News
Some Late “Strangers Things” Casting Comes from Nashville
“Nashville” and “Smash” vet Will Chase has joined “Stranger Things‘” anticipated second season in a pivotal recurring role, TVLine reported.
He will play Neil Mayfield, the father of a family of recent transplants to Hawkins Indiana from California. They believe he’s the dad of the two new kids in town, played by American Odyssey‘s Sadie Sink and Power Rangers‘ Dacre Montgomery.
The site recaps new info, including that “Mad About You‘s” Paul Reiser and Lord of the Rings‘ Sean Astin have signed on for recurring roles, with the former playing a high-ranking member within the Department of Energy on a ‘clean-up’ assignment and the latter portraying a kindhearted former nerd who went to high school with Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour). Danish actress Linnea Berthelsen, meanwhile, will play an emotionally damaged, magnetic young woman who suffered a great loss as a child. Although she does not live in Hawkins, she is mysteriously connected to the town’s supernatural events.
“Strangers Things” returns on Halloween.
All of us here at Bloody Disgusting are deeply sad to learn that The Blob director Chuck Russell has passed away at 74 years old.
Russell’s career began with his directorial debut, 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
The multihyphenate film director, screenwriter, and producer is best known for helming 1994 comedy The Mask starring Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger actioner Eraser, and adventure spinoff The Scorpion King. The latter served as the first leading role for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The filmmaker left an indelible mark on horror with his ANOES sequel, 1988’s The Blob, and 2000’s Bless the Child.
Russell’s final film credit is 2024’s Witchboard remake starring Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Aaron Dominguez (Only Murders in the Building), and Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things”).
It marked Russell’s return to horror after a lengthy hiatus, and he shared sequel hopes to Bloody Disgusting in an interview ahead of the remake’s release: “I got to design the board with real mystical symbols and things that I know represent good and evil, and where that board takes us if the audiences respond to the film, and I hope they will; I know it’s out there for you guys, but the sequel is a world we’ll get to go a little further. That’s sure the intention.”
He also recently expressed interest in returning to the franchise that began his career.
TMZ notes that Russell passed away at his San Diego-area home.
We send our deepest condolences to Chuck Russell’s family, friends, and fans.
Director, Co-Writer & Producer Chuck Russell behind the scenes of the horror film, WITCHBOARD. Photo courtesy of The Avenue and Atlas Distribution
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