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Peter Sullivan Talks Stan Lee and “The Sandman”

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When Peter Sullivan was casting around for an idea for his new film, The Sandman, he didn’t just want to make a standard boogeyman movie.  In fact, after researching boogeymen from all around the world, it occurred to him that perhaps the way to go was to take a character whose lore wasn’t menacing at all and create a new monster all together.

“I don’t know if I heard the song on the radio, or how it suddenly occurred to me,” the writer/director explains.  “But suddenly the idea of the Sandman struck me, and I immediately began developing the script.”

It’s not a new concept, really.  The Tooth Fairy, the Gingerbread Man, Rumpelstilskin, and even Pinocchio have been given the horror treatment in the past.  What sets The Sandman apart from these other films lies in the powerful little girl who brings him to life.

“From the beginning, we had this discussion about our central character, Madison,” Sullivan says.  “We can give her a sinister power, but does that mean she’s evil herself?  You think of her like the Incredible Hulk.  The Hulk is a monster, but his human side isn’t at all.”

In his exploration of this idea, Sullivan realized that he was really writing an origin story, one that wouldn’t be out of place in the X-Men universe.  The story opened a door for the director that he’d wanted to walk through for a long time when Stan Lee, himself, came aboard as a producer.

“”We’ve been looking to do a project with Stan Lee for a while, now, and this seemed like just the right thing,” he says.  “It basically asks the question of what you would do if you had a super power you couldn’t control and there was no Professor Xavier around to help you.”

Mr. Lee quickly agreed to the project and before long, the other necessary elements began to fall into place in the shape of two horror icons and one very special actor to play Sullivan’s monster.

“We had a working relationship with Tobin Bell from a movie we’d done together before called Ominous,”  Sullivan pointed out about the star of the hugely successful Saw franchise.  “He was front and center in my mind when I was writing the character of Valentine.  He’s very ambiguous and Tobin plays that type of character extremely well.”

For the role of Dr. Amanda Elliot, the psychiatrist who has spent her career studying children with special abilities, Sullivan lucked out again with Amanda Wyss.  The actress who broke into the horror scene with the role of Tina in A Nightmare on Elm Street, seemed a perfect fit to Sullivan.  After all, the Sandman is a creature of dreams turned nightmare in his story and he and the actress both saw it as coming full circle.

It was in the casting of Mick Ignis as the titular creature, however, that the film really came together.

Mick Ignis (Instagram)

“When we were first discussing the role, we were going to use a stuntmen,” he says.  “But then Mick was brought to my attention and I brought him in.  After talking to him for about an hour, I just knew that he was the one who should play this role.”

Ignis, who you might have seen on “Stan Against Evil”, has a complete passion for playing creatures and brings more than expected to his roles.  Sullivan praised Ignis for disappearing into the role and also for his dedication and excitement about the film.

“He loves the process.  He’s like a kid in a candy store!  Everyday I’m getting texts from him about something he’s seen about the film and how excited he is.  He really has a terrific passion for what he does.”

When all the elements came together, Sullivan was able to create a film he can’t wait for you to see.  The Sandman will air on Syfy on October 14th with a DVD release after the first of the year.

Mark your calendars and don’t miss the premiere of this fun creature feature!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC5ygditmDs

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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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