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Exclusive: James McAvoy talks M. Night Shyamalan’s Split

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When M. Night Shyamalan told James McAvoy to read the script for the writer-director’s latest film, Split, with an open mind, he wasn’t joking. McAvoy plays nine different characters in the film, all of whom live in the same body. “I met with Night, whom I’ve always wanted to work with, and he didn’t tell me much about the script before I read it,” says McAvoy. “He told me to prepare myself for something different, something weird, and something that would be very demanding to play as an actor.”

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McAvoy’s character in Split, Kevin, suffers from a severe case of DID [Dissociative Identity Disorder]. Throughout Kevin’s life, his body and mind have played host to more than twenty different personalities, twenty-four to be exact. Nine of these personalities are featured in the film. “I’m only Kevin for about ninety seconds in the film, so it’s hard to say who Kevin really is,” says McAvoy. “I don’t think of him as just Kevin-I think of this as a community of personalities that live inside his body. The nine characters featured in the film all have a job, an objective. After reading the script, I immediately decided that I wasn’t played Kevin but nine different personalities. Making this film was almost like making nine different films at once.”

Split absolutely depends on McAvoy’s performance and his ability to convince the audience that they’re experiencing these different personalities throughout the film.  “Kevin comes from a horrible childhood, which was full of abuse and trauma,” says McAvoy. “This is how the different personalities developed inside of him-this is how he was able to deal with everything around him. Kevin’s body is very brittle because of his horrible childhood existence, and he started exhibiting a split personality disorder when he was three or four. Dennis was the first personality that developed, and then Barry, Hedwig, and Patricia came along to save him at different points in his life. Some of the characters have a broad bandwidth and some have a narrow bandwidth. Kevin and his personalities have been beaten and diminished throughout his life. “

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Split is a psychological horror film, which explains the appearance of personality number twenty-four, who is known as The Beast. “As the film opens, the personalities inside Kevin are being slowly marginalized and reduced and pushed aside,” says McAvoy. “This makes some of them hostile. They feel like they’re in prison. The Beast appears as this benevolent god to Kevin and the rest of the personalities. The Beast appears as a godlike figure and makes them believe in themselves by teaching them that they’re special, and that it’s the world around them that’s sick. The Beast teaches them that not only are they normal but they’re extra normal. The Beast thinks of himself as an extremely pure being, and he’s very malevolent and nasty. The Beast controls the various personalities inside Kevin, and he pushes Dennis, who becomes the Beast’s henchman, to punish everyone who’s impure. This leads to the kidnapping of the three teenage girls in the film.”

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The film opens with Kevin kidnapping three teenage girls who are then held prisoner inside Kevin’s house. “The interior of Kevin’s house is a bestial environment,” says McAvoy. “There’s beauty and horror. The personalities have been living underground, and the look of the inside of Kevin’s house reveals this. The Beast teaches them that they don’t have to live like that anymore. Dennis and Patricia bond with the girls, who begin to hear about the Beast, whom they don’t want to see. Patricia has a feminine connection with the girls, which the lead girl, Casey, tries to exploit. Hedwig has a juvenile attraction to Casey.”

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McAvoy did research into DID and split personalities before he started work on Split, which began filming in Pennsylvania in the fall of 2015. Betty Buckley plays Dr. Fletcher, a psychologist who tries to help Kevin combine his various personalities into a single being. “I did research into DID, which I definitely believe is for real,” says McAvoy. “I don’t believe that people with DID are, in most cases, exaggerating or faking their symptoms. What I learned is that some DID personalities keep diaries , with one alter ego writing to another one, just so they can keep track of different parts of their lives. The personalities have different views about Dr. Fletcher and how they should be treated. Sometimes one personality pretends to be someone else in Dr. Fletcher’s presence. Dr. Fletcher is never sure what’s going on, which is how the audience will feel. Fletcher fights for them and tries to prove that DID does exist.”

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McAvoy describes Split as a fun, intense, scary thriller with elements of black humor. “The most disturbing, frightening aspect of the film for the audience might be the sight of me in a dress, wearing lipstick,” jokes McAvoy. “There’s great tension in the film, and then Night finds a way to alleviate that tension at different points. Some of the alter egos are fun, interesting people to be around, and some aren’t.”

McAvoy has high praise for Shyamalan. “I’ve worked with several writer-directors so far, and Night is definitely one of the best,” says McAvoy. “He controls his films, and he takes possession of the story and every element of the process. He draws the entire film before he starts shooting, and he brings his vision from the drawing board to the screen. Night has a plan, and he carries it out throughout the filming. He also lets you in on what he’s doing, which builds a sense of trust. I’m getting old now, and I’m more and more willing to just do what a director tells me. Technically, Night is also way up there. He understands every aspect of the camera. He’s all over everything.”

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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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