six figures for the pic, which Roadside, Lionsgate, Miramax and Sony Pictures Classics had also been circling. Ciaran Hinds stars in the film as a man who recently lost his wife and begins to see ghosts; he also becomes involved with a visting horror writer (Iben Hjejle), who is being pursued by a smarmy American author. Hinds won the best actor jury prize at Tribeca Thursday for his performance. McPherson, a noted playwright, made his directorial debut with the pic. Click here for some images and more info.
Movies
‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Rated “R” for “Horror Violence” and “Language”
We are now less than one month away from the release of Lionsgate’s The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first film in a brand new reboot trilogy from director Renny Harlin (A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Master, Deep Blue Sea). It’s coming to theaters May 17, 2024.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 has officially been rated “R” this week for…
“Horror violence, language and brief drug use.”
For the sake of comparison, Bryan Bertino’s original home invasion film was rated “R” for “violence/terror,” while Prey at Night was rated “R” for “horror violence and terror throughout.”
Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”), Froy Gutierrez (Hocus Pocus 2), Rachel Shenton (The Silent Child), Ema Horvath (“Rings of Power”) and Gabe Basso (Hillbilly Elegy) star.
Based on the original 2008 cult horror franchise, the project features Petsch, who drives cross-country with her longtime boyfriend (Gutierrez) to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest. When their car breaks down in Venus, Oregon, they’re forced to spend the night in a secluded Airbnb, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
Here’s the full official synopsis: “After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive.”
Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea, Die Hard 2) is directing from a script by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland (The Freak Brothers, Due Date). Lionsgate will distribute worldwide.
The Strangers began in 2008 with Bryan Bertino’s original home invasion horror movie, a terrifying film that introduced three masked killers who returned 10 years later with The Strangers: Prey at Night in 2018. The first film took place in a remote house in the woods while the sequel brought the murderous Man in the Mask, Dollface and Pinup Girl into a trailer park.
You must be logged in to post a comment.