Sideshow Toys Limiting Large Horror Figures
Sideshow Toys announced that their 8 inch and 12 inch figures will no longer be available through the Mass Market, and will all be produced in limited runs. The majority of the runs will be between 5,000 to 7,500 pieces -- some even as low as 3,500, 2,500, and 1,500 pieces. These will not be reproduced in second editions. Although, they do report that because of the popularity of their Black and White Editions (Silver Screen) they may re-create some of the figures in that format, but they will have a different box, different paint, different clothing.

Many of the characters that you have been asking us for, especially within the Universal Monster pantheon, will now be produced. For example, first up will be Dwight Frye as Fritz from Frankenstein, Lon Chaney Jr. as the pre-Wolf Man Larry Talbot from The Wolf Man, and Bela Lugosi as Murder Legendre from White Zombie.

Here's the latest figures and the edition run size:
12 inch Phantom of the Opera -- 5,000
12 inch Vampyre -- 5,000
12 inch London After Midnight -- 5,000
12 inch Dracula -- 10,000
8 inch Lugosi Dracula Action Figure -- additional 5,000
Buffy and the Gentlemen -- 5,000 sets
Buffy -- additional 15,000 figures
Young Frankenstein -- 7,500 sets

Buffy DVD Season Releases Set for Fall
Absolutely outstanding! Rob dropped us a line and has an update on the Buffy DVD season releases for region 1:

"I emailed someone who runs a Web site for Buffy fans regarding the DVD's release in the US. I was told that the DVDs-season 1 and 2- will be released in the fall once the show is in syndication on FX.

http://clubs.gist.com/tvclubs/fanclub.jsp?fanclub=buffy

The above is the site I speak of. The person I emailed seems well knowledged, and knows a lot about the show, future and past.

Hope this helps. I've been waiting for the DVDs' release too!"

A hale and hearty thank you to Rob for digging that up!

Talented Mr. Ripley Sequel Wrapping Up
Dark Horizons reports filming wraps on the John Malkovich/Dougray Scott starrer, Ripley's Game, this month in Berlin.

Anna Paquin Joins Filmax Horror Flick
Spanish studio Filmax has enlisted actress Anna Paquin to star in a drama titled The Darkness, to be directed and penned by Jaume Balaguero (Nameless).

Paquin will play a youth whose family has just moved into a remote house in the countryside. The family begins to disintegrate when the house's horrifying past reveals itself.

The movie will be shot in Spain. Dimension Films is on board to distribute in English-speaking territories, while Filmax will handle distribution in the rest of the world. Dimension had taken various rights to Balaguero's Nameless, also funded by Filmax.

Paquin, who won an Oscar as best supporting actress for her 1993 film debut in The Piano recently co-starred in Finding Forrester. She also appeared in last year's Almost Famous and X-Men.

Streetcar, On the Waterfront...Scary Movie?
Marlon Brando is a legendary actor known for such classic films as A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and...Scary Movie 2?

Variety reports producers of Scary Movie said on Tuesday that Brando had agreed to appear in the sequel, which they are touting as the 77-year-old actor's first flat-out comic role.

A spokesman for Brando, who appears alongside Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton in this year's drama The Score, said he could not confirm the deal.

Dimension Films co-chairman Bob Weinstein said Brando agreed to the part -- described only as that of a priest who performs a supernatural exorcism -- after meeting Keenan Ivory Wayans and finding a "kinship with his brand of comedy."

Weinstein offered no details on Brando's compensation but trade newspaper Daily Variety reported in it's Dish column that the actor had been offered $1 million for a cameo role.

Preview Look at The Infinite Cover
Click here for a preview look at a proof cover for Douglas Clegg's upcoming book The Infinite. In his official email newsletter, Doug says that's pretty close to the final, although picture foil on his name.

04.09.01

Plot Details for Jet Li's The One
Corona's Ground Zero reporter met with James Wong during shooting of The One, starring Jet Li. The premise of the story is that there are parallel universes, and in some universes, people have discovered a way to travel between the universes. Some don't. For instance, here on Earth, we don't understand that there are tunnels between universes. Also, travel is highly restricted by multiverse agents. But this is all just back-story.

When Jet Li's character(s) get involved, Wong explained (spoilers):

"Jet plays a character named Yulaw, who is an agent. Two years ago, he accidentally killed his double in another universe. He discovered that every one of our copies in other universes are linked by a type of energy. When we kill one of [ourselves], the energy doesn't dissipate; it's just redistributed among the living ones. So he's basically gone crazy, and at the beginning of the movie, he has killed every one of himself except for two. There are 125 known multiverses, and he has killed 123 versions of himself. He's doing this to gather the energy that would otherwise be attributed to the other living ones, and gathering it for himself. Now realize that the other person alive doesn't know about this, but is also getting stronger.

In the beginning of the movie, he's killed his 123rd victim, but he's captured and about to be sent to the penal universe. But he escaped and comes to Earth to kill what he thinks is the last of his doubles - he wants to be the only one. For more, click here.

More Buffy Season DVD Releases for Region 2...Not 1...Just 2
We'd be damn happy to know when the heck the Buffy Season One DVD set is gonna get a Region 1 release. But while we stew, let's all take part in a little Region 2 envy. Here's a shot of the packaging and DVDs for the Buffy Season Freakin' 2 release for Region 2 (might be a mock up, we're not sure).

Anyone out there got any news on the Region 1 season DVD release? Drop us a line. But if it's news of the May release, you don't need to send it, we know that one got pushed back.

Planet of the Apes Trailer Update
Dark Horizons reports Fox has confirmed that much like X-Men, there will be three trailers altogether for the Apes remake with the second one coming out within the next few weeks and the final just before the film's release.

Also, click here for a new photo from the film.

Scorpion King Casting News
Variety reports Ralf Moeller (Gladiator) has been cast in Universal's The Scorpion King.

Soul Calibur Movie Picks Up Director
GameSpot reports Sammo Hung, the popular Hong Kong actor and star of the US television show Martial Law, will be directing a new Soul Calibur movie, based on the hit video game. The production agreement for the film was finalized this past week and the film is said to carry a preliminary budget of $50 million. Hung's official site speculates that the Rhythm & Hues CG animation studio, which has worked on such films as X-Men and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, will work on the CG for the Soul Calibur film.

The Soul Calibur movie will begin shooting this summer and is currently planned for theatrical release in summer 2002.

More Dead Zone Casting
Zen reports Nicole de Boer (Star Trek: DS9's Ezri Dax) has been cast as Anthony Michael Hall's character's love interest in the UPN pilot The Dead Zone. The supernatural drama is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.

04.08.01

Director Talks for Japanese Horror Hit Ring
Variety reports that Gore Verbinski is in talks to direct DreamWorks’ remake of the Japanese horror hit Ring. The film will be scripted by Scream 3’s Ehren Kruger.

New WB TV Series Hosts Veteran Horror Stars
Fangoria reports the WB has a new young-adult scary series on the way called The Nightmare Room, springing from the horror lit of Goosebumps creator R.L. Stine. Though you might dismiss this as kiddie stuff, a host of fright film vets will make appearances on the show, including Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead, Angus Scrimm (Phantasm), David Naughton (American Werewolf in London), Robert Englund and Linda Blair. The genre-friendly casting is likely the work of writer/director Ron Oliver, who wrote Prom Night II and wrote/directed Prom Night III.

Upcoming Image Entertainment DVD Releases
HorrorDVDs.com reports Image Entertainment has announced their June 2001 DVDs. Here's what to expect for horror related DVDs:
Please Don't Eat My Mother (Special Edition)
I Vampiri
Twilight Zone #43
Blood On The Sun

Matrix Shooting Delayed
The Herald Sun (via DH) has been covering the death of Jennifer Syme, former girlfriend of Keanu Reeves who was recently involved in a fatal car accident. Reeves himself has been grief struck enough that its now been confirmed that the Australian leg of shooting on The Matrix sequels will be delayed.

Timeline Picks Up Director
Dark Horizons reports Michael Crichton's time travel novel Timeline will have Richard Donner helming it according to his official site. Production is slated to begin post-strike.

04.06.01

Silent Screamers Reel Masters Lineup Coming Soon
Entertainment Earth has the very impressive Silent Screamers Reel Masters second lineup available for pre-order. Click here to check them out and the latest images.

We're big fans of EE and are constantly spending waaaaay too much money on our horror action figure habit. Anyway, with EE it works out pretty cool, they offer a caseload of figures at a good price and we're able to control our little problem. So, just in case you have anywhere near the problem we do, we'll be sending along links to these items as we hear about 'em. And you'll be helping us with our addiction since we get like 10 percent or something like that in toy credit!

Official Mummy Returns Site Launches
The official Mummy Returns site is now open. Click here to take a look at some very cool CG stuff.

The Exorcist Banned In Victoria
AP reports the government in Victoria state has banned screenings of The Exorcist on Good Friday for fear the film may cause offense to Christians.

Many cinemas had planned to show a new director's cut of the classic 1973 horror flick about efforts to drive demons out of a young girl on April 13 - Good Friday.

Under state law, no cinema can show films on Christmas Day or Good Friday without a permit, and the government has chosen not to issue a permit for ``The Exorcist,'' a state spokesman said.

"The government has decided not to issue a permit for the screening of The Exorcist on Good Friday for fear it may cause offense given the nature of the day," the spokesman said Thursday.

The Good Friday ban only affects Victoria and the film will be shown in all other Australian states.

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