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New ‘Artik’ Featurette Digs in to that Beast of a Torture Chair

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We had recently shared a trailer for Artik, the upcoming film that follows a violent, volatile, comic book obsessed serial killer in his quest to find someone worthy of surviving his wrath.

One of the trailer’s elements that really stood out (for me, at least) is that homemade, ergonomic nightmare of a torture chair. After just an hour in that thing I’d need to crack my back like it’s a damn glow stick.

The newest featurette for the upcoming film focuses entirely on that metal monstrosity, giving all the in-depth details you’d need to know. Time to strap in.

Speaking with iHorror, production designer Chris Scott shed some light on Artik’s use of the (100% handmade) chair.

“It can be adjusted to fit any victim. It has an adjustable seat height, adjustable spine length and adjustable head restraint, each with pivot points allowing the victim to be positioned in multiple angles and spinal rotations.” Scott said, “Metal chain, shackles, barbed wire and straps keep Artik’s victims where he wants them”.

Director Tom Botchii explained it as “Artik’s proving ground. If you live through it, maybe there’s something special about you”.

Botchii also revealed that – after a last-minute change – production designer Chris Scott designed and physically built the chair in less than 24 hours using salvaged tractor parts and farm equipment. The end result is an absolute beast that perfectly fits with the rusted rural aesthetic.

Botchii said, “Chris Scott’s effort was already crazy impressive, and a good example of why indie films have more heart than the mainstream stuff you see everywhere. But, to do it all in a day… man, he really deserves a lot of credit. The industry deserves more production designers like him”.

Scott gave a bit more detail on the chair’s design and building process.

I sketched the first and only design sketch with a waitress’s pen on a scrap of paper while eating at Denny’s, 10:00 on a Friday night.” Scott said, “By midnight I was walking a salvage yard with a flashlight looking for parts to make the chair. Before going to sleep I had a clear picture in mind of what I was going to make. I knew exactly which parts I wanted to work with”.

Thankfully, Scott and his team had some help along the way. “Aaron Ward, the very gracious salvage yard owner was my primary assistant and a key factor in helping us get The Chair made in the manner we made it. He granted us full access to his scrap yard and metal shop where we worked late into the night with the crew.”

Artik stars indie genre favorites Chase Williamson (SiREN, John Dies at the End, The Guest), Lauren Ashley Carter (Jug Face, Darling, The Women), and Matt Mercer (Contracted, Contracted: Phase II, Beyond the Gates), with Jerry G. Angelo (Warfighter) as the titular villain.

The story centers around a family-run sunflower farm, where comic-book obsessed serial killer Artik (Jerry G. Angelo), his life partner Flin (Lauren Ashley Carter), and their family of foster kids are on the hunt for the ultimate comic-book hero. Until Holton (Chase Williamson), an Al-Anon attending straight edge, punk purist, comes between them.

You can watch the in-depth breakdown of The Chair in the featurette below, and keep a keen eye out for Artik.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPQqkAuVkvk&feature=youtu.be

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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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