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‘Outcast’ Season Two: ‘Ramped-up FX’ says Conor McCullagh

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Detached arms, severed torsos and bloody teeth. No this isn’t a crime scene, it’s Conor McCullagh’s work desk in which he creates practical special effects for some of the movie industry’s biggest directors, producers and studios.

Conor tells us a little bit about his current projects which include the next season of critically acclaimed Cinemax exclusive “Outcast” and work-in-progress indie “Faceless.”

That’s the thing about Conor though, he will take on any project whether it be independent film or a big blockbuster movie such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”

His company, “Nightmares Etc,” dissolved in 2013, worked on some of the most iconic horror movie villains in history, from Chucky to Freddy and beyond.

He helped bring “The Hunger Games” franchise to life; his work on “Mockingjay Part 1” garnered him an award.

Conor is always busy. And that’s good for us.

FX master Conor McCullagh talks season

Cinemax

The artist’s latest venture, as mentioned before, is the graphic-novel-turned horror series “Outcast,” a project from the creators of “The Walking Dead.”

With one season in the can, fans have been wondering when it’s sophomore year will premiere. Cinemax of course, is not spouting out any details of season two, but Conor talked to us about some of the things devotees can expect.

“Outcast” follows the chronically possessed Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit) and his attempts to exorcise the demons which haunt the residents of his hometown Rome, West Virginia.

“Right now, the producers aren’t giving anything away,” he told iHorror. “So it would be unwise for me to get into how the story is evolving, but we do learn a lot more about what’s happening in the town of Rome, and how Kyle Barnes is connected to it.”

As most possession storylines go, there’s plenty of room for Conor to do his magic and season one is filled with his oleaginous handiwork, but we wanted to know about season two, he says get ready for even more repulsion.

“The production has definitely ramped up on the FX,” said Conor, “This season, we brought in Justin Raleigh’s company, Fractured FX, to help with the workload. On season one, I was kind of a one-man department, bringing additional help on a few episodes as needed.”

The Fractured FX team have worked on some of the most critically acclaimed horror movies in recent history: Insidious, The Conjuring, Dark Skies and recently the undervalued Incarnate.

Season two of Outcast, Conor says won’t be for the faint of heart.

“The producers wanted dead bodies, surgery torsos, and a little more graphic makeup effects all the way around,” he explained to us. “Fractured FX is located in LA and was able to do life casts of actors before they flew out to shoot, as well as take on the bigger gags that I would never be able to wrangle on a television schedule.”

In true Hollywood fashion mums the word for big name projects being produced for the large or small screen. His next job is one such production. He didn’t spill the beans, but he did give us a hint.

“Sadly, I cannot go into details about my next project, other than to say I’ll be working for an amazing artist and friend, Mike Marino,” Conor revealed. “His company (Prosthetic Renaissance) has gained a lot of press for the amazing makeups he designs for Heidi Klum, each Halloween. Obviously, I’m very excited!”

The award-winning artist worked on the delayed-release movie “Faceless,” as the key prosthetics sculpturer, but he can’t tell us why that movie hasn’t seen the light of day.

“Hmmm, what can I say about Faceless?” Conor said. “Well it was a smaller indie film that my close friend Megan Areford was department head of. I was brought into design and create a multitude of prosthetics needed for the show. The story is centered around facial transplant surgery, so there were a lot of different looks. At this point, I have no idea what happened to the film. We shot that almost two years ago.”

Cinemax has not given an official announcement about the premiere of “Outcast” season two, only to say that it is “coming soon.” Some have speculated that they want to wait until the end “The Walking Dead” season seven.

Even though Conor can’t give anything away about the plot line, it’s the perfect time to binge on all 10 episodes of “Outcast’s” first season streaming on Amazon and Cinemax’s on-demand app Max Go.

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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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