Posted on Friday, September 16th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
Director Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett have become two of the most exciting new voices in horror over the past five years with films like A Horrible Way to Die, You’re Next, and The Guest (as well as memorable segments in both VHS movies and The ABCs of Death). Now, the duo have decided to enter someone else’s playground with Blair Witch, a sequel to the 1999 classic The Blair Witch Project.
Blair Witch is a very different film than the original movie, replacing the slow-burn psychological terror of the first film with visceral scares and a relentless pace. It is very much its own beast, the result of Wingard and Barrett setting out to make a movie on their own terms, the sequel to the original that they always wanted to see.
With Blair Witch in theaters today, I sat down with the duo to discuss how you keep found footage horror fresh, what attracted them to this project, and the glory that is drone cameras.
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Posted on Friday, September 16th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
Seventeen years after it first hit theaters, The Blair Witch Project remains a genuinely creepy, intentionally frustrating, and unforgettable film that sets a high bar for found footage horror movie in general. However, the film’s legacy extends beyond movie screens and into the world of movie marketing, where it had a seismic impact. The film’s advertising campaign used the early days of the internet to its advantage, building an extensive and convincing mythology that could look, at a quick glance, like the real thing. The result was a horror movie that many people thought was a documentary depicting actual events. The seeds of all viral marketing, of how movies are sold on the internet, were planted there.
But 2016 audiences are more savvy. They have noses that have been more fine-tuned for bullshit. What worked in 1999 simply won’t work today – no one would ever believe that the new sequel, simply titled Blair Witch, was a depiction of reality. So how do you keep the Blair Witch legacy of outrageous publicity stunts alive? Simple: you hang a couple hundred of those creepy stick figures all over South Congress street in Austin, Texas to make it look like the city was visited by the witch herself.
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Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
In this edition of Star Wars Bits:
- Turner has acquired the broadcasting rights to all current (and a few future) Star Wars movies.
- Showrunner Dave Filoni goes in-depth on the Star Wars Rebels season 2 finale.
- Katee Sackhoff‘s Star Wars: The Clone Wars character is returning.
- An update on Amy Hennig‘s Star Wars video game.
- Ahsoka voice actress Ashley Eckstein will read the audiobook of the upcoming Star Wars: Ahsoka novel.
- Preview DK’s two new Star Wars books.
- The known history of Lando Calrissian, post-Return of the Jedi.
- New Han Solo comic book covers.
- Every Easter egg in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season one.
- Star Wars Battle Pod now has a level inspired by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- And more!
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Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
Like anyone with a problem, I blindly pre-ordered the upcoming A Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition a few months ago despite already owning several copies of George R.R. Martin‘s fantasy masterpiece. What can I say? I have an unhealthy addiction to all things Westeros. But now that preview images from this fancy schmancy new edition have begun to arrive online, I’m starting to feel less guilty about pulling the trigger so early. This book looks lovely, offering a look at the Seven Kingdoms and its characters that are more in line with Martin’s text than the massively popular HBO series it inspired.
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Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
In this edition of Rogue One Bits:
- Felicity Jones reveals which character was her chief inspiration for Jyn Erso.
- Alan Tudyk hilariously discusses what it is like to play a hulking droid.
- A look at the known and unknown history of Mads Mikkelsen‘s Galen Erso.
- Check out a magnet-powered U-Wing toy that hovers in place.
- A Star Wars Target ad that works far better than it has any right to.
- The chief problem facing Lucasfilm and Disney as Rogue One‘s release date approaches.
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Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
In this edition of Sequel Bits:
- Michelle Rodriguez talks about Fast 8 and Paul Walker’s death.
- Director David F. Sandberg teases Annabelle 2.
- Taron Egerton has finished filming Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
- New covers for the that Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York crossover are revealed.
- Rob Lowe joins the cast of Super Troopers 2.
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Posted on Wednesday, September 14th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
Update From Editor Peter Sciretta: ABC has released a longer tv spot showcasing Agents of SHIELD‘s newest Marvel hero: Ghost Rider. See that video and more, after the jump.
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Posted on Wednesday, September 14th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
In his legendary book Adventures in the Screen Trade, screenwriter William Goldman wrote of the film industry: “Nobody knows anything. Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work. Every time out it’s a guess and if you’re lucky, an educated one.” And he’s right. Making predictions about the movie biz is like trying to predict the weather. However, there does seem to be one hard and fast rule: never bet against James Cameron. No matter your opinion on his movies, the man’s track record has never faltered. He says he’ll do something crazy, and then he does it and then it makes everyone a whole lotta money.
So when Cameron chats about expanding the Avatar universe in a new interview, I pay close attention. Not because I love Avatar (although I do like it just fine), but because Cameron’s insane plans and ambitious projects have this habit of actually, you know, working.
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Posted on Wednesday, September 14th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
I’ve spent far too many words explaining why I’m not a fan of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but one thing the film completely nailed was Batman’s look. The costume worn by Ben Affleck is the best costume worn by any Batman actor yet, stepping away from the rubber of the Tim Burton years and the bulky armor of Christopher Nolan’s movies and delivering something streamlined, intimidating and instantly recognizable. It also helps that Affleck brought the perfect mixture of charm and rage behind the cowl. Remove the parts where he executes a couple of dozen people, and you have yourself a damn fine Batman.
While we can safely assume that Batman will wear his regular tights in the upcoming Justice League, a new photo from the set has revealed an alternate outfit dubbed the “Tactical Batsuit.” Because it wouldn’t be a superhero sequel without everyone getting a new costume!
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