Tigon Legend Remembered at SEASIDE SCREAMS

This June, Tigon British Film Productions founder Tony Tenser will be celebrated with a one-day event in his adopted home, Southport. Seaside Screams: A Day of Tony Tenser and Tigon will take place at the Bijou Cinema on Saturday, June 21st, and will screen three of the studio’s movies, two of which were filmed in the town.

The films being shown are What’s Good for the Goose (1969), a sex comedy with the legendary Norman Wisdom in a role that’s a world away from his famed lovable fool persona. This will be followed by The Haunted House of Horror (1969), in which chart-topping crooner Frankie Avalon stars opposite Jill Haworth and Dennis Price. Both these films utilised Southport locations. Closing the day will be The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), which, alongside another Tigon film, Witchfinder General, is considered part of the ‘unholy trinity’ of folk horror movies (The Wicker Man being the third, naturally). All the films will have an introduction.

Seaside Screams will also see the launch of the new edition of John Hamilton’s book, Beasts in the Cellar. John will be interviewed about Tony’s career and will also sign copies of the book.

The event is being put together by Stephen Fenerty, who said, “I’ve been fascinated by Tony Tenser and his films for years, and he was a guest at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films, which I attended for many years. Tony retired to my hometown, Southport, on the Lancashire coast, in the late 1970s and lived there for many years. His Rolls-Royce was a familiar sight around town. Growing up, I remember seeing The Beast in the Cellar (1971), also set in Lancashire, and with a protagonist called Steven, and being struck by how dark, grubby, and, well, 1970s it all was. We’re showing The Blood on Satan’s Claw at the event in June, and The Beast in the Cellar was first released in the UK on a double-bill with that.”

Stephen told us what spurred the idea for the event: “A couple of years ago, when I was visiting Southport, I decided to visit Tony’s grave. I asked my friend, the writer and critic John Hamilton, who wrote the definitive account of Tony’s exploitation film career for Fab Press, and he sent me the location. It’s a quiet spot. That’s when I thought: wouldn’t it be great to have a celebration of Tony’s life and films in the town where he made a couple, and where he spent his final years? I later mentioned it to John, and he said there were plans for a revised edition of the book, and perhaps we could combine the two. In addition, I’ve known the guys who run the Southport Bijou Cinema for quite some time, Andy, Lewis, and Phil, and regularly see them at FrightFest. So it was a natural venue to approach. The Bijou is a community interest company and is sponsoring the day. It’s a brilliant, award-winning gem of a cinema.”

Renowned screenwriter and critic, as well as an all-around great guy, David McGillivray, will also be in attendance to open the proceedings, discussing the context of exploitation filmmaking and Soho in the late 1960s and early 1970s. David also wrote the Tony Tenser-produced Frightmare, the producer’s last film. In 1992, he was quoted as saying, “The British film industry is gasping its last because there is no one like Tony Tenser to kick it back to life. He was the Irving Thalberg of the exploitation movie, and like the boy wonder of MGM, his career was too short.”

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Seaside Screams: A Day of Tony Tenser and Tigon takes place at the Bijou Cinema on Saturday, June 21st. You can buy tickets here. Stephen Fenerty sums up the event succinctly: “Tony was quite a guy. It will be great to remember him in Southport.”

Jessica Chastain To Star In Rob Savage’s INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE

jessica chastain in the 355

Jessica Chastain is making a return to horror, as Deadline reports that the Oscar-winning actress has signed on to star in the latest film from director Rob Savage. Atomic Monster and Blumhouse are producing in association with Spin a Black yarn for Universal Pictures. The film is written by Succession writer Nathan Elston, and is based on the Josh Malerman novel Incidents Around the House.

While details of the film’s plot are unknown, the novel’s synopsis is as follows: “To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?” When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the question over and over, Bela understands that unless she says yes, her family will soon pay.

“Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe, but other incidents show cracks in her parents’ marriage. The safety Bela relies on is about to unravel. But Other Mommy needs an answer…”

James Wan is producing, with Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Macdara Kelleher, Savage, Malerman and Ryan Lewis executive producing. Alayna Glasthal is the executive overseeing the film for Atomic Monster.

Jessica Chastain is best known for her work in Zero Dark Thirty, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Martian, Interstellar, Crimson Peak, and Molly’s Game. Rob Savage is best known for Host, Dashcam, and The Boogeyman.

Sam Neill Joins GODZILLA X KONG Follow-Up

jurassic world dominion actor sam neill joins monsterverse film

Graduating from dinosaurs to kaiju, Sam Neill is the latest actor to join the next MonsterVerse movie at Legendary. The Jurassic Park veteran joins Kaitlyn Dever, who is also new to the franchise and headlining the human cast that includes Jack O’Connell, returning actor Dan Stevens, and Delroy Lindo.

The film is a follow-up to 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Plot details for this next entry are being kept deep underneath the Earth’s crust for now, though the studio has revealed it will feature “several new human characters alongside the beloved and iconic Titans Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic world-ending threat.

Director Grant Sputore, best known for I Am Mother, is helming the film from a script by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse writer Dave Callaham. Callaham also helped establish the MonsterVerse with a story credit on 2014’s Godzilla.

Sam Neill was recently seen in the Peacock series Apples Never Fall and will next be on the small screen in the Netflix mystery series Untamed.

The yet-untitled Godzilla x Kong follow up hasn’t announced a release date, but stay tuned for updates as we hear them.

Ryan Gosling Producing KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE Remake?

killer klowns from outer space 1988 film

There have been many promised returns of the Killer Klowns from Outer Space, first seen in the original 1988 movie. Over the years, there have been a proposed television series, a 3D feature sequel was announced, as well as a SYFY Original movie supposedly getting greenlit, though none have come to fruition. However, per The InSneider, Killer Klowns might finally come back to screens thanks to an unexpected champion: Ryan Gosling.

According to journalist Jeff Sneider’s report, Ryan Gosling is on board to produce a new Killer Klowns from Outer Space project for Amazon MGM Studios. In the original, “When aliens who look like clowns come to a small town and start killing people, a group of youngsters band together to fight them and save everyone.”

The Chiodo Brothers, who wrote and directed the cult horror-comedy, have been trying to get a franchise continuation ever since the original film premiered. Stephen Chiodo had stated in 2021, “We have been trying to get the sequel going since 1988. And Hollywood is just a horrible machine. The film didn’t really get much box office… and when you want to get a sequel done, they look at the box office. They don’t regard cult films as something to invest in… We have this whole long trilogy – something we call a trilogy in four parts because we include the original – a TV series for cable [or] streaming. It follows the adventures of all the characters as they go through their lives, crushed after the first invasion. It would make a great mini-series. So we’re constantly selling that for people who are interested.”

So far, this is all still unconfirmed, but Gosling might just be the hero this franchise needs.

It’s Pascal V. Phoenix In Ari Aster’s EDDINGTON Trailer

joaquin phoenix and pedro pascal in ari aster a24 western Eddington trailer

Tensions are rising amongst inhabitants of a small town in the teaser trailer for the A24 film Eddington, from writer-director Ari Aster.

Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler star in the contemporary Western feature, which was recently announced to premiere next month at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to releasing the trailer, A24 announced the movie was set to release in cinemas on July 18th.

In the film, which is set at the beginnings of the Covid-19 pandemic, a standoff between an ambitious small-town sheriff (Phoenix) and a mayor seeking re-election (Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbour is pitted against neighbour in Eddington, New Mexico. Rounding out the cast are Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, Clifton Collins Jr., William Belleau, Cameron Mann, Matt Gomez Hidaka and Amélie Hoeferle.

The tense teaser promises gun-toting violence, political machinations, and a healthy dose of anti-vax rhetoric in a horror-leaning Western.

Aster and Lars Knudsen produce for the banner Square Peg. A24 has been the home of all three of Aster’s previous feature films, beginning with Hereditary, Midsommar and most recently, Beau Is Afraid. The latter starred Phoenix in the lead role.

Watch the trailer for Eddington below:

New STAR WARS Video Game ZERO COMPANY Announced

Star Wars Zero Company

Video game publisher EA has revealed their latest Star Wars title, a single-player turn-based tactics game titled Zero Company. Players will be able to recruit a ragtag band of heroes (what Star Wars gang isn’t a little ragtag?) and send them on missions, set during the Clone Wars era.

Star Wars: Zero Company is being developed by Bit Reactor – a newly-formed studio which boasts creatives who’ve previously worked on the likes of Civilization, Elder Scrolls Online, and Gears of War – with support from Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games. It will be available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

More information is due to be revealed during a panel at Star Wars Celebration Japan, this Saturday 19th April at 4:30pm local time – which is 8:30am for us in the UK.

For fans of the galaxy far, far away who aren’t into gaming, season two of the acclaimed Andor begins on Disney+ on 22nd April, while the next big-screen outing will be The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is due for release on 22nd May, 2026.

Cast Revealed for Time-Bending Thriller BEFORE YOU SET OUT

Before You Set Out poster

If you could change your past to save your future, would you? Before You Set Out follows a time-travelling renegade on a high-stakes mission to reset her future’s timeline before relentless government agents close in.

This gripping sci-fi short, written and directed by Andrew ‘Griff’ Griffin, serves as the proof-of-concept for the upcoming feature film, Keeping Time. Griff “wanted to make a film about the amorality of technology and the impact of unintended consequences. Before You Set Out explores these in a short love letter to the science fiction writers of the ‘60s and ‘70s.” The team is set to film in Northampton and Towcester later this year. 

STARBURST Magazine has an exclusive first look at the cast and the character posters designed by artist Amanda Fullwood.

Producer and actress Francesca Louise White (Best Performance winner at the STARBURST Fantasy Awards in 2018) said of the project: “From the moment I read Griff’s script, I was captivated. I knew I had to do everything I could to bring this extraordinary sci-fi story to life, both as a short and eventually as a feature. As a lifelong sci-fi fan, it stood out immediately.”

Meet the Cast 

• Francesca Louise White (Walking Against The Rain, King of Crime, Ship of the Damned) takes on the role of Nikki, a woman determined to rewrite her future. 

• Jacob Anderton (Ship of the Damned, Lore, Paramount+’s Curfew) plays Frank, a down-and-out character caught in time’s unravelling threads. 

• Gloria Adereti (Netflix’s The Witcher, The Kitchen, and the upcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning) steps into the role of Maya, a force to be reckoned with.

Up-and-coming British actor Jacob Anderton said of the project: “It’s an ingenious exploration of the possibility of time travel and how human nature would exploit that innovation…the research and the world building are incredible.”

Before You Set Out isn’t just a short film; it’s a platform for Keeping Time, a feature film with major franchise potential. A teaser has already been filmed and will be released soon.

First Guests Announced for Festival of Fantastic Films 2025

Festival of Fantastic Films 2025

The annual Festival of Fantastic Films has revealed the first two guests for the 2025 edition, which takes place in Manchester from October 24th to 26th.

Artist Graham Humphreys and actor James Swanton will join in the fun at the Pendulum Hotel.

Graham should need no introduction. He’s painted posters for The Evil Dead and A Nightmare on Elm Street and too many video and Blu-ray covers to mention. He’s also done a couple of covers for STARBURST, and his work graces STARBURST—The Album.

James is best known for his creature parts, appearing in Apartment 7A, The First Omen, Dashcam, Walking Against the Rain, and more on the big screen and plenty of small-screen roles, including Lot No. 249 (Mark Gatiss’ Ghost Story for Christmas) and Inside No. 9. James is also an accomplished stage performer and will treat festival audiences to a one-man show that’s guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.

You can buy festival passes for the Festival of Fantastic Films 2025 here. For more information, visit the Festival website.

Mike Flanagan’s CARRIE Series Gets Green Light

carrie series by mike flanagan gets green light. still from brian de palma film starring sissy spacek

Prime Video has confirmed a series green light for an eight-episode adaptation of Stephen King’s 1974 novel Carrie, to be written and showrun by Mike Flanagan. He will also be directing select episodes for Amazon MGM Studios.

This marks Flanagan’s fourth King adaptation, following Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and the forthcoming The Life of Chuck. Curse of Chucky actress Summer H. Howell is in negotiations to star in the titular role, with Resident Evil‘s Siena Agudong in the role of Sue Snell.

Described as “a bold and timely reimagining” of the story, the show is executive produced by Flanagan and longtime producing partner Trevor Macy. “Carrie is an iconic story that has withstood the test of time with continued cultural relevance,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “With Mike Flanagan at the helm and the accomplished team assembled including executive producer Trevor Macy, this provocative series is sure to captivate our global customers.”

King’s novel tells the story of a misfit high-school girl, Carrie White, who gradually discovers she has telekinetic powers. Repressed by a domineering, ultra-religious mother and tormented by her peers at school, her efforts to fit in lead to a dramatic confrontation during the senior prom. Carrie was previously adapted by Brian De Palma in 1976, David Carson in 2002, and Kimberly Peirce in 2013.

Production on the Carrie series is expected to begin in Vancouver this summer.

DUNE: MESSIAH Eyeing Robert Pattinson As Villain

robert pattinson circling role of villain in dune: messiah

Once again proving himself to be one of the hottest actors working in Hollywood today, rumours have emerged that Robert Pattinson has been circling the role of the main villain in the upcoming Dune: Messiah.

Though THR reports no offer has been made to Pattinson, his streak working with such high-profile directors as Christopher Nolan (including his upcoming epic The Odyssey) and Mickey 17 filmmaker Bong Joon-ho likely makes Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune film an attractive project for Pattinson.

Published in 1969, Frank Herbert’s Messiah picks up 12 years after the events of Dune, with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) ruling as Emperor, and married to Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), while maintaining a relationship with his concubine, Chani (Zendaya). If Villeneuve’s third film in the franchise follows the books, the main villain will likely be Scytale, a Tleilaxu Face Dancer (a shapeshifter) who executes a plot to dethrone Paul Atreides.

The current synopsis for Messiah, though brief, states the film “follows Muad’dib, heir to unimaginable power, as he brings to fruition the ancient scheme to create a superbeing ruler among men, not in the heavens.”

Dune: Messiah is expected to begin filming this summer ahead of a December 18th, 2026 release date. Villeneuve has stated this will be his final Dune film before turning his attention to other projects.