In Case You Missed It: Updates on IT, political hell, Halloween horror, the return of slasher icons, and much more!
Genre fans should be reeling right now! Between TV and movies, this past month has been news break after news break — with killer teases for some of the most anticipated horror content.
To begin, this week the heavily hyped and greatly anticipated new vision of Stephen King’s IT by Mama director Andy Muschietti finally landed in theaters and immediately floated to the top of the box office. This financial juggernaut is breaking records, scoring a record $13.5 million on opening night. It’s on track to rake in nearly $110 million by the close of opening weekend, which is incredibly impressive for any movie — but even more so for an R-rated horror movie. That’s great news for the future of theatrical horror.
Later this month Jeepers Creepers 3 will also land in theaters, and the latest trailer for the film looks pretty great. Additionally, indie filmmaker Adam Green pulled off the nearly impossible feat of secretly filming a fourth installment of his wildly popular slasher series Hatchet. He debuted the film no one knew existed at a recent screening in Los Angeles, where fans were assembled to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the first Hatchet film. Green will now be taking the film on the road, showing it at special screenings (many where Green himself will be in attendance) across the country. Dates have been announced through October on Adam Green’s blog, and more dates will be coming soon.
In TV Land, genre fans and politic-enthusiasts got a little eye candy with the premiere of American Horror Story: Cult on September 5th. (Read our recap of the first episode here).
Finally, it’s becoming very apparent that this Halloween season is going to be sick, thanks in large part to the triumphant return of Jigsaw and Leatherface. But that’s not all. I have some breaking news on Insidious 4 (*SPOILER* we have BIG NEWS) and the new Halloween. And after all that…sadly, there’s yet another remembrance to power through: Tobe Hooper (the director famously credited for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, among so many other great films).
NOW SHOWING
IT
The much anticipated retelling of Stephen King’s classic finally arrives to stalk us from the sewers! Managing to win over the hearts of both critics and audiences alike, IT is breaking box office records and expected to stay afloat for some time on the strength of great word of mouth. We also have confirmation that we will for sure be getting part two of the story. The second half is being targeted for a 2019 release, with returning screenwriter Gary Dauberman signed on to pen the conclusion.
IT (2017) heavily centers around the Loser’s Club, as kids. The second half will revisit the club members 27 years later, when the kids have all grown up and tried to move on with their lives. King’s adapted 1990 film starring Tim Curry, followed the infamous “IT” beast, hunting the outcasted Loser Club kids. The film, like the current adaption, was a part of a two-part series, starring the beloved John Ritter (Three’s Company, Bride Of Chucky). The current adaption stars Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, Nicholas Hamilton, and Jackson Robert Scott in supporting roles, following a similar plot.
IT’ lures you to theaters. Check here for theaters near you.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
JEEPERS CREEPERS 3
Jeepers Creepers 3 is the long awaited sequel to the popular franchise so highly anticipated that nearly half the horror community still remain to root for it, despite word of it’s director’s criminal past (Victor Salva, creator of the Jeepers Creepers franchise, is a convicted sex offender). A screening for JC3 WAS scheduled to be executed earlier this month (9/13) but now has a limited release scheduled for September 26th. See the newest trailer below.
JC3′ stars Stan Shaw (Monster Squad), Jonathan Breck reprising his role as the the Creeper, Meg Foster (They Live), Chester Rushing (“Stranger Things“), Ryan Moore (Pitchfork), Patrick Thomas Cragin (“How to Be a Vampire”), Brandon Smith (“From Dusk Till Dawn”), Gabrielle Haugh (Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?), and Justin Hall (Django Unchained).
Check here for theaters near you.
CULT OF CHUCKY
The Chuck. IS. Back! Back with stellar reviews that is. Popular horror site Bloody Disgusting gives the film rave reviews, as does Den Of Geek, claiming the film is “terrifically fun [to] watch”. The sequel to the seemingly forever-thriving Child’s Play franchise is said to pick up just about exactly where we left off in Curse Of Chucky; Nica —Fiona Dourif—(daughter of the woman responsible for Charles “Chucky” Lee Ray’s murder) taking the brunt of Chucky’s murders. The film is then said to progress into Nica figuring out Chucky’s game, as the slasher’s body count rises!
Returning stars Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent and Jennifer Tilly are all credited to star. The sequel is said to be just as bloody and witty as it’s predecessors and is set for release on DVD and Blu-Ray October 23rd.
LEATHERFACE
Also dropping in October is Leatherface, a prequel to the late Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, the “not-so original reboot”, as THR calls it, is said to buzzsaw its way to our hearts [possibly], via DirectTV on Sept. 21st [in North American], and into limited theaters by October 20th.
“In Texas, years before the events of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, in the early days of the infamous Sawyer family, the youngest child is sentenced to a mental hospital after a suspicious incident leaves the sheriff’s daughter dead. Ten years later, the Sawyer teen kidnaps a young nurse and escapes with three other inmates. Pursued by authorities including the deranged sheriff out to avenge his daughter’s death, Sawyer goes on a violent road trip from hell, molding him into the monster now known as Leatherface.”
Expect Leatherface to star Stephen Dorff, Lili Taylor, Sam Strike, Sam Coleman and Vanessa Grasse.
JIGSAW
We get to watch the infamous Jigsaw torture once again this October with stars attached like Laura Vandervoort (Bitten, Smallville) and Hannah Anderson (Shoot the Messenger, Lizzie Borden Took an Axe) with of course the return of series regular and horror icon Tobin Bell reprising his role as John Kramer.
The sequel, set seven years after the not-so-stellar-ly reviewed SAW: The Final Chapter, has the following plot synopsis:
“After a series of murders bearing all the markings of the Jigsaw killer, law enforcement find themselves chasing the ghost of a man dead for over a decade and embroiled in a new game that’s only just begun. Is John Kramer back from the dead to remind the world to be grateful for the gift of life? Or is this a trap set by a killer with designs of their own?”
Watch Jigsaw’s game this October 27th.
HALLOWEEN
As for Halloween 2017, filming for the slasher is reportedly taking place this Fall in Louisiana, with a targeted Oct. 19th release date. With Paranormal Activity actress, Chloe Csengery and Daredevil actress, Allison Winn reportedly attached to the cast.
As for other news, not much else is new….other than Blair Witch director Adam Wingard’s reveal he “almost” directed the flick!
“You know, I almost actually did the Halloween movie that they’re doing,” Wingard told The Movie Crypt while out promoting Death Note, which is now on Netflix. “It almost happened, but the deal just kinda fell apart. When I found out those rights were available I was immediately trying to figure out how to get in on that. But ultimately what I realized was I kinda already made my Halloween movie with ‘The Guest’. So it felt like it would be retreading on that kind of thing.”
Wingard ultimately said, though he turned down directing the sequel, he does still want to direct a Halloween film. “In a way, I still want to do a Halloween movie.”
Halloween is currently being written by David Gordon Green and Danny McBride, with John Carpenter signed on to executive produce. A director still hasn’t been announced.
INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY
The highly anticipated fourth chapter in James Wan’s Insidious franchise has, as of recently, gotten a title (as you can see above). AND to just top this scoop with a cherry, we also have a trailer! The below trailer shows us *SPOILER ALERT* the upcoming installment will in fact be another prequel, as was its predecessor. This time-around Lin Shaye’s Elise will set out to investigate a new haunting, this one involving her family. A new possible Icon Of Terror is also introduced donning keys for fingers, batting a wink to the title.
Adam Robitel directs the prequel with James Wan and Leigh Wahnnell executive producing this Blumhouse Pictures flick.
Expect to travel back to The Further on January 5th, 2018.
MUST SEE TV
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT
American Horror Story: Cult just premiered on FX to a cult following. The current season, which was previously shrouded in secrecy, uses 2016’s Clinton-Trump election as a jumping off point for a newly twisted season.
Season 7 of the hit stars Sarah Paulson as Ally Mayfair-Richards, Evan Peters as Kai Anderson, Cheyenne Jackson as Dr. Rudy Vincent, Billie Lourd as Winter Anderson, and Alison Pill as Ivy Mayfair-Richards. Additional casting includes Emma Roberts, Adina Porter, Billy Eichner and Colton Hayes.
Catch the rest of the twisted season Tuesday’s at 10pm on FX.
HARD TO SAY GOODBYE
RIP Tobe Hooper
If you’re a horror fan, you’ve more than likely seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre…and likely its sequels. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is responsible in large part for the slasher craze. Released 4 years prior to John Carpenter’s iconic classic Halloween, the 1974 film ultimately birthed the sheer sense of terror at the innocent sound of a buzz saw, single-handily. And the director responsible, has left us, Mr. Tobe Hooper.
Hooper reportedly died of natural causes at 74 years old.
The above scene, though deemed too gory-to-stomach, was defended by Hooper in earlier interviews when he stated, “The girl on the meathook, when I pan down her body to show the washtub underneath, it is obviously to catch a lot of fluid. There’s nothing dripping from her. It’s just, you put it together in your mind.”
Hooper, known for other genre classics such as Tales From The Crypt, Poltergeist and Salem’s Lot, began his love for horror back in his youth; Actually, the director noted, interestingly enough, the late George Romero’s classic Night Of The Living Dead was among the best genre film’s he had ever seen [source NYTimes.com].
You’ve been caught up!
