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Jeffrey Reddick: The Gay Man who Taught Horror Fans a New Way to Fear Death

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**Editor’s Note: Jeffrey Reddick: The Gay Man who Taught Horror Fans a New Way to Fear Death is a continuation of iHorror’s Horror Pride Month celebrating the LGBTQ community and their contributions to horror.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw Final Destination.

I had gone to my local movie theater, a small three screen set-up where the price of admission topped out at $4 and on Tuesdays you could get in for 50 cents. It was opening weekend and I headed to the theater as soon as I got off work.

I got inside and was excited when I ran into a friend who was very excited to see me because he was on one of the most awkward dates of his life!

We settled into that broken down theater that I loved so much and that familiar rush of anticipation for a new horror movie hit me as the lights dimmed. Devon Sawa soon filled the screen and I was completely drawn in as he and his friends cheated Death only to be picked off one at a time as He returned to settle the score.

I returned to the theater a couple of times to see the film, and it became my favorite of that year. I also went to work tracking down as much info as I could about the people who created it.

That was when I discovered Jeffrey Reddick. It would be a few more years before I discovered that the man who wrote my favorite film of the year 2000 was gay, as well, but at the ripe young age of 23 he had already made an impact on my life.

Seriously, every time I tripped or some weird accident happened for several months after that first viewing the thought “Is that you, Death?” would run through my head, and because of the first sequel, I still won’t drive behind one of those big ass logging trucks.

Eventually, I did discover that not only was Reddick an out and proud gay man, but that he was also from a small rural town in Eastern Kentucky that probably had an old movie theater just like the one where I’d seen his first film.

It’s hard to describe what that meant to me, then. I was an out and still struggling to be really proud gay man living in the sticks of East Texas and the connection to this man and his work just seemed alive to me. It also gave me hope that maybe, someday, I could contribute to the genre that I loved so much.

Reddick’s story is one that’s hard to believe.

At 14 years old, he wrote a letter to Bob Shaye at New Line Cinema with a story idea for a prequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street which Shaye promptly returned to him saying he could not accept unsolicited material.

Not to be defeated, young Reddick wrote back telling Shaye that he’d paid good money to see the man’s films and the least he could do was read the story. To his surprise, Shaye did, and sent it back with notes on how it could be improved.

For the next five years, Reddick, Shaye, and Shaye’s assistant Joy Mann would write numerous letters back and forth and when he was 19 years old, the young man from Kentucky started his internship at New Line.

It was during his time there that he read a story about a young woman who had escaped what would most certainly have been death in a plane crash after her mother called to warn her she had a bad feeling about the flight.

The seed from that article would grow into what ultimately became Final Destination. His idea of Death with a capital “D” as a force of nature weaving a pattern for the end of each and every life on the planet sparked the imagination of audiences, and spawned a franchise that would produce four sequels.

Eventually, Reddick left New Line, but he continued to write interesting horror films like Tamara and the recently released Dead Awake, and in that time, he’s never ceased fighting for the inclusion of minorities in his work even though studio execs continue to balk citing the difficulty of selling those films overseas.

As he told me in an interview in 2017, “An action movie starring Will Smith? No problem. But a horror film with a black leading actor or actress runs into problems every time. But I’ve been explaining for years that if you cast an African American leading actor or actress in a horror film, horror fans will see it so long as it’s good. That’s the key.”

His tenacity extends to including LGBTQ characters, as well, though he’s met with the same kind of push back from producers, agents, and actors.

It’s hard not to respect a man who keeps working and chipping away at those walls, even when they sometimes seem insurmountable, but then again, he’s starting to get some real results.

Perhaps due to the success of last year’s Get Out, or perhaps because people are just finally paying attention, Reddick’s feature film Superstition: The Rule of 3’s is currently in production.

The film, which takes place on a college campus and plays on the old saying that “death comes in threes,” stars a cast filled with African American and Latino actors and actresses like Ludacris, Prince Royce, Terayle Hill, and Lauryn Alisa McClain.

He also spent several months earlier this year working on the popular television show “Midnight, Texas” that not only features a racially diverse cast, but also boasts a prominent gay couple in the mix.

Through it all, Reddick remains true to himself as a writer, enriching the genre with his unique voice.

He once told me that if living his life as a gay man of color in the open positively affected one person, then it would all be worth it.

Well, Jeffrey, I’m sure I’m only one of thousands, but you have certainly been a positive role model for myself, and as I continue to write about the genre and dig deeper into the best of what it has to offer, I offer my humble thanks to the man who continues to inspire me with his work…

…even if it still makes me worry that Death is on my tracks when I trip over my own feet.

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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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