Exclusives
Greg McLean Explains the Black Handprints in ‘The Darkness’
Next Friday Greg McLean will not only see his “Wolf Creek” series hit Stan, but also have his supernatural horror The Darkness open in theaters across the country.
The Darkness, which stars Silent Hill and Rogue‘s Radha Mitchell, as well as Kevin Bacon (“The Following,” Stir of Echoes), follows a family that, after a vacation at the Grand Canyon, brings home a supernatural force that preys off their own fears and vulnerabilities, threatens to destroy them from within, while also consuming their lives with terrifying consequences.
Every good horror movie has a visual cue that the audience can recognize. The Darkness is shrouded in black handprints, which canvas the posters, trailers and TV spots.
We caught up with McLean, who explained to us the original of the black handprints, which are uniquely inspired by ancient Native American art.
“I drew a lot from Native American Mythologies and rituals in my research,” McLean explains to us in an exclusive interview. “During the research I kept on seeing these hand prints in ancient cave paintings – which were symbols of death and they evolved from the idea that these demonic forces appeared via a ritual fire and left hand prints in ash. Ash also being a symbol of death and rebirth.
“There’s such incredible depth and richness to Native American culture, legends and religion one could spend a lifetime reading and studying and constantly be amazed. As someone not from the states the Native American history of the USA has always fascinated me and much of that found it’s way into the movie.”
Speaking of inspirations, McLean talks a bit about a haunting that ignited the idea behind The Darkness.
“The script idea began years ago when a friend told me a story of a real haunting that happened near where they lived,” McLean revealed. “The way it was related to me was so mundane, and the family so normal and what went down was so extreme, the concept of how the supernatural can explode into incredibly relatable circumstances stuck with me. It was a powerful moment and I thought about that for years until I came across the true stories of objects being taken from sacred sites bringing bad luck and disaster to individuals and homes. Those two thoughts were really the genesis of the movie.”
The Darkness (watch the trailer) will be opening in theaters everywhere next Friday, the 13th.
Exclusives
New Documentaries Explore the Cult Legacies of ‘The Keep’ and ‘Wolfen’; Watch the Trailers Now [Exclusive]
Undersung werewolf gem Wolfen and Michael Mann’s The Keep get the spotlight in a pair of feature documentaries acquired by Antenna Releasing.
A World War II Fairy Tale, which covers the infamous production of and reception to The Keep, will receive a limited theatrical release in October, followed by a TVOD release on Apple/Amazon. The Keep will also screen as a double feature for some showings.
For Uncovering Wolfen, Antenna eyes a limited theatrical release for 2027. Both films are currently available for booking via Antenna prior to their theatrical and digital releases.
Both documentaries are directed by Stewart Buck, who co-helms with Stéphane Piter on A World War II Fairy Tale.
“We at Antenna are obsessed with film history,” said Chief Acquisitions Officer Billy Ray Brewton. “Stewart has done such a remarkable job of really diving into the deepest recesses of how these films were made and, in doing so, has created the definitive histories of both projects.”
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Antenna Releasing!” said director Buck. “It’s refreshing to see a filmmaker-friendly approach to distribution with people who know what it’s like to be in the trenches with independent projects that struggle to find a home in the crowded marketplace.”
Check out our exclusive trailer and poster reveal of both documentaries below.
Released in 1983, Michael Mann’s The Keep was a notorious box office bomb, critically lambasted and all but forgotten for years, save for the fascination with Tangerine Dream’s iconic score. In recent years, the film has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence and is widely considered a cult classic, though director Michael Mann and many cast members refuse to acknowledge it.
Wolfen, on the other hand, was critical success but was overshadowed heavily by its flashier 1981 siblings An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. It’s also a trailblazer for socio-political horror, and the doc will explore that via the craftspeople who made it.
Look for them both in theaters soon. Stay tuned for more as it arrives.
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