‘True Blood: The Complete Fourth Season’ Dated For Home Video

TrueBlood0908011 True Blood: The Complete Fourth Season Dated For Home Video

Want to relive the season that destroyed “True Blood”?

In an early announcement to retailers, HBO is planning to bring “True Blood: The Complete Fourth Season” to Blu-ray on May 29.

Another supernatural force has come to light in Bon Temps – witchcraft – and life for its residents will never be the same. Sookie (Anna Paquin, ‘The Piano’) finds herself entangled in a love triangle – torn between a vengeful Bill (Stephen Moyer, ‘The Double’), the new Vampire King of Mississippi, and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård, ‘Straw Dogs’), who’s not the former Viking he once was. Led by a charismatic witch named Marnie (Fiona Shaw, ‘The Tree of Life’), who threatens to let no one living or dead stand in her way, a powerful coven tempts Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis, ‘The Help’), Tara (Rutina Wesley, ‘True Blood: The Complete First Season’), and Jesus (Kevin Alejandro, ‘Red State’) with otherworldly powers. Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll, ‘True Blood: The Complete Second Season’) tries to adjust to a domestic life, while Jason (Ryan Kwanten, ‘Red Hill’) finds himself alone in werepanther territory. Arlene (Carrie Preston, ‘Doubt’) and Terry (Todd Lowe, ‘True Blood: The Complete Third Season’) come to terms with their highly unusual baby, and Alcide (Joe Manganiello, ‘Spider-Man’) finds himself caught in the clutches of an old flame.

The box set will present every episode with 1080p (1.78:1) video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: audio commentaries on six selected episodes, Inside the Episodes featurettes, True Blood: The Final Touches featurette, True Blood Lines, True Time Line, Enhanced viewing modes: – Character perspectives, Flashbacks/flashforwards, Vampire histories/Character bios/Hints/FYIs, and Post-production roundtable. READ MORE

TV: “True Blood” Loses Head Writer, Alan Ball Stepping Down…

TrueBlood0908011 TV: True Blood Loses Head Writer, Alan Ball Stepping Down...

Alan Ball is stepping down as the head writer of “True Blood”.

I’m not entirely sure how much this will impact the upcoming 5th Season of HBO’s flagship sex and vampires odyssey. I do know that the show resumed production in November, so I have to assume that the majority of the upcoming season is pretty much mapped out. The show’s luxurious (around 14 days per episode) production schedule would allow for around 7 or so segments to be in the can. So it’s safe to say that the remaining 5 are outlined at the very least and the majority of them are scripted.

Not much reason has been given for Ball’s departure from the position (he will remain on the show in some capacity, I’m guessing as a producer) except for “exhaustion”. While that’s often PR code-speak for too much hard partying – but I don’t really think that’s the case here. Perhaps Ball is literally exhausted by pushing the show to ridiculous extremes? I don’t imagine he envisioned it being as patently ridiculous as it’s become when he was first getting it off the ground in 2007-2008.

Per Forbes, “Sookie and her pals from HBO’s True Blood are losing their creator. Alan Ball, I have confirmed, will step down from being headwriter of the show about sexy vampires mixing it up in New Orleans. Explanations include exhaustion, and maybe that the show seemed like it had tired blood last season. Ball will still be with the show, I’m told, but a new regime will guide the fates of the characters into their new season. This could also very well be a money issue, as series tend to get more and more expensive as they drag on.READ MORE

TV: ‘True Blood’ Vamp Authority To Taunt His Victims

He may just be the creepiest member of “True Blood”’s Vampire Authority — because he looks harmless, but is quite the opposite.

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that young Jacob Hopkins (Priest) has landed the recurring role as the final member of “True Blood”’s highest vampire governing body, the Vampire Authority.

Hopkins plays “Alexander Drew,” one of the Authority’s chancellors who was turned to darkness at the age of 9-years-old. Alexander is described as an impetuous vamp who likes to taunt those around him.

In addition “General Hospital” and “Cougar Town” actress Carolyn Hennesy will fill the final vacancy on the Authority.

Season 5 is currently in production and premieres this summer on HBO. READ MORE

TV: Meet ‘True Blood’s’ Chancellor for the Authority

trueblood021312 TV: Meet True Bloods Chancellor for the Authority

Peter Mensah will join HBO’s “True Blood” in a recurring role as “Kibwe,” Chancellor for the Authority, reports Deadline.

Originally from Africa, Kibwe works toward mainstreaming under “Roman”‘s tenure. Mensah has appeared in films including Zack Snyder’s 300, Antoine Fuqua’s Tears Of The Sun, Touchstone Picture’s Hidalgo and James Cameron’s Avatar. His television credits include “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “Witchblade,” “The Pretender” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Created by Alan Ball, “In a world where vampires have “come out of the coffin”, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress, discovers a new world of different creatures when she meets Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a vampire.

Season 5 begins this summer! READ MORE

TV: Typecast Vamp Cast as Vamp in ‘True Blood’

If you’re going to add a vamp to the “True Blood” cast, why not look to the best fang-based franchise out there, Twilight? I’m obviously joking, but you still have to wonder if HBO purposely cast Twilight thesp Christopher Heyerdahl in yet another vampire role. That’s typecasting to the extreme, and frankly, a bit lazy.

Deadline reports that Heyerdahl is joining HBO’s hit vampire drama in a recurring role. He will portray Dieter Braun, an ancient, powerful vampire who plays a large part in the intelligence of the Authority and especially enjoys enhanced interrogation. That is familiar territory for Sanctuary alum Heyerdahl who played the ancient Volturi vampire Marcus in 3 of the Twilight movies: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and the upcoming Part 2. Additionally, he played a demon in an arc on the CW’s “Supernatural.” READ MORE

TV: The Great Chris Meloni to Become ‘True Blood’ Super Vamp?!

TV Line is reporting that HBO is courting Chris Meloni (who I will always remember as “Keller” from HBO’s “OZ” and from David Wain’s Wet Hot American Summer) to join the cast of “True Blood”.

The former “Law & Order: SVU” front man is circling a “major role” in the show’s upcoming fifth season. But what role? An HBO rep declined to comment, but they hear Meloni — who’s currently shooting a top-secret role in The Man of Steel — is in talks to play an incredibly powerful vampire.

If a deal comes to pass, this would be a major casting coup for “True Blood”. It would also mark a high-profile return to the small screen for Meloni following his sudden departure from SVU last spring. READ MORE

TV: Werewolf Pack Casting Up for ‘True Blood’

In a new brief, Kelly Overton (The Ring Two) and Louis Herthum (The Last Exorcism) have landed major recurring roles on the HBO vampire drama “True Blood”, says Deadline.

Overton has been booked for 6 episodes and Herthum has been tapped for 5. Deals for both include series regular options for next season. Overton will play a dirty, beautiful werewolf named Rikki who demands to know what’s become of the pack leader. Herthum will play a particularly large Marine-type werewolf who refuses to bow down before the new pack leader.

Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the Emmy-nominated show takes place at a time when vampires have come out of the coffin, and follows the on-and-off romance between waitress and part-faerie Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). READ MORE

TV: Valentina Cervi Cast as “True Blood” Ancient Vamp

A fresh pile of crazy is making tracks for Bon Temps as TV Line reports that Italian actress Valentina Cervi (pictured below) is joining “True Blood’s” upcoming fifth season as a series regular — and her character sounds like the love child of Russell and Maryann.

The 35-year-old beauty will play “Salome”, an ancient vampire who is a world class seductress and fiercely intelligent. She also has quite a lot of madness in her. She is the most powerful person in every way yet capable of hiding this power when it serves her purposes.

Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the Emmy-nominated show takes place at a time when vampires have come out of the coffin, and follows the on-and-off romance between waitress and part-faerie Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). READ MORE

TV: ‘True Blood’ Gains a Mother Wolf, Reflection on Coverage

 TV: True Blood Gains a Mother Wolf, Reflection on Coverage

Once I begin covering something, it’s nearly impossible for me to stop (see Twilight, although I believe I have officially left that in the dust). Such the case with “True Blood,” HBO’s supernatural show that mixes vampires with werwolves, shape-shifters and witches. Sounds cool, no? Well, it was. In fact, it was once of my favorite ongoing series until the writers literally spit in the face of their supporters with season four. Instead of continuing to write for the horror crowd that made the show popular, they turned it into a shirtless ab-fest for girls to feel a tickle to. Even though I’ve already declared the show as dead, I’m curious to see if they take any of the criticism to heart with season five. Although I doubt it.

Anyhoo, coverage, yes, it’ll continue until it becomes hatred as pure as Twilight (most of you guys really, truly, absolutely hate that franchise with venomous rage!)

TV Line reports today that “True Blood” is introducing the woman who gave life to late werewolf packmaster Marcus. “My Name is Earl” character actress Dale Dickey (pictured below) is joining the HBO hit as Annie, Marcus’ werewolf mother. Powerful and respected within the pack due to her late son’s position, Annie is determined to perform a particular ritual.

Hopefully the ritual is to get Marcus to wear a shirt. READ MORE

AFM ’11: Stephen Moyer And Radha Mitchell Gather ‘Evidence’!

Moyer110211 AFM 11: Stephen Moyer And Radha Mitchell Gather Evidence!

Late casting news out of AFM this morning has Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”, The Caller, The Barrens) and Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, The Crazies) joining the cast of Evidence as detectives.

In Evidence, “When the police arrive at an abandoned desert gas station after a brutal massacre, they find no evidence at the crime scene except for some of the victim’s personal electronics, which include a video camera, a Flip-cam, and two cellphones. With nothing else to go on, a troubled detective must analyze and piece together the footage from the personal electronics in order to figure out what the hell happened and who the killer is.

The film is directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi (The Fourth Kind) and also stars Torrey DeVitto (The Rite, Killer Movie, I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer), Caitlin Stasey, John Cothren, Svetlana Metinka (Trackman), Albert Kuo and Dale Dickey (Super 8) READ MORE

Another Three Head Into ‘The Barrens,’ Cast Nearly Complete!

Two weeks back Bloody exclusively reports that Mia Kirshner (“The L Word,” 388 Arletta Avenue, The Black Dahlia) Erik Knudsen (Scream 4, Saw II) and J Larose (Insidious, Saw III) have all signed on to join Stephen Moyer (“True Blood,” The Caller) in Darren Lynn Bousman’s The Barrens, now filming in the Toronto area.

This morning we also confirmed that Allie MacDonald (House at the End of the Street), Max Topplin (Dead Before Dawn 3D, “Fringe”) and Peter DaCunha will also be joining the psychological horror.

In the film Cynthia Marlow (Kirshner) joins her husband Richard (Moyer), stepdaughter Sadie, and young son for a weekend camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Family bonding turns to horror when Richard falls ill and becomes convinced they are being stalked by the legendary creature of the Barrens: the Jersey Devil.

Bousman will see the release of his religious horror 11-11-11 in the coming months. He also directed the remake of Mother’s Day and Saw II-IV.
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Exclusive

Three More Head Into The New Jersey Pine ‘Barrens’ of Horror!

Bloody Disgusting got exclusive word that Mia Kirshner (“The L Word,” 388 Arletta Avenue, The Black Dahlia) Erik Knudsen (Scream 4, Saw II) and J Larose (Insidious, Saw III) have all signed on to join Stephen Moyer (“True Blood,” The Caller) in Darren Lynn Bousman’s The Barrens.

In the film Cynthia Marlow (Kirshner) joins her husband Richard (Moyer), stepdaughter Sadie, and young son for a weekend camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Family bonding turns to horror when Richard falls ill and becomes convinced they are being stalked by the legendary creature of the Barrens: the Jersey Devil.

Filming begins next Monday in Toronto.

Bousman will see the release of his religious horror 11-11-11 in the coming months. He also directed the remake of Mother’s Day and Saw II-IV.
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‘True Blood’s Stephen Moyer Meets The Devil in ‘The Barrens’

“True Blood” star Stephen Moyer, who also just co-starred in The Caller, is locked to topline Darren Lynn Bousman’s The Barrens, which concerns the legend of the Jersey Devil, says Variety.

Described in the vein of spooky Stephen King tales such as “The Shining,” pic is being produced by The Genre Company and will be released next fall by Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Moyer will play a man who takes his family on a camping trip to the more than 1 million acres of dense forest known as the New Jersey Pine Barrens, where he becomes convinced they’re being stalked by the legendary winged monster that looks like a deformed hybrid of several different animals.

The legend of The Jersey Devil has been passed along for hundreds of years, as the creature has risen from obscurity to take its place alongside the Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot and the Chupacabra.

Bousman told Variety that he wants to take the legend of The Jersey Devil “another step further. I don’t want to turn it into a cheesy creature feature. It’s about the characters for me, and having watched Stephen for years on ‘True Blood,’ I have no doubt he’s the right leading man.

Bousman is best known for directing three Saw sequels and Repo! The Genetic Opera. He recently helmed a remake of Mother’s Day and 11-11-11, which will be released on that date later this year.
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[Review] ‘The Caller’ Had Great Potential

Now in limited theaters everywhere from Samuel Goldwyn Films is Mathew Parkhill’s The Caller, which stars Stephen Moyer and Rachelle Lefevre of “True Blood” and Twilight fame, respectively. Evan Dickson writes in with his thoughts on the chiller, and I couldn’t agree more: it’s a pretty outstanding concept that should have been much, much better…

As it stands, it’s a good movie with great potential that I wanted to work just a little bit better than it did…. Ultimately, the worst thing I can say about ‘The Caller’ could also pass for a compliment. I liked it enough to want more out of it.

You can read the entire review by clicking the title above. Check out our exclusive video interviews with Parkhill and Moyer, and our report from the red carpet event in Puerto Rico.
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Interview

[Video Interview] ‘The Caller’ Director Matthew Parkhill and Star Stephen Moyer

Earlier this week Bloody Disgusting stringer Evan Dickson flew out to Puerto Rico for the red carpet premiere of Samuel Goldwyn Films’ The Caller (review), which is now open in limited theaters across the country.

Yesterday we brought you Evan’s report from the event, while inside you’ll now find our exclusive video interviews with Director Matthew Parkhill and “True Blood” star Stephen Moyer.

When troubled divorcee, Mary Kee, begins to receive mysterious phone calls from an unknown caller she quickly begins to feel haunted in her own home. When she discovers that the person is calling from the past, Mary realizes that she will have to kill her in order to survive but how do you kill someone living in the past and what will happen if she fails.

Caller is a chilling supernatural thriller in the tradition of The Grudge and The Ring.

 [Video Interview] The Caller Director Matthew Parkhill and Star Stephen Moyer

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The Caller

When troubled divorcee, Mary Kee, begins to receive mysterious phone calls from an unknown caller she quickly begins to feel haunted in her own home. When she discovers that the person is calling from the past, Mary realizes that she will have to kill her in order to survive but how do you kill someone living in the past and what will happen if she fails.

From the director of the internationally acclaimed dot the i, Caller is a chilling supernatural thriller in the tradition of The Grudge and The Ring.

Interview

[Special Report] ‘The Caller’ Premiere in Puerto Rico: Lights! Camera! Hurricane!

Samuel Goldwyn Films’ suspense thriller The Caller is headed to select cities this Friday, August 26th. Directed by Matthew Parkhill from a script by Sergio Casci and starring Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight, New Moon), Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”, Quills), Ed Quinn (“True Blood”, “Eureka”) Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights) and Lorna Raver (Drag Me To Hell), the film centers around a recent divorcee who starts receiving some seriously needy and deranged phone calls on the old-timey landline in her new apartment.

Originally set to film in New York, the movie instead set up shop in Puerto Rico to take advantage of the territory’s tax incentives and the assistance of the local film commission. The subsequent plan was to shoot San Juan and pass it off as New York, but the filmmakers wisely decided to take full advantage of the exotic local flavor (and avoid the insurmountable task of finding more than two square feet of the Caribbean island that could pass for the Big Apple) and adapted the story to take place in the Puerto Rican capital instead.

Earlier this week I flew out to the island – which was literally enveloped by Hurricane Irene at the time – to attend the premiere, get a feel for the vibes of San Juan (the city is something of a character in the movie) and with speak with some of the film’s cast and crew about their soon to be notoriously difficult 23 day shoot. A shoot most of the people I spoke to felt was appropriately mirrored by the many, many difficulties that beset the premiere and, well… everything that went down over the past few days.

Check it out after the jump.

 [Special Report] The Caller Premiere in Puerto Rico: Lights! Camera! Hurricane!

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Look! A Creepy Hand in the Theatrical One Sheet for ‘The Caller’

Opening in limited theaters on August 26 from Samuel Goldwyn Films, inside you’ll find the theater listing and official one sheet for Mathew Parkhill’s J-horror inspired The Caller, which stars Rachelle Lefevre, Stephen Moyer and Luis Guzman. The poster features Lefevre of Twilight fame with an oddly placed hand in the background.

When troubled divorcee, Mary Kee, sets up home in her new apartment, she stumbles across an old telephone which she quickly falls in love with. Struck by its antique charm, she gives it pride of place in her home. Before long, Mary begins to receive strange phone calls from a mysterious, unknown caller. Over time, she discovers that the caller is a woman called Rose and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. However, when Rose claims to be calling from the past, Mary begins to question her new friend’s motives.

As Rose’s phone calls become ever more disturbing, Mary’s sense of terror escalates. Feeling haunted in her own home, she cuts all contact with Rose. Enraged by Mary’s betrayal, Rose threatens to exact her terrible revenge. Not on Mary in the present but on Mary as a child in the past. Mary finally realizes that she will have to kill Rose in order to save herself. But how can she kill someone living in the past and what will happen if she fails?
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TV: ‘True Blood’ Renewed for Fifth Season

While I have already declared “True Blood” as DEAD, HBO has officially renewed the Alan Ball-created series for a fifth season. I stand by my prediction that season five will be the final season, although it wouldn’t surprise me if they squeeze out a horribly half-assed sixth.

HBO has renewed the hit show for a 12-episode fifth season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. Created by Alan Ball, the series will begin production of new episodes later this year in Los Angeles, with debut set for summer 2012.

Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the Emmy-nominated show takes place at a time when vampires have come out of the coffin, and follows the on-and-off romance between waitress and part-faerie Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer).” Series creator Alan Ball is also an executive producer of the show, which is based on the bestselling “Sookie Stackhouse” novels by Charlaine Harris.

 TV: True Blood Renewed for Fifth Season

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‘The Caller’ Gets Limited Theatrical Release

Matthew Parkerhill’s supernatural thriller The Caller, which was scripted by Sergio Casci and stars Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Lorna Raver (Drag Me to Hell) and Luis Guzman (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3), is getting a limited theatrical run courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn. Sony, who acquired the rights back in March, will handle DVD and Blu-ray distribution. No word on a date for either release platform as of this moment.

Lefevre stars as troubled divorcee Mary Kee, who begins to receive mysterious phone calls from an unknown caller and quickly begins to feel haunted in her own home. When she discovers that the person is calling from the past, Mary realises that she will have to kill her in order to survive but how do you kill someone living in the past and what will happen if she fails?

Check past the break for the kinda creepy trailer.
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TV: Watch the Opening Eight Minutes of ‘True Blood’

HBO must have hired the same PR team that worked on Super 8 because they are milking the living crap out of the opening scene from the fourth season of “True Blood,” which premieres June 26. Every week they’ve extended the clip with the following footage amounting to the first eight minutes of the season premiere.

Sookie (Anna Paquin) journeys away from Bon Temps; Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) try to win back the human public; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) learns that no good deed goes unpunished; Tara (Rutina Wesley) finds refuge in close quarters; Sam (Sam Trammell) bonds with his own; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) and Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) debate the dinner menu; Jesus urges Lafayette to join a coven; Terry (Nelsan Ellis) tries to alleviate Arleneʼs (Carrie Preston) fears about the baby.

The Season 4 newcomers include Gary Cole, Daniel Buran, Dane DeHaan, Rebecca Wisocky, Janina Gavankar, Alexandra Breckenridge, Vedette Lim, Christina Moore, Neil Hopkins, and Chris Butler.


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TV: New ‘True Blood’ Sneak Peek

The closer we get to the True Blood Season 4 premiere on June 26, the more HBO ramps up their marketing machine. With the ‘Waiting Sucks’ campaign in full swing and a plot-heavy teaser released just last week, Extra has just been given a new sneak peek, introduced by A.C. Slater himself – who might or might not have had four Twinkies and a box of Ding-Dongs for breakfast!

Daniel Buran, Dane DeHaan, Rebecca Wisocky, Janina Gavankar (“The Gates”), Alexandra Breckenridge (“Dirt,” “Life Unexpected”), Vedette Lim (“As the World Turns”), Christina Moore, Neil Hopkins (“Lost”), and Chris Butler (“The Good Wife”) all join the old cast. Set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a waitress, discovers a new world of creatures when she falls in love with Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a vampire.


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TV: New Spoilerific ‘True Blood’ Teaser

So far, HBO has done an excellent job of marketing the upcoming fourth season of True Blood, “Waiting Sucks” clips and all. This new teaser is no different, but gives away a HUGE plot point that details what the witches might be attempting to do in Bon Temps. Suddenly, some of the hints and news the cast and creators have been dropping makes a little more sense.

Daniel Buran, Dane DeHaan, Rebecca Wisocky, Janina Gavankar (“The Gates”), Alexandra Breckenridge (“Dirt,” “Life Unexpected”), Vedette Lim (“As the World Turns”), Christina Moore, Neil Hopkins (“Lost”), and Chris Butler (“The Good Wife”) all join the old cast. Set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a waitress, discovers a new world of creatures when she falls in love with Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a vampire.

Check out the new teaser and sound off with your theories inside.

 TV: New Spoilerific True Blood Teaser

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Exclusive

BDTV: Video Interviews with ‘Priest 3D’ Stars Cam Gigandet, Lily Collins and Paul Bettany

In our second batch of exclusive video interviews, Bloody Disgusting’s Chris Eggertsen sat down with Priest 3D stars Cam Gigandet, Lily Collins and Paul Bettany to talk about the live-action adaptation to the popular ToykoPop comic.

In theaters today from Sony Screen Gems, the post-converted 3-D story “is set in a world ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampire and follows a warrior priest who turns against the church to track down a murderous band of vampires who have kidnapped his niece.

Don’t forget to write your own reviews this weekend to tel all of BD what YOU thought.
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