The "After Dark" Film festival extends their indie horror reach as they create After Dark Originals, their own film film production arm. Continuing to showcase new talent, the new venture allows them to produce their own movies with new directing and producing talent.
Prepare yourself; Sigourney Weaver is going to bite you. The veteran actress has signed on to play a Queen Vampire in Amy Heckerling's horror comedy, "Vamps"! Weaver will be starring alongside Alicia Silverstone and Kristen Ritter.
Craig Gillespie, director of "Lars and the Real Girl", has been tapped to direct the upcoming "Fright Night" remake proving that there actually is one person out there that still cares about this project!
Liv Ullman will be in "The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County", a musical collaboration between John Mellencamp and Stephen King. Read that again; 'a musical collaboration between John Mellencamp and Stephen King'!
In Real People News:
Most men have at least thought about using their junk as a weapon at one point in their lives, but not that many can say they've attacked a female police officer with their testicles. Lithuanian "Cops" must be the greatest show ever.
Are you dying to get your hands on a piece of pop culture history? Prepare yourself, because the syringe that delivered the fatal dose to Michael Jackson is about to go up for auction! The bidding is expected to start at $5 Million dollars, plus 1 soul.
On this day in history:
965 - Pope Leo VIII dies of a stroke during sexual intercourse. Perhaps the best way for a man to die, but not a very appropriate choice for the Bishop of Rome.
Summit Entertainment is preparing for new franchise hopes with its newly acquired script "The Last Witch Hunter" written by Cory Goodman. So far, Timur Bekmambetov is definitely producing the film and may direct as well. Despite who's on board, there is no way this movie can stack up next to Nic Cage's hair in "Season of the Witch".
1792 - At a masquerade ball, a disgruntled Captain Jacob Johan Ankarstroem shoots Swedish King Gustav III near the heart with a bullet composed of lead and carpet tacks.
Director Matt Reeves spoke with MTV giving details on "Cloverfield 2". In true MTV journalistic fashion, these details boil down to 'yah sure, we might do a sequel some day!'.
Straight from the 'a sequel to what?' news desk; directory Harry Bromly Davenport let slip that he will be releasing a sequel to 1983's "Xtro". On the bright side, it's an actual sequel and not a remake!
Columbia Pictures is starting up the "Men in Black 3" hype machine as they begin to throw around names for the planned sequel. Thrown around so far are Josh Brolin, Sascha Baron Cohen and Jemaine Clement of "Flight of the Conchords" fame. None of these names are a lock however, just a listing of who the studio hopes to snag.
Nerd goddess Felicia Day has signed on to Syfy's "Red", a modern day retelling of "Little Read Riding Hood". Swap out the innocence of a little girl going to see her granny with Day's family who makes their living hunting werewolves and that's your plot.
Prince William's comely girlfriend Kate Middleton failed her first test for her future of protecting the crown jewels. After the Prince gave her a pair of antique pearl studs for her birthday, she found herself sifting through dog poop trying to find them when her pet cocker spaniel swallowed them whole.
On this day in history:
1997 - Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace) killed in a drive-by outside the Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles.
While there are no details on what the homage will actually be, word is that 82nd Academy Awards will feature a segment dedicated to horror. That's saying a lot for the group that has all but ignored the genre since they awarded "Silence of the Lambs" Best Picture 19 years ago.
Tim Burton is aiming his sights on his next production as he makes plans to team with Russian Timur Bekmambetov for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Based on best selling author Seth Grahame-Smith's novel, in the same vein as his hit "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies". Both film-makers will be taking on producer duties as a director has not yet been listed.
Warner Brothers has announced their plans to bring the classic "Space Invaders" to the big screen. This joins the long list of other classic arcade games that will be mentioned as in the works for big screen treatment and never heard from again!
Stefan Ruzowitzky, Austrian director of the Oscar winning "The Counterfeiters" is in talks to direct the period piece "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" which has been written for nearly five years now. Concentrating on the over seas voyage of Dracula as he fled Transylvania, this could be something fun on the horizon.
In Real People News:
PETA has decided that the Berlin Zoo will be its next target as they urge the facility to have Knut the Polar Bear castrated. Not just an idle request, they are trying to prevent Mr. Knut from having incestual sex with his partner Giovanna who has the same grandpa polar bear as Knut.
Bill Murray continues to stir up "Ghostbusters III" talk. During his appearance on last night;s "Late Show With David Letterman", he confirms that he will be killed off early in the script and states that he doubts the film will ever be made.
Everyone's favorite ginger snap Katherine Isabelle is returning in "Hard Ride To Hell", a story about a group of campers who find themselves in danger after witnessing a blood sacrifice. The film will debut on Spike TV before the DVD hits on May 18th.
Area23A, an event based distribution company, has picked up the rights to "Best Worst Movie". If you've been dying to lay eyes on this documentary centered on the 'classic' "Troll 2", your dreams are about to come true as the company plans a theatrical release.
1982 - Science fiction author Philip K Dick dies of a stroke in Santa Ana, California. Since 1974 the author had been possessed by a superalien who arrived in his head via a beam of pink light.
Not content with turning viewers stomachs with his big screen take on "I Am Legend", Will Smith will be re-entering the genre with a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Suspicion".
All of us were mortified at one time or another when our mom's kissed us goodbye in-front of everybody when she dropped us off at school. This pales in comparison when this Memphis mom chugged a 40oz. then ran through the school brandishing a sword to confront the parents of a fellow student.
Wes Craven has announced that "Scream IV" will start shooting this coming May. He also let us know that he plans on directing until he drops dead. This is what people in the business call 'foreshadowing'.
Aussie director Mark Hartley, who previously brought you the documentary "Beyond Hollywood: The Wild Untold Story of Ozploitation" is a busy man these days. He's already pitching his next documentary on scream queens entitled "Machete Maidens Unleashed" as well as announced his plans to direct a remake of 1978's "Patrick".
In Real People News:
Swiss prostitutes are now being trained to use on-site defibrillators due to a rash of senior aged customers having heart attacks and dying on site. Which reminds me, I need to see my doctor before heading over there.
An Arcadia couple had a mind for some romantic car action on a secluded boat ramp until their plans were foiled by their car rolling into the water and floating down stream. The 41 year old man manged to swim to safety while his 67 year old girlfriend drowned in the accident.
On this day in history:
1987 - Andy Warhol dies of complications after gallbladder surgery.
We spoke earlier this week about the return of Vin Diesel to the "Riddick" franchise; plot details are starting to emerge. Expect back to basics with more monsters, which is always fun.
Roger Corman is heading back to the director's chair, teaming with the Syfy Channel for two epic features; "Dinoshark" and "Sharktopus". Sound horrible? Well of course it does! But that is Corman's bread and butter.
Jefferey Dean Morgan continues to grow his genre-cred as he joins Sam Worthington in "The Fields". This time around Morgan will be portraying a detective investigating Gulf area refineries for a murderer. Let's hope he does so as The Comedian.
Two bungling burglars are caught after misguided attempts at home robbery. Upon entering their victims houses, the two would-be thieves began to chat up their sleeping victims until Eli Powell woke up and realized what was going on. He then proceeded to choke out his assailant.
Two Memphis area residents are arrested for inciting a riot at a local Chuck E. Cheese. Sure, their pizza is terrible and that mouse is really damn creepy, is that really worth starting a fight over?
On this day in history:
1993 - An overcrowded ferry carrying up to 1,500 people sinks off the coast of Haiti. Only 285 people were known to have survived.
