Blumhouse Journeying to FANTASY ISLAND

fantasy

Since its inception in 2006, prolific production company Blumhouse has been synonymous with low cost, high-grossing (and often gross out!) horror hits such as Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and The Purge. However, starting in 2014 with the Oscar-winning Whiplash, the studio started expanding into other genres, most recently putting their clout behind HBO’s acclaimed drama Sharp Objects. Today sees the company journey into even wilder territory, with the announcement that it is set to produce a remake of TV’s Fantasy Island. Not to be confused with the insipid Love Island, the fondly remembered show originally began life in 1977, before coming to an end in 1984 with its 152nd episode. This long run can be attributed to its generously broad concept, in which rich clients each week journey to the titular location on the promise that it will make their fantasies come to life. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan star Ricardo Montalbán presided over events as the shady island boss, Mr. Roarke, with the iconic Hervé Villechaize playing his sidekick, Tattoo. “Ze plane, ze plane!” That guy.

Behind the feature-length remake is Kick-Ass 2’s Jeff Wadlow, who recently delivered one of those aforementioned mega horror hits for Blumhouse in the shape of Truth or Dare. It isn’t yet clear whether this new movie version will lean more towards adventure and/or comedy, but should it want, the supernaturally-tinged premise allows a capacity for darkness if Blumhouse wants to stick to what they know best: scaring the shit out of teens and relieving them of their cash!

More as it develops…

Source: Deadline

He Warned Us She’d Be Back! First Official Look at TERMINATOR Reboot Revealed

Terminator

Paramount have today unveiled our first look at next year’s currently untitled TERMINATOR film (the sixth if we’re counting), and instead of the usual coyness associated with imagery released by studios this early on, it’s a doozy, featuring as it does our first look at the returning Linda Hamilton! Check it out…

Terminator

While rumblings a few years back that a new Terminator movie was in development filled many with despair – and we can forgive that, considering how frustratingly underwhelming 2015’s Genisys was – there’s been a slow resurgence of intrigue due to the announcements since. First up, the property’s originator James Cameron helped develop the story (albeit no doubt via Apple Notes from the set of Avatar 18), and came aboard as producer. Having not been in direct involvement since 1991’s Judgement Day, the films have steadily slipped in quality (how’s that for a hot take!), but with the original creator back on board Cameron will be protecting his legacy at all costs. Stubborn as the legendary filmmaker is known to be, but we’re sure even he knows that this will likely be the final chance the franchise has of resurrection via reboot. Secondly, the news that Linda Hamilton will be back as the iconic Sarah Connor. Cruelly written out in Rise of the Machines before mind-scrambling, time-bending plot contrivances saved her from death in the 2-season long TV series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles (annoyingly they took the trouble of explaining how the character dodged cancer, but not the more pressing question of why she now looked exactly like Lena Headey!), it’s exciting to see Hamilton getting another stab at the role that made her. Third, the fabulous Mackenzie Davis (centre), who blew us all away last year in two wildly acclaimed sci-fi projects, Black Mirror episode 3.4, San Junipero, and Blade Runner 2049. Last but by no means least… at the helm is director Tim Miller, who destroyed with his 2016 debut, Deadpool. Joining those guys is popular Columbian actress Natalia Reyes (left) as Dani Ramos, who scored the role over hundreds of actors answering Cameron’s casting call. Reyes herself confirmed that Ramos will be a central character in the new movie, and has signed on for the potential trilogy should audiences be convinced to pony up for a franchise that, 5 films in, has only really delivered fully twice. Rounding out the cast is Gabriel Luna, was last seen executing his fiery vengeance as Marvel’s Ghost Rider in the popular season 4 arc of the increasingly confident Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Though plot details remain firmly secured away in a Cyberdyne vault, word has it Luna will here swap the flaming skull for a metal one, portraying the film’s deadly new Terminator. It’s also confirmed that however things go in the way on Skynet this time, it will be deploying that popular of new tactics from storytellers and ditching the previous canon to continue from a more palatable point (see this month’s The Predator, and the upcoming Halloween for examples). Sorry Rise of the Machines fans, Kristanna Loken’s Terminatrix is no longer canon. And our condolences to that one Salvation fan, too. You’ll never get to find out why the hell John Connor had a Terminator exo-skeleton under his skin! Or what did happen to the Genisys back-up! (Boy, is this franchise a mess.)

Can this trio of warrior women save the series from extinction? All will be revealed November 2019!

Oh, and Arnie’s back too, if he’s your cup of tea.

NETFL!X AND KILL to Debut on YouTube This Weekend

kill

Egomaniac director Kate Shenton’s long-awaited new web series Netfl!X And Kill will make its first appearance on YouTube this Saturday (August 4th) thanks to Hex Studios.

A darkly humorous take on what has become the norm in the televisual realm (think Gogglebox with a horror twist), Netfl!X and Kill is the story of a psychopath and his victim, who just sit around and watch TV. The stars of Kate’s festival hit Egomaniac, Adam Rhys-Davies and Nic Lamont, return for this eight-part series that will appear every Saturday on Hex Studio’s YouTube channel.

According to Kate, “Netfl!X and Kill is inspired by my love for British TV comedy, shows like The Royle Family, Fawlty Towers, Extras, Blackadder, and basically anything by Victoria Wood. For Netfl!X and Kill, I wanted to make something that had that classic British television comedy feel – but adding a horror twist to it!”

With more than 200,000 subscribers, the Hex Studios YouTube channel is fast becoming the go-to channel for indie horror, from their viral Owlman prank videos to creepypasta tales, original web-series and even feature films.

Hex Studios head Lawrie Brewster sees an exciting future for the channel as a “massive and still growing platform for unique, independent voices in the horror genre. We believe 100% in Kate Shenton’s talent and vision, and we’re excited to be able to share her twisted creations with as wide an audience as possible!”

Check out the show on Saturday on YouTube.

Fantasy Flight Founder Steps Down

Steps Down

Christian T. Petersen is stepping down as the CEO of Asmodee North America at the end of 2018. Petersen founded Fantasy Flight Games, the company responsible for the likes of the Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures game, Twilight Imperium, the Game of Thrones Board Game, and Arkham Horror.

Petersen, 46, founded Fantasy Flight Games in 1995 with the game Twilight Imperium and was its CEO until FFG’s merger with Asmodee in 2014, at which time he became CEO of Asmodee North America.

In a statement issued by Asmodee, he said:  “After nearly twenty years with FFG and four years with Asmodee, I’ve seen our market go through tremendous change and amazing growth. Table top games have been accepted into the fabric of society and represented in pop culture more positively than anyone could have hoped for when I joined the industry. I feel fortunate to have experienced this phenomenon first-hand, and to have been part of such an incredible journey.”

This is of particular interest to fans of Twilight Imperium, which has very much been Petersen’s project. The game is set during the collapse of a galactic empire, where various races via for control over the galaxy. It’s considered a modern classic and the setting has not yet been fully exploited by FFG, with only one spin-off game (Rex) and a non-canonical (and mostly forgotten) RPG.

Horror Channel Lines Up FrightFest Goodies for August

horror frightfest

As the ‘Woodstock of gore’ Arrow Video FrightFest takes place next month, Horror Channel has lined-up a great season of films so you can plan your own festival in the comfort of your own home.

Over thirteen nights, the channel will screen past FrightFest hits, many showing for the first time on UK TV.

Included in the season are Jeff Maher’s fabulously gory Bed of the Dead, Chad Archibald’s supernatural chiller The Drownsman, the sinister Nightworld starring Robert Englund and Bernard Rose’s update of Frankenstein.

Other crowd-pleasers include Summer Camp, Turbo Kid, Starry Eyes, Wolfcop, the blood-soaked Elijah Wood remake of Maniac, and Paul Hyett’s werewolf shocker Howl.

Check out www.horrorchannel.co.uk for more information.

You can find Horror Channel on Sky 317, Virgin 149, Freeview 70 and Freesat 138.

TIME BANDITS Heading to the Small Screen

Bandits

Following on from the surprising success enjoyed by his last TV adaptation, 12 Monkeys (now in its fourth season), Terry Gilliam will next see his beloved 1981 fantasy Time Bandits turned into a series courtesy of Paramount Television. Interestingly, this new version will be available through Apple, who are in the early stages of developing their own streaming service to rival Netflix. If this is the kind of content they’re eyeing to develop, then we have much to look forward to, as their early attempts – Carpool Karaoke, Planet of the Apps – hardly filled many with much confidence.

For those unfamiliar with Gilliam’s Time Bandits, it tells the tale of history-obsessed young boy, Kevin (Craig Warnock), who crosses paths with six adventuring dwarves after they fall out of his wardrobe one night (it housed a portal; they weren’t in there doing anything odd…). Tagging along with the gang, stolen magical map in tow, their travels take them to various points in time, meeting historical figures such as Robin Hood (here played by fellow Python, John Cleese). Not only is it better than it sounds (promise!), but the concept very much owes itself to serialisation, so TV will make for a natural home for this new retelling.

Gilliam is on board as an executive producer, but it doesn’t appear he’ll actually be participating in the writing and/or directing, nor will co-writer Michael Palin sadly. It will be interesting to see whether the new creative team will build on the original film, perhaps even borrowing from the aborted Time Bandits II that was written in 1996, or whether this will simply be a complete reboot ignoring the original. We’re hoping for the former, but with the deal very much in the earliest of early stages, there’s scant details to be had. But as always, we’ll keep you in the loop as and when Time Bandits begins to take shape…

Source: Deadline

 

Amazon’s LORD OF THE RINGS Brings in Writers

The Lord of the Rings

With Amazon currently developing their hugely anticipated Lord of the Rings TV series, now comes word on who’ll be tasked with writing this new take on an all-time genre great.

Courtesy of their TCA panel, Amazon has announced that the duo of JD Payne and Patrick McKay have been brought in to pen the series. Payne and McKay have recently put together the screenplay for the upcoming Star Trek 4.

In an official statement from Payne and McKay, the pair enthused, “The rich world that J.R.R. Tolkien created is filled with majesty and heart, wisdom and complexity. We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Amazon to bring it to life anew. We feel like Frodo, setting out from the Shire, with a great responsibility in our care – it is the beginning of the adventure of a lifetime.”

This small-screen take on Lords of the Rings is expected to end up as the most expensive TV show in history by the time all is said and done, with the rumoured rights and production costs believed to be around the $500 million mark.

As ever, expect more on Lords of the Rings as it continues to develop.

Rhona Mitra is the ‘Big Bad’ of SUPERGIRL’s Fourth Season

Mercy Graves Rhona Mitra

With the recent San Diego Comic Con trailer for Supergirl’s upcoming fourth season giving little-to-nothing away about the impending adventures of Melissa Benoist’s Maid of Might, we’ve now found out who the ‘big bad’ of the new season will be.

Courtesy of Deadline, it’s been confirmed that Rhona Mitra will be playing none other than Mercy Graves – the longtime ruthless bodyguard of Lex Luthor! The Doomsday actress will be joined in the show by Santa Clarita Diet’s Robert Baker as Otis, Mercy’s brother.

The official blurb on these additions reads:

Following the imprisonment of Lex, which happened years prior to the series, and Lillian Luthor, the villainous side of the Luthor family is left open, with Graves stepping in to take charge and lead the “human-first” movement, with her brother Otis acting as her right-hand man, using his skills as an alien assassin.

Much like Harley Quinn was created for Batman: The Animated Series, Mercy Graves as a character was created for Superman: The Animated Series. Since then, Graves has gone on to become a fixture of the comic book world. As for Otis, he first appeared in 1978’s Superman: The Movie, played by Ned Beatty.

For Season 4 of Supergirl, the early word is:

Season 3 saw Supergirl stop Reign and the other Worldkillers’ threat to humanity and our planet, and in the process, Kara was shocked to find her mother Alura alive and living in a salvaged Argo City that survived the destruction of Krypton. Reconnecting with her past caused Kara to realise that her true home is now here on Earth, where big changes are taking place for her and all of her friends in National City – and also, it appears, for a doppelganger in Russia! Season 4 promises to be full of surprise, action, adventure and lots of big revelations for Supergirl, Alex, James, J’onn, Lena and Brainy.

Supergirl’s fourth season will premiere on The CW on October 14th. The new season’s UK premiere date has yet to be confirmed at this page.

Netflix Renews ALTERED CARBON; Brings in Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie

One of the recent TV highlights of many a genre fan has been Netflix’s Altered Carbon. And now, the on-demand streaming service has moved to renew the series for a second season.

Deadline broke the news, and they have also revealed that Anthony Mackie has been brought in to headline the show as Takeshi Kovacs, the role first played by Joel Kinnaman in the show’s debut year. The outlet adds that the recasting of the Kovacs role shouldn’t be viewed as a major surprise, since the journey of the character is one that spans across hundreds of years, inhabiting plenty of different bodies.

This second season has been confirmed to be an eight-episode affair, and Alison Schapker has joined the series as executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Laeta Kalogridis.

As ever, expect more on Season 2 of Altered Carbon as it continues to develop.

Nickelodeon’s RISE OF THE TMNT Renewed for a Second Season

RISE OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

The show hasn’t even premiered yet, but Nickelodeon has already moved to renew Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for a second season.

There’s not really much to this story bar what we’ve just written, with this new series giving the Heroes-in-a-Half-Shell a revamp and introducing a new villain in the form of the John Cena-voiced Baron Draxum.

For duedilligeince purposes, you can find the full press release on this news below:

Nickelodeon, the number-one network for kids, announced today that Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the reimagined 2D-animated series, has been greenlit for a second season with 26 episodes. The action-comedy follows the band of brothers, Raph, Leo, Donnie, and Mikey, as they discover new powers and encounter a mystical world they never knew existed beneath the streets of New York City. Season two will begin production this fall at Nickelodeon’s headquarters in Burbank, Calif.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles season one will debut on Monday, Sept. 17, with the global rollout set to premiere this fall across Nickelodeon’s channels and branded blocks in 170+ countries and territories. The all-new original animated series follows the Turtles on different adventures as they master new powers, encounter absurd mutants and battle bizarre villains, each with their own motivations. Ranging from mystics, mutants, and madmen, new creatures and villains emerge to take on the brothers in battles across New York City.

The series stars new voice talent Omar Miller (Ballers) as Raph, a jagged-shelled snapping turtle; Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) as Leo, a red-eared slider turtle; Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) as Donnie, a soft-shell turtle; Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re The Worst) as Mikey, a box turtle; Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) as April O’Neil, a street-savvy native New Yorker; Eric Bauza (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Splinter, father figure and sensei to the Turtles; and WWE Superstar John Cena as the villainous, Baron Draxum.

The Turtles also hold distinct personality traits and skills: Raphael, as the oldest and biggest brother, is the leader full of enthusiasm and bravado; Leonardo, the self-professed coolest brother possesses irreverent charm and a rebel heart; Donatello is a mechanical genius and tech wizard whose ninja skills are second only to his coding; and Michelangelo, the youngest brother, is a skateboarder and artist who is wild and imaginative.

The new 26-episode series is co-executive produced by Andy Suriano (character designer, Samurai Jack) and Ant Ward (supervising producer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) at Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif. Veteran animation industry voice actor Rob Paulsen is voice directing the series.