Shelter
The story centers on a group of nuclear holocaust survivors caught in a bomb shelter who quickly begin to turn on each other as they wait for rescue.
[AFM '12] Sales Art and First Look At Dimension’s ‘Devil’s Knot’
Dimension Films has shared the following promotion poster and imagery from Devil’s Knot at this past week’s American Film Market.
Directed by Atom Egoyan, and starring Stephen Moyer, Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth, Mireille Enos, Kristopher Higgins, Seth Meriwether, James Hamrick, Alessandro Nivola, Collette Wolfe, Kris Polaha, Amy Ryan, Dane DeHaan and Matt Letscher, Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three “Centers on an infamous Arkansas murder case that ended with the conviction of three teens based largely on their alleged fascination with the occult. Three children were savagely murdered in 1993. Weeks later, police announced the arrest of three teens accused of committing the murders as part of a satanic cult ritual. Among the evidence presented against the suspects to show their dark states of mind were posters of the rock band Metallica and books by Anne Rice and Stephen King.” READ MORE
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[Interview] Anessa Ramsey On Subverting Genre In ‘Rites Of Spring’
Writer/director Padraig Reynolds’ mixed genre kidnapping slasher/creature feature Rites of Spring plays kind of like a modern day From Dusk Till Dawn in that it totally switches gears midway through (not a spoiler, the film tips its hat to this early on). Of course, there aren’t any vampires and the film is much more serious than that early Tarantiono/Rodriguez collaboration. An early kidnapping segment really struck me with its unflinching brutality, as did some of the film’s more “sacrificial” moments. Star Anessa Ramsey (The Signal, YellowBrickRoad) is tied up and forced to hear (and later see the outcome of) that unnerving moment, which you’d think would be as bad as it gets for her character… until it gets much worse.
I recently hopped on the phone with Ramsey to talk about defining her character amongst the chaos of the film as well as what it was like to be forced to hang in a sacrificial barn for what seems like an awfully long period of time. Also? She gets to run through a corn field while being chased by a monster – always an iconic horror moment.
In the film, “A group of kidnappers abduct the daughter of a wealthy socialite and hide out in an abandoned school on the edge of town. But feelings of guilt soon overtake the kidnappers, dividing the group and putting their entire plan in jeopardy. The evening further spirals out of control when their poorly chosen hideout becomes a hunting ground for a mysterious creature that requires springtime ritualistic sacrifices.” The creature, “Wormface”, was designed by Aaron Sims (A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child, Wrong Turn, The Mist, I Am Legend, Clash of the Titans, The Thing).
IFC Midnight releases Rites Of Spring July 27 on VOD and in limited theaters. Head inside for the interview! READ MORE
“True Blood” Vamp Stephen Moyer Lands Leads In ‘Devil’s Knot’
I swore I wouldn’t post another casting story related to this project, but the latest is too big to ignore.
“True Blood” and The Barrens‘ Stephen Moyer has joined the cast of Devil’s Knot in a lead role, says Deadline.
The “True Blood” vamp will play prosecutor John Fogelman in the film about the wrongfully convicted and imprisoned West Memphis 3. He joins Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Alessandro Nivola and more in the cast. He will begin work on the Atom Eyogen-directed film immediately to fit in shooting around his schedule for the HBO vampire series.
Devil’s Knot tells the true story of how, despite no psychical evidence, teens Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley were found guilty and jailed for a triple homicide in 1993. They were finally released last year. The movie is based on the 2003 book “Devil’s Knot: The True Story Of The West Memphis Three” by investigative reporter Mara Leveritt.
Matt Letscher To Help Untie The West Memphis Three In ‘Devil’s Knot’
Sweet Hereafter director Atom Egoyan’s West Memphis Three drama Devil’s Knot just keeps casting. The most recent addition is Matt Letscher (pictured inside; Identity, “Scandal”) who will play defense attorney to Jason Baldwin, one of the WM3.
Per Deadline, “ Matt Letscher has joined Devil’s Knot. The actor will play defense attorney Paul Ford in the Atom Egoyan-directed film about the West Memphis 3. Letscher is scheduled to start filming on ‘Devil’s Knot’ early next month.”
The pic is based on investigative reporter Mara Leveritt’s 2002 book “Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three,” which chronicled the prolonged murder trial of defendants Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., who served 18 years in prison before being released in August. The trio were accused of killing Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch, three 8-year-old boys who were found brutally murdered and hog-tied in a wooded area of West Memphis, Arkansas known as Robin Hood Hills.
The film stars Reese Witherspoon (Freeway, Legally Blonde) as Pam Hobbs, the mother of one of the victims. Hobbs originally believed that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley murdered her son, but as the case dragged on and more details became available, she came to believe that the trio did not commit the heinous crime. Colin Firth (A Single Man) will also star. Recent additions to the cast include Kristopher Higgins, Collette Wolfe, Justin Castor, Kris Polaha and Seth Meriwether.
Mark Sevi wrote the original draft of the screenplay, with the current draft penned by Scott Derrickson (whose Sinister has some really great scares) and Paul Boardman. READ MORE
Casting Bites: More Unknowns Join ‘Devil’s Knot,’ “Mockingbird Lane” Has New Character
Donnie Darko‘s Beth Grant (pictured inside) will play the part of Maryanne, a fortysomething woman who uses a wheelchair and is very suspicious of her creepy new neighbors, in NBC’s “Mockingbird Lane“, their upcoming reboot of “The Munsters”.
The actress joins a cast that includes Portia DeRossi and Jerry O’Connell as Lily and Herman Munster, Eddie Izzard as Grandpa, Mason Cook as Eddie and Charity Wakefield as Marilyn.
The pilot, written by Bryan Fuller and to be directed by Bryan Singer, begins when a baby bear attacks a scouting trip, only it turns out that this “bear” is actually Eddie transformed into a werewolf. Eddie is unaware of his metamorphosis and it forces the family to move in order to protect the family secret. The coming of age story gets weirder as he fights against his family when he learns of a shocker: they’re a family of flesh-eaters!
In other news, Variety reports that seventeen-year-old newcomer Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin in Atom Egoyan’s true crime drama Devil’s Knot, the pic’s second key role in as many weeks to go to an unknown thesp. He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. As Variety first reported last week, college drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols.
Based on journalist Mara Leveritt’s bestselling book of the same name, “Devil’s Knot” follows private detective Ron Lax (Colin Firth), who took on the West Memphis Three case pro bono. He found DNA evidence linking Terry Hobbs (Alessandro Nivola), the stepfather of one of the three murdered boys, to material that was used to bind one of the victims — evidence that helped convince a judge to release Baldwin, Misskelley Jr. and Echols last year. Also starring are Mireille Enos, Collette Wolfe and Kris Polaha, while Amy Ryan and Dane DeHaan remain in talks to join the ensemble. Kristopher Higgins will join Meriwether and Hamrick as fellow West Memphis Three member Misskelley Jr. READ MORE
Three More Added To West Memphis Three Movie ‘Devil’s Knot’
Sweet Hereafter director Atom Egoyan’s West Memphis Three drama Devil’s Knot is about to start shooting and has made a few new additions to its cast. Collette Wolfe (pictured above; Young Adult), Kris Polaha (“The Ringer”) and Justin Çastor (“Glee”) have joined the cast.
Per Deadline, “Kris Polaha will be playing public defender Val Price in the movie about the conviction of the West Memphis 3. Collette Wolfe has joined the film as Firth’s character’s assistant Glori Shettles. Justin Castor is talks to play James Baldwin, one of the WM3.”
The pic is based on investigative reporter Mara Leveritt’s 2002 book “Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three,” which chronicled the prolonged murder trial of defendants Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., who served 18 years in prison before being released in August. The trio were accused of killing Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch, three 8-year-old boys who were found brutally murdered and hog-tied in a wooded area of West Memphis, Arkansas known as Robin Hood Hills.
They join recent addition Kristopher Higgins. The film stars Reese Witherspoon (Freeway, Legally Blonde) as Pam Hobbs, the mother of one of the victims. Hobbs originally believed that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley murdered her son, but as the case dragged on and more details became available, she came to believe that the trio did not commit the heinous crime. Colin Firth (A Single Man) will also star.
Mark Sevi wrote the original draft of the screenplay, with the current draft penned by Scott Derrickson (whose Sinister has some really great scares) and Paul Boardman.
[News Bites] ‘Devil’s Knot’ Casting, ‘Abraham Lincoln’ Rated “R” & Fresh ‘American Mary’ One-Sheet
Kristopher Higgins is in talks to join the cast of Devil’s Knot, says Deadline. The Secret Life Of The American Teenager star joins the already announced Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon in the drama about the West Memphis 3 that Atom Egoyan is directing. “The film tells the true tale of teens Jessie Misskelley, Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin, who were convicted in Arkansas of murdering three 8-year-olds in 1993 despite no physical evidence.” Higgins will play Misskelley. The trio were finally released last year. Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman, the team behind The Exorcism Of Emily Rose, originally wrote the film’s script; Egoyan is now working with Boardman on a rewrite. The film is based on the 2003 book “Devil’s Knot: The True Story Of The West Memphis Three” by investigative reporter Mara Leveritt.
Usually I could care less about a film’s rating, but occasionally it’ll pique my interest. Such the case with Twentieth Century Fox’s Jonah Hex look-a-like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The film has officially been rated “R” by the MPAA “for violence throughout and brief sexuality.” The story revolves around the president’s quest to rid the world of vampires, presented as part of the conflict behind the Civil War. Benjamin Walker stars as the 16th President of the United States.
Inside we’ve added a new look at some sales art for American Mary, the latest genre offering from the Twisted Twins, Jen & Sylvia Soska, and starring Freddy vs Jason and Ginger Snaps alumni Katharine Isabelle. “American Mary is the story of a medical student named Mary who is growing increasingly broke and disenchanted with medical school and the established doctors she once idolized. The allure of easy money sends a desperate Mary through the messy world of underground surgeries which leaves more marks on her than the so-called freakish clientele.” You should become a fan on Facebook. Really.
‘World War Z’ Star Moves To West Memphis For ‘Devil’s Knot’
“The Killing” and World War Z star Mireille Enos has joined Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in Devil’s Knot, the Atom Egoyan-directed drama about the West Memphis 3, reports Deadline.
Enos will play Vicki Hutcheson, the mother of an 8-year-old boy who lives in a run-down house in West Memphis. She becomes an important witness in the murder trial of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley for the killing of three 8-year-old boys found hog-tied in a drainage ditch. Hutcheson, it becomes apparent to investigators, could be the only link between Echols and Misskelley.
As Deadline revealed just after the West Memphis 3 murder defendants were released from prison last summer, Egoyan came aboard to direct a script that was originally written by Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman, the team behind The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. READ MORE
West Memphis Three Movie ‘Devil’s Knot’ Now Greenlit, Starts Shooting Next Month
Sweet Hereafter director Atom Egoyan’s West Memphis Three drama Devil’s Knot has been percolating for a while but is now all set to start shooting. A greenlight was given to the pic in anticipation of its rights being sold at Cannes.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, “New York-based motion picture production and investment company Worldview Entertainment will finance and produce the project, which The Weinstein Co. is debuting to foreign buyers at the Marche du Film this week in Cannes. CAA is handling domestic rights.”
The pic is based on investigative reporter Mara Leveritt’s 2002 book “Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three,” which chronicled the prolonged murder trial of defendants Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., who served 18 years in prison before being released in August. The trio were accused of killing Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch, three 8-year-old boys who were found brutally murdered and hog-tied in a wooded area of West Memphis, Arkansas known as Robin Hood Hills.
The film stars Reese Witherspoon (Freeway, Legally Blonde) as Pam Hobbs, the mother of one of the victims. Hobbs originally believed that Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley murdered her son, but as the case dragged on and more details became available, she came to believe that the trio did not commit the heinous crime. Colin Firth (A Single Man) will also star.
Mark Sevi wrote the original draft of the screenplay, with the current draft penned by Scott Derrickson (whose Sinister has some really great scares) and Paul Boardman.
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