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Director Josh Boone Can’t Wait for You to See ‘The New Mutants’

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For the cast of The New Mutants, August 28, 2020 is the fulfillment of a journey they began together three or four years ago. For director Josh Boone, however, that journey began when he was a kid.

“I got to write [the movie] with my best friend who I’ve known almost since the day I was born,” Boone explained in a recent interview with iHorror. “Our moms were best friends. And we read Marvel comics religiously together all through the 1980s when we were kids. It’s been a dream our whole life to do something like this, but we wanted to do something different than your typical superhero movie.”

For the writer/director that meant writing a character-driven story, less focused on adult superheroes who have come into their own as people who also have powers. What they created was a movie with a John Hughes cast–if Hughes had been a little more diverse in his casting–set within the world of a 90s horror film.

To create that kind of film, they returned to their childhoods and dug into the Demon Bear saga of The New Mutants. It was during these issues that Bill Sienkiewicz’s artwork came to the foreground and brought a new kind of hero with it.

“We were so inspired by Bill’s work,” Boone said. “It’s like that comic for me wasn’t much before he came onto it. I liked it but it wasn’t special for me or groundbreaking until he became involved.”

With the story locked in place, it was just a matter of finding the right cast to take on these roles.

Early on, they had discussions with Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The VVitch) and throughout the writing process, they kept the two actresses informed with new drafts so they could stay in the loop on how their characters were evolving.

Other actors were not so easy to find at least in part because Boone was dedicated to finding talent who were correct, ethnically, for the roles.

“We spent a lot longer looking for Henry Zaga because we wanted a Brazilian actor for that role,” the director explained. “With Blu Hunt, we wanted a real Native American who had real ties to a reservation. We wanted to hopefully bring authenticity by doing that. So that was more like looking at 300 people and trying to find the person that, to you personally, exemplified the character you wrote. Somebody else might have chosen somebody else but they, for me, exemplified most what I needed from the cast. ”

That streak of authenticity runs throughout The New Mutants, and some of it drew direct parallels to the director’s own life.

Boone was raised in an oppressive Christian home which led him to a whole host of mini-rebellions as he grew up, and he says, he can entirely relate to the Rahne Wolfsbane, played by Williams in the film, with her strict upbringing by priests who go so far as to brand her for her “sins.”

Thankfully, Boone’s own childhood didn’t go that far. Instead, he held his own rebellion which manifested in his love of comic books and bands like Pantera and Nine Inch Nails.

“One of the cool things I got to do through this is that I got to meet Marilyn Manson,” he said. “He did the voice of the Smiling Men. So anytime during the movie that you hear the Smiling Men going crazy, that’s Manson in a microphone going nuts. He did a cover of ‘Cry Little Sister’ from Lost Boys, which is one of the greatest movies ever, and we used that in all the ads for the movie. I had some of my rock and roll dreams come true making the movie.”

The director was also proud to be able to bring the love story between Williams and Hunt’s characters to the screen in a way that, he says, might be the first time that a Disney or a comic book actually passes the Vito Russo test for LGBTQ inclusion.

“Their love story is sort of the spine that the whole thing hangs on,” he pointed out. “When I  was young I loved My Own Private Idaho; it was one of my favorite movies. I was raised in a household where like, Christians really did believe in preaching in church that gay people went to hell. I mean, it’s no joke. That’s what they said. That’s what I was told is that they were sinners and everything. Movies gave me a real window into the real world to kind of understand what reality was.”

Boone is hoping his own film will do that for young LGBTQ people, as well, as their release date for the film is finally here. It’s a date that has been a long time coming.

The film was in full post-production when Disney and Fox merged which put everything on hold for a full year. Despite rumors of massive reshoots , it was this delay that held the film back for the longest time. They were set to release earlier this year. Then, of course, there were delays due to Covid-19.

As far as Boone is concerned, however, now is the time, and honestly, we can hardly blame him.

“People need to start going back to movies,” he said. “I think it is an essential part of life, especially when it’s done safely with masks and everything. There is a safe way to do this. It’s safer than restaurants. It’s safer than an airplane. I still just feel like I’m ready to go back to the movies. I’m also excited for kids to get to see it. I don’t think there’s many movies nowadays that represent them very much.”

The New Mutants opens this Friday, August 28, 2020. Check your local theaters for listings, and let us know if you’ll be watching on opening day!

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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