Oct. 10

Kill Bill -- Bill, the leader of a group of assassins, orders a hit on his best disciple, The Bride. She takes a bullet in the brain -- on her wedding day, no less -- which kills her unborn child and puts her in a coma. Five years later, she awakens, and begins to seek out all the members of the group, traveling the world to kill them in order...saving Bill for last, naturally.

The House of the Dead -- A group of teens sail out to an island near Seattle, Washington to attend a massive rave. As their party drugs kick into gear, they encounter the island's inhabitants -- flesh-hungry zombies ruled by an entity named Castillo. Based on the video game.

Oct. 17

Texas Chainsaw Massacre -- The only known survivor of the original killing spree comes forward to tell the full story of that chilling night inside the Hewitt farmhouse. Reportedly director Michael Bay has decided to stay away from gore in this remake...hmmm, going for the softer side of Leatherface.

Oct. 24

Gothika -- Mysterious circumstances befall a criminal psychologist (Halle Berry), who awakens to find herself a patient in the institution where she works -- with no memory of the murder she's been accused of committing. To complicate her situation, a vengeance spirit toys with her as she tries to piece together her recent past.

Oct. 31

Alien: The Director's Cut

Nov. 7

The Matrix Revolutions -- War breaks out on the scorched Earth as the machines invade Zion. Whereas Reloaded is about life, Revolutions addresses death. The final chapter in the Matrix trilogy follows the, 'chosen one' Neo (Keanu Reeves), his mentor and rebellion leader Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), and their followers as they battle the machines in one last battle.

Tarantino: "CGI bullshit is the death knell of cinema"
U.K.'s Empire magazine interviewed Quentin Tarantino where he talked about Kill Bill "...it really ain't gonna end pretty," he told the mag and said some very unflattering things about the use of CGI and movies like the Matrix. Click here to check it out.

Stepford Wives Go Mental
Dark Horizons reports scenes for the Stepford Wives remake will be shot at Letchworth Village in Stony Point, N.Y. in the next few weeks, a complex which used to be a mental asylum in the '70s.

Attenborough Rejoining Jurassic Park?
AICN reports (via DH) that Richard Attenborough looks set to rejoin the cast of the next Jurassic Park flick.

Resident Evil Official Site Launches
DH reprots Resident Evil: Apocalypse's official site has opened up a bit with a new synopsis, a gallery of four photos, and a trailer. Datewise it just mentions 2004, no specific date or season. The teaser trailer starts out as a cosmetics commercial for an anti-aging balm, it turns into a quick shot of a zombie and Milla amongst the wreckage of Racoon City pumping a shotgun. Click'm.

Fearless Tales Genre Fest Accepting Entries
The Fearless Tales Genre Fest, Northern California's genre-based horror, sci-fi and fantasy film festival, is set for March 12-18, 2004. Featuring a slate of 23 feature films and 30 short films, it will be held at The Victoria Theatre, Parkway Speakeasy and The Werepad.

A series of prizes will be awarded, including Best In Show, Viewer's Choice and Best Script/Original Story. At least one winner will walk away with the opportunity to have their film distributed on DVD. Zealot Pictures, distributor of the acclaimed documentary Straight Outta Hunter's Point and sci-fi film Numb, has agreed to pick up at least one film for distribution from the Fearless Tales Genre Fest.

Also featured will be a panel discussion on the festival's inaugural theme, "Filmmaking In the Age of Terror." Joining the panel are, from Ain't it Cool News, film critic Harry Knowles and author of Trash, local cult filmmaker savant Jacques Boyreau.

Movies are still welcome for submission. The deadline is Jan. 1, 2004. Visit www.fearlesstales.com for more information and rules.

9.22.03
Hurricane, Shmuricane, What's the Worst It Can Do?
Knock us out for a freakin' week apparently. But now we're back! Finally got some electricity running back to the Really Scary offices after Hurricane Isabel knocked us out for almost a week. We promise to get things together and get a bunch of new updates out there asap.

9.17.03
Seed of Chucky & Two Thousand Maniacs Sequel Updates
Fangoria reports that Eli Roth, riding high on the strong debut of his Cabin Fever over the weekend, told Ain't It Cool News that its success has had an unexpected positive side effect. According to Roth, the solid numbers scored by Fever, along with Freddy vs. Jason and Jeepers Creepers II, has helped get the long-dormant Seed of Chucky off the ground. Chucky franchise scripter Don Mancini says the project is now in preparation.

In addition, Roth has announced the first project of the Raw Nerve company he formed with Scott Spiegel and Boaz Yakin to produce gruesome low-budget horror fare: Tim Sullivan's equally long-mooted 2001 Maniacs. An update of Herschell Gordon Lewis' Two Thousand Maniacs, with a fresh group of young Northerners systematically slaughtered in a mysterious Southern town, the film will start shooting in November with Robert Englund starring.

Van Helsing Spin-off TV Series Planned
Variety reports (via E!) that although the movie's not even out yet, Universal is morphing its highly anticipated monsterfest, Van Helsing, into a TV show. The Hollywood studio, long known for making flicks out of such horror icons as Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, Wolf Man, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, has signed a deal with NBC to develop a drama series inspired by its upcoming summer blockbuster, reports Hollywood trade Daily Variety.

Set in the 19th century, Van Helsing stars Hugh Jackman as famed vampire slayer, Dr. Abraham Van Helsing who -- intent on eliminating evil from the world -- heads to Transylvania to hunt down Count Dracula. Accompanied by a lovely assistant named Anna (Kate Beckinsale), the pair end up doing battle with the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's monster.

But what will end up on the tube will be a far cry from the big-screen popcorn flick they're currently filming. While Transylvania will still take place in the 19th Century, producers plan to shift the style and tone from action-adventure into a more character-driven soap opera. And instead of Van Helsing, the central figure in the show will wear spurs and a ten-gallon hat as a Texas cowboy in the Old West who becomes sheriff in a small town where strange things happen...uh huh, that sounds like a winner.

Lions Gate Picks Up Rights to French Horror Flick
Reuters reports Lions Gate Films has bought North American rights to Haute Tension (High Tension), a French horror that made waves screening in the recent Toronto Film Festival's gritty Midnight Madness section. It will release the film next spring.

The story follows two female friends, Alex and Marie, who plan to spend the weekend at a country farmhouse to escape the hectic pace of Paris. Meanwhile a mysterious van, driven by a brutish driver caressing ripped photos of young women, heads toward the house. As the girls close their eyes, the unexpected intruder is about to turn their innocent dreams into a relentless and bloody nightmare.

Director Alexandre Aja (Furia) co-wrote the script with Gregory Levasseur.

Practical Magic TV Spin-off
Variety reports (via TV Guide) Sandra Bullock is developing an hourlong drama for CBS that's basically an offshoot of the 1998 film Practical Magic, which starred Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Like the movie, the TV show will revolve around two sisters who struggle with the blessing/curse of magical abilities. Bullock is just producing the potential series - not starring.

9.12.03
Loads of New Kill Bill Pics!
The always kickass Emilie has sent us some amazing pics for Quentin Tarantino's next flick with Miramax, Kill Bill. Opening Oct. 10, this one pays homage to every great genre Tarantino loves. Check out a slew of new photos and details here -- Click'm!

Time for the NYC Horror Film Festival!
The NYC Horror Film Festival comes back to Lower Manhattan October 22 - 26, 2003 at the prestigious Tribeca Film Center. Presented by Moodude Films, in conjunction with sponsor The Independent Film Channel (IFC), the Festival brings the best of the horror film community to the Big Apple just in time for Halloween.

Special guest and judges include Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Gingold Managing Editor of Fangoria Magazine, Michael Ruggerio Programming Director for IFC, actress Felissa Rose and Joe Kane The Phantom of the Movies.

The festival will also be honoring 30 years of NYC independent film studio, Troma Entertainment, home of independent movie classics, The Toxic Avenger, Class Of Nuke 'Em High, Terror Firmer, and many more. During a special program, Troma CEO Lloyd Kaufman will join the NYC Horror Film Festival to celebrate Troma's 30th Anniversary with a screening of the 1985 classic The Toxic Avenger.

The Festival is also hosting the East Coast premier of Stuart Gordon's new film King of the Ants, which includes Daniel Baldwin and George Wendt.

The New York City Horror Film Festival is proud to announce that all of the feature films that were showcased at the 2002 event have been picked up for distribution, and will be available to the public in the coming months. The Festival will be releasing "The New York City Horror Film Festival, The Best of the Shorts: Volume 1, a compilation DVD from 2002 festival. The DVD will be available during the 2003 NYC Horror Film Festival and at www.nychorrorfest.com in October 2003.

Submission deadline for the 2003 festival is September 25, 2003, submission guidelines and forms are available at www.nychorrorfest.com, as are the details on the festival lineup, tickets, and details about the huge, open-to-the-public kick-off party will be available at www.nychorrorfest.com on October 1, 2003.

9.11.03
Christine Remake on TV?
Entertainment Weekly reports (via Fango) that Sony Pictures Television and NBC are teaming for a TV-movie version of Stephen King's Christine, about a teenage outcast's relationship with a supernaturally possessed automobile. Actually, what EW is reporting is that Richard Kobritz, who produced the 1983 big-screen adaptation directed by John Carpenter, is suing the two companies for breaking an agreement to involve him in the remake. No director or cast have been announced.

Adrienne Barbeau Update!
In a quick Adrienne Barbeau update (because it's been too damn long since we had one), don't miss the premiere of HBO's latest original series Carnivale. Set for a 12-episode run on Sunday nights beginning Sept. 14, Barbeau plays Ruthie, a once and future snake charmer. Ruthie is the "talker" (what rubes might call a "barker") for her son, Gabriel, who has a strongman act. Anyone who can wrestle Gabriel to the ground wins five dollars -- a prize Ruthie has almost never had to shell out.

Blade Bad Guy Cast
The Hollywood Reporter indicates (via DH) Aussie actor Dominic Purcell (TV's "John Doe") will play the villain in the next Blade flick. Shooting begins this month in Vancouver.

Cursed Reshoots; FX Chief Baker Quits
Sci Fi Wire reports Wes Craven, director of the troubled werewolf movie Cursed, said many of the film's scenes will have to be reshot -- and possibly recast -- when the film resumes production in November. Craven also made the surprising announcement that Oscar-winning makeup effects maven Rick Baker has retired, turning over responsibility for the film's werewolf makeup to KNB.

"I haven't seen that hit the news yet, but he shut down his studio," Craven said in an interview. "All of the elements have been taken over by KNB for us."

Craven shot Cursed for 11 weeks before Dimension Films halted production in June and ordered a script rewrite. "Quite an extraordinary amount of new material is going to be shot, and a lot of material is going to be thrown away," Craven said. Craven added that casting changes were likely, but he said that he does not know which cast members will still be available. The cast included Christina Ricci, Skeet Ulrich and Shannon Elizabeth. Dimension plans to release Cursed in 2004.

9.9.03
More Casting for the 'Americanized' Constantine
THR reports rock star Gavin Rossdale and actor Djimon Hounsou are poised to join Warner Brothers' Constantine, based on the DC/Vertigo comic series Hellblazer, for director Francis Lawrence. Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz and Tilda Swinton star.

The film centers on John Constantine (Reeves), a man who dabbles in the occult and teams with a female police officer (Weisz) to fight evil forces. This is of course fairly appalling to comicbook fans like us who have troubles with the modifications of the character such as, oh, he's sort of BRITISH for cryin' outloud! And a sidekick cop? Don't recall that character. Why call it Constantine if it's nothing like the comic? Anyhoo...

Rossdale will play Balthazar, a nemesis of Reeves' character; Hounsou will star as Papa Midnite, the owner of an occult club who was once a demon fighter like Constantine, but is now trying to get out of the business.

9.8.03
Singer Warren Zevon Dies After Battle with Cancer
According to a Reuters report, Warren Zevon died on Sunday at his home in West Hollywood after a battle with cancer, his record company said on Monday.

Zevon, 56, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer a year ago and was only expected to live about three months, completed his last recording "The Wind" and lived to see it debut at No. 16 on the Billboard album charts.

Danny Goldberg, chief executive of Artemis Records in New York which released his latest records, said, "I was told by his son that he passed away yesterday...in his apartment in West Hollywood, peacefully in his bed."

9.7.03
Screamfest Awarding Wes Craven Lifetime Achievement Award
ScreamFest, running from Oct. 10 - 19, has announced its 2003 schedule. It will open Oct. 10 with a special screening of Spiderman and Army of Darkness featuring a Q&A with Director Sam Raimi. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The list of feature films for competition include several premiere screenings such as the Los Angeles premiere of Nightstalker (2003 Sundance Official Selection), directed by Chris Fisher. Also premiering in Los Angeles are Malevolence (2003 winner of Long Island Film Festival) directed by Steven Mena, the Chilean vampire movie Sangre Eterna, and Korean horror film A Tale of Two Sisters. Official selections also include The Wisher directed by Galvin Wilding featuring Ron Silver, and Japanese horror The Ghost System directed by Toshikazu Nagae.

Michael Grady of Dimension Films, Jeff Katz of New Line, Stan Winston and Guillermo Del Toro are set to judge the films. Judging the screenplay competition are veteran producer Sean Cunningham (Friday the 13th, Freddy vs Jason), veteran screenwriter Joseph Stefano (PSYCHO), Foursight Entertainment's Jeremy Bell and Michael Grady of Dimension Films.

Screamfest will also feature non-competition screenings of Dimension Films' Mimic 3: Sentinel directed by JT Petty and Dracula II: Ascension and Dracula III: Legacy directed by Patrick Lussier, a special screening of Wrong Turn with a Q&A with Stan Winston, Scream with a Q&A with Wes Craven, Hong Kong's The Eye and the cult favorite American Werewolf in London.

The closing night of the festival the dinner award ceremony will be held at Maggianos in The Grove. Wes Craven will be honored with a Lifetime Acheivement Award.

ScreamFest is open to the general public and tickets are available by calling (323) 656-4SCREAM or purchase opening night and festival passes by visiting their website at www.screamfestla.com. Tickets for individual films are $10.00 while a ScreamFest pass is $200.00. Full Festival passes include all screenings, after parties, seminars and the closing dinner awards ceremony.

9.6.03
Lansdale & Shocklines Raising Money for Protect
Hellnotes reports Joe R. Lansdale is donating books to Shocklines.com for auction with proceeds supporting the National Association to Protect Children (Lansdale is a board member of Protect). Additionally, Matt Schwartz and Shocklines.com will donate 10 percent of the retail price of books written or edited by Lansdale and purchased through Shocklines.com to Protect.

http://store.yahoo.com/shocklines/shramofornaa.html

White Wolf & Nancy Collins Sue Sony
White Wolf, Inc. and Nancy A. Collins yesterday filed suit in US District court in Atlanta, Georgia against defendants Sony Pictures, Screen Gems and Lakeshore Entertainment, alleging 17 counts of copyright infringement for the film Underworld, set for release Sept. 19.

White Wolf alleges that Underworld characters, theme and setting are based on White Wolf’s award winning games Vampire: The Masquerade® and Werewolf: The Apocalypse®, both set in White Wolf’s fictional World of Darkness®. Further, Collins alleges that Underworld’s script is based on her 1994 story Love of Monsters, published by White Wolf and also set in the World of Darkness.

Plaintiffs claim over 60 points of unique similarity between Underworld and their work. "Ours is a huge fictional world, supported by over 200 volumes of fictional material," asserts Mike Tinney, White Wolf’s President. "It's infuriating to see Underworld's script riddled with our property." Plaintiffs also claim that Underworld’s entire plot is based on Collins' short story Love of Monsters. "Apparently they are marketing this as a remake of Romeo and Juliet," comments Collins. "What I think they really mean is that it’s an on-screen adaptation of my story."

White Wolf and Collins are seeking immediate injunctive relief and damages. "The volume of confusion in our marketplace is amazing," observes Tinney, "our fans think they’re going to be seeing our film. Of course, if the movie gets released, in a way they will be."

Palahniuk's Invisible Monsters Getting Movie
DH reports principal photography starts in November on Invisible Monsters, the Chuck Palahniuk book film adaptation.

Firefly Heading into Movie Production
The Hollywood Reporter (via DH) indicates the film version of the cancelled Joss Whedon series Firefly will go into production in first-quarter 2004.

Fox Searchlight Remaking The Fly
JoBlo reports Fox Searchlight is remaing The Fly. Commerical director Todd Lincoln will make his feature-film debut on the project that came about as the studio was hot to repeat their surprise success of 28 Days Later.

Lincoln was brought aboard because of his passion for the project and he readily admits he's a big "comic book sci-fi fan." The film will follow the same plot as the 1958 original and David Cronenberg's 1986 Jeff Goldblum remake but will update the story to modern times. One thing Lincoln - who is also writing the script -- expects to add is making his Man-Fly actually fly.

Jeepers 2 Director's Next Projects?
Dark Horizons reports that after successful openings for both his Jeepers Creepers movies, Victor Salva is already being linked to numerous projects for his next film. As announced the other week, although there's nothing official as yet, Salva is developing another incarnation of the classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers story.

Salva told the BBC, "I think it's just one of the best ideas that any writer has ever come up with and that's why it translates so well in each incarnation." In terms of its progress though things are in ultra-early stages -- "I haven't put it through the thinking machine yet."

In the interim though two other films are apparently under consideration - a ghost story entitled Lighthouse and a WW2 horror film entitled The Watch.

Genre Actor Returns in Creepers
Some fans will recognize the dad who tries to kill the Creeper in Jeepers Creepers 2 as Laura Palmer's father in Twin Peaks. Ray Wise says he gets recognized all over the world because of the show. He says even a farmer in Transylvania once recognized him. Wise says Twin Peaks was one of the few shows the farmer got on his TV.

Jeepers Creepers 2, which debuted over the long Labor Day weekend, was the top movie with $18.5 million at the box office. The movie deposed another horror sequel, Freddy vs. Jason, which had been the No. 1 movie for the previous two weekends.

Another Movie Called The Woods
THR reports Blue Car star Agnes Bruckner will venture with Patricia Clarkson into "The Woods," a psychological horror film unrelated to director M. Night Shyamalan upcoming thriller of the same name.

The United Artists project centers on a neglected young girl (Bruckner) whose parents drop her off at a remote boarding school. When her classmates start to disappear, the girl discovers that it's related to a mysterious presence in the woods. Clarkson will play the school's headmistress.

Shooting is scheduled to start Sept. 15 in Montreal. And although the original Hollywood Reporter has Lucy McKee as the director - they may have meant Lucky McKee (May).

In addition to casting the rest of the film, MGM's specialty arm and the producers are clearing up any potential title dispute with the other Woods, and it looks as if their project will keep its name. Shyamalan's Woods, which is set up at Disney, is just a working title, a studio spokesman said Wednesday.

9.1.03
Small Details on Spike's Return
TV Guide got a few details on how Spike will return to the "living" and join the cast of Angel after having burned to a crispy on the series finale of Buffy last year.

Angel is sitting in his office, lost in thought. He glances up at Wesley, one of his crime-busting partners, and asks, "You don't think he's really gone, do you?" Within moments, his question is answered: Spike, the trash-talking, platinum-blond vampire, comes striding in, clad in his trademark leather trench coat.

For a guy who was last seen going up in flames on the series finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he looks remarkably unsinged. The actor behind Spike, James Marsters, is obviously thrilled by his resurrection. "With the writers we had on Buffy, I felt like we could have gone at least two more years," he says during a break. Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon first approached the 41-year-old actor last winter about transplanting his 123-year-old character to Angel. Marsters jumped at the chance. "I have never felt bored doing this character. I don't know when I will be able to do something this delightful again, so why bid it goodbye before you have to?"

Spike's encore will be tied to the amulet that played a key role in Buffy's finale. "He's not just going to walk in and go, 'You wouldn't believe what just happened to me. I dreamt that I was burnt to a crisp,'" Whedon says. "We're going to bring him back in the most painful and confusing way for him possible."

Gaiman, Matheson & Ash in Latest Scary Stuff
Check out Fall's edition of Really Scary Stuff and get the details on an amazing Army of Darkness Ash statue headed to specialty store shelves, as well as a graphic novel adaptation of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend and a handful of other thingies.

Toronto Film Festival Midnight Madness Line-Up
Colin dropped us some info about the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival program Midnight Madness. This is the same group that had the world premiere of Cabin Fever where Lion's Gate bought the flick. Eli Roth was cornered by the studios after the first industry screening throwing offers at him.

This year they've lined up the film Haute Tension, described as an intense slasher flick from France. A total of nine films from six countries will be included in the program including:

• GOZU (Takashi Miike)
• UNDEAD (twin directors Peter and Michael Spierig)
• THE GRUDGE (Takashi Shimizu)
• HAUTE TENSION (Alexandre Aja)
• END OF THE CENTURY: THE STORY OF THE RAMONES (Michael Gramaglia and Jim Fields)
• CYPHER (Vincenzo Natali)
• SAVE THE GREEN PLANET (Jang Jun-hwan)
• UNDERWORLD (Len Wiseman)
• ONG-BAK MUAY THAI WARRIOR (Prachya Pinkaew)