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Rob Grant and Mike Kovac Take Us Inside ‘Fake Blood’

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Fake Blood is a horror documentary unlike anything we’ve seen with a hook that is downright unsettling, and it all began when the filmmakers, Rob Grant and Mike Kovac, received a video from an ardent fan re-enacting a scene from their filmĀ Mon Ami in a seemingly real-life situation.

They were unnerved by the disturbing tone of the video and questions began to form in their minds.

Were they hypocrites for creating violent content for film when they had both led relatively safe lives? Is film violence anything at all like real violence, and if so, does film violence cause or exacerbate real violence?

“I remember asking my mom who was an emergency room nurse for 20 years and whose favorite film isĀ Pulp Fiction–she thinks it’s hilarious–if she thought that film violence and real violence were related in any way,” Mike said. “She actually laughed and said ‘Oh, there’s no connection at all!'”

They decided the questions needed answering, but it would still take time before their project would come to fruition as Rob and Mike told iHorror in a recent interview.

“It was almost two years ago but it would always be in the back of my mind bugging me,” Rob explained, “and then a little while ago our producer, Mike Peterson, said he could probably get some cash together for us to go and explore this.”

So, with the monetary backing and a basic outline instead of a script, the two set out to create what would becomeĀ Fake Blood.

“I can honestly say that there was no pretense when we were filming as far as what was expected,” Mike said. “We were trying to go off of honesty.”

Honesty led the two to interesting places during the film, especially when Rob decided they needed to experience some real violence, even if it was in a controlled environment. Together, they headed off to a dojo to meet with a friend who is trained in martial arts and was willing to give Rob a touch of pain.

“My intention was 100 percent to get in there and make it a wake-up call for me,” Rob laughed. “I already have concussion issues from playing hockey when I was younger so when he gave me that upper-cut you see in the film it rang my bell for real!”

As the project progressed, they began to bring together different elements to create this unusual film including some rather unsettling re-enactments of a supposed real life crime, but it was a point made by one of the re-enactment actors in an interview that caught both men off guard when he alluded to the fact that romantic comedies had messed him up far more than any horror movie ever had.

“I don’t think I could have written that as well as that came out,” Mike said.

“Those interviews kind of became the crux in the editing room because of that kind of insight,” Rob explained. “It became a big theme so that we could cut in and out of the re-enactments because I felt like it starts to get difficult to remember whatā€™s real and what isnā€™t and I think that beyond the actual storyline itself, it was kind of important to make the audience feel the same way that we do ourselves sometimes when someone has committed one of these terrible crimes based on inspiration from other movies. That ambiguity is fun.”

The editing room for a film without a script was its own mountain to climb, as the filmmakers would soon find out with a whole new question looming: Is the film even done?

“I’ve never edited something like this before,” Rob explained. “Thatā€™s why both Mikes get a writing credit too because thereā€™s so much stuff you kind of have to shape otherwise thereā€™s no specific direction, and that was very helpful having their input after the fact. Especially having to do a narration that was self-critical.”

“I think there was some solace in knowing that we weren’t going to get a definitive answer,” Mike conceded. “It’s an ongoing conversation that we jumped into; the question is very old.”

Unfortunately, Mike is right. As we’ve seen in only the last few days from the White House, there will always be people who point fingers at violence on film and in video games in the wake of real violence, and many are waiting to jump on board that bandwagon.

In the face of such challenges, it could be that films likeĀ Fake Blood will become even more important, even if traditional horror audiences and festivals haven’t been as open to the experience.

“The debate we’ve seen and heard over whether the film is real or not is kind of funny to me,” Rob laughed. “It kind of means that to an extent people want the violence to be real and what does that say about us? Some people seem to have gotten offended by the grey area of it.”

“I think it’s important to get eyes on it and to self-evaluate,” Mike agreed. “We didn’t invent violent stories; they’ve been there forever and they will continue long after us.”

Fake Blood is available on Amazon and other VOD services.

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Childhood Memories Collide in New Horror Film ‘Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble’

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It looks like ITN Studious and Jagged Edge Productions are going the Avengers: Infinity War route with their upcoming film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. From the deranged mind of Rhys Frake-Waterfield (Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey) comes this belligerent mash up of beloved childhood icons.

According to an article out of Variety today, Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will consist of Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, The Mad Hatter, and Sleeping Beauty. All of these iconic figured will be warped into nightmarish versions of their former selves. Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble is set to be released upon the world sometime in 2025.

Poohniverse

Actor-producer Scott Chambers (Malevolent) had the following to say about Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. “As horror fans, we would love an Avengers that is all villains. Itā€™d have Freddy Krueger, Jason, ā€˜Halloween,ā€™ ā€˜Scream,ā€™ all of those. Obviously that will never happen, but we can make it happen in our own little way, and thatā€™s where this film has been born.ā€

Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will be a part of The Twisted Childhood Universe. Just like the MCU, each character will first get a standalone film. After introductions are made, they will be reunited in an Avengers style film. Although they will be killing off the survivors from the previous films, they won’t be working together.

Chambers describes this as an “epic sequences of monster vs. monster.ā€ And I don’t know what more fans could ask of the studio. This fantastical idea is a huge risk but Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble sounds amazing.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Check back here for more updates on Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. If you haven’t already, check out the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 below.

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Blumhouse’s ‘The Wolf Man’ Reboot Kicks Off Production with Leigh Whannell at the Helm

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Blumhouse Productions has officially commenced filming its reboot of the Universal Monsters legend, “Wolf Man”. Under the direction of Leigh Whannell, known for his acclaimed work on “The Invisible Man” (2020), the project promises to breathe new life into the iconic tale. The film is slated for a theatrical release on October 25th, marking a new chapter in the storied franchise.

Wolf Man

The journey of a “Wolf Man” reboot began in 2020 when actor Ryan Gosling presented a fresh take on the classic story to Universal. This concept quickly evolved into a screenplay crafted by the talented duo Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, who are known for their work on “Orange Is the New Black,” alongside contributions from Whannell and Corbett Tuck. The narrative is set in contemporary times, drawing inspiration from the atmospheric tension of Jake Gyllenhaalā€™s “Nightcrawler,” albeit with a distinct supernatural twist.

The film has seen its share of directorial and casting shifts, with Whannell initially signing on to direct in 2020, only to step away and then return to the project after Ryan Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance exited. The lead roles have been filled by Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, both of whom bring significant talent to the screen. Abbott portrays a man whose family faces the terror of a lethal predator, with Garner likely playing his wife, sharing in the familial peril. The storyline also hints at a daughter named Ginger, adding a layer of depth to the family’s harrowing experience.

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott

This reboot represents a collaboration between Blumhouse and Motel Movies, with Jason Blum producing. Ryan Gosling remains involved as an executive producer, alongside Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell himself. The announcement of the film’s production start was made by Jason Blum, who shared an exciting glimpse of Whannell on set, signaling the beginning of what is hoped to be a memorable addition to the horror genre.

As the “Wolf Man” reboot moves forward, fans and newcomers alike are eager to see how this modern interpretation will pay homage to its roots while offering a fresh and thrilling experience. With a talented cast and crew at the helm, the film is poised to reintroduce the timeless tale of transformation and terror to a new generation.

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‘Immaculate’ Stars Reveal Which Horror Villains They Would “F, Marry, Kill”

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Sydney Sweeney is just coming off the success of her rom-com Anyone But You, but she’s ditching the love story for a horror story in her latest film Immaculate.

Sweeney is taking Hollywood by storm, portraying everything from a love-lusting teenager in Euphoria to an accidental superhero in Madame Web. Although the latter got a lot of hate among theater-goers, Immaculate is getting the polar opposite.

The film was screened at SXSW this past week and was well-received. It also gained a reputation for being extremely gory. Derek Smith of Slant says the, “final act contains some of the most twisted, gory violence this particular subgenre of horror has seen in years…”

Thankfully curious horror movie fans won’t have to wait long to see for themselves what Smith is talking about as Immaculate will hit theaters across the United States on March, 22.

Bloody Disgusting says that the movie’s distributor NEON, in a bit of marketing smarts, had stars Sydney Sweeney and Simona Tabasco play a game of “F, Marry, Kill” in which all their choices had to be horror movie villains.

It’s an interesting question, and you might be surprised at their answers. So colorful are their responses that YouTube slapped an age-restricted rating on the video.

Immaculate is a religious horror movie that NEON says stars Sweeney, “as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Ceciliaā€™s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.”

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