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Interview: ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ director Jake Kasdan

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Jake Kasdan is sensitive to the strong emotional feelings that people hold towards the films they grew up watching.  As the son of legendary filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan, Jake watched his father construct the original Star Wars trilogy alongside George Lucas.  An accomplished filmmaker in his own right, Jake’s latest film is Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, a loose remake of 1995’s Jumanji, which starred the late Robin Williams.  “I think I first saw Jumanji when it was released on home video, and I enjoyed it very much,” says Kasdan.  “What I liked about that film, and still like, is how it mixed genres.  It’s a children’s adventure film, which is funny and scary at different points, and that was the tone I wanted to bring to this film.” 

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle tells the story of four teenagers who discover a vintage video game while cleaning out their high school’s basement.  After playing the game, the quartet is sucked into the game’s wilderness setting, trapped in the body of the avatars they selected when they began playing the game.  Headlining the avatars is The Rock, AKA Dwayne Johnson, who plays Dr. Smolder Bravestone.  Jack Black plays Professor Shelly Oberon, and Kevin Hart plays Franklin “Moose” Finbar.  Recently, I had the chance to speak to Kasdan about his approach to remaking a beloved classic. 

DG: How would you describe the relationship between this film and the 1995 film?

JK:  This film continues with the game from the first film but not the characters from the first film, so, in that sense, it’s more of a sequel than a remake.  What would the game be like today?  That was the approach we took in terms of updating the first film and expanding on the story from the first film.  The game is more challenging in this film; it’s more difficult, and it’s evolved.  This Jumanji seeks out kids, teenagers, and it has a reason for doing this, which is that it wants to show kids, show the players of the game, how to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.  This film continues with the game from the first film but not the characters.  That being said, this film contains all of the elements that people loved, that I loved, in the first film, and I think it’s a fitting tribute to the original film and to Robin Williams. 

DG: What did Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and The Rock bring to this film, to their characters, that maybe you weren’t expecting?

JK: They have such distinctive personalities, and we actually wrote the characters for them after I joined the project.  We almost had to change this when it looked like The Rock wasn’t going to be able to do the film because of a scheduling conflict.  Luckily, the other film that The Rock was committed to starring in was pushed back, so we were able to build the main character around Dwayne.  We wanted Kevin and Jack to be alongside Dwayne very badly, and when we knew we had all three of them, we built the characters around them, and everything just fell into place after that. 

DG: How did the three of them work together?

JK: They improvised dialogue at times, which was great because they all know themselves as actors, know their personas, so well, and they’re very comfortable in their own skin. 

DG: As this is described as being an adventure-comedy film, how do you make an action-adventure film funny and vice-versa?

JK: You approach those elements entirely separately.  When we were shooting the comedic scenes, I was making a comedy film, and it was the same with the action-adventure scenes.  I wanted those scenes to be intense and frightening.  When you’re working with The Rock, who’s probably the biggest action film star in the world right now, you have to create action sequences that are worthy of his physical presence, because that’s what people expect.  When The Rock is fighting a creature in this film, there has to be a sense of danger. 

DG: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the filming?

JK:  We filmed primarily in Hawaii, in a rain forest, and being in an actual location, experiencing the raw physicality that’s inherent when you’re standing in an authentic location, established a strong sense of reality for the cast and crew.  Because of that, it was much easier to work with the digital effects than it would have been if we’d created the entire world digitally.  We spent several months making the film, and I think I knew on the first day, seeing the actors on location, seeing them in their costumes, that this was going to turn out well. 

DG: Besides the film’s box office performance, how do you hope that people will respond to this film?

JK: I want people to react to this film the same way I did when I was a kid and saw so many films that made a big impression on me.  I want this to be the kind of film that today’s kids will remember, years later, when they look back at the films they grew up with. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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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