We hope you like this new direction and will drop us a line sometime and let us know what you think.

Anchor Bay Working on Two New Special Editions
Anchor Bay Entertainment is working on two new DVD special editions. First up, Director Michael Man has personally overseen and approved a remastered definitive version of his Manhunter: Director's Cut. This new release will also sport a brand-new audio commentary, along with other features TBA. Manhunter will be released this Summer.

Also, coming to DVD is Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes. This will be a 2-disc special edition with tentative features like new DTS & Dolby EX audio tracks, an audio commentary, interviews, trailers, and more. This one is due in the Fall.

2.3.03
O Canada Genre Filming Sked
Dark Horizons has some Great White North West Coast film shooting news. The Chronicles of Riddick will shoot from April 28 till Sept. 15 in Burnaby. Paramount's John Woo thriller Paycheck will film from April 1 to July 16 in Vancouver, Alex Proyas' I Robot starts the same day though ends three months later on Oct. 3, while Scary Movie 3 will start sooner in the BC capital from Feb. 24 to May 16.

King Conan Back on Track?
After a pretty dire outcast a while back, DH reports it looks like the new sequel could be happening after all. TheArnoldFans says that the Wachowski Brothers, who were in talks for a long while to produce the next barbarian epic, seem to be involved again. The pair pulled out a while back due to their commitments to both The Matrix sequels, however with both those films almost complete they've apparently once again hooked on Conan and are not only pegging that as their next project, but have managed to get both Warners and John Milius back onboard and interested.

Milius is currently looking into Turkey and Rome locations for shooting major battle scenes with pre-production scheduled to begin sometime in the early Fall - however there's still one missing piece, no comment as yet by Arnie himself about reprising the part.

1.31.03
Schwarzenegger Undergoes Surgery for T3 Injury
It appears The Terminator isn't as indestructible as he used to be. Reuters says Arnold Schwarzenegger was released on Thursday from a Santa Monica hospital where he underwent surgery to repair a shoulder injury suffered while performing a stunt on the set of his upcoming film Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

The 55-year-old actor tore the rotator cuff in his left shoulder last fall but put off surgery at the time to avoid holding up production on the film, according to a statement from his publicist. Schwarzenegger was admitted to St. John's Health Center for the operation on Wednesday and left the hospital "feeling great and in very good spirits," the statement said.

Although he will have to keep his shoulder immobilized in a tight sling for the next three to four weeks, he plans to go ahead with previously scheduled appearances, including a multi-state tour of his Inner-City Games Foundation next week. "I'm feeling great. I am very fortunate to have had such fantastic surgeons at St. John's work on my shoulder," the actor said in the statement.

I, Robot & Mad Max Release Dates Set
Variety reports Twentieth Century Fox has announced release dates for summer big flicks I, Robot and Mad Max: Fury Road -- the cornerstones of the 2004 slate. Robot, starring Will Smith, will march out on July 2. Meanwhile, the fourth installment in the Mad Max series, with Mel Gibson reprising the starring role, will roll into theaters nationwide on July 23.

In Robot, based on the classic story collection by famed sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov, Smith will play a detective investigating a crime by a robot. The crime is considered unthinkable, for as robots proliferated in the future, the Three Laws of Robotics allowed them to be completely trustworthy companions. (The first law states that a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.) Alex Proyas (Dark City) directs.

Fox is mum on the details of the new George Miller-penned "Max" picture, which had been previously set up at Warner Bros.

1.30.03
Aronofsky's Next Project is Flicker
Empire reports Pi and Requiem for a Dream's Darren Aronofsky has got his next project up and running. And to make you feel even more optimistic, it sounds like a goody.

Burned by Brad Pitt's last-minute exit from his ambitious 'post-Matrix, metaphysical sci-fi movie' The Fountain last year, Aronofsky has put those 'creative issues' behind him and got cracking on a conspiracy thriller called Flicker.

Adapted from history professor Dr Theodore Roszak's novel of the same name, the film will take a disturbing and revisionist look at film history through the eyes of a Los Angeles film student who starts to research a long-forgotten film director of the '30s. Becoming obsessed with the kitsch filmmaker, the student becomes convinced that his B-movies hold hidden secrets, dark, flickering moments that seem to be part of a plot to destroy life on Earth.

In a detail that makes the weird and wonderful tale even more intriguing, Aronofosky's also going after Fight Club scribe Jim Uhls to adapt the prof's febrile words.

Brendan Fraser Considering Dark Role
Empire reports Brendan Fraser is eyeing a dark slice of sci-fi entitled 10th Victim as his next flick. He's in negotiations to bravely head off into a future where contract killing is a sport Ð and he's the next victim.

Reminiscent of the 2001 satire Series 7: The Contenders but actually based on the fantastic 1965 Italian film La Decima Vittima, the film follows a woman searching for her tenth victim in order to achieve the highest possible score in this murderous leisure time activity. After setting her sights on a particular man, she's more than a little surprised to find out that - yep, you've guessed it - he's also out to get her first. This unlikely couple's homicidal urges are then further complicated when god knows how, but they fall in love.

Terminator with a Sweet Tooth
AICN reports (via Empire) that you'll soon be seeing a Terminator with a sweet tooth. Quite why a cyborg should have a penchant for sweets remains unclear, but apparently Arnold Schwarzenegger will be doing his bit for Austria by munching through some rather tasty chocolate wafers in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Industry mag Advertising Age revealed Schwarzenegger will be seen buying and eating a packet of Manner-Schnitten wafers, Austria's biggest-selling confectionery product, on screen. And he's not doing it for any product placement dosh either. Confirming that no deal has been struck, the confectionery company publicists commented, "We have had dealings with Mr Schwarzenegger in the past. I think the fact that he is Austrian has helped and I believe we have a special relationship with him because of it."

So now you know. If ever you want to halt a rampaging, seemingly unstoppable Terminator in his tracks, simply waft a Kit-Kat in his general direction.

Release Moves for 1000 Corpses & Freddy vs. Jason
Fangoria reports Lions Gate has announced that the definite, no-kidding nationwide release date for Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses is April 11, 2003. For a while, the company was talking a March debut, but evidently decided to avoid competition with that month's horror films Willard and Dreamcatcher. In addition, New Line has shifted Freddy vs. Jason out of a planned summer berth and is now contemplating a fall release.

Marquis Graphic Novel Getting Film Treatment?
Comics2Film reports (via DH) that a movie version of Guy Davis' period graphic novel The Marquis is currently in development. The five-issue comic miniseries was set in Inquistion-controlled 18th century France and followed a man of the Inquisition (who looks like the black figure of Death seen in "Amadeus") who finds himself blessed with the ability to see into the very souls of the damned and fight the demons within. So he sets out on a holy crusade to send back the escapees of hell.

Now, a young writer/director out of USC has pitched an adaptation which publication house Oni Press was very pleased with, so the script is being penned now.

1.28.03
Beyond Re-Animator Pics & Trailers
Check out the poster, a few photos and links to trailers for the Re-Animator sequel -- Beyond Re-Animator. The trailer looks cool, so maybe Brian Yuzna has another hit on the way. Click here.

Big Matrix Reloaded News!

Click image for larger view

The best doggone source any site could have, Frank Garcia, sent us a ton of news about the Matrix Reloaded trailer/short film we reported on yesterday that will follow the film Dreamcatcher.

There is apparently a lot more to this nine-minute animated short than previously realized. It will be called The Final Flight of the Osiris and is described as serving as chapter 1.5 in the Matrix trilogy, giving fans a ride through the events that occur following The Matrix and directly impact the story told in the video game Enter the Matrix. In turn, this chain of action sets off The Matrix Reloaded.

For the full press release and many more details about an entire set of these animations, many written by the Wachowski brothers, click here.

Script Review for Coraline Adaptation
Johnny over at Creature Corner dropped by and told us about a new script review they have up for Coraline, written by Nightmare Before Christmas helmer Henry Selick, based on Neil Gaiman's book of the same name. Check it out here.

Ginger Snaps 2 & 3 Details
Fangoria reports production begins on the back-to-back follow-ups to Ginger Snaps in early February in Edmonton, Canada, with each film having a six-week shoot.

The first film will be a direct sequel, with actresses Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle both returning and original Ginger Snaps editor Brett Sullivan directing from a script by Megan Martin. When that has wrapped, shooting will begin on the second film, a prequel set in the 1790s, with Grant Harvey (the first movie’s 2nd-unit director) at the helm and Perkins and Isabelle once again making appearances. As previously reported, KNB will create the werewolves and other FX for both features.

Memento Director Signs On for Batman
Memento director Chris Nolan has made a deal to direct the next Batman movie. Variety reports it was unclear whether he would write the script for the Warner Bros. project.

"All I can say is that I grew up with Batman, I've been fascinated by him and I'm excited to contribute to the lore surrounding the character," said Nolan, who last directed the studio's Insomnia.

"He is the most credible and realistic of the superheroes, and has the most complex human psychology. His superhero qualities come from within. He's not a magical character. I had a fantastic experience with the studio on 'Insomnia,' and I'm keen to repeat that experience."

1.27.03
Ridley Scott Picks Up Option on Joe Lansdale Book
We're about a week behind on this one but the news is so damn cool, we're gonna pass it along in case a handful of you missed it too. THR reports (via Coming Soon) Ridley and Tony Scott's Scott Free Prods. has struck a deal to acquire the feature film rights to Joe Landsdale's novella The Big Blow and hired scribe Millard Kaufman to adapt it for the screen.

Set during the turn of the 20th century in Galveston, Texas, "Blow" centers on a boxing match between a young Jack Johnson -- who would go on to become the first black heavyweight champion -- and Jack McBryde, a ringer from Chicago brought in by the Galveston Sports Club to bring a white champion back to Texas. The charged atmosphere of the fight is then interrupted by a hurricane that went down in the history books as the worst natural disaster in the United States. Helmer Jake Scott is attached to direct the project.

David Lynch held the option on this for sometime but apparently let it go. Either one of those guys would be worthy to bring Lansdale to the big screen. Here's hoping this time around it gets made.

Latest Living Dead Doll Line Ups Unveiled
Figures.com reports Mezco has revealed their fifth lineup for the Living Dead Dolls Series and a second Mini Dead Dolls line as well. Due out in March, full size line will consist of Siren, Vincent, Hollywood (seen here), Jezebel, and Dahlia.

The Mini Dead Dolls, also due in March, will be Lizzie Borden, Bedtime Sadie, Lou Sapphire, Deadbra Ann, and Kitty. Click here to see 'em all.

Trailers Being Added to End of Feature Presentation
UGO reports it seems Warner Brothers has learned from the mistakes of others. In 1998 and 1999, it was reported that hordes of people were going to see lame movies in droves, only to leave immediately after the Star Wars: Episode I trailer had played. Now the WB is giving us a glimpse of another future blockbuster, but AFTER the movie to which it'll be attached. The tantalizing morsel in question is a nine-minute animated short that serves as a lead-up to The Matrix Reloaded and it will be reportedly played at the end of Dreamcatcher, and was apparently put together by the team behind the Final Fantasy flick.

On a Pale Horse in Development
Variety reports that Disney has bought the rights to Piers Anthony's On a Pale Horse with Paul Guay (Liar Liar) penning the script about a man who accidentally kills the Grim Reaper and is forced to become his replacement.

Mad Max 4 Report
Dark Horizons reports things are moving fast as production gears up to start very soon on the fourth Mad Max flick and received this report:

"Thought you might be interested in the fact that on Thursday last week, around 30 stunt motorbike riders were put to the test in Newcastles Stockton Sand Dunes. The sand dunes have been the backdrop for a few movies including past "Mad Max" movies and also "Bootmen," the remake of "Sahara" and also for the TV show "Farscape."

A spokeswoman from Kennedy Miller said she couldnt comment on anything except that they were there to look for talented riders 'who can handle themselves in this terrain.'

Batman Movie News
Comics2Film ran a report from the recent Arisia science fiction and fantasy convention in Boston. According to their source, DC Comics editor Bob Greenberger was on hand for a panel discussion and said the much-rumored new script, Batman: The Frightening is now the most viable candidate for the next Batman movie. As has been previously reported, the story involves the villain known as The Scarecrow.

Greenberger reportedly told the crowd that Aronofsky's Year One project is "gone." However, The Xenos tells us that Greenberger also admitted that Frank Miller may still be working on either Year One or The Frightening.

Comics2Film followed up on the weekend's convention report and checked with a a source close to comic creator and screenwriter Frank Miller who was able to clarify Miller's involvement with the apparently dueling movie projects.

Their source said Miller is still hard at work on a script for Batman: Year One. Miller is not involved with Batman: The Frightening. The source went on to tells C2F that Miller has other scripting irons in the fire at Warner Bros. as well. This may include a big-screen version of Miller's Hard Boiled, among other things.

Joe Bob Teams Up with Elite as DVD Host
DVD File reports (via Gorezone) that fresh of the successful pairing of cult film guru Joe Bob Briggs doing audio commentary for Elite Entertainment's recent Millennium Edition release of I Spit on Your Grave, the two titans of horror have reached an exclusive agreement for Briggs to serve as host of, and provide commentary for, a series of the company's upcoming horror, sci-fi and cult titles.

"In the cult film world, no critic or fan is more popular than Joe Bob Briggs, " said Vini Bancalari, President of Elite Entertainment. This team-up is perhaps the first time a major cult movie figure has signed on to launch a dedicated, DVD-only series. The first title in the agreement, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, will be released in the second quarter of 2003.

"Elite is acquiring the rights to some of the most artistically...uh...interesting film so the drive-in era," said Briggs. "I'm honored to be the guy picked to slice-and-dice 'em...uh...I mean, interpret them for the cinematic community."

Really Scary DVD News Updated
We've added a DVD page update with news covering a new Army of Darkness release, a mongo-sized special edition set for the 1954 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Dreamworks releases of Ringu and Ring, and a bunch of new Lions Gate stuff headed our way. Click here for more.

Johnny Depp Joins Latest Stephen King Film Adaptation
Empire magazine reports Johnny Depp is heading back into horror territory with a film adaptation of Stephen King's Secret Window, Secret Garden.

Teaming up with Panic Room scribe and Stir of Echoes director David Koepp, Depp will play the tale's central character of a writer who while suffering a painful divorce, must cope with a psychotic stranger turning up on his doorstep accusing him of a spot of plagiarism.

Touchstone Signs Helmer for Ashland
Variety reports (via Fango) that Firm Films has set up a project called Ashland, described as "a faith-based supernatural thriller with police procedural elements," at Touchstone. No plot details were released, although Brad Silberling(Casper, City of Angels) is attached to direct -- maybe not so scary.

Second Matrix Movie Will Include Third Matrix Trailer
Empire reports that at the conclusion of the film The Matrix Reloaded, a trailer for the third instalment, The Matrix Revolutions, will immediately follow it. They also say that Reloaded already ends on a cliffhanger in the middle of a massive siege so maniacal anticipation levels will already be in place for Revolutions.

Caulfield Afraid Buffy's Anya May Get the Axe...Literally
Emma Caulfield is sure that she's leaving Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she's not exactly sure how she's going to go -- and she tells Zap2It she's afraid she's going to get killed.

The 29-year-old actress has played Anya Emerson since she 1999. Now, Caulfield is branching into movies, most recently with the gothic horror film Darkness Falls where she plays the sister to a boy who has nightmares about a tooth fairy who kills.

Although she isn't sure whether this may very well be the last season of the Buffy"series, she knows she's definitely not coming back to the show, by her own choosing. She tells Zap2it she asked the show's creator Joss Whedon to be kind to her character, but the mischievous writer may not.

"I have no idea yet how they're going to write me out of the show, I've asked Joss not to kill me, but who knows, he may," she says with a concerned frown. "But then no one in Sunnydale ever stays happy very long, there's always great pathos and tragedy."

As far as she's heard, she says the future of the eighth season is still "up in the air" with the rest of the cast.

Darkness Falls Number One at Box Office
The horror flick Darkness Falls opened with an estimated $12.5 million over the typically slow Super Bowl weekend, good enough to snag the top slot at the domestic box office.

1.24.03
Rue Morgue Movie Night Showing Bubba Ho-Tep
Rue Morgue magazine will show a special screening of Don Coscarelli's Bubba Ho-Tep at The Vatikan, Wed., Feb. 19 at 8:30 p.m. One night only, if you're in the area, don't miss it. The Vatikan is located at 1032 Queen Street West, Toronto. For more information, check out www.rue-morgue.com.

1.23.03
Fear Film Releases First Two Flicks on Double DVD
Fear Film Independent Productions announced the release of Phobias on DVD. This is a double feature of Fear Film's first two short movies "When Shadows Lie Darkest" and "Blackout." The DVD is available for purchase now and is being distributed by Sub Rosa Studios via their website http://www.b-movie.com with a national release set for April 15.

The DVD includes the uncut film, bloopers reel, behind the scenes footage, commentary track with Director Robert J. Massetti and others.

Emma Caulfield Online Chat
MSN is hosting a chat with Emma Caulfield (Buffy's Anya and star of Darkness Falls) today at 4 p.m. ET.Ê Here's the link to get there: Emma chat

1.21.03
Cyberpunk Poppa Bloggin' Online
The amazing William Gibson, author of Neuromancer, has a new site that he's just started a pretty much daily blog on. Fascinating stuff. Visit.

1.20.03
Battle Royale Director Dies
Rue Morgue reports director Kinji Fukasaku passed away Jan. 12 while filming the sequel to his Battle Royale. He was 72 years old.

Fukasaku announced last year that he had prostate cancer and would continue his work. His son, who often works alongside his father, will complete the film, scheduled for release this summer. The late director was responsible for the original Battle Royale.

Warren Ellis Discusses Transmet Movie Rumors
There's been a lot of talk going about regarding a Transmetropolitan movie. Warren Ellis, the comic's creator (with artist Darick Robertson), put forward the official word:

"Okay, I got a bunch of emails about this today, so let's deal with it now:

Patrick Stewart has apparently said, in a dozen places, that he still wants to make a TRANSMET film.

This does not mean one is in production, nor that anyone's actively working to develop it right now.

I think Patrick's brilliant. I think he'd make an excellent Spider Jerusalem. Providing Darick was amenable, and I can't imagine he wouldn't be, we'd go and make a film with Patrick and Wendy Stewart in a second. But right now, nothing's happening.

Patrick and I haven't spoken in a while -- he did the last TREK film and X-MEN 2 back-to-back -- and I haven't caught up with Wendy in a little while now. When we do talk, we talk TRANSMET. There were overtures made to Darick and I by a director about a year ago, and I kept Patrick and Wendy updated whenever anything happened -- it came to nothing, as you can tell. Hollywood's built on talk. It's no big deal. Before that, we all tried to set up TRANSMET as a web animation with rich media around it, as a stepping stone to a movie, but the company involved tried to screw us all, and that was that.

What Patrick is saying is that he still wants to make the film. He knows I'm right there with him. We see things the same way. Patrick publicly attaching himself to the project doesn't hurt. But right now, nothing's happening. Okay?

-- W

Be sure to check back with Really Scary later today for an interview with Warren.

Jeepers Creepers Action Figure
Creature Corner reports Majestic is making a Jeepers Creeper action figure, and Factory X is making the replicas. Click here for your first look at a shrunk down to 12" version. and here's you first view of the Creeper shrunk down to 12"

1.19.03
Brand New Bloodshot Eye Review
Ray Garton takes a look at the new indie flick May in this go round of Bloodshot Eye Reviews. Read it here.

Deviant Minds Winter Issue Live
Check out Really Scary's sister site Deviant Minds. The latest issue is live with loads of fiction, reviews and much more. Check it out here.

1.18.03
Design a Horror Mag Cover!
Are You Going? Magazine and House Of 1000 Corpses presents Are You A Corpse? cover contest. In February 2003 Are You Going? will be releasing it's fifth bloody issue and they need a cover artist. Issue #5 is the definitive guide to House of 1000 Corpses, featuring interviews with the cast and crew of House Of 1000 Corpses including:

• Rob Zombie (Director)
• Karen Black
• Sherri Moon
• Bill Moseley
• Sid Haig
• Wayne Toth (Make-Up F/X)
• Tom Richmond (Director Of Photography)
• And many more

1.17.03
Genre Producer Dies
Reuters reports (via Sci Fi) veteran Hollywood writer and producer Paul Monash, who produced the original Carrie movie, as well as TV's Salem's Lot, died at his Los Angeles home Jan. 14 after a brief illness. He was 86.

Monash was a producer who scoured the bookstalls for projects that included such cinematic films as Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, Big Trouble in Little China and Stephen King's Carrie. Monash also wrote the TV miniseries Salem's Lot, based on a King novel, the wire service reported.

Twilight Zone Billy Mumy Sequel
Producers of UPN's The Twilight Zone tell SCI FI Wire that the show next week will begin shooting a sequel to the classic 1959 episode "It's a Good Life," in which a 6-year-old Billy Mumy sent people to the cornfield with a now-middle-aged Mumy reprising the role of Anthony Fremont and Cloris Leachman again playing his mother.