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Jon M. Chu to Direct ‘Hot Wheels’ Movie Adaptation
(Left) Jon M. Chu arrives on the red carpet of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Etienne Laurent / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Mattel’s Hot Wheels logo. Photo: Mattel.

Preview:
- Jon M. Chu will direct ‘Hot Wheels’.
- It’ll be an action movie based on the toy car brand.
- J.J. Abrams is aboard as a producer.
While the idea of movies based on IP is satirized in shows such as ‘The Studio,’ it’s a behemoth that just keeps on rolling.

Warner Bros. has had plans for a film based on the ‘Hot Wheels’ line of toy cars for a few years now, but it has finally hit a new gear as Deadline reports that ‘Wicked’ director Jon M. Chu is now aboard to drive the project.
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With J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot team among its producers, this one also comes from ‘Hot Wheels’ home Mattel, which will no doubt be hoping for a ‘Barbie’-level success on another of its products.

Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, a writer-director duo whose credits include script input on ‘Creed II’ and making ‘They Cloned Tyrone’, will be on screenplay duty for the new action movie.

Related Article: J.J. Abrams is Driving Development of a ‘Hot Wheels’ Movie

What are Hot Wheels?

Hot Wheels courtesy of Mattel.com.

In case the toy cars have somehow passed you by, here’s a quick primer…

‘Hot Wheels’ as a brand was conceived in 1968 by Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler as a cooler, more performance-oriented alternative to Matchbox cars, which dominated the diecast market at the time. (Mattel went on to acquire that brand four decades after its launch.)

In addition to selling more than 8 billion vehicles worldwide, the brand has proved its influence in automotive and pop culture over the years via collaborations with global leaders in automotive, streetwear, fashion, luxury, entertainment, gaming, action sports and motorsports.

The toys have also spawned a few animated home entertainment movies and series, but Chu’s movie will be the first live-action offering.

As to the story that Taylor and Rettenmaier are cooking up? No details have been revealed beyond the action element and obviously scope for plenty of crazy car action.

While Chu has mostly been focused on musicals and animation of late, he does have action bona fides having directed ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’.

Despite the high profile and crossover appeal of the toys (not to mention the relatively straightforward concept of fast cars that just need a story built around them), outside of animation, ‘Hot Wheels’ has been a real development lemon, with filmmakers including Simon Crane, McG and ‘Fast & Furious’ veteran Justin Lin all trying to sit behind the director’s steering wheel.

Sony and Legendary have both tried to push the pedal to the metal, to no avail, and this isn’t the first crack at the movie for Warner Bros. either, with a previous version produced by Joel Silver that similarly didn’t end up in theaters.

Hot Wheels: the filmmakers speak

(L to R) Composer Michael Giacchino and director J.J. Abrams on the set of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.’ Photo courtesy of Michael Giacchino’s Twitter.

Here’s Chu’s comment on ‘Hot Wheels’:

“Hot Wheels has always been about more than speed — it’s about imagination, connection and the thrill of play. Bringing that spirit to the big screen is an incredible opportunity. I’m excited to partner with Mattel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Bad Robot to create an adventure that honors ‘Hot Wheels’ legacy while driving it somewhere entirely new.”

Mattel Studios’ President and Chief Content Officer Brenner had this to say about the new movie:

“Jon’s ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring ‘Hot Wheels’ to life. His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames. Paired with Juel and Tony’s compelling storytelling, this team is uniquely positioned to capture the heart, adrenaline, and spirit of Hot Wheels, a leading brand in car culture.”

Finally, here’s Abrams:

“We already felt incredibly lucky to collaborate with Mattel on this special film. Having Jon, Juel and Tony come aboard takes our excitement to a whole new level.”

What else is Jon M. Chu working on?

Jon M. Chu accepts the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chu’s recent output includes ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ‘In the Heights’ and particularly ‘Wicked’, which adapts the successful stage musical.

‘Wicked’ has soared since its release last November, earning more than $756 million worldwide and scoring 10 Oscar nominations, winning two for production and costume design.

The second part of the story, titled ‘Wicked: For Good’ will be in theaters on November 21st, and anticipation is sky high.

Besides the witchy story, Chu is also at work adapting Dr. Seuss story ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go!’ for Warner Bros. Animation (and Bad Robot, so clearly all involved are happy to work together again).

On the development front, he is attached to sci-fi video game adaptation ‘Split Fiction’ (which has Sydney Sweeney planning to star and co-produce), and various other projects, including a long-held dream to make a ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ musical movie, plans for more ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ movies (which appear to be transforming into a TV series instead) and a ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ TV show.

When will ‘Hot Wheels’ speed into theaters?

Even with this encouraging new development, Warner Bros. has yet to announce a release date for this one –– which makes sense, given how many projects have been handed slots, only to linger in limbo like a car with a bad battery.

‘Wicked’ director Jon M. Chu.

List of Jon M. Chu Movies:
- ‘Step Up 2: The Streets‘ (2008)
- ‘Step Up 3D‘ (2010)
- ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation‘ (2013)
- ‘Jem and the Holograms‘ (2015)
- ‘Now You See Me 2‘ (2016)
- ‘Crazy Rich Asians‘ (2018)
- ‘In the Heights‘ (2021)
- ‘Wicked‘ (2024)
- ‘Wicked: For Good‘ (2025)
Buy Jon M. Chu Movies on Amazon
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July 8, 2025
Samuel L. Jackson Joins Steven Spielberg’s Next Movie
(Left) Samuel L. Jackson arrives on the red carpet of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Michael Baker / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Presenter J.J. Abrams onstage during the live ABC Telecast of The 88th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 28, 2016. Credit/Provider: Aaron Poole / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: Scott Diussa.

Preview:
- Samuel L. Jackson is the latest addition to J.J. Abrams’ next film.
- Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega and Emma Mackey are also aboard.
- The movie is being kept mostly under wraps but will shoot in the UK.
Samuel L. Jackson is famously known as one of the actors with a hefty past credits list, and he’s certainly not short of job offers.

The latest, according to The Hollywood Reporter comes from J.J. Abrams, who has been cooking up a mysterious new movie.
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With the director is busy building the cast for his latest movie (more on that below), he’s now adding Jackson to the list.

What’s the story of J.J. Abrams’ new film?

(L to R) Composer Michael Giacchino and director J.J. Abrams on the set of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.’ Photo courtesy of Michael Giacchino’s Twitter.

In keeping with much of J.J. Abrams’ past work, this new movie is wrapped in secrecy for now –– while there was some chatter about time travel as a subject matter, that has been debunked (unless Abrams went back in time to fix things!)

But his return to theatrical features is a welcome one –– since wrapping up the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy with ‘The Rise of Skywalker,’ Abrams has been pretty quiet on the movie front, at least as director.

He’s been throwing himself more into TV as a producer, and helping shepherd a few other filmmakers’ projects to screens.

Who else is in Abrams’ new movie?

Glen Powell stars in ‘Hit Man’. Photo: Netflix.

As with Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Abrams is the sort of director who can lock down pretty much any talent that he requires, short of them being unavailable.

Jackson is just the newest person mentioned; the film already features the likes of Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega and Emma Mackey.

As with everything to do with the movie, we don’t know what roles that ensemble will be taking, as the only concrete information appears to be a plan to shoot in the tax-break friendly studio spaces of the UK next spring.

Related Article: Jenna Ortega in Talks to Join Glen Powell in J.J. Abrams’ Mysterious New Movie

When will Abrams’ latest be in theaters?

The latest project under the writer/director/producer’s longstanding deal between his Bad Robot company and Warner Bros., the movie has yet to confirm a release date.

J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath during the live ABC Telecast of The 88th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 28, 2016. Photo: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S.Copyright:
Scott Diussa.

List of Movies and TV shows from J.J. Abrams:
- ‘Forever Young’ (1992)
- ‘Gone Fishin” (1997)
- ‘Armageddon’ (1998)
- ‘Felicity’ (1998)
- ‘Joy Ride’ (2001)
- ‘Alias’ (2001)
- ‘Lost’ (2004)
- ‘Mission: Impossible III’ (2006)
- ‘Fringe’ (2008)
- ‘Star Trek’ (2009)
- ‘Undercovers’ (2010)
- ‘Super 8’ (2011)
- ‘Person of Interest’ (2011)
- ‘Alcatraz’ (2012)
- ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ (2013)
- ‘Almost Human’ (2013)
- ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015)
- ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)
Buy J.J. Abrams Movies and TV on Amazon

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November 27, 2024
J.J. Abrams Producing A New Stephen King Adaptation

(L to R) Director J. J. Abrams and Robert Iger at the premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’ Photo courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.

There are changes afoot for a new Stephen King adaptation being driven by J.J. Abrams. Once destined for television, ‘Billy Summers’ will now become a movie, according to Deadline.

Published in 2021, ‘Billy Summers’ is one of the few titles written by King not designed to scare the living daylights out of his readers (unless your particular phobia is hitman doing one last job), and in fact falls into crime thriller territory.

Never heard of it? Here’s your basic synopsis… Billy Summers is a hitman who is looking to retire and takes one last highly lucrative job to fill his bank balance. The job requires him to embed himself in a quiet town, where he pretends to be an aspiring writer (wonder if King had to do much research for that one).

He sets up in an office with a direct view of where hitman Joel Allen will be delivered to face trial for shooting two men during a poker game. Allen also has committed enough murders for some high-level mobsters to be scared the gunman will incriminate his former employers to lessen his sentence. Summers, a meticulous craftsman, becomes more and more cynical about the mobsters who’ve hired him, and his skepticism is well warranted as things go awry following the job’s completion.

How awry? Let’s expand on the story. When the regular client doesn’t pay, Summers escapes a trap. His life gets even more complicated when he finds out there’s a bounty on his life and he saves a rape victim named Alice. Summers and the woman end up on a cross-country journey to rectify the hit’s many wrongs.

(L to R) Composer Michael Giacchino and director J.J. Abrams on the set of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.’ Photo courtesy of Michael Giacchino’s Twitter.

Clearly Abrams is still happy to keep making projects based on King’s work, with his Bad Robot company having previously produced ‘Lisey’s Story’, ‘Castle Rock’ and ‘11.22.63’. As it stands now, the company is producing alongside Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way. Which means that should all involved be happy with the script, Abrams may take the director’s chair with DiCaprio starring.

Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz are on script duty for this one, which, as we mentioned at the top of the story, was originally destined for TV (the writers make sense, since despite having moved on to successful movie careers, made their names working on the small screen likes of ‘Thirtysomething’.

Bad Robot originally envisioned this as a 10-episode series, with Zwick and Herskovitz running the show and Zwick directing several of the resulting installments.

But after it was packaged up and shopped to networks and streaming services in 2021, the team decided it might work better as a movie, and now Warner Bros. (where Abrams still has a deal) has nabbed the rights and the creative team ready to develop the movie.

Author Stephen King. Photo: Stephen King/Facebook.
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February 6, 2023
J.J. Abrams Producing ‘Hot Wheels’ Movie

Mattel

As video game adaptations soar at the box office, Hollywood is naturally hoping that toys could continue their own streak, as seen with the ‘Transformers’ franchise.

Mattel, which has many of its products in development as potential movies is now looking to ‘Hot Wheels’ as a potential franchise, with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot company coming aboard to work on one with Warner Bros.

‘Hot Wheels’ has been around for 54 years now, becoming the #1 selling toy in the world, according to The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, with over 8 billion vehicles sold. The upcoming feature based on the vehicles is described as a high-throttle action movie, which will showcase some of the world’s hottest and sleekest cars, monster trucks and motorcycles.

Despite the high profile and crossover appeal of the toys (not to mention the relatively straightforward concept of fast cars that just need a story built around them), outside of animation, ‘Hot Wheels’ has been a real development lemon, with filmmakers including Simon Crane, McG and ‘Fast & Furious’ veteran Justin Lin all trying to sit behind the director’s steering wheel.

Sony and Legendary have both tried to push the pedal to the metal, to no avail, and this isn’t the first crack at the movie for Warner Bros. either, with a previous version produced by Joel Silver that similarly didn’t end up in theaters.

From the sounds of the announcement, Abrams isn’t directing here, simply lending the Bad Robot name to it and likely helping find the filmmakers to get it going.

And even if these Wheels stall again, Mattel also has ‘American Girl’, ‘Barbie’, ‘Magic 8 Ball’, ‘Major Matt Mason’, ‘Polly Pocket’ and ‘’Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots’ as just some of the toys in various stages of adaptation. ‘Barbie’ is, of course, the most advance, in production now with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling leading an eclectic cast.

“As the global leader in car culture, ‘Hot Wheels’ has been igniting the challenger spirit in auto enthusiasts for generations,” says Mattel Films Executive Producer, Robbie Brenner in a statement. “Fans of all ages are now in for the ride of their lives with the incredible talent of J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot joining us alongside Warner Bros. Pictures to transform ‘Hot Wheels’ legendary IP into a thrilling story for the big screen.”

“Growing up, ‘Hot Wheels’ were more than just cars, they were vehicles for our imaginations,” adds Warner Bros.’ Peter Dodd. “Today, we at Warner Bros. are thrilled to bring that imagination to the big screen with Robbie Brenner and the creative team at Mattel along with the ingenious minds of J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella and the team at Bad Robot.”

“Before ‘Hot Wheels’ became the global household name it is today, it was the dream of [Mattel co-founder] Elliot Handler, who was inventing and building toy cars at home in his Southern California garage,” enthuses Bad Robot’s Hannah Minghella. “It’s that imagination, passion, and risk-taking spirit that we want to capture in this film.”

Hot Wheels courtesy of Mattel.com.

April 25, 2022
J.J. Abrams Eyes WarnerMedia, Apple for Mega Overall Deal

Lucasfilm

J.J. Abrams is narrowing down the list of suitors to sign a mega overall deal for his production company, Bad Robot, that could be worth $500 million.

Abrams is responsible for directing some of the biggest movies in recent years, including “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and the upcoming “Rise of Skywalker,” as well as creating and/or producing hit TV shows like “Lost” and “Alias.”

Variety and Deadline report that WarnerMedia is the frontrunner to land Abrams, with Apple also a strong contender.

Disney and Comcast have also been in the mix.

The deal would encompass films, television, digital content, music, games, consumer products, and theme-park opportunities.

Abrams has a long history with WarnerMedia; Bad Robot was based at Warner Bros. TV for many years and resulted in many successful shows, including three at HBO (“Westworld,” “Lovecraft,” and “Demimonde”). WarnerMedia is also working to launch its own streaming service, which could be home to any number and kind of Bad Robot productions.

Abrams also has three shows in the works at Apple: the Stephen King adaptation “Lisey’s Story,” Sara Bareilles’ “Little Voice,” and “My Glory Was I Had Such Friends” starring Jennifer Garner.

Variety says the competition for Abrams’ deal has been “intense” and likened by studio executives to “The Bachelor” — “with jokes made between competitors about who among them received the rose.”

June 6, 2019
Guillermo del Toro Clarifies: ‘Zanbato’ Is ‘Not a Ninja Movie, But There are Ninjas In It’

Universal

Yes, Guillermo del Toro is working a movie called “Zanbato,” for J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, but it’s not necessarily about a ninja-like warrior girl.

Responding via Twitter to a Collider story, the Oscar-winning director commented, “By the way, NOT a Ninja project. But… there are Ninjas in it.”

Okay, that clears up everything!

Del Toro confirmed he’s been working on the project for more than six years, but says we have to wait to see if that or “Pinocchio” will be his next project.

This has been in developmwnt for the last 6 years or so! Thanks to JJ maximum security system, it had not leaked. We are still developing steadily. Stay tuned here for news on which project SHOOTS next. Pinocchio btw is already in active prepro in Portland, OR https://t.co/Pd6wLXL5Wv

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) March 1, 2019

The busy director also produced the upcoming Scott Cooper horror movie “Antlers” and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” He also serves as an executive producer on Amazon’s upcoming series “Carnival Row,” starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne.

[Via Collider]

March 1, 2019
‘Castle Rock’ Renewed for Season 2 at Hulu

Hulu

The Stephen Kingaissance will continue: Hulu has renewed the King-inspired anthology series “Castle Rock” for another season.

According to the streaming outlet, “Castle Rock” is a hit with viewers, boasting some of the best numbers for a Hulu original series after its debut on July 25. Its renewal comes midway through its 10-episode first season.

“Castle Rock” is set in the titular fictional Maine town, which is the location of several classic Stephen King tales. The series brings together multiple characters from the author’s works, and stars many actors who’ve already appeared in adaptations of King’s work, including Bill Skarsgard (who plays Pennywise in “It”) and Sissy Spacek (the original “Carrie“).

In an interview with Variety, Craig Erwich, senior vice president and head of content for Hulu, praised the show’s unique premise and its impressive creative team. King is a producer, as is J.J. Abrams’s Bad Robot; they previously partnered on Hulu’s adaptation of King novel “11.22.63.”

“It was a deeply original idea from two of the world’s greatest storytellers, and it was centered around something that’s been beloved and familiar to many of Stephen King’s legion of fans, which is the town of Castle Rock. So expectations were high to begin with, but it exceeded them,” Erwich told Variety. “The reaction from the variety of audiences has been overwhelming and it seems to be one of the most talked about shows of the summer.”

Given the show’s anthology nature, it’s rumored that “Castle Rock” will feature an entirely new cast in season two, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The trade notes, however, that no announcement about casting has been made yet, so some season one holdovers could theoretically return.

Surprise is the name of the game, as co-showrunner Dustin Thomason explained in an interview with THR earlier this summer.

“Each season is going to be its own self-contained story: beginning, middle and end,” Thomason told THR. “But I think that just as the books do, we want to surprise viewers with the ways in which the stories intersect. Just as the places the characters pop up in very unexpected ways throughout the books, that’s the kind of anthology that we would like to tell. One of the things about the King universe or multiverse is that some very strange things can happen when it comes to the ways that the stories unfold, and hopefully there’ll be surprises along the way in terms of how the anthology works in that way.”

We can’t wait.

No word yet on when season two of “Castle Rock” will debut. Season one is currently airing on Hulu now.

[via: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter]

August 14, 2018
Paramount’s ‘Overlord’ Coming to Fantastic Fest 2018, First Wave of Programming Announced

Paramount Pictures

One of the quirkier film festivals on the circuit just announced the first batch of titles that it will be screening at its annual event: Austin’s Fantastic Fest is gearing up for what it dubs “the very best in mind-melting mayhem and madness from all corners of the globe.”

That superlative certainly applies to one of the highlights of the festival, “Overlord,” the new flick from J.J. Abrams‘s Bad Robot production company that mashes up a WWII setting with a horror-thriller vibe. Here’s how Fantastic Fest describes the flick:

This exhilarating, nerve-shredding ride tells the story of American paratroopers dropped into occupied France on the eve of D-Day who discover a secret Nazi lab carrying out terrifying and bizarre supernatural experiments.

Other notable events slated for the fest include the premiere of “Apostle,” the latest flick from Gareth Evans (“The Raid” series); a focus on international female genre filmmakers; and an exploration of South Korean cinema and the Korean Quota Quickies from the 1970s.

The announced lineup so far is below. The 14th Annual Fantastic Fest is set to take over Austin from September 20 though September 27.

FIRST WAVE FILM LINEUP:

APOSTLE

United Kingdom, 2018

World Premiere, 129 min

Director – Gareth Evans

The year is 1905. Thomas Richardson travels to a remote island to rescue his sister after she’s kidnapped by a mysterious religious cult demanding a ransom for her safe return. It soon becomes clear that the cult will regret the day it baited this man, as he digs deeper and deeper into the secrets and lies upon which the commune is built.

BAN GEUM-RYEON

South Korea, 1981

Regional Premiere, 90 min

Director – Kim Ki-young

From Park Chan-wook’s idol comes a twisted tale of lecherous lords and murderous mistresses. Presented outside of Korea for only the second time, Kim Ki-young’s masterpiece BAN GEUM-RYEON is a lush smorgasbord from Korea’s most demented cinematic mind.

AGFA and BLEEDING SKULL PRESENT: BLOOD LAKE

USA, 1987

World Premiere of New Preservation, 82 min

Director – Tim Boggs

The finest vacation from hell ever captured on VHS, rescued from the original 1″ master tapes!

BURNING

South Korea, 2018

Texas Premiere, 148 min

Director – Lee Chang-dong

Lee Chang-dong’s latest triumph weighs the delicate balance between creation and destruction as a writer runs into an old classmate who gets him caught up in a mystery bigger than both of them.

CAM

USA, 2018

US Premiere, 94 min

Director – Daniel Goldhaber

In Attendance – Writer/Producer Isa Mazzei

Alice is a camgirl with principles. She doesn’t do public shows, she doesn’t tell her fans she loves them, and she doesn’t fake her orgasms. But when a mysterious lookalike takes over her channel, the rules no longer apply.

DOG

France, 2017

US Premiere, 87 min

Director – Samuel Benchetrit

A dark fable about loneliness, perfectly illustrated by Jacques Blanchot’s loss of humanity and slow transformation into a dog. Director Samuel Benchetrit shares a subtle commentary on our current world, and its social, interpersonal, and political issues.

AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN

USA, 2018

Texas Premiere, 108 min

Director – Jim Hosking

Fantastic Fest alumni director Jim Hosking (THE GREASY STRANGLER; RENEGADES) is back with a second feature as absurd, crazy, and funny as his first. Follow Lulu Danger’s very own revolution in a Lynch-meets-Waters run-down version of America.

THE GUILTY

Denmark, 2018

Austin Premiere, 85 min

Director – Gustav Möller

A horrific crime; an emergency responder struggling to stay off the edge; a kidnapping victim calling in for help. This is all we’re going to tell you about first-time feature filmmaker Gustav Möller’s unmissable and gripping debut thriller.

HOLIDAY

Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey, 2018

Texas Premiere, 93 min

Director – Isabella Eklöf

The sun-drenched dream of the eponymous summer vacation has its dark side revealed in Isabella Eklöf’s powerful debut feature HOLIDAY, an unforgettable exploration of the fraught, brutal experience of young womanhood.

HOUSE OF SWEAT AND TEARS

Spain, 2018

World Premiere, 104 min

Director – Sonia Escolano

In Attendance – Director Sonia Escolano

“She,” the leader of a violent cult, rules her flock with an iron fist to ensure they never stray from the path. But a series of events and a mysterious outsider threaten the pattern of their reality in this electrifying exploration of faith and belief.

AGFA PRESENTS: I WAS A TEENAGE SERIAL KILLER

USA, 1993

World Premiere of New Restoration, 27 min

Director – Sarah Jacobson

Sarah Jacobson’s punk-spirited DIY films combine B-movie aesthetics and riot grrrl feminism in brand new 2K preservations.

KEEP AN EYE OUT

France, 2018

North American Premiere, 73 min

Director – Quentin Dupieux

An absurd all-night interrogation set in a camp ’70s police station, Quentin Dupieux’s latest opus, KEEP AN EYE OUT, is a celebration of his own brand of quirky, offbeat humor, performed by France’s most refreshing comedic talents.

LADYWORLD

USA, 2018

US Premiere, 93 min

Director – Amanda Kramer

In Attendance – Director Amanda Kramer and Actor/Co-Editor/Production Designer Noel David Taylor

In Amanda Kramer’s daring low-budget debut LADYWORLD, a birthday party quickly devolves into chaos when a mysterious earthquake traps eight teenage girls alone in a house, challenging their friendships, identities, and eventually their grip on reality.

LAIKA

Czech Republic, 2017

Regional Premiere, 88 min

Director – Aurel Klimt

In Attendance – Director Aurel Klimt

This is the story of Laïka the space dog who, unlike in real life, did not die aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. In this bizarre and charming stop-motion musical, Laïka crashes on a peculiar planet where she meets new friends.

LUZ

Germany, 2018

US Premiere, 70 min

Director – Tilman Singer

In Attendance – Director Tilman Singer

Luz enters a police station at night to report an assault. As the interrogation progresses, it becomes clear a demonic entity wants to possess her in this audacious, psychotropic horror film shot on 16mm.

MADAM YANKELOVA’S FINE LITERATURE CLUB

Israel, 2018

International Premiere, 90 min

Director – Guilhad Emilio Schenker

Desperate, aging, Sophie only needs to seduce one more handsome victim – excuse me, date – to become a worry-free Lordess in MADAM YANKELOVA’S FINE LITERATURE CLUB, Israeli director Guilhad Emilio Schenker’s delightfully twisted debut feature.

MANIAC

USA, 1980

World Premiere of New 4K Restoration, 88 min

Director – William Lustig

In Attendance – Director William Lustig

The 4K restoration of grindhouse auteur Bill Lustig’s 1980 slasher landmark features splatter SFX artist Tom Savini’s gnarliest work, as well as one of horror’s finest, sweatiest performances from legendary character actor/co-writer Joe Spinell.

AGFA PRESENTS: MARY JANE’S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE

USA, 1997

World Premiere of New Restoration, 98 min

Director – Sarah Jacobson

Sarah Jacobson’s punk-spirited DIY films combine B-movie aesthetics and riot grrrl feminism in brand new 2K preservations.

MURDER ME, MONSTER

Argentina, France, Chile, 2018

North American Premiere, 109 min

Director – Alejandro Fadel

Visual horror masterpiece MURDER ME, MONSTER lures you into the fascinating and opaque underworld of serial murder, supernatural obsession, metaphysical hallucinations, forbidden love – and one nightmarishly gross monster.

THE NIGHT COMES FOR US

Indonesia, 2018

World Premiere, 121 min

Director – Timo Tjahjanto

A former triad enforcer must protect a young girl while trying to escape his former gang, setting off a violent battle on the streets of Jakarta.

THE NIGHT SHIFTER

Brazil, 2018

US Premiere, 110 min

Director – Dennison Ramalho

An attendant at a busy morgue who can also converse with the dead puts his loved ones in peril using his forbidden knowledge for vengeance in Dennison Ramalho’s (NINJAS; ABCS OF DEATH 2) twisted and gleefully icky feature debut.

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

Japan, 2018

Texas Premiere, 96 min

Director – Shinichiro Ueda

A filmmaker sets out to shoot a zombie film in an abandoned factory, but something is lurking on the outside. Is it a zombie apocalypse or just another shoot gone wrong?

OPEN 24 HOURS

USA, Serbia, 2018

North American Premiere, 100 min

Director – Padraig Reynolds

In Attendance – Director Padraig Reynolds

A young woman who had previously set her serial killer boyfriend on fire is now seeking normalcy by getting a job working the overnight shift at a 24-hour convenience store, where things are most definitely not going to be normal.

OVERLORD

USA, 2018

World Premiere, TBD min

Director – Julius Avery

In Attendance – Director Julius Avery and cast including Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Pilou Asbaek, John Magaro, and Mathilde Ollivier

In the upcoming WWII horror-thriller OVERLORD, a group of American paratroopers drop into Nazi-occupied France on the eve of D-Day. As they struggle to carry out their seemingly impossible mission, they discover a secret Nazi lab carrying out terrifying and bizarre supernatural experiments.

PIERCING

USA, 2018

Texas Premiere, 81 min

Director – Nicolas Pesce

From the twisted mind of Nicolas Pesce (THE EYES OF MY MOTHER) comes a provocative two-hander chamberpiece – a tense battle of wits and desire between prostitute and trick, predator and prey.

QUIT YOUR LIFE

South Korea, 1971

North American Premiere, 82 min

Director – Park Nou-sik

Presented in English for the first time, actor-director Park Nou-sik balances the scales of justice as he stalks around Korea with his noose of judgment in the relentless revenge drama QUIT YOUR LIFE.

SCHOOL’S OUT

France, 2018

North American Premiere, 103 min

Director – Sébastien Marnier

In this dread-soaked cerebral thriller, a handsome young substitute teacher gets in over his head when taking on a class of gifted students after their former teacher’s dramatic in-class suicide.

TERRIFIED

Argentina, 2017

US Premiere, 87 min

Director – Demián Rugna

In Attendance – Director Demián Rugna

Strange things are going on in a Buenos Aires neighborhood. Demián Rugna’s constantly surprising and truly spine-chilling horror film has one goal: to scare the shit out of everyone.

THE UNTHINKABLE

Sweden, 2018

World Premiere, 129 min

Director – Crazy Pictures

Something unthinkable is happening in Sweden. It starts with a few isolated incidents but suddenly, it’s all over the country. There are some who were prepared and others who weren’t. Ready or not, things will go out with a bang!

VIOLENCE VOYAGER

Japan, 2018

Regional Premiere, 83 min

Director – Ujicha

En route to visit a friend in another village, two kids go looking for a fabled shortcut through the mountain. Instead, they stumble upon an amusement park called Violence Voyager, and that’s when everything goes to shit.

WHEN THE TREES FALL

Ukraine, Poland, Macedonia, 2018

North American Premiere, 88 min

Director – Marysia Nikitiuk

In Attendance – Director Marysia Nikitiuk

Scar and Larysa are desperately in love and suffocating under the tradition and archaic demands of their Ukrainian village. When the frustrations of each finally detonate, their world and the lives of those surrounding them are tragically shattered.

THE WOLF HOUSE

Chile, 2018

North American Premiere, 73 min

Directors – Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociña

In Attendance – Director Cristóbal León

An animated tale, supposedly restored from the archives of a German colony by the Chilean government, THE WOLF HOUSE is the unsettling story of Maria, punished with a hundred nights alone in a cabin in the woods.

July 31, 2018