(L to R) Thomas Haden Church and Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man 3.’ Photo: Sony.
The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), deals with nemesis Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) and also gets caught up in a love triangle.
The film tells the story of a family whose uncle is murdered. The son (Raimi) gets everything because he’s in the will. A detective (Scott Spiegel) is trying to find out who murdered the uncle while avoiding ending up dead as well.
2013’s ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus illusionist and con-artist, is whisked from Kansas to the Land of Oz where the inhabitants assume he’s the great wizard of prophecy, there to save Oz from the clutches of evil.
(L to R) Sheree J. Wilson and Brion James in ‘Crimewave’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Fed up of his business partner, Ernest Trend (Edward R. Pressman) hires the services of two exterminators. When things go drastically wrong and they murder the wrong man, the race is on to frame an innocent video surveillance man.
Kevin Costner in ‘For Love of the Game’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
A baseball legend (Kevin Costner) almost finished with his distinguished career at the age of forty has one last chance to prove who he is, what he is capable of, and win the heart of the woman (Kelly Preston) he has loved for the past four years.
(L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
Alison Lohman in ‘Drag Me to Hell’. Photo: Universal Pictures .
After denying a woman (Lorna Raver) the extension she needs to keep her home, loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) sees her once-promising life take a startling turn for the worse. Christine is convinced she’s been cursed by a Gypsy, but her boyfriend (Justin Long) is skeptical. Her only hope seems to lie in a psychic (Dileep Rao) who claims he can help her lift the curse and keep her soul from being dragged straight to hell.
Two colleagues (Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien) become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
Cate Blanchett in ‘The Gift’. Photo: Paramount Classics.
Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett), young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others’ futures—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client’s violent husband and plagued by visions of a missing local woman, Annie finds herself pulled into a thicket of lies and deception in which her extraordinary gift may ultimately get her killed.
(L to R) Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton in ‘A Simple Plan’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Captivated by the lure of sudden wealth, the quiet rural lives of two brothers (Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton) erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over $4 million in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane. Their simple plan to retain the money while avoiding detection opens a Pandora’s box when the fear of getting caught triggers panicked behavior and leads to virulent consequences.
Liam Neeson in ‘Darkman’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) is on the verge of realizing a major breakthrough in synthetic skin when his laboratory is destroyed by gangsters. Having been burned beyond recognition and forever altered by an experimental medical procedure, Westlake becomes known as Darkman, assuming alternate identities in his quest for revenge and a new life with a former love (Frances McDormand).
(L to R) Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in ‘Spider-Man’. Photo: Sony.
After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.
Bruce Campbell in ‘Evil Dead II’. Photo: Rosebud Releasing Corporation.
Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) find a log cabin in the woods with a voice recording from an archeologist who had recorded himself reciting ancient chants from “The Book of the Dead.” As they play the recording an evil power is unleashed taking over Linda’s body.
(L to R) Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina in ‘Spider-Man 2’. Photo: Sony.
Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock (Alfred Molina). In the meantime, Parker still can’t act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), a girl he’s loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) as well…
Bruce Campbell in ‘Army of Darkness’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Ash (Bruce Campbell), a handsome, shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk, is time warped backwards into England’s Dark Ages, where he romances a beauty and faces legions of the undead.
The new ‘Evil Dead’ spin-off movie is ‘Evil Dead Burn.’
Souheila Yacoub is aboard to star.
French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček is in the director’s chair.
Back in February last year, we reported on the news that Warner Bros., New Line and ‘Evil Dead’ producers Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert decided to strike while the franchise iron was sizzling hot after the success of ‘Evil Dead Rise.’
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That movie, directed by Lee Cronin, and released in 2023 was originally slated to go directly to streaming service Max, ended up landing theatrically and grossed $147 million worldwide.
We already knew that French director Sébastien Vaniček, who previously made spider horror ‘Vermine,’ (AKA ‘Infested’) was hired to handle the new movie, but there were no casting details revealed yet.
Here’s what Vaniček had to say about his new star:
“I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater. She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances –– exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for in ‘Evil Dead Burn.’ ”
While we now know the movie’s title and who will be starring in ‘Evil Dead Burn,’ there are no details online about the plotline.
We can hazard some guesses from the title –– fire certainly sounds like it’ll be involved. Could it be something to do with flames in a contained space, or something to do with wildfires.
According to Vaniček, who wrote the script with Florent Bernard, he sees the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise as a great place to be making a movie. As he told Variety:
“It’s like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”
And this is what he said about his idea for the new title:
“My goal was to craft a powerful, singular –– almost personal –– story that could stand on its own, while still resonating deeply within the rich, complex world that Sam has built. [I want to add] depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”
Finally, this is what he said about what he brings:
“The ambition remains the same as with ‘Infested’: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut. I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.”
Vaniček has said that he’s going to demand a lot from Yacoub, since this will be a demanding role.
Where else have we seen Souheila Yacoub?
(Center) Souheila Yacoub in ‘The Balconettes’. Photo: Tandem.
The Geneva-born actor, who is a former professional athlete and was even part of the national team of gymnastics at a young age, sounds like someone who could well stand up to the rigors of an ‘Evil Dead’ movie (maybe Bruce Campbell, who went through the wringer at Raimi’s hands in the first three movies, can offer some pointers).
In addition to her ‘Dune: Part Two’ role, Yacoub also starred in ‘Planet B,’ which earned her a César Award nomination, and Noémie Merlant’s ‘The Balconettes,’ which premiered at Venice and Cannes.
What made Raimi and Tapert choose Sébastien Vaniček?
2023’s ‘Vermin.’
As with Cronin before him, it’s Sébastien Vaniček’s previous work that caught Raimi and Tapert’s attention.
The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to ‘Vermine.’
That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.
He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.
Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company.
When will ‘Evil Dead Burn’ be in theaters?
With Sony aboard to co-finance, Warner Bros. and New Line have handed out a July 24th, 2026 release date for the movie, which is a prime summer slot.
That means Vaniček will have his work cut out for him.
Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.
Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.
Preview:
Filmmaker Francis Galluppi is developing an ‘Evil Dead’ movie.
Sam Raimi is on board to produce.
It follows the last announcement just a couple of months ago.
It would seem that ‘Evil Dead’ overlord (and director of the original three movies) Sam Raimi is creating a sort of moviemaking Thunderdome for future installments of the horror franchise.
Mere months after Sébastien Vaniček was reported as being in development on an ‘Evil Dead’ film comes word that another, American director Francis Galluppi is, via Deadline, in talks to make his own take.
So yes… Deadites galore!
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Who is Francis Galluppi?
Director Francis Galluppi. Photo: FilmFreeway.
Galluppi is a filmmaker who has largely worked in shorts and on other directors’ projects but made his own directorial debut with ‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’, which follows a traveling salesman who, while stranded at a rural Arizona rest stop, is thrust into a dire hostage situation by the arrival of two bank robbers with no qualms about using cruelty — or cold, hard steel — to protect their bloodstained fortune.
The movie will be in theaters on May 10th.
Galluppi apparently conjured an original story set within the ‘Evil Dead’ universe and pitched it to Raimi.
Here’s what Raimi told Deadline:
“Francis Galluppi is a storyteller who knows when to keep us waiting in simmering tension and when to hit us with explosive violence. He is a director that shows uncommon control in his feature debut.”
What is already happening with a new ‘Evil Dead’ movie?
Back in February, the news arrived that director Sébastien Vaniček had landed a ‘Dead’ gig after his work caught Raimi’s eye.
The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to his horror movie ‘Vermine’ (or, to give it both of its English language titles, ‘Vermin’/‘Infested’.
That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.
He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Rob Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.
Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company, but it remains to be seen where any new film ends up.
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What’s the story for the new ‘Evil Dead’ movies?
Bruce Campbell in 1982’s ‘Evil Dead II.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.
It seems more likely, though, that the producers hiring new directors means it’ll be a whole other story, albeit one featuring the trademark Deadites in some fashion.
Since the ‘Evil Dead’ stories pivoted away from the original movies’ character of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell, who also reprised the role for a spin-off TV series), a whole new world of terrifying opportunities has opened up for the franchise.
Which means these new movie could be about any number of situations where the infamous Necronomicon tome causes chaos.
Last year’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’, written and directed by Lee Cronin, brought the ‘Dead’ movies howling back to life.
Though Cronin said at the time that he had ideas for where sequels could lead following his Deadites-in-a-high-rise horror, and the film’s successful $147M worldwide box office, there has been no announcement about a follow-up.
1982’s ‘Evil Dead II.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.
French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček will direct a new ‘Evil Dead’ movie.
Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert are producing as usual.
It does not appear to be a sequel to 2023’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’.
While the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise came roaring back to life (or, er, death?) last year with Lee Cronin’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’), things have been quiet since then.
Though Cronin said at the time that he had ideas for where sequels could lead following his Deadites-in-a-high-rise horror, and the film’s successful $147M worldwide box office, there has been no announcement about a follow-up.
Now, though, according to Deadline, ‘Evil Dead’ franchise overseers Sam Raimi (who directed the original three ‘Dead’ movies) and producer Robert Tapert have found a new filmmaker to handle another movie.
Nothing has been said about the story for the new movie so far, which means we don’t know if it’ll continue the story of ‘Evil Dead Rise’. It seems more likely, though, that the producers hiring a new director means it’ll be a whole other story, albeit one featuring the trademark Deadites in some fashion.
Since the ‘Evil Dead’ stories pivoted away from the original movies’ character of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell, who also reprised the role for a spin-off TV series), a whole new world of terrifying opportunities has opened up for the franchise.
Which means this new movie could be about any number of situations where the infamous Necronomicon tome causes chaos.
What made Raimi and Tapert choose Sébastien Vaniček?
2023’s ‘Vermin.’
As with Cronin before him, it’s Sébastien Vaniček’s previous work that caught Raimi and Tapert’s attention.
The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to his horror movie ‘Vermine’ (or, to give it both of its English language titles, ‘Vermin’/‘Infested’.
That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.
He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.
Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company, but it remains to be seen where any new film ends up.
When will the new ‘Evil Dead’ movie be in theaters?
Given that it hasn’t even been written yet, we don’t expect this one before 2025 or 2026 at the earliest.
Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.
Sam Raimi’s ‘The Evil Dead’ remains a much-cherished entry in the horror genre, even though the director himself effectively remade it with 1987’s even more well-regarded sequel (technically a requel) ‘Evil Dead II’, which had a (slightly) boosted budget and even more gory action featuring his friend, muse and –– frequently –– on-screen punching bag Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams.
The story is similar in both: friends stay at an isolated cabin in the woods, discover a Necronomicon, a strange book bound in human flesh and illustrated with blood, and unleash an unspeakable evil, leading to demons possessing people, hacked-off limbs, and vigorous use of a chainsaw.
A third entry, ‘Army of Darkness’ expands the scope (and time period), transporting Ash to 1300 A.D., where he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead so he can return home. It’s bigger, though not always better.
In the years since, the hugely inspirational franchise (Raimi’s freewheeling, dynamic style has been frequently copied but rarely matched) has expanded to include Álvarez’s film and TV spin-off ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’. The 2013 entry is well-liked, though while it is certainly gory, it doesn’t channel the level of self-deprecating humor that infuses Raimi’s movies.
Now here comes ‘Evil Dead Rise’ written and directed by Dublin-born filmmaker Lee Cronin, who has previous experience with shorts and critically acclaimed horror movie ‘The Hole in the Ground’.
A devout fan of the ‘Evil Dead’ movies, he was hand-picked by Raimi to craft the fifth in the series, and the choice was a wise one.
An earthquake rocks the building where Ellie and the kids live, revealing –– since the creaking high rise was once a bank –– a buried vault that contains a copy of a very familiar tome and some vinyl records that appear to go with it. Danny foolishly tries to open the book and plays the records… which leads, of course, to the rise of flesh possessing demons, thrusting them all into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
Cronin’s film, while not at the level of Raimi’s in terms of humor either, certainly injects a frothier style into the story.
Before we ever get to the high rise, however, we’re treated to some more familiar forest territory, leading to an effective fake-out that this movie might be taking the expected direction. We won’t go into how that ties into the plot too much, since there are some surprises to be found, but it kicks off with a shot borrowing the Raimi style that turns out to be something else. It’s clever, knowing and the perfect start to the movie.
Moving the story away from the traditional setting offers up some truly fresh ideas for the premise, and there are some very inventive horrors to be found lurking within. It’s also more emotionally grounded than any that have come before, the sibling and family dynamic used thoughtfully to truly set up characters before unleashing the Deadite creatures for which this franchise is known.
Sutherland and Sullivan in particular are relatable, grounded characters, swapping realistic sisterly dialogue and feeling like people rather than stock movie stereotypes.
Once the bloody pedal hits the metal and the Deadite madness overwhelms anything, the movie takes off at a high gear and rarely stops for breath, eye-catching, gross injuries and deaths flying thick and fast.
An elevator, a glass, a cheese grater and even a bathtub are all delivery methods for terror and anguish here, and horror fans are likely to find plenty to keep them entertained.
Cronin also manages to include nods to Raimi’s films (a chainsaw, a shotgun, and a certain classic car among them) without the Easter eggs diverting attention and ruining the movie for those who don’t obsessively watch the original movies.
There are only a few issues with ‘Evil Dead Rise’ that keep it from true greatness –– youngest child Kassie occasionally falls into the grating overly cute kid mode, and of course displays some of the questionable decisions needed to get everyone else into trouble. Characters beyond the family are largely chattel, briefly set up in order to be suitably offed in nasty fashion, but then that’s par for the course for a horror movie and to expand them further would inflate the movie beyond its swift running time.
The dumb decisions are not limited to Kassie, though, and there is the odd howler that only characters in this situation make. Also, likely to be more eye-rolling than cover-your-eyes-with-your-hands is an odd time jump where you can’t quite figure out how characters overcame seemingly insurmountable odds with little to no trouble.
Final Thoughts
That said, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is an effectively creepy and freakish horror movie that easily earns its place in the ‘Evil Dead’ pantheon and, even if it doesn’t star Bruce Campbell (though he’s been cleverly included in a way we won’t reveal here).
Fans will be happy with the frenetic action and even those who don’t know their Ash from their elbow will appreciate the creative scares on display here. And that, as Ash himself might say, is just groovy.
‘Evil Dead Rise’ is produced by New Line Cinema, Renaissance Pictures, Ghost House Pictures, Pacific Renaissance Pictures, and Wild Atlantic Pictures. It is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 21st, 2023.
The new action comedy, which Feig will direct from Rob Yescombe’s script, will kick off filming next week and will premiere on Prime Video worldwide.
Says Feig, “I love action comedy and extreme physical comedy and this movie has both in abundance, as well as a boatload of heart and hilarity. This lotto will make winners of us all.”
According to Amazon and MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke,
“’Grand Death Lotto’ is the kind of original idea audiences have been craving, and there’s no one better than the endlessly talented Paul Feig to steer the ship. We can’t wait to watch John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu bring this fun, action-packed script to life for our Prime Video customers around the world.”
Though he’s mostly been known for more straightforward comedy, Feig is hardly a stranger to adding action in the mix –– 2016’s ‘Ghostbusters’ featured plenty of spooky combat, while there was espionage threats in ‘Spy’, cop shootouts in ‘The Heat’ and magical battles in his recent ‘The School for Good and Evil’.
Paul Feig attends the World Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘The School For Good And Evil’ at Regency Village Theatre on October 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
The official synopsis reads: “In the very near future, the Grand Lottery has been established in economically challenged California. The only catch? Kill the winner before sundown and you can legally claim their prize. New LA transplant Katie (Awkwafina) accidentally finds herself with the winning ticket and must join forces with amateur jackpot protector Noel (Cena) to make it to sundown in order to claim her multi-billion dollar prize, all while dealing with Noel’s protection rival Louis Lewis (Liu), who also wants to get her to sundown in order to claim his rich protection commission.
Awkwafina will next be seen in horror comedy ‘Renfield’ (in theaters on April 14th) and heard in Disney’s new version of ‘The Little Mermaid’, which will swim into theaters on May 26th.
And Cena –– assuming anyone can see him –– will reprise his role as Jakob Toretto in ‘Fast X’, headed our way on May 19th.
John Cena in ‘F9.’
The fear of violent death is also something that will concern Isabela Merced, who is transitioning from the romantic complications of Hulu’s ‘Rosaline’ to the new ‘Alien’ movie that Fede Álvarez is making.
Little is yet known about exactly what will happen in the movie, but according to the basic official logline, a group of young people on a distant world find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
And we don’t, of course, know how Spaeny, Merced and the rest’s characters will factor into that, but we’d have to guess they’ll spend some time fighting for their lives.
The new movie won’t directly follow the original series of extraterrestrial horror/action movies as kicked off by Scott’s ‘Alien’ in 1979, nor will it continue the story in the director’s ‘Prometheus’-led prequel films (Scott keeps saying he’ll make another of those himself).
Álvarez certainly has the horror chops to pull off a compelling new ‘Alien’ movie, which for the past few years has largely been the province of Scott. And though he’s been prolific of late, he hasn’t returned to the universe since 2017’s ‘Alien: Covenant’.
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in James Cameron’s ‘Aliens.’
Neill Blomkamp took a crack around 2014/2015, releasing concept art for a movie that would follow Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley from the Scott films, but aside from a lot of social media activity, it eventually got delayed indefinitely so as not to muddy the xenomorph waters before ‘Covenant’.
You can imagine, then, that Álvarez must have come up with something interesting to have Scott give him the thumbs up. Either that, or the venerable filmmaker has so many other projects on his plate between directing and producing duties that he simply realized he needed to give someone else a chance for a while. He has his ‘Napoleon‘ film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, in post-production now.
Though it has yet to announce a release date, we can imagine that, with filming underway, the movie could well hit theaters in 2024.
Merced has a couple of other movies on the way, including John Green adaptation ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ and Sony’s Spider-universe superhero film ‘Madame Web’, which will be out on February 16th next year.
Mark Burnham as Leatherface in Netflix’s ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’
Premiering on Netflix beginning on February 18th is the direct sequel to the classic 1974 horror film ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ entitled ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ Directed by David Blue Garcia (‘Tejano’) and written by Chris Thomas Devlin (‘Cobweb’), the movie is based on a story developed by ‘Don’t Breathe’ director Fede Alvarez, who is also a producer on the film.
The new story picks up several decades after the original film and focuses on the serial killer Leatherface (Mark Burnham), who targets a group of young entrepreneurs that purchase an abandoned town in Texas. The deranged killer eventually comes face to face with Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouere), a vengeful survivor of his original murders.
Filmmaker Fede Alvarez is no stranger to rebooting classic horror franchises as he made his feature film directorial debut with 2013’s ‘Evil Dead.’ Alvarez went on to direct the box office hit ‘Don’t Breathe,’ as well as write and produce its sequel, ‘Don’t Breathe 2.’ He also directed ‘The Girl in the Spider’s Web,’ which was a soft-sequel/reboot to David Fincher’s ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ He now returns to the horror genre with ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ of which he developed the story and also produced.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking exclusively with Fede Alvarez about his work on ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ The producer discussed the new movie, his love for the franchise, creating the new story and characters, what he learned from rebooting ‘Evil Dead,’ the importance of bringing back Sally Hardesty and John Larroquette as the narrator, his favorite scares, and why Leatherface has become so iconic.
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Producer Fede Alvarez.
Here is what Fede Alvarez had to say about ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’
Moviefone: To begin with, when did you first see ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and fall in love with the franchise?
Fede Alvarez: I’ll tell you. I probably watched the original when I was too young to watch it and I regret it. It was part of that group of horror movies that you thought was just another movie like ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and you would have a laugh. Then this one probably alongside with ‘The Evil Dead’ are those that are like, “Oh God. What have I done,” when I watched this movie. Just too terrifying for my age. But then I think I really loved it, the franchise.
I think it’s when I watched the 2003 remake that Marcus Nispel directed when they rebooted back then. The movie was so stylized, and it showed the timeless theme of the cultural clash between the countryside and the city. It never expires. It’s always a great theme for a horror movie.
MF: What did you learn about rebooting popular horror franchises from directing ‘Evil Dead’ that you were able to apply to your work producing this project?
FA: Something I definitely learned on ‘Evil Dead’ was that those movies are such classics and they come from the times where movies were done differently. Where everything was crude and real, and there was no CGI. Even ‘Texas Chain Saw,’ when I was a kid, I remember watching it thinking it was real. I thought I was actually watching some documentary, something that had actually happened. That adds such a great layer of terror for the experience of watching the film.
So, I think that was something I always wanted to bring back to the new movie. So, that’s how we shot ‘Evil Dead.’ Everything was on camera. The blood was actually practical blood. It was not CG. So, there wasn’t a computer graphic. Every monster in the movie was a person in a suit.
That sort of thing adds some crudeness to it that the true horror fans always love. I think any movie fan loves to watch something they feel is real, particularly for horror. So, that’s the same we did in ‘Texas Chainsaw.’ We just really wanted everything we shoot to be with technology that was available in the ’70s. Obviously, cameras are digital, but then everything that happens on camera including the way they do tricks, the way they do blood; a blood rig is exactly how they would’ve done it back then. So, that adds some authenticity, I would say, to the film.
MF: Was it always the plan for this movie to be a direct sequel to the original, and not incorporate any of the elements from the other films?
FA: I think what this is, is part of the original franchise. What it’s not, because it couldn’t be even if you wanted, is part of the one that was rebooted in the 2000s. The Marcus Nispel movie and what followed that, and a couple more that came after that. I think because that’s a different canon, I would say. This is part of the original canon of the original ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,’ ‘Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III,’ and ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation,’ which is part four. This is that Leatherface. You know?
In the story, you’ll find Leatherface as a kid, as a teenager. He was secluded into this orphanage. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t escape. Like, he went to the orphanage, then left to do part two, and then went back, and then left again to do part three. I think all those movies could have happened. Because he never really dies in that franchise. Technically, supposedly, he died at the end of part two. But then at beginning of part three, they say he didn’t. So, that’s the way we see. It’s part of the original franchise.
So, I think that there’s something holy and kind of magical to connect it with that original film that makes it more legit to me. Also, because the original writer is a producer on this film and he was involved in the creation of it. Kim Henkel co-wrote the film with Tobe Hooper, who directed the originally. So, the fact that he was involved, I think allowed us to say, “Yes, let’s create one like what could have been the follow-up to that original franchise.”
MF: Can you talk about devising the new plot and new characters for ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre?’
FA: I think it was inspired a little bit by a trend that I’ve seen happening. t was this particular restaurant that I went to that was in the middle of nowhere, in this like dead town. But it was this restaurateur that was super cool and famous and decided to open his restaurant in this dead town to attract people. So, he started moving there, and other artists and galleries started popping up.
Then, every time you watch one of these restaurants shows on Netflix, there’s always someone that opened his restaurant in the middle of nowhere, like back where his family was from. Suddenly, all these people from the city just storms that town. So out of that, we came up with the idea. That is a great way to get the countryside folk and the city people to clash in a realistic way, in a kind of grounded way. Why would all these people end up in a dead town? What would attract them there?
I think something that is a trend that I think is happening there will happen even more is that young people want to escape the cities. I think after the pandemic, it made even more sense. I mean, everybody during the pandemic wanted to escape the big cities. Anything with a subway, they didn’t want to be near. Any place that had a bit more open air, it felt like the place to go. So, I felt that it was a grounded yet kind of magical approach to the story, a way into the story to get these two sides of the country to clash.
MF: Can you talk about creating the lead characters, Melody and Lila?
FA: I think what was fun about having these two sisters both be the main role was that it made a way more interesting classic game of watching a horror movie where you have to guess who’s going to be the final girl. That is always the game of a horror movie. You get introduced to a bunch of characters. Most of the time, I would say it’s pretty obvious who’s going to be the final girl. It used to be the good girl, the virgin, or whatever. But I think in this day and age, things have changed drastically.
I think it was so much fun to show two characters that represents two slightly different stereotypes of horror characters and having the audience scratching their heads in end, wondering “Which one is going to die?” Because it could go either way. Either of them can die and it would make complete sense.
I think I would say, the perverse game we’re playing as writers is to have two sisters where both of them have their reasons to live, and both of them deserve to die on certain levels during this movie. They always do some original sin at the beginning of the movie that allows for the horror to be triggered. So, that was kind of part of the idea, to really have two, and having you guessing. So, that was part of the game.
MF: Can you talk about the importance of bringing back the Sally Hardesty character from the original, and was it difficult knowing that you would have to recast the role?
FA: It was difficult. You really want to honor that character, particularly when the original actor (Marilyn Burns) who played it passed away. You really want to make sure you bring the best actor you can to play it. You want someone that she would be proud is playing her role. I think Olwen, the actor who plays her, was fantastic. She did a great job with it.
But also, in a way, because that’s been done recently in some other franchises like Halloween, you want to make sure that you tell the story in a different way. That way I can promise the audience that this doesn’t go down the same way. This is not both of them obsessed with each other and having that final confrontation. This is kind of more realistic in a way, a more grounded approach to that relationship between the victim and the psychopath.
MF: Can you also talk about bringing back John Larroquette to reprise his role from the original as the narrator?
FA: Again, it was part of the thing of like, “Let’s try to make it as legit as possible. Let’s really go back to anybody that we would use, anything that we can do that they would’ve done in the original. Let’s do it again.” Larroquette wanted to do it. Again, using things that were available in ’70s. He was, and he still is. He loved to do it. He went in, and I think he did just one take. The director said, “Can you do another one?” He’s like, “What for? It’s perfect.” That’s the take in the movie. He’s a total pro, but it was one of those things that just made the moment magical for everybody involved in the movie.
MF: Do you have a favorite scare in the movie?
FA: My favorite is the sledgehammer, sledgehammer to the head, because it’s when you think you didn’t need more, and he just goes overboard. I personally love that tone. I think horror done right, it’s got to be right on that edge that if it goes one inch further, it is a comedy. But if it moves too far away from that line of comedy, it retreats into horror and it becomes unbearable. Something too bleak to watch. Those movies you watch and you’re like, “Well, I’ll run away,” and you turn them off and then say, “What am I watching?” I think ideally it has to have that tone that, and the absurdity makes it funny for me. That gives you the release you need in a horror movie that can be really scary at times. So, I think that that’s why that’s my favorite one, the sledgehammer to head.
MF: Finally, why do you think Leatherface has remained such a popular and iconic cinematic character after all these years? What is it about him that you think audiences find so fascinating?
FA: Well, I think he represents someone’s deepest fear about what you could find in the middle of nowhere in the countryside. It’s that kind of a mix of hillbilly and redneck. I don’t know what it is. But the reason why he attacks you is because he’s scared of you. The violence of Leatherface comes out of not understanding these people that just show up from the city.
There’s something about that because most of us will see ourselves as that person from the city, just terrified of that character. But you don’t even see his face. He doesn’t talk. But there’s a true human being behind it, which is different from Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, where they’re more like ghosts. There doesn’t seem to be a real person behind it.
But Leatherface is real. You can see in the movie that he’s scared, that he’s nervous, that he’s heartbroken. You see him going through these emotions, which you never do with those other characters. So, the more humane he is, the scarier he is, and the more you feel like that character could exist in real life. So, that I think that’s what’s very special about him. It’s great in the original movie.
Leatherface seems to be more terrified than the kids at some points. He’s running around, he made a mask, and he’s trying to hide the bodies. He gets bullied by his own family. It’s a really strange character, but that’s what makes him unique. It just felt real. It felt way more real than a lot of the other classic horror monsters.
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To watch our exclusive interviews with actresses Sarah Yarkin and Elsie Fisher about ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ please click on the video player above.
While director Sam Raimi will probably always be best remembered for franchises like “Spider-Man” and “Evil Dead,” he also gave us one of the best horror movies of the 21st Century thanks to “Drag Me to Hell.” That modern classic is now ten years old, so celebrate the occasion by learning a little more about the background and making of “Drag Me to Hell.”
1. The film is partly inspired by 1957’s “Night of the Demon,” which itself was based on the M.R. James story “Casting the Runes.”
2. Raimi and his brother Ivan originally wrote “Drag Me to Hell” after completing “Army of Darkness” in 1992. The film sat dormant until Raimi completed work on the “Spider-Man” trilogy.
Sony Pictures
3. Raimi actually offered Edgar Wright the chance to direct “Drag Me to Hell,” but Wright opted to focus on “Hot Fuzz” instead.
4. The 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 seen in the film is the same one that’s appeared in nearly every one of Raimi’s movies.
Universal Pictures
5.Ellen Page was originally cast in the lead role, but she had to drop out due to scheduling issues caused by an impending SAG strike.
6. Raimi and several of his family members have cameo roles in the film. Raimi himself appears as a ghost, while his younger brother Ted plays a doctor.
Universal Pictures
7. “Drag Me to Hell” is the first Raimi movie not to include actor Bruce Campbell. Campbell was unable to participate due to his commitment to the TV series “Burn Notice.”
8. The Greek letters seen in the Great Room scene quote a biblical passage from Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation.
Starz
9. The film includes multiple references to the “Evil Dead” series, including Sylvia’s line “I’m going to get some,” and Clay’s mention of his parents’ remote cabin in the woods.
It’s easy for horror directors to be pigeonholed. It seems to come with the territory.
If they’ve had success with one film, then that film winds up defining their entire career, whether that filmmaker likes it or not. Sometimes, though, these horror filmmakers make wild attempts with audacious films that, while they might not necessarily connect with audiences, make a big impact on those that see them. Its in this spirit of adventurousness — and coinciding with the imminent release of Shout Factory’s amazing new “Drag Me to Hell” Blu-ray — that we look at lesser known films from some of your favorite horror filmmakers that you might have missed. Just be sure to watch with the lights on.Tobe Hooper
Texas-born, Dr. Pepper-loving Tobe Hooper is best remembered for his groundbreaking “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” and for directing at least part of Steven Spielberg‘s “Poltergeist.” But he had a long and varied filmography, from his big budget movies with Cannon Films to his return to independent features towards the end of his career. But our recommendation is 1981’s “The Funhouse.”
It was Hooper’s first studio project and it’s as stunningly beautiful (the cinematography by Andrew Laszlo, who had just come off “The Warriors,” is amazing) as it is deeply scary. The plot concerns a group of teenagers stalked inside a carnival funhouse but that’s just an exclusive for Hooper to pile on the neatly stylized atmospherics and nifty suspense set pieces.Wes Craven
Few horror filmmakers can lay claim to an entire franchise, let alone two huge sensations. But with “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street,” Wes Craven can handily take responsibility for two of the most influential horror series ever. But some of his smaller, less well-received films are also his most interesting.
Case in point, “The Serpent and the Rainbow.” Based on the nonfiction bestseller by Wade Davis, Craven sensationalized and embellished on that original text, amplifying an already horrific tale of zombies and voodoo in the Amazon jungle. Sometimes, this makes things somewhat wobbly, at least on a tonal level, but it’s undeniably gritty, thrilling stuff.John Carpenter
Best Known for: “Halloween” (1978), “The Thing” (1981).
John Carpenter is one of our favorite American filmmakers, period. He’s made so many great movies. But one of his most underrated, scariest, and indeed best, is “Prince of Darkness.”
This apocalyptic tale (penned by Carpenter under a pseudonym) follows a group of grad students, scientists, and priests, as they study a vial of otherworldly green goo uncovered in the basement of an ancient church. Weird and deeply unsettling, “Prince of Darkness” goes to some genuinely unexpected places and feels formally adventurous (particularly when it comes to some early found footage-type elements). If you’ve never see it, be prepared — it’ll scare you silly.David Cronenberg
Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg broke through to the mainstream with his witty remake of “The Fly” and had a recent critical resurgence with a series of more traditional (but still Cronenbergian) thrillers. But if you’re looking for something more outré and, indeed, totally scary, then we suggest looking back to “The Brood,” made before he had crossed over.
Made around the time the director was going through a bitter custody battle, “The Brood” is unnerving and unrelenting, with suitably off-the-wall performances by Oliver Reed and a fearless Samantha Eggar (there’s a moment towards the end that she totally owns that will make you go “ewwww”).Gore Verbinski
Gore Verbinski has always flirted with the dark side, even when making giant spectacles (see his “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) and is perhaps best remembered for his chilling remake of the Japanese horror phenomenon “The Ring.” But just last year Verbinski returned to the genre and hardly anybody noticed.
“A Cure for Wellness” is long and baroque (you could imagine Vincent Price filling in for Jason Isaacs without issue) but it’s also incredibly rewarding. It’s a singularly visionary, uniquely stylized romp that satirizes our modern obsession with wellness while also tapping into something much more primordial.Sam Raimi
Best Known for: The “Evil Dead” Trilogy (1981, 1987, 1992)
Although he ushered in the modern superhero era with his beloved “Spider-Man” films, Sam Raimi got his start making down-and-dirty horror movies that both scared and delighted in equal measure. So when he got done with the web-slinger, he returned to his roots, completing the delightfully gooey “Drag Me to Hell.” And it flopped.
But already it seems that there is a small but vocal group that considers “Drag Me to Hell” a lost classic (because it is). Smartly adapted for the financial crisis, a young bank worker (Alison Lohman) is cursed by a vengeful gypsy. After that, well, it all goes to hell. You can feel Raimi’s looseness and joy coming through in every frame. He’s so excited to scare an audience again. It’s a blast.George A. Romero
When George A. Romero passed away last year, most zeroed in on his zombie films, which served as both socio-political allegories and midnight movie freakouts. But there were a number of fascinating one-offs in his career, some more celebrated than others. “Monkey Shines” is most definitely not all that appreciated, but it’s still scary as hell and very much worth a watch.
The set-up is undeniably goofy (a quadriplegic man develops a psychic and sinister bond with his service monkey) but Romero commits to the premise fully and the slick production (it was Romero’s first studio film) is undeniably impressive. (That David Shire score!) While some last-minute tinkering from the studio robbed the movie of its more moody tone, it’s still scary as hell.
It’s easy for horror directors to be pigeonholed. It seems to come with the territory.
Tobe Hooper
Wes Craven
John Carpenter
David Cronenberg
Gore Verbinski
Sam Raimi
George A. Romero
