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7 Animated Horror Films That Would Give Kids Nightmares

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Incredibles 2 comes out in a couple weeks offering yet another family-friendly theatrical release for parents to rejoice over. But what if Hollywood animation studios gave the horror community a little love too with some creepy, stylish films?

Thankfully, there are indie filmmakers stepping outside the box to show us animation’s potential for the horror genre. Here is a devilish list of both upcoming and currently available short animated horror films that would give any kid nightmares.

La Noria (TBA 2018)

La Noria is a story about a little boy, who, after experiencing a terrible loss, comes face-to-face with some horrific, otherworldly creatures. The film’s stunningly creepy trailer will make you wish more animated studio films dared to go dark.

Carlos Baena’s passion project features jaw-dropping, atmospheric visuals and a heartfelt personal story for something truly special. Baena is leading a collaboration of international industry professionals, who have worked on films like Let the Right One In, The Orphanage, Pan’s Labyrinth, Finding Nemo, Rio, and many more. We’ll be keeping an eye out for an official release date, which is set for later this year!

Check out our previous article on La Noria for more info! Watch the teaser below, and support the project on Indiegogo:

Other Lily (2015)

Other Lily is a scary tale about a girl who suffers from sleep paralysis. Lily soon realizes the apparition that torments her at night may be more than just a figment of her imagination. The short film directed and animated by David Romero demonstrates you don’t need a big budget or crew to make one creepy animated short. The sketchy, hand-drawn animation really lends itself to the film’s charm and creep-factor.

We also covered the short film Paralys in a previous article, which showed audiences the nightmarish visions sleep paralysis sufferers may endure. Be sure to check that one out as well!

Season’s Greetings (1996)

Speaking of 2D animation, here is a throwback to the cartoons many of us grew up on as kids. Sam invaded writer/director Michael Dougherty’s mind long before his quintessential Halloween film Trick ‘r Treat. The imp made a much earlier appearance in Dougherty’s senior thesis animated film Season’s Greetings at New York University.

In the short film, Sam is out trick or treating under the guise of a normal kid in a costume, when he runs into a shadowy stranger. Hopefully Dougherty doesn’t make us wait too much longer for Trick ‘r Treat 2.

Geist (2015)

A shipwrecked sailor wakes up on the beach, and seeks shelter from the violent storm at a nearby vacant house. As the weary man takes refuge by a warm fire with the rain pouring down outside, he soon suspects he may not be alone.

I really can’t say enough about how much I absolutely love Geist by writer/directors Ben Harper, Sean Mullen, and Alex Sherwood. This poignant haunted house film is an emotional roller coaster that will give you chills in more ways than one.

Witness (2015)

A tormented man attempts to track down a mysterious killer to avenge his wife’s murder. But he’s led to a shocking discovery after closing in on his suspect.

Witness by Alexandre Berger, Christ Ibovy, and Hugo Rizzon is the type of psychological thriller you’d normally see in a live-action David Fincher film. However, the uncommon juxtaposition of animation telling a seedy revenge tale elevates the material in a more artful, dreamlike way.

Midnight Story (2016)

Riff and Alternate Studio bring us this spooky animated horror short where a young girl learns there are more frightening things than monsters in story books. Midnight Story isn’t light on subtext either, providing a deeper commentary about broken homes. The film is an intense haunted house ride that mixes impressive 2D drawings and 3D animation.

It’s definitely some of the creepier visuals you’ll find in an animated horror short. One startling moments is reminiscent of the short film Mama, which was adapted into the 2013 feature length film by IT director Andy Muschietti.

The Backwater Gospel (2011)

When the undertaker comes to town to claim a life, a belligerent holy man rallies the paranoid locals to rid themselves of a tramp. This stylish horror western directed by Bo Mathorne is brutal, bloody, and cool as all hell.

The short plays out like a Stephen King novel told in under 10 minutes. The Backwater Gospel’s graphic novel-esque visuals take the story to another level in a way live-action just can’t replicate.

Do you have any favorite horror shorts? Post them in the comments below, and tell us what you thought of these awesome films!

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film

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The Blair Witch Project Cast

Jason Blum is planning to reboot The Blair Witch Project for the second time. That’s a fairly large task considering none of the reboots or sequels have managed to capture the magic of the 1999 film that brought found footage into the mainstream.

This idea has not been lost on the original Blair Witch cast, who has recently reached out to Lionsgate to ask for what they feel is fair compensation for their role in the pivotal film. Lionsgate gained access to The Blair Witch Project in 2003 when they purchased Artisan Entertainment.

Blair witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast

However, Artisan Entertainment was an independent studio before its purchase, meaning the actors were not part of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, the cast are not entitled to the same residuals from the project as actors in other major films. The cast doesn’t feel that the studio should be able to continue to profit off of their hard work and likenesses without fair compensation.

Their most recent request asks for “meaningful consultation on any future ‘Blair Witch’ reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc., in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

The blair witch project

At this time, Lionsgate has not offered any comment about this issue.

The full statement made by the cast can be found below.

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Heather, Michael & Josh, stars of “The Blair Witch Project”):

1. Retroactive + future residual payments to Heather, Michael and Josh for acting services rendered in the original BWP, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.

2. Meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc…, in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.

Note: Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far un-utilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k grant (the budget of our original movie), paid out yearly by Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making theirfirst feature film. This is a GRANT, not a development fund, hence Lionsgate will not own any of the underlying rights to the project.

A PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTORS & PRODUCERS OF “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT”:

As we near the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, our pride in the storyworld we created and the film we produced is reaffirmed by the recent announcement of a reboot by horror icons Jason Blum and James Wan.

While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams. As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

We celebrate our film’s legacy, and equally, we believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise.

Sincerely, Eduardo Sanchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello

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