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Really Scary Archives
3.5.03
Troy Nixey's Trout Getting Film Treatment
Variety reports Phoenix Pictures has acquired feature rights to Troy Nixey's graphic novel Trout, with Andrew Cosby, co-creator of UPN's Haunted, onboard to pen the script.
Trout, which was first published by Dark Horse Presents, is the story of a young boy whose nightmare escapes from his dream. The kid must join forces with a nightmare hunter to catch the monster before it brings everyone's worst nightmares to life.
Julianne Moore Joins The Forgotten
Variety reports (via Fango) Julianne Moore will star in the supernatural thriller The Forgotten, a Revolution Studios production for Columbia release to be directed by Joseph Ruben. The actress will play a woman grieving over the death of her young son only for her psychiatrist to tell her that the boy only existed in her mind. She meets another person who has undergone a similar experience and sets out to prove her son's existence and her sanity. Gerald DiPego wrote the script for the movie, which begins shooting later this year.
Sci Fi Channel Airing Beyond Re-Animator
Fango reports Beyond Re-Animator, the Brian Yuzna-directed third in the Herbert West series, has been sold to the Sci Fi Channel and will be airing on the cable station in June. The film's extreme scenes will likely fall prey to Sci Fi's Standards & Practices guidelines. Those who want to see it uncut will be able to check it out at the Philadelphia Film Festival (which will screen it three times) in April and at Fantasia this summer. Lions Gate is set to release an unrated DVD of Beyond Re-Animator Sept. 23.
Columbia Partnering on 30 Days of Nights Adaptation
THR reports (via SciFi) that Columbia Pictures and Senator International will partner on the supernatural film 30 Days of Night, based on the comic series of the same name by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. Ghost House Pictures, the production company launched last year by Senator, Spider-Man director Sam Raimi and Raimi's longtime producing partner Rob Tapert, will produce.
The film is set in Barrow, Alaska, where an evil force strikes terror into residents during the town's month-long winter night. Niles will develop the screenplay.
Shooting on Hellboy Gets Underway
Guillermo Del Toro has begun the Prague filming of Hellboy, a supernatural adventure film based
on the Dark Horse Comic of the same name. The film, which stars Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, John Hurt and Jeffrey Tambor, is scheduled for a Summer 2004 release by Columbia Pictures.
Latest synopsis: Born in the flames of hell, and brought to our world in a pagan ritual,
the fierce red hero, Hellboy (Perlman), was saved by his friend and mentor,
the benevolent Dr. Broom (Hurt). Raised in Broom's Bureau for Paranormal
Research and Defense, Hellboy joins the likes of the "Mer-Man" Abe Sapien, Liz
Sherman (Blair), the woman he loves who can psychically control fire, and
Myers, the FBI agent who is his rival for Liz's affections. Together, our
heroes must come to terms with fantastic powers that prove to be both a
blessing and a curse. In the process they discover that their abilities serve
to benefit mankind but may also keep them forever isolated from the society
that only they can protect.
3.4.03
Zombie in Scary Tunes News
Check out Scary Tunes for news of a Rob Zombie and Lionel Richie collaboration. And nope, this ain't April 1. Also updates on Linkin Park's upcoming release, Saliva video for Rest in Pieces and more. We're talking about a Brick House -- Zombie style baby!
3.3.03
Another Horror Video Game Heading to Film
Variety reports (via Fango) horror video game Fatal Frame, about a woman searching through a haunted mansion for her lost brother with an old camera that allows her to "see ghosts," is set for feature film adaptation by DreamWorks. Screenwriter John Rogers (The Core) is set to make his directing debut with Fatal Frame.
Asia Leaves Dario's Horror Film
Fangoria reports Dario Argento's next horror film The Card Dealer, set to lens in the coming weeks in Rome, has lost its starÑDario's daughter, Asia Argento. The movie, a Feardotcom-esque giallo flick about a serial killer who taunts the police over the Internet, has been thrown for a bit of a loop finance-wise because of the loss of the currently high-profile Asia, but has pressed on, finding a new lead in Stefania Rocca (Roger Young's Dracula miniseries).
2.28.03
Dario Argento's Next Film
Dark Dreams reports that shooting on Dario Argento's next flick, The Card Dealer, will start March 10 and is scheduled to last nine weeks.
Dreamworks Sponsoring $10,000 Ring Contest
Could you use 10 large? Javier, webmaster for Ringworld, just dropped us word of Dreamworks contest in the L.A. area where prize is $10,000. Here's the details:
To celebrate the DVD release of The Ring, DreamWorks invites you to participate in an incredible publicity event, where one lucky contestant will walk away with $10,000! Daveigh Chase, the young actress who portrays Samara in the film, will be on hand for meet and greets and autographs.
Here's how it works:
Fans of The Ring will be invited to converge on the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on Monday, March 3rd, 2003 at 6:15 p.m. Out of all of the
fans that show up, 30 will be chosen to participate. The world's largest pile of videocassettes will sit at the center of a giant ring of light. Contestants at TV/VCR combo stations surrounding the circle will wait for the go signal. As soon as the contest starts, competitors will run to the giant pile of 20,000 videocassettes in an attempt to be the first to find the creepy video. One by one they will run back to their VCR, place a tape inside, and hit Play to discover if it is the right tape. If not, they must run back to the pile and grab more videos.
The first person to find the creepy video must run to the stage where there will be a tape-to-tape recorder. The contestant must make a copy of the tape and throw the copy into the well. The first contestant to complete that task will be the winner of the $10,000 prize.
Go here for more details.
Really Scary Bits: Clive Barker, Tim Burton, Chucky & More
Dark Horizons has a boatload of short news/rumor items we wanted to pass along.
- According to Clive Barker's official site, the Lord of Illusions series - based on the film - will shoot in Australia.
- Rumor is Universal have ditched the rights to the Childs Play series and Don Mancini's Seed of Chucky script is up for grabs.
- According to the IMDB, Jason Isaacs will be playing the villain, William Birkin in Resident Evil II.
- Tim Burton's pet stop-motion project The Corpse Bride, which has been in limbo for over 5 years, is finally starting production in England with Mike Johnson at the helm.
- Cruise-Wagner's next supernatural film, the remake of The Eye, is now scheduled for a June 13, 2003 release.
Darkness Falls Writer Not Contacted About Sequel
Movie Hole (via DH) reports Darkness Falls scribe Joseph Harris hasn't been asked to get involved with the film sequel. Says Harris on his official web site message board: "I know it's been discussed, but nobody's asked me yet."
Instead, Harris is rumoured to be involved with a new Children of the Corn movie, as well as eyeing off a possible film adaptation of DC Comics series, Sugar and Spike.
Says Harris, "I suggested Sugar and Spike myself... ahem... I've actually compiled a list of non-A-listers who could realistically (in my opinion) get made because of one really good reason or another. Most people (not you) would be shocked at how nowhere some of these things that get optioned, or already exist in development, are going. Just because they wear spandex, guys, and stem from a comic book, don't assume the Spider-Man factor is evident and you've got a potential movie hit on your hands! That being said, I'll keep the forum posted on how things go. I am talking to a Warner Brothers company about potentially doing something over there. And though I wish it was, it most certainly isn't a Batman movie. Though mine would rock."
New Sneak Peek Underworld Pics
DH reports Lights Out has some great new photos from the upcoming Kate Bekinsale vampire flick Underworld. The film is scheduled for a September release. Click here to check 'em out.
Possible Iraq War has Mad Max on Hold
Variety reports the prospect of a war in Iraq has prompted 20th Century Fox to postpone the production start of Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth installment of Mel Gibson's action adventure series. The picture was expected to begin filming in Namibia in July. Instead, writer-director George Miller won't unleash the Road Warrior and his futuristic mayhem until sometime in the fall.
"Any time you do a show like this, it is a massive undertaking with enormous prep time," said Jim Gianopulos, chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment. "In this case, it is about the movement of huge vehicles and a mass of people, and with the pending war and all the potential logistical consequences, we had the latitude to wait and let some of this stuff blow over before going into full-bore production. What we do have firmly in place is Mel and George."
2.26.03
It's Official: Gellar's Done with Buffy
Put a stake in her, Sarah Michelle Gellar's done. Variety reports the actress has confirmed to producer Joss Whedon something most industry insiders have assumed for months -- namely, that this season will be her last with the UPN series. Her departure also likely means "Buffy," at least in its current incarnation, will wrap in May.
Still to be decided: whether the producers and UPN will proceed with a new Buffy spinoff, or whether the franchise will simply end. WB Entertainment president Jordan Levin said Tuesday he's hopeful but not certain that Angel, a Buffy spinoff launched in 1999, will be back next fall.
Ring Landing On Top at Overseas Box Offices
Screen Daily reports horror remake The Ring enjoyed a host of powerful openings across Europe last weekend grossing more than $14m from the 21 international territories currently playing it. Launching in seven new territories The Ring took top chart positions in the UK, Iceland and the Netherlands. It also scored the highest screen averages of the week in Italy, Norway and Sweden despite missing pole position in those territories.
The Ring has grossed over $66m from international territories to date, including Japan where the remake grossed $14.5m, nearly twice the Japanese take of the locally produced original. The remake took $128.6m in North America.
Buffy Spinoff for Faith Not Looking Good
It's not looking great for a Buffy spinoff starring Eliza Dushku, as Variety reports (via Zen) she has signed on to star in Heroine for 20th Century Fox TV and Original TV. The project, from Rob Cohen (The Fast & The Furious) and Jon Feldman (American Dreams), will see Dushku playing a woman that graduates from college and discovers that she has the powers to save lives by changing the course of events. This would, if it gets picked up, preculde Dushku from starring in any Buffy spinof
Oscar-Nominated Scribe Tapped for Werewolf by Night Flick
Variety reports (via Sci Fi Wire) Oscar-nominated screenwriter Robert Nelson Jacobs has been tapped by
Dimension Films to write the script for the Marvel comic-book adaptation Werewolf by Night.
Dimension co-head Bob Weinstein is betting that Jacobs, who wrote the
screenplays for Chocolat and Shipping News, will add a certain pedigree
to the project.
"It is our aim to bring the werewolf genre to mainstream audiences in
the same character-driven way we have done with our other superhero
films," Marvel Studios' Avi Arad told Variety. "Werewolf by Night is at
its core a beautiful love story reminiscent of the great Shakespearean
tragedies. It needs the meticulous heartfelt crafting that Robert Nelson
Jacobs is known for."
2.25.03
Rob Lowe Signs on for Salem's Lot
Zen reports Rob Lowe has signed on to star in a TNT 4-hour miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel
Salem's Lot. The former West Wing star will play a journalist who returns to his hometown, formerly played by David Soul in the 1970s version, to discover it has
been taken over by vampires.
Korn's Frontman Working with Clive Barker
Check out scary tunes for a very cool update on what Korn's Jonathan Davis is doing with Clive Barker, and his work on the Twilight Zone.
Elric of Melnibone Headed to the Big Screen?
Zen reports Universal Pictures has optioned the film rights to the legendary Michael Moorcock's eleven Elric books. Chris & Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy) company, Depth of Field Productions will oversee the project, which is being developed as a trilogy, based on the first six books.
2.24.03
Stephen King's Cure for Writer's Block?
Got writer's block? Then all you need is a little heart, at least according to PageSix's gossip column. They say Stephen King said the following to Webster hall curator Baird Jones:
"I pull out from deep within my desk this jar which is said to have a pickled little slave boy's heart from before the Civil War, although I'll never know if that is really true or not. I find that if I look at this preserved body part even briefly I can get inspired to write truly terrifying prose no matter how blocked I was before. But I only pull out the jar on rare occasions."
Doesn't quite ring true with us. Maybe he said it but we have our doubts.
Really Scary Store Updates
We added a bunch more stuff to the Really Scary store and dropped the prices everywhere we could. Check out the new baseball jersey - the art on that one is fantastic. We've also added some stickers, barware and t-shirts for all of our Really Scary women. We have a tremendously loyal bunch of women readers and we just wanted to say thanks! Click here to check out the store's latest additions.
2.23.03
Denice Duff's Directorial Debut
One of our absolute favorites, Denice Duff (Subspecies 2,3,4 and a ton more) just dropped us a line and told us about Vampire Resurrection, her directorial debut! For the Fullmoon/Shadow Entertainment companies, the film is shot on 35mm on location in LA and Baton Rouge. It stars Denice, James Horan (Star Trek, Gods and Generals), Geoffrey Lewis (everything), Jillian McWhirter (The Dentist II), Julie Michaels (Jason goes to Hell, Witchboard).
Synopsis: A woman is tormented by horrifying dreams of a lover past and violent husband. Which man will she choose, will anyone survive?
Set for a spring release.
Shriekfest Call for Entries
A.K.A Shriekfest, the 3rd annual Los Angeles International Horror/Science Fiction Film Festival and Screenplay Competition is currently
accepting submissions in all categories. Awards (software, cash awards, product awards) will be given in all categories.
Early entry fee and date: March 21st $25.00 for shorts -- $35.00 features Regular Entry fee & date: July 25 $35.00 for shorts -- $45.00 for features Late entry fee and date: Aug 29th 5th $45.00 shorts $55.00 features (prices are the same for the screenplays too).
The festival takes place at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, CA. They also have young filmmaker categories (you must be under 18 to qualify). For more info and an entry form, go to www.shriekfest.com
Tours of Terror Hosting New Ghost Trip
Tours of Terror, who have presented the Dracula Tour: Vampire Vacation to Transylvania every Halloween for the past five years, have announced the dates of the first-ever GHOSTour. Horror fans who appreciate haunted castles, the world's scariest places and areas of the unknown and the supernatural are invited to participate in this vacation to England from
June 8-15, 2003.
The inaugural GHOSTour will visit Highgate Cemetary in London (inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula,), Hampstead Heath, the London Dungeon, the Tower of London, the Borley rectory (known as the most haunted spot in Great Britain), the Crown Inn, Castle Rising, York Dungeon, Swinton Castle, Whitby and many other huanted locations.
They'll do a haunted pub crawl, follow in the footsteps of Jack The Ripper,
enter haunted churches and theatres and end the week with a gala masquerade ball
with a costume contest and dance party.
For more information, visit the www.GHOSTour.com.
Meet the Man who Made the Monsters
Be sure to check out the latest Scary Voices where Director Scott Essman takes us behind-the-scenes on his tribute DVD filming for makeup legend Jack Pierce. Pierce, the man responsible for all of the amazing creations from Universal Studios, worked with everyone from Boris Karloff to Lon Chaney Jr. and everyone in between. This was the monster makeup man. Click here for the entire story of how Essman translated this history into a brand new film.
Enigma Films & Creature Corner Taking Film Submissions
Independent film production house Enigma Films and Creature Corner are calling for entries from talented filmmakers from around the world for their upcoming DVD project, The Nightmare Collection, Volume 1. This DVD will feature the latest in indie horror from some of the best aspiring young filmmakers today, allowing these fledgling creators to give their films some exposure.
The first in a series, NC Vol. 1 will also contain audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, outtakes, screen tests, deleted scenes, music videos, trailers, interviews, poster art, and storyboards.
The first film to become a part of The Nightmare Collection, Volume 1 is a 60-minute film by Bill "Splat" Johnson entitled Don’t Worry, It’s Only Your Imagination. Johnson, an established FX artist, has lent his talent to such mainstream fare as Eight Legged Freaks and The Patriot.
Visit www.nightmarecollection.com for more details. Submissions for Volume 1 will be accepted until April 1, 2003 in anticipation of a July 2003 release date.
2.21.03
Columbia TriStar Nabs Rights to Hong Kong Vampire Flick
Screen Daily reports Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment has picked up North American and Latin American rights in all media on The Twins Effect, the made-in-Hong Kong martial arts vampire picture sold by sales newcomer Arclight Films.
The Twins Effect is directed by Dante Lam and features Hong Kong teen singing sensations Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung, with Ekin Cheng and an extended guest appearance by Jackie Chan.
James Ellroy Autobiography Getting Adaption
SD also reports Artisan Entertainment has closed on its acquisition of North American distribution rights to My Dark Places, the film of James Ellroy's autobiographical novel, in a deal struck with Myriad Pictures.
The film is to be directed by Robert Greenwald and star David Duchovny as Ellroy, who finds himself embroiled in the investigation of his mother's murder that happened when he was ten years old. Myriad is co-producing and financing the film, which is being produced by Greenwald and Michael McDonnell and executive produced by Kirk D'Amico and Lucas Foster. Jan Oxenberg adapted the screenplay from Ellroy's novel.
Make Mine Marvel Movie Sequel News
In a handful of comicbook sequel newsbits, DH reports Alfred Molina has been cast as 'Doc Ock' in the live-action spidey sequel which begins filming in April in NYC. Also, despite the much held belief the Lizard would be the second villain, Marvel head Avi Arad told The Philadelphia News that "there will almost definitely be only one main villain."
In the same article Arad confirmed Blade III will be Wesley's last as the vampire hunter, while the Wolverine X-Men spin-off movie seems to be a very distinct possibility - "Making a movie about his origin and letting him figure out who he is may be [a] real interesting movie."
And after this weekend's box office, you could sort of see this coming. Comics Continuum talked with Producer Gary Foster who indicates plans for Daredevil 2 and an Elektra spin-off. "We're very happy with things. DD2 moves ahead, as does Elektra. Too early to know what goes first, but we are certainly going to get scripts going...All the cast, except Colin (Farrell, who played Bullseye), are signed up for sequel."
Raimi Picks Up Rights for Japanese Horror Flick
And in more Japanese horror movie remake news, Variety reports Ghost House Pictures has inked a deal with Japanese producer Taka Ichise for rights to an English-language remake of the Japanese horror franchise The Grudge. The film centers on a murderous supernatural curse born of a grudge held by someone who dies angry. The curse passes like a virus to its victims.
Takashi Shimizu, who wrote and directed the original film, will helm the remake. Ichise will team with producer Sam Raimi and partner Rob Tapert to produce the new film. Ghost House plans to make The Grudge its sophomore project, following Boogeyman.
Ichise produced the original Ring, remade by DreamWorks last year as The Ring, as well as Dark Water, which has been acquired by Bill Mechanic's Pandemonium.
Cartoon Network Lands Deal for Star Wars Animated Shorts
According to THR, the Force is with Cartoon Network, which has pacted with Lucasfilm Ltd. to bring an original TV programming extension to the Star Wars franchise.
Beginning in November, Cartoon will unveil 20 animated shorts, each about three minutes in length, that form a bridge between the story lines of Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones and the next theatrical installment. Titled Clone Wars, the shorts will be produced by Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky at the channel's in-house studio.
"This is a big event in the history of 'Star Wars,' " Lucas Licensing president Howard Roffman said Thursday at a Cartoon news conference. "It's the first time George Lucas (news) has allowed the stories to be told through television."
Mick Garris to Direct King's Riding the Bullet
Variety reports the Stephen King novella Riding the Bullet is headed for the big screen three years after it was released as an e-book. Producer Brad Krevoy is set to turn the ghost story into a feature film through his Motion Picture Corp. of America shingle.
Casting for the film is under way, with a tentative May start for shooting. In March 2000, Simon & Schuster released the "Bullet" novella in a strictly electronic format, with more than 400,000 downloads recorded in the first 24 hours.
Veteran King collaborator Mick Garris (who adapted both The Stand and The Shining books for TV) has adapted the ghost story for the screen and will also direct. Garris called "Bullet" "more than just a conventional horror movie -- in many ways it's a classic campfire ghost story, relying just as much on mood and character as on violence and gore."
"Bullet" tells the story of a suicidal college kid trying to hitchhike across Maine to see his ailing mother. A series of bizarre rides and misfortunes culminates in the teen being picked up by a menacing stranger -- a spectral figure who offers a final lift, a terrible ultimatum and a new perspective on life.
Potential Cast for Brothers Grimm
Zen reports Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Robin Williams and Jonathan Pryce are in negotiations to star in
The Brothers Grimm for director Terry Gilliam and MGM.
2.19.03
Return to the Batcave
Sci Fi Wire reports that actress Lee Meriwether will be making an appearance in the upcoming CBS movie, Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt -- but not as Catwoman, the role she played in the 1966 theatrical release, Batman. "I was hoping that I would get to play Catwoman along with Frank Gorshin as the Riddler," Meriwether told TV Guide Online. "But darn it,
Julie Newmar was available. My daughter [stuntperson Lesley Aletter] got to be her double, though, so that was cool." Meriwether makes a cameo appearance in the TV movie as a waitress in a Mexican restaurant.
Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt reunites Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, and Frank Gorshin and airs March 9 on CBS. Click here for some photos.
Great Genre Cast for The Last Patient
Director Jeff Broadstreet just dropped us a line and said they've completed principal photography on The Last Patient, described as a Cronenberg-esque horror flick with dark humor.
The movie stars genre classics such as Andrew Divoff (Wishmaster) Denice Duff (Subspecies), Karen Black (Trilogy of Terror, House of 1,000 Corpses) and John Kassir (Tales from the Crypt).
Shot in and around downtown LA, here's a quick synopsis: After enrolling in an experimental study on rage impulse disorder at the Straun Foundation, Michael Dare (Stephen Polk) discovers that the research is not what it seems. After learning that the foundation's head, Dr. Timothy Straun (Divoff) has his own secret agenda for them, Dare and Head Resident Dr. Susan Verger (Duff) team up to stop him. Straun's shocking family secret and twisted plan are then revealed in a stunning finale.
More Hellraiser & Jason Figure Updates
Creature Corner reports on a very cool feature of NECA's Hellraiser action figure line. Each of the six figures will come with a base that is one side of the Lament Configuration -- when all six are purchased you have yourself your very own puzzle box. NECA said they'd do something similar with the next series as well, but they haven't finalized it yet.
Along with the 18" talking Pinhead that was announced while they were at a UK show, there are also plans for an 18" Chatterer and the first-ever 18" Jason figure. A NECA spokesman said they would be working with Kane Hodder to get the likeness perfect.
Dimension Options Backwater
Variety reports Dimension Films has dived into Backwater, optioning film rights to the proposed survival-horror video game for low- to mid-six figures. Backwater creators Flint Dille and John Zuur Platten of Bureau of Film and Games retain vidgame development rights, which they will continue to shop to game publishers, and will be credited as producers on both the game and any movies.
Should Dimension move ahead with making a movie, it would share a portion of revenues from the video games and such other outlets as comic books.
In the proposed Backwater game, a player is would-be victim on the run from a killer named Mr. Jangle, who lives deep in a swamp. Dimension made the deal based on the game-design document, which includes a scenario and characters as well as more technical, game-oriented material, but no script.
No one has been named to write the script, Dimension said, though it likely won't be Dille and Platten. The pair call Bureau of Film and Games "an intellectual property company," set up to create franchises that can be exploited across multiple platforms, especially movies and games. They develop the ideas, then get others to create the actual products while they oversee the properties.
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