Movies
All Horror and Genre-Related Projects Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic [Updating]
We here at Bloody Disgusting like to think of horror as escapism and don’t love the idea of tying real-life horror to the site. That said, there’s no escaping the coronavirus, a pandemic that’s bringing the entire world to its knees. This is a scary time for all of us and, while we want to stay focused on the genre news at hand, it’s impossible to ignore its impact on all of entertainment. Everything is shutting down and that could cost the industry up to $20 billion, according to reports.
Instead of writing up an article detailing all shut-downs, I figured it would make more sense to create a running article as we learn more. That way, Bloody Disgusting won’t be hammering you with tragedy, but we’ll also be doing our job in keeping you informed of what’s happening with all the forthcoming genre projects.
Here’s every project and production that has been impacted thus far.
A QUIET PLACE PART II
Evelyn (Emily Blunt) braves the unknown in A Quiet Place Part II
It all started on Thursday when Paramount Pictures removed A Quiet Place Part II from their release schedule, a preemptive move that would prove smart after AMC announced policy to cap attendance capacity at 50%, which would eventually trim to 50 seats. The film was tracking upwards of $60M for its opening and is a crushing blow to the sequel that had just screened for critics and was gaining huge hype. It will, obviously, release at a later date.
THE NEW MUTANTS / ANTLERS
Later that day, 20th Century Studios/Marvel’s The New Mutants and Searchlight’s horror pic Antlers were pulled off the release schedule.
This is a heavy blow for the Josh Boone-directed The New Mutants, which was finally getting a theatrical release on April 3rd after a nearly two-year delay. Is there a world in which the film just drops onto Hulu or Disney+?
The Guillermo del Toro-produced Antlers, directed by Scott Cooper, was slated for release on April 17th and had all kinds of hype going into its release.
Based on the short story “The Quiet Boy” by Nick Antosca (“Channel Zero”), in Antlers, a small-town Oregon teacher (Keri Russell) and her brother (Jesse Plemons), the local sheriff, become entwined with a young student (Jeremy T. Thomas) harboring a dangerous secret with frightening consequences.
STRANGER THINGS
On Friday, Netflix became the latest media company to suspend film and TV production in the face of an escalating health crisis stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, Deadline reported.
All scripted TV and films in US and Canada are grounded for the next two weeks, starting Monday, March 16, explains the site. The shutdown is done out of precaution and in compliance with bans on large gatherings, travel and other restrictions by authorities in the U.S. and abroad.
The long list includes Netflix’s flagship series, “Stranger Things”, which has been filming its fourth season.
FEAR THE WALKING DEAD / THE WALKING DEAD / THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND
The scary parallel between the zombie subgenre and the coronavirus comes full circle with news that AMC is shutting down production on “Fear the Walking Dead” and delaying the 11th season of “The Walking Dead”.
Deadline reported the news Friday, noting that “Fear the Walking Dead” is currently in production and already set for a hiatus this week. The Colman Domingo-starring spinoff will halt for another three weeks in the abundance of caution that has spread across the whole small-screen industry over the past 48 hours.
AMC is aiming to pick up around the week of April 13.
In addition, pre-production on Season 11 of the Georgia-filmed “The Walking Dead” will also get pushed in the name of health safety, adds the site. AMC says “TWD” will give actual physical production on the show a shove of about three to four weeks down the calendar. The writers’ room on the Angela Kang-showrun series will remain open, with scribes working remotely on the upcoming season.
The Season 10 finale of “The Walking Dead,” meanwhile, will no longer be airing on April 12th as originally planned. Post-production cannot be completed right now, so the season will instead wrap up with episode 15 and the 16th episode will air later this year.
New series “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” will also no longer be premiering on April 12th. According to Deadline, the series “had wrapped filming but was in post-production on the last few episodes, which has been impacted by the COVID-19-related company closures.”
JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION
Universal Pictures has become the latest studio to suspend production on live-action film projects because of the coronavirus crisis with ScreenDaily reporting that production has halted on Jurassic World: Dominion, the third film in the new Jurassic Park trilogy.
In a statement, the studio said: “Universal Pictures’ live-action feature productions will ramp down and go on hiatus beginning this weekend. The studio continues to monitor the situation closely and will make a determination on when to restart production in the coming weeks.”
Jurassic World: Dominion, directed by Colin Trevorrow, began shooting at the UK’s Pinewood Studios in February.
THE WITCHER
As expected, Netflix has halted production on “The Witcher” for two weeks, making it the first major TV show produced in the UK to be grounded by the chaos being caused by coronavirus, reports Deadline.
The Henry Cavill fantasy drama is made in-house by Netflix and is filmed at Arborfield Studios, which is around 40 miles west of London. Production crew were told in an email this past weekend about the decision to pause production, but they will continue to be paid by Netflix during the filming hiatus.
A source close to the production team told the site: “We have made the decision, effective immediately, to pause production for two weeks during this difficult time… this will allow everyone the time to make informed decisions about how to move forward.”
They added: “The coronavirus has raised challenging issues for everyone working on set on productions for Netflix. We are very grateful for all the work everyone has done to keep cast and crew safe during this pandemic.”
It follows Netflix’s blanket decision last week to shut down productions in the U.S. and Canada.
VENGEANCE
Production on Vengeance, a Blumhouse thriller that was shooting under the radar, has been suspended due to coronavirus concerns, reported THR this past Saturday.
B.J. Novak, best known for his work on “The Office”, was making his directorial debut with the production, which was shooting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The site notes that crew-members were informed of the decision Saturday. The movie had been about two weeks into production.
Vengeance stars Novak as well as Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher and Boyd Holbrook. Novak wrote the script.
SUPERNATURAL
After lengthy deliberations, a decision was made Friday afternoon to suspend production on the final season of the CW series “Supernatural” in the interest of the safety of cast and crew, reports Deadline. The news comes with just a couple of weeks left to film “Supernatural‘s” 15th and final season.
The site also notes that, if the break is long while the government tries to get the coronavirus outbreak under control, the airing of “Supernatural‘s” final season may get interrupted before the last episodes. What’s more, a delay in production on “Supernatural” impacts star Jared Padalecki’s followup series for the CW, “Walker” as he was slated to segue to the “Walker, Texas Ranger” reboot right after “Supernatural” wraps.
MIDNIGHT MASS
Mike Flanagan, who is directing every episode of Netflix’s forthcoming “Midnight Mass”, announced via Twitter that production was shut down.
“Production on ‘Midnight Mass’, which was scheduled to begin Monday, has been temporarily shut down (along with the rest of Netflix’s scripted productions),” writes Flanagan, who also helmed “The Haunting of Hill House” for Netflix. “Wishing safety and health for our amazing cast and crew. #Covid_19”
The seven-episode series follows an isolated island community experiencing miraculous events – and frightening omens – after the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious young priest.
THE MATRIX 4
Warner Bros’ The Matrix 4 had been scheduled to complete filming in Berlin beginning this month, but THR reports that the production has been “shut down until further notice.”
The film is currently scheduled for release on May 21, 2021, but that could change.
Keanu Reeves, Jada Pinkett Smith and Carrie-Anne Moss will star alongside Priyanka Chopra, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Toby Onwumere, Eréndira Ibarra, Jessica Henwick and Neil Patrick Harris.
Lana Wachowski is directing for Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow. Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell are co-writing the script with Wachowski.
THE BATMAN
Warner Bros. has also been forced to shut down production on Matt Reeves‘ The Batman, which had been filming in the UK since January. For now, it’s been shut down for two weeks.
Robert Pattinson stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the film, which had been set for release on June 25, 2021. That’s still the date at this time, but that could certainly change.
Jeffrey Wright is co-starring as Commissioner Gordon with Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Paul Dano is set to play the Riddler, with Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone.
NIGHTMARE ALLEY
Disney has halted production on Searchlight Pictures’ Nightmare Alley, which had been filming in Toronto with Guillermo del Toro in the director’s chair.
Cast includes Bradley Cooper, Toni Collette, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, David Strathairn, Rooney Mara and Holt McCallany.
Published in 1946, the novel upon which the movie is based spawned its first feature film just one year later starring Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell, and this new take on the material for Fox Searchlight has been written by del Toro and Kim Morgan.
The original novel is described as “a study of the lowest depths of showbiz and its sleazy inhabitants – the dark, shadowy world of a second rate carnival filled with hustlers, scheming grifters, and Machiavellian femmes fatales.” The 1947 movie chronicles “The rise and fall of Stanton Carlisle, a mentalist whose lies and deceit prove to be his downfall.”
SHRINE
Production had been underway in Massachusetts on the Sam Raimi-produced horror film Shrine, but we’ve learned that Sony has temporarily put a stop to all filming for four weeks.
Shrine focuses on a disgraced journalist (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) who discovers a series of divine miracles in a small New England town that has been touched by the apparition of the Virgin Mary and uses them to resurrect his career, but the “miracles” may have a much darker source.
Evan Spiliotopoulos is directing the pic which is based on James Herbert’s best-selling novel. Ghost House Picture’s Rob Tapert also produces alongside Raimi.
VARIOUS OTHER TV SHOWS
Some other genre-related television shows currently on hold include “Y,” “Servant,” “Snowpiercer,” “The Brides,” “Carnival Row,” “Lisey’s Story” and “Lucifer.”
ANTEBELLUM / SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW
Bloody Disgusting was just informed that the studio is moving Antebellum (April 24th) and Spiral: From the Book of Saw (May 15) from their release schedule.
We’re told that these films will remain undated for the time being and Lionsgate will announce the next steps, dates, and strategies for bringing these films to the public once there is more clarity on when theaters will safely and fully resume operations.
Antebellum hails from one of the producers of Get Out and Us and stars Janelle Monáe as successful author Veronica Henley, who finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and starring both Chris Rock & Samuel L. Jackson, follows a sadistic mastermind who unleashes a twisted form of justice…
“Working in the shadow of an esteemed police veteran (Jackson), brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Rock) and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.”
Watch this spot for new release dates as they come in.
THE LOST BOYS
The CW’s second attempt at a pilot for a TV series based on “The Lost Boys” had its production shut down over the weekend, reportedly with mere days left of filming.
In the pilot, “When a mother, Jackie (Rochelle Aytes) and her Gen Z sons, Garrett (Branden Cook) and Levi, move to the seaside town where she grew up, they discover there’s a sinister reason the local cool kids sleep all day, party all night, never grow up and never get old. Family bonds are tested as the brothers find themselves on opposite sides of a mythological struggle.”
The pilot was written by Heather Mitchell & Rob Thomas and is being directed by Marcos Siega.
JAMES WAN’S MALIGNANT
James Wan’s new horror movie Malignant had been set for release on August 14th, but now that WB has delayed Wonder Woman 1984 and moved the sequel into that slot, Wan’s movie has been temporarily bumped off the studio’s release schedule. For now, it’s undated.
Described as an original thriller not based on any existing IP, we’re told that the film is going to be part of the Giallo sub-genre.
Malignant‘s plot is being kept under wraps.
The cast includes Maddie Hasson, Mckenna Grace, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Abel, George Young, Ingrid Bisu, Michole Briana White and Jacqueline McKenzie.
Wan directed off a screenplay by Akela Cooper and JT Petty with story by Wan and Ingrid Bisu.
SAINT MAUD
Unsurprisingly, A24 will no longer be releasing Rose Glass‘s horror film Saint Maud in theaters on April 10th, which would have been Easter weekend. It will be released at a later date.
At this time, a new date has not yet been decided upon.
Joe Lipsett called the film “an exquisite religious psychological thriller.”
Saint Maud is described as “a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and salvation in a fallen world.”
“Maud, a newly devout hospice nurse, becomes obsessed with saving her dying patient’s soul — but sinister forces, and her own sinful past, threaten to put an end to her holy calling.”
Morfydd Clark (Love & Friendship) stars as Maud, with Tony and BAFTA-winning actress Jennifer Ehle (The Miseducation of Cameron Post) as Amanda.
Movies
‘Backrooms’ Director Kane Parsons Is No Fan of Generative AI: “Defeats the Purpose Entirely for Me”
There has been a lot of talk recently about filmmakers embracing generative AI as part of the filmmaking process, from Darren Aronofsky to Martin Scorsese. But what about filmmakers that are against the use of Gen AI for creative pursuits? You can count 20-year-old Backrooms director Kane Parsons among that group, which should give you some hope for the future.
In a new chat with The Australian, the self-taught young filmmaker makes it crystal clear that he won’t be using generative AI in any of his upcoming filmmaking projects.
“I think I’m in the same boat as most well-adjusted people,” Parsons tells the outlet. “If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would. Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools. It defeats the purpose entirely for me.”
“What interests me more is interrogating it artistically,” Parsons notes. “We already live in a world where you walk outside and there are billboards and signs that are obvious AI slop. That’s become part of our visual reality. To me, generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot.”
He explains, “I’m interested in using that iconography in art – not using AI to make the art itself, but examining what it represents. I definitely want to explore it further in future projects.”
Kane Parsons also notes during the interview with The Australian, “… there’s so much at stake and so many genuinely harmful consequences already happening.”
Backrooms marks young prodigy Kane Parsons’ feature directorial debut, and it’s based on his own series of YouTube videos that were brought to life using Blender, the open-source 3D computer graphics software suite. So it’s no surprise that Parsons, who has hand-made his filmmaking career up to this point, isn’t buying into the hoopla around Generative AI.
His debut feature is the #1 movie in the world, so perhaps he’s onto something.
What’s next from Kane Parsons, you ask? Stay tuned…
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