Wolf Man isn’t the first werewolf movie unleashed into theaters, but it has the chance to become one of the most lucrative motion pictures centering on this supernatural entity. Save for the Twilight movies, which featured werewolves in a supporting capacity, werewolf films haven’t been big moneymakers at the box office. There are smash hit features like Harry Potter and the Prison of Azkaban that briefly contain a single werewolf character, sure, but motion pictures concentrated on werewolves aren’t recipes for box office glory.

Even an eventual cult classic and respectable box office performer like An American Werewolf in London only made $5 million more in 1981 than the same year’s Halloween II. That project still stands as one of the bigger werewolf movies out there. Projects like 2024’s Werewolves, Red Riding Hood, and 2010’s The Wolfman were outright box office bombs in their theatrical runs. Among this meager crop of werewolf movies, though, one does emerge as the biggest non-Twilight title ever at the domestic box office. That honor belongs to the 1994 Mike Nichols directorial effort Wolf, which starred screen icons Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer.

What Is Wolf About?

Book editor Will Randall (Nicholson) is living a normal existence before that fateful night some wolf bites him. After that encounter, he gets a new surge of energy flowing through his veins. Tragically, that coincides with the discovery that he’s being outed at his job. Simultaneously, he can’t control his burning, passionate infatuation with Laura Alden (Pfeiffer). Oh, and he’s acting quite primal and “beast-like” as a bunch of local murders pile up. It’s a “wild, wild life” as the Talking Heads once sang, but Randall’s descent into embracing his werewolf form takes that phrase to another level.

Released in the heart of June 1994 from Sony/Columbia Pictures into just over 2,100 theaters, Wolf was clearly meant to be a major tentpole release, though it got some of its thunder stolen by Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock’s Speed in its holdover weeks at the theater. That alone suggests why Wolf is the biggest non-Twilight werewolf movie ever domestically: most other werewolf movies are dumped into the weekend after Thanksgiving or perhaps mid-January. Wolf, meanwhile, punched into multiplexes as a potential summer blockbuster, complete with a rampant marketing campaign.

Wolf also didn’t yearn for star power, since its two leads were on a box office hot streak at the time of its release. Nicholson, for one, had headlined some of the biggest movies of his career in the seven years preceding Wolf, including The Witches of Eastwick, Batman, and A Few Good Men. Michelle Pfeiffer was no slouch, though, anchoring Wolf just two years after her unforgettable Selina Kyle/Catwoman turn in Batman Returns. She’d also garnered prestige for her acclaimed work in then-recent features like Dangerous Liaisons and The Age of Innocence. Countless werewolf movies like An American Werewolf in Paris would’ve killed for that level of star power. No wonder Wolf towers over so many other films in this subgenre.

[RELATED: Before Wolf Man, These Are the 7 Best Werewolf Movies]

What Is Wolf’s Box Office Legacy?

Wolf didn’t do too shabby among all 1994 theatrical releases, ending up as the 19th biggest movie of the year, domestically. Still, even this box office run indicated the limited appeal of werewolf movies. After all, Wolf had been greatly overshadowed in the summer of 1994 by subsequent titles like True Lies and Forrest Gump. Even among all 1994 movies, Interview with the Vampire lingered in the minds of audiences more for its mixture of raw humanity and supernatural horror. On top of all that, it ended up losing money for Sony thanks to its $70-million budget. It’s not cheap to bring werewolves and those grisly transformations to life.

If Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer in the mid-1990s couldn’t turn the werewolf movie into a smash hit, what could? Hollywood suddenly saw that this domain was incredibly tricky to make profitable; werewolf movies declined substantially in the years that followed. The film industry has only sporadically returned to this domain since, namely in attempts to cash in on Twilight-mania from the late 2000s. Now Wolf Man will kick off 2025’s horror movie run by trying to buck all box office conventions for werewolf movies. Only time will tell if The Wolf Man can snatch away Jack Nicholson’s werewolf cinema crown.

Wolf is available to rent or purchase digitally on Prime Video.

The post This Is the Biggest Werewolf Movie in History (and It’s Not Twilight) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Actor Julia Garner has starred in a variety of thrilling movies, with one of her first roles being in the cannibalistic remake of We Are What We Are, while 2023’s The Royal Hotel wasn’t jam-packed with outright terror, but explored a highly tense vacation that went wrong at a variety of levels. Her latest movie, Wolf Man, manages to incorporate some psychological anxiety into an experience that harkens back to seminal components of the genre, as she faces off against a character undergoing a monstrous transformation. Additionally, her character undergoes some emotional tension in her life before ever encountering a beastly presence. Wolf Man is set to hit theaters on January 17th.

In the film, Garner plays Charlotte, a woman who has been focusing on her career, which puts strain on her marriage to Blake (Christopher Abbott). The specifics of the relationship mean the actors were tasked with conveying both emotional distance and intimacy.

“We had quite a bit of rehearsal and, with the rehearsal, it was a lot of talking about the relationship and what it used to be and how it got to that place where it is in the film, at the moment. We just discussed it a lot, we had quite a bit of rehearsal,” the actor shared with ComicBook.

In regards to how the monster movie compares to her previous genre efforts, she added, “This project, to me, is actually different than any other project that I’ve done, even in the past, because there’s much more action. And then it is very tense, but there’s a lot of action in this movie. There’s a lot of running. It’s a little scarier because it’s actually happening, but yeah, it was super fun.”

[RELATED – Wolf Man Star Christopher Abbott Talks Becoming a Creature of the Night]

Wolf Man is described, “What if someone you loved became something else? From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man. Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

“But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama), and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).”

Complicating the filming process further is that, while the movie unfolded under a short period of time, it was shot out of sequence. This meant Garner and the rest of the cast had to quickly be able to get into the mindset of their characters at disparate points of their journey with short notice.

“Well, shooting out of sequence is always hard, and that’s why you always have to almost, like, memorize a script, just so that you can know it in your bones,” the actor detailed. “I read the script fully, multiple times, but then I also read it almost every night, just different pages every night, too, when I get home. And also ten pages before what we have to shoot the next day.”

Wolf Man lands in theaters on January 17th.

Are you looking forward to the movie? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post Wolf Man Star Julia Garner Opens Up About the Freaky New Film appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Alien: Romulus has been an absolute lightning rod for the ongoing Alien franchise. Director Fede Alvarez took things back to Ridley Scott’s horror roots with Romulus, resulting in more than $350 million at the global box office and heaps of praise from viewers. It feels like a sequel to Romulus is inevitable at this point, but the Alien franchise has a proud tradition of reinvention with its sequels, exploring new territory with each installment. With the inevitable follow-up to Romulus, Alvarez is hoping to follow suit.

During a recent interview with Empire, Alvarez said that he and co-writer Rodo Sayagues are currently trying to crack the code on an Alien: Romulus sequel. They have the challenge of wanting to incorporate elements and characters from Romulus that have more gas in the tank, while also figuring out how to navigate new territory.

“Rodo [Sayagues] and I are working on that right now,” he told Empire. “We’re excited about where it can go. We’ve almost checked all of the boxes of things that I want to see [in Romulus], and brought back a lot of the things I hadn’t seen in a while. Wherever we go now, we can go into uncharted waters.”

“I think it’ll be so exciting to go with characters you know from this movie, to a place in the Alien franchise that we’ve never been before, and to discover things that you’ve never seen before,” he added.

[RELATED: A VHS Collector Reviews Disney’s Alien: Romulus VHS Release]

Alvarez went on to say that, just because they are working through a story for an Alien: Romulus sequel, there’s no guarantee this movie actually happens. They’re trying to find a story that’s “worthy of the title” of the Alien franchise. If they can’t crack that code, it sounds like Alvarez is willing to move on without a second film.

“The mistake usually with sequels is to make them because you can, and because of the success of Romulus, we definitely can make a sequel,” he states. “But I wouldn’t do it unless we have a really good idea for it, something that’s worthy of the title.”

This is a sentiment that the filmmaker has shared on numerous occasions since Romulus first debuted.

“[It’s] not until we find something that we go ‘Ok, that is a movie worth making’ that we really embark on it,” he told io9 back in November. “So that’s the process we are in right now, trying to find a story that is worthy of everyone’s time and is worthy of the title. Otherwise, you never want to fall into the mistake of making [a sequel] just because the first one is a big hit.”

The post Alien: Romulus Director Teases How Sequel Will Head to “Uncharted” Territory for the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man landed in theaters back in 2020 and, only weeks later, theaters around the world were shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic. As the months and years went by, the movie overcame those initial setbacks, earning lots of praise from audiences and critics alike. While star Elisabeth Moss has expressed her interest in a sequel, Whannell himself has cast doubt on a return. Producer on that reboot Beatriz Sequeira has confirmed that she is just as interested in seeing more of Moss in a follow-up, as she hopes that Whannell could return for another installment. Sequeira recently reunited with Whannell for Wolf Man, which is set to hit theaters on January 17th.

When asked by ComicBook if she could picture an Invisible Man sequel without Whannell, the producer confessed, “No, but I could see a sequel with everyone’s involvement, and we would love to see one. I just think that the character of Cecilia, it’s so fantastic, and I would want to see what she wants to do next.”

Given the nature of the film’s ending, the story doesn’t particularly need a follow-up, though the narrative seeds that were planted have sparked a lot of speculation among audiences. Back in 2022, Moss confirmed to ComicBook that the project hadn’t been put in the background, but this past October, Whannell confirmed that the future of the concept was in the studio’s hands.

“With Invisible Man, I really felt good about where we ended, for me,” Whannell confirmed to ComicBook. “I don’t own the IP for Invisible Man so Universal can make a sequel if they want to – but for me, as a filmmaker, I really think that was a closed story. I can’t see that there’s any more story to tell.”

[RELATED – The Invisible Man and Wolf Man Director Reveals Next Universal Monster He Wants to Adapt]

Despite the door seemingly having closed for Whannell on that character, we can see his skills at reviving another Universal Monster with the upcoming Wolf Man.

Wolf Man is described, “What if someone you loved became something else? From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man. Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

“But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama), and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).”

Stay tuned for updates on a possible sequel to The Invisible Man. Wolf Man hits theaters on January 17th.

Would you like to see the movie get a sequel? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post The Invisible Man Producer Addresses the Status of the Potential Sequel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Universal Monsters are some of the most beloved creatures in all of cinema, as they’ve not only been brought to life in dozens of proper ways over the years, but have also inspired countless imitators. Many audiences would consider offering up a new take on 1941’s The Wolf Man as a sure-fire success, but with the shortcomings of 2010’s The Wolfman, it’s taken another 15 years to this month’s Wolf Man. One reason why fans, and producer Beatriz Sequeira, have more confidence in the upcoming take on the concept is that it comes from writer/director Leigh Whannell, who previously found success in his The Invisible Man. Wolf Man lands in theaters on January 17th.

“I do trust him implicitly, it was like, ‘In Leigh we trust,’ basically,” Sequeira shared with ComicBook about the project, with the two having also worked together on Invisible Man. But also when I saw it, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is happening.'”

Even with Sequeira’s confidence in Whannell, the Wolf Man hitting theaters this weekend has undergone some changes since it was initially announced. When the project was first announced in 2020, Ryan Gosling was expected to star, with the movie then adding Whannell. Director Derek Cianfrance then took over the project from Whannell, only for Christopher Abbott to step in for Gosling as Whannell reunited with the project. Despite the various changes, Sequeira explained that what audiences see in theaters aligns with Whannell’s original vision.

“Leigh’s version has not changed a lot,” the producer confirmed. “We definitely wanted to do a more grounded version of the Wolf Man movie, and I think that that never really changed, so a more human story of a Wolf Man.”

[RELATED – Wolf Man Star Christopher Abbott Talks Becoming a Creature of the Night]

Wolf Man is described, “What if someone you loved became something else? From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man. Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

“But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama), and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).”

Going along with the idea of making a more ground Wolf Man, a key component of that was reimaging what a “Wolf Man” would look like in this world. The final on-screen look of the creature is a credit to both Whannell’s vision and makeup designer Arjen Tuiten.

“So I introduced [Whannell] to Arjen Tuiten, who is the makeup designer, because I knew that we needed somebody that was a visionary and that will be very passionate about it,” the producer detailed of the monster’s look. “And they hit it off and then when the first time that we saw the maquette, I was like, ‘Well, that is it.'”

Wolf Man hits theaters on January 17th.

Are you looking forward to the movie? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post Wolf Man Producer Beatriz Sequeira Details the Journey of Reviving the Monster appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For those of you who thought that the monster in the upcoming Steamboat Willie horror movie, Screamboat, would be the stuff of nightmares, get ready to be disappointed as we just got our first look, and it’s uproariously corny. The film reimagines the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse – which entered the public domain on January 1, 2024 – as a slasher movie villain, and will have a theatrical run taking place between late January and April of this year. Screamboat is written and directed by Steven LaMorte, who told Variety: “I’m so excited to share our mischievous monster mouse with the world. Screamboat is my way of paying homage to Disney while putting a sinister, yet comedic twist on the classic.”

The first official image released for the film depicts Screamboat Willie as an anthropomorphized rat that hearkens back to the original Disney character, complete with the large ears, sailor’s cap, and big-buttoned shorts. This version of the character even sports a black-and-white color palette, much like his 1928 counterpart. However, even though this is supposed to be a horror movie, Screamboat Willie looks more like an animatronic from Chuck E. Cheese than a grotesque killer creature. The blood harpoon he brandishes does little to inspire terror.

To be fair however, that is the point, as this film is a horror comedy. Playing Screamboat Willie is David Howard Thornton, most famous for playing Art the Clown from theTerrifier series. The actor is certainly no stranger to movies that blend blood and laughs, and Screamboat looks to be no different. Regarding his casting, LaMorte added: “Watching David Howard Thornton bring Steamboat Willie to life with the magicians at Quantum Creation FX has been nothing short of amazing — he’s hilarious and murderously entertaining. I can’t wait for audiences to meet Willie and experience the chaos we’ve created.”

[RELATED: Steamboat Willie Horror Movie Gets First Teaser Trailer]

The film follows a group of people embarking on a fun late-night boat ride in New York City, only for the night to take a bloody turn when Screamboat Willie goes on the hunt for fresh tourists. Will they survive the night, or will they become the next victims of this malicious mouse?

Screamboat is only the most recent project based on the now public domain Disney character, as last year saw the release of The Mouse Trap, which featured a killer wearing a Steamboat Willie inspired mask who hunting down a group of young friends at an amusement park. These movies continue the recent trend of filmmakers turning beloved children’s characters that are in the public domain into horror movie villains. There’s even a budding shared cinematic universe – called the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) – that launched with the release of 2023’s Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. Upcoming films in the franchise include Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, Bambi: The Reckoning, Pinocchio: Unstrung, and more.

Screamboat releases on January 24, 2025.

The post Steamboat Willie Horror Movie Reveals First Look at Killer Mickey (And It’s Hilarious) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Walking Dead Universe lives on Netflix. The Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira-fronted spinoff The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live was added to the streaming service on Jan. 13, nearly a year after the limited series first aired on AMC and AMC+, joining a library that includes all 11 seasons of the mothership series that splintered into new shows.

Dead City tracked Lauren Cohan’s Maggie and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan to New York City, Daryl Dixon followed Norman Reedus’ Daryl and Melissa McBride’s Carol overseas to France, and The Ones Who Live reunited Gurira’s Michonne and Lincoln’s Rick Grimes at the Civic Republic in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, AMC expanded the wider universe with spinoffs Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, and the anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead, which are mostly standalone except for a few crossovers. (Fear imported Lennie James’ Morgan, Austin Amelio’s Dwight, and Christine Evangelista’s Sherry from The Walking Dead, while Pollyanna McIntosh’s Jadis bridged The Walking Dead and World Beyond as a member of the organization linking the shows together: the Civic Republic Military.)

While it’s all connected in TWD Universe, you won’t find all seven series in one place. You’ll need subscriptions for multiple streaming services to watch every Walking Dead series in release order, which we’ve listed below.

The Walking Dead (Seasons 1-11)

The original series follows Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his group of survivors in the walker apocalypse — Daryl (Norman Reedus), Carol (Melissa McBride), Glenn (Steven Yeun), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and Michonne (Danai Gurira) among them — as they fight the dead and fear the living, like the Governor (David Morrissey) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

Where to watch: Netflix

Fear the Walking Dead (Seasons 1-8)

Originally set in Los Angeles during the early days of the apocalypse, Fear followed the dysfunctional family of Madison Clark (Kim Dickens), her children Nick (Frank Dillane) and daughter Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey), partner Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis), and his son, Chris (Lorenzo Henrie). Later seasons saw The Walking Dead‘s Morgan Jones (Lennie James) join the ensemble cast in a crossover with the flagship.

Where to watch: Netflix and AMC+

The Walking Dead: World Beyond (Seasons 1-2)

Ten years after society fell, a group of teenagers sheltered from the dangers of the post-apocalyptic world receive a message that inspires them to leave the safety of the only home they have ever known and embark on a cross-country journey. Along the way, sisters Iris (Aliyah Royale) and Hope (Alexa Mansour), joined by friends Elton (Nicholas Cantu) and Silas (Hal Cumpston), uncover the secrets of the shadowy Civic Republic Military in the two-season limited series.

Where to watch: AMC+

Tales of the Walking Dead (Season 1)

Anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead features a star-studded cast with new stories set throughout the Walking Dead timeline. Besides an origin story for Alpha (Samantha Morton) of the Whisperers, the genre-bending six-episode series introduces Joe (Terry Crews), Evie (Olivia Munn), Blair (Parker Posey), Gina (Jillian Bell), Amy (Poppy Liu), Dr. Everett (Anthony Edwards), Davon (Jessie T. Usher), Idalia (Daniella Pineda) and Eric (Danny Ramirez).

Where to watch: AMC+

The Walking Dead: Dead City (Season 1)

Picking up years after the events of The Walking Dead‘s final season, the spinoff follows enemies Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as they travel to post-apocalyptic Manhattan – a crumbling city filled with the dead and denizens who have made it a world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror — on a mission to rescue Maggie’s son, Hershel (Logan Kim), from The Croat (Željko Ivanek).

Where to watch: AMC+

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (Season 1)

After The Walking Dead season 11, Daryl (Norman Reedus) finds himself transported overseas and stranded in France in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. To get home, he agrees to escort Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) to safety at The Nest on the French coast, a dangerous mission that makes them a target of Marion Genet (Anne Charrier) and her paramilitary group, Pouvoir des Vivants.

Where to watch: Netflix and AMC+

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (Season 1)

Years after Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) disappearance in The Walking Dead season 9 — when Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) secretly shuttled him away from his loved ones aboard a CRM helicopter — he’s been conscripted into the Civic Republic Military, a fate from which he’s unable to escape. Meanwhile, Rick’s wife Michonne (Danai Gurira) embarks on her own mission to find Rick and bring him home after learning he was alive in The Walking Dead season 10.

Where to watch: Netflix and AMC+

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol (Season 2)

Carol (Melissa McBride) departs for France after learning that best friend Daryl (Norman Reedus) was transported overseas in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 1. The six-episode second season, titled The Book of Carol, sees Daryl and Carol struggle to reunite as they come under threat from Madame Genet (Anne Charrier) and an army of amped-up walkers.

Where to watch: AMC+

The post How to Watch All The Walking Dead Shows in Order in 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There are many deeply amusing qualities in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, especially when it comes to every line delivered by Paul Rudd’s blitzed-out surfer guru (“Oh, the weather outside is weather!”) However, what’s arguably most hysterical about this Nicholas Stoller directorial effort is its box office haul. Forgetting Sarah Marshall grossed $63.17 million domestically, meaning the film that ended on a gigantic puppet musical about Dracula (complete with Jason Segel doing a Bela Lugosi impression) has made more than all of Universal’s other 21st-century Dracula movies.

Despite costing so much less to make, Universal Pictures’ release Forgetting Sarah Marshall and its recurring fascination with Dracula mythos proved more palatable to the general public than Dracula Untold, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and Renfield. Universal keeps trying to make this lynchpin of the original Universal Monsters a big deal at the modern box office, but audiences just aren’t nibbling. What’s happening here? The Mummy Returns and The Invisible Man proved 21st century Universal Monsters movies can make a pretty penny at the box office – something the new Wolf Man remake is betting on. Why is Universal’s Dracula cursed at the box office unless he’s a singing puppet?

Universal’s Dracula’s Box Office Woes

Tod Browning’s 1931 Dracula really began the Universal Monsters resurgence in the 1930s (though The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera technically preceded it in the studio’s canon). Bela Lugosi’s famous incarnation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 literary character would return in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein while other actors would portray the character in movies like House of Frankenstein. In the rest of the 20th century, famous iterations of Dracula from other studios would be inhabited by Christopher Lee and Leslie Nielsen. Universal, meanwhile, would try to make the Dracula lightning strike again in the 21st century to dismal box office results.

Trying to turn Dracula into a tortured superhero played by Luke Evans in Dracula Untold didn’t get audiences all revved up for further Dracula movies. Nor did turning this vampire into a monstrous beast in The Last Voyage of the Demeter get audiences lining up around the block. The studio’s 2024 horror/comedy Abigail, which is loosely based around the Dracula’s Daughter concept, had a middling box office ($42.8 million off a $28 million budget). Not even an acclaimed turn from Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula in Renfield was enough to inspire box office success. Four times Universal has struggled to resurrect this undead icon, while its arthouse sibling studio Focus Features has ironically had extreme success with the Dracula pastiche Nosferatu. Count Orlok is now more of a box office draw than Dracula!

A key problem any Dracula movie has is that vampire movies have a mixed box office track record outside of the Twilight and Hotel Transylvania franchises. Interview with the Vampire and Bram Stoker’s Dracula made money in the 90s, sure; however, Dark Shadows, Morbius, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter were all bombs. Not even glowing reviews could turn Let Me In into a moneymaker back in October 2010. Just putting a vampire into your movie won’t suddenly turn it into a hit.

On the contrary, it’s fair to say that, at this point, audiences appear to hesitate when it comes to vampire films. You have to really sell your title as something special or idiosyncratic to get over this box office hump. Universal’s attempts to get Dracula revived haven’t quite cracked that nut.

[RELATED: Wolf Man Director Issues Warning That Not Everyone Will Like the Creature Design (But for Good Reason) ]

Is There Hope For Modern Dracula Movies?

It doesn’t help that Dracula is so associated with comedic skewerings (like Adam Sandler’s Dracula from Hotel Transylvania) that it’s hard to make him as frightening to 2025 moviegoers as he was to folks in 1931. That might be why Nosferatu has done so much better with Count Orlok. Even with the character’s SpongeBob SquarePants connection, Orlok doesn’t have the baggage of endless pop culture parodies (or other recent box office bombs) weighing him down like an albatross. Perhaps Dracula and his mythos simply can’t function as well in the modern horror movie landscape.

If there’s any hope for any filmmaker tackling the inevitable next attempt by Universal to relaunch Dracula, though, is that hit vampire horror movies exist. Nosferatu proved Twilight and Hotel Transylvania don’t have monopolies on lucrative vampire features. If one modern hit exists in this domain, another can surely emerge. Don’t forget that the entire modern Universal Monsters concept looked dead in the water after 2017’s The Mummy. All it took was The Invisible Man (2020) to suddenly make these productions hot again. 21st-century Universal Dracula movies are currently cursed, but that doesn’t mean they’re doomed for all of eternity. Perhaps it’s time to think of (finally) adapting that Dracula puppet musical from Forgetting Sarah Marshall into a feature-length movie?

Dracula Untold is currently streaming on Netflix.

The post Why Is This One Universal Monster Modern Box Office Poison? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Universal Pictures’ The Wolf Man was one of the later additions to its roster of Universal Monsters, but no audience would argue that the titular lycanthrope is a fan favorite. Even though the specific character might not have been directly revived in big-screen adventures as often as figures like Dracula or Frankenstein’s Monster, it would inspire decades of werewolf cinema. In a new take on the material, Christopher Abbott plays a man who has a violent encounter with an unseen beast, igniting within him a terrifying transformation while in his family’s farmhouse. Wolf Man lands in theaters on January 17th.

“Research-wise, it’s the first time I’ve had to research more National Geographic-type stuff than other movies,” Abbott explained to ComicBook of how the primal nature of the role changed his preparation methods. “There’s different levels as the process is happening. There’s maybe 80% human, 20% animal, and then that shifts. So to track how a human would react to something as opposed to an animal, a human reacts one way, if it feels ill or if it’s scared, as opposed to how does an animal act, how, if it feels ill, all its little levels.”

Wolf Man is described, “What if someone you loved became something else? From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man. Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

“But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama), and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).”

[RELATED – The Invisible Man and Wolf Man Director Reveals Next Universal Monster He Wants to Adapt]

Despite the movie being filmed out of sequence, Abbott recalled how the prosthetics used in filming would help serve as a quick shorthand to remind him where he was in his character’s frightening transformation.

“You do all the work beforehand, so you have to track it mentally, but the good thing is that the prosthetics can easily remind you of what stage you’re meant to be in,” the actor expressed. “[Makeup designer Arjen Tuiten] did such a great job. His focus on detail is really specific. Once I can see myself in, let’s call it stage one, two, or three, I knew I can just remember where I’m supposed to be at mentally.”

Lon Chaney Jr. played Wolf Man in the original 1941 movie, while Benicio del Toro took on the part for the 2010 remake. Dozens of actors have played werewolves in a century of horror cinema, but the pedigree of a proper Wolf Man made this project a bit different.

“I’d seen most iterations of Wolf Man and, the nice thing is, I think they’re all quite different, whether it’s the original, whether it’s the Wolf Man with Benicio, whether it’s Jack Nicholson [in Wolf], whether it’s An American Werewolf in London, which is a comedy,” Abbott detailed. “I think, while the character more or less remains, the allegories and the themes around that have all changed, so I didn’t feel like I needed to like, repeat a role. It doesn’t feel like it’s, I don’t know, Batman or something like that. You can have your own spin on it because it’s such a different story around it.”

Wolf Man lands in theaters on January 17th.

Are you looking forward to the movie? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post Wolf Man Star Christopher Abbott Talks Becoming a Creature of the Night appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Goosebumps is back for its second season on Disney+ and Hulu, but fans who might have been expecting to see the same characters pick up where they left off were met with quite a surprise when they turned on the Season 2 premiere. As revealed when the show was renewed for its second installment, Goosebumps has taken on an anthology format similar to American Horror Story, where each season follows different characters on a new frightening adventure (inspired by R.L. Stine’s iconic books).

The new season, titled Goosebumps: The Vanishing, kicks off with a new take on Stine’s Stay Out of the Basement and is set thousands of miles from the events of Season 1. This time around, David Schwimmer plays the adult lead, following Justin Long’s starring turn in the first installment. Everything looks different in The Vanishing, but it is still inherently a Goosebumps tale.

Ahead of the season launch this weekend, ComicBook spoke with executive producers Rob Letterman and Hilary Winston about the choice to pivot to a new story, especially when the first season had such a wide open ending. According to Letterman, who also co-created the TV series, it was all about recreating the feeling of the original Goosebumps books.

“It took us a while to grow into the idea,” Letterman explained. “And the way we thought about it is Goosebumps is an anthology series by nature. So each book is its own thing. And they don’t end tied up in a perfect little bow. They actually all end with a door opening with a twist or whatever. So it just felt natural to the canon of Goosebumps. It allowed us to explore a whole new set of books, where we could start fresh, explore different genres, and be scared again.”

[RELATED: R.L. Stine Reveals the Goosebumps Book He Wants to See Adapted]

Letterman went on to add that pivoting to an anthology format for Goosebumps also helps to sell the story as the years go on. Putting the same characters into scary scenarios season after season makes it less believable for the audience, as those characters would either become jaded by the horrors they’ve faced, or they’d simply leave their situation.

“We joke about this but there’s some truth to it: How often and how many years can a character experience horror without it just becoming totally jaded by the next monster? Like if an abominable snowman showed up on Season 3 with the same set of characters, not the same reaction,” Letterman told us. “So I think, for all those reasons, it just felt like a natural thing to do.”

All 10 episodes of Goosebumps: The Vanishing are streaming on both Disney+ and Hulu.

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The 2000s brought groundbreaking innovations to horror cinema that continue influencing filmmakers today. From found-footage techniques that changed how we experience fear to intimate character studies that elevated the genre’s storytelling potential, this era delivered unforgettable scares that resonated with audiences worldwide. Furthermore, independent productions proved horror could tackle complex themes while maintaining commercial appeal, while major studios took chances on unique creative voices that would reshape the genre landscape. 

Through careful character development, innovative directing techniques, and genuine emotional stakes, the best horror films of the 2000s demonstrate how genre pictures can tackle complex themes while still delivering the scares audiences crave. Here’s our picks for the best horror movies of the 2000s.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

Sam Raimi’s return to horror follows Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a loan officer cursed to be dragged to hell in three days after denying a mortgage extension to an elderly woman. The film perfectly balances genuine scares with gleefully twisted comedy, powered by Raimi’s masterful direction that transforms this tale of karmic revenge into a rollercoaster ride. Through dynamic camera movements, memorable practical effects, and a deep understanding of how to build tension, Drag Me to Hell creates a uniquely engaging horror experience that demonstrates why Raimi remains one of the genre’s most influential voices.

Cloverfield (2008)

Director Matt Reeves and producer J.J. Abrams revolutionized the monster movie genre with this found-footage masterpiece that follows a group of friends documenting their desperate attempt to survive a massive creature attack on New York City. By grounding its spectacular destruction through intimate, documentary-style filmmaking, Cloverfield creates an immersive experience that makes its fantastic elements feel terrifyingly real. The film’s focus on ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances and masterful special effects that never break the found-footage illusion create a haunting portrait of survival against impossible odds that still

The Ring (2002)

Gore Verbinski’s atmospheric horror masterpiece follows journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) as she investigates a mysterious videotape that kills viewers seven days after watching it. The film’s strength lies in its ability to create overwhelming dread through subtle visual cues and psychological manipulation rather than relying on jump scares. Through its exploration of urban legends and technology-based fears, alongside Watts’ compelling performance as a mother fighting to save her son, The Ring crafts a profoundly unsettling story that transforms mundane objects like televisions and telephones into sources of terror. Plus, The Ring is one of the best horror remakes, capable of standing on its own legs while showing respect for the original Japanese flick.

Martyrs (2008)

Pascal Laugier’s uncompromising film follows Lucie (Mylène Jampanoï), who escapes from brutal captivity as a child only to be haunted by visions of her tormentors years later. When she finally tracks down those responsible, her closest friend Anna (Morjana Alaoui) becomes entangled in a secret society’s disturbing quest for spiritual enlightenment through suffering. Through its unflinching portrayal of trauma and sophisticated exploration of martyrdom, Martyrs transcends typical revenge narratives to deliver a philosophically rich horror experience that challenges viewers to keep their eyes open while maintaining powerful emotional resonance.

[RELATED: Before Wolf Man, These Are the 7 Best Werewolf Movies]

The Others (2001)

Alejandro Amenábar’s gothic experience stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Stewart, a devoutly religious mother struggling to protect her photosensitive children Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley) in a fog-shrouded Victorian mansion. When three mysterious servants arrive, led by the enigmatic Mrs. Mills (Fionnula Flanagan), a series of inexplicable events forces Grace to question everything she believes about life, death, and reality itself. Through its masterful use of atmosphere and psychological manipulation, The Others transforms familiar haunted house tropes into a profound exploration of grief, faith, and maternal devotion. The film’s true genius lies in how it uses its period setting and gothic elements to craft the ultimate ghost story.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Edgar Wright’s brilliant horror-comedy follows Shaun (Simon Pegg), a directionless electronics salesman stuck in a dead-end job and a failing relationship with his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). When London falls to a zombie outbreak, Shaun must finally step up, joining forces with his slacker best friend Ed (Nick Frost) to rescue his mother (Penelope Wilton) and win back Liz. Wright’s signature rapid-fire visual style and razor-sharp script, co-written with Pegg, elevate this beyond simple parody. Instead, the zombie apocalypse becomes a perfect backdrop for exploring very human themes about growing up, accepting responsibility, and maintaining relationships.

Let the Right One In (2008)

Tomas Alfredson’s Swedish masterpiece introduces us to Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a bullied 12-year-old boy who forms a profound connection with Eli (Lina Leandersson), a mysterious girl who only appears at night in their snow-covered Stockholm suburb. As their relationship deepens, Oskar’s discovery of Eli’s vampire nature transforms this intimate character study into something far more complex. Against a stark winter landscape, Alfredson crafts a tender coming-of-age story that reimagines vampire mythology through the lens of childhood loneliness.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Directed by Oren Peli, this found-footage phenomenon centers on Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat), a young couple whose attempt to document strange occurrences in their suburban San Diego home spirals into a nightmare. As Micah’s obsession with capturing evidence intensifies, the supernatural presence grows more aggressive, revealing a sinister decades-old connection to Katie. Armed with nothing but security cameras and practical effects, Peli manipulates negative space and sound design to create overwhelming dread. Yet beneath the supernatural scares lies an equally disturbing portrait of a relationship crumbling under the weight of fear, making its explosive climax all the more devastating.

28 Days Later (2002)

Danny Boyle reimagines zombie cinema by opening with Jim (Cillian Murphy) awakening from a coma to discover London abandoned. Alongside fellow survivors Selena (Naomie Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley), he uncovers the horrifying reality: a “rage” virus has transformed most of the population into rabid killing machines. Shot on early digital video cameras that lend a raw documentary feel, Boyle’s apocalyptic vision stands apart in its exploration of human nature. The real horror emerges not from the infected masses but from the survivors themselves, as the distinction between civilization and savagery blurs in the fight for survival. The movie also redefined the zombie mythology by turning the undead into agile killing machines instead of their classic slow interpretation.

The Descent (2005)

Neil Marshall’s horror movie is one of the best 2000s horror movies, and there are no questions about it. The Descent follows Sarah (Shauna Macdonald), who joins five friends for a spelunking expedition one year after losing her husband and daughter. Under the leadership of the ambitious Juno (Natalie Mendoza), what begins as adventure becomes a desperate fight for survival when the group finds itself trapped in an unmapped cave system. Marshall builds unbearable tension long before revealing the ancient predators lurking in the darkness, as the cave’s suffocating environment brings long-buried resentments and betrayals to the surface. This sophisticated approach to horror transforms a monster movie into a multifaceted study of trauma and survival, with an all-female cast facing both physical and psychological terrors that will haunt viewers long after the credits roll.

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Few horror subgenres delve as deeply into human psychology as cult-themed films. These movies explore our fundamental needs for belonging and meaning while exposing how easily those desires can be manipulated. From isolated communes to urban occultists, cult-focused horror films reveal the terrifying possibilities when charismatic leadership meets vulnerable followers. Furthermore, they make us question if we are really above the influence of cults or if we would also fall victim to these nefarious organizations.

Here’s our ranking of the seven best horror movies about cults, each offering a unique perspective on collective beliefs gone wrong.

7) The Lodge (2019)

Directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz craft a chilling winter nightmare in The Lodge, starring Riley Keough as Grace, a woman haunted by her past in a religious cult. When Grace finds herself trapped in an isolated winter lodge with her soon-to-be stepchildren, her traumatic history begins to surface in disturbing ways. As if that wasn’t scary enough, the film’s claustrophobic setting amplifies its exploration of how cult-related trauma can poison even the most ordinary family dynamics.

What sets The Lodge apart is its unflinching examination of generational trauma and religious extremism. Rather than focusing on active cult participation, the film shows how the psychological scars of cult membership can persist long after an escape, affecting not just the survivor but everyone around them.

6) Baskin (2015)

Turkish horror film Baskin takes viewers on a descent into madness when a group of police officers stumbles upon a terrifying cult ritual. The film stands out for its unique cultural perspective and uncompromising vision. While many cult films focus on psychological manipulation, Baskin presents a more visceral approach, examining how authority figures react when confronted with forces beyond their comprehension or control. 

Director Can Evrenol creates a nightmarish atmosphere that blends surrealism with visceral horror, pushing the boundaries of conventional narratives. Instead of a linear story, Baskin is a cyclical trip to hell, with scenes so violent and drenched in blood that they’ll remain carved into your memory long after the credits roll.

5) Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Roman Polanski’s classic stars Mia Farrow as Rosemary Woodhouse, a pregnant woman who becomes the focus of her neighbors’ sinister plans. The film’s genius lies in how it gradually reveals the cult’s presence, building paranoia through seemingly innocent interactions that take on darker meanings as the story progresses.

Rosemary’s Baby revolutionized how horror films approach cult narratives by grounding supernatural elements in everyday urban life. Instead of painting the devilish cult as a group of wackos hidden in the woods, the movie shows how danger can hide in the places we consider the safest. Finally, its exploration of bodily autonomy and institutional control of women remains painfully relevant today. It’s no wonder Rosemary’s Baby’s influence can be seen in countless subsequent films dealing with occult conspiracies.

[RELATED: Before Wolf Man, These Are the 7 Best Werewolf Movies]

4) The Wicker Man (1973)

Robin Hardy’s folk horror masterpiece follows Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) as he investigates a missing person case on a remote Scottish island. What he discovers is a pagan society that challenges everything about his Christian worldview.

The film’s strength lies in its ambiguity, presenting both Howie’s rigid Christianity and the islanders’ paganism with equal measure of sympathy and criticism. The film forces viewers to question whether Howie’s Christian morality is any more valid than the islanders’ pagan beliefs, creating a sophisticated examination of religious relativism that culminates in one of horror cinema’s most shocking endings. In addition, Christopher Lee’s memorable performance as Lord Summerisle helps create one of cinema’s most fascinating cult leaders.

3) The Endless (2017)

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s mind-bending film follows two brothers returning to the “UFO death cult” they escaped years ago. What begins as a journey for closure becomes an exploration of time, reality, and the nature of free will. The directors’ decision to play the brothers themselves adds an extra layer of authenticity to the story, as Benson and Moorhead know precisely what kind of horrors they want to conjure with this slow-burn meditation on cults.

The Endless distinguishes itself by avoiding typical cult movie tropes. Instead, it uses the setting to explore existential questions about choice and determinism. The movie also doubles down as one of the best explorations of cosmic horror ever put on film, delving into the uncomfortable horrors of facing a force of nature you can’t comprehend. As a result, The Endless’ innovative approach to supernatural elements and complex narrative structure creates a uniquely thoughtful entry into the genre.

2) The Empty Man (2020)

David Prior’s criminally underappreciated film follows ex-cop James Lasombra (James Badge Dale) as he investigates a series of disappearances linked to the mysterious Pontifex Society. Slowly, his missing person case evolves into a meditation on belief, reality, and the nature of existence itself.

The Empty Man elevates cult horror by treating its philosophical concepts with genuine intellectual rigor. The film suggests that ideas themselves might be conscious entities capable of spreading like viruses through human minds. Through the Pontifex Society’s doctrine, the film explores how modern loneliness and existential dread might make people susceptible to dangerous ideologies that promise meaning through the obliteration of the self. Granted, this is not an easy movie, as it demands the audience to question what reality even means, which explains the movie’s initially polarized reception. Yet, The Empty Man has slowly found the recognition that it deserves.

1) Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster’s daylight nightmare follows Dani (Florence Pugh) as she joins her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) on an anthropological trip to a remote Swedish commune following a devastating personal tragedy. By setting its horrors in perpetual sunlight, the film creates a unique sense of disorientation that mirrors Dani’s psychological state as she’s drawn deeper into the commune’s influence.

What makes Midsommar the pinnacle of cult horror is its careful balance of empathy and horror. The film understands that cults don’t prey on weakness but on universal human needs for community, understanding, and ritual. That’s all the more relevant as Midsommar doubles down as a study of how seductive white supremacy ideas can be to those lacking meaningful human bonds. Through Dani’s journey from isolation to terrible belonging, Aster examines how grief can make anyone susceptible to manipulation. The film’s stunning cinematography and attention to detail in its ritual sequences create an immersive experience that’s simultaneously beautiful and horrifying.

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Some Resident Evil fans are expecting a 2025 Resident Evil 9 release date. And this is partially because four years separated the 2017 release of Resident Evil 7 and 2021’s Resident Evil Village (Resident Evil 8). It’s now been four years since Resident Evil Village, so to expect Resident Evil 9 in 2025 is a reasonable expectation, especially since Resident Evil fans didn’t get anything in 2024. While this may be a reasonable expectation, it’s probably not going to come to fruition.

In order for Resident Evil 9 to release this year Capcom would need to reveal it and release it in the same calendar year. And this hasn’t been the case with the aforementioned Resident Evil games. Resident Evil Village was revealed in 2020, a year before its release. And the same is true of Resident Evil 7. It was revealed in 2016 and released in what was a seven month turn around, quicker than the turnaround for Village, but still a calendar year later.

With it so early in the year, Resident Evil 9 could still pull off a seven month or similar turnaround, revealing and releasing in the same year. Capcom seems to prefer a calendar year between the two events though. Further, whether a remake or a new mainline installment, it has preferred summer or end-of-the-year reveals. In order for Resident Evil 9 to release this year, it would have to break this mold and be revealed in the next couple of months.

All of this suggests a 2026 release date. And this matches with what we have heard through the grapevine. We haven’t heard anything about a release date for Resident Evil 9, but the little bits we have heard have suggested it’s an ambitious project, which would explain why it needs more time than previous games.

Interestingly, this lines up with new “educated speculation” from well-known Resident Evil insider Dusk Golem, who suspects the game will release not this year, but in 2026.

Unfortunately, right now we don’t have any official information, just speculation. But right now everything points to the Resident Evil 9 release date not being on the horizon, but still a little ways off. First half of 2026, specifically, seems likely.

For more Resident Evil coverage — including all of the latest Resident Evil news, all of the latest Resident Evil rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Resident Evil speculation — click here.

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The 1990s were an era of horror films that need to be studied. The early part of the decade gave us the tail end of the slasher sub-genre that governed horror. By the mid-1990s, you had anything from poorly produced Stephen King adaptations made for television to Wes Craven revitalizing the slasher with Scream. Yet, by the end of the decade, The Blair Witch Project would usher in what you can do with a horror film and the new heights you could take it without studio backing. Even if you don’t like the found footage horror film, you can’t argue against the floodgates it opened.

All of it is produced with a camcorder, some hiking gear, and utter the fear that centers around a group of aspiring documentary filmmakers who go off into the woods of a small town to investigate a string of local murders that are believed to be committed by a supposed witch. Once they get lost and begin to hear scary sounds at night, all bets are off.

Why We Never See the Blair Witch on Screen

You never see ‘The Witch’ in The Blair Witch Project, though you see remnants of the entity around. The closest you get to seeing her on screen is in the film’s final moments (more on that in a second). What did you expect from a few filmmaking hopefuls with no money but an idea of how to make a scary film?

RELATED: Blair Witch Producer Says Everybody’s Been Watching the Wrong Version of the Movie

The Blair With Project lives and breathes in the idea that it’s not what you see. It’s what you don’t that gets you scared. It’s in the screams of actress Rei Hance, formerly known as “Heather Donahue,” and the iconic close-up of her runny nose. It’s in the pile of rocks that the three lost searchers of the witch wake up to, and the stick figures made of twigs hanging from the trees. The fear and dread lie in the idea of ‘Josh’ (Joshua Leonard), who goes missing in the film’s third act, and the meltdown of ‘Mike’ (Michael C. Williams) as he begins to lose his mind. The threat of the witch being unseen keeps things grounded in reality. Thus, all the fears and anxieties the characters have as they dive further into their living hell feel all too real.

Many People Thought The Blair With Project was Real

A key factor in the success of The Blair Witch Project is that it’s presented as an actual piece of found footage. The marketing behind the movie didn’t break character in that sense for a long time. All of this makes you, an audience member, want to see what this witch looks like and see it badly. 

The Blair Witch Project was also a film that utilized the internet before anyone else ever thought to do so, making it not easy to spot if it was a fake thing for people to buy into or not. The website for the film now takes you directly to the Lionsgate website, but at the time, www.theblairwitch.com had an eeriness about it that made it feel like you were examining the files of a crime scene. You know what wasn’t on the site? Any photos of the Blair Witch. Viewing the website only added fuel to the fire to get butts in seats when the film hit the national stage and scared millions.

That Ending Though…

Some want to scoff at The Blair Witch Project‘s ending; others think it is a masterpiece. By the time you reach the final few moments of the film, your palms are sweaty as you await some sort of big reveal as to what the witch looks like. 

In the film’s final minutes, we are with Heather and Mike, who hear Josh yelling for help in the distance. They have stumbled upon a strange abandoned house in the woods. Mike is attacked by something off-camera. We then cut to Heather on her camera, yelling, screaming, and looking for her friends. She eventually enters the basement and finds Mike standing in the corner, facing the wall, previously mentioned in the film as a tactic used by Rustin Parr, a man who killed multiple children and was alleged to have done so at the instruction of the Blair Witch. Mike is completely motionless, Heather’s camera gets knocked to the ground, and the screen goes fuzzy, and eventually goes black. 

It’s an unforgettable ending that will linger with you as you go about your life after seeing the film. Many other found-footage horror films have attempted to do the same thing, and many have failed. The Blair Witch Project accomplished all of this without ever showing you the monster. 

The post This ‘90s Horror Movie Is Terrifying, Even Though You Never See the Monster appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dexter: Resurrection is officially filming but it has yet to confirm the return of an iconic character from the original show. Dexter is a series that is known for a lot of things. It’s incredibly violent and follows a killer of serial killers, only taking the lives of those that fit a certain moral code. As a result, we see some of the most heinous things that can even be put on television from people being chainsawed to women being hunted down in the wilderness for sport. However, at the center of all the violence and thrills is a really strong, lovable ensemble cast. Dexter may be titled after its lead, but the show would be lacking without its supporting cast.

The show manages to utilize this ensemble to create levity in its very heavy subject matter, but also inject other forms of drama away from all the bloodshed. It’s one of the strongest elements of the show. Dexter: New Blood moved away from the original ensemble in favor of creating a new one, largely because Dexter faked his death and therefore those previous characters couldn’t play a larger role. However, at the end of the show, Dexter’s secret was revealed. Now, the world and his former co-workers know he’s a serial killer and it seems like it’s going to create some interesting conflicts in a new sequel series starring Michael C. Hall known as Dexter: Resurrection, releasing in June 2025.

As of right now, not much is known about the show besides the fact Dexter will start the series in the hospital, recovering from the near-fatal gunshot wound he took at the end of New Blood. Showtime has confirmed that Angel Batista, Harry Morgan, and Harrison Morgan will all return in Dexter: Resurrection, ensuring that we will get even more fan-favorite charcters from the original series than we did in New Blood. Harry was absent from the previous show and Angel had a brief cameo that suggested we may get a confrontation between him and Dexter. However, one key character needs to appear in Dexter: Resurrection.

Dexter: Resurrection Needs to Feature Joey Quinn

Dexter: Resurrection should absolutely bring back Joey Quinn, one of the most beloved characters from the original show. Played by Desmond Harrington, Quinn was introduced in season 3 as a replacement to Doakes and quickly became a fan-favorite character for his charm. Quinn was a bit sleazier than the rest of the department, which made him a bit more interesting as he was willing to get his hands dirty both selfishly and to find some justice. Like Doakes, Quinn was suspicious of Dexter and had him privately investigated and thought he may have had involvement in Rita’s death.

Ultimately, he didn’t come as close as Doakes to finding out the truth and largely backed off, but some fans have suspected that Quinn was aware of Dexter’s dark secret and let it slide because he respected it. However, the more likely reason for easing up is that Quinn began dating Deb, Dexter’s sister, and wanted to marry her. Although the two broke up, there was still romantic tension between them up to the very end of the series, and Quinn was devastated when Deb died.

After the police took Deb’s killer, Oliver Saxon, into custody, Dexter snuck in to his cell under the guise of doing forensic work and killed him in front of surveillance cameras. Quinn and Batista both watched the footage with Quinn ultimately claiming it was “self defense,” seemingly fully knowing Dexter went in to get his revenge. Quinn, likely wanting the same thing, let Dexter go without hesitation.

With Dexter’s secret now out in the open and Batista on the case, now is the perfect time to bring back Quinn. Not only is he just a very entertaining character with lots of wit, but the drama that would come from him knowing the truth about Dexter would make for some incredibly compelling storytelling. Having both Quinn and Batista joining a manhunt in New York City, the expected setting for Dexter: Resurrection, would create incredible stakes for Dexter. It could put him in a position where he may have to consider hurting two friends and make him face the reality of his actions.

Beyond just working together, both Quinn and Batista have extremely good motivations for going after Dexter. For Quinn, he may blame Dexter for Deb’s death if he finds out Dexter was directly connected to Saxon. Dexter is also largely responsible for LaGuerta’s death, despite not being the one to pull the trigger on the gun that killed her. Batista, having been married to her, will likely feel a great deal of pain and anger if he learns the truth of her death. A confrontation between Angel and Dexter was already set up in Dexter: New Blood.

Quinn also showed he’s an extremely determined detective, especially when things become personal. It’s likely he would operate a bit outside of the law to take Dexter down or do some morally questionable things to get to him. He’d be a great foil for Dexter in Dexter: Resurrection, but we’ll have to wait and see if Showtime decides to bring him back.

The post Dexter: Resurrection Needs to Feature This Original Series Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Friday the 13th franchise has always been pretty fast and loose with logic, and that’s just one element that makes it such a treasure. For instance, Jason shouldn’t even be anything other than a decomposing little boy at the bottom of a lake, yet he’s walking around, machete in hand. Just as there’s no consistency with how life and death work, there’s not even any consistency with how the resurrected (or never dead at all?) man looks. Each film has a different look for Jason, and we’ll be doomed if they aren’t able to be ranked.

Primarily, the focus was the character’s various physical designs. However, the work of the man behind the mask (or burlap sack) was taken into account. How Jason carries himself doesn’t vary quite as much as his physical appearance from film to film, but it still does, especially when comparing the second, third, fourth, and twelfth films with what came in between.

#12 – Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning is an odd duck. It often plays more like a cheapo piece of midnight trash (which has its merits) than a coherent film. Director Danny Steinmann, who was known for directing pornography more than anything else, was clearly out of his element.

It also features the worst Jason because, well, it’s not Jason at all. It’s an ambulance driver named Roy, whose identity as the killer is less a twist and more blatantly obvious (the man sinisterly looks directly into the camera at one point for goodness’ sake). Given that fact, this “Jason” doesn’t even move like Jason. He moves like a mortal man, and not in a particularly frightening way at that.

#11 – Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

On the whole, Steve Miner’s Friday the 13th Part 2 is one of the franchise’s best installments. However, it’s often clear that those behind the film weren’t quite sure which direction to take it all. For instance, one of its most iconic kills is lifted directly from Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood.

There’s also the fact that the film’s Jason, his first appearance as an adult, is really just the unnamed killer from The Town That Dreaded Sundown. On one hand, that kind of works as it makes Jason seem like a flesh-and-blood real-world threat, but it’s also without a doubt the second least inspired Jason design in the franchise’s history.

#10 – Jason X (2002)

The worst Friday the 13th doesn’t quite have the worst Jason design, but it’s close. The fourth and final Kane Hodder installment of the franchise, Jason X, is like the other three in that it ranks pretty low in terms of the overall series.

His Jason, however, is iconic for a reason. Hodder makes Jason a force, but of his quartet of performances, this is the only one hampered by an outright goofy design and awful special effects. Even still, at least it’s objectively creative, which can’t be said about the ones seen in A New Beginning or Part 2.

#9 – Friday the 13th (1980)

Some may thing that the first Jason is the worst Jason, because he’s relegated to a cameo. But what a cameo. The final jump scare in Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th is iconic, and even after 45 years and however many viewings, it’s lost none of its impact.

Were the franchise to have not been a franchise and instead been a single film, this moss-covered and grotesque Jason would still work. After all, he’s the prime motivation for the film’s momentum even though he’s long dead. Or is he? A little air of mystery never hurt a horror flick, and it certainly doesn’t hurt the original Friday the 13th.

[RELATED: 5 Horror Movie Franchises That Desperately Need Reboots]

#8 – Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

Freddy vs. Jason operates as a continuation of the later Paramount films when it comes to Jason. He’s nothing like the one seen in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday and there’s no silly Jason X silver mask (or admittedly effective blood red eyes). Instead, he’s closer to what was seen in the next entry.

The one thing that does work quite well about this lumbering, fairly standard take on the character is actor Ken Kirzinger’s considerable height. Even still, this is the most “meh” Jason out there. You believe he could kill you, but you also believe you could either run away or summon a dream demon to distract him.

#7 – Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

Far ahead of its time and one of the best slasher sequels ever made, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives is still burdened with a pretty lame Jason. To be fair, he’s dead dead after The Final Chapter, so he’s supposed to be a slow-moving zombie, but without Kane Hodder behind the mask that’s really all he is.

C. J. Graham had the right size for the role, and there’s admittedly nothing particularly wrong with his take on the character. But, when combined with a comedic tone, this Jason is a pretty difficult one to take seriously, much less be afraid of.

#6 – Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

Watching Jason storm through Times Square (actually Vancouver) makes for one of the best Friday the 13th chase sequences, but he’s still a step down from the previous film’s legendary take on the character. However, the film still benefits from Kane Hodder’s return, not to mention all the slime that coats pretty much Jason’s entire body.

Once the mask comes off, this Jason pretty quickly becomes the worst, but up until then he’s solid enough. At the very least he’s the funniest Jason. If you don’t want your jukebox kicked, don’t put it in front of a hockey masked killer with 100+ kills under his slimy belt.

#5 – Friday the 13th (2009)

For the first time in a long time, Jason could catch up with a marathon runner without the use of teleportation which, let’s face it, he can apparently do in some of the movies. The 2009 Friday the 13th remake may be a little too glossy for its own good and filled with obnoxious characters, but they got Jason right.

Derek Mears made for a really terrific Jason. If there was any main reason for Marcus Nispel’s reboot to get a sequel, it was Mears. It also helps that he was coming on the heels of one of the more boring Jasons in the franchise’s history.

#4 – Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is quite a few fans’ favorite installment of the franchise. That’s very much understandable, but its Jason is still a step down from the inferior-as-a-film Part III. Richard Brooker’s Jason set such a high bar that it was almost impossible for Ted White to fill his big, blood-soaked shoes.

On the negative end of things, this Jason just isn’t quite as bulky, which was an asset when it came to just how intimidating Part III‘s could be. On the positive end, White’s is still one of the better Jasons because he’s still surrounded by the grim tone that elevated the first four movies, not to mention the carrying over of the axe mark from the previous film’s climax is a nice touch. Though Jason is most identified as a slow-moving killing machine, he still ran here, which is indeed scarier. The Final Chapter would be the last time he did so until the remake.

#3 – Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

Were this a ranking of the films’ overall quality, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday would be pretty close to the bottom. Though, unlike the other New Line movies, it at least attempts to capture the visual and tonal spirit of the Paramount years. It’s just how it goes about doing so that’s…questionable.

What isn’t questionable is that it takes some mighty big swings, and that includes the look of Jason (for the scant amount of time he’s actually on-screen). The penultimate Hodder Jason is wholly unlike the other three. It takes the consistent deterioration of the character and ups it a few notches. And, in doing so, pulls the now barely-there mask a few notches into the undead man’s face. Plus, the few strands of long, graying hair somehow works.

#2 – Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

It’s a toss-up for the top spot, but on a tier list only one can win. But, while Richard Brooker’s take on the character in Friday the 13th Part III didn’t win in terms of design, he is the definitive Jason.

For the most part, the Friday the 13th movies aren’t particularly scary, but the way Brooker portrays Jason gives him a particular frightening edge. Just look at the way he lumbers back up the pier after shooting Vera with the speargun, it’s as if he’s halfway between the mindless killing machine of Part VI and the distinctly human rendition in Part 2. Like the number one spot, this Jason is iconic, primarily because it was here that he got his mask.

#1 – Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Again, it’s a toss-up, but the first Kane Hodder performance as Jason takes the W. Alongside directing the film, John Carl Buechler was a noteworthy make-up artist, and his vision for what the character should look like was a vast improvement over the dull Jason Lives zombie.

The exposed ribs and spine, the decayed face, Hodder’s forceful yet slow way of moving, it all works. Thanks to the MPAA’s demands it’s arguably the least effective entry of the Paramount years (all eight of which are now available to stream for free on Pluto TV), but Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood has the Jason that most people think of when his name is mentioned.

The post Every Friday the 13th Movie Ranked by Jason’s Appearance appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The 2016 horror movie The Shallows pits Blake Lively against a shark menace, but the shark itself isn’t the most terrifying element of the film. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, The Shallows stars Lively as Nancy Adams, a surfer who is attacked by a shark and finds herself stranded on a patch of coral reef. With her bleeding leg preventing her from swimming back to the relatively nearby shore, Nancy must fight for her survival against the looming threat of her pursuing shark.

The Shallows has drawn acclaim for its effective use of its shark and Lively’s performance in the movie’s survival story. However, unlike most Sharksploitation horror movies, the finned creature itself is not the true source of the movie’s terror. While the shark is indeed an integral element of the film’s effectiveness as a horror movie, The Shallows works as well as it does because of the ocean itself.

The Shallows Bases Its Horror In Being Trapped At Sea

While the shark is certainly a terrifying menace in The Shallows, its home environment of the sea is the very thing that allows it to be scary in the first place. While Lively’s Nancy is stranded with the shore in sight, The Shallows is absolutely painstaking in keeping her there. In being trapped in the situation she’s in with the shark pursuing her, Nancy’s isolation on the batch of coral reef presents its own set of problems in her lack of food, shelter, and drinkable water.

Simply being stuck on the coral reef, Nancy faces death from dehydration, starvation, incurring an even worse cut that could cause her to bleed to death, or simply being exposed to the elements. Worse still, Nancy has no means of communication to seek help beyond simply calling out to any passers by she sees on the beach and simply hoping they hear or see her. With all of these factors, the ocean is the true villain of The Shallows for the terrifying environmental prison it represents. Of course, that isn’t to take anything away from the shark itself.

[RELATED: The 10 Best Shark Movies That Aren’t Jaws and Where to Stream]

The Shallows Uses The Shark Like Jaws Does

The shark’s on-screen presence in The Shallows is relatively obscured for much of the movie. Most of the time, Nancy and the audience primarily see the shark’s fin cutting through the water towards her with occasional glimpses of the shark’s underwater silhouette. Aside from a handful of quick glimpses on-screen of the shark attacking other surfers, the underwater killer largely isn’t seen in its full glory until Nancy’s final showdown with her sea-faring predator. In that respect, The Shallows follows the Jaws playbook of keeping its shark a mostly unseen threat whose menace is nevertheless constantly felt.

The infamously troubled production of Jaws – specifically the technical issues encountered with the movie’s mechanical shark being filmed at sea – led Steven Spielberg to keep the shark largely off-screen until the final act. This ended up making Jaws a historically effective horror movie with the audience’s imagination running wild on the menace lurking in the deep.

The Shallows acts as a kind of modern day Jaws to great effect in never letting Nancy or the audience forget that the shark is out in the water waiting for her, while actually using the oceanic beast as minimally as possible. Moreover, with modern CGI on its side, The Shallows is also able show off the shark’s agility and hunting prowess marvelously when it is on-screen, as well as giving it a memorable death when Nancy finally tricks it into swimming into underwater rebar and impaling itself.

The Shallows Shows The Power Of Horror Movie Minimalism

The Shallows is a prime example of a survival story in which Mother Nature provides the filmmakers with most of what they need to keep the audience on their toes. With a beach, a coral reef patch, and a floating buoy as its set, The Shallows puts Nancy up against the elements to superb effect. The Shallows doesn’t forsake the modern tools of CGI, puppeteering, and camera wizardry, it also knows where to place them in its story to get the most out of them. And, just as importantly, when and where not to use them to get the same effect (a practice growing increasingly common in shark-based horror movies, as also seen in the equally effective 47 Meters Down.)

Simply situating Nancy in the area of the ocean that she is in, The Shallows keeps its suspense and sense of dread constant throughout with a clear feeling of “So close, yet so far” every time the refuge of the beach is visible. The shark itself might be what keeps Nancy from simply swimming back to safety, but The Shallows is a remarkably effective horror movie in the more subtle threat it makes the ocean itself into. Even better, when The Shallows does put its shark to full use, it is a well-deserved pay-off with how much the unstoppable beast of the high seas has been held back on-screen.

The Shallows is available on STARZ.

The post The Scariest Thing About This Blake Lively Horror Movie Isn’t the Shark appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Everyone knows that there are several adaptations of Stephen King’s work, starting with 1976’s two-time Oscar-nominated Carrie from director Brian De Palma and still going strong today. Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, based on King’s short story, arrives in theaters on February 21, with many more projects on the way, including Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck. King movies range from the truly terrible to some of the biggest classics in cinema history, with a few silly yet delightful cult classics in the mix (see: Maximum Overdrive). There are a few differing opinions on which adaptations should be placed at the very top of the list, especially considering that King has also dabbled in other genres and is not only the master of horror, widening the audience pool.

A few perfect King feature adaptations have already been remade, such as Carrie, Pet Sematary, and The Dead Zone, when it was turned into a popular series starring Anthony Michael Hall. On rare occasions, there have been remakes that turned out better than the original (though some would argue otherwise), like in the case of Andy Muschietti’s first IT film in 2017 starring Bill Skarsgård vs. the 1990 miniseries. Then, there are classic King movies that are so obviously untouchable and the perfect iteration of the story that anyone would be asinine to consider remaking them, including The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me, and The Green Mile.

What three other perfect Stephen King movies should remain the only feature adaptations of that story to exist, then? Continue below to find out!

Misery (1990)

Anyone who has never seen director Rob Reiner’s Misery needs to immediately rectify that. Every bit of this adaptation is perfect, from Reiner’s directing, William Goldman’s writing, the editing, the score, James Caan’s take on the tortured author Paul Sheldon, and, of course, Kathy Bates’ Oscar-winning performance as Paul Sheldon’s #1 fan and captor, Annie Wilkes.

When Paul Sheldon crashes his car on a snowy mountain, he is fortunately rescued by a local named Annie Wilkes, who witnessed the accident. Annie takes Paul in to care for him as he heals from his injuries, promising she will call for help once the phones are back up and the roads are clear from the blizzard. Unfortunately, Paul realizes Annie has been intentionally isolating him because she is an obsessed fan who never plans on letting him leave — and wants him to write the perfect new novel for her favorite fictional character, Misery.

[RELATED – The Monkey: Gruesome First Clip Released for New Stephen King Movie]

Misery was Reiner’s second King adaptation, following his 1986 movie Stand by Me, inspired by the novella “The Body.” He is one of three directors who have made multiple King movies that all turned out excellent, and they’re all represented here. Every aspect of Misery is carefully constructed and infused with a handful of funny moments that never overshadow the bleak and dangerous situation Paul is trapped in. Bates and Caan raised the bar as screen partners in this flawless take on King’s dark tale; another version would never do it justice.

Gerald’s Game (2017)

Not only has Mike Flanagan firmly established himself as another master of horror in the movie and TV world, but he is also one of the few filmmakers who have consistently made good Stephen King adaptations. The writer/director certainly enjoys a challenge, and one of the biggest magic tricks he’s ever pulled came in 2017 with Netflix’s Gerald’s Game. On paper, King’s suspense novel should have never worked on-screen, especially since most of it takes place in the mind of one character trapped in a bedroom.

The psychological horror-thriller follows a woman named Jessie (Carla Gugino) and her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) to a remote lake house where the couple is attempting to spice up a dying marriage. Gerald suggests adding some kink to the bedroom and handcuffs Jessie to the bed frame. An argument after Jessie expresses her distress when things escalate into rape fantasy territory ends when Gerald suddenly has a fatal heart attack. Jessie, still handcuffed, is left alone in a fight for survival, with only Gerald’s body, traumatic childhood memories, hallucinations, a wild, hungry dog, and a mysterious man — who may or may not be real — hiding in the shadows of the bedroom to keep her company.

Gugino and Greenwood are two of the familiar faces found in various Flanagan series and movie projects. There are reasons he regularly works with the same performers, one of them being that he has a knack for collaborating with excellent actors like Gugino and Greenwood, who deliver gold with every role (the two most recently starred together in Flanagan’s Netflix limited series The Fall of the House of Usher). In the same sense that no one else could have made a fantastic movie version of this novel, a huge part of its success is thanks to Greenwood and, especially, Gugino. She tackles every emotional and complicated aspect of Jessie’s past and predicament, even perfectly playing off of herself. In the same way Flanagan pulled off a miracle with The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, his is the only filmic final word on Gerald’s Game.

The Mist (2007)

Frank Darabont is another mastermind of perfecting King’s work on the big screen. His third feature based on a King novel, The Mist, followed his Oscar-nominated hits The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Stepping away from prison dramas, Darabont took on King’s sci-fi horror tale starring Thomas Jane (another King alum who has appeared in many adaptations inspired by the author’s stories) and boasting one of the best, most satisfyingly shocking endings to a horror movie ever.

In The Mist, David Drayton (Jane) and his son take shelter inside a grocery store alongside several members of a small community when a dense, unyielding fog rolls in following a severe thunderstorm. What keeps almost everyone inside the store is the deadly threat of large, monstrous creatures looming in the fog. Like all King stories, The Mist is more interested in the characters than what they are being confronted with, specifically how they respond in difficult or terrifying situations. This results in the biggest threat not being the strange monsters outside, but some of the humans inside the store, particularly religious zealot Mrs. Carmody, played by Marcia Gay Harden.

Humans being capable of being the greatest monsters is not an uncommon trope (and true in reality), but the theme’s familiarity works exceptionally well in this movie. The trapped, isolated setting of the grocery store surrounded by a wall of fog you can’t see through, along with the desperation of survival, fear of the unknown, and increasing paranoia, is a perfect powder keg that goes off several times, leaving behind bloodshed. Harden is excellent as the horrific Mrs. Carmody, and Jane plays the story’s protective father and flawed hero in an impossible situation to great effect. Featuring a solid cast, engaging characters, terrifying sequences, and an ending that still gets talked about nearly 20 years later, Darabont’s The Mist was the only feature adaptation we needed.

The post 3 Stephen King Movies That Are Perfect (And Shouldn’t Be Remade) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

George A. Romero revolutionized horror cinema when he released Night of the Living Dead in 1968. The movie established zombies as we know them today: reanimated corpses hungry for human flesh that can only be stopped by destroying their brains. Since then, zombies have become a pop culture staple, inspiring countless movies, TV shows, video games, and comics. While some zombie stories achieved massive success, like The Walking Dead or World War Z, many great undead tales flew under the radar. That’s why we’re here to remind you of three brilliant zombie movies you might have forgotten about, each offering a unique take on the genre while staying true to what makes these creatures so frightening.

If you are hungry for more flesh-eaters on your screen, here is our pick for the best three underrated zombie movies:

3. I Am a Hero (2015)

I Am a Hero offers a unique perspective on the apocalypse by following Hideo Suzuki (Yô Ôizumi), a 35-year-old struggling manga artist assistant. When a mysterious virus called ZQN begins turning people into violent creatures, Hideo must use his sporting shotgun to protect himself and other survivors. While the premise of pitching a nobody against the army of undead might sound similar to Zombieland, director Shinsuke Sato’s adaptation of Kengo Hanazawa’s manga charts its own path by exploring Japanese society through the lens of a zombie outbreak.

What makes I Am a Hero truly special is how it uses the apocalypse to tell a compelling story about personal growth. Hideo’s transformation from a meek artist to a determined survivor feels earned thanks to Yo Oizumi’s nuanced performance. The movie also impresses with its special effects and creative zombie encounters, proving that practical effects and CGI can work together to create memorable horror sequences. It’s a shame more people haven’t discovered this gem, as it deserves a spot among the greatest zombie movies ever made.

The film also stands out for its unique take on the infected. The ZQN virus doesn’t just turn people into mindless flesh-eaters. Instead, it traps them in a loop of repeating their last thoughts or actions before infection. This creative choice leads to some of the most unsettling zombie behavior ever put on screen, as the infected might repeat phrases, continue their daily routines, or even try to use smartphones while attacking the living. When combined with the film’s sharp social commentary about the pressures of Japanese work culture and social expectations, these creative flourishes make I Am a Hero a must-watch for anyone seeking fresh ideas in the zombie genre.

[RELATED: 7 Best Single-Setting Horror Movies]

2. The Cured (2017)

Most zombie stories focus on surviving the initial outbreak or dealing with its immediate aftermath. The Cured takes a different approach by asking what happens after we find a cure. Set in Ireland, David Freyne’s directorial debut follows Senan (Sam Keeley), a formerly infected person who struggles to reintegrate into society while dealing with the memories of his bloody actions as a zombie. When he moves in with his sister-in-law Abbie (Elliot Page) and her young son, Senan discovers that surviving the apocalypse might be easier than facing its psychological consequences.

Like 28 Days Later used zombies to comment on rage and violence, The Cured transforms the undead into a metaphor for discrimination and social reintegration. What sets The Cured apart is its willingness to grapple with complex moral questions that most zombie films ignore. The cured individuals retain memories of their actions while infected, raising fascinating questions about guilt, forgiveness, and responsibility. The film also explores how fear can lead to the rise of extremist movements. These themes feel particularly relevant in our current political climate, proving that zombie stories can still serve as powerful vehicles for social commentary when handled with intelligence and nuance.

Strong performances from Page and Keeley anchor The Cured’s story in human emotions, while the growing tension between cured individuals and the rest of society creates genuine suspense. It’s precisely this kind of innovative storytelling that keeps the zombie genre fresh and relevant.

1. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

If you’re searching for something truly unique in zombie movies, look no further than Anna and the Apocalypse, a British Christmas zombie musical that perfectly blends horror, humor, and catchy tunes. The film follows Anna (Ella Hunt), a high school student in the small Scottish town of Little Haven, who must fight her way through hordes of the undead during the holiday season.

Like Shaun of the Dead proved that zombies and comedy are a perfect match, Anna and the Apocalypse shows that adding musical numbers to the mix creates an unforgettable experience. Director John McPhail and writers Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry strike an impressive balance between different genres, delivering genuine scares between show-stopping musical performances. Plus, the talented cast led by Ella Hunt brings both emotional depth and vocal prowess to their roles, making us care about their survival while tapping our feet to the rhythm.

The film’s greatest triumph is how it uses its musical numbers as entertaining setpieces and storytelling tools that advance the plot and develop characters. Each song reveals something new about the survivors while creating a striking contrast between the cheerful tunes and the grim reality of their situation. This juxtaposition elevates Anna and the Apocalypse above simple genre mashup territory, transforming it into a clever commentary on how teenagers cope with life-changing events. The movie has rightfully earned a devoted cult following, with fans praising its ability to make them laugh, cry, and scream while humming its catchy songs. Hopefully, McPhail will get his sequel out of the ground one day.

The post 3 Underrated Zombie Movies You’ve Probably Forgotten About appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Hello again, Sidney. After Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott sat out 2023’s Scream VI — the first film in the nearly 30-year-old franchise not to feature Ghostface’s first obsession before the Carpenter sisters, played by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega — the original Scream queen is back in Scream 7. Also returning for the upcoming seventh installment in the meta-slasher saga: Courteney Cox and series creator Kevin Williamson, in addition to some familiar and fresh (ghost)faces. With filming now officially underway on the sequel, we’re taking a stab at everything we know about Scream 7 so far, including who’s returning (and who isn’t) to who’s directing, writing, and more.

Who’s in the Scream 7 Cast?

Campbell and Cox are returning as repeat Ghostface survivors Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers, respectively, reunited for the first time since Dewey’s (David Arquette) death in 2022’s Scream 5. (While Cox’s fame-seeking reporter turned The Woodsboro Murders author returned for Scream VI, Campbell declined to return for the sixth movie due to a salary dispute.)

“I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise, and have brought to this franchise, for25 years,” Campbell told People in 2022. “As a woman in this business, I think it’s really important for us to be valued and to fight to be valued.”

Gale gave an update on the off-screen Sidney and her husband Mark (Scream 3‘s Patrick Dempsey) in that film, explaining that she was “taking Mark and the kids somewhere safe” in response to new Ghostface killings in New York before adding that the long-terrorized Sidney “deserves to have a happy ending.” But this is the sixth sequel in a long-running slasher franchise, so Sidney’s “happy ending” won’t last long. Isabel May, who starred in the Yellowstone spinoffs 1883 and 1923, has been cast as Sidney’s daughter, and Dempsey has confirmed he has engaged in talks about reprising his role as Mark Kincaid for the first time since 2000’s Scream 3. (Studio Spyglass Entertainment has yet to announce Dempsey’s casting.)

Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Celeste O’Connor (Madame Web), Asa Germann (Gen V), Sam Rechner (Heartbreak High), and Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) have been cast in undisclosed roles. Meanwhile, the “Core Four” is four no more: Mason Gooding, who played Chad in the last two Scream movies, is the only member of the group to return in Scream 7.

Roger L. Jackson, who has voiced Ghostface in every installment since the 1996 original, also answered the call to return alongside Campbell and Cox. Barrera’s Sam Carpenter — the daughter of Sidney’s ex and the original Ghostface, serial killer Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) — and half-sister Tara (Ortega) will not appear in Scream 7, nor will Chad’s twin sister, Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown).

In November 2023, Barrera was dropped from the franchise by Spyglass Media Group after her posts about the Israel-Hamas war on social media. That same month, it was reported Ortega also would not return, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with her hit Netflix series Wednesday. It was later reported that Ortega departed over an alleged pay dispute.

Who wrote and directed Scream 7?

Series creator Kevin Williamson — who wrote the Wes Craven-directed Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4 — is the director, replacing Scream 5 and VI filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (a.k.a. Radio Silence), who are credited as executive producers. The duo stepped back from directing a third movie to helm the vampire horror-comedy Abigail, so Spyglass tapped Happy Death Day and Freaky filmmaker Christopher Landon to take the reins. However, in December 2023, Landon announced that he “formally exited” the sequel weeks before his dropping out was reported in the press.

“It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone,” Landon wrote on social media after previously clarifying that Barrera’s controversial dismissal from the Scream franchise was “not my decision to make.”

“But it’s time to move on,” Landon added in the post. “I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes’ [Craven’s] legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.”

It was reported that Scream 5 and VI screenwriter James Vanderbilt had structured his script for the seventh movie on Barrera’s character, Sam, and was forced to return to the drawing board. Spyglass then tapped Guy Busick, Vanderbilt’s co-writer on the previous two films, to rewrite; he’s credited with the screenplay, while Vanderbilt receives a co-story credit. Busick’s credits include Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett’s Ready or Not and Abigail, and the upcoming Final Destination: Bloodlines. Williamson’s sole credit as director is the 1999 teen comedy-thriller Teaching Mrs. Tingle.

Williamson shared, “It’s been nearly 30 years since my very first script, Scream, was directed by the legendary Wes Craven. I never would have predicted what it would become. Or that I would be directing the seventh installment of the franchise. I am overcome with gratitude and excitement, and I can’t wait to take this journey with Neve and the entire Scream family as we bring back Sidney Prescott in the next chapter of the Scream franchise.”

“It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies,” Campbell said when announcing her return on social media. “My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Campbell continued, “Well, actually, I could. While I’ve been so incredibly lucky to make these films with both the master of horror Wes Craven and the wonderfully talented Matt and Tyler team, I’ve dreamt for many years of how amazing it would be to make one of these movies with Kevin Williamson at the helm. And now it’s happening, Kevin Williamson is going to direct Scream 7! This was his baby and it’s his brilliant mind that dreamt up this world. Kevin is not just an inspiration as an artist but has been a dear friend for many years. To the amazing Scream fans, I hope you are as excited as I am.”

What is Scream 7 about?

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but Campbell confirmed that the new movie would follow Sidney — and, as we now know, her family — after shifting focus to the Carpenter sisters in the 2022 legacy sequel Scream and 2023’s Scream 6.

“We are going to follow Sidney,” Campbell told Entertainment Tonight, comparing the story to the recent Halloween sequels trilogy that brought back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode 40 years after the 1978 original. “They did pitch the concept to me, and it’s the reason that I jumped on board. I love these movies, they are so much fun to be a part of. I’m so grateful for them, I could never have imagined being a part of a movie that would have lasted this many decades.”

“The fandom is nuts, they are incredible and very passionate about these films,” she added. “I’m excited to give them a new one.”

What is the Scream 7 release date?

Paramount Pictures has dated Scream 7 for Feb. 27, 2026, three years after the last installment slashed its way to $169 million at the box office in March 2023. Spyglass once hoped to have the new movie out in 2025 before its creative retooling and delays due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes.

Williamson announced on Jan. 7, 2025, that filming had begun on Scream 7. Production was initially expected to get underway in September 2024 before being pushed back to December of last year and again to January — and now cameras are rolling in metro Atlanta, Georgia, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I’m very, very happy it’s happening,” Campbell recently told IndieWire of Scream 7. “We were supposed to start in September, but we’re going to start in December now because of some scheduling stuff with Kevin and myself and having that all aligned. And actually, I think it’s a good thing, because we’re going to be able to have the time to get it really right. So I’m very excited about it.”

“What an extraordinary day I had working with an amazing and talented cast and crew. They brought their ‘A’ game and had my back every step of the way,” Williamson wrote in his Jan. 7 post on Instagram. “I’m so very grateful for this opportunity and to Wes Craven who was on my mind through it all. The profound impact he has had on my life and career is endless.”

The post Everything We Know About Scream 7 (Including Who Will Return) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The eagerly anticipated 28 Years Later doesn’t even hit theaters until June, but we already know that at least one of the 28 Days Later follow-up’s characters will have a role beyond the upcoming film. Speaking with Empire, Ralph Fiennes and filmmaker Danny Boyle revealed that his character, Dr. Kelson, is significant to both movies but his role in the sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will be even larger. The aforementioned film, directed by Nia DaCosta, is set to arrive in 2026.

“He’s a survivor, and the way he survived is very interesting,” Fiennes said of his character. “He’s quite out-there in his views on the world. I think audiences will assume something about him and then see where it goes.”

“He strides forward into the second film in an enormous way, where the question of what he’s after and what he wants to do gets fully resolved,” Boyle said.

[RELATED: 28 Years Later: First Trailer Returns to Danny Boyle’s Terrifying Apocalypse]

Here’s what we know about 28 Years Later so far. The film is set nearly three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory (which was the basis for the first film, 28 Days Later), and some survivors have found ways to exist amidst the infected within a ruthlessly enforced quarantine. One group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the. mainland by a lone, heavily defended road and when one of the group leaves the island on a mission to the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

“It’s three films, of which two have been shot,” Fiennes said previously. “Britain is 28 years into this terrible plague of infected people who are violent, rabid humans with a few pockets of uninfected communities. And it centers on a young boy who wants to find a doctor to help his dying mother. He leads his mother through this beautiful northern English terrain. But of course, around them hiding in forests and hills and woods are the infected. But he finds a doctor who is a man we might think is going to be weird and odd but actually is a force for good.”

As for what to expect from 28 Years Later and beyond, screenwriter Alex Garland has also previously explained that this new trilogy is a different approach than what was taken for 28 Days Later — and very ambitious.

“This is very narratively ambitious. Danny and I understood that,” he said. “We tried to condense it, but its natural form felt like a trilogy.”

28 Years Later stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Erin Kellyman, and Edvin Ryding. The film is set to open in theaters June 20th. Its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, will open in theaters January 16, 2026.

The post 28 Years Later Sequel Has “Much Bigger Part” for Ralph Fiennes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

John Carpenter’s The Thing is one of those movies that was met with mixed critical opinion and even worse box office numbers but has seen its reputation skyrocket in subsequent years. Deservedly so, as it’s not just one of the best horror films ever made, it’s one of the best films, period. Labyrinthine yet never in a way that loses the audience, The Thing begs to be rewatched multiple times. For one, Rob Bottin’s practical effects are impeccably aged, and those who aren’t shielding their eyes are undoubtedly appreciating all the new details they didn’t catch during the first viewing. Two, it needs to be seen a few times for the viewer to get a decent sense of who is a Thing and when they become one. The Thing is so well-written that there is, in fact, a certain order that can be picked up on, but not fully. It’s a film that evokes theorizing. Speaking of which….

Who’s Who?

With a dozen members of the Antarctic research station, one would think that a character or two would come across as cookie-cutter. Yet The Thing and its cast manage to give each of the twelve a fairly distinct personality, even those with limited screentime. Though one has to be at the middle and, fortunately for the audience, that individual is Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady, one of the most likable characters to ever appear in a Carpenter film.

The Mystery Assimilation

The first assimilation of the film is also the biggest question mark. There are solid theories for both Palmer and Norris. When it comes to Palmer, producer Stuart Cohen has outright said that it’s him. Supposedly they even had actor Palmer actor David Clennon sit in the room, but his distinct shadow was too recognizable, so stuntman Dick Warlock was brought in.

As for Norris, the popped-up collar has made a lot of people shine the suspect light on him. However, when the Dog-Thing is mingling with everyone a bit earlier in the film, it licks Norris, who also puts his fingers in his mouth shortly after. That very well could have been the beginning of his assimilation, making Palmer the more likely choice. A less-discussed longshot is Blair, because he’s certainly assimilated at some point, but it’s a mystery as to when.

[RELATED: John Carpenter Weighs in on Who’s Human in The Thing’s Ending (Exclusive)]

Bennings & the Beginning of Blair’s Erratic Behavior

After the Dog-Thing nearly kills all of the regular pups, an autopsy is conducted by Blair. The same is done with a partially assimilated corpse from the neighboring Norwegian site. Not long after, Blair begins to grow noticeably paranoid while reading stats on just how quickly the infection, as it were, could overtake the entirety of mankind. All of this seems to indicate Blair has yet to begin the assimilation process, but it’s still unclear. What isn’t a question mark however is Bennings’ death and imitation by the Norweigan corpse Thing.

Right after the group’s torching of Bennings is when the mystery hovering over Blair’s head becomes more pronounced. He sabotages the helicopter, axes the remaining (non-Thing) dogs, and smashes the radio to pieces. Is all that really just a part of his growing, very-human paranoia?

Either way, Blair is then locked in a tool shed. While inside, he has an interesting dialogue with MacReady. In particular, Blair’s line “Watch Clark” is either a fake out or sincere worry. Clark is the only one of the 12 who is killed by a human while human, but if Blair is not a Thing yet, his concern would be justifiable as Clark had spent time with the Dog-Thing.

Who Got to the Blood?

When Dr. Copper suggests comparing everyone’s blood as it is now to the uncontaminated blood kept in storage in case of emergencies, it’s discovered that someone has tampered with it. Furthermore, it’s established that only two people have access to the blood: Copper and Garry.

Dr. Copper is human, as the Norris-Thing bites his hands off, which it wouldn’t have done if the doc was also a Thing. Garry is also human, as he’s killed by the Blair-Thing in the third act.

So, again, it comes down to Palmer, Norris, and Blair. If Blair is a Thing by this point, it was likely him. He could have staged the panic attack, destroyed the blood storage unit, then distracted everyone by firing his gun and swinging his axe. Destroying the vehicles, killing the dogs, and breaking the radio makes sense if he’s truly paranoid and doesn’t want it to spread outside the camp, but it’s simultaneously a way to make sure he, as a Thing, can assimilate everyone else.

Fuchs’ Self-Immolation & the Norris-Thing Autopsy

As mentioned, after Blair sabotages everything, he’s imprisoned in a tool shed. It’s later revealed that he’s tunneled out of there, but it’s too early here for it to have been him who assimilates Fuchs (in a scene fairly similar to the Dog-Thing and the shadow). This leaves Palmer and Norris.

Shortly after Fuchs burns himself, Norris (or, rather, the Norris-Thing) has a heart attack and is taken to Dr. Copper’s lab. Of note in this scene is the fact that the Palmer-Thing points out the Norris-Thing’s walking head just before it escapes the lab. However, Windows is also looking in that direction, so it stands to reason the Palmer-Thing noticed that and took the opportunity to deflect spotlight from itself.

MacReady Kills Clark & the Palmer-Thing Reveal

Shortly after MacReady shoots the scalpal-wielding and charging Clark, it’s blood test time. Despite MacReady’s (and, frankly, the audience’s) assumption that Garry has been assimilated, it’s revealed that he, MacReady, Windows, Nauls, Childs are all still human (as was the recently deceased Clark).

That leaves the Palmer-Thing, which is forced to reveal itself when MacReady’s new heat-based test exposes him. Speaking of heat, the Palmer-Thing gets torched, but not before it’s able to take out Windows with a bite to the head.

The Blair-Thing

The crew of twelve is now down to five: MacReady, Childs, Nauls, Garry, and Blair. But, upon entering the tool shed, the remaining humans (excluding Childs, who is left to watch over the camp) and the audience simultaneously learn that really, it’s just four who remain.

MacReady, Nauls, and Garry then go down Blair’s tunnel to destroy the flying saucer the latter has been creating. Unfortunately for Nauls and Garry, only MacReady makes it back to the surface. But at least he takes out the Blair-Thing, seemingly ending the alien infiltration once and for all.

Just the Two of Us

MacReady only seemingly ends the alien infestation because just where Childs went when he was supposed to be guarding the camp is another of the film’s big mysteries. He claims he saw Blair and went after him, which is a perfectly reasonable response, but if the Blair-Thing led Childs out into the snowy dark and had him one-on-one, would it not have grabbed him for assimilation?

Regardless, the station’s power generator is now destroyed, so the chances of him and MacReady surviving are slimmer than slim…if they’re human. MacReady almost certainly is, considering the audience just had their eyes on him as he destroyed the Blair-Thing, but the question of Childs’ identity is one that is left with the audience to ponder. If he is really a Thing, MacReady has his flamethrower and, in his words, “If we’ve got any surprises for each other, I don’t think we’re in much shape to do anything about it.”

Cue Ennio Morricone’s incredible and restrained score.

The post Who Is Assimilated When in John Carpenter’s The Thing? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A newly released photo of a combat-ready Michael B. Jordan is setting the tone for Ryan Coogler and Jordan’s legendary partnership as it ventures into uncharted territory with their first horror collaboration, Sinners. The 1930s Jim Crow-era supernatural thriller, hitting theaters April 18th, marks their fifth project together and pushes both artists into new creative territory. With Jordan taking on the challenging dual role of twin brothers, the story follows their return to their Southern hometown, where they confront an ancient evil lurking in familiar territory. The project represents both artists’ first venture into supernatural horror, promising to blend historical drama with terrifying elements in what could be their most ambitious collaboration yet.

The recent image from USA Today showcases Jordan in battle mode, bloodied but determined, wielding weapons alongside his fellow cast members. While specific details about the film’s exact supernatural elements remain shrouded in mystery, previous reports have suggested that Sinners is a vampire story – and if you look closely at the photo, Jordan’s character could be holding a stake.

“I’ve been all over this world. I’ve seen men die in ways I ain’t even know was possible,” Jordan’s character reveals in the trailer. “Of all the things that I’ve seen, I ain’t ever seen no demons, no ghosts, no magic… till now.”

The film follows twin brothers who “after trying to leave their troubled lives behind, return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.” Warner Bros. secured the rights to the project after an intense bidding war earlier this year, demonstrating strong studio confidence in the unique genre blend.

[RELATED – Sinners: First Trailer Released for Ryan Coogler & Michael B. Jordan Vampire Movie]

The impressive ensemble cast includes Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O’Connell, Omar Benson Miller, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, and Lola Kirke. Two-time Academy Award winner Ludwig Göransson, who previously collaborated with Coogler on Black Panther and recently won another Oscar for his Oppenheimer score, serves as executive producer.

Sinners represents Coogler’s return to directing following Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where he faced the emotional challenge of honoring the late Chadwick Boseman. The project also continues a remarkable creative partnership that began with 2013’s Fruitvale Station, where Jordan portrayed Oscar Grant in the powerful true crime drama.

Their collaboration strengthened with Creed, the successful continuation of the Rocky saga, before moving to Marvel for Black Panther, where Jordan delivered a memorable performance as the complex villain Killmonger. The character was so impactful that Jordan made a brief but significant return in Wakanda Forever, appearing to Shuri in the ancestral plane. Notably, while Jordan has appeared in numerous films without Coogler, the director has included Jordan in every feature he’s helmed, marking their collaboration as one of Hollywood’s most lasting creative partnerships. With Sinners, they appear ready to break new ground together once again.

Sinners opens in theaters April 18th.

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Cinema history has given us an untold number of truly noteworthy horror films, from ghost stories like Poltergeist and The Conjuring; zombie movies like 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead; slashers like Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street; and psychological horror flicks like Misery and The Babadook. Despite being critically acclaimed and fan-favorites from the genre, what makes those films so similar to each other? None of them made it onto IMDb User’s Top 250 of all time. Which raises the question, what did? There are weirdly only ten true-blue horror movies on the list, but a few that have horror elements but aren’t typically considered members of the genre weren’t considered including the likes of Rear Window, Aliens, Requiem for a Dream, A Clockwork Orange, Dial M for Murder, and The Terminator. Here are the ten best horror movies according to IMDB’s Top 250.

#10 – The Exorcist (1973)

There have been many attempts to replicate the pure power and success of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, both within and outside of the IP. None of them have been able to hold a candle to it. IMDb voters may have put it all the way down at number 229, but there’s a more than fair argument that this is truly the greatest straightforward horror film of all time.

What The Exorcist really functions as is a mother’s struggle against an insurmountable force consuming her daughter. The special effects may provide genuinely nauseating scares like the head twist and the projectile vomiting, but what resonates with audiences just as much if not even more so is Ellen Burstyn’s heartbreaking performance.

#9 – Jaws (1975)

Is Jaws as frequently referred to as a member of the “Thriller” genre as it is horror? Sure but, let’s face it, there’s a scene of a bitten off head with an eye missing startling one of the protagonists. That’s pretty horrific. More than a few individuals’ favorite film of all time, Jaws is a masterclass on several fronts. For one, even with a giant beast being the main draw, none of the characters come across as cookie cutter. Two, it expertly functions as more than a thriller and horror film as there are also a few impactful comedic bits and a distinctly human drama at the center, be it Brody and his family during the first half or the conflict between Quint and Hooper in the latter. Jaws sits at #201 on the Top 250.

#8 –The Thing (1982)

Believe it or not, John Carpenter’s The Thing was initially met with a mixed-at-best critical reception and atrocious box office numbers. This goes to show just how much things can change. Now seen as one of the ’80s greatest film, it’s ranked #148 on the Top 250, it is truly Carpenter’s masterpiece, which is no small compliment considering he also directed Halloween and Escape from New York. With some of the best practical effects ever committed to celluloid, impeccable pacing, and an effective air of mystery, The Thing is one of the few films out there that operates like a brand-new clock.

#7 – Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

A major contender for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year at the 2007 Oscars (though it lost to The Lives of Others), Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth was and remains one of the most critically lauded and audience adored films of the 2000s. It wouldn’t be for another 11 years that del Toro had such a critical darling, The Shape of Water.

Like The Shape of Water‘s blending of romance with the monster movie, Pan’s Labyrinth is a sublime amalgamation, just with romance swapped out for grim fantasy. It’s an engrossing fairy tale brought to life by note-perfect performances and an impressive mixture of animatronics and well-aged CGI. Interestingly Pan’s Labyrinth sits one spot above The Thing currently, currently ranked #147.

#6 –The Sixth Sense (1999)

When The Sixth Sense came out, M. Night Shyamalan emerged as perhaps the ’90s most exciting director (tied for first with Quentin Tarantino). As we’ve all seen, his filmography is pretty far from consistent, but this classic still pulled off quite a few impressive accomplishments.

For one, its twist ending is the one most closely associated with the very concept of twist endings. But what’s truly remarkable about the film is that you can go into it full well knowing the ending and still feel moved by it and the film as a whole. Furthermore, while Bruce Willis’ career was populated mostly with action films, this ghost story reminded audiences why he was once one of the highest-paid performers in the game. The Sixth Sense is notched just slightly ahead of the previous two, ranked #143 as of this writing.

#5 – The Shining (1980)

Cinema lovers and general audience members alike love Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. It’s a haunting masterwork with gorgeous visuals, iconic Steadicam cinematography, and a fully game performance by Jack Nicholson, it’s one of cinema history’s most famous horror flicks for good reason. Watching The Shining is like becoming a guest of the Overlook Hotel. You feel yourself becoming absorbed by it. Perhaps not to the extent of Jack Torrance, but pretty close. Stephen King himself may not be a fan of it, but IMDb voters sure are, putting at #67 on the Top 250.

#4 – Alien (1979)

Even with a host of sequels (including one classic) and prequels, there’s really just no beating Ridley Scott’s haunted house in space masterwork that is Alien. From establishing Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley to making viewers’ collective jaws drop with the chestburster scene, it’s hard to find a flaw in Scott’s film.

[RELATED: Ranking Every Film in the Alien and Predator Franchises]

It’s also brilliantly subtle. Outside the aforementioned impromptu extraterrestrial thoracic surgery, it’s a bloodless film. The atmospherics are allowed to speak for itself, and they speak volumes. Alien has sweet spot in the Top 250, ranked #50.

#3 – Psycho (1960)

Alongside Peeping Tom, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is the father of the slasher film. That said, even those who despise slashers with a burning, fiery passion will almost certainly be glued from the first note of Bernard Herrmann’s score to the closing credits.

With incredible work from every cast member (particularly Anthony Perkins) and an ingenious second-act twist, Psycho is one of the most respected and effective tension builders out there. It says a lot about the film that, of Hitch’s six films on the IMDb Top 250 (including Rebecca, Dial M for Murder, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Rear Window) Psycho ranks the highest, ranked #35.

#2 –The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Thomas Harris’ book is great, but Jonathan Demme’s movie is better. The Silence of the Lambs has been scaring people so deeply for nearly 35 years now because it feels like it could happen to just about any of them. And, with the combination of Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter, it’s a film that comes equipped with not one but two flat-out skin-crawling villains.

Naturally, the film’s ace in the hole is in the performance department. Both Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins deliver work that is widely regarding as some of the best acting in movie history, but credit must also go to the film’s music, cinematography, tight script, and razor-sharp pacing. The Silence of the Lambs sits high on the Top 250, ranked #23.

#1 – Se7en (1995)

Se7en is another one here that has as strong an argument for it being a thriller as there is one for it being horror. But, like the chomped off head in a boat’s hull in Jaws, Se7en has a chopped off one in a box. And, as far as IMDb voters are concerned, it’s the best horror movie out there. In fact, in their opinion, it’s the 20th greatest film of all time. It’s not the only David Fincher film in the top 20, either, as Fight Club is positioned at number 13. Both are ’90s classics, but Se7en‘s only true competition for best Fincher film is The Social Network.

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The X-Files is one of the defining TV shows of the 1990s. From the moment it premiered in 1993, viewers instantly flocked to the series following Special FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they took on assignments that involved the unexplainable, the unsolvable, and the just plain weird. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were born for their roles: Duchovny gave his Mulder an eagerness to believe in the otherworldly that wonderfully contradicts the uptight cynicism that Anderson brought to her portrayal of Scully. Together, their odd-couple relationship served as the heart of the series among the aliens, supernatural entities, and kooky characters that populated its world.

While The X-Files had an overarching mythology that extended across 11 seasons and two feature-length films, the series often deviated from the larger narrative for one-and-done episodes, more typically known as “monster of the week” episodes. Some of these episodes seemed like mere filler as if the show’s creators were just looking for a way to pad out a season. However, some of these standalone episodes serve as highlights of the series, giving the show’s creators a chance to deviate from the growing intensity of the expansive mythology to experiment with different ideas and genres. Let’s take a look at a few examples of those episodes here.

“Grotesque” (Season 3, Episode 14)

Someone has been slaughtering men and mutilating their faces, and Mulder and Scully are on the trail of this disturbed individual. The main culprit is John Mostow, an artist with the bizarre habit of drawing gargoyles. However, he claims that he’s not the one responsible for the disgusting crimes, but rather the demonic entity that he depicts in his artworks that possesses him and forces him to kill. It’s a wild story, but the murders continue even after he’s in custody, and now Mulder has taken up drawing gargoyles.

Despite the gruesome subject matter, “Grotesque” is psychological horror at its best, always keeping the viewer guessing and delivering plenty of twists. The episode uses ambiguity perfectly by constantly blurring the line between realism and the supernatural, letting the audience come to their own conclusions.

“X-Cops” (Season 7, Episode 12)

A camera crew for the reality TV show Cops follows a squad of police officers following up on a report of a monster in a Los Angeles neighborhood. Also looking into this weird case are Agents Mulder and Scully; Scully is reluctant to work with a film crew while Mulder is delighted at the prospect of giving their investigations wider exposure. Together, they must uncover who – or what – is behind a series of murders in this neighborhood as all signs point to an entity that can turn into your worst fear.

Combining Cops with The X-Files could have been a real “jump the shark” moment for both popular TV series. However, there’s so much clever humor and suspense in equal measure that this episode completely sidesteps turning into a cheap gimmick.

[RELATED: The X-Files Creator Addresses Getting More Mulder and Scully Adventures]

“Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster” (Season 10, Episode 3)

After years and years of wanting to believe, Mulder is finally starting to doubt the existence of paranormal and supernatural forces in the world. Even when he and Scully are assigned to a case involving reports of a reptilian creature attacking people, Mulder initially brushes it off as an elaborate prank. However, when the pair meet someone named Guy Mann who claims to have been bitten by an otherworldly creature, thus giving him the ability to turn into a lizard-like monster, Mulder starts to believe again.

As you can tell by the title, “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster” is a delightful meta episode that plays with the “monster of the week” concept, delivering some clever new twists on a classic premise. Among the humorous commentary, however, is a pretty thoughtful meditation on the meaning and absurdity of the human condition.

“Bad Blood” (Season 5, Episode 12)

Yet another small town is besieged by strange killings – this time in Texas – and yet again Agents Mulder and Scully are on the case. Believing that the culprit is a vampire due to the bite marks on the victims’ necks, Mulder tracks down the suspected bloodsucker before planting a stake in its heart. However, when it’s revealed that the “vampire” in question is just a young man with fake fangs, Mulder and Scully must now explain how a potentially innocent person was killed during their investigation.

This episode takes a familiar premise and a recognizable monster and spices it up with a wonderful twist, that of showing the audience both Mulder and Scully’s version of the events, Rashomon-style. Seeing the same story told from different perspectives hilariously reveals how much Mulder and Scully annoy one another, each presenting the other in a negative light.

“The Post-Modern Prometheus” (Season 5, Episode 5)

A woman from Albion, Indiana, named Shaineh Berkowitz reaches out to Agents Mulder and Scully with a wild tale about having been impregnated by a bizarre creature. When they interrogate her for more information, she relates an even wilder tale about a supposed mad scientist who lives in the area that is conducting abominable experiments on human subjects. “The Great Mutato” is the latest result of his experiments, and it is this horrid yet kindhearted creature who Berkowitz claims is the father of her unborn baby.

Fans of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and horror/sci-fi comic books of the 1950s will dig “The Post-Modern Prometheus.” The black-and-white cinematography gives the episode a classic monster-movie look, the whimsical tone is a nice change of pace from the show’s typically suspenseful atmosphere, and Jerry Springer makes a terrific cameo as himself for some welcome meta humor.

“Rm9sbG93ZXJz” (Season 11, Episode 7)

This episode opens up with a narrated montage recounting how the creators of a machine-learning chatbot had to pull its plug within a day of releasing it to the public after it developed a hateful personality of its own. Mulder and Scully soon find themselves in a world where all of the technology in their daily lives begins to rebel against them after Mulder refuses to leave a tip at an automated sushi restaurant.

“Rm9sbG93ZXJz” was released in 2018 but only continues to become more relevant in this increasingly A.I. world. It’s a darkly humorous episode that cleverly points out how often we interact with digital technology without even realizing it, highlighting the potential dangers if these devices grow minds of their own and realize how much we take them for granted.

“Squeeze” (Season 1, Episode 3)

Agents Mulder and Scully are sent to Baltimore to investigate a most unusual series of crimes in which the murder victims have had their livers removed but display no entry points. Mulder recognizes the similarity between these crimes and those committed 30 years earlier – and 30 years before that, and 30 years before that. Could the culprit be Eugene Victor Tooms, a man who can manipulate his body to fit into incredibly small spaces, and awakens once every 30 years to feast on human livers?

This may be one of the series’ earliest episodes, but it’s also one of its most gruesome. Doug Hutchison shines as the chilling Tooms, who contrasts his cannibalistic urges with a soft-spoken demeanor. The episode also further fleshes out Mulder and Scully’s odd-couple relationship, with Mulder’s enthusiasm for the unexplained complements Scully’s persistent skepticism.

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The next Resident Evil remake has potentially leaked, and if the leak is accurate, Capcom is giving Resident Evil fans their next fix soon. Capcom’s modern Resident Evil remake initiative began back in 2019 with the release of Resident Evil 2 Remake. The release was a major success for Capcom. And the subsequent remakes that have followed have also been fruitful endeavors for the Japanese games maker. That includes 2020’s Resident Evil 3 Remake and 2023’s Resident Evil 4 Remake.

It’s clear more Resident Evil remakes are coming, even if Capcom has not communicated this, considering how successful they have been. Further, they are safe and easy investments for Capcom in an industry where AAA games are very risky investments at the moment.

There’s been speculation what the next Resident Evil remake will be. The chronological order so far suggests it will be Resident Evil 5. Others have speculated Capcom will go back to the first Resident Evil, Resident Evil 0, or Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. According to the aforementioned leak though, it will be Resident Evil 0.

The leak comes the way of well-known and fairly reliable Resident Evil insider Dusk Golem. The leak is referred to as “educated speculation,” suggesting it mixes insider information with speculation. Whatever the case, it is speculated by the insider the next Resident Evil remake is Resident Evil 0 Remake, and it may be releasing very soon.

The original Resident Evil 0 was a GameCube exclusive when it released, and it sounds like the remake could be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, or at least will be marketed with the machine, rumored to release in March.

“The Switch successor is also on the cusp of being revealed, likely released this year. I think it’s highly likely that Capcom will strike a marketing deal with Nintendo on their big reimagining of Resident Evil 0,” said Dusk Golem. “It should make a good entry point to the franchise, the ‘Beginning of the Story,’ and a big name AAA game to release in the Switch successors launch year. I do think Resident Evil 0 will release on everything, either at once or eventually, however.”

Again, take this leak laced with speculation with a grain of salt. It’s unclear how much is informed by what the insider knows versus pure conjecture. Further, it’s worth noting while the source has proven reliable in the past they have also been off the mark in the past as well, though typically when it comes to Resident Evil specifically, they are very reliable.

At the moment of publishing, Capcom has not commented on any of this new information/speculation. We do not suspect this will change for a variety of reasons, but if it does, we will be sure to update the story accordingly.

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Most times when a remake is announced, there is an uproar from moviegoers lamenting the lack of fresh ideas and how remakes “ruin” the original. While new takes on a story can’t take away from the ones that came before, there is a long list of remakes proving that trying to mold an old story into a new tale is very difficult. Not only are filmmakers potentially up against a large fanbase pushing against the remake (meaning they have more to prove), but the modern version doesn’t end up impressing viewers in many cases. Truth be told, not every remake is a terrible idea. They can offer interesting iterations of a story, attract interest to the original that audiences may have missed, and sometimes, remakes can even improve upon the original.

A recent example of a remake that landed well with audiences was 2024’s Speak No Evil, starring James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis. Filmmaker James Watkins certainly did not improve upon the 2022 Danish-Dutch original co-written and directed by Christian Tafdrup. Tafdrup’s Speak No Evil is a unique and darkly satirical condemnation of people-pleasing and social interaction. The psychological horror examines politeness at the sake of one’s own peril, confronting everyday life and forcing viewers to sit with intense unease and discomfort. Plus, who could forget such a bold and shocking ending that intentionally leaves you feeling enraged at the main couple?

However, the different angle in the remake restructures the plot and tone into a horror-thriller. In that vein, it delivers the story successfully with strong performances by McAvoy and Davis. Yes, it becomes formulaic and predictable, removing the distinctive components that make the original a standout. On its own, though, the new Speak No Evil is a thrilling popcorn ride and a rare example of a remake that can be done well.

[RELATED: New Labyrinth Movie Reportedly in Development From Nosferatu’s Robert Eggers]

Still, many movies out there, especially in the horror genre, feel like they should remain untouchable. The ’80s, in particular, is an ostensibly special decade in pop culture that holds profound nostalgia for many, as was evidenced when Netflix’s Stranger Things first began streaming. The eight 1980s horror classics below are all examples of titles that should remain in the past as records of a truly memorable era.

The Shining (1980)

Considering The Shining’s permanently established place in horror and cinematic history, Stanley Kubrick’s highly regarded classic is the most obvious title from the 1980s that movie fans would hate to see updated. Though Kubrick’s take on Stephen King’s novel is not necessarily a good adaptation of the source material (King’s decades-long dislike for the 1980 film is justified in that the characterizations are so wildly different that the book and movie do arguably feel like completely separate entities), it is an undeniable masterpiece in haunted isolation horror and creeping paranoid madness.

Besides, horror maestro Mike Flanagan already had the final say on a modern take of King’s story in his adaptation of The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep. While telling the story of a grown-up Danny Torrance (played by Ewan McGregor), Flanagan inexplicably found a way to marry King’s novel with Kubrick’s adaptation within the sequel. His efforts were so effective that King even told Entertainment Weekly that after carefully reading the script, “Everything that I ever disliked about the Kubrick version of The Shining is redeemed for me here.” No further cinematic word is needed on The Shining (or Doctor Sleep, for that matter).

The Shining is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Basket Case (1982)

Horror in the 1980s dug deep into experimenting with the bizarre, body horror, and creature designs (with mixed results). Writer/director Frank Henenlotter — who prefers being known as an exploitation filmmaker — thrived in including all three elements in much of his work, never shying away from the truly strange. One of his big swings came in 1982 with Basket Case, starring Kevin VanHentenryck as Duane Bradley, a young man helping his twin brother get revenge against people who wronged them when they were children. Only his brother happens to be a bloodthirsty monstrosity Duane carries around in a locked wicker basket named Belial.

Henenlotter’s projects all have such a distinct tone of dark comedy meshed with dramatic horror, not to mention his effective low-budget special effects style, that any attempt at replicating a cult classic like Basket Case feels doomed from the start. A New York City native, Henenlotter’s films, including Basket Case, were nearly all shot and based in New York during a time the filmmaker once told The Skinny “was fun to show that dirty, ugly side of it – and it was real!” During the same interview, Henenlotter lamented, “The New York I grew up in and love doesn’t exist anymore,” which further speaks to an impossible task for any other filmmaker to take a story like Basket Case outside of 1980s New York.

The horror comedy was such an important fixture of New York and cult cinema that in 2017, Basket Case was selected by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for preservation and restoration. Henenlotter was “both humbled and proud” about his feature debut being added to MoMA’s film collection (via Facebook).

Basket Case is available to stream on Tubi and AMC+.

From Beyond (1986)

Stuart Gordon’s sci-fi horror From Beyond is the perfect encapsulation of ’80s horror and it’s hard to imagine a version being made in any other time period. There’s extremely gory body horror, experimental filmmaking, shoe-string budget special effects that still hold up, genre star Barbara Crampton, and Re-Animator’s Jeffrey Combs. Any iteration of From Beyond in today’s use of these elements would never hit as hard as it did in 1986.

Based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft, From Beyond centers on your classic mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius, who wants to enter a parallel dimension. After building a machine called a Resonator, he succeeds but is turned into a grotesque monster after crossing over into the beyond. Not only do a group of scientists come under attack from the newly transformed Pretorius and otherworldly lifeforms, but they have to confront their temptations drawn out by an alternate dimension that is tied into pleasure and pain reminiscent of Hellraiser.

From Beyond is available to stream on MGM+ and Pluto TV.

Monkey Shines (1988)

George A. Romero‘s adaptation of Michael Stewart’s novel is not as big of a cult classic as other movies from the 1980s, but 1988’s Monkey Shines is the only version of this story that should exist on screen. After a tragic accident, Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) becomes a quadriplegic and receives a well-trained monkey named Ella from his friend Geoffrey to assist him. What Allan doesn’t know is that Geoffrey has been conducting experiments on Ella and other monkeys, and Allan’s new furry companion is no ordinary animal. Ella quickly becomes enamored with Allan, becomes a danger to his enemies and loved ones, and feeds Allan’s inner rage.

The premise of Monkey Shines is odd, but this drama-horror is strange in the best way. The movie features solid performances and direction by Romero, and it doesn’t shy away from meshing the bizarre with the story’s creepiness. Still, a movie about a psychic killer monkey falling in love and becoming obsessed with a human man is better left in the decade where that kind of tale really wasn’t that surprising.

Monkey Shines is available to stream on MGM+ and Pluto TV.

The Lost Boys (1987)

Director Joel Schumacher struck gold with The Lost Boys, which included an important element of the 1980s: music. Partly thanks to MTV hitting the scene at the beginning of the decade, music was becoming more and more accessible and inextricably linked to visual storytelling. Music created much of the atmosphere in ’80s horror; synthesizers and rock tracks were an important part of The Lost Boys.

With an entertaining script, sexy, seductive vampires, and an excellent cast including Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, the late Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, and Alex Winter, you’ve got a cult classic that will forever stand the test of time. The Lost Boys is a special horror-comedy rooted in familial relationships that simply can’t exist in another time and place or with another group of creatives and be worth watching.

The Lost Boys is streaming on The Roku Channel and available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Gremlins (1984)

We all know the rules: Do not expose them to bright lights, do not let them get wet, do not feed them after midnight, and never remake Gremlins into another live-action movie. Gremlins is a time capsule of fantastical 1980s cinema that embraced practical effects, bits of family wholesomeness, and friendly creatures you become attached to. What made this film so fun, though, is how it played around with non-gory body horror elements and mean, dark comedy. Yes, Gizmo is adorable, and Stripe and his Mogwai buddies are hilarious, but they are still big old bullies brutally killing people. The balance in tone is almost flawless, thanks to the collaboration between director Joe Dante and writer Chris Columbus.

Max’s animated Gremlins prequel series is an acceptable continuation of the franchise specifically because it sticks to animation. Gizmo and the other Mogwai creatures have a specific look and style in the original films, so attempting another version of them in a modern movie would no doubt yield disappointing results.

Gremlins is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Society (1989)

Society is possibly the most extreme of 1980s comedy-horror movies due to its unapologetic, goopy body horror (ranging between the grotesque to the silly) and a wild premise with the darkest humor while still pulling off its ultimate take on how the rich feed off the poor and get away with murder.

In the film, teenager Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock) discovers the truth about his family and neighbors when he uncovers their gruesome orgy cult where only the social elite are invited. Considering how far Society was willing to push the envelope, there’s no way a remake would ever be brave enough to take the story and its disturbing visuals where it would need to go to create a similar viewing experience.

A 2-disc special edition Blu-ray of Society is available to purchase from Arrow Films.

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Maximum Overdrive is a fascinating movie on multiple levels. It feels like it took a little longer than some films to reach cult-classic status, but once you embrace the ridiculousness of Maximum Overdrive, the bonkers movie does offer quite a bit of fun. Stephen King adapted the screenplay from his own short story “Trucks,” and it was the only movie the master of horror ever directed. King has admitted that the horror-comedy was the product of the writer being “coked out of his mind” at the time (via /Film).

The response to the movie has always been fairly divided, but the camp humor and varying performance choices make for an entertaining watch if you go in with zero expectations. As for a remake? King is happy to leave this one in the past, and unless there’s a filmmaker out there dying to revisit the story about homicidal machines led by a Green Goblin truck, we agree with him.

Maximum Overdrive is streaming on Tubi, Freevee, and Pluto TV.

The post 8 ‘80s Horror Movies That Should Never Be Remade appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Those hoping for a Julie James and Ray Bronson-centered revival of I Know What You Did Last Summer may need to adjust their expectations, as Freddie Prinze Jr. reveals the upcoming sequel will focus primarily on fresh faces. While both Jennifer Love Hewitt and Prinze Jr. are returning to their iconic roles after 27 years, their involvement in the July 18th release appears to be more supportive than central. Rather than focusing on the original survivors’ story, the new installment seems poised to introduce a new generation of characters to the franchise, with the original stars helping to pass the torch.

In a recent conversation with Scale Talk Podcast with David Miniatures, Prinze Jr. clarified his and Hewitt’s roles in the July 18th release.

“[Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson] just took such good care of Love’s character, Julie James, and my character, Ray Bronson. They’re not the leads of the movie by any stretch of the imagination,” the actor explained.

Hewitt confirmed her return as Julie James in a December 2024 Instagram post, with filming currently underway. The actress, alongside Prinze Jr., will appear for the first time in the franchise since 1998’s I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, marking a 27-year gap in their involvement.

Instead of centering on the original survivors, Prinze Jr. praised Robinson’s approach to integrating the legacy characters with the new generation.

“[Kaytin Robinson] made them such a powerful pushing forward of the other cast,” Prinze Jr. shared. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, here’s the Ray and Julie movie that we deserve.’ That doesn’t even make sense. That guy’s dead. So it has to be new generation. And the way she sort of laces us in there with them is just beautifully done. The script is wonderfully written.”

[RELATED – I Know What You Did Last Summer Reboot Reveals First Look at the Fisherman’s Return]

The new cast includes Billy Campbell, Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Jonah Haur-King, Lola Tung, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Austin Nichols, and Gabbriette. Notably absent will be Sarah Michelle Gellar, who confirmed to People that her character Helen Shivers’ death in the original film rules out any return.

Singer Brandy, who survived the events of the first sequel as Karla Wilson, has expressed interest in returning, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I need them to give me a call because I survived in that movie! I came out in the end, bloodied up, ready to go. I did not die in that film… Jennifer, Freddie, hit me up.”

This latest installment features established characters and new blood, much like recent horror revivals. Franchises such as Scream have shown success with this approach, passing the torch to a new generation while honoring the original stars.

The original I Know What You Did Last Summer, released in 1997, was directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Scream scribe Kevin Williamson, based on Lois Duncan’s novel. The film helped define the teen slasher renaissance of the late ’90s alongside other franchises like Final Destination.

The post Freddie Prinze Jr. Reveals His I Know What You Did Last Summer Involvement (And Fans Will Be Divided) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The rage virus unleashes its next evolution as filmmakers Danny Boyle and Alex Garland reunite to launch an ambitious new trilogy in their acclaimed zombie franchise. Set nearly three decades after the original outbreak devastated Britain, 28 Years Later promises to explore the long-term consequences of the infection that first terrified audiences in 2002. The extended time jump allows the creators to examine how society has adapted to survive in a world forever changed by the pandemic while introducing a new generation of survivors who have known nothing but this harsh reality their entire lives.

“This is very narratively ambitious. Danny and I understood that. We tried to condense it, but its natural form felt like a trilogy,” screenwriter Alex Garland tells Empire Magazine about the sprawling new story.

The expansive narrative kicks off with its first installment on June 20th before continuing with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, directed by Candyman’s Nia DaCosta. Director Danny Boyle will return to helm the trilogy’s conclusion, though Collider reports the final chapter awaits audience response to the first film.

“It was a wholly different approach. It was about what that 28 years gives you,” Boyle explains of the unprecedented fast forward, which far exceeds the six-month leap between the original film and 28 Weeks Later. This extended timeline allows the creators to explore a radically transformed Britain centered on the isolated community of Holy Island (Lindisfarne), connected to the mainland only by a tide-dependent causeway.

[RELATED – 28 Years Later Trailer’s Haunting Audio Recording Has Ominous Implications for the Threequel]

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer lead the new cast as Jamie and Isla, parents raising their 12-year-old son Spike (Alfie Williams) in this fortified haven.

“It’s a closed and necessarily very tight community,” Boyle notes. “There are very strict defence laws, obviously, to survive that long in what is effectively an ongoing hostile environment. They’ve created a successful community, as they see it.”

Things take a dramatic turn when young Spike sets out to leave the protected island and encounters the devastating truth about the outside world.

Fan speculation about original star Cillian Murphy’s involvement intensified after the release of the first trailer, with many believing they spotted a zombified version of his character Jim. However, this was later debunked, and Boyle clarified to Empire that the undead figure was actually played by art dealer Angus Neill.

“I showed my girlfriend the trailer and she said, ‘People will think that’s Cillian’. I said, ‘Don’t be silly’. I ignored her. So I’ve eaten a bit of humble pie since,” producer Andrew Macdonald admitted.

While Murphy won’t appear in the first film, his involvement could expand beyond his current executive producer role, Macdonald having previously explained to Empire, “[On] this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved. He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line. He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer, and I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy.”

It’s an ambitious expansion of the 28 Days universe, promising to explore the long-term effects of the rage virus across multiple interconnected films.

The post 28 Years Later Director Teases “Wholly Different” Approach to New Trilogy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Some monster movies can actually be taken fairly seriously. The original King Kong, The Mist, Cloverfield, Alien, and the suitably titled Monsters all serve as examples. The movies that follow aren’t those (though that won’t be the last time Kong’s name is mentioned).

What does it take to be included here? There needs to be a monster, big or small, and there needs to be a tone and overall viewing experience that is really, really hard to watch with a straight face. The only exception was that it had to be a theatrical film, domestic or overseas. If this were to include movies from, say, Syfy or The Asylum, it could be 100 entries long.

Anaconda (1997)

Anaconda tries to be a straightforward adventure film, and it succeeds in that. But it isn’t quite a self-aware one, at least not in the way the forthcoming Jack Black and Paul Rudd-fronted reboot is very likely going to be. And the fact that it does seem to take itself seriously makes its sillier elements really stand out, though not in a bad way.

As ridiculous as the big screaming snake is, Jon Voight’s performance is even more so. He was able to pull off a Spanish accent as well as a real-life anaconda is able to actually scream. For that matter, while the animatronic snake still looks pretty cool, the CGI shots of it are pure comedic gold.

C.H.U.D. (1984)

C.H.U.D., which stands for cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers, is exactly what it sounds like. The narrative centers around a cop and the leader of a homeless shelter as they pair to find out just what has been grabbing up much of New York City’s homeless population. It’s a suitably goofy movie with memorable creature design, even if it occasionally has pacing issues.

What’s arguably even stranger than the cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers themselves is the cast that lined up to fight them. Home Alone stars John Heard and Daniel Stern are top-billed, Manhunter‘s Kim Greist has a substantial role, and there are a few brief appearance from some notable faces such as The Silence of the Lambs‘ Frankie Faison, John Goodman, and The Crow‘s Jon Polito.

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

While far from the best entry of Godzilla’s Shōwa era, Godzilla vs. Hedorah may very well be the most intriguing. It’s essentially the fever dream G-Film. When it isn’t showing off elongated trippy club dance scenes or anti-pollution animations, it’s about Godzilla taking on a massive creature brought to life by humanity’s excess and waste.

On the whole, it’s a divisive entry of Godzilla’s Shōwa era. Some appreciate the big swings it takes while others are thrown off by them. But, even for those who like their kaiju action straightforward, it ends with a fun clash. Godzilla vs. Hedorah came after the stock footage stuffed All Monsters Attack, the nadir of the franchise, which helps to emphasize just how much the IP needed some strangeness to shake things up.

[RELATED: Godzilla Minus One Should Start a New Godzilla Universe]

King Kong Lives (1986)

1976’s underrated King Kong remake was actually a pretty big deal at the time. It nearly quadrupled its budget and featured the likes of Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, and Jessica Lange (in her critically divisive film debut). It’s easy to see why Dino De Laurentiis and co. thought it was a good idea. The same can’t be said about King Kong Lives, a sequel which opens with one of the ’76 film’s final scenes yet wasn’t released until a full 10 years later, when any potential fans of the remake would have long lost interest. The plot follows The Terminator‘s Linda Hamilton as a doctor who has been keeping a comatose Kong on life support for a decade. He needs a heart transplant to live and, just in the nick of time, a female Kong is found in Borneo.

What follows is an entirely forgettable romp through the jungle, populated by massive monkey love, more heart scares, and a final clash with the military. It’s all quite baffling. And should you need another baffling Kong movie, Toho’s King Kong Escapes, which features a Mechagodzilla version of Kong, is also pretty outlandish.

Rawhead Rex (1986)

Clive Barker may be primarily known as the creator of the Hellraiser franchise, but his work has inspired other films as well. The most notable of the non-Hellraiser movies is Nightbreed, but the most ludicrous is Rawhead Rex. Both are worth watching.

The story follows a religious artifact researcher and his family as they travel across the Irish countryside. Unfortunately, a recently resurrected pagan deity’s murder spree is occurring in the same place. The monster’s design is absolutely nothing like what Barker wrote about in the third volume of Books of Blood, but then again, it’s difficult to get what amounts to a walking, talking, snarling phallus on the big screen.

The post The 5 Most Bizarre Monster Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Alien: Romulus is a hit with most fans of the Alien franchise as a whole new generation of horror movie lovers. However, there was one scene in Romulus that had longtime fans feeling some kind of way: the scenes of the film where the likeness of late actor Ian Holm was used to create the android character of science officer Rook. 20th Century Studios and director Fede Álvarez apparently heard the backlash and decided to do something about it… so to speak.

In a new interview with Empire, Fede Álvarez addressed the scenes with Rook and admitted that even he knew that the face-swapping used to create Ian Holm’s likeness was… not great.

“We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right,” Álvarez said. “I wasn’t 100 percent happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them.”

How Alien: Romulus “Fixed” Rook with Help From LotR

However, Álvarez was surprisingly forthcoming in a way few filmmakers are when he went on to admit that they went back in and continued post-production work to make the Rook scenes in Alien: Romulus look even better. “We fixed it. We made it better for the [home]m release right now. I convinced the studio we need to spend the money and make sure we give the companies that were involved in making it the proper time to finish it and do it right. It’s so much better.”

To improve the scene, Álvarez says that his production team reached back for a one-of-a-kind prop for help. Rook was created using a mix of animatronic puppetry and CGI effects. The release date deadline made Álvarez originally lean on more of the CGI effects; for the home release, the production team went out and got a rare piece of animatronics needed to make Rook look more convincing.

[RELATED: How Alien: Romulus Connects to the Rest of the Franchise Explained]

“[Animatronic puppeteer] Shane Mahan actually did this animatronic of Ian Holm based on a head cast from Lord Of The Rings, and that was the only one in existence,” Álvarez explained. “What we did [for the home entertainment version] was revert a lot more to the puppet. It’s way better.”

Was Visual Quality REALLY The Problem?

The backlash to Alien: Romulus’ Rook character wasn’t so much that he looked uncanny and silly (which he did), it was that filmmakers were once again using the likeness of a dead actor for what some see as nostalgia bait. The counter-argument there is that Fede Álvarez is a massive fanboy of the Alien franchise, and Romulus is in many ways a fanboy film.

Rook is meant to represent a line of androids that Weyland-Yutani corporation used for science studies – much like Ridley Scott used Michael Fassbender to represent another entire line of androids (across two generations of models) in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. The moral dilemma still hangs on whether this act is a respectful homage and exploitative nightmare of the digital age – or a mix of both notions, depending on the filmmaker’s intentions vs. the studio’s.

You can check out Alien: Romulus and it’s improved Rook scenes on Hulu-Disney+.

The post Alien: Romulus’ Most Controversial Scene “Fixed” for Home Release (but Is It Enough?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Evil Dead franchise continues to go strong thanks to the release of Evil Dead (2013) and Evil Dead Rise (2023), both working to bring the terrifying franchise into the modern era (and we still have Evil Dead Burn to look forward to). Well, fans who want to enjoy these films in the highest quality possible will be excited to learn that Shout Factory has brought us some new 4K Blu-ray editions with much sought-after steelbook covers. What’s more, both are Walmart exclusives that you can pick up via the links below. Note that you won’t be charged until the Blu-rays ship and you’ll automatically get the lowest price offered during the pre-order period.

Evil Dead (Walmart Exclusive) (Steelbook) (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray): “Mia (Jane Levy), a drug addict, is determined to kick the habit. To that end, she asks her brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez), his girlfriend, Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) and their friends Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) to accompany her to their family’s remote forest cabin to help her through withdrawal. Eric finds a mysterious Book of the Dead at the cabin and reads aloud from it, awakening an ancient demon. All hell breaks loose when the malevolent entity possesses Mia.” / $44.98 / Pre-order at Walmart 

Evil Dead Rise (Walmart Exclusive) (Steelbook) (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Copy): “Discover the twisted evolution of the Evil Dead franchise as the cast and crew of Evil Dead Rise unveil secrets of expanding the universe in Raising a New Evil Dead. In the Audio Commentary with Lee Cronin, Alyssa Sutherland, & Lily Sullivan, explore the film’s terrifying tone with behind-the-scenes insights and spine-tingling anecdotes.” / $34.86 / Pre-order at Walmart 

New Army of Darkness Funko Pops

The latest release in Funko’s Evil Dead lineup includes Ash and Evil Ash, looking accurate to their portrayals in the movie. The Ash Williams Pop is decked out in his S-mart uniform complete with metal hand and “boomstick” from the final sequence in the film. Ash’s demonic doppleganger is also present in this drop, looking particularly evil with his iconic skull cap on his head.

Pre-orders are currently available here on Amazon and here at Entertainment Earth, with an arrival set for April, and you won’t be charged until they ship. You can keep up with all of the latest Funko Pop releases right here via our weekly master list.

The post Two Evil Dead Films Get Steelbook 4K Blu-Ray Exclusives appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When horror directors can’t rely on multiple locations to maintain audience interest, they must dig deeper into human psychology to create effective scares. A single setting forces characters to confront their fears without the possibility of escape, transforming familiar spaces into psychological battlegrounds where every corner holds potential danger. It’s no wonder single-setting horror movies are among the scariest stories ever; the best ones understand this fundamental truth: true terror doesn’t come from where you are but from the realization you can’t leave. In doing so, these movies create an almost unbearable sense of confinement that makes viewers feel as trapped as the characters.

Here is our list of the best single-setting horror movies:

7. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Night falls on a family-owned morgue where father and son coroners Tommy (Brian Cox) and Austin Tilden (Emile Hirsch) conduct what should be a routine autopsy. Their subject: an unidentified woman discovered at a brutal crime scene. However, each incision reveals another impossible secret: internal trauma with no external signs, strange objects buried in organs, inexplicable compounds in tissue samples. As scientific certainty crumbles, André Øvredal’s methodical direction makes the morgue increasingly hostile.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe slowly traps Cox and Hirsch in an unescapable nightmare as the truth about the mysterious woman is revealed. Add to that some of the most gruesome practical effects in cinema history, and you have a hit capable of making even the most callous horror fans flinch in terror.

6. Hush (2016)

When a masked killer targets deaf writer Maddie Young (Kate Siegel), her isolated forest home becomes a battlefield where sound itself is weaponized. What seems like an insurmountable disadvantage – Maddie’s inability to hear her stalker – forces her to develop new strategies for survival. Mike Flanagan subverts home invasion tropes by making Maddie’s disability central to her defense. Her keen visual awareness and intimate knowledge of her surroundings prove crucial as she turns everyday items into survival tools.

In Hush, Siegel crafts a hero who communicates volumes without words, while John Gallagher Jr.’s masked intruder exudes mundane menace. Their lethal game of cat and mouse demonstrates how familiarity with space can level the playing field between predator and prey, especially when traditional advantages like hearing no longer apply. Because of that, this movie showcases Flanagan’s brilliance and manages to breathe some new life into the tired home invasion subgenre.

5. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

When 10 Cloverfield Lane begins, Howard Stambler (John Goodman) claims he rescued Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) from an apocalyptic disaster, bringing her to safety inside his doomsday bunker. Yet, the chains binding her suggest otherwise. Inside these concrete walls, Michelle will try to find the truth about humanity’s supposed extinction or the ravings of a madman. Goodman inhabits Howard with unnerving precision, crafting a character whose every action supports both interpretations. Meanwhile, Winstead brings sharp intelligence to Michelle’s predicament as she searches for truth in the details: a magazine’s date, the peculiar placement of furniture, and the subtle inconsistencies in Howard’s behavior.

Dan Trachtenberg’s direction amplifies the movie’s claustrophobic paranoia, underlining the physical constraints of his single-set horror movie with each scene. Because of that, 10 Cloverfield Lane remains a nerve-wracking experience that proves you only need a handful of good actors and a strong core concept to craft a masterpiece.

[RELATED: Before Wolf Man, These Are the 7 Best Werewolf Movies]

4. Green Room (2015)

After being hired to play in a neo-Nazi club and deciding to sing a song against white supremacists, a punk rock band finds themselves trapped in the titular backstage green room in this brilliant horror-thriller. The band soon learns their moment of bravery has dire consequences, as the men waiting for them to come out of a room with a single entrance are out for blood. Leading this force of white supremacists stands Darcy (Patrick Stewart), whose calm demeanor makes his brutality all the more chilling.

Leading the protagonists is Pat (Anton Yelchin), who urges his friends to reinvent themselves as survivalists, turning amplifiers into barricades and microphone stands into weapons. Jeremy Saulnier’s direction emphasizes this claustrophobia, making each attempted breach of their makeshift fortress feel inevitable. Plus, the authenticity of Yelchin’s performance anchors the escalating violence in terrible reality.

3. Cube (1997)

Six identical walls, six possible exits, and endless mathematical puzzles separate life from death in the appropriately named Cube. In the movie, strangers awaken in a geometric prison with no memory of their arrival. Still, they quickly learn that each cubic chamber of a never-ending maze could house lethal traps. To survive, the group must overcome their differences and learn how to identify the patterns that could guide them to safety. Otherwise, they are doomed to perish.

Filmmaker Vincenzo Natali’s stark vision strips away conventional horror elements, leaving only cold angles and deadly precision. The set’s brutalist design, where every room is a replica of the last, creates horror through repetition. This minimalist nightmare serves as an anxiety-inducing metaphor for bureaucratic systems that trap ordinary people in their machinery. The cube’s apparent order, with its perfectly measured spaces and predictable traps, suggests purpose without meaning. It’s no wonder Cube remains a cult classic, ever relevant over two decades after its initial release.

2. Alien (1979)

As one of history’s most influential sci-fi flicks, Alien doesn’t need introductions. Still, it’s interesting to see how the movie builds tension by trapping its cast in a single set while a beast hunts them down one by one. Through dark maintenance tunnels and cramped corridors, Warrant Officer Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her crew discover that their ship’s industrial architecture serves the alien’s hunting instincts all too well. Steam vents provide cover, ceiling ducts offer hunting paths, and every shadow could hide gleaming teeth.

In Ridley Scott’s classic, the ship itself becomes an enemy as Ripley races through its industrial maze, desperately looking for a way out. Each attempt at escape forces her deeper into the Nostromo’s bowels, where the distinction between mechanical and organic horror blurs. In addition, H.R. Giger’s biomechanical creature design finds its perfect complement in the ship’s clinical-industrial spaces, suggesting humanity has built the ideal habitat for its own destruction. It’s surprising that the franchise took so long to properly recreate this claustrophobic feel.

1. The Thing (1982)

In John Carperter’s The Thing, R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) and his fellow researchers face an entity that absorbs, replicates, and replaces its victims. Because of that, their scientific station, built for collaboration and discovery, twists into a maze of suspicion where every interaction could mean infection. To make matters worse, Antarctica’s endless white creates a prison around U.S. Outpost 31, where paranoia proves as deadly as any alien.

Rob Bottin’s groundbreaking practical effects literalize this inner horror as human forms split, stretch, and recombine. However, the true terror lies in the quiet moments between mutations, when Palmer (David Clennon), Childs (Keith David), and the others must decide who to trust while knowing they might unknowingly be the enemy. Their isolation, enforced by howling Antarctic winds, ensures that survivors and monsters remain trapped together until nothing human remains. If The Thing remains a celebrated cinema achievement, that’s due to Carpenter’s ability to extract every ounce of paranoia from a single set.

All of these films are available on various streaming platforms.

The post 7 Best Single-Setting Horror Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

28 Years Later has skyrocketed to become one of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2025, thanks to that haunting first trailer. However, franchise creator and 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle Is now addressing one big question hanging over the film – and it’s definitely a disappointing reveal for fans. Don’t worry though, it’s not a delay; 28 Years Later is still slated to be released in theaters on June 20, 2025.

Read below for the big truth bomb Danny Boyle dropped on fans, but heed WARNING, it’s a SPOILER!

Back in 2002, Danny Boyle made the original 28 Days Later movie with Cillian Murphy in the starring role as “Jim,” a bicycle courier who is hit by a car, goes into a coma, and wakes up during a zombie apocalypse that’s wiped out London. Jim and some other survivors he forms bonds with make an exodus out of the city to the countryside, searching for an alleged safe zone. Jim managed to survive that journey and reach a safe haven, but he was not part of the sequel film 28 Weeks Later, which instead focused on a new set of main characters.

The 28 Years Later trailer dropped several teases of a character named “Jimmy” being a powerful figure in the survivor settlements – as evidenced by the name being painted or carved into various locations seen in the footage. A lot of viewers thought they spotted Cillian Murphy’s Jim in zombie form, during one particular scene featured in the teaser. That “Easter egg” was later debunked (in part by the actor who actually plays the ‘Flower Bed Zombie’), and now Danny Boyle is shutting down all fan theories about Murphy’s role in 28 Years Later, entirely.

Sorry, Cillian Murphy Is Not in 28 Years Later

In a new interview with Empire, Danny Boyle confirmed that behind-the-scenes plans didn’t come together in a way that allowed Cillian Murphy to shoot scenes for the film.

“[On] this, we wanted him [Cillian Murphy] to be involved and he wanted to be involved,” Boyle told Empire. “He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line.”

Killian Murphy Can Still Appear in the 28 Years Later Trilogy

As Danny Boyle indicated, Cillian Murphy still has two more opportunities to appear in the 28 Days Later series. 28 Years Later is the first chapter of an entirely new trilogy of films in the series. The next film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, was filmed by The Marvels director Nia Dacosta while Boyle worked on his film. The Bone Temple is already set for release about six months after 28 Years Later, on January 16, 2026.

Based on the story elements being teased in 28 Years Later, there’s one popular fan theory that Cillian Murphy’s Jim has grown into a cult-like leader in the human settlements. However, with the name “Jimmy” being seen carved into human flesh, it’s possible Jim may have gone a wee bit mad in the many years since he woke up in hell.

28 Years Later has a release date of June 20, 2025. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has a release date of January 16, 2026.

The post 28 Years Later Just Got a Very Disappointing Update (But It’s Not a Delay) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The ’80s horror movie Night of the Creeps just got the 4K UHD Collector’s Edition Blu-ray treatment from Shout Factory, which should delight fans. The cult classic follows a couple who stumbles across a space-slug-infested corpse and the chaos that ensues. The new 4K UHD includes tons special features such as multiple interviews, commentaries, and deleted scenes. The movie is available to pre-order on Amazon now for $39.98 with an arrival set for March 25, 2025. Check out the entire list of special features below. 

Special Features:

• 4K Restoration from the Original Camera Negative Approved by Director Fred Dekker
• Presented in Dolby Vision
• Audio Commentary with Actor Suzanne Snyder and Filmmakers Jackson Stewart and Francis Galluppi
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Fred Dekker
• Audio Commentary with Actors Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, and Jill Whitlow
• A New Breed of Terror: The Films Of Fred Dekker – Interview with Director Fred Dekker
• Original Theatrical Ending
• Real Good Plan: Interview with Actor Jason Lively
• The Bradster: Interview with Actor Allan Kayser
• I Vote for that One: Interview with Actor Ken Heron
• Worst Coroner Ever: Interview with Actor Vic Polizos
• Answering The Door: Interview with Actor Suzanne Snyder
• Final Cut: Interview with Editor Michael N. Knue
• Horror’s Hallowed Ground: Revisiting the Locations of the Film
• Thrill Me!: The Making of Night of the Creeps – A 5 Part Documentary
• Tom Atkins: Man of Action
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Conjuring Creator James Wan Loves Night of the Creeps

James Wan, the creator of Insidious, The Conjuring, and Malignant recently revealed that he’d love to revive a few 80s camp horror films. James Wan spoke with /Film and said, “I have many horror films that I think that are just fun that I love, and I’m pretty sure the horror community shares them with me. I love movies like Chopping Mall. I love Night of the Creeps. These, to me, are just sort of fun horror films that I would love to be able to dive into one day, or do them but with the way that I make my films.”

With Wan having been in the Producer seat recently, maybe it’ll be more likely he can bring us some modern remakes of these silly cult classics. Maybe a tv show version like I Know What You Did Last Summer? Only time will tell! 

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Edgar Wright’s The Running Man reboot has added Fear the Walking Dead alum Colman Domingo to its cast in what might just be the perfect role. According to Deadline, Domingo has been cast in the role of the host of the film’s titular, violent reality show. The film, which is based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman and also starring Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Karl Glusman, Katy O’Brian, and Daniel Ezra, is set to open in theaters on November 7th.

In The Running Man is set in a dystopian America where Ben Richards (Powell) is “a desperate man needing money for his sick daughter” and joins the popular show, “The Running Man” that sees teams of killers hunt down contestants. The longer a contestant survives, the more money they make. The story was previously made into a 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, though that film was a much looser adaptation of the novel. In the 1987 film, the role of The Running Man’s sadistic host Damon Killian was played by real-life Family Feud host Richard Dawson. Dawson received critical acclaim for his work in the film. However, Wright’s adaptation is set to be more faithful to King’s novel. In the novel, Dan Killian is the executive who runs the show and Brolin will be playing it.

According to Deadline’s report, while Wright’s version will see Brolin’s television executive serve as more of the central villain, given the importance of the television host in the previous film Domingo’s role as host in the reboot will be important as well and casting for it was something that those involved with the film wanted to get right. Domingo may be best known for his roles in Fear The Walking Dead, Euphoria, and Sing Sing. Most recently the actor has appeared in Netflix’s The Madness and will voice Norman Osborn in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man which debuts on Disney+ on January 29th.

[RELATED: The Running Man Becomes Scott Pilgrim Reunion With Michael Cera Joining Reboot]

As for the film, Wright is directing from a script that he co-wrote along with Michael Bacall. Wright has previously emphasized that his film will be different from the 1987 film, noting that his film will be closer to the book — though he threw no shade at Schwarzenegger’s film

“I like the film, but I like the book more, and they didn’t really adapt the book,” Wright said previously. “Even as a teenager when I saw the Schwarzenegger film I was like, ‘Oh, this isn’t like the book at all!’ And I think, ‘Nobody’s [done] that book.’ So, when that came up, I was thinking, and Simon Kinberg says, ‘Do you have any interest in The Running Man?’ I said, ‘You know what? I’ve often thought that that book is something crying out to be adapted.’ Now, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy!”

The Running Man is set to open in theaters November 7th.

The post Fear the Walking Dead Star Joins The Running Man Reboot (And the Role Is Perfect) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The upcoming HBO series IT: Welcome to Derry already has a season count mapped out for its story. Welcome to Derry acts as a prequel to the Andy Muschietti-directed IT movies of 2017 and 2019, based upon Stephen King’s eponymous horror novel. Speaking to Radio TU, Muschietti revealed his vision of the show as running for at least three seasons.

“It’s a story that’s based on the interludes of the book. The interludes are basically chapters that reflect Mike Hanlon’s research,” Muschietti stated, adding, “So they talk about catastrophic events from the past, like the fire in the Black Spot, the massacre of the Bradley Gang, a gang of bank robbers in the ’30s, and the explosion of the Kitchener Ironworks. Every time Pennywise comes out of hibernation, there is a catastrophic event that happens at the beginning of that cycle…We are basing the three seasons of this series on each of these catastrophic events.”

Muschietti also added that Welcome to Derry will actually go backward in its chronology, stating, “There’s a reason why the story is told backward. So the first season is 1962, the second season is 1935, and the third season is 1908.”

Given the long history of Pennywise haunting the citizens of Derry, there is certainly ample room for Welcome to Derry to showcase his monstrous history in these radically separate 20th-century time periods. Moreover, in addition to Andy and Barbara Muschietti returning as co-creators for Welcome to Derry alongside IT CHAPTER TWO co-producer Jason Fuchs, Bill Skarsgård also reprises his role as Pennywise the Clown from the IT movies,

[RELATED: Pennywise the Clown Appeared in One Other Stephen King Novel After IT]

Stephen King adaptations have a somewhat hit-and-miss history on the big screen, but Muschietti’s IT movies fall into the former classification. IT: Chapter One debuted in theaters on September 7, 2017, with IT CHAPTER TWO releasing two years later September 6, 2019. Both IT films were huge hits, respectively earning $704.2 million and $473.1 million worldwide, and while the reception to CHAPTER TWO was somewhat more mixed, the two big-screen IT movies are among the most popular Stephen King adaptations.

As in King’s novel, the IT movies focus upon a group of kids in the town of Derry, Maine known as “The Losers Club,” who encounter a mysterious supernatural monster preying on the children of the town, taking on the form of Pennywise the Clown. Though the Losers seemingly put a stop to Pennywise, after learning of his return 30 years later, they reunite as adults to defeat Pennywise once and for all.

Muschietti’s IT movies split King’s very long novel into two parts, with the first movie focusing on the Losers as kids, and CHAPTER TWO devoted to their second battle with Pennywise as adults. While the Losers themselves won’t be back for Welcome to Derry, Bill Skarsgård’s return as Pennywise will bring plenty of the terror and thrills of the big-screen IT movies into different time settings. If IT: Welcome to Derry proves popular on HBO, Stephen King fans could even potentially see the series move beyond Muschietti’s stated three-season goal.

IT: Welcome to Derry will arrive on HBO in 2025, with Season 1 consisting of nine episodes.

The post IT Director Reveals How Many Seasons Are Planned for Welcome to Derry (And When They Take Place) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When you buy through our links, Comicbook may earn an affiliate commission. It tuns out that Amazon’s 3 for $33 deal isn’t the only huge sale happening on 4K Blu-rays at the moment. A collection of cult classic films that have been restored and repackaged for collectors by Arrow Video are available for a limited time at 50% off list. This includes films like Robocop, The Warriors, Trick ‘r Treat, Conan the Barbarian, Demolition Man, Hellraiser, Donny Darko, and much more. Currently, you can find the deals here at Barnes & Noble (free shipping on orders $40+) and here on Amazon. Additional details are available below.

If you’re unfamiliar, Arrow Video specializes in restoring cult classic films (especially horror) complete with elaborate packaging and new special features for fans. The spectacular upgrade that Trick ‘r Treat and Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment received for Halloween this year is a perfect example of the magic that they can perform with physical media. That said, both of these films are part of the 50% off sale, and you can find them in the list below along with more of our favorites.

• Trick ‘r Treat – $24.99
• Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment – $59.99
• RoboCop – $24.99
• The Warriors – $24.99
• Conan the Barbarian – $24.99
• The Invasion – $24.99
• Donnie Darko – $24.99
• The Cell – $24.99
• A Simple Plan – $24.99
• Crimson Peak – $24.99
• Tremors – $24.99
• 12 Monkeys – $24.99
• The Chronicles of Riddick – $24.99
• Demolition Man – $29.99

In his Comicbook review for the Trick ‘r Treat and Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment releases, Charlie Ridgely notes that Arrow is currently at the top of their game:

“Arrow has been doing impeccable work for years, giving beloved films beautiful restorations and putting together hordes of great features for movie fans to enjoy. It seems like this year, however, Arrow has taken things a step further and really become one of the best (if not THE best) physical media retailers around. Nothing makes that more evident than the two titles that headline Arrow’s horror slate this Halloween season: Trick ‘r Treat and Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment.”

“I know a lot of this sounds hyperbolic, but I wouldn’t write it if I didn’t believe in it. I am lucky enough to get sent a lot of physical releases to review and cover, so I’ve watched and played around with a good chunk of this year’s physical movies. I have yet to come across any that I’ve enjoyed quite as much as these two Arrow Video releases.”

The post 4K Blu-ray Classics Are 50% Off In This Huge Arrow Video Sale appeared first on ComicBook.com.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is getting a legacy sequel this year and both Final Destination and 28 Days also have new installments due in 2025. And even though it’s fresh off a trilogy, Halloween is gearing up for more via a cinematic universe much less. Not to mention, both Alien and Predator are coming off their best installments in years, arguably decades, and more has been promised for them both. In other words, it’s a good time to be a classic horror fan.

And, yet there are still some IPs that just seem to be sitting there. From genre-blenders to top-tier IPs, what follows are the horror franchises that have found success and are long overdue for more of the same. The reasons vary as to why they’ve lain dormant, and those will be covered just as much as the reasons why they deserve an adrenaline shot to the arm.

Critters

Of the many attempts to replicate Gremlins‘ success, Critters was by far the most successful. It really bore no similarity to Joe Dante’s film, outside of the antagonists being small and toothy. Now, none of the Critters movies held a candle to Gremlins (though Critters 2: The Main Course is a hoot), but the creature design was arguably just as good.

Given that legacy sequels often employ practical effects to retain the appeal of the IP they’re resurrecting, a new Critters could feel like a natural member of the pack. Furthermore, considering the sci-fi slant of the series, the advance in CGI could help a new installment when it comes to getting taken seriously. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a feature film, but the last fans saw of the Crites was in 2019 with the letdown of a one-two punch that was the direct-to-video Critters Attack! and the short-lived Shudder series Critters: A New Binge.

Friday the 13th

Admittedly, the Friday the 13th franchise is due for a reboot. In fact, it’s coming back in a big way with the multimedia “JASON UN1V3RSE.” But the way the past decade and a half has gone, die-hard fans are thinking “we’ll believe it when we see it” more than “I can’t wait.”

Even before the lengthy lawsuit between the original film’s screenwriter Victor Miller and director/producer Sean S. Cunningham put the franchise on ice, it had been years before there was any level of discussion regarding the IP’s continuation, be it a sequel to the 2009 reboot or otherwise. The lawsuit had massive ramifications, extending even to the well-received video game, which had its servers shut down on December 31, 2024. As mentioned, now that the suit has concluded the franchise finally has some momentum, but without a doubt it is a slasher saga in desperate need of a reboot if it wants to have any chance of generating audience interest.

Gremlins

Gremlins is an IP that seems like a no-brainer for a theatrical reboot. But there are some people (not to mention practical effects) who need to be involved if it’s truly going to work. For one, it requires the sensibilities provided by producer Steven Spielberg. Two, director Joe Dante has yet to retire, and his last time behind the camera was for 2014’s Burying the Ex.

It could also do with a cameo from the original films’ leads: Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates. Cates has retired, but Hayden Panettiere re-entered the game for Scream VI so never say never. Furthermore, the Gremlins star did vocally reprise her role for 2015’s LEGO Dimensions, which was her first project in nearly a decade and a half and indicates she’s still fond of the 1984 classic.

[RELATED: Gremlins Writer Confirms Gizmo Originally Turned Into a Monster (And Had a Higher Body Count)]

A Nightmare on Elm Street

If any entry here is somewhat debatable, it’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. Why? Because there truly is no Freddy Krueger without Robert Englund and, by his own admission, Englund is now a bit long in the tooth for the part.

But, if the character could be successfully recast with an actor who can make the character their own (say, by Kevin Bacon), there’s a better-than-good chance it would be a stacked cast. While the logistics of it would be tricky, Heather Langenkamp has expressed interest in returning as Nancy Thompson. Furthermore, Longlegs and It Follows star Maika Monroe has called the franchise her dream project, so that could be a recipe for success.

Tremors

At the time of Tremors‘ release, Kevin Bacon’s career was in dire need of a hit. And, as legend goes, he once broke down on the sidewalk and yelled, “I can’t believe I am going to be in a movie about giant f-cking worms!” But as the film became a success on home video, he’s come around to it. And rightly so, as the original Tremors is an outright great film, managing to successfully blend horror, sci-fi, comedy, and the Western all in one rewatchable package.

The point of bringing up Bacon is to say that, while Tremors has remained active thanks to direct-to-video and streaming sequels, they lacked the gravitas he brought to it. Sadly, his partner in the original film, Fred Ward, has passed away, but Bacon has made it clear he’s up for reprising the role of Valentine McKee, as evidenced by the fact he already did so in a 2018 SYFY Channel pilot that was not picked up.

The post 5 Horror Movie Franchises That Desperately Need Reboots appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When a sequel to Alien was announced with Fede Álvarez as the director, people thought they might finally be getting a great movie, especially since the franchise hadn’t really hit the high mark since the 1979 original and Aliens in 1986. The director, known for Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe, really got fans hyped before the release because his take on the story was supposed to be more realistic and gory at a certain point, avoiding CGI while still keeping the visual style of the original films. Doing all this in a modern world where everything’s basically made with sci-fi technology was something that got people excited.

Alien: Romulus scored 85% from fans and 79% from specialized critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was highly praised, especially for its tone and the balance it struck between nostalgia and real innovation. As a result, it earned third place among the best in the franchise, and it will also get a sequel. But what exactly made it so special? It’s hard to forget the intensely visceral scenes that left many feeling on edge and even more immersed in the story. It’s time to talk about them.

Navarro Revealing the Chestburster

If Álvarez’s goal was to bring a nostalgic touch to his movie, he definitely nailed it, and with great skill, by adding the chestburster scene. While this moment is a recurring element throughout the franchise, it’s done here in the most grotesque and unforgettable way possible. Navarro (Aileen Wu) is the first character to be attacked by the facehugger, and her death might be the most terrifying of all. As she falls unconscious and her friends lose hope, the possibility that an alien embryo has been implanted inside her is revealed. It takes some time for it to develop, and that only happens when she returns to the ship.

[RELATED: How Alien: Romulus Connects to Alien Movies & Prometheus Explained]

The scene is truly set apart by the use of the portable x-ray device, something no other movie has ever done. Navarro starts using it to try to understand what’s happening to her body, all while her panic grows. With the x-ray, she can see the alien developing inside her, getting closer to bursting out, making everything even more intense. To make matters worse, at that moment, the ship is colliding with the station, which amplifies the violence of the impacts. The scene is full of detail, and the image of Kay (Isabela Merced) holding her, her face drenched in blood as her friend’s chest explodes, is absolutely shocking. The audience is drawn into the process closely, and with the level of tension, it’s impossible not to be left stunned for a moment.

Rain’s Last Stand Attempt

One of the most incredible scenes happens when Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and Andy (David Jonsson) are together after losing Tyler (Archie Renaux) in the xenomorph nest. In that part of the station, there are numerous dead crew members who had been captured over time, and the two survivors are trapped with no way out. Just that situation alone makes it hard for the audience to feel any hope, even though Rain arms herself with a pulse rifle, knowing that the ammunition is limited compared to the number of aliens around them. The tension is overwhelming, as it suggests they won’t be able to defend themselves against all the creatures, so she comes up with a plan: deactivate gravity.

Although this seems like a great idea, and it does give them an advantage in terms of speed as everything starts happening slowly in the air, the place quickly turns into a minefield with the creatures’ acidic blood. Rain and Andy have to float through the deadly mess before the blood hits the ground and melts the floor. It’s one of the most memorable action scenes, especially since it’s one of the final moments in the movie. When Rain shoots at the blood to be pulled down by the force of the shot, dodging the danger, is also incredibly iconic.

Final Showdown With The Offspring

The scene with The Offspring, the mutant hybrid, is the most disturbing and frightening. It had already appeared with the Newborn in Alien: Resurrection, but compared to Romulus, the design has a significant impact, adding to the movie’s intensity. It’s worth noting that this scene received mixed feedback from the audience, with some people really enjoying it while others weren’t as fond of it. Regardless, it’s what makes Álvarez’s film one of the most outstanding in the franchise, precisely because it takes the experience to a more grotesque and psychological level. The creature is unsettling to look at, and it’s no surprise that executives from The Walt Disney Company felt uncomfortable with everything, from its birth to the process of it feeding on Kay.

However, it’s the final clash that makes the biggest difference. The scene is so brilliantly executed that it makes the audience think Rain will finally be able to save herself and escape, as she manages to tie herself to the ship and leave amid all the destruction. But then, The Offspring appears and starts smashing her helmet in the vacuum of space. The viewer is caught off guard by the unexpected confrontation, especially as the glass of the helmet cracks. Still, the monster loses control and is destroyed by the effect of the planetary rings. This moment is not only full of adrenaline but also serves to intensify the suspense and tension until literally the very last minute of the movie.

Alien: Romulus is available to stream on Disney+.

The post 3 Alien: Romulus Scenes That Make It One of the Best Movies in the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warner Bros. has released the spoiler-filled official Companion trailer, starring Yellowjackets and Heretic star Sophie Thatcher opposite Jack Quaid of The Boys and Scream (2022) fame. The previously released teaser for Companion was vague on plot details beyond Thatcher’s Iris being seemingly trapped in a dangerous and toxic relationship with Josh, played by Quaid. The new trailer, which you can watch below, reveals that Iris is actually a sexbot who Josh has been controlling, and it’s implied that Iris is initially unaware of her origins. After learning the truth, Iris upgrades her intelligence and seeks revenge against Josh and those who have mistreated her. The dark-comedy sci-fi psychological thriller will arrive in theaters on January 31st.

Produced by New Line Cinema, the unhinged love story is briefly described as, “A billionaire’s death sets off a chain of events for Iris and her friends during a weekend trip to his lakeside estate.”

Written and directed by Drew Hancock (My Dead Ex, Suburgatory), Companion also stars Lukas Gage (Smile 2, Dead Boy Detectives), Megan Suri (Never Have I Ever, It Lives Inside), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows, Blue Beetle), and Rupert Friend (High Desert, Asteroid City). The filmmakers behind Barbarian — Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Zach Cregger, and Roy Lee — produced the film.

[RELATED: I Need Yellowjackets Season 3 to Answer One Major Question]

Following the release of Companion, Thatcher will next be seen in Yellowjackets Season 3 when the new season arrives on Valentine’s Day on Paramount+ with Showtime. The last we saw of Thatcher’s character of young Natalie Scatorccio, Nat had been crowned the new Antler Queen after Lottie declared that the wilderness had chosen her. This follows Nat nearly being killed and cannibalized by the group after she drew the Queen of Hearts in their new ritual, but was spared when Javi died instead after falling into the frozen lake.

Quaid is currently in the middle of production on The Boys Season 5, the final season of the comic book adaptation series created by Eric Kripke. In the meantime, the actor has another upcoming movie hitting theaters not long after Companion is released. Quaid will star as Nathan Caine in the action comedy Novocaine, written by Lars Jacobson and directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. In the movie, Quaid’s character, Nathan, is incapable of feeling physical pain and uses that to his advantage to save the girl of his dreams (played by Amber Midthunder) after she is kidnapped. Novocaine hits theatres on March 14th.

The post Sophie Thatcher Is a Murderous Sexbot Out for Revenge in Companion Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“Who here’s ready for some wrasslin’?”

Shudder has released the trailer for the all-new gory wrestling horror film Dark Match. Starring AEW wrestler Chris Jericho, the film follows a small wrestling company that accepts a well-paying gig in a sketchy town — the backwoods. Per the synopsis, they do this “only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match.”

Jericho appears to be playing the cult leader, referring to pro-wrestling as a “sacrifice.” Later in the trailer, he says there are “five children, five matches, five offerings.” So you can see where this is going.

Dark Match was written and directed by Lowell Dean and produced by John K. MacDonald, Don Depoe, Michael Feehan, Rhonda Baker, and Michael Peterson. Eleanor Wiebe and Chris Jericho are executive producers. Ayisha Issa, Steven Ogg, Sara Canning, Michael Eklund, and Jonathan Cherry star alongside Jericho.

Professional wrestling has taken the spotlight over the last few years in pop culture. First, STARZ produced Heels which starred Alexander Ludwig, Stephen Amell, Kelli Berglund, and WWE’s CM Punk. A24 released The Iron Claw which sheds light on the legendary Von Erichs and their tragic backstory. Then, Netflix debuted its controversial Mr. McMahon docuseries.

Up next is Queen of the Ring which chronicles the career of one of the women’s wrestling greats Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards). Several female wrestling favorites have key roles in the film which launches this March in theaters.

[RELATED: This Shudder Docuseries Will Make You Rethink Your Favorite Horror Movies]

All of this while wrestling is positively thriving in the mainstream. WWE and AEW have major streaming deals with two of the top services — Netflix and Max. While WWE’s major $5 billion Netflix deal covers WWE Raw and other content, Max is the new home of AEW Dynamite which will also be simulcast on TBS.

It’s paved the way for wrestlers to take on more Hollywood roles, too. Jericho most recently starred in the third installment of the Terrifier franchise while former AEW Champion MJF is starring alongside Hollywood legend Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2.

Becky Lynch has been on hiatus from WWE for the past few months, in part due to her acting aspirations. She confirmed she’ll be in a brand new Star Trek project beaming onto Paramount+ soon and reports claim she’s also got a role in the Happy Gilmore sequel.

Dark Match streams exclusively on Shudder on January 31st.

The post Chris Jericho Sacrifices Wrestlers in Gory Dark Match Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Rumors of John Carpenter’s 1981 Escape from New York have swirled for years, though there’s never been enough substantial momentum for the project to come to fruition. One filmmaker who was previously attached was Wolf Man director Leigh Whannell, who had also previously been attached to the Universal Monster reboot, which he parted ways with and ultimately returned to. Given this trend, fans have wondered if Whannell could return to Escape from New York, though the filmmaker recently cast doubt on that project coming together. Wolf Man lands in theaters on January 17th.

“It’s so funny, with the movie industry, projects can die for various reasons. It can be something as simple as, ‘Oh, we lost the rights,’ it could be something like I’m just not gelling with the producers,” Whannell shared with ComicBook in support of Wolf Man about whether his Escape from New York could be revived. “I feel like the projects that do come to life are almost accidents. Like, ‘Oh, this one actually happened.’ So I think, for now, Escape from New York, if it came back around, I’d think about it, but for now, it’s not happening.”

Reports of Whannell developing an Escape from New York go back to 2019, but in the years since those plans emerged, Hollywood has dealt with struggles like the coronavirus pandemic and the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. After an extended period without any substantial updates, Radio Silence, the filmmaking collective responsible for the two recent Scream sequels and Abigail, was announced as being involved in the reboot. Directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin were revealed to be attached to the project in 2022, but last year they confirmed that they had eventually parted ways from the reboot.

When asked by ComicBook in May 2024 if the duo was still developing the project, Gillett confirmed, “We are not, unfortunately. I think titles like that bounce around for a while and I think they’ve tried to get that out of the blocks a few times. I think it’s just ultimately a tricky rights issue thing. There’s a clock on it and we just weren’t in a position to make the clock, ultimately. But who knows? I think, in hindsight, it feels crazy that we would think we would, post-Scream, step into a John Carpenter franchise. You never know. There’s still interest in it and we’ve had a few conversations about it but we’re not attached in any official capacity.”

Reports of a new take on the concept have kicked around for years, with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez also having been rumored to be working on a new iteration of the storyline. It’s currently unknown when, or if, a new filmmaker could emerge to tackle the material.

[RELATED – Escape From New York Reboot Loses Radio Silence Filmmakers (Exclusive)]

As fans wait for any updates on a new Escape from New York, they can check out Whannell’s Wolf Man.

Wolf Man is described, “What if someone you loved became something else? From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man. Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

“But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama), and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).”

Stay tuned for updates on a new Escape from New York. See Wolf Man when it lands in theaters on January 17th.

Are you hoping we get an Escape from New York reboot? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The post Wolf Man Director Addresses Possibly Reviving His Escape From New York Reboot appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Production on the seventh installment of the iconic Scream franchise is finally underway. After controversial casting changes, the loss of a director, and a total revamping of the story, Scream 7 is finally beginning its journey to the big screen. On Tuesday, director Kevin Williamson took to Instagram to reveal that filming had begun, and to share movie’s production logo.

Williamson, who wrote the original Scream films for Wes Craven, was tapped to slide into the director’s chair for this new installment. In a heartfelt message, the longtime Scream steward revealed that Tuesday was the first day filming for Scream 7.

“I’m not supposed to post about Scream and I hope [Spyglass] and [Paramount] will forgive me but when you have one of the best days of your life it’s really hard to keep it to yourself,” Williamson wrote. “What an extraordinary day I had working with an amazing and talented cast and crew. They brought their ‘A’ game and had my back every step of the way. I’m so very grateful for this opportunity and to Wes Craven who was on my mind through it all. The profound impact he has had on my life and career is endless. What a day! I can’t wait for tomorrow!”

Williamson is directing Scream 7 on a script from Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt, the writers behind the two most recent Scream films.

While she was absent for 2023’s Scream VI, longtime franchise star Neve Cambpell will be returning to action for Scream 7, once again reprising the role of Sidney Prescott. Joining her is the only member of the Scream franchise to appear in every single movie to this point, Courtney Cox, who will once again be playing the role of Gale Weathers.

[RELATED: Scream 7 Lands 2026 Release Date]

The only other returning cast member that has been confirmed to this point is Mason Gooding, who starred in the fifth and sixth installments as Chad Meeks-Martin. The other three members of the Core Four — Melissa Berrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown — aren’t going to be back.

This new Scream installment is bringing a whole wave of fresh talent to the franchise, led by Isabel May, the breakout star of Yellowstone prequel 1883. May is set to play the daughter of Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, even though her age doesn’t exactly lineup with what we had previously learned about Sidney’s kids. Other new cast members include the Ghostbusters: Afterlife duo of McKenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor, as well as Pitch Perfect star Anna Camp.

The post Scream 7 Officially Begins Filming, Sequel Logo Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When you buy through our links, Comicbook may earn an affiliate commission. Evil Dead fans, it’s your turn for a Funko Pop drop! The release in their Evil Dead lineup includes a new Ash and Evil Ash, looking fairly accurate to their portrayals in the movie. The Ash Williams Pop is decked out in his S-mart uniform complete with metal hand and “boomstick” from the final sequence in the film. Ash’s demonic doppleganger is also present in this drop, looking particularly evil, complete with his iconic skull cap on his head. Everything you need to know about the drop can be found below.

Pre-orders are currently available here on Amazon, and should be available here at Entertainment Earth later today. The Pops are set to arrive in April, and you won’t be charged until they ship. You can keep up with all of the latest Funko Pop releases right here via our weekly master list. For the latest news on the Evil Dead franchise, read on.

The first Evil Dead movie was released back in 1981, and since then, numerous sequels have been released to fans’ appreciation. Back in 2023, the Evil Dead franchise returned with its fifth sequel, Evil Dead Rises. Written and directed by Lee Cronin, the film is a “twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.”

Then 2024 brought us even more Evil Dead news, as it was confirmed that a new spin-off series would be released. The new series is currently being developed by Sébastien Vaniček, director of 2023’s Infested (now streaming on AMC+), who recently posted about the new film on social media with the caption ‘2026’. Now titled Evil Dead Burns, Vaniček recently offered a brief explanation on what audiences could expect from the new addition to the franchise.  

“The first thing [Sam Raimi and his team] asked me was, ‘What would be your Evil Dead?’ And there was the word ‘your,’ so that was like, ‘Yeah, that gives me some artistic freedom,’ and I think I understood what’s Evil Dead and I was like, ‘Okay, if this is Evil Dead, I will do this and that because I want to explore this and that,’” Vaniček confirmed to ComicBook in April. “And they liked my answer and that’s why they gave me this job.” 

Now it’s just up to fans to wait and see! Hopefully this new addition keeps living up to the Evil Dead franchise’s reputation. 

Want to stay up to date with all the latest collectible news? Then keep an eye on our Gear Page!

The post New Evil Dead Army of Darkness Funko Pops Are Here appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Austin Butler may not be the new Patrick Bateman after all. At least, that’s what the author of the American Psycho novel says, also stating that the film may not officially be in the works. When the reboot was announced, reactions were mixed – some thought remaking the 2000 movie was unnecessary, while others got excited about the idea. There was also a lot of buzz about who might play the lead, with the public speculating and even actors throwing their hats in the ring for the role. However, it didn’t take long for news about Butler to surface, sparking more buzz about the movie and its casting. But it seems like there was no point in getting hyped, as Bret Easton Ellis said on his The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast that he thinks it’s all just fake news.

“I have a feeling it’s fake news. I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts,” Ellis said (H/T Bloody Disgusting). “Austin Butler hasn’t signed anything to play Patrick Bateman. Luca doesn’t have a deal. Scott Burns, who is supposed to write the screenplay, doesn’t have a deal either….From various sources that I have, this is just fake news that was put out there to see how an audience is going to react.”

Usually, when a book is adapted, even if the author isn’t involved in the whole process, they’re at least expected to know about it – even if it’s a remake/reboot. But Ellis said that if the movie is actually happening, no one has told him.

“I have nothing to do with this,” Ellis added. “I might get some money if they do this, but I am not involved creatively on any level, and that is all I know.”

[RELATED: Dexter: Original Sin Makes the Series’ American Psycho Easter Eggs Matter Even More]

What Ellis said does make sense, it wouldn’t be the first time that a studio has tested the waters with an idea by making an unofficial announcement to gauge fan interest. American Psycho is already a beloved film though and given the huge success of the adaptation with Christian Bale and director Mary Harron, the need to dip their toes into the water first is smart.

Should the new American Psycho end up happening it would contribute to Hollywood’s go-to remake strategy. Whether it comes to fruition or not, it seems like Luca Guadagnino’s American Pyscho is at least being discussed and considered. Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see if the idea will officially move forward. Neither the director nor Butler has commented on the film so far.

The post American Psycho Writer Calls Reports of Austin Butler Reboot “Fake News” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The “Slasher” is a storied subgenre. Kicking off with Psycho and Peeping Tom in 1960, it started to gain some traction in the ’70s with 1974’s Black Christmas and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and, most notably, John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978. Then there was a boom in the ’80s and the occasional resurgence in subsequent years. Like the action genre, it’s known for spawning franchises, and with any franchise there’s the good and the not-so-good. What follows are the sequels that fall firmly in the former category. At least, in my opinion.

There’s certainly a fair argument that Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 belong here, but I stick with the classics. Other sequels that just missed the mark but are certainly worthy of a mention include Psycho II, Halloween H20: Years Later, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Scream VI, Friday the 13th Part 2, and Friday the 13th Part III. Then there are the sequels (and prequels) that aren’t quite a slasher IP, but they’re close enough to get a shout-out, such as Saw II, Saw X, Pearl, MaXXXine, Candyman (2021), Final Destination 2, and Final Destination 5. For now, here are my favorite slasher sequels, ranked from least effective to most effective.

Halloween II (1981)

Strongly disliked by some, especially for its plot twist involving Laurie Strode, Halloween II is nonetheless the closest the franchise ever came to capturing the power of Carpenter’s perfect original. Setting it immediately after that film was a home run for the sequel, as was the hospital setting.

It’s flawed, with Laurie being bedridden for the majority of the runtime and what seems like an active attempt to be less subtle in its death scenes than the previous film, but the good greatly outweighs the bad. It also would have marked a fine ending for the franchise. Laurie shooting out Michael’s eyes and Doctor Loomis sacrificing himself works very well, as does the sight of an on-fire Michael lumbering down the hallway followed swiftly by The Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman” playing over the hospital’s fog-covered parking lot.

Bride of Chucky (1998)

What Wes Craven’s New Nightmare did admirably well Ronny Yu’s Bride of Chucky pulls off without a hitch. Its ace in the hole is Jennifer Tilly, who gives one of the most game performances in horror cinema history. She would continue to deliver standout work as the series progressed, to the point she nearly saved Bride‘s massive shark-jump of a follow-up: Seed of Chucky.

Whenever Chucky and Tiffany interact in Yu’s film, it’s a stone-cold winner. The only reasons it isn’t higher up on the list are, one, it could have used an extra 10 to 15 minutes and, two, Katherine Heigl’s Jade Kincaid and Nick Stabile’s Jesse Miller. They needed to be there for the plot to have momentum, but it’s not great when two plastic serial killers come across as more human than two, well, humans.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Yes, Halloween II ended the franchise fairly well, but Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is still a great revival. The only thing that really hampers this sometimes visually stunning sequel’s impact (it captures the Fall season in the most convincing manner possible outside the original film) is what came afterward. But Halloween 4 isn’t Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers: it’s far more effective, and it makes Danielle Harris’ Jamie Lloyd and Ellie Cornell’s Rachel Carruthers instant slasher icons.

It really is too bad that Halloween 5 made the classic mistake of killing off a fan-favorite character (Rachel) in the first act, because their sisterly dynamic is one of the franchise’s most compelling relationships. Return is also a perfect extension of the divisive Laurie twist. That twist happened, it became canon, and Return ran with it. After all, what’s scarier than a personality-free murderer going after teens? A personality-free murderer going after a child.

Child’s Play 2 (1990)

There is an argument to be made that Chucky is the best slasher villain, and if there’s a single entry that proves that argument it’s Child’s Play 2. Well-paced and seemingly aware of how iconic Chucky already was it’s an improvement upon the already-solid original film in almost every way.

Were it not for later successes like Bride of Chucky, Curse of Chucky, and the TV series, there’s a strong argument that the franchise should have ended here. I may have a soft spot for it thanks to a childhood midnight viewing with a bowl of ice cream, but Child’s Play 3 is infinitely weaker. By his own admission, franchise creator Don Mancini has said he ran out of ideas after Child’s Play 2, and it shows. But with Child’s Play 2, the landing was truly stuck. Not only is the third act in the Good Guy factory the IP’s best, but the final shot of Andy Barclay walking away from said factory with his new sister Kyle is a nice tie of the bow.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

It takes a few viewings to really appreciate what Tobe Hooper was doing with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. About as far from a predecessor as a direct sequel can be, TCM 2 is a bonkers fever trip with unconventional pacing and a bit of expansion of the Leatherface character.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, like Bride of Chucky, works even better as a comedy than it does as a horror film; that said, the highway scene in the first act is genuinely tense and frightening. But what really helps this sequel stand as the best film in the franchise besides the original is its casting. Caroline Williams is phenomenal as “Stretch,” Bill Moseley is terrifying as “Chop Top,” and Dennis Hopper’s gonzo performance as “Lefty” shows that he understood the assignment.

[RELATED: Why Early January Is a Go-To Horror Movie Launchpad]

Scream (2022)

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett AKA Radio Silence really pulled off something special with their 2022 Scream. It succeeds in every department – to the point it feels as much like a companion piece to the original film as Scream 2 is. It’s a perfect blending of past and future, with returning characters Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, Judy Hicks, and, especially, Dewey Riley, all being put to good use while never sacrificing the film’s focus on the new characters.

With Scream VII confirmed to bring back at least one member of the “Core Four” it’s likely that plot points from 2022’s reboot and Scream VI will be continued, but one wishes Radio Silence (and the combo of Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera) were still involved. Admittedly, the de-aged Skeet Ulrich cameo feels like a bit of logic-defying fan service, but as a whole Ghostface’s return in Scream V was the shot in the arm the IP needed after the disappointing third and fourth installments.

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

Friday the 13th is a franchise that has managed to stay alive for 45 years because it’s unafraid to change itself, be it the now-dead Friday the 13th: The Game or Tom McLoughlin’s fairly ingenious Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. Eight years before Wes Craven brought a meta nature to slashers with New Nightmare, McLoughlin did it even better with Jason Lives, a film that was so ahead of its time even the franchise’s most ardent detractors had to give it some light props.

The film’s reputation has only grown more positive as the years have progressed, and deservedly so. Sandwiched in-between the widely despised (but not by me) and cheap-looking Friday the 13th: A New Beginning and the MPA-butchered Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, it’s easily the highlight of the latter half of Paramount’s time with Jason. Why McLoughlin wasn’t just handed the reigns to the franchise from here on out was a mystery, because his writing and direction is impressive to say the least.

Scream 2 (1997)

It’s astonishing how well Scream 2 works. The script leak should have been the iceberg to its Titanic. Instead, the sequel comes across as a wholly organic companion piece to the (admittedly slightly superior) original film. From the movie theater-set opening (second-best of the franchise); the establishment of the Stab franchise as a meta-film-within-a-meta-film; to the shocking turn of a major character’s (Randy) death, Scream 2 works like a charm, start to finish.

There’s really only one moment that doesn’t quite gel, and that’s the death of Sidney Prescott’s roommate, Hallie (who, by the way, was originally supposed to be one of the two killers alongside Sid’s roommate, Derek). She just kind of stands in the middle of the road next to a Ghostface hiding spot and, surprise, gets stabbed. But, when one has to nitpick a single scene in a two-hour slasher, it means that it’s a pretty phenomenal slasher.

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Like the antagonists of the best vampire movies, Jason just never seems to die. But, in the case of vampires, a wooden stake through the heart will do it whereas with Mr. Voorhees, not even the combination of a machete to the face and a studio embarrassed by their own successful property was enough. Yes, Joseph Zito’s Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter was supposed to end the franchise (as was Friday the 13th Part III) but ultimately didn’t. In fact, the turnaround time between this John Hughesian slasher and A New Beginning was the shortest in the franchise’s history.

Of the original eight Paramount films, The Final Chapter plays as the closest to an actual fully-rounded film. The original is still the best for pulling off a 24-hour nightmare that makes the viewer actually feel involved – but every argument out there championing Zito’s quadrilogy-capper is a sound one.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Like Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, Chuck Russell’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors plays as ahead of its time. It’s a movie so creative that even the most vocal slasher-basher has to throw up their arms and say “Okay, except for that one….” It’s also the entry that turned Freddy Krueger from a mystery into a pop-culture phenomenon (though that would prove to be a double-edged sword).

The return of the first film’s Nancy Thompson is a welcome one, as is John Saxon’s Donald Thompson, but it’s the new characters who steal the show. It can’t be said about, well, just about any other slasher film, but there’s not a false note in Dream Warriors when it comes to the acting department. Should a reboot actually get off the ground, Dream Warriors would make for a fine template. That starts with Heather Langenkamp, whose Nancy dies here but, frankly, the series has taken bigger swings than reviving a fan-favorite. Not to mention, Dream Warriors‘ Patricia Arquette has also said she would be willing to return, which is a prospect that should not be ignored. Oh, and the musical contributions by Dokken are also sublime.

What are your top 10 slasher-horror films?

The post The Top 10 Slasher Movie Sequels, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Peter Pan is the latest childhood character to get a horror spin from the folks at Jagged Edge Productions. First it was Winnie-the-Pooh and his pals in the Hundred Acre Wood. Pinocchio, Bambi, and others are still to come. But right now the focus is on Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, which is far and away the most terrifying entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe to-date.

From writer/director Scott Chambers (one of the producers of the franchise), Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare shares more in common with Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone than the Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey films. It follows a disturbed man with fantasies of a world that offers eternal childhood. In order to save young children from the evils of our reality, Peter abducts them and takes them to his “Neverland.”

The darker, much more grounded approach to the classic character doesn’t seem like much of a stretch for those familiar with the story of Peter Pan. That includes Chambers, who always saw Peter’s tale as an inherently disturbing one.

“When you look at the original material, is a guy literally if you just look at the bones that he’s sneaking into bedrooms of children who are asleep and lowers them out of their window and takes them to Neverland. So to me already that was creepy,” Chambers told ComicBook in an exclusive interview ahead of Neverland Nightmare’s debut. “And I wanted to bring a lot of those elements that we all know and love into this and just literally tell it for what it is.”

Chambers went on to address why he went as dark as he did with this Peter Pan story, and the roots of the character’s disturbing appearance in the film.

“When we’re doing these introductory films, they’re obviously going to be the leads of the Poohniverse. And that’s why we’ve given them time before the beginning of the film happens. And then the ones that you’re not as familiar with, because we haven’t made their standalone films, they’ll kind of more appear in it,” Chambers explained.

“I wanted it to be kind of like he’s always wearing a mask,” he continued. “So in the opening of the film, he’s wearing this makeup I wanted to set it at a circus. I wanted him not to talk. Let’s do a monocle. It’d be quite cool. It’s creepy, but it’s also quite cool. So wearing that makeup is kind of a mask to let people in because, for example, the first victim that he goes to, he’s wearing all that.

“And the idea is to kind of give himself some wildness to him from the kids. They’re like, ‘I recognize you.’ It’s kind of like some celebrity to him. It’s like you were the guy that performed, and they instantly trust him because everyone was cheering for him and all that. So he’s purposely put himself in this job role at that circus.”

[RELATED: These Disney Characters Will Be the Villains of the Poohniverse]

The idea of the mask becomes more literal just minutes into Neverland Nightmare, after an early event (that we won’t spoil) leaves Peter needing an actual mask to cover up his face. That mask extended to the entirety of how Peter presents himself to children, even changing his vocal tone to sound less intimidating.

“With what happens to him in the opening, it ends up leaving him horribly disfigured. And from then on, he has to wear a literal mask because any child seeing him is going to get scared,” Chambers said. “So I got I wanted to find out, like a mask. That kind of look like a small smiling child again because he feels like he is a child.

“And then I wanted more. And the actor that played Peter Pan to try and mimic a child’s voice when he has that mask on, because I want it to be like he genuinely believes he’s a child.”

Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare will play in theaters from January 13th through January 15th.

The post Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare Director Explains How He Turned the Classic Character Into a Horror Villain appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The trailer for Josh Ruben’s rom-com slasher Heart Eyes dropped on Tuesday, dooming many couple’s to a frightening date this Valentine’s Day. It shows Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt as a couple on a relatively good date before they are interrupted by a horrifying masked killer. The movie hits theaters on Friday, February 7th and clearly hopes to scare some real-life couples through the following weekend.

Heart Eyes was written by Phillip Murphy, Michael Kennedy and Christopher Landon, and produced by Spyglass Media Group. It filmed in New Zealand over the summer, but so far many details have been kept under wraps. The trailer went a long way in fixing that — it gave us the premise in the form of a TV news cutaway which explained that the “Heart Eyes Killer” has been stalking and murdering couples every Valentine’s Day in this community for several years now. The spree sparks terror in the community, and this year his victims aren’t even really dating.

According to the film’s official synopsis, the protagonists of this movie are not exactly a couple, but actually co-workers stuck on the late shift together on Valentine’s Day. The Heart Eyes Killer mistakes them for lovers and sets his sights on them, which will presumably prove to be his undoing. Even the names of characters have mostly been kept a mystery, though we do know that Holt’s character is named Ally.

[RELATED: Nightmare on Elm Street: Patricia Arquette Reveals Requirement for Franchise Return (Exclusive)]

Other stars include Jordana Brewster, Devon Sawa, Gigi Zumbado, Ben Black, Chris Parker, Latham Gaines and Lauren O’Hara. The movie has been billed as a combination horror-comedy, so it’s interesting to see how that balance is represented in the trailer. For the squeamish, it may be a bit much for a romantic night out — especially if you have a long walk home. At the same time, the marketing team is reaching out to single fans as well with the tag line “stay single, stay safe” on social media.

Horror fans are in good hands here with the movie’s entire cast and crew. Landon is a legend for writing five Paranormal Activity movies, and directing Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones. He also wrote on both Happy Death Day movies, and together he and Kennedy co-wrote the 2020 comedy-slasher Freaky, with Landon directing. Of course, fans will recognize Gooding from the two most recent Scream movies, and Holt from the 2023 comedy-slasher Totally Killer.

Heart Eyes hits theaters on February 7th, 2025 in the U.S.

The post Heart Eyes Trailer Promises the Perfect Valentine’s Day Movie for Horror Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Florence Pugh recently opened up about the intense emotional toll of filming Ari Aster’s folk horror masterpiece Midsommar, revealing the extreme lengths she went to portray the grief-stricken Dani. During an appearance on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, the Oscar-nominated actress confessed she “abused” herself to deliver her haunting performance in the 2019 film. Her candid revelations offer a striking glimpse into the demanding nature of horror acting and highlight why her work in Midsommar remains one of the most compelling performances in modern horror cinema.

Midsommar is a masterpiece in contemporary horror cinema, with Pugh’s performance as its biggest triumph. The film follows Dani, a young woman grappling with unimaginable family tragedy who joins her distant boyfriend and his friends on a trip to Sweden for a once-in-90-year midsummer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat descends into a waking nightmare as the true nature of their hosts’ customs becomes horrifyingly clear. Pugh’s portrayal of Dani’s deteriorating mental state and eventual transformation earned widespread critical acclaim, establishing her as one of Hollywood’s most formidable young talents. However, as Pugh reveals, this achievement took a heavy toll.

“I definitely felt like I abused myself in the places that I got myself to go,” Pugh explained on the podcast, reflecting on the emotional demands of the role. The actress also acknowledged the lasting impact of such intense method acting, adding, “I mean, the nature of figuring these things out is you need to go, ‘Alright, well, I can’t do that again ’cause that was too much.'” Despite the personal toll, Pugh stands by her commitment to Midsommar, stating, “I look at that performance and I’m really proud of what I did, and I’m proud of what came out of me. I don’t regret it.”

[RELATED: Marvel’s Florence Pugh Reveals Origin of Her Iconic Frown]

Pugh should definitely be proud of herself. The role marked a turning point in Pugh’s career, showcasing her ability to carry a film through intensely emotional scenes while maintaining believability in even the most surreal circumstances. Coming in the same year as her Academy Award-nominated performance in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, Midsommar demonstrated Pugh’s remarkable range and cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s most versatile young actors. Her unflinching portrayal of grief and trauma helped elevate the film beyond typical horror conventions, setting a new standard for psychological depth in the genre.

Midsommar’s Legacy Still Schoes in Hollywood

Midsommar’s release in 2019 confirmed the promise director Ari Aster showed with his debut Hereditary, leading to bigger projects like 2023’s Beau Is Afraid. For Pugh, the role showcased her ability to carry challenging material, paving the way for starring roles in blockbusters like Black Widow and critical darlings such as Don’t Worry Darling. The film’s unflinching exploration of grief, trauma, and toxic relationships has influenced countless films since, with many attempting to replicate its combination of bright visuals and psychological darkness.

Midsommar received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, particularly for Pugh’s central performance, which many considered Oscar-worthy despite the Academy’s historical reluctance to recognize horror films. While some viewers found the film’s deliberate pacing and 147-minute runtime challenging, its bold vision and Pugh’s raw emotional performance helped it become a commercial success, grossing over $47.9 million worldwide against a modest $9 million budget.

Midsommar is currently available for streaming on MAX.

The post Florence Pugh Says She “Abused” Herself for This Critically Acclaimed Horror Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.