“Long rumored and thought lost, this rough cut captures Gremlins before it became the film we know now,” a title card explained at the beginning of the screening. “Sourced from a 1983 First Assembly VHS, it preserves deleted scenes, alternate takes, and creative paths that were ultimately left behind.”

The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit writes in an article published this weekend, “It’s a version of a movie not seen since 1983. It wasn’t even supposed to still exist. But we can definitively tell you that yes, Virginia, there really is a 2.5-plus hour cut of Gremlins.”

According to the report, this rough assembly cut of Gremlins runs around 2 hours, 35 minutes long, and it was unveiled as part of a secret screening attended by a select group of filmmakers and fans. This particular cut is from Joe Dante’s personal collection, and Ian Grant from The Gremlins Museum cleaned up and digitized the footage from Dante’s personal VHS tape.

“The cut features plenty of unseen character arcs and alternate takes,” Kit explains. “The first Gremlin doesn’t even show up until an hour in. Once the nasty little buggers do, however, there’s a lot of time spent on them (the chaos at the bar goes on for 10 or more minutes). Yes, we even get to see them walk.”

Kit’s report goes on to explain, “And Phoebe Cates’ speech about why she hates Christmas is nowhere to be found in this version.”

Gremlins star Zach Galligan did a live Q&A over on Instagram this week (watch below), where he discussed the assembly cut at length. He describes the rough extended cut of the film as “an absolute mind blower” and “a total revelation,” describing it as “an assembly of all the stuff that we shot back in 1983,” packed with “close to an hour of new footage.”

Zach Galligan even notes that the cut features “stuff I have absolutely no memory of having shot.” He also makes it clear that the Gremlins assembly cut features both previously released deleted scenes (you’ll find them on physical media) and most importantly, brand new footage Gremlins fans have NEVER seen up to this point. That previously unseen footage includes extended bits in the department store and the bank, as well as more in-depth character work.

“The characters are more fleshed out,” Galligan says, while adding that he feels his character Billy Peltzer comes off “more badass” in this longer version than the movie’s final cut.

The late Polly Holliday’s Mrs. Deagle is one of the characters that’s more fleshed out in this extended version, which features “a subplot of Mrs. Deagle trying to foreclose everyone’s house.” Galligan also explains that there’s a scene early in the movie where Billy saves one of Mrs. Deagle’s cats and returns it to her, which was ultimately excised from the movie.

You can watch Zach Galligan’s full Q&A video below to learn more.

Will the Gremlins Assembly Cut ever see release outside of these secret screenings? That remains to be seen. But the good news for now is that it does exist, and The Gremlins Museum has done a lot of hard work getting it ready for consumption by Gremlins fans.

Stay tuned for more as we learn it. You never know when the Gremlins might pop up…

 

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From director Eli Roth (Hostel, Thanksgiving), the unrated horror film will be released in theaters August 7 via The Horror Section and Iconic Releasing.

Written by Roth and Noah Belson, Ice Cream Man follows the idyllic summer town of Bayleen Bay descending into madness when an ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results.

Ari Millen (“Orphan Black”) stars in the titular role along with Benjamin Byron Davis (Red Dead Redemption), Karen Cliche (Thanksgiving), Dylan Hawco, Sarah Abbott, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Charlie Zeltzer (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Charlie Storey, and Roth himself.

Roth produces with Cream Productions’ Kate Harrison (Thanksgiving). Rap icon Nas executive produces alongside Peter Bittenbender via Mass Appeal.

The film’s prosthetic makeup effects are handled by Oscar winner Adrien Morot (The Whale, Thanksgiving) and Steve Newburn (Frankenstein, Thanksgiving).

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The sixth installment in the horror franchise possesses theaters on July 10 via New Line and Warner Bros.

Sébastien Vaniček (Infested) directs from a script he co-wrote with Florent Bernard (Infested).

Souheila Yacoub (Dune: Part Two) stars as Alice, who seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home after the loss of her husband. As her family members are they are transformed into Deadites one by one, Alice comes to discover that the vows she took in life live on even in death.

Tandi Wright (Pearl), Hunter Doohan (“Wednesday”), Errol Shand (Deathgasm), Maude Davey (“The Leftovers”), George Pullar, and Greta Van Den Brink (“Territory”) round out the cast.

Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi and franchise producer Rob Tapert produce via their Ghost House Pictures. Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell and Evil Dead Rise filmmaker Lee Cronin executive produce alongside Romel Adam and Jose Canas, both of whom worked on Evil Dead Rise.

Following Evil Dead Burn, Francis Galluppi’s Evil Dead Wrath will be released on April 7, 2028.

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The erotic thriller is written and directed by James Morosini (I Love My Dad).

O’Brien stars as Danny, a man who has spent 30 years apologizing for existing. With his relationship cracking, he books a last-ditch trip to a hedonistic island resort, hoping to come back as someone his girlfriend can finally believe in.

But his lonely escape detonates when a hookup with Ava (Gerber), a married woman, puts him on a collision course with her alpha male husband Marco (Pullman). As Danny is drawn deeper into Ava’s dangerous and intoxicating world of sex, power, and psychological games he quickly realizes getting caught by Marco is only the beginning.

Bulls is set to enter production before the end of the year, with QC Entertainment (Get Out, Us) and Roth/Kirschenbaum Films (The Gray Man, Anyone But You) producing.

“I wrote Bulls because it’s the type of film I would cancel my plans to go see in cinemas,” Morosini commented. “It’s mischievous, twisty, turn-y, and most of all it’s sexy.”

“James Morosini has crafted a provocative and unpredictable thriller that demands your attention. It demanded ours from page one!” added Zack Roth of Roth/Kirschenbaum. “Elevated, yet crowd pleasing – and with this stellar cast – it’s a film we know will stick with audiences and create conversation.”

Manifest Pictures is handling international sales, launching the project ahead of this month’s Cannes film market. CAA Media Finance, WME Independent, and QC Entertainment will co-rep domestic rights.

“James has crafted a loud, transgressive erotic thriller that speaks directly to today’s theatrical audience — one that’s embraced provocative hits from Wuthering Heights and ‘The White Lotus’ to Saltburn and The Housemaid,” said Manifest CEOs Yvette Zhuang and Zach Glueck. “With his sharp, distinctive voice and an incredible next-gen cast, Bulls will have audiences gasping, laughing, screaming and talking long after the credits roll.”

Morosini, who previously starred in It’s What’s Inside, is also attached to write and direct the horror film Mommy’s House for Lionsgate.

Kaia Gerber in ‘Shell’

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Here’s all the new horror that released on Friday, May 1, 2026!

Renny Harlin is back with new horror movie Deep Water, which looks to bring together the action of Die Hard 2 with the shark attack horror of Deep Blue Sea. We bring up those two movies in comparison to Deep Water, because, well, Renny Harlin directed all three of ’em!

Produced by Gene Simmons, Deep Water is now playing in theaters.

Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kinsgley star alongside Molly Wright (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever), Angus Sampson (Insidious), Kelly Gale (Plane), and Li Wenhan from K-Pop group UNIQ.

In Renny Harlin’s Deep Water, “A flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai goes down in the middle of the Pacific. After surviving the crash, the survivors soon discover they’re not alone and they must survive the shark infested waters. The terrified group is forced to work together and overcome their differences if they hope to escape their sinking plane and the frenzy of sharks.”

The screenplay was written by Pete Bridges and Shayne Armstrong & SP Krause.

Renny Harlin said in a recent statement, “Deep Water represents the kind of movie I’ve dreamed of making since I grew up loving the ’70s disaster movies. Spectacular action and unforgettable characters who didn’t leave a dry eye in the movie theater.”

From Damian McCarthy (Caveat, Oddity), Hokum is now playing in theaters.

Adam Scott (“Severance”) stars in Hokum as reclusive novelist Ohm Bauman. When he retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, the staff’s tales of an ancient witch haunting the honeymoon suite take hold of his mind. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance draw Ohm into a nightmarish confrontation with the darkest corners of his past.

Peter Coonan (“The Alienist: Angel of Darkness”), David Wilmot (“Station Eleven”), Florence Ordesh (“Departure”), Michael Patric (“Frontier”), Will O’Connell (“Game of Thrones”), Brendan Conroy (“Bodkin”), and Austin Amelio (“The Walking Dead”) also star.

Meagan Navarro raves in her review for Bloody Disgusting, “A quaint Irish hotel with a deeply haunted history awaits an American writer in McCarthy’s third outing, continuing his streak for folkloric tales of supernatural karma and spine-tingling terror with a dark sense of humor.”

Dutch folk horror film Heresy is now streaming only on Shudder.

Set in a medieval Dutch village, Heresy follows a young woman who is caught between her faith, fanatic townsfolk, and the dark forces lurking in the woods.

The film marks the feature directorial debut of Didier Konings, a concept artist on the likes of “Stranger Things,” Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He also has visual effects credits on The Conjuring 2 and Lights Out.

Anneke Sluiters, Len Leo Vincent, Reinout Bussemaker, Léon van Waas, and Nola Elvis Kemper star in Heresy. Marc S. Nollkaemper penned the screenplay.

A surreal and stylized blend of witchcraft, folk horror, body horror, and familial trauma, Salt Along the Tongue is now available on Digital from Yellow Veil Pictures.

Calling the Australian production “a love letter to my mother,” writer-director Parish Malfitano explores his Italian heritage with a haunting tale rooted in the evil eye superstition.

After teenager Mattia’s mother dies unexpectedly, she has no choice but to move in with her aunt Carol, her mother’s identical twin. As Mattia grapples with the loss of her mother and this new way of life, a treacherous family secret begins to come to light. From beyond the grave, Mattia’s mother possesses her daughter — not only trying to protect Mattia from the same fate that befell her, but also to find reconciliation with her twin sister, using food as a gateway.

Citing Volver, Possession, 3 Women, and Don’t Look Now as inspirations, Malfitano’s script was a semi-finalist in Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition.

Dina Panozzo and Laneikka Denne star with Mayu Iwasaki, Maria de Marco, Nicole Toum, Caroline Levien, Olga Olshansky, Helen Vassiliadis, and Liz Lin.

Terror Films Releasing has teamed with filmmakers Josh Funk and Dustin Vaught to release horror-comedy The Fuzzies, centered around puppetry and practical effects.

The Fuzzies is now available on Digital outlets at home.

The film follows a group of friends who reunite at their childhood friend’s eerie estate after her death, where they soon uncover a nightmare: the grotesque puppets from her famous children’s TV show are alive. Blending practical puppetry, stop-motion horror, and dark humor, The Fuzzies explores friendship, fame, and buried monsters.”

Rocío de la Grana (Rose), Baylee Toney (Mary), Dustin Vaught (Mick), and Gordy Cassell (Shirley/Sunny Smiles) star.

Director Josh Funk, who co-wrote and produced with Dustin Vaught, said in a statement, “The Fuzzies is a horror-comedy born from a fascination with the uncanny, specifically the strange power of puppets and stop-motion animation to feel both comforting and deeply unsettling. Drawing inspiration from children’s television of the 1970s and ‘80s, the film explores how bright sets, felt textures, and cheerful characters become disorienting when stripped of their warmth. The Fuzzies embraces the tactile imperfections of handmade filmmaking to tell a story about nostalgia curdling into terror, and the monsters we carry with us from childhood.”

The post Friday, May 1 – These 5 New Horror Movies Released at Home Today appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Three other photos show Josh O’Connor (Wake Up Dead Man) as Daniel Kellner, a cyber-security expert on the run after stumbling upon highly-classified information, in the sci-fi film.

O’Connor describes his character as an “unglamorous hero” to EW. “We were trying to create a character that was fairly everyday — sort of an average Joe in some respects.”

He isn’t entirely ordinary, however. “He has this very special talent or skill that he’s almost unaware of — it’s become part of him over time,” O’Connor explains. “And as the film progresses, we start to see where that’s come from.”

O’Connor clarifies, “I think, actually, it’s less about the skills that he has. It’s more about where they came from that’s important.”

Part of that talent is his ability to understand the otherworldly communication delivered by Margaret Fairchild, a journalist-turned-weather presenter at the center of a bizarre on-air incident, played by Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place).

Disclosure Day also stars Colin Firth (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Eve Hewson (Bridge of Spies), Colman Domingo (The Running Man), and Wyatt Russell (“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”).

David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man) penned the script, based on a story by Spielberg.

Spielberg produces for Amblin Entertainment alongside Kristie Macosko Krieger (Ready Player One, The Fabelmans). Adam Somner (Ready Player One, Bridge of Spies) and Chris Brigham (Inception, Shutter Island) executive produce.

Invading theaters and IMAX on June 12, Disclosure Day is rated PG-13 for “action/violence, some bloody images, and strong language.”

Emily Blunt & Josh O’Connor in ‘Disclosure Day’

Josh O’Connor in ‘Disclosure Day’

Emily Blunt & Josh O’Connor in ‘Disclosure Day’

‘Disclosure Day’

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Accompanied by her dog, Allie, Victoria shared a multimedia presentation featuring lore from her father’s illustrious life and legacy while tracing her own journey to finding joy in horror despite not being a fan of the genre. She also participated in a brief Q&A with returning master of ceremonies Xero Gravity, self-proclaimed cousin to Salem Horror Fest.

Victoria Price & Allie

Festival co-directors Leslie Adams and Brody Bellamy took the stage to announce this year’s jury award winners: Blood & Guts by Carlye Rubin, Katie Green, & Tina Grapenthin for Best Feature, Very Prosperous Men by Josiah Walker for best interlude (films running 15-60 minutes), and Mangittatuarjuk (The Gnawer of Rocks) by Louise Flaherty for best short.

The pair also presented this year’s George A. Romero Foundation recipients: Ricardo Albarrán, director of the shor Pelacaras, will be mentored by Matt Leslie (Summer of 84); Wendy Wang, director of the interlude The Man Upstairs, will be mentored by Travis Stevens (Girl on the Third Floor); and Donnie Hobbie, director of the feature Jump Scare, will be mentored by Jenn Wexler (The Sacrifice Game).

A screening of Mangittatuarjuk followed. The 14-minute Inuit folk horror tale about two young women trapped in the titular monster’s lair is beautifully told through stop-motion animation with textured characters and detailed environments. It’s easy to see why it took home the jury award.

Mangittatuarjuk (The Gnawer of Rocks)

The guest of honor was cinematic icon Dee Wallace, who, despite being under the weather, exuded the same maternal warmth that she’s brought to the screen for the last 50 years. She left her life as a Kansas school teacher behind to pursue an acting career in spite of many naysayers. “In less than seven years, I starred in E.T., so if you’ve got a dream, say ‘fuck you’ and go anyway,” Wallace advised the audience.

Interviewed by Rue Morgue’s Andrea Subissati, Wallce shared anecdotes about many of her most beloved films — The Hills Have Eyes, The Frighteners, Rob Zombie’s Halloween, and more — but the highlight was hearing her speak on life in general. Much like when she’s in front of the camera, Wallace was not afraid to get vulnerable as she recounted how she has overcome tragedy with love.

The evening concluded with a screening of 1983’s Cujo starring Wallace. The film holds up better than many Stephen King adaptations of the era, and the viewing was enriched by the context Wallace provided beforehand — including working with the 13 dogs used to create the illusion of a rabid St. Bernard.

Dee Wallace & Andrea Subissati

Salem Horror Fest will continue through May 3 with screenings of official feature selections Blood & Guts, Deep Hallows: A Brazilian Gothic Fable, Frankie, Maniac Woman, Jump Scare, Lily’s Ritual, Regression, The Barn Part III, and The Mid-Night Driver, along with over 40 interludes and shorts.

There will also be repertory screenings of Blood Shine, both the 1942 and 1982 versions of Cat People, Let the Right One In, Pet Sematary, and Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama with live commentary, plus a special showing of The Vincent Price Legacy accompanied by dinner prepared with recipes from Price’s cookbooks.

Additional events include meet-and-greets with Wallace, Price, Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes), and Linnea Quigley (The Return of the Living Dead), panels, live podcasts from Girl, That’s Scary and Movie Jawn, a horror drag show, vendor markets, and more.

Salem Horror Fest 2026 passes are on sale now.

Master of ceremonies Xero Gravity

Victoria Price

Allie Price

Salem Horror Fest co-director Leslie Adams

Dee Wallace

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Maya Hawke (“Stranger Things”) and Lewis Pullman (Thunderbolts*) star as ambitious game designer Julia and struggling musician Charlie, who are at a loss for how to repair their volatile relationship.

After attending a couples-therapy seminar run by mysterious twin healers, they find that the ups-and-downs of their relationship have supernatural effects on the world around them. With earthquakes, the stock market, and entire nations at risk, Charlie and Julia must confront whether their passionate love can survive amidst so much chaos.

Writer-director Graham Parkes makes his feature debut on the film, which premiered at SXSW in March and took home the top narrative feature award.

Randall Park (“WandaVision”), Amita Rao (“Adults”), Jake Shane (“Hacks”), Kate Berlant (Sorry to Bother You), Eric Rahill (“The Paper”), and Kerri Kenney-Silver (“Reno 911”) round out the cast.

“Doctor Who” actor Matt Smith and Dan Gedman produce for Highway 10, alongside Pullman for Buckwild Pictures, and Kara Durrett (Caddo Lake) for Pinky Promise. Executive producers include Alyssa Roehrenbeck, Sarah Mather, Jessamine Burgum, Cameron Fuller, and Graham Patrick Martin.

“Sony Pictures Classics has been a singular champion of independent cinema for nearly 35 years, releasing some of my favorite movies of all time,” Parkes commented. “So to be included among the films first brought to an audience by them is truly the ultimate recognition for the passionate work our cast and crew put into making Wishful Thinking.”

“Audiences have been craving a film like Wishful Thinking — romantic, unpredictable and genuinely funny — and we can’t wait for them to experience Maya and Lewis in these deeply human and refreshingly hilarious leading roles,” added Sony Pictures Classics. “Graham Parkes has crafted a film for a new generation of moviegoers with the kind of romantic comedy meant to be shared in a theater.”

Wishful Thinking is expected to hit theaters later this year. Stay tuned for details.

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Written by Britt Hayes, illustrated by Vance Kelly, and engineered by David Hawcock, the 12-page novelty book features more than 20 pop-ups that bring the Saw franchise’s most unforgettable moments to life.

Readers can turn wheels, pull tabs, move levers, and relive the Reverse Bear Trap, Angel Trap, and the bathroom set that started it all in the richly detailed and outrageously interactive book.

Saw: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book will be published on September 22 via Rizzoli Universe, in collaboration with Lionsgate.

Blumhouse is currently developing a new Saw movie with creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell back in the fold. Meanwhile, all 10 films in the series are currently on Netflix.

The post ‘Saw: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book’ Brings Jigsaw’s Traps to Life appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Look, I’m a sicko who loves 1986’s Rawhead Rex, and I’ve made peace with that. The point is that while Irish horror is often generalized as supernatural, gothic, and steeped in spooky folkloric traditions, there are solid exceptions that explore horrors well outside those expected boxes. Some of them are terrifically entertaining genre treats despite being criminally underseen or underloved… and I’m going to talk about a few of them below.

A Clive Barker Adaptation Relocates Its Creature to the Emerald Isle

Rawhead Rex

I’ll be the first to admit that Rawhead Rex is something of an acquired taste, but between reading Clive Barker’s original story in the third volume of his Books of Blood and seeing Rex on the cover of Fangoria magazine in early 1987, I was an easy mark for the film. Barker himself distanced himself from the movie just a year after its release, but it remains a fun creature feature from Ireland.

To be clear, director George Pavlou’s film moves the setting of Barker’s story from England to the Emerald Isle and filmed it there as well, meaning while it’s not fully Irish in spirit, it is Irish in practicality. There’s also a kernel of folklore afoot here as “Rawhead” is the name of a creature created back in the 16th century as a way to creep out children and keep them in line. Barker doesn’t really follow that throughline with either his story or script, though, leaving this a straight-up creature feature.

Instead, Rawhead Rex follows a man named Howard (David Dukes) who, along with his wife and two kids, comes to rural Ireland to research old religions and their artifacts. His arrival, unfortunately, coincides with the rebirth of a monstrous, musclebound pagan god-like creature that appears to be dressed like he’s leaving a heavy metal concert and heading to a Renaissance Fair. (He’s always reminded me of Eddie from Iron Maiden…) Rex kills Howard’s young son – an automatic extra half star from me right there – and befouls the sanctity of the church and its servants before finally meeting his demise at the hands of a determined woman.

It’s far from a forgotten masterpiece, and it’s easy to see where another million bucks in the budget could have drastically improved things, but Rawhead Rex still delivers the goods. In addition to killing a kid, giving a religious man a golden shower, championing female strength, and celebrating pagan “gods” over the more traditional ones, the movie features some solid practical gore throughout. The Rex costume, for all its limitations when it comes to neck and head movement, still looks pretty cool, too. Monster movies rock.

Grab a Pint For Irish Horror Comedies

Grabbers

The creature feature fun continues with the far less serious Grabbers from 2012, which unleashes seaborne terrors while also poking silly fun at Irish stereotypes. It unfolds on a small Irish island and the even smaller town on its coast, where some fishermen have gone missing, and the beach is awash with dead whales. The cause soon comes clear as small, tentacled, bloodthirsty cephalopods make their way ashore to target townspeople. A pair of local constables discover the beasts’ single weakness – alcohol – and it’s all the motivation they need to get everyone in town drunk off their asses. Of course, that might not help when a house-sized beastie comes calling.

Director Jon Wright delivers a fun horror/comedy with Grabbers that’s probably most akin to something like New Zealand’s Black Sheep in tone and bloody content. Death is all around, and characters are prone to playfully gory demises, but it’s never enough to stop people from cracking wise or maybe even falling in love amid the carnage. Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley do good work as the leads, balancing the laughs, terror, and budding romance while the rest of the townspeople party in the background.

Monster movies can live or die on the strength of their creature effects, and the film’s a winner on that count thanks to some terrific practical creations and genuinely great CG that work to bring these things to life. Add in memorable gags and some minor stunt work, and it’s a good time that doubles as a fun (possibly deadly) drinking game movie if you throw one back every time a character does.

Laugh fans looking for more Irish horror/comedies have some fun options. Stitches is the grimly comic tale of a murderous clown, and Boys from County Hell pits some fun-loving Irish lads against a vicious vampire. The funniest Irish horror/comedy ever made, though, remains 2019’s Extra Ordinary, which pits a pair of romance-inclined goofballs against a Satan-worshipping Will Forte. Also, while it’s far from a comedy, Wright’s most recent film, Unwelcome, takes a dark turn with little forest monsters straight out of Irish folklore.

Mad Cows Lead to Irish Creature Feature Madness

Isolation

While Grabbers sets its horrors on a remote island, the deadly serious Isolation tightens its grip even further by taking place entirely on a rural country farm. A cattle farmer facing desperate times rents out barn space and one of his cows to a scientist running a genetics experiment, but things take a messy turn when the pregnant cow gives birth. Together with the scientist, a local veterinarian (Essie Davis), and a young couple (Sean Harris, Ruth Negga) crashing on the property, the farmer finds himself fighting to keep something terrifying from reaching the rest of the world.

Writer/director Billy O’Brien’s 2005 film is a low-budget affair, but it still delivers with a compelling, thrilling, eco-horror riff on Alien. The film’s first hour offers an increasingly tense and unsettling slow burn as the experiment is revealed with bloody results. The cow carnage scenes are incredibly convincing and are crafted using smart editing and camerawork alongside some impressive practical effects – trust me, I had to check the end credits for confirmation that no animals were actually harmed.

Concerns about viral infections and small mutations give way to a third-act creature feature as one of the mutated spawns grows into a serious threat. The beast is all practical and brought to life via puppetry and animatronics, and while the budget is unavoidably felt in these sequences, the effects, editing, and performances all work to convince viewers of the danger and build to an expected but still satisfying stinger of an ending.

Horror fans who love rural settings and characters covered in cow shit can keep that train rolling with 2004’s Dead Meat. A young woman traveling through Ireland with her boyfriend sees him turned by a ravenous zombie bite and is soon on the run for her life. She joins forces with a couple of other survivors, but the bloody nightmare – kicked off by a nasty case of mad cow disease – seems to stretch as far as their legs and wheels are able to take them.

Director Conor McMahon – who would go on to make the monster movie From the Dark, the vampire comedy Let the Wrong One In, and the aforementioned Stitches – makes his feature debut here with a rough-around-the-edges tale of zombie mayhem in rural Ireland. It has the ultra low budget visual aesthetic of something like Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste, but it’s played deadly serious. It maintains a similar energy with its camera work, though, resulting in some fun, creative beats amid the horror and drama.

Accept its limitations, visible mostly in some of the acting, and you’re in for a solid zombie thriller highlighted by gory kills and suspenseful set pieces. McMahon finds genuine visual thrills here that keep it from feeling one-note or dull, including a headlight reveal of little kids eating folks by a car and the zombie siege of some castle ruins. It’s entirely possible that Dead Meat will give you a hankering for more Irish zombie thrills, in which case you can choose from a couple of options.

Reflections on Humanity Inspires Bleak Irish Horror with Citadel

Citadel

2017’s The Cured is a classy, well-made zombie film with themes and things to say about the human condition. 2008’s Battle of the Bone is, well, a no-budget romp about a small town’s conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants and three friends using their fighting chops and parkour skills to survive a zombie invasion. It’s worth noting that none of the fighting, parkour, or zombie antics are even remotely good, so, you know, choose wisely.

All of the films highlighted above deliver varying degrees of fun for genre fans, from laugh out loud comedy to gory, horror-fueled thrills. But maybe you’re looking for a horror film that’s also depressing as hell and likely to leave you bedridden from its bleakness? You’ll get no judgment from me, and instead I’ll simply recommend 2012’s Citadel.

Tommy and his pregnant wife are trying to leave the dilapidated and condemned tower block they once called home when they’re attacked by a group of faceless teens in hoodies. The baby is saved, but the mother isn’t, and Tommy is left struggling to care for his infant daughter despite developing a crippling agoraphobia. The teens return, forcing Tommy to find the strength to face his fears or lose his child forever.

Citadel doesn’t feature anything resembling levity and is instead one of the sadder horror films you’re likely to see. The synopsis makes it sound like a straightforward drama or the setup to a direct-to-DVD action film, but there are more horrifying elements woven into its story and resolution. Getting there, though, is an emotionally draining condemnation of a system that leaves people struggling after falling through lackluster social safety nets. Both Tommy and the killer teens have been failed by society and a government put in place to protect and care for its citizens. Add to that the emotional pressure Tommy is suffocating beneath from his disorder, grief, and increasing fear, and it becomes a heartbreaking journey punctuated by incredibly tense sequences and grim genre plotting. Watch it, but make sure you have something far lighter lined up as the back half of a double feature.

All of this is to say that Ireland, and Irish filmmakers, are not a monolith when it comes to their horror output. There are the expected tales inspired by local legends, myths/religions, and folklore, and stories informed by beliefs in ghostly beings and wispy spirits – but there are also movies about zombies, viruses, mushrooms, vampires, tentacled beasts, dark magic, monsters, serial killers, inter-dimensional doorways, haunted folk songs, a creepy drumming bunny toy, and more.

And yes, there’s also that franchise about the randy leprechaun…

The post Monsters, Murderers, and Mad Cows: Celebrating Atypical Irish Horror Films appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil, this non-profit production, created by and for fans of the series, will be directed by Brandon Salisbury (who also directed the documentary George A. Romero’s Resident Evil). This film will serve as a prequel to the events of the Spencer Mansion incident.

Based on Capcom’s short novel “Biohazard: The Beginning” and the book “Original Sin: Prelude to Biohazard”. The story follows Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, who, after receiving a distress call, find themselves caught up in a conspiracy filled with disappearances, mysterious crimes, and terrifying creatures pointing toward the Arklay Mountains.

Original Sin aims to recapture the essence of horror films from the 70s and 80s, and prioritizing practical effects and traditional filming over digital resources. The project will be crowdfunded on Indiegogo, and like RESURRECTION and The Keeper’s Diary, will be available to watch for free on ROE’s YouTube channel.

No word yet on when the campaign will begin, but the team has dropped a teaser poster.

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Written by Joe Barton (The Ritual), the film is described as “blending gritty, grounded action with supernatural horror” in an “explosive fusion of haunted-house terror and home-invasion intensity.”

It sees police officer Sara Myall (Randolph) and security guard Henry Campos (Bichir) arrive at an abandoned show home on the Texas border to investigate a break in, only to discover a wounded mother and her 10-year-old son Gio taking shelter after crossing the Mexican border.

When the murderous cartel leader Marcus arrives and demands Gio is handed over to him, it is clear that Gio is no ordinary child. He harbors a dark, supernatural power that Marcus wants for himself. Trapped inside the house as more gang members arrive and threaten violence, Sara and Campos must choose between giving the boy up or fighting for their lives.

Two & Two Pictures’ Lucan Toh & Bryan Sonderman, Pokeepsie Films’ Carolina Bang, and Fifth Season produce. The Nun director Corin Hardy executive produces alongside Protagonist Pictures’ Dave Bishop, James Pugh, & George Hamilton.

“What drew me to this project was the opportunity to blend action and horror in a way that feels both cinematic and deeply human,” said Iglesia. “I couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with Demián Bichir and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, two actors of extraordinary presence and emotional intelligence. In this film, two demons coexist under one roof, and you never know which will strike first.”

“Alex is a filmmaker with a proven track record of making bold impactful movies, and with Hold the Devil he is taking it to the next level, delivering elevated genre storytelling with a broad commercial appeal,” added Bishop. “Starring Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Academy Award nominee Demián Bichir, Hold the Devil is a muscular, high-concept action-thriller.”

Protagonist Pictures will launch international sales at this month’s Cannes film market. CAA Media Finance is representing domestic rights.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “Only Murders in the Building”

The post Da’Vine Joy Randolph & Demián Bichir Will ‘Hold the Devil’ for Álex de la Iglesia appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

If for whatever reason you’ve never jumped into Blood, Blood: Refreshed Supply is Nightdive Studios’ remaster of the 2019 original Blood: Fresh Supply. This new remaster features additional technical enhancements for modern platforms, including up to 4K resolution at unlocked frame rates, local split-screen and online co-op for up to 8 players, a Vault with behind-the-scenes content from the development of Blood, and more. As well as including the original Blood campaign and the Plasma Pak and Cryptic Passage add-ons, Blood: Refreshed Supply features two new mission scenarios: Marrow and the recently-released Death Wish.

Death Wish — with four episodes, totalling 48 levels — begins years in the future after the events of Blood expansions Cryptic Passage, Post Mortem, and Marrow, where the specter of Tchernobog still looms after his defeat, having regained strength as protagonist Caleb fought other battles. When his growing power can no longer be veiled, Tchernobog’s forces face off against his foe as the moment of the Dreaming God’s ascension draws near. All maps have been upgraded from their previous mod versions, while the entirety of episode 4 and other levels are entirely new. All maps are co-op compatible and feature custom music from Noelle Amelie Aman (Speedy) and Sjellos (Silentsphere Studios).

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Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

The Fog Novelization from Echo On Publications

Originally published in 1980 and long sought after by fans, the novelization of John Carpenter’s The Fog has been reissued by Echo On Publications.

Written by Dennis Etchison (who also penned novelizations of Halloween II, Halloween III, and Videodrome), the book includes a new introduction to Etchison by Echo On editor-in-chief Christian Francis.

The novel is available in hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback, and e-book, with an audio book coming soon.

The Evil Dead Steelbook 4K UHD from Sony

The Evil Dead is celebrating its 45th anniversary with a Steelbook 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray release on July 7 via Sony.

Sam Raimi’s 1981 horror classic is presented in 4K at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision HDR and 5.1 and 2-channel surround sound options.

Special features:

• Audio Commentary by Writer-Director Sam Raimi, Produer Rob Tapert, and Actor Bruce Campbell
• Picture-in-Picture: Join Us! The Undying Legacy of The Evil Dead
• One by One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga of The Evil Dead
• Treasures from the Cutting Room Floor
• At the Drive-In
• Discovering Evil Dead
• Make-Up Test
• 4 TV Spots
• Theatrical Trailer

Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly star.

Aliens Toys from NECA

NECA is comemorating the 40th anniversary of Aliens with reissues of their 7″ scale action figures and accessories.

The Xenomorph queen ultra deluxe figure is over 15″ tall and over 30″ long with over 30 points of articulation, including a poseable tail. It costs $129.99.

The Xenomorph Warrior ultimate action figure stands over 9″ tall and features 30 points of articulation, hinged jaw with extending inner mouth, and poseable wire tail. It includes facehugger, chestburster, and egg. It costs $39.99.

The P-5000 Power Loader deluxe vehicle stands over 11″ tall (to fit most 6.5-7″ toys). It has more than 30 points of articulation, 20 wires and hoses, and working pistons. It costs $99.99.

The Alien egg carton includes three facehuggers with bendable tails, three open eggs, and three closed eggs. It costs $29.99.

Night Patrol Blu-ray from RLJE Films

Night Patrol will be released on Blu-ray on June 30 via RLJE Films and Shudder.

Jermaine Fowler, Justin Long, Phil “CM Punk” Brooks, and Dermot Mulroney star in the vampire cop thriller.

Special features:

• Filmmaker audio commentaries
• Behind-the-scenes featurette
• Deleted scenes
• Outtakes
• VFX reel

Ryan Prows (V/H/S/94) directs from a script he penned with his Lowlife co-writers Tim Cairo, Jake Gibson, and Shaye Ogbonna. RJ Cyler, Freddie Gibbs, YG, Nicki Micheaux, and Flying Lotus round out the cast.

Trace Thurman wrote in his review, “Night Patrol may not fully flesh out its themes by the time the credits roll, but a committed cast and a few standout performances, not to mention the technical prowess on display from Prows, allow the film to rise above its flaws.”

Driller Killer Vinyl from Recently Deceased

The Driller Killer soundtrack will be released on vinyl for the first time on May 8 from Recently Deceased. It costs $34.99.

Joe Delia’s (Bad Lieutenant, Body Snatchers) composer’s cut has been newly remastered from the long-thought-lost original master tapes.

Limited to 1,000, the album is housed in a jacket featuring art by Douglas Metro alongside a printed inner sleeve with lyrics and liner notes by Delia and director Abel Ferrara.

Godzilla Minus One Figure from Super7

Super 7 will release a Godzilla Minus One figure based on the monster’s appearance in the opening sequence on Odo Island.

The 7″ scale toy measures 11.35″ long and has 28 points of articulation. Two interchangeable heads and four interchangeable hands are included.

Expected to ship in January 2027, it’s available for $80 exclusively on Amazon.

I Sell the Dead Blu-ray from IFC Films

I Sell the Dead will be released on Blu-ray on May 26 via IFC Films.

The 2008 horror-comedy marked the feature debut of writer-director Glenn McQuaid (V/H/S).

Special features:

• Audio commentary with writer-director Glenn McQuaid and producer-actor Larry Fessenden (new)
• Audio commentary with film critic Simon Abrams (new)
• Audio commentary with actors Dominic Monaghan and Larry Fessenden
• Audio commentary with writer-director Glenn McQuaid
• Video introduction by Glenn McQuaid and Larry Fessenden (new)
• Interview with actor Ron Perlman (new)
• The Making of I Sell the Dead
• The Visual Effects of I Sell the Dead 
• Grimes and Blake Pitch Reel
• Tales from Beyond The Pale: “Trawler”Episode
• Theatrical trailer
• Booklet with new writing by film critic Isaac Feldberg

Dominic Monaghan, Larry Fessenden (who also produces), Angus Scrimm, and Ron Perlman star.

The Wraith Vinyl from Terror Vision

The Wraith soundtrack is available on vinyl for the first time for $26.99 via Terror Vision Records.

Composed by Michael Hoenig (The Blob, The Gate) and J. Peter Robinson (New Nightmare, Wayne’s World), the score has been newly mastered for vinyl from the original master tapes.

Four color variants are available: “Interceptor Blur” (limited to 53), “Hyper Speed Timeshift” (limited to 96), “Desert Fog Transcendence” (limited to 80), and “Black as Night” (limited to 55).

The album is housed in a gatefold jacket with a printed sleeve.

Fire and Ice Steelbook 4K UHD from Blue Underground

Fire and Ice will be released on Steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray + CD on June 30 via Blue Underground. It’s available exclusively from MVD for $59.95.

The 1983 animated dark fantasy film has been newly respted in 4K from the original negative with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.

Special features:

• Audio Commentary with Director Ralph Bakshi
• The Art Of Fire And Ice: The Frank Frazetta Legacy with Sara Frazetta (new)
• Frank Frazetta’s Fire And Ice with Robert Rodriguez (new)
• The Making Of Fire And Ice
• Bakshi On Frazetta
• Sean Hannon’s Diary Notes
• Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Poster & Still Galleries (new)
• Soundtrack CD composed by William Kraft

Ralph Bakshi (The Lord of the Rings 1978) directs from a script by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. Influential fantasy artist Frank Frazetta produces.

Halloween Toys from Fright-Rags

Fright-Rags has expanded its Halloween retro-style action figure line with Ghost Bob and Young Michael Myers.

Priced at $20, each 3.75″ scale toy has five points of articulation and is packaged on a vintage-inspired backer card featuring art by Justin Osbourn.

Ghost Bob comes with a corded rotary phone, while Young Michael includes a knife and clown mask.

Hatchet 4K UHD Collection from Umbrella Entertainment

The Hatchet franchise will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray in a limited edition box set on August 26 via Australia’s Umbrella Entertainment.

It collects all four uncut films in Adam Green‘s horror-comedy series — 2006’s Hatchet, 2010’s Hatchet II, 2013’s Hatchet III, and 2017’s Victor Crowley — in 4K with Dolby Vision for the first time.

Priced at $195, the limited edition set also includes Hatchet on VHS, a graphic novel, a book, and more.

Hatchet special features:

• Audio Commentary with writer/director Adam Green, cinematographer Will Barratt, and actors Tamara Feldman, Joel David Moore and Deon Richmond
• Audio Commentary with writer/director/co-producer Adam Green and actor Kane Hodder
• Honey Island Horror Part 1: Hatchet documentary with writer/director Adam Green, cinematographer Will Barratt, special makeup effects supervisor Robert Pendegraft, actors Parry Shen and Joel David Moore, and producer Sarah Elbert (new)
• Coffee And Donuts: Adam Green And Will Barratt On Their First Film (new)
• MPAA Doomsday: Adam Green on Screening Hatchet for the Ratings Board (new)
• Upward Spiral: David Joel Moore on Working with Adam Green (new)
• The Making of Hatchet documentary
• Meeting Victor Crowley featurette
• Guts and Gore featurette
• Anatomy of a Kill featurette
• A Twisted Tale featurette
• Gag Reel
• Theatrical Trailer

Hatchet II special features:

• Audio Commentary with director/writer Adam Green, cinematographer Will Barratt, and special makeup effects supervisor Robert Pendergraft
• Audio Commentary with director/writer Adam Green and actors Kane Hodder and Tony Todd
• Honey Island Horror Part 2: Hatchet II documentary with writer/director Adam Green, cinematographer Will Barratt, special makeup effects supervisor Robert Pendegraft, actors Danielle Harris, Parry Shen, Cody Snider, and Laura Ortiz, and producer Sarah Elbert (new)
• Creature From the Buechler Lagoon: Makeup Effects Artist Robert Pendergraft on John Carl Buechler (new)
• Hatchet 2: First Look featurette
• The Killing Machine: Meet the FX Team 2010 featurette
• TV Spot
• Trailer

Hatchet III special features:

• Audio Commentary with writer/producer Adam Green, director BJ McDonnell, cinematographer Will Barratt and make-up effects artist Robert Pendergraft
• Audio Commentary with writer/producer Adam Green, director BJ McDonnell, and actor Kane Hodder
• Honey Island Horror Part 3: Hatchet III documentary with writer/producer Adam Green, actors Danielle Harris, Parry Shen, Derek Mears, and Cody Snider, and producer Sarah Elbert (new)
• Club Madman: Derek Mears On Portraying a Horror Icon (new)
• Behind the Scenes of Hatchet III featurette
• Raising Kane featurette
• Swamp Fun featurette
• Teaser Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer
• Hatchet Production Journals with introduction by writer/director Adam Green

Victor Crowley special features:

• Audio Commentary with writer/director Adam Green and actors Parry Shen, Laura Ortiz, and Dave Sheridan
• Audio Commentary with writer/director Adam Green, cinematographer Jan-Michael Losada, editor Matt Latham, and make-up FX artist Robert Pendegraft
• Honey Island Horror Part 4: Victor Crowley documentary with writer/producer Adam Green, actors Felissa Rose, Dave Sheridan, Laura Ortiz, Tiffany Shepis, and Danielle Harris, and producer Sarah Elbert (new)
• Hatchet Army Deployment – Adam Green, Danielle Harris, Derek Mears, Felissa Rose, And Kane Hodder on Horror Conventions
• Fly on the Set documentary
• Raising the Dead… Again featurette
• Swamp Tales documentary
• Trailer

Also included:

• Hatchet on VHS (NTSC or PAL)
• 100+ page book featuring behind the scenes material, production journals, and essays by Christian Bogh
• 120+ page Hatchet graphic novel (volumes 0-3)
• Custom art rigid case with artwork by Shannon Trottman
• 8 art cards
• A3 reversible poster

For more merch madness, peruse the Killer Collectibles archives.

The post 11 New Must-Have Horror Collectibles, Including ‘The Fog’ Novelization & ‘Aliens’ Toys appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Deadline reports that the film will open on July 24 via Neon in what will be “a moderate release in 800 to 1,200 theaters.”

No other major releases are set for that weekend, but it lands between two major studio tentpoles: The Odyssey on July 17 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31.

According to Deadline, Her Private Hell “has myriad storylines, but fires up in a metropolis future where actresses are gathering at a posh hotel where they’re set to make a Barberella-like movie. A heinous killer known as Leather Man is going around the city taking the lives of women.”

The cast includes Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”), Charles Melton (“Riverdale”), Kristine Froseth (How to Blow Up a Pipeline),  Havana Rose Liu (No Exit), Dougray Scott (Hitman), Diego Calva (Babylon), Aoi Yamada (Perfect Days), Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool & Wolverine), and Hidetoshi Nishijima (Shin Ultraman).

Refn directs from a script he co-wrote with Esti Giordani (“Vida”). Pino Donaggio (Carrie, Don’t Look Now) composed the score.

Refn produces under his byNWR Originals banner. Executive producers include Takuma Takasaki, Kimberly Willming, Christina Erritzøe, and Lene Børglum.

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Not to kink shame, or anything. If that’s your thing, [salutes].

Anne Goursaud‘s career as an editor is dazzling, including work on projects like Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Outsiders. It’d only be a few years after Coppola’s fanged masterpiece was released, in 1995, that she’d make her feature directorial debut with Embrace of the Vampire. It’s a quintessential 90s piece of horror-erotica: lustful, over-the-top, insatiable horny, and packed with nudity.

It’s everything Carl Bessai‘s 2013 remake is not: a looser adaptation of Goursaud’s vampiric romance, opting for a less engaging, flaccidly generic take on taboo desires.

The Approach

Bessai sticks to his indie Canadian roots and goes for a low-budget, direct-to-video take on what’s, at best, a cult classic. It says plenty that Bessai’s Embrace of the Vampire boasts ten times as many Rotten Tomatoes reviews as Goursand’s, but hilariously, they both have the same number of fresh blurbs: one. Academic powerhouse Alexandra Heller-Nicholas praises the original as “good, trashy, ’90s fun,” which is the opposite of Bessai’s bad, just trash, 2010s home video fodder. It’s like Bessai strips any sense of attraction and intoxication, playing into subgenre mundanity without any effort put into sex appeal expectations.

Sharon Hinnendael stars as Charlotte Hawthorn, a chaste Catholic schoolgirl who earns a university fencing scholarship. She suffers from Thalassemia, for which she’s prescribed multiple medications. She’s mousy, swallows her anxiety, and is plagued by traumatic visions of a bloody scene from centuries prior. Despite all that, Charlotte is determined to be your average college co-ed—but that’s not in the cards. Enter her free-spirited roommate Nicole (Tiio Horn), dashing yet aggressive fencing coach Professor Cole (Victor Webster), a mystic named Daciana (Keegan Connor Tracy), and her coffee-shop manager crush, Chris (Ryan Kennedy).

In spirit, you can see the ties that bind Goursaud’s and Bessai’s productions. A beautiful virgin protagonist who’s drawn to a dark force, the boyfriend who stands in the way of a master and their love slave, and the collegiate background. What’s different is the cold open, both taking place long, long ago, but in the remake—penned by Andrew C. Erin, Alan Mruvka, Sheldon Roper—there’s no folkloric fantasy orgy, or blissful woodland aura. Boringly, Embrace of the Vampire (2013) starts with an undisclosed ritual, setting up a mystery that’s a total bust.

Does It Work?

Last month, I wrote about how the Prom Night remake sabotages itself by revealing the killer too early. Funnily enough, Bessai’s Embrace of the Vampire disappoints by doing the opposite. In the original—written by Halle Eaton, Nicole Coady, and Rick Bitzelberger—we’re not toyed with by red herrings or misdirections. Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp plays a new-wave vampire who woefully haunts Alyssa Milano’s Charlotte due to starvation levels of desire. Goursaud can focus on sensually illustrated indulgences of the flesh, and the push-pull chemistry between Charlotte and Kemp’s supernatural entity. It’s cheesy like a bargain-bin airport bookstore purchase your single Aunt might devour with a bottle of wine, but that’s also the film’s weirdo charm.

Bessai chooses a traditional hunt-and-stalk scenario for his Charlotte, who may or may not be part of a bloodline of vampire hunters conceived during the opening scene. The filmmaker wants you to guess the vamp’s identity for a while, no matter how obvious. Titillation takes a back seat, despite being the thrust of Goursaud’s themes. It’s a damning commentary on what passes for an erotic thriller in the 90s versus nearly two decades later, where sex is secondary to a convoluted and choppy interpretation of vampiric stalking. The screenplay isn’t calibrated to handle subplots about sexual abuse, cursed fates, and crimes of the heart in the way Bessai wants to, as Charlotte stumbles through a mess of conflicts that barely align.

Worse still, when there is a sex scene, there’s a blandness to the softcore nature of what you could find on pornographic websites. There’s nothing stylized, and theatrics are dull; 3 AM Cinemax programming looks Oscar-worthy by comparison. Goursaud’s direction is full of longing, as characters push each other to the intimate brink of eruption while also acknowledging the adrenaline rush of forbidden danger. Bessai’s direction of Charlotte’s lesbian encounters and her voyeuristic peeping on humping couples checks the box of showing intercourse on screen, but there’s nothing that’ll make you blush. The way poor Jordan Ladd has her breasts fondled on a close-up is so awkward, like a cat “kneeding dough” in those viral TikTok videos.

An erotic chiller … sans eroticism.

The Result

It’s like Bessai found a location and decided, “Well, what’s a horror film I can remake that uses a college-town setting?” Lest he waste the scenic mountainside views of British Columbia’s Quest University! But why remix Embrace of the Vampire if you’re not going to lean into the hormonal outrage of the film’s hot-and-heavy signatures? Goursaud’s picture is messy, but it’s also carnal, writhes with temptation, and loudly yearns. Bessai’s equal is nowhere as provocative or confident, hiding behind a trudgy, basic-as-hell retelling of overused bloodsucker tropes. It’s the difference between sex for pleasure and sex for purpose—you want your audience blushing, not yawning.

However, let’s not pretend other issues aren’t present. There’s a sterile, fluorescent-bulb shine to scenes like hospital lighting that’s overly bright—no manipulation of shadows or mood driven by atmosphere. Nor do performances inspire anything more than direct-to-video stereotypes; the type of performances that people think of when they hear a title isn’t opening theatrically. Do we know how much the Zephyr Cafe paid to be so heavily marketed, with their signage displayed like a landmark, for some reason? There’s more emphasis put on local businesses than on the cleanliness of storylines. Techniques lack polish, scripting writes itself in circles, and it’s hard to say anyone shines under such underwhelming circumstances.

In a very 2010s way, Embrace of the Vampire unnecessarily adds more gore to the recipe. That’s the tradeoff. Charlotte’s body is changing in her mind, as her skin burns when touched by a specific necklace, or she imagines her teeth falling out. Bessai loves a blood cannon money shot (or vomit shot), so that’s the vampire flick you’re getting. Bloodlust must be craved, so why not stab a random groundskeeper to death for absolutely no plot-related reason? One might say Bessai approaches his remake with crueler intentions … which have nothing to do with the original he chose to honor.

The Lesson

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is safe from the remake machine. Embrace of the Vampire falls into the April Fool’s Day or Wizard of Gore camp of low-budget remakes that hope to steal a few bucks off diehard horror audiences. It’s a pale imitation of its superior source title, barely recognizable in multiple instances. Your nostalgia goggles need to be set on “High” to see the connections. Not like there’s a ravenous fanbase for Goursaud’s original, but still, there’s a clear choice if there’s ever a question about which version to pick over the other.

So what did we learn?

• If you’re not willing to touch the ludicrous sexual highs of 90s erotic thrillers, you shouldn’t be allowed to remake them.
• This one’s a repeat, but why remake a movie when you have no intention of highlighting its signature elements?
• Sex sells, but it’s more than just getting butts in seats or putting butts on screens. There’s an art to cinematic eroticism, and it’s more than nudity for nudity’s sake.
• It’s not that hard to fit a pair of vampire teeth into an actor’s mouth, so if it’s looking like your bloodsucker is trying to hold her teeth in at all times, there’s a problem.

I love writing this lil’ horror remake series for Bloody Disgusting. Honestly, every month, I get excited when I remember I’ve got another analysis to pump out. But because of my chosen assignment, the required viewing is sometimes a chore. I’ve been keeping a running ranking of every remake I’ve covered so far over on my Letterboxd, if you’re curious about where everything ranks. Rest assured, Embrace of the Vampire will be toward the very bottom, if not vying for the worst-of-the-worst crown.

The post ‘Embrace of the Vampire’ – Remake of ’90s Erotic Thriller Loses Its Libido to Generic Bloodthirst appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This closer may not be included in every fan’s top ten, but most assuredly, “Collection Completed” is a must-see episode.

Before getting into “Collection Completed”, let’s go over what all came before it. The series opener, “The Man Who was Death” (directed by Walter Hill, co-written by Hill & Robert Reneau), is a model example of poetic justice à la Crypt. It’s the one where William Sadler played the executioner-turned-vigilante who eventually ended up in the same electric chair he once oversaw. Brutal.

Following that was the aforesaid G.O.A.T. episode, “And All Through the House”; Robert Zemeckis and Fred Dekker’s collaboration continues to be a go-to whenever the hankering for holiday horror develops. Also: “Dig That Cat… He’s Real Gone” (Richard Donner, Terry Black) is worth watching for the ending; the Lea Thompson-starring “Only Sin Deep” (Howard Deutch, Fred Dekker) is like a prototype for The Substance; and “Lover Come Hack to Me” (Tom Holland, Michael McDowell) tends to be ranked lower than others, yet it is gruesome, heady, and elevated by Amanda Plummer‘s presence.

After everything shown so far in Season One, which included a killer Santa Claus, a gold-digger’s Faustian deal, and a daredevil imbued with a cat’s remaining lives (not nine, though!), “Collection Completed” would seem a bit lightweight in comparison. An elderly couple butts heads over the wife’s many animal companions? Well, not exactly. My logline undersells a pretty twisted episode that, for obvious reasons, has stayed with me and plenty of others over the years. While you are never at all surprised by where this story goes, that ending is deeply satisfying. The sort of parting imagery seen here is why we always keep coming back to the Crypt.

Mike Vosburg’s uncolored artwork for Tales from the Crypt, “Collection Completed”.

Based on a story found in EC Comics’ The Vault of Horror, and one told by the Old Witch character, “Collection Completed” roughly followed its source material. This isn’t one Crypt adaptation that took a lot of creative license, as often happened in the show. Even then, there are notable differences between the two takes. For starters, that original Jonas—who was called Jonah in the comic—isn’t forced to retire from his job of forty-something years. If he was, it had no bearing on the plot. Meanwhile, M. Emmet Walsh’s version of the character is extra crusty; the episode provides more motivation for this retiree’s chronic irritability. You’re never on board with Jonas stuffing his wife’s furry and feathered friends, of course, but you can see why he takes issue with them.

Another apparent change between the comic and the adaptation is the general tone. EC was known to instill its tales with an almost-trademark sense of dark humor, maybe in an effort to soften the dreadfulness. In many cases, it actually had the opposite effect. Yet, the original “Collection Completed” is not haha funny. Right from the beginning, Jonah Tillman is plain nasty to Anita, as well as her various pets (which are way fewer than in the TV show). We also only ever see Anita living in a constant state of fear, seeing as how Jonah made his sick intentions known early on. He spends much of the comic terrorizing Anita, who awaits whatever harm he has in store for her critters.

In contrast, Audra Lindley’s portrayal of Anita experiences a range of emotions, as opposed to gobs of unease, then pure anger. The character is not simply someone waiting to reach her breaking point. For a short while, you get to see this woman experience joy, all before Jonas takes it away. Lindley’s Anita also has that chance to grow into her retaliatory, final form. By that I mean, she herself goes through a slow and delicate process somewhat like that of Jonas’ “pet projects“.

“Collection Completed” from The EC Archives: The Vault of Horror, volume 3.

In time, Anita is stripped down to her rawest parts, then put back together again. Similar to Jonas’ dubious first attempts at taxidermy, Anita doesn’t quite resemble her old self after everything is finished. Thankfully, it’s more of a glitch than a permanent transmutation; Jonas’ better half resumes her previous nature once the disruption in her life has been dealt with, not to mention given a taste of his own medicine.

Pet Sematary was released into theaters just two months before Tales from the Crypt premiered on television. So Mary Lambert’s inclinations as a horror director weren’t too formed yet. Based on her breakthrough film, though, Lambert was capable of blackly comical horror. That ability of hers, which was fine-tuned in the underrated Pet Sematary Two, translated perfectly to Crypt. However, Lambert didn’t act alone when taking the unserious approach to EC’s “Collection Completed”; her accomplices were screenwriters Battle Davis, Randolph Davis, and A. Whitney Brown. Battle was primarily an editor (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark), Randolph debuted here before hanging up his pen a few years later, and Brown had been writing for Saturday Night Live since 1985. Those three, along with Lambert, ended up being so efficient at preying on human nature and making the outcome scarily funny.

Audra Lindley in Tales from the Crypt, “Collection Completed”.

“Collection Completed” would seem more at home in an anthology series like Tales from the Darkside. This assessment comes from the fact that the story is limited to one setting, and apart from Martin Garner as friend and neighbor Roy, the episode is essentially a two-hander. Mind you, it’s not as thrifty-looking as a typical Darkside entry, but like many of the actors in that show, M. Emmet Walsh and Audra Lindley give big performances in such small surroundings. Walsh was in top form as a villain with no self-awareness, and Lindley deftly captured and communicated the unmistakable sadness of her maternal-yet-childless character. The word “impressive” just doesn’t begin to describe the leads in this episode.

These days, we use the term “Tales from the Crypt energy” to describe a particular kind of story—the ones loaded with macabre excess, dark humor, and, time and again, huge comeuppances. Naturally, “TFTCE” would hail from the show that originated it, and maybe no season had the highest concentration than the very first one. After all, there were only six episodes in that introductory collection. But nevertheless, that initial run sets up the series so well. Morbid, funny, and stylish—it’s really no shocker that Tales from the Crypt went on to become one of the most beloved anthologies around.

Season One of Tales from the Crypt can be streamed on Shudder, starting on May 1.

Tales from Tales from the Crypt celebrates the show’s Shudder premiere by singling out one episode from each season. So don’t even think about changing that dial, boys and ghouls. More spot-“frights” are to come.

M. Emmet Walsh in Tales from the Crypt, “Collection Completed”.

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Lucas Dutra, Sara Sedran (“The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox”), Danija Areande, and Shaun O’Callaghan star as unsuspecting teenagers who discover a book of supernatural games that allows them to contact the other side. They realize too late that the games are occult rituals designed by a dark entity to claim their souls.

Horror veteran Javier Botet (IT, The Conjuring 2) is also among the cast.

Angel Gómez Hernández (Don’t Listen) directs from a script by Evan Spiliotopoulos (The Pope’s Exorcist, Beauty and the Beast 2017), based on Lucia Peters’ 2019 novel Dangerous Games to Play in the Dark.

The film is produced by Badlands, a partnership between producer Scott Strauss (Resident Evil, Underworld) and Basil Iwanyk & Erica Lee’s Thunder Road (John Wick, Sicario).

Altitude will present the first footage from the movie at this month’s Cannes film market while continuing international sales.

Deals have already been closed in Australia & New Zealand (Umbrella), Benelux (18k), Eastern Europe (Prorom), France (SND), Germany (Wildbunch), Greece (Spentzos), India & Malaysia (MVP), Indonesia (PT Prima), Latin America (BF Distribution), Middle East (Phars), Poland (Kinoswiat), Philippines (Pioneer), Portugal (Lusomundo), Spain (Youplanet), Taiwan (Vie Vision), and Vietnam (Mockingbird).

Ahead of Dangerous Games to Play, Hernández’s Crawlers will hit theaters on October 2.

The post ‘Dangerous Games to Play’ Summons a Dark Entity in First Image appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

“They sort of have an across-the-board style,” Anna Faris tells EW. “It’s always been a part of the Wayans Brothers, their electricity. ‘Can we offend you? Will you still love us? Come on, you still love us, don’t you?'”

Regina Hall concurs, promising the “boundary-pushing” sixth installment in the horror parody franchise will “offend everyone.”

EW has shared a batch of behind-the-scenes images from Scary Movie, which hits theaters June 5 via Paramount.

Faris and Hall are joined by fellow franchise favorites Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Dave Sheridan, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, Chris Elliott, and Jon Abrahams in the legacy sequel.

The ensemble includes Damon Wayans Jr., Gregg Wayans, Kim Wayans, Benny Zielke, Cameron Scott Roberts, Heidi Gardner, Olivia Rose Keegan, Ruby Snowber, Savannah Lee Nassif, Sydney Park, Kenan Thompson, and Felissa Rose.

Michael Tiddes (A Haunted House) directs from a script by Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, original Scary Movie director Keenen Ivory Wayans, Craig Wayans (Scary Movie 2), and Rick Alvarez (A Haunted House).

The film will slash through reboots, remakes, requels, prequels, sequels, spin-offs, elevated horror, origin stories, anything with the word legacy in it, and every “final chapter” that absolutely isn’t final.

Scary Movie launched in 2000, followed by Scary Movie 2 in 2001. The Wayans’ involvement ended there, but the series continued with 2003’s Scary Movie 3, 2006’s Scary Movie 4, and 2013’s Scary Movie 5.

Regina Hall & Marlon Wayans on the set of ‘Scary Movie.’ Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Anna Faris on the set of ‘Scary Movie.’ Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Marlon Wayans & Regina Hall on the set of ‘Scary Movie.’ Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Michael Tiddes & Anna Faris on the set of ‘Scary Movie.’ Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Marlon Wayans on the set of ‘Scary Movie.’ Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Regina Hall & Anna Faris on the set of ‘Scary Movie.’ Credit: Paramount Pictures.

The post Anna Faris & Regina Hall Promise ‘Scary Movie’ Will “Offend Everyone;” New Images Revealed appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

And speaking of the T-Virus, Zach Cregger also reveals in his conversation with IGN this week that he’s far more interested in mutated monsters than traditional Resident Evil zombies.

Cregger explains, “This movie doesn’t utilize zombies that much. It’s much more focused on the weird creature stuff than the zombies. There’s really only two scenes, maybe three, where there’s proper zombie stuff going on. And two of those three are in the trailer.”

“But other than that… I wouldn’t call this like a zombie movie,” Cregger previews. “I just feel like, you have this opportunity for the T-Virus to do all these really fascinating things to the human body, and to the world around you, and so to just limit it to zombies feels like a squandered opportunity. So I tried to really vary it up.”

Cregger also details two of the monstrosities featured in the teaser trailer: the bloated sewer monster seen in the still image above, and the multi-limbed beast in the doorway.

First up, the “gigantic naked hairless man”…

Cregger teases, “I really love the idea of, you’re moving through a sewer, no idea what’s in front of you, and you come around a corner and see a gigantic, obese, naked, hairless man just sitting facing you. What is about to go down? What does go down, I am pretty happy with. Part of the inspiration for the look of this guy comes from Blood Meridian. So this is just my little nod to one of my favorite books. I don’t have a Nemesis in this movie. A gigantic, hulking terminator that’s following you. But this is also a little bit of a nod to the Nemesis.”

As for the multi-limbed doorway creature…

Cregger previews, “I don’t want to give too much away of whatever it is that’s coming out of the door. But I will say that there’s a mechanic I’ve put into this movie, it might be in some of the games, but it’s a way the infected interact with each other. It’s something that pursues him throughout the movie. I’m really excited for how this creature changes and evolves.”

Based on the iconic video game franchise, Resident Evil opens in theaters and IMAX on September 18 via Sony. The film is being billed as “a thrilling — and terrifying — reinvention of the Resident Evil franchise” from the mind of visionary filmmaker Zach Cregger.

Watch the teaser trailer for Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil below.

The post Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Goes Heavy on T-Virus Mutants, Light on Traditional Zombies appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Louie La Vella and Monica La Vella, the husband-and-wife duo behind the streamer, produced the project for $10,000, with Louie directing from a script by Monica.

The found footage horror film follows a man as he documents his wife’s cancer — until a terminal diagnosis leads him to an ancient ceremony to make a deal with the Devil. His footage spirals into a chilling record of kidnapping, demonic rituals, and the price of desperation.

Matt Gallagher stars as Jake, a desperate husband pushed beyond moral limits, with Sabrina Knappett as Juliet, the ailing wife at the center of his unraveling.

The cast also includes Hannah Brennen as Rebecca, Juliet’s nurse who becomes a victim of Jake’s escalating actions, and JoAnn Bundock as the psychic who introduces Jake to a dangerous ritual.

“This film was about proving what’s possible within the genre,” said Louie La Vella. “We wanted to make something that felt true to indie found footage at its core. Something made with limited resources, but a clear vision. We believe that with the right skills, anyone can be a filmmaker.”

A Possession in Lincoln County will premiere on Found TV later this year, signaling the platform’s expansion from streaming service to original content studio. Stay tuned for more.

The post ‘A Possession in Lincoln County’ Teaser – The Devil Is Always Listening in Found Footage Horror [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Described as not just another horror roguelike, but an “ultimate test of [players’] nerves”,  Shark Dentist is inspired by games like Buckshot Roulette, and films like Jaws (naturally) and Saw. Your task is to treat the teeth of these sedated giant predators in a dark clinic while avoiding their deadly aggression. You’ll need to balance tactics, luck, and limited resources to heal your patients, lest they decide to take their annoyance out on you.

The team states that they’ve pushed the core gameplay to the limit, with procedurally-generated cavities, infections and debuffs aim to ensure that no two runs are the same. All the while, players must manage oxygen levels, pulse monitors, anaesthesia doses, and more.

Shark Dentist is expected to arrive later this year on PC via Steam.

The post New ‘Shark Dentist’ Trailer Offers a Peek at Gameplay, New Devlog Released [Watch] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In the sequel, as a poultry pandemic sweeps the nation, a wealthy computer tycoon relaunches a failed fast food chain to introduce his lab-created synthetic chicken to the world. It’s up to a misfit crew of fast food workers to fend off hungry Karens, horny rodents, and a mutant chicken zombie outbreak by the end of their shift.

Mercedes the Muse writes, directs, and produces. Troma founders Lloyd Kaufman (who directed the original Poultrygeist) and Michael Herz serve as executive producers.

“The goal with this movie is to move the needle in a time when everyone is afraid to go beyond,” said Mercedes. “I want to show you things you can’t unsee.”

The cast includes Sadie Satanas, Knotty Peach, Vada Callisto, and Christina Von Eerie alongside Troma royalty Mark Torgl (The Toxic Avenger), Debbie Rochon (Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV), and Kaufman.

“Lloyd Kaufman had always said what a talent director-writer Mercedes the Muse is, but I had no idea how good until I filmed my scenes in Poultrygeist 2,” Rochon tells us. “She wrangled the chicken-zombies like a seasoned farmhand, crafted fun and eye-popping shots with the DP, and played a hell of a great role as Little Buffalo!”

Rochon continues, “This movie also gave me a chance to check another item off my bucket list: my character, Karen, smooches Mop Boy, played by Mark Torgl, the OG Melvin from The Toxic Avenger. Who says dreams don’t come true?”

The film features features practical creatures created by Eric Fox (Tales of Halloween, Kuso) of Fox FX Labs and Sean McGrath of McGrath Custom Fabrication.

Poultrygeist 2: Dawn of the Chicken Dead will premiere as part of Troma-Thon 2026 at the Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton, PA, on July 17-18, with additional screenings to be announced.

The post ‘Poultrygeist 2: Dawn of the Chicken Dead’ Teaser – Bodily Fluids Fly in Troma Sequel [Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Throughout the 10-episode second season, the protagonists have raced against the clock, both in the past and present, to thwart catastrophe caused by the mysterious new threat: Titan X. 

For all the thrilling Kaiju clashes and Apex revelations uncovered in the S2 finale, though, “Monarch” saves its biggest surprise for its closing coda, which sees Kurt Russell‘s Lee Shaw tracking a Titan in Thailand.

This short scene further exposes the division that formed between our protagonists this season, but more importantly, it culminates with the reveal of Shaw’s target.

Major spoilers ahead!

The closing image of “Monarch” season two reveals that Rodan will make a grand return to the MonsterVerse next season. The giant pterosaur was first introduced to the MonsterVerse in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters as a significant threat, but bowed to the Kaiju king by film’s end. 

With Titan X ultimately revealed to be misunderstood, we’ll have to wait to see how Rodan factors into season three, whether as foe or friend.

Titan X is one of the many reasons to tune into this series. One that seems to keep getting better. I wrote in my review, “The new aquatic kaiju is the centerpiece of a thrilling, much more confident season that expands the MonsterVerse in exciting ways, all while deepening our emotional investment in both its human and inhuman characters alike.”

Season 2 is now streaming in its entirety on Apple TV+ and picks up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. Buried secrets are revealed, reuniting our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea.

The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend, and foe — all with the threat of a titan event on the horizon.

Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, and Anders Holm return to star in season two, joined by newcomer Amber Midthunder (Prey).

Chris Black, who created the series with Matt Fraction, serves as showrunner.

Rodan attacks in Godzilla: King of the Monsters

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Tales from the Crypt is often grouped together with other formative horror anthology series like Tales from the Darkside, Monsters, and Night Gallery. However, it can’t be stressed enough how much Tales from the Crypt changed the game, coming from a dream team of filmmakers and airing on HBO with unprecedented freedom to push limits and truly embrace the lurid nature of its source material.

Pulling from the twisted tales of EC Comics’ pulpy genre stories, Tales from the Crypt aired 93 episodes across seven seasons, accruing seven Emmy Award nominations, and featuring a who’s who of Hollywood A-Listers that includes Tom Hanks, Demi Moore, Kirk Douglas, Sandra Bullock, and Brad Pitt.

There are rarely any misses when it comes to Tales from the Crypt’s many macabre morality plays, but there’s a collection of extra special episodes that truly embody what makes it such a singular horror anthology spectacle.

“The New Arrival”

Season 4, Episode 7; Directed by Peter Medak; Written by Ron Finley

There are plenty of Tales From the Crypt episodes that effectively conjure creepy B-horror mayhem, but “The New Arrival” is an episode that’s actually frightening and crescendos to a chilling conclusion. It puts pop psychology and opportunistic ratings stunts in its crosshairs when a cocky and checked out radio psychologist decides to do a house call with Nora (Zelda Rubenstein), one of his regulars. What begins as a cynical stunt turns into a fight for survival. Director Peter Medak taps into the same eerie atmosphere that he did with The Changeling. A broader version of this story wouldn’t work, and “The New Arrival” genuinely keeps its audience guessing over whether Nora’s troubled daughter, Felicity, is a real child, a symptom of Nora’s potentially fractured mind, or some supernatural apparition. 

The deaths that complement each act are actually effective, and there’s a grungy quality to the house that brings The Collector or Saw films to mind. There’s a narrow hallway that’s lined with razor blades that’s never left my memory. Additionally, the porcelain mask aesthetic that accompanies Felicity is simple, yet deeply creepy. “The New Arrival” gives you everything you’d want in a Tales from the Crypt episode.

“The Ventriloquist’s Dummy”

Season 2, Episode 10; Written by Frank Darabont; Directed by Richard Donner

Any horror anthology series would be remiss to not do an episode about a killer ventriloquist dummy with a mind of its own. While it’s hard to top Richard Attenborough’s Magic, Tales from the Crypt gets pretty damn close by having Richard Donner direct a Frank Darabont script, hot off of Lethal Weapon 2. The series is no stranger to self-aware casting, and “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy” has fun with its use of Bobcat Goldthwait as an up-and-coming ventriloquist who turns to his retired idol for advice, who is played by Don Rickles. 

Tales from the Crypt loves to tell a story about the dark side of show business, and the cartoonishly heightened background of ventriloquism makes for an effective topic to filter it all through. Goldthwait is a good actor when he’s in the right director’s hands, and he really rises to the occasion in “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy.” It’s hard to tell a ventriloquist dummy horror story that’s genuinely surprising and does something original, and yet Tales from the Crypt manages to subvert expectations with a gruesome turn of events.

“Split Second”

Season 3, Episode 11; Written by Richard Christian Matheson; Directed by Russell Mulcahy

Tales from the Crypt is no stranger to lethal love triangles. Jilted lovers and relationship revenge stories are at the center of some of the most memorable episodes. Helmed by “Ozploitation” master Russell Mulcahy, “Split Second” nails the steamy salaciousness that’s par for the course in any of Tales from the Crypt’s fatal affairs. A lumber camp that’s full of pent-up sexual aggression acts as a pressure cooker when the camp’s manager (Brion James) becomes overly paranoid about his new wife’s potential infidelity. 

This conniving femme fatale pits both of the men in her life against each other in a playful episode that boils down to pure id and an unforgettable finale. Mulcahy channels the raw, raging aggression that’s prevalent in so many Australian horror films, all of which gives “Split Second” an extra punch that pushes it above Tales from the Crypt’s comparable infidelity fodder.

“Television Terror”

Season 2, Episode 16; Written by Randall Jahnson and G. J. Pruss; Directed by Charlie Picerni

A lot of fans point to “Television Terror” as the series’ scariest episode, and it’s not without good reason. “Television Terror” opts for a Ghostwatch-like atmosphere as a Geraldo Rivera-esque reporter (Morton Downey Jr.) broadcasts his findings in what’s an allegedly haunted house. Tales from the Crypt doesn’t waste the opportunity to tell an out-of-control haunted house story, which touches all the poltergeist basics as well as plenty of disturbing new ideas. “Television Terror” doesn’t fully go for a found footage aesthetic. However, there’s still a looser, handheld quality to the episode’s presentation that helps sell the scares and feed into the illusion.

Some of the episode’s kitschy casting falls a little flat today, like how Morton Downey Jr.’s tabloid journalist character is meant to be an exaggeration of his talk show persona from that time. Nevertheless, none of this pop culture knowledge is necessary in order for “Television Terror” to work. That’s the power of an effective ghost story. There are a lot of Tales from the Crypt episodes that dabble in this space, and it’s a shame that Charlie Picerni — a stuntman and stunt coordinator by trade — didn’t return to direct more episodes. “Television Terror” also feels like a real companion piece to “The New Arrival,” and the two episodes make for an especially intense double feature.

“Split Personality”

Season 4, Episode 11; Written by Fred Dekker; Directed by Joel Silver

There’s a sick level of schadenfreude to most Tales from the Crypt episodes in which the audience is sometimes actively rooting for the morally bankrupt protagonist to get their comeuppance. In the case of “Split Personality,” a remarkably stupid scheme is put into motion, the likes of which could only be directed by Joel Silver and star Joe Pesci. Pesci’s swindling con man hits the jackpot when he befriends two billionaire twin heiresses. 

The greed of Pesci’s conman, Vic Stetson, is pushed to ludicrous levels when he pretends to have a twin brother of his own so that he can marry both twins and inherit twice as much money. It’s the type of story that only works in Tales from the Crypt, but work it does. The episode’s ending, while played for laughs, is truly troubling and teases much deeper levels of psychosis. It may not be Tales from the Crypt’s scariest episode, but it’s such a perfect representation of the pulpy genre stories that were possible in it.

“You, Murderer”

Season 6, Episode 15; Written by A. L. Katz & Gilbert Adler; Directed by Robert Zemeckis

“You, Murderer,” Tales from the Crypt’s final episode before production would move to the United Kingdom for its seventh and final season, is one of the series’ most impressive and important episodes, even if it’s not especially scary. “You, Murderer,” was Robert Zemeckis’ directorial follow-up to Forrest Gump, and the episode makes use of the same Oscar-winning effects team from Industrial Light & Magic. “You, Murderer” is ostensibly one big love letter to Humphrey Bogart’s filmography and the film noir genre writ large, with the episode even going so far as to “resurrect” Bogart to posthumously guest star in the episode. 

An on-the-run criminal gets plastic surgery that leaves him looking exactly like Bogart, an effect that’s achieved by a mix of archive footage, sophisticated computer graphics, editing, and a skilled impersonator. Tales from the Crypt even goes so far as to list Humphrey Bogart in the episode’s credits. “You, Murderer” is a technical marvel that’s also a stylistic fulcrum in Zemeckis’ career as he becomes an increasingly tech-obsessed director. It’s also so interesting to see this sort of ghoulish guest star work be praised on Tales from the Crypt in the ’90s, while it’s almost universally panned today.

“Carrion Death”

Season 3, Episode 2; Written & Directed by Steven E. de Souza

“Carrion Death” is such a perfect elevator pitch premise for a Tales from the Crypt episode that it’s hard not to love. A murderer (Kyle MacLachlan) escapes from prison and flees to the Mexican border, only to find himself handcuffed to the corpse of the state trooper who was pursuing him. Oh, and a hungry vulture is hot on his tail the entire time. If that weren’t enough, the whole thing is written and directed by the person who is responsible for writing Die Hard, Die Hard 2, and 48 Hours. 

“Carrion Death” starts in a satisfying place, only to heighten itself with each act and basically turn into a macabre one-man show for MacLachlan. MacLachlan rarely disappoints, and he gets the opportunity to really let loose and ham it up in the best way possible. He’s chewing so much scenery that he’s got more in his mouth than the vulture. Like many of the best Tales from the Crypt episodes, “Carrion Death” isn’t afraid to go out on a cruel ending that has plenty of bite – figuratively and literally.

“Easel Kill Ya”

Season 3, Episode 8; Written by Larry Wilson; Directed by John Harrison

Tales From the Crypt, at the end of the day, is all about karma coming back to bite people who deserve it the most. “Easel Kill Ya” has one of the most effective karmic twists in the series, and it’s why this episode is a Tales from the Crypt all-time hall of famer. This is yet another exercise in efficient simplicity that follows such a clean structure that it makes it feel like some twisted urban legend that’s been passed around a campfire. It’s also another episode where the lead actor — which in this case is Tim Roth — really channels something special that elevates a basic role into something greater. 

In “Easel Kill Ya,” Roth’s Jack Craig is a struggling artist whose work won’t sell — that is, until an accidental murder turns into the ultimate source of inspiration. Craig is backed into a difficult corner in which accruing a higher body count will help him pay the bills and escape his low status, but he begins to crumble under the pressure and guilt. “Easel Kill Ya” saves its best material for the end, and it’s the sort of cruel karma that makes the Cryptkeeper cackle.

“People Who Live In Brass Hearses”

Season 5, Episode 5; Written by Scott Nimerfro; Directed by Russell Mulcahy

“People Who Live in Brass Hearses” almost feels like Russell Mulcahy doing a Coen Brothers imitation in this absurdist horror heist. Bill Paxton and Brad Dourif play ne’er-do-well brothers who plan to rob an ice cream man who did them wrong. They’re the exact type of buffoonish troublemakers that populate Coen Brothers movies, right down to Paxton’s character having a bizarre butter obsession that comes up more often than you’d think. 

Paxton and Dourif are both a delight here as they embrace their inner idiot. However, it’s Michael Learner’s ice cream man that will stick with audiences the most. Nearly every single Tales from the Crypt episode features some type of unbelievable plot twist, but “People Who Live in Brass Hearses” builds to one of the series’ best final acts. It’s a disturbing delight and a Tales from the Crypt episode that will make you never look at ice cream trucks the same.

“Cutting Cards”

Season 2, Episode 3; Written by Mae Woods & Walter Hill; Directed by Walter Will

Not every Tales from the Crypt episode involves supernatural material or is even necessarily a horror story. That being said, extreme personalities are plentiful in Tales from the Crypt, and “Cutting Cards” is an episode that specializes in this territory. There’s a remarkably simple premise to “Cutting Cards,” an episode that’s directed by Walter Hill of The Warriors and The Driver fame, but feels more like the type of story that Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez would have tackled in the ’90s. 

A pair of gamblers, played to heightened perfection by Lance Henriksen and Kevin Tighe, engage in increasingly over-the-top and unconventional games to determine who is the best. “Cutting Cards” perpetually escalates even though it’s a relatively slow-burn installment. It’s not until the outlandish complications that are taken in the episode’s final act that “Cutting Cards” comes together. The ending is simultaneously gruesome, tragic, hilarious, and profound in a manner that only Tales from the Crypt can achieve.

The post The 10 Best ‘Tales From the Crypt’ Episodes That Are Must-Watches appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Attending a recent hands-on preview event, we got to check Supermassive Games’ latest for ourselves and were highly impressed by how the developers managed to shake up the existing formula, while still retaining what makes these choose-your-own-adventure titles so popular in the first place. 

To find out more about how the release will kick off an exciting new era for The Dark Pictures Anthology, we sat down with Directive 8020’s creative director, Will Doyle.

Will Doyle, Supermassive Games Creative Director

Bloody Disgusting: The first four Dark Pictures (Man of Medan, Little Hope, House of Ashes, and The Devil in Me) were released on a near annual basis. However, Directive 8020 has had a three-and-a-half-year build-up to its release. Not only that, but it marks the start of the second “Season” of this anthology. Could you talk a little about what players can expect from the new era and how the gap between releases has impacted this latest game?  

Will Doyle: When we started formulating our vision for The Dark Pictures [Anthology], going all the way back to Man of Medan, we had this absolutely bonkers idea that we were going to bring them out every six months [laughs]. We had every intention of following through on that and mapped out the titles on the basis that these were going to be biannual. But we quickly realised that was just insane and so slipped to a more manageable, yearly release schedule.  

The thing is, even that had its problems, as we wanted each entry in our anthology to be more than just another story with the exact same mechanics and systems. We wanted to do more. To keep pushing ourselves.  

So, when we got to the end of what we’ve categorised as “Season 1”, and had those first four games in the bank, we took the opportunity to reflect. We had a proper think about where we wanted this series to go, what our aspirations were, and how we could ultimately take it to the next level.

As a result of this, there were a couple of really big changes that we wanted to make. First, we decided to introduce real-time threats and stealth mechanics, with monsters now prowling around the world and actively hunting you down. And then our other new addition was what we call the “Turning Point” system, which allows you to see all of the branching paths and player choices plotted out for you on a kind of visual map. From here, you can then rewind to [forks in the road] and follow different paths to the ones you originally went down.  

The gap between Season 1 and Season 2 also enabled us to move over to Unreal Engine 5, giving the whole thing a big visual upgrade and really pushing the games into the current generation.  

All of that together meant that Directive 8020 became a much more ambitious project than we originally intended. It’s set the quality standard for what we want to do with the rest of the series going forward.

On the subject of this installment in the series, I was wondering where the idea began. Every Dark Picture explores a different sub-genre of horror, but they also draw upon real-world legends and dark moments in history. Whether that’s the crimes of H. H. Holmes, the maritime ghost stories of the SS Ourang Medan, the Mesopotamian lore of Pazuzu, or the legacy of the Salem witch trials. 

Yes, that’s true. 

In the case of Directive 8020, you’ve been inspired by contemporary speculation around the Tau Ceti “Goldilocks” zone. Did you start from there when coming up with the narrative? Or was it just that you really wanted to tackle sci-fi horror?   

We really just wanted to do sci-fi horror [laughs]. There were a whole bunch of people in the studio who were drawn towards the genre in the concept phase. I certainly love it; Aliens is probably my favourite film. 

So, then, we thought about what we could do in that style. John Carpenter’s The Thing jumped out as an obvious inspiration, leading us down the road of a shapeshifting imposter creature that infiltrates a human crew.  

But you’re right to pick up on this idea of a real-world hook as well. We always look for one of those when doing a Dark Picture. In the case of Directive 8020, I was intrigued by one of the Apollo missions that took place just before the moon landing [Apollo 10 specifically]. Apparently, they were intentionally short-fuelled to stop the crew from being tempted to land on the moon. They didn’t want them to steal the thunder of Neil Armstrong and the other guys!

We thought that was a great source of inspiration. So, in our story, the Cassiopeia [which is the player’s ship] is just the dry run for the real Andromeda colony mission. All they’re meant to do is circle Tau Ceti f, choose a landing site, conduct a survey, and all that kind of stuff. But they’re not meant to land. Sure enough, however, they do end up going to the planet, and they get stuck there because they don’t have sufficient fuel to leave.  

The other real-world influence is actually the game’s name. “Directive 8020” is a NASA quarantine process for astronauts to follow in the event that they encounter extraterrestrial, organic matter.  

On that note, when you’re doing a sci-fi story, you can either lean into hard science (like with 2001 or The Martian) or you can take liberties and go more fantastical with it. Where does Directive 8020 fit on that spectrum? How grounded is the science here?  

We wanted it to be accessible, so it doesn’t go full hardcore realism. There’s an element of “magic”, I suppose. The characters have gravity boots, for instance. At the same time, we didn’t want it to feel completely made up either. It’s an interesting balance.

We’ve already touched upon the two big innovations for this game, but I was wondering if we could dig a little deeper into them. Firstly, why did you decide now was the right time to introduce the “Turning Point” system? 

I’ve got a theory about how people experience our games. On their first playthroughs, they tend to try to keep all of the characters alive. We have data backing that up.  

The second playthrough is when they start thinking about those “What if?” scenarios. That’s when they may try to see what alternative paths are available. And then after that, they’re going through it again to scoop up the remaining trophies or achievements.  

Anecdotally, I also know a lot of people will stop playing after their favourite character dies. I like to think that’s because we make really good protagonists, and people get invested in them. One of my best friends from school played House of Ashes, and he stopped after Rachel was killed. He was like: “No, the Queen is dead” and then didn’t touch it again [laughs]. 

So having that insight was one of the reasons we decided to create the Turning Point system. The second reason is that we just wanted to give people the opportunity to more conveniently explore our massive branching narratives. Because even if you don’t stop after your favourite character dies, you probably do stop when you finish your first playthrough. We know not a huge number of people dip back in for more than one go.  

So, we’re always trying to signal to players that: A) The game is branching and B) their decisions do have consequences. Turning Point allows us to show people how deep it goes and how expansive the branching paths really are with a visual map.  

I want to make it easier for people to see everything that’s on offer. By giving them the option to rewind to key branching moments, they don’t have to play again right from the beginning to experience the changing scenes. It’s about having a bit of care and consideration for the players’ time.  

I also noticed that Directive 8020 is broken down into digestible episodes.  

Yes, the rationale was the same here. When you sit down to play our game, you know that the next episode is going to last between half an hour and an hour. You’re going to get a satisfying bit of story with a natural breakpoint if you want to come back to it the next day. Again, it’s about being considerate of the player’s time. 

The second major innovation here is the introduction of real-time enemy encounters.  

Right. 

I was very curious how you approached this. The Dark Pictures Anthology obviously has a following amongst seasoned gamers and veterans of franchises like Resident Evil. But it also caters to a more casual audience, who like that they don’t need to have trained reflexes or raw skill to enjoy themselves. How do you ensure that the stealth mechanics and real-time challenges you’re adding here don’t alienate those people?  

That was very much on our mind. First of all, the main reason we have introduced those stealth mechanics is to add an element of fear and scariness to the exploration sequences. It’s not to make something that intensely challenges you, and we don’t want it to be too punishing, even for the hardcore fans. As you said, all of our games are quite accessible. You can get your gran involved!  

There’s something important about how frequent those encounters are as well. A lot of other horror games are very relentless when it comes to their stealth sections, but we’ve just sprinkled them in. Those bits we call “lean forward” gameplay. But then we still have the old “lean back” sections, where you can decompress, spend time with the characters, and make narrative decisions. We felt it was vital to give players breathing room.  

The other thing I’d say is that we made the intensity of those moments highly configurable as well. If you go into the settings, you can make it as hard or as easy as you want. You can even set it so that, should you be caught by a creature, you’ll be immune and won’t suffer any consequences. As for multiplayer, when you’re doing our Movie Night experience, you can tailor the difficulty for each individual player. So, one person can have all the lethal settings activated while their friend, who is just here for the narrative choices, can turn those off.    

How difficult is it to construct a satisfying story with a coherent throughline, active protagonists, and meaningful set-ups and pay-offs, when pivotal characters could be killed off at any minute?  

It’s super hard [laughs]. That’s a struggle we have day in and day out. We have this thing that a lot of our fans call “plot armour”, where a certain character cannot die until they’ve reached a necessary point in the story. We have to carefully consider how much of that we allow into our games.  

For instance, House of Ashes is probably one of our most praised games from a narrative perspective. But, to be honest, the absolute lynchpin of that story is the relationship between Jason and Salim, and they have to be alive reasonably far into the plot in order for that to develop. If we took it out, I promise you we would suffer.  

So, we have to think quite seriously about where we allow this “plot armour” to creep in and how much of it we use. It’s a tight balancing act.  

We need a clear vision for what we want to do with each character. When it comes to Directive 8020, we have this new feature based around character traits, whereby each member of the Cassiopeia crew can end up in one of two positions depending on how you’ve had them interacting with each other. This will determine their overall character trajectory. Of course, there’s a third option to their arc, which is that they could die early!  

It’s not just a case of thinking about whether or not a character lasts to the end. We’re trying to make it about what it means if they live or die. If you get Mitchell killed early on in Directive 8020, for instance, he still needs to have a purpose in the story.

How do the actors react to this material, learning that their characters could go in all kinds of different directions or be portrayed in contradictory ways?   

It’s hilarious! There’s so much stuff for them to record, and they can’t possibly learn it all. The branching script is just ginormous.  

So, what we often do is give them a sample of one possible throughline of the story to help them get their heads around their character. And then, when they turn up to the actual shoot, they’ll be surprised to discover all the other variants of scenes they’ve got to do. They’ll be like: “Hold up a minute, I die in Act 1?”

I remember Ashley Tisdale was shocked to learn she became a vampire in one [potential outcome] of House of Ashes. It’s very funny to see their reactions to those possibilities.  

Developed and published by Supermassive Games, Directive 8020 is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and Steam on May 12.

The post Supermassive Games’ Will Doyle Dishes on the Upcoming ‘Directive 8020’ [Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The behind-the-scenes clip arrives ahead of Searchlight Pictures’ Ready or Not 2, releasing on digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, this Tuesday, May 5, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on June 16.

Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton star as blood-soaked sisters hunted by four rival families.

Watch the video below and see the cast weigh in on the filmmakers’ affinity for unleashing blood cannons and exploding bodies. As Weaving points out, “the deaths are so much more insane” this round.

Picking up moments after the all-out attack from the Le Domas family in the first Ready or Not movie, Grace (Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng, Varun Saranga, and Daniel Beirne also star.

I wrote in my review for Bloody Disgusting, “More is more in Ready or Not 2. Bigger stakes, larger playing field, a higher (and more gruesome) body count, and even double the protagonists. It’s all designed to deliver maximum crowd-pleasing fun.”

The horror-comedy sequel is written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy.

The post ‘Ready or Not 2’ Exclusive Featurette Gets Up Close with Sequel’s Exploding Bodies and Gore appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

For the first time EVER, HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt” is now streaming and you’ll find the series exclusively on Shudder as part of this year’s “Halfway to Halloween” celebration!

Featuring the iconic Crypt Keeper, voiced by John Kassir, the series’ first season debuted TODAY, with additional seasons rolling out weekly every Friday through June 12.

All seven seasons will be presented fully uncut and uncensored.

Inspired by the EC Comics tales, each episode of “Tales from the Crypt” offers a self-contained story hosted by the Crypt Keeper (Kassir), a wisecracking corpse known for his macabre puns. With its signature unrestricted gore, profanity, and dark irony, the show’s episode styles range from comedy to drama and deliver twisted moral lessons where “bad people” meet poetically horrific ends – and issues like greed, lust, and moral decay lead to tragic consequences.

The original HBO series featured a long list of Hollywood A-list guest stars, including Brad Pitt, Demi Moore, Michael J. Fox, John Lithgow, Christopher Reeve, Catherine O’Hara, Steve Buscemi, Brooke Shields, and many more. The talent also extended behind the camera, with notable directors including Robert Zemeckis, Tobe Hooper, and William Friedkin, as well as Tom Hanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Michael J. Fox.

The reopening of the Tales from the Crypt content archive is made possible by Dark Castle Entertainment, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Walter Hill (Tales from the Crypt Holdings).

Watch the brand new trailer Shudder cut together for the show’s streaming debut!

The post ‘Tales from the Crypt’ Now Streaming for the Very First Time on Shudder! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

New to Tubi May Horror Films

American Carnage (2022)

• Premise: After a governor issues an executive order to arrest the children of undocumented immigrants, the newly detained youth are offered an opportunity to have their charges dropped by volunteering to care for the elderly.
• Why Watch It? This title from Diego Hallivis (who co-writes with Julio Hallivis) received mixed reviews upon its release, but its subject matter is even more timely and relevant now, considering what’s going on with ICE. There may be some catharsis to be found in a satirical take on real-life horrors, especially when the biting jokes are delivered by someone as likeable and talented as star Jenna Ortega.
• Streaming: May 1

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

• Premise: When a group of rich 20-somethings plans a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly.
• Why Watch It? In hindsight, one of the biggest selling features of Halina Reijn’s millennial satire is its stunning cast, which includes Amandla Stenberg, Myha’la, Maria Bakalova, Lee Pace, Chase Sui Wonders, and Rachel Sennott (Pete Davidson is also there). The buzzy A24 title is centered around a dangerous distraction during a storm, but that’s hardly the point of this takedown of wealth, privilege, race, and sexuality. Double bill this title with Clue (see below) for a night of fun and games with two films that have more on their mind than meets the eye.
• Streaming: May 1

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

• Premise: Centuries-old vampire Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker’s (Keanu Reeves) fiancée Mina Murray (Winona Ryder) and wreak havoc in a foreign land.
• Why Watch It? Oozing sensuality and boasting Oscar-nominated costumes by the incomparable Eiko Ishioka, director Francis Ford Coppola‘s lavish period piece features incredible in-camera FX and no less than two fantastic performances (Oldman is perfect, but it’s Anthony Hopkins‘ scenery-chewing turn as Dr. Van Helsing that steals the show). It’s classy, sexy, and gory (the Brides eat a baby!). 1992’s Dracula is the most opulent adaptation of Stoker’s work to date and remains the one to beat (nice try, Luc Besson!)
• Streaming: May 1

Clue (1985)

• Premise: Six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies pile up.
• Why Watch It? The board game adaptation is one of the best comedies ever made, but it’s also a very fun murder mystery. There are plenty of deaths, secret passageways, ulterior motives, and outsized personalities scattered throughout the film. Scratch beneath the surface, and there’s also a healthy dose of commentary about both politics and queerness, just to name a few issues. The cast is composed of nothing but legends (Madeline Kahn’s infamous – and purportedly ad-libbed – line about “flames on the sides of my face” will never not be iconic). Plus: Star Tim Curry just celebrated his 80th (!) birthday last month, so what better way to fete the living legend? 
• Streaming: May 1

The Dead Zone (1983)

• Premise: Five years after a traffic accident left him in a coma, Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens to discover that he has the ability to foresee future events and even prevent tragedies from happening. Will these new abilities prove to be a blessing or a curse?
• Why Watch It? It’s impossible to go a month in the horror world without brushing up against a Stephen King adaptation. This month, check out the icy coolness of director David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone, which follows Johnny as he tests his newfound abilities in an effort to save the world. The threat is courtesy of a (what else?!) corrupt politician, Greg Stillson (a perfectly cast Martin Sheen), with his finger on the nuclear option, though for my money the film is at its most exciting when Cronenberg leans into full slasher mode with a serial killer bathroom sequence.  
• Streaming: May 1

De Palma (2015)

• Premise: An American documentary film directed by Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow about director and screenwriter Brian De Palma
• Why Watch It? Breaking away from narrative options, why not check out this 2015 A24 documentary about Brian De Palma that premiered at the Venice Film Festival? The title verges on autobiography as the infamous director reminisces about his varied career, which includes multiple genre titles such as Sisters, Blow Out, and, of course, Carrie. There are plenty of clips, anecdotes, and archival footage included from his films, which makes for a solid primer for those who may be less familiar with his work.
• Streaming: May 1

Don’t Breathe (2016)

• Premise: Three delinquents break into the house of a war veteran (Stephen Lang) who is blind to steal his money. However, they discover that the man is not as defenseless as he seems.
• Why Watch It? Fede Alvarez‘s reverse home invasion film is one of the most viscerally impactful genre films of the last decade. The tension that he crafts as the noose slowly tightens around Rocky (Jane Levy, returning to work with the director after 2013’s Evil Dead) is palpable, and the film features incredible sound design that makes the set pieces even more nerve-wracking. Sure, the film’s last act has a big sexual assault content warning, but if audiences can overcome the ick factor, Don’t Breathe is an adrenaline rush from start to finish.
• Streaming: May 1

Let The Right One In (2008)

• Premise: A bullied boy forms a unique friendship with his new neighbor, a peculiar girl with a dark secret.
• Why Watch It? The adaptation of Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist‘s coming-of-age Middle Grade story is sweet (the relationship between Oskar and Eli), chilly (snow-bound horror has never felt so frigid), and filled with surprising amounts of gore. The quiet and moody horror film isn’t afraid to go hard for maximum impact: simply consider the all-timer swimming pool-set climax, which features exquisite camera blocking about what’s happening above and below the water.
• Streaming: May 28

Practical Magic (1998)

• Premise: Two witch sisters (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman), raised by their eccentric aunts (delightful pair Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) in a small town, face closed-minded prejudice and a curse which threatens to prevent them from ever finding lasting love.
• Why? Griffin Dunne’s adaptation, which boasts frequent genre writer Akiva Goldsman, is mostly a whimsical romantic drama. But what audiences may have forgotten in the 28 years since the film’s release is that the entire last act of the film is a straight-up horror film. Sure, most of the film involves a cutesy plot wherein Bullock tries to prevent Aidan Quinn from dying from a paramour-killing family curse, but the Kidman side of the story features her dead domestic abuser (ER star Goran Visnjic) coming back from the grave as a vengeful ghost.
• Streaming: May 1

Slice (2018)

• Premise: When a pizza delivery driver is murdered on the job, the city searches for someone to blame: Ghosts? Drug dealers? A disgraced werewolf?
• Why Watch It? This Zazie Beetz film came and went without much fanfare back in the day, but now that she’s back in the conversation with They Will Kill You, perhaps the horror comedy deserves a reappraisal? The cast alone suggests a decent time: along with Beetz, you’ve got Hannibal Buress and Joe Keery.  There’s also something to be said for easy going horror fare. I mean, who doesn’t love pizza and bloodshed? Pop an edible, order a pie, and double bill this one along with Disney’s recent Pizza Movie.
• Streaming: May 1

May Tubi Originals

Give Me Back My Baby (2026)

• Premise: When a couple chooses a surrogate for their baby, they unknowingly open the door to an obsession that could cost them everything.
• Streaming: May 8

I Didn’t Do It (2026)

• Premise: A detective rejects the claim that his daughter took her own life, chasing deadly secrets that lead to baffling questions and shocking truths.
• Streaming: May 22

What’s your favorite from the list above? Will you check out the new Originals? Sound off in the comments below.

The post The 10 Best Horror Movies Streaming on Tubi [May 2026] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

For those needing to keep track, Stupid Never Dies features a mechanic where protagonist Davy, a zombie, can consume an enemy’s core and steal their abilities. The result also changes his appearance. In addition to the default Zombie Style, players get the following:

• Werewolf Style – A speedy Style that lets you go on a wild rampage.
• Harpy Style – A flying Style that attacks distant enemies with projectiles.
• Golem Style – A tough and sturdy Style that sends packs of enemies flying.
• Vampire Style – A Style that lets you control a swarm of bats
• Will-o’-the-Wisp Style – A Style that goes between the physical and astral planes.
• Cyclops Style – A Style that specializes in big, all-or-nothing attacks.
• Snow Fairy Style – A Style that freezes enemies and makes their power yours.
• Merfolk Style – A Style that dives into the ground like water to attack foes.
• Lich Style – A Style that uses the power of death to command skeletons.
• Demon Style – A Style that uses whips and gravity to control enemy position.

In the aftermath of the Great War, humanity teeters on the brink of extinction and monsters rule the land. At the bottom rung of this society is Davy, a lowly zombie scraping by in a deserted shopping mall. One day, he discovers the human girl Julia frozen to death in a freezer…and falls in love at first sight. Motivated by his newfound crush, Davy finds his purpose in undeath: to bring Julia back to life, then to ask her out.

Stupid Never Dies will head to Steam and PlayStation 5 later this year.

The post Become Demons, Werewolves and Vampires in New “Styles” Trailer for ‘Stupid Never Dies’ [Watch] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Sam Raimi’s Send Help makes its streaming debut on Hulu this month, along with under-the-radar new releases like Babak Anvari’s Hallow Road, the Daisy Ridley-starring zombie drama We Bury the Dead.

The arrival of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair on Peacock comes with a Quentin Tarantino collection that includes horror faves like Death Proof. Screambox transforms a kids show into nightmare fuel with Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round.

Here’s all the horror arriving in May.

HBO Max

Insidious: The Red Door

May 1
Insidious: The Last Key

May 4
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

Hulu

We Bury the Dead

May 1
Love And Monsters
Only Lovers Left Alive
War of the Worlds (2005)

May 2
Hallow Road

May 7
Send Help

May 8
We Bury the Dead

May 21
Alien: Romulus

May 22
The Home (2025)

May 26
Descendent (2025)

May 28
Afraid

Kanopy

The Vanishing

May 8
Beau is Afraid
Bodies Bodies Bodies

May 22
Buried

Netflix

Black Phone 2

May 1
Jennifer’s Body
Ouija
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Starship Troopers
Under the Skin

May 16
Black Phone 2

May 18
Nope

Paramount+

Scary Movie 4

May 1
Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie V
Searching

Peacock

The Mummy

May 1
The Mummy
The Mummy Returns
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Searching
Shutter Island

May 4
Imaginary*

May 22
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair*
Death Proof
Planet Terror

May 30
The Strangers: Chapter 1*

* = is exclusive to Peacock

Pluto TV

The Blob

May 1
30 Days Of Night (2007)
30 Days Of Night: Dark Days
Attack The Block
Beau is Afraid
Below
The Blob (1988)
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Climax
The Covenant (2006)
The Craft: Legacy
Crawl
Cujo
Deliver Us From Evil
Disturbia
The Faculty
Fright Night (1985)
The Gift (2000)
Green Room
Hannibal
The Haunting In Connecticut
Hereditary
Idle Hands
Life After Beth
Mimic
Pet Sematary (2019)
Scary Movie
Scary Movie 2
Scary Movie 3
Shutter Island
The Silence Of The Lambs
Slice
Urban Legend
Urban Legends: Bloody Mary
Urban Legends: The Final Cut
The Wolf Of Snow Hollow
The Woman In Black

Prime Video

Blink Twice

May 1
Gretel & Hansel
Psycho II
Species
The Return of the Living Dead
The Wolf of Snow Hollow

May 21
Blink Twice

Screambox

Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round

May 1
The Man From Nowhere
The Mimic
The Long Night
Shaman
Acid Pit Stop

May 5
The Morrigan

May 8
Dabbe 6: The Return
Rampant
Special ID
Kill Your Friends
Freaks
Deadlocked
American Rickshaw

May 15
The Portrait
The Legend of La Llorona
The Ghost Station
Massacre Academy
Deleter

May 19
Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round

May 22
The Raven
Protein
The Seasoning House
So Cold the River
Morgue
Piggy
Padmashri
A Hard Place

May 29
Nosferatu – A Symphony of Horror
Hemogoblin
Dark Sea

Shudder

Livid

May 1
Baby Blood
Gazer
Goodnight Mommy (2014)
Heresy
Innocence
Livid
Martyrs
Murderrock
Re-Wind
Teeth
The Bride From Hades
The Ghost of Yotsuya
The Ice Tower
The Snow Woman
Vice Squad

May 4
Horror Noire: History of Black Horror
Solvent

May 8
Whistle

May 11
47 Meters Down
47 Meters Down: Uncaged
Aberrance
In Search of Darkness 1990-1994

May 15
Something is About to Happen

May 22
This is Not a Test

May 29
Smothered

Tubi

Happy Death Day 2U

May 1
American Carnage
Beau Is Afraid
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Cell
Climax
Don’t Breathe
Green Room
Hannibal
Happy Death Day 2U
Hereditary
House At The End Of The Street
In Fabric
Lake Placid
Let The Right One In
Life After Beth
Mama
Misery
Predators
Silent Hill
Slice
The Dead Zone
The Final Girls
The Inhabitant
The Invitation
The Mist
The Predator
The Silence Of The Lambs

May 8
Give Me Back My Baby

May 22
I Didn’t Do It

The post All the Horror Heading to Hulu, Netflix, Tubi & Other Streaming Services in May 2026 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

But is it a sequel? A remake? A reboot? Or something else entirely?

Original The Blair Witch Project star Michael C. Williams is on board to executive produce the new movie and he promises in a social media post this week that it’s NOT a remake.

The actor tweets “It’s not a ‘remake’. You just wait. The Witch is back…”

Along with Michael C. Williams, original Blair Witch Project star Joshua Leonard will also be executive producing the new movie. Filmmakers Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick, and Gregg Hale have all been added to the behind-the-scenes filmmaking team.

The project’s official press release this week explains that the original team will be “bringing the full mythology and legacy of the franchise to a new generation of storytelling.”

Chris Devlin wrote the original screenplay, with a current rewrite by Dylan Clark.

Dylan Clark has gained a large following in the YouTube horror space. He recently signed on with Universal to adapt his horror short Portrait of God, with Sam Raimi and Jordan Peele producing. He is also writing to direct an adaptation of his short film Story Time.

Atomic Monster’s James Wan and Blumhouse’s Jason Blum will team with producer Roy Lee to produce the brand new installment in the legendary Blair Witch Project franchise.

Nothin’ but gratitude. Oh, yeah, it’s not a ‘remake’. You just wait. The Witch is back… https://t.co/6K8CfBifJI

— Michael C. Williams (@MichaelCWilli13) May 1, 2026

The post New ‘Blair Witch Project’ Movie Is Not a Remake, Original Star Michael C. Williams Promises appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Each 3.75″ scale toy has five points of articulation and is packaged on a vintage-inspired backer card featuring artwork by Justin Osbourn (“The Last Drive-In”).

Ghost Bob comes with a corded telephone, while Young Michael includes a knife and a clown mask. They’re $20 a piece.

Produced in collaboration with Plastic Meatball,  Fright-Rags’ previous Halloween toys include Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, Lynda, and Annie, along with a Halloween 4 two-pack of Michael and Jamie.

The packaging on the new figures teases a Myers House collector’s case that could soon become a reality.

In John Carpenter’s Halloween, 15 years after murdering his sister on Halloween night, Michael Myers escapes from a mental institution and returns to the small town of Haddonfield to kill again.

The 1978 genre-defining slasher stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, P. J. Soles, Nancy Loomis, and Nick Castle as The Shape.

While the future of the Halloween franchise remains up in the air at this time, Halloween: The Game will be released on September 8.

The post Fright-Rags’ ‘Halloween’ Retro-Style Toy Line Adds Ghost Bob & Young Michael Myers appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Based on the One Wish Willow novelty toy at the center of the film, the popcorn bucket is available at select theaters.

From writer-director Curry Barker (Milk & Serial), Obsession opens on May 15 via Focus Features.

In the movie, after breaking the mysterious One Wish Willow to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Michael Johnston (“Teen Wolf”), Inde Navarrette (“Superman & Lois”), Cooper Tomlinson (Milk & Serial), Megan Lawless (“The Girl from Plainville”), and Andy Richter (“Conan”) star.

James Harris of Teashop Productions, Haley Nicole Johnson of Under the Shell, Christian Mercuri of Capstone Pictures, and Roman Viaris produce. Executive producers include Jason Blum of Blumhouse, Leonora Darby & Mark Lane of Teacup, and David Haring & Ruzanna Kegeyan of Capstone.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review out of TIFF, “While Monkey’s Paw scenarios often yield predictable outcomes, and this outcome is practically telegraphed from the start, Barker manages to surprise with the journey itself. And it’s one insane journey paved with blood-soaked violence and no shortage of nightmare fuel.”

Obsession is rated R for “strong bloody violence, grisly images, sexual content, pervasive language, and brief graphic nudity.”

Barker recently wrapped production on his next film, Anything But Ghosts, and he’s currently developing the Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot for A24.

The post ‘Obsession’ Gets a One Wish Willow Popcorn Bucket appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, Crawl) will return to the aquatic horror arena to direct Under Paris 2, which has now entered production.

“I love Paris, and I always wanted to make a shark movie, so it was an obvious yes when the opportunity came to take the story even deeper,” Alexandre Aja said in a statement.

Xavier Gens directed the first Under Paris, which broke records as the streamer’s first non-English language film on Netflix with more than 102.3 million views. The shark attack horror movie’s post-apocalyptic ending offered an intriguing hook for continuation.

Variety reports that Bérénice Bejo and Nassim Lyes will both reprise their roles from the first movie. Guillaume Gouix, Phillippe Bas, Manon Bresch and Anne Marivin also star.

Set in Summer 2024, Under Paris unfolds in Paris, which is hosting the World Triathlon Championships on the Seine for the first time. Sophia, a brilliant scientist, learns from Mika, a young environmental activist, that a large shark is swimming deep in the river.

To avoid a bloodbath at the heart of the city, they have no choice but to join forces with Adil, the Seine river police commander. Can they save the day before being eaten alive?

In Under Paris 2, “Three years after the Paris triathlon disaster, the center of the Capital is submerged. Sophia (Bejo) and Adil (Lyes) reunite for a high-risk mission: to track Lilith, the original predator, in the shark-infested Seine. There, they will discover that the deadly wildlife hides a much more surprising reality.”

The credited writers for Netflix sequel Under Paris 2 are Alexandre Aja, Xavier Gens, Gregory Levasseur, Frédéric Garcia, William Laboury, and Fanny Talmone.

The post ‘Under Paris 2’ Official Poster – Shark Attack Sequel Coming to Netflix in 2027 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Currently in pre-production, the “twisted and darkly funny psychological thriller” will be directed by Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) from a script he co-wrote with Ryan O’Connell (“Special”).

Platt plays Ollie, a young, queer director with a murky past, who becomes fixated on Nora Dresden (Coon), an iconic actress in search of her comeback. When she agrees to star in his debut feature, admiration turns to obsession, and their collaboration spirals into a toxic game of control, blurring the line between artist and muse.

Jared Ian Goldman & Zola Elgart Glassman of Mighty Engine (Ingrid Goes West) are producing. The film is being co-financed by Chris Quintos & Tyler Boehm of Unapologetic Projects (Didi) and Naia Cucukov & Peter Richards of Working Barn Productions.

Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at this month’s Cannes film market. CAA and UTA co-rep US rights.

“I am thrilled to be collaborating with Carrie, Ben, and Lukas and my friends at Mighty Engine, Mister Smith, Unapologetic, and Working Barn on this deranged and delicious film, written in a passionate fever with my dear friend, Ryan O’Connell,” commented Johnson. “Get ready for a fierce, funny and blood-spattered good time at the movies.”

“Craig and Ryan’s rework of the classic ‘90s obsession thriller grabbed us from the first few pages – tapping into stan culture and diva worship in an era where identity and performance are getting harder and harder to tell apart,” added Mister Smith’s SVP International Sales & Acquisitions Shane Kelly. “It’s self-aware, stylish, and gets just a little unhinged as it hurtles towards its shocking climax. Led by this pitch perfect cast, this is a film that will be deliciously relevant for a generation that’s fluent in how to be their own main character.”

Lukas Gage in ‘Smile 2’

The post Carrie Coon, Ben Platt, Lukas Gage to Star in Darkly Funny Psychological Thriller ‘I Am Not Your Mother’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Shamelessly riding the coattails of Five Nights at Freddy’s (a franchise that has, itself, proliferated a thousand times over like some kind of malignant tumour), these releases don’t need clever design, artful scares, or unique mechanics to get eyes on them. All they’ve got to do is reproduce the same hackneyed formula that’s enabled FNAF to become a multi-film, multi-game, multi-million-dollar franchise.

You know the drill by now: a blank-slate protagonist finds themselves trapped overnight in some deserted hotspot that we’re accustomed to seeing densely populated (toy store/ gimmicky restaurant/ shopping complex: delete as appropriate) and is then hounded by preposterously creepy children’s entertainers. Having forsaken their original mission to bring joy to families, these anthropomorphic stalkers now harbour much more sinister intentions. More often than not, their diabolical plans involve getting right up in your face and shrieking at ear-piercing decibels, so that (equally shrill) streamers can performatively overreact to something that the rest of us are utterly desensitised to.

In case it’s not apparent, this subgenre’s mass appeal eludes me somewhat. Whenever I am forced to endure the hysterical caterwauling of a thirtysomething YouTuber —suffering from what John Hammond would call “a deplorable excess of personality” — playing through one of these cash grabs, it makes me feel like Tommy Lee Jones at the end of No Country for Old Men. I’ve become a man out of time, despairing at a senseless world that he can no longer understand or relate to.

You’d be forgiven, then, for assuming I went into Dark Pals: The 1st Floor with an axe to grind. After all, it follows the genre’s blueprint to the letter. Not only does it have the stock premise described above, but, just like FNAF, it substitutes proper storytelling for inscrutable lore (which you have to consult ancillary materials to have a cat in hell’s chance of penetrating). Meanwhile, it also has an episodic structure, à la Poppy Playtime, that leaves you on an inherently unsatisfying and abrupt cliffhanger (in this case, The 1st Floor is chapter one, and it concludes with you counterintuitively taking a lift down to the second floor).

All of which is to say, Dark Pals was at an immediate disadvantage for me. It looked like a creatively bankrupt Five Nights at Freddy’s clone, sounded like a creatively bankrupt Five Nights at Freddy’s clone, and was lumped together on its Steam page with a bunch of creatively bankrupt Five Nights at Freddy’s clones.

Yet I honestly didn’t hate it! For all the red flags, within just a few minutes of booting up Dark Pals: The 1st Floor, it becomes very clear that it was a labour of love for its six-person development team. Skunx Games didn’t just churn out some low-effort shovelware here, as they probably could have, and instead delivered a solid experience with slick presentation, an intriguing world, and a welcome reliance on puzzles over worn-out jump scares.

Adult Supervision Required 

The title casts you as a (presumed) grown-up who returns to a familiar place from their half-remembered childhood, known as “UpWard”. A sort of amusement park mixed with a behavioural conditioning camp; this old haunt appears to have been caught in stasis ever since we left it in the 1980s, stuck now playing the same Tannoy announcements and infectious earworm tunes that we recognise from over forty years ago.

To put it mildly, the venue could do with a bit of TLC. The fairground attractions have all fallen into disrepair, the lobby balloons seem to have deflated long ago, decades-old stains have accumulated around the busted soda fountains, cockroaches scuttle through the commissary areas, and the roof is quite literally crumbling around your head.

Suffice it to say, it’s not quite the whimsical wonderland that our prodigal son recalls from their youth, although further inspection reveals that this was always just a façade anyway. Indeed, we soon learn that — back when UpWard was still fully operational — management employed brainwashing techniques to keep the kid guests in line and would turn to even more unsavoury methods to root out any behaviour deemed “non-compliant”.

The latter was policed by a cast of ostensibly jovial and kid-friendly characters who, for whatever reason, still linger in the abandoned building today. And it’s these ghosts from the past who will try to halt your investigation into UpWard and its sordid history, by any means necessary.

Never Work With Children or Animals

On a surface level, Dark Pals’ narrative doesn’t really offer anything you haven’t seen before in this genre. Yet the well-defined setting and kooky denizens that inhabit it are unique enough to give the game an identity of its own.

From the second you pass through the UpWard admissions gate — your arrival heralded by a band of ill-serviced audio-animatronics — you can tell that serious thought went into how this place would actually work if it were to exist in real life. It’s got a coherent geography (echoing the hub-and-spoke layout of Disneyland), detailed operations, and all of the facilities you’d expect a twisted theme park like this to have. Everything from the diner to the sports centre and the Main Street USA analogue feels authentic, balancing a sense of playful childishness and sinister authoritarianism without overdoing the contrast.

Crucially, the actual mascots in this mascot horror are distinctive as well. First, you’ve got Chompy Chasey, a sprightly dog with an oversized head, play block jaws, and an especially deadly case of the zoomies. And then there’s Binky Drinky, a hulking enforcer whose stomach is lined with razor-sharp teeth and who has a pacifier for a head.

The latter is a truly striking creation and can be found at the centre of some of Dark Pals’ most imaginative scenes, including one where (and trust me, dear reader, I tried to think of a more delicate way of phrasing this) he forcibly sucks himself off to prevent his sentient maw from trying to eat you. It makes more sense when you see it in context … Kinda.

On the subject of that bizarre image, which will forever be etched into my brain, the characters’ various actions and behaviours are consistently well animated here. For a team of just six developers, Skunx Games did a very impressive job bringing their antagonists to life, imbuing them with expressive facial features, ensuring that their movements are fluid, and integrating them seamlessly with their surroundings. They don’t ever look real — on account of their cartoonish designs — but they are believable as characters, and that’s what matters most.

I particularly liked how Binky Drinky’s pacifier will deform whenever it bumps against a doorway lintel, or how Chompy’s eyeballs exaggeratedly bulge outward when he’s trying to squeeze through a tight corridor. There’s even a fun scripted event near the end that has the two villains interacting, and it looks far more polished than you might expect from an indie title of this scale.

Paint-by-Numbers Mechanics

The other major UpWard resident you’ll meet is Inky, a stitched patchwork octopus who serves as both your stalwart companion and a multi-purpose tool. When held aloft like a gun and squeezed, this cutesy cephalopod will discharge ink out of his sack (again, I promise I’m not trying to be gross) for use in various situations.

It’s this shooting mechanic that serves as the basis for much of Dark Pals’ gameplay, although it’s interestingly never used for combat purposes. Contrary to what you might assume, enemies will be completely undeterred if you attempt to drench them with your gun, and the resulting splat barely even registers on their character models.

That’s because Inky is not meant to be used as an offensive weapon, but rather as an aid for solving puzzles. When aimed just right, his painterly discharge can propel objects, trigger mechanisms from afar, or add a splash of colour to monochrome illustrations. All of which will be required to progress through the facility.

His utility is cleverly demonstrated in an early tutorial, where you must compete in a series of carnival games to gain access to the first major zone of UpWard. You know, tin-can-alley type stuff!

From there, the interactions get trickier and more in-depth, but it’s still hardly Blue Prince. For instance, there’s a bit where you’ve got to identify the right sequence of steps for navigating a library of rotating bookshelves —  while using Inky’s colour-coded projectiles to open up new paths —  and another wherein you’re required to interpret audio-visual clues so that you can figure out the correct recipe for a childhood favourite dish.

Again, none of these brainteasers are especially taxing, but they’re varied, integrate nicely with the wider theming, use the Inky mechanic in creative ways, and give you just enough breadcrumbs to be able to solve things on your own. Indeed, the difficulty is appropriately judged in terms of how much the developers hold your hand. I rarely deciphered the answers to riddles on my first go, and often had to stop and think about things for at least a couple of minutes. However, I equally never found myself getting too frustrated because I had no idea what on earth the developers wanted from me.

My Kingdom for Some Yellow Paint

Alas, the same cannot be said for Dark Pals’ patience-testing chase sequences. Mercifully kept to a minimum for much of the game’s runtime, these dominate the last act and severely dampen my enthusiasm for the overall experience. Because whenever I was thrust into one of the poorly signposted, rage-baiting sequences, I felt an overwhelming desire to knock another half-star off my rating.

The problem is that the enemy encounters here are extremely choreographed and don’t let you stray an inch from the predetermined path. Granting little in the way of leniency, they’ll fussily demand that you follow a rigid script that you’re never privy to as a player, leaving you in a confounding trial-and-error loop until you eventually decipher the exact steps needed to progress.

Sometimes you’re supposed to turn left when everything about the situation at hand would appear to scream “turn right”. Other times, they’ll want you to double back on yourself without any clear indication that was an option to begin with. At one point, you’re asked to sprint forward towards danger, despite that going against your every gut instinct. And then there’s a fucking doozy of a sequence, wherein you’re meant to take refuge in a particular hiding spot (a bunk bed), even though it isn’t appreciably different from about a dozen other identical assets in the area. I guess you’re just meant to extra-sensorily intuit that it’s the specific one the level designer had in mind.

Worse still, you’re often expected to make these very precise deductions in a split second, because the game is insanely unforgiving when it comes to assessing your reaction times. The reality is, unless you have some kind of psychic connection with the developers, you’re bound to get stuck during at least one of these insta-kill sections. And it completely ruins the tension! After all, when you’re forced to watch the same unskippable cutscenes over and over again just to have another try, it’s inevitable that the threat of death will lose some of its power.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that this is a case of user error and/or a gaming journalist skill issue. Hell, maybe I’m just profoundly inobservant and need the entire level to be slathered in yellow paint for me. Yet I don’t think that’s true, given that I rolled credits within the developer’s anticipated 90-minute window and didn’t have any real trouble with the puzzles.

Regardless of whether I’m an incompetent who should have his credentials summarily revoked, I’d still maintain that this isn’t a great way to design horror gameplay. These ultra-scripted encounters are fine when used in small doses, but you need to have more substantial mechanics propping them up, whether it’s in the form of combat, stealth, or even dynamic chases that aren’t quite so staged. Otherwise, you might as well just be watching one of those YouTube Let’s Plays!

Putting these reservations aside, though, I liked Dark Pals: The 1st Floor more than I expected to. It falters on the gameplay front, but I was engrossed by its singular world, its polished visuals, and its memorable characters. Perhaps enough to want to come back and see what mysteries its second floor holds.

Review code provided by publisher. Dark Pals: The 1st Floor is available now on Steam.

The post Come for the Weird World of ‘Dark Pals: The 1st Floor’, Maybe Stay for the Derivative Gameplay [Review] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Drawing inspiration from classic FPS titles like Doom and Quake, Gravelord blends nostalgic gameplay mechanics with modern enhancements. Players step into the boots of a gravedigger named Queedo, a sharp-tongued antihero armed with an arsenal of weapons, Tarot card power-ups, and a magic shovel to kick the mortally challenged back into their cozy resting places under the soil.

Queedo sets out to avenge his father while using his shovel and various other weapons to beat the living crap out of his enemies. He also has Tarot Cards that you can collect to boost your power level and combat options, as well as weapon upgrades to unlock additional fire modes and synergies. In keeping with its inspirations, Gravelord has players running and jumping around levels designed heavily to feature fun and engaging gameplay rather than realism. There are also plenty of hidden secrets to find in each level.

And for those who enjoy their arena shooters with a Horde Mode, you can check out Gravelord‘s spin-off in Hordelord, which is also on Steam.

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Clocking in at six minutes, you can now watch the award-winning horror short below.

Violet McGraw (“The Haunting of Hill House,” M3GAN) stars as Juliet, an 11 year old who unwittingly sets off a series of mysterious events when she stubs her toe on a loose floorboard.

As she investigates, Juliet finds herself pulled into a chilling, otherworldly encounter — one that will unravel the secrets of her home and alter her reality forever.

Janel Parrish (“Pretty Little Liars”) and Dominic Sherwood (“Shadowhunters”) round out the cast.

“American Horror Stories” producer Andrew Duplessie writes and directs the short, which features stop motion animation by Anthony Scott (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline) and puppets sculpted by Katy Strutz (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio).

The crew also includes visual effects supervisor Edward J. Douglas (Longlegs, Backrooms), sound designer Eugenio Battaglia (Heretic, Longlegs), composer Cornel Wilczek (Talk to Me, Together), and colorist Mitch Paulson (Blade Runner 2049, Alien: Romulus).

Duplessie is set to expand The Littles as writer-director on the feature, which is being produced by Walter Hamada’s 18hz (Primate, Passenger).

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The 10-episode series will make its global debut on June 5 with a two-episode premiere on Apple TV, followed by new episodes every Friday through July 31, 2026.

Meet the new face of fear on four official “Cape Fear” posters below.

Academy Award nominee Amy Adams (Arrival) and Academy Award winner Javier Bardem (Dune) executive produce and star in the new series alongside an ensemble cast that includes Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring: Last Rites), Joe Anders, Lily Collias, Malia Pyles, and CCH Pounder. 

In the series, “A storm is coming for happily married attorneys Anna (Amy Adams) and Tom Bowden (Patrick Wilson) when Max Cady (Javier Bardem), the notorious killer they are responsible for putting behind bars, is let out of prison — and he wants vengeance.”

Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs), Margarita Levieva (“Daredevil: Born Again”), and Patrick Fischler (“Twin Peaks”) will also star.

The Apple TV series is based on John D. MacDonald‘s 1957 novel The Executioners, which was of course adapted into 1962’s Cape Fear starring Gregory Peck, and Martin Scorsese’s 1991 remake with Robert De Niro and producer Steven Spielberg. 

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The eight-week limited engagement kicks off on May 22 at select theaters, including the IFC Center in New York, American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, and AFI Silver in DC.

The sci-fi action classic will be available to screen in original 35mm and 70mm prints, 4K DCP, and 3D DCP digital restorations.

Terminator 2 sees a reprogrammed T-800 sent back in time to protect 10-year-old John Connor from the shape-shifting T-1000. Together with his mother Sarah, the cybernetic organism fights to stop Skynet from triggering a nuclear apocalypse.

James Cameron returns to direct the sequel from a script he co-wrote with William Wisher. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick star.

Released in July of 1991, T2 grossed over $200 million at the domestic box office and earned Academy Awards for Best Makeup, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects.

Cameron is currently developing a seventh Terminator film.

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Tales from the Crypt was already one of EC Comics’ top titles, but its adaptation into an anthology horror series for HBO elevated its pop culture cache to unprecedented heights. You know you’ve got a hit on your hands when your guest stars include Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Demi Moore, and Ewan McGregor. Accordingly, it made plenty of sense when Tales from the Crypt, which heads to streaming for the very first time tomorrow on Shudder, expanded into cinematic installments.

However, there are many inexplicable Tales from the Crypt offshoots that need to be seen to be believed.

Tales From The Cryptkeeper

Franchise expansion and pushing popular IP in unexpected directions is at an all-time high now, but there’s something to be said for the lawlessness of the late ’80s and ’90s where everything from RoboCop to Beetlejuice and Godzilla received cartoon spin-offs. In this sense, Tales from the Crypt feels like it’s in good company, but it’s still a very risky endeavor to take HBO’s uncensored horror series and translate it into a Saturday morning cartoon. Tales from the Cryptkeeper ran for three seasons (the final season returned five years later and was rebranded as New Tales from the Cryptkeeper), which still managed to adapt over three-dozen EC Comics stories into kid-friendly morality plays that still had bite. 

Curiously, Tales from the Cryptkeeper would incorporate fellow EC Comics characters, the Vault-Keeper and Old Witch, who were absent in HBO’s live-action series. The animated series even finds room to develop the Crypt Keeper’s character in small, satisfying ways. If nothing else, Tales from the Cryptkeeper is a great gateway into anthology horror for younger audiences.

Secrets Of The Cryptkeeper’s Haunted House

Tales from the Crypt didn’t seem like a natural fit to turn into a Saturday morning cartoon for children, but there’s still an internal logic to an anthology series that tries to expose younger audiences to spooky morality plays. That being said, giving the Crypt Keeper his own family-friendly game show doesn’t make any sense at all and it even sounds like the twisted setup to a Tales from the Crypt episode. 

Secrets of the Cryptkeeper’s Haunted House exists in spite of itself and, most impressively, this gonzo concept kind of works. Two teams of kids must compete through five events that apply creepy spins on Nickelodeon-esque challenges, like Fireball Alley, Worminator, and Vampire’s Lair. Secrets of the Cryptkeeper’s Haunted House featured an impressive blend of computer-generated elements that contestants would interact with in live-action. It’s a spectacle that was somewhat revolutionary back in 1996, even if it looks rather ridiculous now. 

The gonzo gameshow would even receive a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1997 for Outstanding Game Show. There’s plenty to appreciate in a horror-centric gameshow for kids, even if most of the contestants likely had no idea who the Crypt Keeper even was. It’s also kind of hilarious that encyclopedias were given out as consolation prizes on a gameshow that’s hosted by a sadistic corpse.

Tales From The Crypt: Have Yourself A Scary Little Christmas & Tales From The Crypt: Monsters Of Metal Soundtrack Albums 

The Crypt Keeper’s forte may be in tense tales of terror, but he became enough of a pop culture icon during the ’90s that he managed to headline a number of soundtracks and albums. In addition to Original Music from Tales from the Crypt and Demon Knight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, there was also Have Yourself A Scary Little Christmas and Monsters of Metal. The first of these was a Christmas-themed album from 1994 that featured the Crypt Keeper perverting classic Christmas carols into sordid songs, such as “Twelve Days of Cryptmas,” “Should Old Cadavers Be Forgot,” and “Deck the Halls with Parts of Charlie.” “Moe Teitlebaum” is actually a surprisingly gruesome carol about embalming a live family. 

Coming along several years later in 2000 was Tales from the Crypt: Monsters of Metal. This soundtrack album was more a showcase for the various heavy metal and death metal bands that provided music for Tales from the Crypt, such as Black Sabbath, Megadeth, and Pantera. Naturally, there are also six original tracks where the Crypt Keeper gets to let loose. A music video was also filmed for the generational bop “Crypt Jam,” because of course it was. At least the Crypt Keeper never had to resort to autotune. 

The World Of Tales From The Crypt Tabletop RPG

Fantasy, science fiction, and even cyberpunk genre fans had their share of options regarding tabletop RPGs. Horror fans weren’t nearly as fortunate, despite games like Chill trying to cater to this audience by embracing 20th-century horror iconography. The World of Tales from the Crypt wasn’t nearly as popular as Chill, and likely arrived a little too late, but it was a valiant attempt to translate campy B-movie horror into a role-playing game. Released by West End Games, designed by Greg Farshty and Teeuwynn Woodruff, The World of Tales from the Crypt uses the traditional MasterBook rules system. 

The 144-page guidebook lays out a basic framework in which the gamers have summoned the Crypt Keeper, who sends them into different horror adventures and contains one pre-made campaign, “Circus of Souls.” There are good bones for a horror table-top experience here, especially one that’s self-aware enough to embrace camp just as much as it leans into true horror. The fact that the RPG’s guidebook is largely written in the Crypt Keeper’s voice and that the “role-slaying game” is meant to be a pun-filled experience may leave some gamers more exasperated than excited. 

Tales From The Crypt Radio Dramas

Tales from the Crypt feels deeply steeped in the ’90s, but the franchise was of course pulling from EC Comics from the ’50s. Accordingly, it’s not a huge stretch to see these genre stories get adapted for an even older and more nostalgic form of media — radio dramas. In 2000, Tales from the Crypt had a brief revival in the form of radio shows that adapted classic EC Comics stories into episodes that ranged from 34-46 minutes. These Tales from the Crypt radio dramas had most of the HBO series’ producers on board, along with John Kassir back as the Crypt Keeper, and big guest stars that included Tim Curry, Gina Gershon, John Ritter, and Oliver Platt. 

13 episodes of these radio dramas were planned, but only eight were ultimately recorded and offered for free on the Seeing Ear Theatre’s website, and for sale on Audible.com. Seven of the recorded episodes were released on CD in 2002 with more episodes being announced at 2006’s San Diego Comic-Con. Despite these plans and an interest to carry the series over to satellite radio services like Sirius, a lack of investors led to new episodes never materializing.  

The Tales from the Crypt radio dramas really demonstrate a passion for the craft and they’re far more than just audio versions of classic stories. These are rewarding horror soundscapes that match the energy that fans come to expect from a Tales from the Crypt project. It’s too bad that more Tales from the Crypt radio dramas weren’t produced for Spotify or other modern audio streaming services. The Tales from the Crypt radio dramas are also the only place that you’ll hear the lyrics to Danny Elfman’s iconic Tales from the Crypt theme song.

Tales From The Crypt Terror Trivia Challenge 1-900 Hotline

1-900 hotlines are of the few things that are even more ’90s coded than Tales from the Crypt. While these pay lines were predominantly used for sexual conversation, psychic readings, or crying, they also found a surprising calling in the horror community. In addition to a Freddy Krueger Hotline, the Boglin Horror Hotline, and the “Creep Phone” was the Tales From the Crypt Terror Trivia Challenge. This 1-900 number was a contest where callers matched wits with the Crypt Keeper as they answered trivia about old horror movies and Tales from the Crypt episodes. 

Weekly winners were announced who received Tales from the Crypt merch, cash prizes, and even an autographed photo of the Crypt Keeper. However, the grand prize included a trip for two to Hollywood where the winner would get to meet the Crypt Keeper “in the flesh” and receive a sightseeing tour in a hearse. The Terror Trivia Challenge would return the following year in 1991, albeit with an even better grand prize that included a cameo in Tales from the Crypt’s upcoming season. Many horror trivia hounds likely found the Crypt Keeper’s puns a lot less funny upon receiving a hefty phone bill.

Inscape’s Tales From The Crypt PC Game

A Tales from the Crypt pinball cabinet was released in 1993 by Data East and is still likely filling space in a dinghy bar somewhere. However, there were also plans for a proper Tales from the Crypt video game, which would have been released for PCs in the mid-’90s. Developed by Inscape, who was best known for point-and-click adventure-horror games like The Dark Eye and Bad Day on the Midway, Tales from the Crypt would have followed the same point-and-click formula. 

A Tales from the Crypt CD-ROM game, especially during their apex in the ’90s, feels like a no-brainer, especially when series like Goosebumps and The X-Files embraced this trend. The Tales from the Crypt game would have been structured into three chapters that were pulling from different EC Comics stories — a nautical story, a tale in a wax museum, and a circus-centric story that would have been an original story for the game. 

These different stories would be navigated by a budding cartoonist named Killjoy who would gain inspiration for his own winning comic after finding the “keys to success” in these worlds. There’s definitely a certain charm to seeing the Crypt Keeper rendered in lo-fi 3D animation and it’s unfortunate that Inscape’s acquisition by Graphix Zone and subsequent bankruptcy led to the game’s cancellation. John Kassir had even recorded dialogue for the game’s cutscenes.

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Something Is Killing the Children #48 launches June 17, 2026 from BOOM! Studios.

In Issue #48, “The hunt at the Lodge continues as the Slaughterverse intensifies! Is Jessica’s past experience at the Lodge the key to their survival?

“To fully eliminate the threat, Erica and Jessica will have to face a treacherous pack of monsters in the woods. Will they be able to save the other visitors and leave unscathed?”

Something Is Killing the Children #48 features art by Werther Dell’Edera, colors by Miguel Muerto, and letters by AndWorld Design. Take a peek inside the pages below.

Blumhouse recently announced plans to adapt James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera’s horror comic book phenomenon Something is Killing the Children into both a feature film and an adult animated series. Now’s the time to jump into this one… 

Something is Killing the Children was first published by BOOM! Studios in 2019 and tells the story of Erica Slaughter, a monster hunter from a mysterious organization more concerned with keeping the secret of monsters from the world than saving their victims.

In this world, only children can see monsters.

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Check out the poster below from artist Matthew Therrien.

In director Damien Fannon’s Ivan, “Abigail is thrilled when her estranged father reappears, gifting her a cutting-edge AI device named Ivan. However, she soon discovers his sinister plan to use Ivan to control her and her mother, leading to devastating consequences.”

The UK premiere will be at Grimmfest in October 2026. Grimmfest, Manchester’s International Festival of Fantastic Film, will be back for the 18th edition from October 8 – 11, 2026.

Grimmfest previews in their official description for the film, “Damien Fannon’s debut feature combines the mastery of slowly escalating claustrophobic domestic disquiet that characterized Fannon’s shorts, with the unsettling ‘Science Gone Bad’ paranoia of classic 1970s horror, evoking in particular the wilder, weirder earlier work of David Cronenberg.”

Anna Mirodin stars alongside Stephen Bogaert, Tanya Clarke, Jordan Kronis, Julia Tomasone, Sarah Cleveland, and Robert Reynolds. Fannon wrote the script with Michael Schwartz.

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She joins Barker, Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”), Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), and Cooper Tomlinson (Obsession) in the horror film, which recently wrapped production in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Barker directs from a script he co-wrote with Tomlinson. Plot details have yet to be revealed.

Jason Blum produces for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster with Roy Lee & Steven Schneider of Spooky Pictures (Hokum), and Adam Hendricks & Greg Gilreath of Divide/Conquer (M3GAN).

Barker & Tomlinson executive produce under their That’s a Bad Idea banner alongside Ben Ross of Image Nation (Late Night with the Devil).

Barker, whose Obsession opens on May 15, is currently developing the Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot for A24.

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Adam Scott stars as Ohm Bauman, a successful author struggling to conclude his conquistador book series that seems destined to end in bleakness. That’s likely because Ohm is very much haunted by the loss of his parents, and so he travels to the hotel where they honeymooned for a sense of closure. Ohm isn’t a very nice guy, though, and alienates much of Billberry Woods Hotel’s staff.

He does manage to make two friends in bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh) and forest dweller Jerry (David Wilmot), both of whom warn him of the witch haunting the closed-off Honeymoon Suite. When Fiona goes missing, Ohm’s attempts to find her and the truth plunge him into an existential nightmare straight out of a twisted fairy tale.

Hokum‘s setting and acerbic author call Stephen King to mind, 1408 and The Shining specifically, in that the supernatural causes its protagonist to confront their issues in a baptism by unholy fire. While that means that McCarthy places higher emphasis on Ohm’s journey than the witchy folklore, the filmmaker firmly marches to his own drum with a unique and haunted vision. 

While Ohm’s introduction brings an effective scare, Hokum bides its time building anticipation and mystery. That’s not to say it’s light on scares; trust that McCarthy will scare you silly here. But dread and atmosphere take precedence over a constant barrage of jump scares; though there are plenty of those, too. One of McCarthy’s biggest strengths is his ability to conjure up chills from seemingly mundane spaces or objects, and with such imagination. 

There’s a distinct look to a Damian McCarthy horror movie. The filmmaker has a way of making whimsy pure nightmare fuel; Hokum distorts a kids’ show into eerie, uncanny valley-induced terror in its torment of Ohm. Production designer Til Frohlich ensures the hotel, and the Honeymoon Suite in particular, is as tactile and immersive as it is full of personality. When Ohm eventually finds his way in, you can practically smell the musk and mildew.

Adam Scott’s Ohm makes for a pleasant surprise, and his complicated emotional journey gives way to a deeply moving story of a man, not unlike his fictional conquistador bookending this film, so thoroughly broken by personal trauma that he constantly dwells in darkness. In true McCarthy style, expect the creepy as hell witch to dole out some supernatural retribution for crimes committed, but never in the way you’d expect. 

Damian McCarthy excels at defying expectations, also reflected in the way that every supporting player surprises: first impressions are very deceptive here. It’s also reflected in Hokum‘s narrative structure. McCarthy is unhurried in doling out details and uninterested in handholding. The Irish, at least in Hokum, simply accept the existence of folkloric entities like the witch. How she got there isn’t as important as the fact that she’s there and for good. Those hoping for an expansion of lore will likely come away disappointed, but that’s not what’s important to this story.

Hokum so thoroughly invests you in Ohm’s off-kilter quest, one that keeps raising new intrigues and questions, and in a way that’s not easily predicted. The full scope of terror takes a while to arrive for the sake of building anticipation, such nail-biting anticipation that explodes in a folkloric freakout, yet it still holds you firmly in its grip.

McCarthy dangles close to the precipice of bleakness, but ultimately rewards with a magical story about storytelling and the ability to heal. Hokum just also happens to be really freaking scary. But, as Jerry explains to Ohm, you have to be open to it.

Hokum premiered at SXSW and releases in theaters on May 1.

Editor’s Note: This SXSW review was originally published on March 15, 2026.

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A modern take on the Indonesian folktale Malin Kundang, sMOTHERed will stream May 29 on Shudder. Watch the trailer below.

In the film, “After surviving a terrible accident, renowned micro painter Alif returns home with fractured memories. When an elderly woman appears claiming to be his mother, Alif embarks on a search for the truth uncovering a haunting legacy inspired by the legend of Malin Kundang.”

Kevin Rahardjo & Rafki Hidayat make their feature directorial debut on the folk horror thriller from a script by Hidayat, Anwar, and Aline Djayasukmana.

Rio Dewanto, Faradina Mufti, Vonny Anggraini, Jordan Omar, Sulthan Hamonangan, Gambit Saifullah, Nova Eliza, and Tony Merle star.

Anwar produces alongside Tia Hasibuan. Executive producers include Lisbeth Simarmata, Gope T. Samtani, Sunil G. Samtani, and Sunar S. Samtani.

Anwar’s next directorial effort, the supernatural horror-comedy Ghost in the Cell, is due out later this year.

The post ‘sMOTHERed’ Trailer – Joko Anwar-Produced Folk Horror Curses Shudder in May appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

As part of the new wave of French Extremity, Fargeat blends the movement’s trademark violence and gore with previously established subgenres to highlight the dangers of a patriarchal world. 

After studying at the prestigious La Fémis, Fargeat turned heads with her 2017 feature debut, Revenge, a hot pink rape-revenge fantasy which ignited newfound calls for diversity behind the camera. Seven years later, her body horror nightmare The Substance would provoke similar conversation, upending Hollywood with Oscar nominations for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress for star Demi Moore, and Best Picture, not to mention a win for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Though they differ wildly in subject matter, both films see Fargeat use her stunning visual flair to eviscerate the cinematic male gaze, revealing the damage sexualized objectification can cause.

Our understanding of the male gaze as seen in modern filmmaking dates back to a 1975 essay from feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” describes the harmful practice of depicting women as objects of desire for an audience assumed to be heterosexual men. Denied agency, female characters exist as ornaments or components of a male-driven plot.

By contrast, films told through the female gaze center on women imbued with empowerment. Rather than dehumanized tools to facilitate male need, they are complex characters with interior lives. We are invited, not to simply view their bodies but to join in their emotional journeys.  

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Revenge (2017)

Fargeat’s first feature explores this dichotomy with overtly contrasting imagery. Revenge begins with a tightly-framed man looking toward the camera in a pair of mirrored sunglasses. As if reflecting the male gaze back at us, Fargeat slowly pans out to reveal a blond bombshell sitting just over his shoulder. We will soon learn that Richard (Kevin Janssens) is a wealthy businessman on an illicit getaway with his mistress, Jen (Matilda Lutz). With the male gaze on full display, Jen climbs out of a helicopter and waltzes into his desert cabana, suggestively licking a lollipop.

The camera zooms in on her scantily clad body in a cropped pink top and short, pleated skirt. Moments later, Jen kneels to perform oral sex, visually confirming her place in the story: an object to facilitate male desire. 

Though she expected time alone with her boyfriend, Jen is surprised to find his “associates”, Stan (Vincent Colombe) and Dimitri (Guillaume Bouchède), have arrived a day early for their hunting trip. Caught off guard, she reverts to a position of submissiveness and accommodates their ogling with gracious flirtation, assuming Richard will protect her from any unwanted advances.

But the next morning, Jen wakes to find Richard away on an errand, having left her alone with his lecherous friends. She politely tries to brush off Stan’s awkward propositions, but he throws her sensual behavior back in her face. He implies that her feigned interest from the night before now obligates her to sleep with him and prepares to force himself on her. 

As Stan violently presses Jen against the bedroom window, they notice that Dimitri is watching from the open doorway. He stares at this uncomfortable scene — with Jen clearly in distress — and calmly munches on a snack. Fargeat zooms in on his lips and teeth as they rip apart the marshmallowy treat, highlighting the consumptive nature of his voyeurism. He is the male gaze personified, ignoring Jen’s humanity while finding gratification in her subservience. Dimitri walks away and turns on the TV to drown out Jen’s screams, turning away from the violent rape happening just out of sight. 

Richard’s response to this assault is heartbreaking. In a soothing voice, he explains that Jen cannot go home and must start her life over in Canada to keep from negatively impacting his own. Still an object in his eyes, she’s now outlived her usefulness. When Jen balks at this horrific “solution,” Richard chases her, barefoot, into the desert and pushes her off a high cliff. She lands on a dead tree, impaled by a branch that protrudes from her stomach, a visual representation of the unwanted penetration that has dramatically changed the course of her life. 

From here, Fargeat intentionally switches to the female gaze. Somehow managing to survive the fall, Jen frees herself from the tree and evades the men now hunting her. When Dimitri tries to drown her in a dirty lake, she stabs him in the eye with his own hunting knife — symbolic punishment for passively watching her assault. Finding refuge in a cave, Jen tends to her wounds, numbing the pain with hallucinogens that cause a disorienting psychotic break. Fargeat again zooms in on Jen’s body, this time lingering on her gaping wound. As she removes the branch from her abdomen, we’re confronted with the visceral pain caused by the men’s objectification. 

Outside the cave, Fargeat formalizes this narrative shift as a hardened Jen uses binoculars to survey the dusty landscape. No longer dressed in supple pink, she is now outfitted for battle. Her hair — darkened by blood and dirt — hangs limply down her back while her black utilitarian underwear is accessorized with Dimitri’s heavy weapons. After cauterizing her wound with a flattened beer can, Jen’s stomach now bears the branded outline of an eagle, symbolizing her phoenix-like rise from the flames of male entitlement. Only a pair of bright star earrings reminds us of the eroticized bombshell she used to be. 

Fargeat follows Jen’s quest for grisly revenge as she hunts her attackers through the desert. Reversing the chase that sent her over the cliff, Jen manages to drive a shard of glass into the sole of Stan’s foot, a tender penetration that mirrors his abhorrent attack. Next, Jen tracks Richard back to the cabana, the scene of his ultimate betrayal. Like a raging bull, he chases her, naked through the house, his dangerous masculinity on full display. 

Blood pours over the camera and covers the walls as Richard shames Jen for fighting back, incensed that she would dare prioritize her own safety over his convenience. In a final act of catharsis, she sticks her hand in his abdominal wound, then shoots him with his own phallic weapon. The film ends with Jen walking towards the sound of an approaching helicopter before turning to stare back into the camera. Mirroring Fargeat’s opening shot, we no longer see Jen through Richard’s demeaning gaze, but have fully aligned with her emotional journey. 

The Substance (2024)

Fargeat’s second feature begins with the female gaze while exploring women’s complicity in a disturbing pattern of dehumanization. The Substance introduces us to Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) on her 50th birthday as she leads a popular workout show. After encouraging her audience to persevere through the daunting routine, she blows a kiss to the camera and urges us all to take care of ourselves.

Next, she walks down a crimson gauntlet decorated with life-sized portraits from her career, displayed to show her advancing age. In the bathroom, she overhears network executive Harvey (Dennis Quaid) demanding a younger, more beautiful replacement. Similar to Richard’s predatory gaze, he sees her as nothing more than a sexual object and is now preparing to toss her aside. 

Harvey delivers this news to Elisabeth while devouring a plate full of messy prawns, smearing creamy sauce and mangled carcasses all over his side of the table. Fargeat focuses on the disgusting man’s lips and teeth, amplifying Dimitri’s grotesque snack. As the producer of a popular show, Harvey sees women as nothing more than pawns in his own career advancement. He’s made a fortune from objectifying Elisabeth while training the audience of men and women to join this voyeuristic consumption. 

Desperate to recapture her fading youth, Elisabeth begins a mysterious treatment called the Substance, which promises to unlock a “better” version of herself — simply defined as “younger and more beautiful.” We feel Elisabeth’s despair as she gazes at herself in the bathroom mirror, mourning the relentless passage of time. But Fargeat scans her body with loving care, presenting the naked actress as beautiful regardless of her age or size. Labeled Activator, the bright green serum initiates a harmful male gaze as Elisabeth’s back opens like a seam, giving birth to a fully formed younger woman. With her older self lying lifeless on the floor, Sue (Margaret Qualley) marvels at her body in the mirror, seductively stretching to display her newly restored physical perfection. 

Like early scenes following Jen, Fargeat presents Sue with an explicit male gaze. Her workout show becomes a graphic dance, barely recognizable as exercise. In close shots of her body, we watch as Sue leans into this objectification, pleased with her ability to tantalize. Winking at the camera, she also reminds the audience to take care of themselves, but Sue’s delivery feels more ominous. No longer a compassionate message of self-care, she seems to be warning viewers to maintain their physical attractiveness or face losing their worth in a patriarchal world. 

The Substance’s only non-negotiable rule is that subjects must evenly split their time, switching back and forth every seven days. This zero-sum system reveals the impossible standards of physical beauty as each sign of humanity becomes an amplified flaw. When Elisabeth binges on rotisserie chicken, the shape of a wing pops up on Sue’s body, creating an unsightly lump. And each time Sue overstays her allotted time, Elisabeth’s body is irreparably harmed. Her fingers and legs become gnarled with unsightly wrinkles and liver spots while her hair grows gray and wiry.  

Hoping to bolster her self-esteem, Elisabeth makes a date with an adoring old beau who calls her “the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.” But as she’s preparing to walk out the door, Elisabeth catches a glimpse of Sue’s perfect body and immediately feels inadequate. She begins modifying her look, wiping off lipstick and adding clothes, until she eventually breaks down in angry tears. This devastating yet relatable scene perfectly captures the pain of the internalized male gaze. Caught in an endless cycle of objectification, Elisabeth can only find value in her outward appearance. 

As the story barrels towards its breathtaking conclusion, the women inevitably turn on each other. Elisabeth mirrors Harvey’s grotesque eating style — implying she’s adopted his dangerous gaze — while Sue dramatically overstays her time, transforming the older body into a twisted hag. This mutual disdain and misplaced anger explode into a vicious fight to the death. Sue bashes Elisabeth’s face on the bathroom sink, the site of her internalized degradation, then tosses her mangled body aside. But just moments later, she realizes that by giving in to her rage, she has permanently cut off the source of her vitality.

With no more stabilizing fluid to drain from Elisabeth, Sue’s body begins to fall apart in the hours leading up to an all-important New Year’s Eve show. Facing certain death, she injects herself with the leftover Activator, expecting to birth a younger, more perfect version of herself. But what emerges from her bisected spine is a hideous merging of the two women’s bodies. 

Monstro ElisaSue is a humanoid composite of bulbous flesh and appendages sprouting from formless lumps that seem to be piled on top of each other. While Sue’s face is marred by melted skin, Elisabeth silently screams from halfway down the creature’s back. Determined to take the stage, Monstro ElisaSue styles what remains of her flowing hair and refashions Sue’s billowing blue dress to cover her misshapen form. With a picture of Elisabeth’s face plastered over her own, she lumbers back to the studio and the audience eagerly awaits the show, including Harvey, who boasts about his success in shaping a new male fantasy. 

Though Monstro ElisaSue pleads with the audience to look past her imperfections — necessitating their use of the female gaze — they scream and run away in fear while men begin pushing her back and forth. As her malformed body deconstructs, severed appendages spray blood all over the studio, painting the audience with the horror of their own complicity. Though the sobbing creature eventually makes it to her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, perhaps finding comfort in her past success, Fargeat’s message is clear: Elisabeth’s dedication to appeasing the male gaze has come at the expense of her humanity. 

Both Revenge and The Substance conclude with torrents of blood, exposing the brutal violence underlying the male gaze. Though she ultimately transcends objectification, Jen is punished for existing as a beautiful woman in a world where men see her as a sexual commodity. Elisabeth’s own tragic demise is the culmination of a lifetime spent internalizing this predatory lens and trying to maintain an impossible ideal. But Fargeat deftly uses the female gaze to remind us that both women are victims of a degrading system in which we all participate. Her shockingly violent films challenge us to interrogate our part in a world designed to dehumanize women, lest we all end up with blood on our hands.  

The post Blood and Bubblegum: Coralie Fargeat’s Feminine French Extremity Films ‘Revenge’ and ‘The Substance’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The Resident Evil 2 video game, to be clear.

Zach Cregger explains to IGN in a trailer breakdown video today, “My rule for this movie was to try and make a movie that felt like my experience of playing the games, and that could live in the world of Resident Evil. I feel like this movie takes place alongside the events of Resident Evil 2. I like to think that everything that’s going on in the police station could be happening in this world. This is just another dude on another mission on the other side of town.”

“So yeah,” Cregger continues, “it’s not canon in that I’m using the characters, but it’s canon in that it lives in the actual day of reckoning in Raccoon City.”

“This is the first night that the T-Virus has broken out,” Cregger adds.

The dude on a mission in the film is Bryan, played by Austin Abrams (Weapons).

Zach Cregger goes on to detail in his Resident Evil trailer breakdown, “This movie follows a character who’s outside of Raccoon City, and he’s gotta get into the center of it. And we’re with him as he goes through this gauntlet of set-pieces and gets deeper and deeper into town.”

Based on the iconic video game franchise, Resident Evil opens in theaters and IMAX on September 18 via Sony. The film is being billed as “a thrilling — and terrifying — reinvention of the Resident Evil franchise” from the mind of visionary filmmaker Zach Cregger.

Watch the teaser trailer for Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil below.

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To celebrate, we have a creepy final poster, along with character posters of Adam Scott (“Severance”) David Wilmot (“Station Eleven”), Florence Ordesh (“Departure”), and Will O’Connell (“Game of Thrones”).

Scott stars in the horror film as reclusive novelist Ohm Bauman. When he retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, the staff’s tales of an ancient witch haunting the honeymoon suite take hold of his mind.

Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance draw Ohm into a nightmarish confrontation with the darkest corners of his past.

Peter Coonan (“The Alienist: Angel of Darkness”), Michael Patric (“Frontier”), Brendan Conroy (“Bodkin”), and Austin Amelio (“The Walking Dead”) round out the cast.

Spooky Pictures’ Roy Lee (Weapons) & Steven Schneider (Insidious) produce alongside Image Nation’s Derek Dauchy (Late Night with the Devil), Tailored Film’s Ruth Treacy, Julianne Forde, & Mairtín de Barra, and Cweature Features’ Ken Kao & Josh Rosenbaum.

Ben Ross (Late Night With the Devil), Dan Kagan (Longlegs), Rami Yasin (Late Night with the Devil), and Andrew Childs (The Long Walk) serve as executive producers.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her 4.5-skull review out of SXSW, “McCarthy dangles close to the precipice of bleakness, but ultimately rewards with a magical story about storytelling and the ability to heal. Hokum just also happens to be really freaking scary.”

Hokum is rated R for “some violent/disturbing content and language.” Are you seeing it on the big screen this weekend?

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