Shining Sequel, Doctor Sleep Pushed Forward for 2019 Release!

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As we first reported more than two years ago, a sequel to The Shining, called Doctor Sleep is in development. And we have some exciting news regarding the now completed film’s release to share with you! Previously announced for a January 2020 theatrical bow, the film has been pushed forward for a November 8th, 2019 release. This is fantastic news, seeing as how we typically seem to be reporting that a feature has been pushed back, rather than moved forward. So, cheers to that. Oscar winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman wrote the first draft of the screenplay, which was later rewritten by the film’s director, Mike Flanagan. Doctor Sleep will star Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance. Appearing alongside McGregor will  be Rebecca Ferguson, Jacob Tremblay, Bruce Greenwood, and genre favorites Alex Essoe and Jocelin Donahue. Doctor Sleep is, of course, a follow up to Stephen King’s The Shining. King served as an executive producer on the film, which is being developed at Warner Brothers. Stay tuned for more on this project as we learn it. Stephen King’s novel, Doctor Sleep takes place several decades after the terrifying events depicted in the first book and follows a middle aged Dan Torrance as he continues to try to cope with the events that took place at The Overlook Hotel. Now having his own struggles with alcohol, Danny gets sober and relocates to a small New England town. Once there, he rediscovers his psychic abilities and meets a young girl who badly needs his help.

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Nicolas Pesce Talks Piercing [Exclusive Interview]

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Director Nicolas Pesce’s new film Piercing is an adaptation of the Ryu Murakami novel of the same name, the twisting story of a man with sinister intentions who hires a call girl hoping to fulfill his malicious desires, only to fall down a rabbit hole of unexpected perversion. Ahead of the film’s release, Wicked Horror spoke to Pesce about how Piercing simultaneously pays tribute to and subverts the foundation of its influences. Piercing will be in theaters, On Demand, and on DigitalHD February 1st. Wicked Horror: Right off the bat I wanted to ask what brought you to the Murakami novel and what led you to adapting it? Nicolas Pesce: I discovered Murakami because of Takashi Miike’s Audition. Love Audition. And realized it was based on a book, read the book and – it was a Murakami book! So I fell in love with Murakami. His books are written like movies. They’re written in the present tense and they are very slick and very much movies. And you can tell he loves movies as a writer. I was reading the book when I was making Eyes of My Mother and felt like that was such a specific movie, and there was this other side of me that’s more playful and has a weird sense of humour that I didn’t really get to showcase in Eyes. So Piercing felt like a great way to do that – a great vehicle to kind of show my more playful side but still get to deal with the dark subject matter that I was doing with my first movie. I tried to make it as quickly as possible while I felt like I could still get away with doing exactly what I wanted. WH: I definitely noticed the playfulness, especially in comparison to your last film – particularly I’ve noticed your way of using old styles of filmmaking. A lot of people are doing that retro-horror throwback thing. I think you’re doing something more interesting with it, like with the company credits are the beginning of this film. It looks like we’re going to get that film grain, but you subvert that expectation when the visual style of the film is a lot more particular, and slick. So I wanted to ask about the use of the music too – recontextualizing this music from old gialli. What led you to using that music and how did you see it working in the movie? Nicolas Pesce: Both of my movies are super referential of other styles, other movies, and I think in doing that you always have to strike a very delicate balance of stealing too much from them and – I don’t want to copy other filmmakers, I want to make similar decisions to what they made. For instance, with Eyes of My Mother I didn’t want to make it look like we made it in the 60s, but I wanted – when Hitchcock made Psycho movies were in color and he actively chose to make it in black and white as a stylistic decision. So we made it in black and white, but not like we made it back then. Similarly, with Piercing a lot of, for instance, the company cards look and feel a certain way to get you in a mood – and now that that look and feel is part of public consciousness you can use that cue to trick someone into a mindset. It’s what the whole movie does: It uses style or genre stereotypes to make you think you know what you’re getting and then delivers something totally different. The style is constantly working to subvert the story. And so with the music, its one of these things where the movie is very inspired by giallo movies but I wouldn’t say its totally a tried and true giallo movie. But the tone of that music – we don’t make movie music like that anymore, big orchestras doing that weird of a soundtrack. Those composers came out of Italy’s take on big band stuff. So these guys were trained in a very different style of music that doesn’t really exist anymore. As much as we tried different styles, there’s something about the quality of that music – the same way the company cards put you in a mindset – there’s a quality to that old music that is not re-creatable, because of the way they recorded it, the technology they had available at the time. So using the old music and having that quality brought something to the atmosphere of the music that let us not have to worry about putting grain on the movie or making it seem like we shot on film. It’s finding those other ways to bring that spirit and that feeling in without having to do it in a way that everyone does it now. Also See: Lin Shaye Dishes on The Final Wish and Pesce’s Remake of The Grudge WH: As you were talking about how there’s this set-up and then subversion of that as the story progresses – I definitely saw the narrative as a subversion of itself. Nicolas Pesce: Totally. WH: How we’re watching this story where everything is falling apart, but when it gets revealed we find out this was the pieces falling into place instead. The movie almost becomes a meet-cute when you get to the end – like “oh that’s what I was watching!” Particularly with the comedic element. If you wanted to talk about that comedic element, playing the balancing act of not showing your hand, so to speak, but still making that darkly comedic element work… Nicolas Pesce: The humor for me comes from these two sources. One, that classic Tarantino thing of juxtaposing mismatched tone music with f**ked up s**t. The music supervisor was Randall Poster, who’s the Steven Spielberg of music supervisors. Having a guy like that helping us find our way with that stuff brings a lot to the tone. But more I think it comes from the tone of the actors’ performances. We talked a lot about everything from Korean movies, like Chan-wook Park and Joon-ho Bong and also Japanese movies like Takashi Miike where these filmmakers have such a weird sense of humor, and they find such an awesome way to handle it. Particularly Reed, Chris’s character, there’s a lot of Jacques Tati and Inspector Clouseau that’s a kind of refined silliness – in the second half of the movie his behavior is very much dictated by what he’s wearing, and once he’s out of that suit he starts getting a lot more bumbling, very much the kind of 60s / 70s French movie. And there’s a lot of Hitchcock. In his time, Hitchcock had an awesome way of bringing in a weird sense of humor. Jimmy Stewart is so unrealistic and not grounded as an actor, but you so buy him as an everyman. It’s such a weird conundrum to watch. We talked a lot about how far Stewart pushes his performances while still being in the world and believable. It’s finding that balance in performance, particularly when it does get serious, but having that tone it’s a testament to the actors and really having a handle on what we’re trying to do and who their characters were. WH: When you mentioned Tati that made the use of the miniatures click. How did those come into play? Nicolas Pesce: First of all, I’m so amazed by what Tati did on Playtime, or even Mon Oncle, where he builds his own city. The feeling you get when the city is artificial, and doesn’t have all the detail of real life, is awesome to me. I also saw these photos by this photographer who works primarily in Hong Kong named Michael Wolf. They’re photos of real apartment complexes but they look fake. They’re so dense and geometric. We were trying to figure out how to capture that feeling. Can we shoot New York City with weird lenses on a drone and get that? No – the way to make it look fake and artificial is to make it look fake and artificial. We have the shoots that are all miniatures and we’ve animated birds and moving cars into them. Any time the characters are in the outside world, all the buildings around them are also miniatures comped into the shots. The world is entirely fake. Every location is a set. We don’t try to hide it. There’s something really really really artificial about everything. But the characters and the world buy into all so it feels real. Yeah, that’s very much what I stole from Tati. In old movies I love, you had big cities that didn’t exist in sci-fi, like – of course we’re going to shoot it in miniatures! Nowadays, it let’s go find a location and we’ll CG shit on top of it. Like, no – let’s just do it how they used to do it. When they’re in the car it’s rear projection of the miniatures. It’s all clunky, but there’s something about – I always saw the movie as such a fable and a fairytale. It feels like a game you could play with dolls in a dollhouse, so we wanted the world to feel like that. WH: Before we leave off, I wanted to say thank you for your time, good luck with the movie, and thank you for the movie as well! Nicolas Pesce: Thank you.

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The Golem is Quite Simply Not Scary [Review]

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Doran and Yoav Paz stepped onto the horror scene with their 2015 Israeli horror film, Jeruzalem. Jerusalem is one of the most historic cities in the world and finally having the brilliance to set a zombie-horror flick there was truly ingenious (even if World War Z made the concept feel unoriginal). The film garnered middling reviews but, more importantly, made a name for the duo. After proving themselves as capable filmmakers they were handed a larger budget and decided to follow it up with The Golem. The Golem tells of a young woman named Hanna (Hani Furstenberg) who, with her husband Benjamin (Ishai Golan), are part of a small and isolated Jewish community. When a plague, as well as some unwelcome visitors, threaten their way of life, Hanna decides to conjure something evil from Jewish lore, regardless of what the collateral damage may be. If there is one sentence to highlight my feelings on the flick, it’s the following: The Golem is an extremely well-made film that puts its effort into nearly every facet of moviemaking other than horror. The picture put all of its money on the screen (as it should) and made a world that was utterly convincing, but lacked even the smallest amount of scares to brand it horror. Doran and Yoav Paz are great directors and surely have a future, I’m just not sure if this is their genre. The Golem is no doubt a passion project for The Paz Brothers. The Israeli born siblings stuck to their Judaic roots and brought the generic religious evils away from Catholicism and Christianity to a new and refreshing take. Full disclosure; I am a Jew and so the (little) Jewish elements in the film may resonate, or rather familiar themselves, with me more than those of other beliefs. As history has shown, the Jews have been a peaceful society with a tragic history, so setting a horror film where they are the victims seemed disrespectful, till they finally contest and it becomes a bit of hopeful-fiction for a traditionally oppressed people. Also See: Blood on My Sofa: Let’s Talk Terrifier The production design (a sadly overlooked aspect of filmmaking by many critics) was hard to ignore. Never did I feel like I was watching a low-budget horror flick; the small Jewish village felt exactly as a small Jewish village should. The script was satisfactory and the acting above-par. I have nothing to condemn, but simultaneously have little to praise. The dialogue never took me out of the story nor did the acting ever make me suspend disbelief. The gore was a little jarring with the use of CGI rather than practical effects, but in this day and age, it may actually be cheaper to just use technology. Shooting a film to make it look like a real movie is something that numerous low-budget horror films seem to have trouble with. Not only is the quality of the camera important, but one must know how to shoot it and what to shoot it at. The film was shot very well but since the scares were so few, I often felt like I was watching a period drama rather than a genre film. Horror pictures so often care so much about the terror and the blood that they forget that they can use other tactics to heighten their film; this is not something The Paz Brothers forgot. A horror film can be shocking (Paranormal Activity), eerie (The Shining), or just plain old scary (The Excorcist). The one thing these films (and all successful horror pictures) have in common is that at some point they stick to the genre’s one rule: horror. The Golem was not scary, not even for a second, and that dramatically hurt what could have been an incredibly original and well-directed genre flick. The film was slow burn; not boring, but surely slow. If a feature wants to burn slowly it’s more than welcome to, but it better have a pretty great third act (or at minimum, a great climax) to make up for it. The Golem in The Golem was interesting at times (though rarely scary) but never really kept any sort of intrigue for any extended period. In this world of “if you’re not first your last,” a 5/10 seems extremely harsh. It’s not; it’s exactly in the middle and should be treated as such. Mediocre should not be the dirty word it is when so many films are far less than that. The Golem is a very average film. It will hit the right nerve for some horror fans while missing that of those more casual filmgoers. I do not think The Golem will break through to mainstream audiences, but The Paz Brothers surely will. The Golem opens February 1 in L.A. and on VOD, DVD, and Blu-Ray on Feb 5. Wicked Horror Rating: 5/10 Director(s): Doran Paz & Yoav Paz Writer(s): Ariel Cohen Stars: Hani Furstenberg, Ishai Golan, Brynie Furstenbrg Release: February 1 in L.A. and on VOD, DVD, and Blu-Ray Feb 5 Studio/Production Co: Dread Central Presents and Epic Pictures Language: English & Hebrew Length: 95 minutes Genre: Horror

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Gremlins Actor Dick Miller Dead At 90

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Sad news this morning as beloved character actor Dick Miller, he of Gremlins and Terminator fame, has passed away at the ripe old age of 90. Variety reports Miller is survived by his wife Lainie, daughter Barbara, and granddaughter Autumn. The prolific actor will be best known to horror fans for his role as the grumpy but lovable Murray Futterman in Gremlins. His career spanned more than 60 years, racking up hundreds of appearances in films and TV. Miller kicked things off alongside the legendary Roger Corman, as Walter Paisley in cult classic A Bucket of Blood, a character he’d reprise frequently over the ensuing decades. Roles in the likes of The ‘Burbs, opposite Tom Hanks, and Fame soon followed. The beloved character actor had a history of partnering up with key directors including James Cameron, who directed him in The Terminator, Martin Scorcese, Corman, of course, and the brilliant Joe Dante, who cast him in virtually everything he made. In cult creature feature Piranha, Miller played small-time real estate agent Buck Gardner, who opens up a new resort on Lost River Lake only to discover the place is overrun with bloodthirsty beasties. He later reprised the role of Paisley in Dante’s celebrated werewolf movie The Howling. Dante took to Twitter to share how heartbroken he was about the loss of Miller, writing, “I’m devastated to report that one of my best friends and most treasured collaborators has passed away.” The prolific director noted he was “thrilled to have [Miller] in my first movie” and “every script thereafter I always looked for a role for Dick — not just because he was my friend but because I loved watching him act!” Fellow filmmaker Edgar Wright thanked Dante for “giving us so much Dick Miller goodness over the years,” describing the beloved performer as “surely the king of character actors.” Horror fans will also recognise Miller from Night of the Creeps, where he memorably played a police officer opposite Tom Atkins. Most recently, he appeared as Paisley once more in Eben McGarr’s Hanukkah. He was truly one of a kind and will be dearly missed.

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Comic Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 is a Wholly Refreshing Reboot

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It was honestly surreal to read the first issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Jordie Bellaire, Dan Mora and Raul Angulo. That’s not at all to say it was a bad experience—in fact, far from it—but it was a weird one. After all, this was the first Buffy comic I’d ever read at a new publisher. From 1998 to 2018, all those comics had been published by Dark Horse. Much more than that, though, all of those Dark Horse comics had always kept—or at least tried their best to keep—the continuity of the show. When the show ended, we got the official season eight, which was a huge deal for me as a fan who was missing that show terribly. That continued into seasons nine, ten, eleven and twelve, until it felt right to bring that series, which had evolved so far beyond where the show had started, to an end. And now here we are, back at the beginning. It’s even made clear in the issue’s title, “Welcome Back to the Hellmouth,” obviously a play on the first episode of the show. This feels exactly as I’m sure it’s meant to feel: like a fresh start. We’re back in Sunnydale, we’re back at the high school, and we’re basically back to basics. Buffy has to keep her identity as the slayer a secret, but she meets two new friends, Xander and Willow, who find out pretty quickly. It’s familiar territory, but there are some major curveballs thrown into this first issue as well, so it feels as if anything could happen from here. Some of the biggest changes are made clear right out of the gate. This is not set in 1997. This is a contemporary reboot, but it interestingly mixes that with the likenesses of the actors, so that it genuinely feels like Buffy, but is still being retold from the ground up. Some of the major elements of the issue are influenced by things that happened much later in the show, like Buffy working at a fast food joint and Willow having already come out, and some characters make an appearance that did not appear in the show’s first season. This mixtape approach is exactly what I was hoping for, as it feels like pretty much anything can happen from this point forward. Reading the issue felt very much like being younger and reading the first issue of Ultimate Spider-Man for the first time—high praise, as it’s my favorite comic run ever—as it does the same basic thing that comic did, taking the story back to its high school roots and rebooting it for a modern audience. Some things that happened before might not happen this time, and some things might happen very differently. But there’s also a larger game plan at work here as well. It’s been made clear even by the promotion of this book that there’s more to this story than meets the eye, especially with the cryptic note that everything will be made clear by issue #4. I can’t wait to get there. I’m already excited by what’s set up, and I think I have an idea where the story might be going. Just as a speculative fan, I could easily imagine that this comic is actually set in an alternate universe. After all, Buffy was the show that introduced me to the concept of a multiverse in the first place, something that comics have always embraced and TV and movies have finally caught onto as well. It would be easy to imagine this reality existing parallel to the Buffy of the TV show. But it could also be more than that, especially as whatever’s happening seems to revolve around Anya. Even though she died in the season seven finale, it would be possible to imagine Anya finding her way back, or even any vengeance demon getting one of the characters to say “I wish we could go back to the beginning.” If someone said something like that, the wish would be made a reality as simple as that, and it’s easy to think that it would look a lot like this comic looks. Being this curious about where it’s going just feels like watching the show again, and that’s the highest praise I can give the issue. It’s new, it’s different, but man is it Buffy. Dan Mora’s art is dynamic. The vampires and action sequences are fantastic. The likenesses are there, but never distracting. It never feels like the characters are modeling, just talking. It flows incredibly well. The artwork, just like the story, is a new take on a series we’re incredibly familiar with. I know I just recently called Kiersten White’s Slayer the shot in the arm this mythology needed, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1 just gave the whole concept a can of fresh paint and I am very excited to see where things go from here. WICKED RATING: 8.5/10

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Zombieland 2 Full Title And Poster Revealed

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It’s been ten long years since horror comedy Zombieland landed in theatres and made everybody reassess their feelings on beloved comedian Bill Murray. Now, a decade on, the highly-anticipated sequel is just a few months away. Filming begins this week on Zombieland 2. Original cast-members Woody Harrleson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin are all slated to return alongside returning director Ruben Fleischer. Also back for more are the original film’s writers, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, both of whom will also serve as executive producers. Original producer Gavin Polone is producing once more alongside them. Joining the cast are Zoey Deutch, Avan Jogia, and Rosario Dawson. The premise sees Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family created in the first movie. The upcoming flick’s official Twitter account gave fans a glimpse at the poster art, which naturally apes the original movie’s now-iconic poster, via the #10YearChallenge. It also, whether inadvertently or otherwise, shares the sequel’s subtitle: Zombieland 2: Double Tap. The movie is set for an October 11, 2019 release. Check out the poster below and stay tuned to Wicked Horror for more must-know info as the release date draws closer.

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Teaser Trailer for Federico Scargiali’s Black Comedy F**K YOU IMMORTALITY is Here!

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The first teaser trailer for Federico Scargiali’s black comedy F**k You Immortality has been released. FYI depicts the adventure of Tony and Kacy, two hippies with one obsession: find their old friend Joe who has apparently not aged a day since they were young. The couple will soon discover that Joe is immortal, but tired of his eternal life. In the name of their old friendship, Tony and Kacy try their best to help their friend fade into the afterlife, but nothing seems to be working. Through bloodthirsty ninjas, angry metal-heads, wrestlers, shamans, and ancient rituals, the two embark on a journey with no turning back. Scargiali wrote and directed his debut feature film. It stars Bill Hutchens (The Human Centipede 2 & 3), Josephine Scandi (Slaughter High), Brutius Selby (When Nuvolari Runs) and features a special appearance by Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser).

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Suspiria (2018) casts a Powerful but Polarizing Spell [Blu-ray Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Suspiria (2018) casts a Powerful but Polarizing Spell [Blu-ray Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Suspiria begins in a divided 1977 Berlin, Germany. The film opens with dance student Patricia Hingle (Chloe Grace Moretz) as she is succumbing to madness. Meanwhile, an American dancer named Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) arrives in Germany to attend the Tanz Academy. Led by Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton), the school is really a front for a malicious coven of witches. These witches are using the young women of their academy as a way to replenish their depleting powers. While the coven is also becoming dangerously divided, Susie is targeted to become the next vessel of co-leader, Helena Markos (also played by Tilda Swinton). Check out my original and more-detailed review of Guadagnino’s remake! In the age of remakes and reboots, Suspiria is unique in comparison to many updated entries. Based on Dario Argento’s 1977 masterpiece, Tilda Swinton has referred to this version as a “cover version” of the original work. The actress has stated in interviews such as Academy Conversations that works such as Hamlet have been performed time and again. Each director, each actor has brought something new and different to the play. She makes an interesting argument for fans of remakes. Horror buffs easily consider their favorite movies to be works of art. Why shouldn’t a film such as Argento’s feature be considered by some to be their Hamlet? I have to say I understand this sentiment. One of my favorite shows is Les Miserables, and I try to see the play every time a new tour comes to town. I am curious to see how this Eponine will choose to belt out “On my Own.” Or, how this Javert will take on “Stars” and so on. Of course not just any movie should be remade. Still, there is a certain joy to see beloved characters and situations come to life in a new way. So, the question the viewer has to ask is if this version of Suspiria is a worthwhile production? I argue that the way 2018’s Suspiria handles the ideas set forth by Argento and co-writer Daria Nicolodi is quite fascinating. Guadagnino maintains a certain respect for the material before taking the viewer on a wildly different journey. The overall narrative is bloated by an extra twenty minutes. Nevertheless, the images and story will evoke strong reactions from the audience. Director Luca Guadagnino amps up the level of dance and narrative structure. In the original picture, Argento has seemingly picked ballet as an arbitrary device. Helena Markos is a witch and there is a suggestion that she used the dance academy as a front for teaching occult sciences; however, the Tanz Academy could really teach anything. Guadagnino, however, very specifically uses dance as integral part of the narrative structure. One could even categorize his entire flick as a ballet of the bizarre. The update utilizes the dance sequences to highlight Susie’s growth as a character in addition to becoming a part of the coven’s ritual. Guadagnino’s version employs an opposing color palette in comparison to the style by Argento. The original film uses a Technicolor-looking effect. Many confuse the 1977 edition as actually using that style but this has been revealed as false information. Either way, the color scheme is effective and leads the audience to believe they are watching a nightmarish fairytale come to life. The update chooses to do the opposite and lends the viewer a glimpse into a more realistic-looking Berlin. Even with such different styles, both movies are successful in creating an unsettling atmosphere. Guadagnino also uses a fun, retro zoom-in camerawork that is reminiscent of 1970’s horror flicks. The performances in this almost all-female cast of Suspiria are intense and captivating. The women of the film have stated how much input they had working with the director and what is revealed is an important side of feminist art. In particular, Dakota Johnson and Mia Goth (Sara Simms) work well together to form a bond. Their roles reverse and in turn one takes the stronger position while the other is more vulnerable. Tilda Swinton is the star of this film. She takes on the multiple roles and in each one delivers something special and terrifying. The message of this production is how women, like any man, can become morally bankrupt. Once the group (or coven) is divided it will soon fall. For more specifics on the feminist aspects of this update, check out Justin’s Top 5 Picks of 2018! The Suspiria Blu-ray comes with limited but interesting special features. There are three segments each clocking in at about 3-4 minutes each. The Making of Suspiria shows the viewer a glimpse into some of the behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and director. The Secret Language of Dance is a piece interviewing the film’s choreographer Damien Jalet. He discusses his inspiration and choices for the feature. In particular, the joy he felt working with the dancers and actors. The Transformations of Suspiria centers on Mark Coulier, the prosthetic artist, and his designs for making Olga’s scene look gruesomely real. As referenced above, a remake can simply be a new production of an iconic, beloved play. Or, it’s like hearing a different artist release a version of your favorite song. At best, you come to enjoy this new release while also being reminded of all you love of the original. Compare the two iconic versions of Dolly Parton’s song “I Will Always Love You.” There is the original 1974 recording and the edition made famous in 1992 by Whitney Houston. Both are beloved; yet, the artistic simplicity of Parton’s is very different from the powerhouse performance of Houston. If done well there is a certain joy to hear a new version. On many levels, Suspiria (2018) is successful by its own merit. Guadagnino remains true to the essence of the original while at the same time puts a completely different spin on the material. To be clear, this “cover version” is not for everyone.  People are going to love it or hate it. Guadagnino set out to create a similar experience to what he felt when watching Argento’s work. Both directors succeed with each film because they set out to force the viewer to feel strong emotions. Whether those emotions are good or bad is up to the viewer. Argento delivered a stylish fairytale dipped in the sprayed blood of each victim. The gore was intended to have an artificial quality becoming a horrific piece of visual art. Guadagnino left behind the dark fairytale to create a production steeped in realism. His vision encapsulated the essence of the original and let the supernatural events unfold in a way that they could happen in the “real world.” And it is revolting. Sickening. Powerful. Inspiring. And above all, horrifying. The Suspiria Blu-ray will be released Tuesday, January 29th. Wicked Rating: 9/10 Director: Luca Guadagnino Writer(s): David Kajganich, Based on Suspiria by Dario Argento and Daria Nicolodi Stars: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Chloe Grace Moretz Release: October 26, 2018 (United States, limited), November 2, 2018 (United States, wide-release) Studio/Production Co: Amazon Studios, K Period Media, Mythology Entertainment, First Sun, Memo Films, Vega Baby Language: English, German, French Length: 152 minutes Genre: Supernatural Horror

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Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters Has A Release Date!

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Wicked Horror is the author of Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters Has A Release Date!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Hot on the heels of the news that there’s a brand new Ghostbusters on the way, from Jason Reitman, son of series creator Ivan Reitman, we now know when to expect the movie. The release date for the as-yet-untitled flick has been revealed — and it’s much sooner than you think. Last week, it was announced that a surprise new take on the hit sci-fi comedy was imminent. Precious little information was offered aside from the fact that the upcoming film would take place in the same universe as the original movie, ignoring Paul Feig’s 2016 all-female reboot. In response to this news, star Leslie Jones took to Twitter to voice her displeasure at the seeming erasure of she and co-stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon’s work on the previous movie. “So insulting. Like f**k us. We dint count. It’s like something trump would do. (Trump voice) “Gonna redo ghostbusteeeeers, better with men, will be huge. Those women ain’t ghostbusteeeeers” ugh so annoying. Such a d**k move. And I don’t give f**k I’m saying something!!” wrote the incensed comedian and actress, to widespread acclaim from fans of the 2016 movie. Jones went on to point out that if Reitman’s movie does well, as it inevitably will, it may embolden the misogynistic trolls who doomed the all-female reboot in the first place. Reitman told EW he’s stoked to take over the franchise first started by his father, explaining he counts himself as the very first Ghostbusters fan given he grew up on the set of the eighties hit. The younger Reitman co-wrote the script for his take with Gil Kenan (Monster House, the Poltergeist remake). Shooting is due to begin shortly. There’s no word yet on whether the original actors will return, but Reitman promises lots of fun new characters regardless. Reitman Snr., meanwhile, who’s taking a producing role on the project, apparently got very emotional upon originally learning what his son’s plans were for the next installment. The Front Runner director had dodged questions for years about whether he’d take the ‘busters mantle from his father but now admits it was always his plan. As per BD, the new-new Ghostbusters is set for release very soon, on July 10, 2020. There’s an animated Ghostbusters movie on the way, too, which is also courtesy of Sony, but that’s due after the live-action one and will be courtesy of an entirely different team. Stay tuned to Wicked Horror for more info on the project as it becomes available.

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New on Netflix: January 25th, 2019

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Wicked Horror is the author of New on Netflix: January 25th, 2019. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Welcome to New on Netflix, a feature here at Wicked Horror in which we provide the latest updates on what’s coming to the streaming service for the week. In recent times, Netflix’s shift in content has been interesting. While many fan-favorite movies and TV shows have been Netflix staples for the better part of a decade, they’ve been taken off the service with more frequency. Some of them return, some of them don’t, and while these are all simply the result of licensing deals that were already in place before these properties even hit the service, they do shed some light on the content provider’s new focus. Netflix is continuing to shift gears away from movies and TV shows owned by other studios or companies and is producing their own content with staggering frequency. As we continue to provide updates on what’s been added to the service, it will always be interesting to note the balance between original and licensed content being added to the Netflix library. With that in mind, here are the latest spooky additions for the week of January 25th, 2019. Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes  This week’s biggest Netflix horror event has to be the true crime documentary about Ted Bundy, from the director of the upcoming Bundy biopic starring Zac Efron, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. This documentary series is a chilling look into the man who might be the scariest serial killer in American history. It highlights his manipulative tactics without glorifying him, and for anyone with an interest in true crime, it is absolutely worth a look.

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Make Your Wish: A look back at Wishmaster

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Wicked Horror is the author of Make Your Wish: A look back at Wishmaster. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Robert Kurtzman’s Wishmaster was made with the avid horror fan in mind, but it is a film that largely flew under the radar at the time of its release. And that’s why I’m here, to campaign on behalf of this often under-appreciated horror flick. The film features a brilliant villain: What might have been a perfect gothic tale of the innermost desires of man ended up being a sadistic twist of wordplay for otherwise unsuspecting victims. In spite of being overlooked, Wishmaster has a lot going for it, namely the cast of horror all-stars and nothing short of amazing and creative sequences of brutal carnage. So, where did it trip up? Was it production issues, or audience reception, or a little of both? Well, the film does have narrative problems, offending its own laws as it goes. As the Djinn makes clear, he will grant a wish, in exchange for a soul. However, on more than one occasion, he grants two or more. The Djinn is supposedly bound by this rule, but apparently has the ability to bend the laws or even outright ignore the restrictions of his own power, which then removes any and all challenges for him to succeed. This can become a little tedious at times but is more than made up for by the film’s various strengths. There were also a number of other noteworthy horror films released in 1997 that may have overshadowed the film. That year also saw the release of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2, Event Horizon, The Devil’s Advocate, Cube, Mimic, and more. So, it’s possible that Wishmaster got lost in the shuffle by being a little different from a lot of the films that were being released at that time and also going up against some pretty steep competition. The Djinn was portrayed brilliantly by Andrew Divoff, who brought the character to life in an unforgettable way, conveying the Djinn’s expressions and mannerisms through his human form of Nathaniel Demerest. Divoff has said he enjoyed the role very much, having only portrayed the Djinn in two of the four films, and has expressed interest in reprising his role. Having gone so far as to have penned his own script for what was meant to be part 3. Also See: Andrew Divoff Reveals Why He Didn’t Return for Wishmaster 3 or 4, Say’s He’d Love to Play The Wishmaster One More Time! Wishmaster boasts an amazing cast of genre regulars: Tony Todd, Angus Scrimm, Kane Hodder, Reggie Bannister, and Robert Englund to name a few. Being presented by Wes Craven, it’s hard to fully understand why this movie didn’t reach a wider audience upon its initial release. For a creature that managed to best Freddy, Jason, and The Candyman in the same film, tell me the Djinn doesn’t deserve a seat at that table.

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Tyler Doupe’s Top Five Horror Movies of 2018

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Wicked Horror is the author of Tyler Doupe’s Top Five Horror Movies of 2018. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Better late than never, right? I’ve finally gotten through my backlog of screeners and am ready to reveal my top horror films of 2018. To say that 2018 was a great year for horror would be an understatement. We saw franchises revived with surprisingly good results, indie horror killed it (as it almost always does), and the horror genre even helped Nic Cage revive his career (which had been dying a slow and painful death for at least ten years). Read on for my top five picks, which are in no particular order. Halloween (2018) When I initially found out the David Gordon Green and Danny McBride were in development on a Halloween sequel, I was less than thrilled. A comedic actor/screenwriter and the director of Pineapple Express reviving one of the most beloved series in horror history seemed like a recipe for disaster. However, things are not always what they seem and the results were excellent. Getting to watch three generations of Strode women come together to battle The Shape was majorly impressive and the atmosphere was pitch perfect. See My Original Review of the Film Right Here! Mandy Mandy may have been the biggest surprise of the year for me. As I mentioned earlier, Nicolas Cage’s career had been on life support for quite some time. But visionary director Panos Cosmatos helped the actor turn in a performance as strong or stronger than anything from Cage’s early days. The visuals are stunning and the story is captivating. If you haven’t checked this one out, please do. See My Original Review Here! A Quiet Place  I was blown away by how simultaneously suspenseful and emotionally raw A Quiet Place was. John Krasinski knocked it out of the park as the writer director and star of the film. All of the performances are authentic and the tension in nearly every scene is palpable. See My Original Review Here! Hereditary Hereditary is easily one of the most emotionally raw films I’ve ever seen. Genre film or not. It is a jarring and eerily accurate portrayal of the devastating effects of loss. Toni Collette’s performance is among the best of her impressive career. Hereditary is not a film I’m eager to revisit over and over again. But that only speaks to how powerful it is and how profound an impact it had on me. See My Original Review Here! Summer of ’84 What I love about Summer of ’84 is that it captures a similar energy to coming of age films like Stand by Me and melds that with a serial killer next door storyline vaguely reminiscent of Rear Window. The result is pure magic. And the film only further proves that the directorial collective known as RKSS is the real deal.

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Hell is a Teenage Girl [Why Jennifer’s Body is Severely Underrated!

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Wicked Horror is the author of Hell is a Teenage Girl [Why Jennifer’s Body is Severely Underrated!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

When it comes to discussing favorite horror movies, it’s normal to hear titles like Psycho, Halloween, Friday the 13th as part of the conversation. But, rarely do you hear modern, more contemporary films thrown out there. This is why I often get some raised eyebrows or the occasional eye roll when confessing that Karyn Kusama’s Jennifer’s Body is my favorite horror movie (It was a close race between that and Scream). Also See: Eight Teen Horror Comedies That Are Genuinely Awesome Released almost ten years ago, Jennifer’s Body is the story of high school queen bee Jennifer Check (Megan Fox) who becomes possessed by a literal demon ( a succubus to be exact). She develops an appetite for human flesh and begins hunting the boys at school. This results in her usually timid friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) stepping up to put an end to the bloodshed. On the surface, it seems like a run-of-the-mill possession flick, right? Maybe. Even tied up in a series of fun tropes Jennifer’s Body wasn’t well received by fans and wasn’t met with particularly positive reviews. Unfortunately, it was written off as a trashy teen flick with its only real strength being Megan Fox. This is a travesty, as this underrated movie was ahead of its time and undoubtedly would have been more successful if it was released today. The film’s dark though witty humor is enough to earn it ‘cult classic’ status. On top of that, it cleverly takes jab after jab at the helpless, last girl standing scenario. Zimbo.com’s Areeba Abid  put it perfectly in a 2018 article “…Jennifer’s Body is less primordial and more feminist than some critics and audiences might consider. In it, the two women don’t run away from danger — they step up to it.” It’s feminism presented in the best way possible; unapologetic as hell. The movie was ahead of it’s time in more ways than one. First of all, Jennifer–you know, the villain that everyone is supposed to hate–acts as an unconventional icon by impenitently expressing her sexuality. Not only in how she dresses but in how she talks and, obviously, how she acts around boys she’s interested in. Long before her satanic run in Jennifer was already a man eater, in the sense she often would date guys out of boredom or to gain something and toss them to the side when the next best thing came along. And the weird part? Most of the guys seemed okay with this self obsessed dynamic. Even if they weren’t, it wasn’t like they could really do anything about it. Jennifer is one of the most popular girls in school, after all. This cycle follows Jennifer into her devilish transformation with the major difference being that she needs to feed on the boys (who have already dehumanized her) in order to remain alive. They are literally side pieces or pawns in Jennifer’s overall and surprisingly human plan of not hurting Needy. And, let’s be honest, watching someone become a snack while maggot rock plays in the background is pretty funny. Meanwhile, in the midst of all the flesh eating, Jennifer and Needy’s relationship is was gives this movie an extra edge. The film’s marketing relied heavily on that infamous make out scene between Jennifer and Needy. But that was just the tip of the iceberg of an already tense relationship. The audience gets a realistic look at how some friendships actually are for women. They have one of those passive aggressive, intense and codependent friendships that young women often experience. Being around Jennifer is like walking on eggshells at times; she will often say one thing when it really means another. And she goes out of her way to embarrass Needy in public or in front of her boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons) and often gets aggressive with her. Like, physically aggressive. It’s a textbook example of a “love hate relationship”. So it’s fitting that their friendship ended in a fight to the death that didn’t just stop Jennifer’s reign of terror but made a point: Needy doesn’t need Jennifer, hence the nickname. In fact, it was Jennifer who needed Needy the whole time as the very structure of her booming self confidence relied on Needy’s constant approval and willingness to not question her friend. Yes, noticing the brilliance of Jennifer’s Body requires looking at a lot of subtext. A closer look might confirm that this movie simply isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Which is fine as no movie ever is. It isn’t really scary in any traditional sense and that could be why critic after critic labeled as boring. Again, that’s a shame. As Wicked Horror’s own Nat Brehmer puts it “It’s Mean Girls meets Evil Dead with a healthy dose of Heathers thrown in.” What more could one possibly want in a movie? Do yourself a favor, give it a watch especially if it’s been a while. You might be surprised.

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Four Horror Flicks We’re Looking Forward to in 2019

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Wicked Horror is the author of Four Horror Flicks We’re Looking Forward to in 2019. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

2018 was quite the year for horror. It goes without saying that 2019 has pretty big shoes to fill. So far the release calendar looks fantastic. From sequels, reboots and big names in directing, this year looks pretty stellar. With so much more horror coming our way, here is just a handful of the movies we are really looking forward to this year. IT: Chapter Two  “Twenty-seven years later, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back to go toe to toe with the evil clown Pennywise.” The first installment surpassed expectations and left viewers hungry for the second installment, which is set for release September 6th. Happy Death Day 2U  “Two years following the first film, Tree Gelbman somehow enters the Groundhog Day-like time loop and does everything she can to escape and find the new killer; especially when she realizes her friends her caught in the loop too.” The original was a surprise hit that killed at the box office. The follow up effort is set for release February 14th. US  “With her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to her childhood beachfront home. Haunted by a traumatic experience from the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen to her family. Her worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house, forcing the Wilson’s into a fight for survival. Literally. When the masks come off, each stranger takes the appearance of a different family member.” This promising thriller is set for release March 15th. The Prodigy  “A woman brings her young son to a therapist when the boy starts to show signs of demonic possession.” You can check this upcoming release out starting February 8th.

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Tony Todd Discusses The Final Wish and His Career [Exclusive]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Tony Todd Discusses The Final Wish and His Career [Exclusive]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

The Final Wish is set to release January 24 in select theaters. The story follows a young man named Aaron, played by Michael Welch, who is down on his luck. Aaron is forced to return to his hometown to help his grieving mother, played by Lin Shaye, cope with the death of his father while he confronts his own past. Horror legend Tony Todd plays the role of Colin in this supernatural thriller. Colin, an associate of Aaron’s deceased father, acts as a waypoint and guides the film towards its shocking conclusion. Tony Todd was kind enough to speak with us regarding his career, acting, and the role. Related: Lin Shaye Talks The Final Wish and Grudge (2019) [Exclusive] Tony Todd recently received the lifetime achievement award from the New York City Horror Film Festival. I asked what it was like to win such prestigious accolades and to finally have his name where fans have felt it belongs, among the greats like Wes Craven, George Romero, Robert Englund, and so many others. He pointed out how odd it feels to receive a lifetime achievement award because “there is so much time, and so many other projects remaining in my career.” Lifetime achievement awards tend to be given to creators at the end of their careers, but Todd has no intention of stopping. He said, “I am perhaps in the third or fourth phase of my career.” As long as the parts continue and creators persist in calling him, Todd says he wants to keep acting. His terms are simple. Though he has the educational background and experience in the field to do work behind the scenes, he says he will keep acting “as long as I can keep doing it and I enjoy what I’m doing.” In fact, acting and creating for the sheer love of the craft was a recurring theme for the interview. Todd never sought out awards or accolades, he strove to be the best actor he could be and to perfect his craft. He always believed that if he worked hard and did work he was passionate about, that the success would follow. He feels he is, at the core, a character actor. Caring deeply about characters, and sharing their truth through compelling stories is what got him started. That same attraction to strong characters and engaging writing is what drives him today. The script for The Final Wish is what drew Todd to the role of Colin, he said, “Anyone who read the script would recognize it was great.” Jeffrey Reddick has sought out Tony Todd numerous times over the years. Beyond his fondness for the script, what really made the project novel for Tony was the fact that it was able to secure distribution and launch a relatively quick theatrical release. He felt that getting the film from production to release in less than a year’s time was a testament to everyone who worked on the project. The advice Tony offered other actors and creators was to “Find joy in whatever you are doing.” He recognizes that not all actors can have the opportunity to study in a prestigious, rigorous program like he did or have the chance to teach before going to their first auditions. He said some of his most gratifying roles and experiences were not always the most financially rewarding. For instance, it was always powerful to hear from Vietnam veterans who saw Platoon and said: “you guys got it right.” Not every role will be Platoon, but every role promises a valuable experience if you can find joy in what you’re doing. Before the interview closed, I asked Mr. Todd what he hoped the new Candyman film would offer. He said “I think the creative team will do a great job with it, and I hope the Candyman character is done justice.”  Again, being a character actor, the character is at the center of his focus. See Lin Shaye, Michael Welch and Tony Todd in The Final Wish in theaters January 24, and expect to see Tony Todd in many more projects in the years to come.

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Alla Xul Elu Drops By For a Chat (Exclusive)

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Wicked Horror is the author of Alla Xul Elu Drops By For a Chat (Exclusive). Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

In the underground horrorcore hip hop scene, few bands have been able to make a mark as quickly as Ohio’s Alla Xul Elu have. The unholy pairing of Alla Xul Elu’s Billy Obey, Joe Black and Lee Carver have raised the bar to almost unmeasurable heights for any band swimming in their wake. Coming off the success of their Billboard charting debut from Majik Ninja Entertainment, Alla Xul Elu’s The Almighty injected some much needed macabre and horror into today’s music scene. Stalking the stage in horrifically deformed masks,  they spit lyrics referencing classic horror, murder and the occult. When I was granted the opportunity to sit down with these up and coming horrorcore legends, I was beyond stoked. I was pretty sure one of two things was going to happen when the band agreed to meet with me. Either I was going to get an amazing interview or I was going to be murdered. Either situation seemed completely plausible. I am happy to report that I escaped unscathed. Below is our candid, hilarious, and humbling conversation that took place. Wicked Horror: How did this unholy trinity come together? How did you guys first hook up? Joe Black: We were separate entities at first, we just kept doing shows together. What is was for me, was I watched a set, and I was like “Damn Bill”. Bill had already knew about them, I didn’t. Because I don’t listen to music at all. Billy Obey: I saw him doing his dance on stage. Joe Black: With his hand on his hip? Billy Obey: Yeah. I said he is fat enough to be in this group. So we hit him up (Joe), and we linked up, and he was already doing his own thing on the solo tip. We’re lifelong friends, damn near lifelong. Joe Black: It feels like it’s been a whole lifetime. Lee Carver: Destiny brought us together. Joe Black: It really did though. Destiny on Xbox One *laughs* Lee Carver: The wicked s**t. Our collective love of the wicked s**t, the genre, the magic. Joe Black: But it was literally meant to be. Lee Carver: Yeah you know when you meet people, there’s like a harmony, with like your interests, where you been, experiences. Like we’re cut from the same cloth. And I think that applies to like, there’s a lot of people, who have never heard of us that could relate to everything we say, if they’re open minded because they’ve been where we’ve been. We just present it in a different way. They might not be ready to ingest that s**t. Joe Black: But we’re gonna make them ready! Wicked Horror: So Alla Xul Elu isn’t that Sumerian for God’s of Evil rise? Joe Black: It’s a loose translation. I kinda pieced it together because we were called Maniacs before. I’ve always had a lifelong obsession and passion for Howard Phillips Lovecraft and everything Lovecraftian and ancient occult stuff. We wanted to keep the AXE in the band name, so I crafted an acronym from well, Sumerian pretty much. But yeah it’s a loose translation. It doesn’t translate exactly to Gods of Evil Rise but we want it to, so now it does. But it stems from Sumerian and our love from H.P. Lovecraft. Billy Obey : Sumerian motherf**ker, do you speak it!? Joe Black: We’re Sumerian Americans. But it was also inspired by Ghostbusters as well. We are all three die-hard f**king lifelong Ghostbusters and Evil Dead fans. Billy Obey: I’ve got the logo tattooed on my leg. So what’s your favorite Ghostbusters ghost that’s not Slimer? Joe Black: The Librarian for me. Lee Carver: You know what mine is? No bulls**t. The Scoleri Brothers from Ghostbusters 2. Joe Black: They we’re actually scary dude! They we’re f**king scary for real! Lee Carver: That s**t was dope. I love it. The art, style, all that s**t. Wicked Horror: The Almighty actually hit on Billboard, it was number 65 on Top 100, 47 on Emerging Artists, 15 on Independent and 7 on Heatseekers. When making the album did you guys perceive it getting so popular so quickly? Billy Obey: That’s dope to hear someone say it like that. Joe Black: I didn’t even know that. I kinda did. I mean it was so anticipated, I mean like the die-hard kids, the Xuligans if you will, were gonna f**king love it. It’s geared straight to them you know what I mean. It’s like our core audience we were trying to appeal to and it just worked out to where everybody f**king liked it. Billy Obey: To go back to the first question, destiny. We’re meant to be here. We’ve only just begun. Lee Carver: I firmly believe that we make music for ourselves, and like I said going back to that, the Xuligans are the people that are cut from the same cloth. Like I guarantee me and you have a s**t ton of the same interests. I just met you but I saw that you were repping an Exorcist shirt, I got a Tarman shirt on. Whether we went to different kinds of schools or whatever, or have different backgrounds, or you might have had a horrible family life and I had a great one. But those nucleus core beliefs and interests of people of our ilk and our music is always gonna resonate with people like that. Joe Black: It’s always gonna resonate with the wrong side of the lunch table, the outcasts. Billy Obey: I didn’t necessarily know that it was gonna resonate with everyone like it did, but we’re here for a reason. I know that. Joe Black: Just the beginning man, we’re keep growing and keep growing. Especially around the waist area. Billy Obey: We’ve only just begun Lee Carver: We don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. People are always like “Man you guys work hard and you know the shows”, that’s great and I love it when people praise us but they have no clue what our workload looks like right f**king now. We are about to nuclear annihilate the f**king underground. Joe Black: About to microwave it. Billy Obey: 65 Top 100, lets go Top 20 next time. Joe Black: That would f**king magical for the underground for a group like us, that started literally at the f**king bottom, no shortcuts to hit Top 10 to 20 on Billboard. That’s never been done before that I know of. Lee Carver: I can firmly sit back and say that we’re at the point in our careers where everything we talked about is starting to come to fruition. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good, because I’ve had to stand by, we’ve all had to stand by and say “this is what we’re gonna do” when we weren’t necessarily facilitating it like we are now. Joe Black: So what he’s saying is, busting makes us feel good. Wicked Horror: On the album you have a song called Venomous. The Venomous 5 that is referenced in that song is a collaboration between you guys and Jamie Maddrox and Monoxide from Twiztid. Is that something you guys are interested in pursuing for like a whole album? Joe Black: Interested yeah, that lucky? I don’t think so. Billy Obey: Its actually just a dance group on weekends, we go out and we cut loose and have fun. Joe Black: As of right now it’s just a song. But who knows what the future will bring. Billy Obey: Who knows what 2019 will bring? You never know. Lee Carver: I have said this though, many people have asked me about the Venemous 5. And I’ll say this, if you want it, be vocal about it. Everyone has social media. Let it be known. Billy Obey: Let motherf**kers know. Lee Carver: Let the record show that I formed a snake with my arm. Huge shout out and love to Maddrox and Monoxide from Twiztid. Billy Obey: Yeah huge shout out and love and respect to Jaime Maddrox and Monoxide. Joe Black: Forever! Undying gratitude from us. Lee Carver: They put a lot of faith and confidence in us and we’re happy where were at. Wicked Horror: Who influences you guys musically? Billy Obey: Phew, that’s a lot of people. Joe Black: For me musically, its not so much musically. A lot of people maybe want to do music and s**t but there are only a few groups that actually influence like the way I want to write. Or the way I want to sound. But theres not many. Billy Obey: To name a few ICP, Twiztid, Dark Lotus, Slipknot, Korn, Flatlinerz, Wu-Tang. Top of the head. Joe Black: I agree with everything he said. Billy Obey: 110%. If you don’t hear that in our music you’re probably deaf. Lee Carver: Nothing ever influences me like, things influence me to want to create stuff but nothing influences me, like guides me, like the old school underground s**t that I think we all came up on. Like my power rankings is like House of Krazees, Twiztid, everything from that era, just super influential on all of us I think. Joe Black: We’re working with the people that influenced us, it’s insane. Lee Carver: Yeah it really is just like surreal. Just a dream come true honestly. As cliché as that s**t sounds, it’s the truth though. Joe Black: I never at any point in my life thought that we’d be on Billboard charts. Lee Carver: That’s the true testament of the nucleus of the Xuligans we’ve built. Our army is amassing. Billy Obey: Very reminiscent of the Juggalo days. I think the Xuligans are the new school juggalos. Maybe not even new school, the xuligans are juggalos for sure. It’s just the new era of them if you will. Joe Black: I’m tired of the politics type juggalos too. Like there less politics in this pool right now. Billy Obey: Big influence musically is the creepy crawlers commercial from the 60’s. Lee Carver: Dude you better believe it. One of my biggest musical influences is The Rock- afire explosion, isn’t that their name? Joe Black: Don’t forget about the Chuck E. Cheese band. Lee Carver: That’s what I’m saying. Billy Obey: Huge shout out to Rockapella. My first concert ever. Joe Black: Carmen Sandiego? Billy Obey: Yeah YouTube that later Xuligans. Wicked Horror: What’s been your biggest obstacle to overcome so far as a group? Joe Black: Being fat. Billy Obey: Yeah that pretty much sums it up being fat and Joe Black. Lee Carver: I think our biggest obstacle will always be trying to get people to open their minds and see that we’re just not a walking gimmick. Billy Obey: Yeah a lot of people like to take us for face value… Lee Carver: And I don’t blame them. Billy Obey: When you listen to the lyrics and s**t you understand there’s more to it. Lee Carver: We don’t ever fault people for feeling the way they feel about us. Joe Black: Just give it a chance. If you don’t like it after you’ve actually f**ked with it alright so be it. At least give it a chance. Billy Obey: Yeah digest it fully. Sit down with it, turn the lights off, spark you a joint up and see what’s up. Joe Black: We’re best digested with headphones. I think all music is though. But Billy likes to put a lot of extra tidbit tastes of flavor in the background of s**t so. Billy Obey: You never know what you might hear underneath an A.X.E. track. Wicked Horror: Obviously the horror influence and love is strong with the band. Just listening to various songs you can hear references to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Evil Dead, Pet Sematary, Halloween. Joe Black: It’s the basis of everything we do. Billy Obey: That’s why were here. Horror is life man. We go to conventions. I remember me and this guy, we’d hook up an old school box TV in his backyard and we’d watch VHS horror movies sitting outside. Joe Black: Watch that old school Necronomicon. Billy Obey: Yeah we wore the Evil Dead VHS out, like that was a staple growing up. Joe Black: 4’o clock in the morning, all night all summer. Every night, all summer. Billy Obey: Evil Dead 2 is my all time favorite. Yeah, we go to horror conventions, like we live and breathe this s**t. I love horror movies, that’s my go to. Wicked Horror: What drew you guys to horror? Joe Black: It’s been a family passion of mine. My grandma, everyone from my grandma to my parents they all consume horror. That’s always how its been. My grandma had a massive f**king horror VHS collection. And they would scare me with movies and s**t. It used to be a fear, but now it’s became a love, so here we are. Billy Obey: What drew me to it was like the special effects side of it. Always loved watching behind the scenes and the extra s**t they put on a movie. But just thinking about how that is done inspired me a lot. Joe Black: I love all movies, but horror is my main foray but I love all movies. I’m a movie guy through and through. Lee Carver: I was a latchkey kid, you know. I had a lot of HBO movies that were taped onto VHS tapes, and those were like my genesis and I just fell in love with horror. When I was a kid I heralded the thought that like all the other kids were super mean and into like the f**king Rocketeer and s**t and I’m just like, I just like Jason cutting people’s heads off. I like demons, I like gargoyles, I just like the horror s**t. I just always have. But it’s also like the anti-hero aspect of it too is what draws people too it. Wicked Horror: So the stage look, is that an obvious nod to Leatherface? Billy Obey: I mean it is called Forever Face. So yeah absolutely for sure. Wicked Horror: Best horror film of all time? Billy Obey: Evil Dead 2. Joe Black: The Exorcist. Lee Carver: Evil Dead 2. Billy Obey: See and that’s why initially we got along. He won my heart with that. And my favorite zombie movie is Return of the Living Dead. Joe Black: I hate to say this, Dawn of the Dead remake. I think it’s a masterpiece, and then Return of the Living Dead for sure. Billy Obey: The remake is really good. I like the original Dawn better just because its nostalgic. Joe Black: The soundtrack for the f**king new one just grabs me every time. Billy Obey: When I was young and the idea of a mall being full of zombies, I’ve always been a kid who liked to shop for toys and s**t so zombies, toys, mall. Lee Carver: Return is a comic book come to life through the colors and everything. Billy Obey: It’s Tarman all day. Joe Black: He’s such a small part of the movie though. Joe Carver: But he’s iconic looking. I mean the flannel shirt zombie in Dawn of the Dead is in it for like 5 seconds but he’s on the g*damn cover. Joe Black: Part 2, not so great. When the bully kid dies, and the death rattle is f**king terrifying. That was disturbing man. Other than that I didn’t really like it. Billy Obey: And the model of the dog and s**t. Joe Black: All cut in half, that s**t’s awesome. We also drank alcohol with Clu Gulager from the movie. Billy Obey: He was a cool guy. Joe Black: He died right in front of us. HE DID! Billy Obey: Send more paramedics. Joe Black: Send more whatever the f**k he was drinking , holy s**t! Lee Carver: We keep touching on this theme, but I think people that love horror so much usually come from some sort of loneliness. Joe Black: Like I said we’re the s**tty side of the lunch table. We’re those kids and we make music for those kids, and we’re always gonna be those kids. Lee Carver: And now we’re coming into a time where people are saying “oh horror is dope” and it’s cool now. It truly is our time to rise. Joe Black: Now evil and all this s**t is becoming part of the mainstream and truly accepted. We’ve been that s**t since birth. So now we’re gonna grip that s**t by the balls and take it over. Used to just be Halloween we were accepted. Now it’s pretty much all the time Billy Obey: Halloween is 24/7, 365, 1031 everyday. Wicked Horror: What’s your favorite song to perform live? Joe Black: Well we don’t do my favorite song live anymore. Mine would be ‘The Trunk’. I just like the way people always bounce and react to that the best. I love seeing people bounce to our s**t. Especially fat people because every bit of them bounce. Billy Obey: I’m partial to Dead. I like ‘Dead’ a lot just because of the zombie aspect. ‘Dead’ and close second is ‘The Axe is Family’. Joe Black: I would just like to go on record and say when we were touring, I didn’t like the song and now I f**king love it. Dead is quickly becoming….Sold my Soul too. Sold my Soul should be on the list because performing that with his verse, I love that s**t. Billy Obey: Who knows, maybe our favorite we haven’t performed yet, we’ll find out soon enough. Wicked Horror: What’s your plans for 2019? Joe Black: Taking over the f**king galaxy. Lee Carver: There’s a new A.X.E. album on the horizon like really, really soon. It’s gonna make people s**t that we’re coming out with a follow up to The Almighty this quickly. Kind of making me s**t actually. Billy Obey: It’s pretty much a companion record. If you’re a fan of Necronomichron and you like what we did previously, we like to think its akin to that. Mixed with a little bit darker overtones. Joe Black:  That pretty much sums it up. Wicked Horror: Lastly and the most important question. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Joe Black: Yeah it is. Billy Obey: No. Joe Black: How is it not?!? Billy Obey: Just because it takes place over Christmas… Joe Black: There’s a lot of references! Billy Obey: I don’t think it is a Christmas movie. Joe Black: I’m going with yeah. There’s too many Christmas references. Lee Carver: You wanna hear something really bizarre? I’ve never seen all of Die Hard 1 but Die Hard With a Vengeance is one of my favorite action movies of all time. Joe Black: That’s a great one dude. I prefer part one but that one’s f**king fire. Billy Obey: F**k everything though. The real question is, have you guys played the Die Hard video game? Joe Black: For Gamecube. The first game I ever heard the word f**k in. I loved that s**t! Lee Carver: I want to start this rumor right now that Joe Black is in fact the kid in the denim venom jacket in The Gate grown up. Joe Black: I really am. My parents say that s**t to this day, seriously. Lee Carver: And his parents are dead. Joe Black: Yeah they live in a hole in the backyard. It takes a lot for me to sit up and take notice of a new band and Alla Xul Elu has grabbed me by the jugular. Any fan of classic horror, underground hip hop or bucking the mainstream will find something to love. Immediately pick up their debut album The Almighty and introduce some good old fashioned evil to your ear holes. You can follow Alla Xul Elu on Facebook, Twitter and on the web. Check them out when they hit the road soon for the Axe is Family Tour 2019.

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New on Netflix: January 18th, 2019

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Wicked Horror is the author of New on Netflix: January 18th, 2019. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Welcome to New on Netflix, a feature here at Wicked Horror in which we provide the latest updates on what’s coming to the streaming service for the week. In recent times, Netflix’s shift in content has been interesting. While many fan-favorite movies and TV shows have been Netflix staples for the better part of a […]

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Five True Crime Podcasts You Should be Listening to Right Now!

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Wicked Horror is the author of Five True Crime Podcasts You Should be Listening to Right Now!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

These days podcasts are people’s go-to source for education and entertainment, especially in the true crime arena. Every year, dozens of new podcasts debut to discuss infamous serial killers, cults, unsolved crimes, and much, much more. Being a true crime aficionado myself, I thought I could make a few recommendations for podcasts that you should absolutely […]

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Back to the ’80s: Runaway

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Wicked Horror is the author of Back to the ’80s: Runaway. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Welcome to Back to the ’80s. This recurring feature aims to take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from horror’s most beloved decade. Regardless of which category a particular film falls under, this segment will spotlight films that horror fans can appreciate for one reason or another. We will look at how […]

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Surprise! There’s A New Ghostbusters Movie On The Way!

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Wicked Horror is the author of Surprise! There’s A New Ghostbusters Movie On The Way!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Anybody who felt like Paul Feig’s 2016 Ghostbusters reboot was a personal attack on their childhood can finally rest easy. There’s a new movie on the way that ignores it completely, instead picking up right where the celebrated 1984 Ivan Reitman flick left off. And it’s being brought to us by none other than his […]

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Halloween (2018) is a Welcome Return to Form [Blu-Ray Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Halloween (2018) is a Welcome Return to Form [Blu-Ray Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Halloween (2018) picks up forty years after young Laurie Strode faced off against the homicidal Michael Myers. And, after years of incarceration, the masked man is on the loose and ready to settle the score. With four decades of preparation under her belt, Laurie is ready for Michael and looks forward to the chance to put […]

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Lin Shaye Dishes on The Final Wish and The Grudge Remake [Exclusive]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Lin Shaye Dishes on The Final Wish and The Grudge Remake [Exclusive]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Wicked Horror had the good fortune to chat with the ultra-talented and ever-versatile Lin Shaye while she was making the press rounds for her new feature film, The Final Wish. In the film, which is directed by Timothy Woodward Jr., Shaye appears as Kate Hammond. Kate’s husband has recently passed away and her son Aaron (Michael Welch), […]

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Not Quite Horror: Widows (2018)

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Wicked Horror is the author of Not Quite Horror: Widows (2018). Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Not Quite Horror is back from the dead. After resting for a bit in its kind-of creepy but still-normal-enough-to-pass-as-regular crypt, our biweekly series returns. In each installment, Joey Keogh will argue why a chosen film not generally classified as horror actually exhibits many of the qualities of a great flight flick, and therefore deserves the attention […]

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Blood on my Sofa: Down for The Demented

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Wicked Horror is the author of Blood on my Sofa: Down for The Demented. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Welcome to Blood on my Sofa! Each month I will be providing you with a movie recommendation. It won’t be just any movie, but a movie I watched during the month that really rocked my world. I wouldn’t be me if I weren’t spreading my love of horror films. In this installment, we will be […]

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Nick Castle Talks Returning to Halloween [Exclusive]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Nick Castle Talks Returning to Halloween [Exclusive]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Nick Castle will always be horror royalty for having played the iconic role of Michael Myers (AKA The Shape) in John Carpenter’s seminal Halloween. His performance as the iconic villain has never really been equaled, which is amazing, given that his only direction from Carpenter was basically to walk as he normally would. Since that […]

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New on Netflix: January 11th, 2019

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Wicked Horror is the author of New on Netflix: January 11th, 2019. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Welcome to New on Netflix, a feature here at Wicked Horror in which we provide the latest updates on what’s coming to the streaming service for the week. In recent times, Netflix’s shift in content has been interesting. While many fan-favorite movies and TV shows have been Netflix staples for the better part of a […]

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Dry Blood is the Bad Acid Trip You Didn’t Know You Needed! [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Dry Blood is the Bad Acid Trip You Didn’t Know You Needed! [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Dry Blood sees a drug addict named Brian retreating to his cabin in a rural mountain town in an attempt to get sober. For extra support Brian calls on a friend named Anna to give him a hand; to make sure he eats right, as well as keeps him away from drugs. Anna isn’t one to play […]

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Ten Non-Horror Directors That Need to Make a Horror Film!

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Wicked Horror is the author of Ten Non-Horror Directors That Need to Make a Horror Film!. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Horror filmmaking is an art-form that some directors, voluntarily or involuntarily, have yet to explore. Some contemporary directors such as Adam Wingard, Mike Flannigan, Andy Muschietti, and James Wan have already become modern masters of horror. But what about the inverse of that? What about  filmmakers that everyone loves, who’ve never even dared to touch the […]

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Creepy Crate Unboxing – December 2018

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Wicked Horror is the author of Creepy Crate Unboxing – December 2018. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

We all know that it’s fun to get something in the mail. Maybe it’s even a little more if you don’t really know exactly what you’re getting. For those that love spooky surprises there is a great new subscription box company out there for your needs called Creepy Crate. Brought to you by The Line-Up, […]

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Hell Fest is a Hugely Entertaining Slasher Throwback [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Hell Fest is a Hugely Entertaining Slasher Throwback [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Hell Fest might just lead the next slasher resurgence — that is, if there’s one on the way. The golden age of slashers has come and gone, and even calling it a golden age is kind of misleading considering the undisputed big hitters Halloween (1978), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), and Scream (1996) were […]

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Truth and Fiction Aren’t Identical in David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers

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Wicked Horror is the author of Truth and Fiction Aren’t Identical in David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

In Death: On July 19th, 1975 Stewart and Cyril Marcus—the twin gynecologists who inspired Bari Woods and Jackie Gleasand’s novel Twins, which in turned inspired David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers — were found dead in their apartment. In this case, the truth might be stranger than the fiction. Certainly, it was more gristly. According to The New York […]

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The Vanishing is a Great Showcase for Peter Mullan and Gerard Butler [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of The Vanishing is a Great Showcase for Peter Mullan and Gerard Butler [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Peter Mullan and Gerard Butler headlining a movie about lighthouse keepers who mysteriously vanish after finding treasure? Count me in. The Vanishing purports to be based on a true story, which might go some way towards explaining why it ends abruptly with one character stood on a boat (this person, in reality, must have perished, […]

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Rust Creek is a Ferociously Female Thriller [Review]

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Wicked Horror is the author of Rust Creek is a Ferociously Female Thriller [Review]. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

2018 was a massive year for women in horror from Revenge to Cam, and even the Halloween redux ferociously headed by our queen Jamie Lee Curtis. Hopefully, 2019 is set to follow in its footsteps and with Rust Creek we’re off to a good start. Written, directed, and fiercely led by women, it’s an empowering […]

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New on Netflix: January 4th, 2019

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Wicked Horror is the author of New on Netflix: January 4th, 2019. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

Welcome to New on Netflix, a feature here at Wicked Horror in which we provide the latest updates on what’s coming to the streaming service for the week. In recent times, Netflix’s shift in content has been interesting. While many fan-favorite movies and TV shows have been Netflix staples for the better part of a […]

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Nat’s Top 10 Favorite Horror Movies of 2018

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Wicked Horror is the author of Nat’s Top 10 Favorite Horror Movies of 2018. Wicked Horror is the internet's only horror fan site for free original horror movies, news, review & more.

While the whole decade has been great for the genre overall, 2017 saw a massive surge in both box office numbers and critical acclaim between films like It and Get Out. The latter of the two was an Oscar winner and a game-changer. This year might not have quite reached those numbers, but that’s never […]

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