Mercy (2014)

Based on a short story by Stephen King, Mercy tells the tale of two young boys (The Walking Dead’s Chandler Riggs and Super 8’s Joel Courtney) who move with their mother to take care of their dying grandmother at her decrepit farmhouse. When they suspect that the elderly woman they love has encountered a dark spirit, they fear she might not be the only one who won’t make it through the summer alive. Once George (Riggs) and Buddy McCoy (Courtney) arrive at their Gramma Mercy’s (Shirley Knight), what they find inside her 150-year-old home is nothing short of terrifying. As the brothers experience deeply disturbing phenomena they believe to be the work of an ancient witch, they must fight for their lives and overcome the evil forces threatening their family.

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[News Bites] Lance Henriksen For ‘Nevermore’; ‘The Call’ Gets Rated “R”; Universal Announces ‘Mercy’

In super weird late news, TriStar’s The Call, pictured, in theaters March 15, has been rated “R” for violence, disturbing content and some language.” In the film, “When veteran 911 operator, Jordan (Halle Berry), takes a life-altering call from a teenage girl (Abigail Breslin) who has just been abducted, she realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl’s life.

Universal Pictures has provided us with the official synopsis and cast for Mercy, a supernatural thriller from The Haunting in Connecticut‘s Peter Cornwell. “Based on a short story by Stephen King, Mercy tells the tale of two young boys (“The Walking Dead’s” Chandler Riggs and Super 8’s Joel Courtney) who move with their mother to take care of their dying grandmother at her decrepit farmhouse. When they suspect that the elderly woman they love has encountered a dark spirit, they fear she might not be the only one who won’t make it through the summer alive. Once George (Riggs) and Buddy McCoy (Courtney) arrive at their Gramma Mercy’s (Shirley Knight), what they find inside her 150-year-old home is nothing short of terrifying. As the brothers experience deeply disturbing phenomena they believe to be the work of an ancient witch, they must fight for their lives and overcome the evil forces threatening their family. Shirley Knight, Frances O’Connor, Mark Duplass and Dylan McDermott also star.

Lastly, genre icon Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Pumpkinhead; pictured below) is starring in Nevermore, a supernatural horror thriller written and being directed by Dean C. Jones, writes THR. Jason Cook and Valerie Azlynn also are starring in the movie, shooing in Graham, N.C. “The movie centers on a couple who experience paranormal activity involving dead children when they move to an estate in Massachusetts.” Henriksen will play a parish priest whom the couple turn to, but the move is a mistake because the priest already knows all about resurrected children. READ MORE

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Mark Duplass In The Mood For A Little ‘Mercy’

Writer/director Mark Duplass (Baghead, Jeff Who Lives At Home) has successfully been branching out into acting with roles on Zero Dark Thirty and Safety Not Guaranteed. Now, (per Deadline) he’s going a step further with Mercy for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions.

Pic is based on a Stephen King story, “Gramma”, from his “Skeleton Crew” collection. In the story two boys visit their grandmother only to discover that she’s a witch. Frances O’Connor, Chandler Riggs, Joel Courtney, Dylan McDermott, Shirley Knight and Chris Browning are also set star.

The Haunting in Connecticut‘s Peter Cornwell is directing from a script by Matt Greenberg. Jason Blum will produce with McG and Mary Viola from Wonderland Sound and Vision.

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Peter Facinelli Locks Himself In The ‘Freezer’

Peter Facinelli (Twilight) and Yuliya Snigir (A Good Day To Die Hard) have signed on to star in Freezer, an action thriller that Envision Media Arts will finance. They join “American Horror Story” star Dylan McDermott in the cast. Mikael Salomon (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”) will direct from a script by Tom Doganoglu and Shane Weisfeld.

The story centers on an everyday guy (McDermott) who finds himself tested beyond human endurance when he awakens to find himself locked in an industrial freezer by Russian thugs. They insist he returns the $8 million dollars he stole from them — the only problem is, he has no idea what they are talking about. As he fights for his life before freezing to death, the truth slowly reveals itself.

The film will shoot this month in Edmonton.

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[TV] Next On “American Horror Story: Asylum” Episode 2.13 “Madness Ends” (Season Finale)

American Horror Story: Asylum concludes next Wednesday night with the season finale! How will it all come together? Any guesses?

Episode 2.12 “Continuum” just aired so now we have the teaser for the finale, 2.13 “Madness Ends,” in which “Johnny sets out to complete his father’s work. Lana leads the charge to finally shut down Briarcliff.” Written by Tim Minear; directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Airs January

It airs next Wednesday, January 23, 10:00 pm e/p. Head inside for the teaser! READ MORE

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“American Horror Story” Star Thrillers In ‘Freezer’

“American Horror Story” star Dylan McDermott has signed on to star in Freezer, an action thriller that Envision Media Arts will finance, says the Hollywood Reporter. McDermott also stars in the Stephen King adaptation Mercy.

Mikael Salomon (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”) will direct from a script by Tom Doganoglu and Shane Weisfeld.

The story centers on an everyday guy (McDermott) who finds himself tested beyond human endurance when he awakens to find himself locked in an industrial freezer by Russian thugs. They insist he returns the $8 million dollars he stole from them — the only problem is, he has no idea what they are talking about. As he fights for his life before freezing to death, the truth slowly reveals itself.

The film will shoot this month in Edmonton.

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[TV] Next On “American Horror Story: Asylum” Episode 2.12 “Continuum”

While I loved the first season, I’m not up to speed on American Horror Story: Asylum so I apologize for the lack of commentary on this promo – I avoided watching it.

Episode 2.11 “Spilt Milk” just aired so now we have the teaser for Episode 2.12 “Continuum’.

In it, “A deadly new inmate threatens Sister Jude’s chance of release from Briarcliff. Grace’s obsession with the aliens turns violent.

The episode is written by Ryan Murphy and directed by Craig Zisk and airs next Wednesday, January 16th. Head inside for the teaser!
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[News Bites] ‘Mercy’ Casting; Spielberg Stalls ‘Robopocalypse’; ‘Y the Last Man’ Director!

Shirley Knight (Cowboys and Aliens) and Chris Browning, pictured above, have rounded out the cast of the Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions horror movie Mercy, reports Variety. Dylan McDermott, Frances O’Connor, Chandler Riggs and Joel Courtney currently star, with Haunting in Connecticut‘s Peter Cornwell set to direct. Pic is based on a Stephen King story from his “Skeleton Crew,” with a script penned by Matt Greenberg. It follows two young boys who go with their single mother (O’Connor) to take care of their elderly, senile grandmother named Mercy, only to discover that she’s a witch who made a pact with a dark force many years before.

According to Deadline, Steven Spielberg is going to push back Robopocalypse, the giant science fiction pic that he was scheduled to direct this spring for Fox and Disney through DreamWorks. Spielberg isn’t dropping out of the movie, he just didn’t want to rush an expensive film, and wanted more time to work on it. Based on Daniel H. Wilson novel and with a script by Cloverfield‘s Drew Goddard, Robopocalypse was to star Chris Hemsworth and Anne Hathaway and concerns a battle for survival after mankind generates its first mass intelligence computer brain only to see it escape. It was set for an April 2014 release.

Lastly, New Line Cinema is moving forward with the cult classic Y The Last Man, setting Dan Trachtenberg to direct the film, says the same site. “Y The Last Man” is the dystopian science fiction comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra published by Vertigo beginning in 2002. It focuses on only man to survive the apparent simultaneous death of every male mammal on Earth. The 60-issue series was repackaged in book firm and the series won five Eisner Awards. READ MORE

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“American Horror” Star Feels Stephen King’s ‘Mercy’

After getting praise for his work on the first season of “American Horror Story,” Dylan McDermott is returning to the genre with a role in the fantasy horror project Mercy for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, says Variety.

Pic is based on a Stephen King story from his “Skeleton Crew” collection. Frances O’Connor, Chandler Riggs and Joel Courtney are also set star.

The Haunting in Connecticut‘s Peter Cornwell is directing from a script by Matt Greenberg. Jason Blum will produce with McG and Mary Viola from Wonderland Sound and Vision.

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Full Specs For First Season Of “American Horror Story”

“American Horror Story” is TV’s most original new drama, a deeply stylish psychosexual haunt devised to keep you on the edge of your seat that arrive on home video September 25.

The Harmon’s (Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton) fresh start in a new home deviously twists to reveal discoveries of love, sex and murderous revenge. Featuring a Golden Globe-winning performance by Jessica Lange, Season One scares up a host of engrossing extras including: Audio Commentary on Pilot Episode by Ryan Murphy, Behind the Fright: The Making of American Horror Story, The Murder House presented by Eternal Darkness Tours of Hollywood, On the Set of American Horror Story Season One, Overture to Horror: Creating the Title Sequence and Out of the Shadows: Meet the House Ghosts.

A family of three move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means of reconciling their past anguish. They move to a restored mansion, unaware that the home is haunted.READ MORE

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‘American Horror Story’ Anthology Dated For Home Video

Some brief news, but exciting for those who have yet to catch FX’s absolutely fantastic horror anthology American Horror Story when it premiered.

Gearing up for the second season, the first season will arrive on DVD and Blu-ray September 25. Specs are forthcoming, but I can only assume they’ll be epic.

In the series, “A family of three move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means of reconciling their past anguish. They move to a restored mansion, unaware that the home is haunted.” Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga, Denis O’Hare, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, Kate Mara, Lily Rabe, Jamie Brewer, Alexandra Breckenridge, Matt Ross, Christine Estabrook, Morris Chestnut, Bodhi Schulz and Zachary Quinto al starred in the haunted house anthology.

TV: Maroon 5′s Adam Levine Becomes ‘American Horror Story’ Lover

EW is reporting that Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine is in final negotiations to appear in season 2 of FX’s hit thriller American Horror Story.”

In his television acting debut, Levine will be playing a contemporary character and half of a couple called “The Lovers.” “AHS” producers are so fond of Levine that they are shooting around his summer touring schedule.

While the second season of “AHS,” set to premiere on FX in October, has been cloaked in secrecy, we do know that original cast members Jessica Lange, Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Lily Rabe will be returning as entirely different characters.

Co-creator Ryan Murphy has also said that season 2 will be set in on the East Coast and in a “horror institution.” READ MORE

TV: Zachary Quinto Becomes ‘American Horror Story’ Season 2 Nemesis!

 TV: Zachary Quinto Becomes American Horror Story Season 2 Nemesis!

While it’s been reported about 3,200 times that Jessica Lange will return in FX’s second season of “American Horror Story,” Deadline has the scoop on the first of a handful of returning cast members.

Zachary Quinto, who did a scene-stealing four-episode arc on the first season of the Ryan Murphy/Brad Falchuk drama as the Harmon house’s doomed former co-owner Chad Warwick, will be back as a series regular in Season 2, joining Jessica Lange. Like Lange, he will play a brand new character next season, which is set at an East Coast institution. What’s more, the site reports that Quinto will play one of two male leads and the nemesis to Lange’s character, which will be at the center of the Season 2 storyline.

In addition to Lange and Quinto, three other actors from Season 1 of “AHS” will return next season. Murphy is expected to announce their names at the show’s panel tonight, which will open this year’s PaleyFest. READ MORE

TV: Dissect This Season Two ‘American Horror Story’ Teaser Poster!

It was just teased by “American Horror Story” show creator Ryan Murphy that the forthcoming second season of the FX show would head to the East Cost into a “horror institution”.

While cast is yet to be set, and production is yet to get underway, below we already a pretty awesome old-school 3-D sales poster teasing the second season of the anthology series.

Golden Globe winner Jessica Lange will appear in some capacity during the FX horror show’s sophomore season. As for other returning actors, none of them will be the “Harmons” — which means Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott or Taissa Farmiga are all long gone…. READ MORE

TV: [Next On] Video Preview ‘American Horror Story’ Episode 01.11 “Birth”

ahsnew120811 TV: [Next On] Video Preview American Horror Story Episode 01.11 Birth

With ten episodes come and gone (last night’s was a shocker!) FX’s “American Horror Story” has catapulted into the near top of my list for the best horror in 2011. After an abysmal season premiere, the series by “Glee” creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk has transformed into a plot thick, intense and captivating haunted house series jam-packed with scares, shocks and plenty of gore. I haven’t been this immersed into a series since “Lost” way back when.

With only one episodes left until the hour and a half season finale, FX has previewed episode 01.11, “Birth”, which begins when Vivien (Connie Britton) gives birth, while Tate (Evan Peters) and Violet (Taissa Farmiga) attempt to rid the house of some of its ghosts for good.

The next episode will air next Wednesday, December 14 only on FX. Talk below, tell us what you think of the first season thus far. Is it meeting your expectations too? READ MORE

TV: ‘American Horror Story’ Recap Episode 01.08

 TV: American Horror Story Recap Episode 01.08

The distressed screeches of thousands of Evan Peters fangirls could be heard all around the internet on Wednesday night within the first 5 minutes of what might be the most successful and quality character assassination this year. It was the big reveal on “American Horror Story”; something we have been waiting for since episode 1. The unveiling of just who impregnated Vivian with what may or may not be the spawn of satan. Our immediate answer just wasn’t as satisfying and shocking as the build up promised, unless you give points for being so obvious that it’s a misdirection.

Fan favorite Tate Langdon is a lot of things. An amnesic ghost, The son of the craziest women on FX, a serial killer, and now apparently, a mother fucker. Like literally. After seeing him in the Rubberman costume a few episodes back, one could have assumed at much. The most shocking part of the reveal was the creeping realization that Tate is now dating the daughter of the woman he raped. It’s clear that Ryan Murphy was going for style over substance here. He seems much more interested in making us uncomfortable rather than giving us a satisfying and well crafted story surrounding our notorious man in black. Instead, Murphy gave us baby fever. Why did Tate have sex with Vivian? Because Nora wants a baby, and he wanted to be a nice guy. Tate saw in Nora what was lacking in his own mother. An obsessive desire to nurture and love. His hated for his neglectful and abusive mother pushed him to seek a new parental figure to impress, and Nora was the closest to his ideal… READ MORE

TV: ‘American Horror Story’ Gets 90-Minute Finale, Extended Second Season!

 TV: American Horror Story Gets 90 Minute Finale, Extended Second Season!

One of the reasons I’ve turned more of my attention to the small screen is because the budgets are ballooning and we’re getting nearly a new movie every week (being that the big shows run about an hour in length). “American Horror Story” didn’t start off well, but it’s been building towards an explosion of awesome, which makes me seriously pumped for the full 90-minute long finale. Deadline has the story.

FX’s hot new drama series “American Horror Story’s” 13-episode first season will be actually 12.5 episodes. The horror drama’s first season finale on December 21, which had been slated as two-hour, will now be 90-minutes. The trimming of the finale is a result of “American Horror Story’s” very aggressive production schedule which left no breathing room. More details inside. READ MORE

TV: ‘American Horror Story’ Recap Episode 01.07

 TV: American Horror Story Recap Episode 01.07

Since the pilot, we have slowly watched as “American Horror Story” dulls it’s teeth and settled into it’s position as a creepy, character based supernatural drama rather than a thrills and chills one trick pony. The last few episodes particularly have settled some of the shows more pressing mysteries, leaving some time for character and character relationship development.

The plot surrounding Addy’s death has been spent humanizing Constance, using her love of Tate and Addy as a way to sort of whitewash her unsettling, creepy, and downright unappealing behavior in the beginning of the series. It was becoming easier to have a strange sense of sympathy for the women, who seemed to realize the flaws in her parenting after the deaths of her two children. But remember folks, Constance had several children. After meeting the third child tonight, the little;e humanity that Constance had earned mourning over Addy and trying to protect Tate has officially been nullified.

In 1994, a younger Constance is discussing that child with Larry, the burn victim that has been harassing Ben. . He has been found by child services, and she has been changed with criminal neglect. Constance fears that he will be taken away from her, so she orders Larry to make sure that this doesn’t happen. Larry proceeds to the attic, where they are holding what appears to be a deformed boy in his late teens/adult years. The boy is chained up and dirty, with shaggy, unkept hair and old clothing. His name is Bo, and he is clearly not only physically, but mentally challenged. This is the real deal as far as parental abuse goes. In hindsight, it shouldn’t be shocking knowing what we know about Constance, but good grief.

The scene ends with Larry smothering Bo with a pillow. How heartwarming. READ MORE

TV: [Next On] More Moving Talk in ‘American Horror Story’ Clip

 TV: [Next On] More Moving Talk in American Horror Story Clip

I was seething after the premiere episode of FX’s “American Horror Story,” and found it nearly impossible to hit “play” the following week. I’m glad I did. From Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the haunted house series has evolved into an intricate, plot-heavy cliffhanger of a show that’s either building towards infamy, or complete destruction. The rules continue to mount, which could become devastating later in the series, but for now, I’m beyond hooked. What do you say?

“American Horror Story” revolves around the Harmons, a family of three who moved from Boston to Los Angeles as a means to reconcile past anguish. Check out a brand new teaser for this week’s show that airs 10PM ET/PT only on FX.

Get more on the show’s official website. READ MORE

TV: FX’s Record-Breaking ‘American Horror Story’ Gets Second Season

 TV: FXs Record Breaking American Horror Story Gets Second Season

FX’s “American Horror Story” got a nice treat in its Halloween bag — a second season order of 13 episodes for 2012 from the cabler, reports Variety.

Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, who exec produce with Dante Di Loreto for Twentieth Century Fox TV, “American Horror Story” has averaged 4.2 million viewers in Live+7 (2.9 million among adults 18-49), putting it on track (with nine episodes remaining this season) to be the most-watched first season of an FX show ever.

Current first-season record-holders for FX are “Nip/Tuck” among adults 18-49 (2.1 million) and 18-32 (1.0 million) and “Justified” in overall viewers (3.4 million).

Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Jessica Lange, Taissa Farmiga, Evan Peters and Denis O’Hare star in “Horror Story” along with recurring guests Frances Conroy, Alexandra Breckenridge and Jamie Brewer. The show follows a family of three who move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means of reconciling their past anguish. They move to a restored mansion, unaware that the home is haunted.

Now if only DirecTV can make a deal with FX (Fox) so we don’t lose the channel. READ MORE

New ‘American Horror Story’ Poster Has Latex Fetish

A new poster for FX’s American Horror Story popped up on their official Facebook page, featuring a guy in a full-body latex suit creeping on a half-naked pregnant lady – kinda sounds like my weekend! Everything I’ve seen from the show gives off an American Gothic sort of vibe, which was a great, weird – but not Twin Peaks weird – supernatural series that aired on CBS during the mid-nineties and was executive produced by Sam Raimi. I barely watch TV at all, but AHS looks like something I want to work into my weekly schedule. October 5 can’t come soon enough.

Co-created by former “Nip/Tuck” executive producers and current “Glee” co-creators/executive producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the show “revolves around The Harmons, a family of three who move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means to reconcile past anguish. The All Star cast features Dylan McDermott (The Practice) as “Ben Harmon,” a psychiatrist; Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) as “Vivien Harmon,” Ben’s wife; Taissa Farmiga as “Violet,” the Harmon’s teenage daughter; Jessica Lange (Tootsie, Blue Sky, Grey Gardens) in her first-ever regular series TV role as “Constance,” the Harmon’s neighbor; Evan Peters (One Tree Hill) plays “Tate Langdon,” one of Ben’s patients; and Denis O’Hare (The Good Wife) as “Larry Harvey.” Guest stars for the series include Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) as the Harmon’s housekeeper; Alexandra Breckenridge (Dirt) as the Harmon’s housekeeper; and Jamie Brewer as Constance’s daughter.
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TV: FX Orders ‘American Horror Story’ Series For Fall Premiere

FX has been on-board with Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s American Horror Story since day one, ordering a pilot back in February and even projecting a Fall premiere before it was even shot (or cast). Looks like this was one of those times when gut instinct is spot on because FX has ordered a 13 episode first season and are looking to launch the series on October 5. Production will be starting within the next two weeks.

The spooky project centers on Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott), a handsome therapist who, along with his wife (Connie Britton) and their kids, move from Boston to a haunted San Francisco home in an attempt to rebuild the family after a miscarriage and affair.
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American Horror Story (TV)

A family of three move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means of reconciling their past anguish. They move to a restored mansion, unaware that the home is haunted.

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The Messengers

Written by Stuart Beattie (Collateral) from an original script by Todd Farmer (Jason X), “The Messegers” is a horror tale that follows the lives of a family moving into a run-down sunflower farm. As the farm begins to revive after years of disrepair, the family begins to notice uncomfortable and alarming changes in their father’s behavior.