Movies
‘Man and Witch’ – Fantasy Throwback Pays Tribute to ‘Neverending Story’ in Theaters This Summer
Fathom Events, the premier name in specialty distribution, is partnering with New York-based Paper Canoe Company to bring the new fantasy film Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps to theaters nationwide this summer, we’ve learned this week.
Coinciding with the 40th Anniversary of The NeverEnding Story, the film marks the long-anticipated return to the big screen of that film’s iconic Childlike Empress, Tami Stronach, in her first film role since the Fantasy classic. The feature debut of veteran comedy director Michael Hines (the long-running Scottish cult comedy Still Game), Man and Witch is a labor of love from producer and star Stronach and her husband, co-star, and the film’s writer Greg Steinbruner.
A throwback to the films that captured the imagination of a generation, Man and Witch follows a lonely goatherd (Steinbruner) who, having been cursed at birth to never take a wife, makes a pact with a reclusive witch (Stronach) to reverse the spell only if he can complete three impossible tasks so that he may one day find true love.
With a production utilizing practical effects and sets, integrating Scotland’s most iconic castles, live animals and puppets fabricated by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Man and Witch draws inspiration from the likes of The Princess Bride, Labyrinth and, of course, The NeverEnding Story.
The all-star cast also includes Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Expanse), Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones), Stuart Bowman (Versailles), Martha West (The Pursuit of Love), and Michael Emerson (Lost), with the voices of Sean Astin (Stranger Things, Lord of the Rings), Bill Bailey (Hot Fuzz), Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous) and Eddie Izzard (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance).
“We’re beyond thrilled to partner with Fathom Events on the theatrical release of Man and Witch,” says the film’s producer and star Stronach. “This film is full of nostalgia for fans of classic 80s fantasy and no one understands fandom better than Fathom. To release this film in theaters nationwide alongside the 40th anniversary of The NeverEnding Story is an absolute dream and I can’t wait to share it with the fans.”
The film is edited by BAFTA-nominated Victoria Boydell (Saltburn, Rye Lane) and scored by Emmy-winning composer Geoff Zanelli (Leo, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil).
NEON has been absolutely slaying the marketing game for their horror output this year, and they’re kicking the Longlegs campaign into high gear with one more month until release.
A cryptic ad in The Seattle Times today (seen below) has led clever horror fans to discover TheBirthdayMurders.net, the brand new official viral marketing website for Longlegs.
The in-universe website details the victims of the serial killer known as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), described as a “Satan-worshipping psycho” who has terrorized families throughout the Pacific Northwest for nearly three decades.
The website details, “A bloody trail of bodies here in the great state of Oregon attests to the depraved savagery of this one-of-a-kind serial killer. With over three dozen victims that we know of, LONGLEGS is one of the most prolific mass murderers ever to have graced the region, and his gruesome endeavors are the stuff of nightmares. At first, all of the killings appeared to be straightforward murder-suicides: the handiwork of average men who suddenly snapped and slaughtered their wives and children. But a series of eerie coded messages left at the crime scenes indicate that someone – or something – is influencing these horrific crimes. The cryptic letters are signed by someone calling himself LONGLEGS.”
“With thirty-eight kills to his name, LONGLEGS has torn apart the lives of eleven different families throughout the Beaver State. His victims were good people: honest fathers, decent mothers, innocent little children.”
The website is loaded with secrets, clues, and gruesome (faux) crime scene photos, and you might even find a mention of yours truly nestled in there. Poke around. Stay a while.
Longlegs arrives in theaters July 12.
The upcoming serial killer horror movie marks the return of director Osgood Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel). Nicolas Cage stars alongside Maika Monroe, with Monroe playing an FBI agent and Cage playing a serial killer.
In the film, “FBI Agent Lee Harker (Monroe) is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer (Cage). As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.
The film is rated “R” for “Bloody violence, disturbing images and some language.”
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