Severed Toys and Stockholm Kartell have teamed up to bring their Mörk Borg RPG to life with four brand-new, seven-inch, fully articulated action figures. Based on the Mörk Borg book's iconic cover art, "The Dread Risen figure is the perfect frightening, gritty representation of the game that's sure to appeal to RPG fans and toy collectors alike."

"Stockholm Kartell’s Mörk Borg is an independent roleplaying game inspired by Black Metal music that has gained a cult following with fans and collaborators all over the world. With nearly 2,000 third-party publications supporting the game, the creative community has built the brand into one of the most successful open-license RPGs."

Having just launched their new Kickstarter, Severed Toys owner Justin Sirois shared an essay with us, discussing the magic of Mörk Borg and the new venture into Mörk Borg Universe action figures:

Dread Risen is the Perfect Figure to Represent the Mörk Borg Universe by Justin Sirois

From the day Mörk Borg (Dark Fort in Swedish) hit the scene, the character on the cover was seared into the minds of both indie and mainstream players. It’s really difficult to unsee. Most roleplaying game companies hire artists to create lush, full-color covers with multiple characters battling dragons and other iconic beasts. They assume players want obvious action before they even open the book.

Mörk Borg broke all those rules. The cover is deceptively simple. It’s a black and white drawing of a skeleton with an unusual animal head. Behind it is the title of the game so large that it bleeds off the cover and is even difficult to read. Form over function, in a way. It begs you to look closer and when you do, the magic really happens. The production value of the core rulebook is unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Foil interior pages, a custom printed ribbon, debossed cover with a glow-in-the-dark spine. The graphic design is frenetic and sometimes confrontational, just like the text it encapsulates. And all for this seemingly humble undead skeleton slinking on the cover. Who is this creature… and who the heck created this wretched game?

I feel like those questions persist even though we know the answers. Mörk Borg remains somewhat of a mystery because of its simplicity. It allows game masters and players to insert themselves into the world because they are allowed to fill in the blanks. There’s not too much exposition. Nothing is overwritten. This is why well-known writers like Brian Evenson are creating projects for the game system. The bleakness draws people in, but the mystery keeps them lingering. 

Dread rises from the very pages of the book. No creature is safe. Death is imminent. So why not bring Dread Risen to life so it can live (undead?) on fan’s shelves? The unconventionality of the character spoke to me right away. A hunched and filthy skeleton with battered and bloody weapons. Where most game companies would put a hero on their cover, here comes a vile enemy. There’s no question who the star is here… its death. And it’s coming for you. 

Pelle Nilsson and Johan Nohr masterfully give their audience just enough to entice them and allow their imaginations to take flight. That’s part of the Mörk Borg magic. Literally thousands of projects have been created in the past four years by fans who were inspired to create their own content. With Mörk Borg’s open license, Pelle and Johan openly invite people to create, collaborate, and continue the cult. I think they picked the perfect “thing” for their debut book’s cover—a shadowy threat not just to players, but to the tabletop game industry at large. They are saying, “We’re here, lurking, with talent dripping from our filthy nails, and we cannot be ignored.” 

We hope that Dread Risen turns even more people on to Mörk Borg as the cult grows and more people are inspired to create their own content. For us, it’s about fostering a healthy and inviting community of makers. Adapting the iconic character from the cover of the book is a way to celebrate Mörk Borg's lasting appeal.

"Severed Toys is proud to present four action figure variants, including Dread Risen (Standard edition), Blood Drenched, Glow-in-the-Dark, and Cursed (Fully Blacked Out edition). All four of the action figure variants will come with an original zine by Johan Nohr and Pelle Nilsson, creators of Mörk Borg.

Backers who pledge in the first 48 hours will also get a free exclusive Flanged Mace weapon for their figure. The Kickstarter campaign will have additional weapons packs as stretch goals as well as upgrades to the zine printing, and bonus items like large embroidered patches and tabletop game miniatures. Retail incentives for online shops and brick-and-mortar stores include one free Flanged Mace with each figure on the Kickstarter."

To learn more, visit the Kickstarter campaign at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/justinsirois/mork-borg-action-figure-w-zine-by-stockholm-kartell/

The post Exclusive: Justin Sirois’ Essay Explains Why Dread Risen is the Perfect Figure to Represent the Mörk Borg Universe appeared first on Daily Dead.

Starring Hiftu Quasem, Lauren Lyle, and Natalie Mitson, Something in the Water will be released in the US on May 3rd, but we have a clip you can watch right now!

"An idyllic destination wedding turns into a battle for survival in this emotionally fraught, action thriller. SOMETHING IN THE WATER follows Meg (Hiftu Quasem, Ten Percent), who tentatively attends the wedding of old friend Lizzie (Lauren Lyle, Outlander) in the Caribbean along with fellow pals Cam (Nicole Rieko Setsuko, Eavesdropping) and Ruth (Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart, One Four Three), plus her former partner Kayla (Natalie Mitson, The Larkins) who she parted ways with after both survived a deeply traumatic event."

• Starring: Hiftu Quasem, Lauren Lyle, Natalie Mitson, Nicole Rieko Setsuko, Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart
• Directed by: Hayley Easton Street
• Written by: Cat Clark

The post “Fear Finds New Depths” in Exclusive Clip from SOMETHING IN THE WATER appeared first on Daily Dead.

GlobalComix continues to add new publishers to their roster, and Vault Comics is the latest to join the digital comic book service. Not only are they bringing over their entire catalog to GlobalComix, but their most popular titles have been converted to the mobile-optimized "vertical scroll format," to introduce Vault's top stories to an all-new audience:

"GlobalComix, the digital home for the top independent publishers and emerging creators, has added acclaimed indie publisher Vault Comics’ story catalog to its growing library of digital graphic fiction. Also available today, GlobalComix has translated six of Vault’s most popular titles, Michael Moreci’s action-fantasy Barbaric, Justin Richards’ YA superhero epic Finger Guns, Christopher Cantwell’s sci-fi superhero series The Blue Flame, Tim Seeley and Sarah Beattie’s sexy space adventure Money Shot, David Andry’s sci-fi epic Resonant, and Si Spurrier’s horror western The Rush, into the mobile-optimized vertical scroll format preferred by today’s growing digital native audience, marking the first time that Vault’s biggest titles are available as vertical scroll episodes.

The debut of Barbaric, Finger Guns, The Blue Flame, Money Shot, Resonant, and The Rush in vertical scroll is just the beginning of a larger initiative by GlobalComix to reformat comics from their original standard print format to the more mobile-friendly style to revitalize classic titles and reintroduce them to digitally native readers.

“Vault consistently puts out some of the most exciting horror, fantasy, and science fiction titles in the market and we know our subscribers are going to love diving into their stories,” said Christopher Carter, CEO of GlobalComix. “There is a lot of potential in turning traditionally printed comics into vertical scroll for new digital-native audiences. We’re thrilled that Vault trusted us with translating some of their biggest stories to this format and look forward to readers’ reactions whether they are coming to these titles for the first time or are longtime fans.”

Damian Wassel, CEO of Vault, added, "We are excited to be partnering with GlobalComix to bring readers everywhere a new way to discover and enjoy Vault comics. The GC platform is on the bleeding edge of webcomic presentation and we're proud to have our catalog offered on it."

Vault Comics is an acclaimed publisher of bold science fiction, fantasy, and horror comics known for its hit titles including Barbaric, Money Shot, and Heathen. Vault joins the robust roster of independent publishers available on GlobalComix, including Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Oni Press, AWA Studios, Mad Cave Studios, and others.

To celebrate Vault joining GlobalComix, the platform is running a promotion on its website to receive 50% off a 12-month subscription with the code VAULT50. Incredible titles from Vault Comics and many more are available in the GlobalComix App for iOS and Google Play and on the web.

Join the GlobalComix community and get the most up-to-date information by following us on Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook."

The post Vault Comics Brings Its Full Catalog to GlobalComix appeared first on Daily Dead.

With Chucky Season 3 coming to an end this Wednesday, I had the opportunity to catch up with Don Mancini! We talked all about the second half of Chucky Season 3, including expanding the franchise mythology, writing for the series' recurring characters, and old Chucky's nod to a Mario Bava classic!

Whether it's the films or the TV series, I've always appreciated how you've continued to evolve and expand the mythology in a really organic way. Now in this season, we have old-man Chucky, the afterlife, and more. Can you talk about your approach to expanding the world of Chucky?

Don Mancini: It's a lot of fun! The White House setting is something I've been interested in for a long time, and not even necessarily for a Chucky project. I did a lot of research over the course of several years, and I knew that the White House was a great opportunity for a fairly unique haunted house story. By utilizing the lore of the White House and abstractly what we think of when we think of haunted houses and ghosts and spirits, I could connect that with the Damballa mythology and expand it. It allowed me to approach the supernatural in new ways this season. Now we deal with an alternate reality of where you go after death, and you see that the ghost of Charles Lee Ray is lingering.

Episode seven is one of the most unusual episodes we've ever done because we're using a whole different kind of magic that's going on because we're in a haunted house now, and the ghost of Charles Lee Ray is able to utilize different tools. Before, he was a ghost inhabiting a doll. Now he's a ghost in the ether, and like lots of ghosts, he starts to learn how to operate.

It's been really rewarding to watch Jake, Devon, Lexy evolve as characters over the three seasons. What has the experience been like for you, not just developing these characters, but working with young actors who are growing up over the course of the series?

Don Mancini: I love writing material for actors that I know. I think most writers enjoy that, because it's like when you know them as performers and you know them as people, it just gives you ideas. That's why it's fun for me with Brad Dourif to give him new stuff to do every season. But with the kids, it presents unique opportunities because as you say, they're growing up before our eyes. So it's really interesting to see Zach and Bjorgvin and Aly growing as people and sort of coming into their own as people, as well as actors. And I always try to give them all something big, some challenge. I pitched them a couple of fastballs [in the later episodes] and they hit home runs.

I think people will be really excited to see how they're growing. It was also really fun to write the evolving romance between Jake and Devon. That's something that's been important to me from the beginning of the show, creating those characters and wanting to create gay teenage characters in a horror show for gay horror fans to identify with, because that's something I would've loved to have had when I was a kid. It's great that the world has evolved now where we can do that, so now that the characters and the actors are both 17, 18 years old, it seemed right for them to take this step in their romance. I wanted to do it in the most idyllic way possible, and I wanted to portray that as a fun and joyful event. But also, it's important dramatically because once they become lovers, then as they say to one another, "We're closer than ever." And so the threat of loss is more acute.

It's so impressive to see the creative team evolve Chucky season to season. From the kills to the Chucky designs, how do you approach keeping everything fresh?

Don Mancini: We just sort of follow the character's story. It's really the story that leads us into things like new looks. So for this season, I knew that I wanted on a story level and a character level for Chucky to have to struggle with the thought of aging and dying, and the thought of potentially becoming obsolete in the culture. I thought that that was an amusingly real and universally identifiable existential dilemma. That happens with Chucky a lot over the course of the franchise and it's one of the things people enjoy about him. So that naturally meant that he's going to age now, and I had a very specific thought of how I wanted him to look. There's this Mario Bava TV movie from the '70s, and I can't remember the title of it, but there's this, and it's like this triptych of three different stories, and one of them-

Is it Black Sabbath?

Don Mancini: Yes. That it is! So you know the one where there's that woman within the bed with the blankets here and just that ghastly look, it's so terrifying to me.

It sears in your brain. I can see that image immediately.

Don Mancini: Totally. So I sent stills to Tony and when Chucky's in the bed, that's where that inspiration came from. But not to diminish [the work that went into it], I'll share that one thing to Tony Gardner and say, "Make it look kind of like this and cool." But he really knocked it out of the park, and there were three distinct stages as well. It was creepy.

---

Check out the finale of Chucky Season 3 on Wednesday and check back here Thursday afternoon for my interview with Brad and Fiona Dourif!

The post Interview: Don Mancini Talks CHUCKY Season 3’s Haunted White House, Jake & Devon’s Romance, and Old Chucky’s BLACK SABBATH Inspiration appeared first on Daily Dead.

FROM SEASON 3 Trailer: "FROM unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest – including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. Season Two explores just how far the residents of this nightmarish place are willing to go to find answers, even as chilling new threats to their safety - and their sanity - begin to emerge. 

The series stars Harold Perrineau (Lost) leading an ensemble cast which includes Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace, The Affair), Eion Bailey (Band of Brothers, Once Upon a Time), Hannah Cheramy (Under Wraps, Van Helsing), Simon Webster (Strays), Ricky He (The Good Doctor), Chloe Van Landschoot (Charity, Skin), Corteon Moore (Utopia Falls), Pegah Ghafoori (The Perfect Wedding), David Alpay (Castle Rock), Elizabeth Saunders (Clarice), Elizabeth Moy and Avery Konrad (Honor Society). Season Two added new series regulars including Scott McCord (East of Middle West), Nathan D. Simmons (Diggstown, This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Kaelen Ohm (Hit & Run, Eumenides Falls), Angela Moore (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Maid), AJ Simmons (Reacher) and Deborah Grover (My Next Door Nightmare, Jann).

FROM is created and executive produced by John Griffin (Crater), directed and executive produced by Jack Bender (Lost, Game of Thrones, Mr. Mercedes), and executive produced by Showrunner Jeff Pinkner (Fringe, Alias, Lost). Alongside Pinkner, Griffin and Bender, serving as executive producers are Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Scott Rosenberg from Midnight Radio, Anthony and Joe Russo and Mike Larocca from AGBO and Lindsay Dunn. Midnight Radio’s Adrienne Erickson serves as co-executive producer. The series is internationally distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution. 

FROM seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch on the MGM+ app, anywhere you access MGM+ and on PRIME VIDEO"

---

Writer/Director Christopher Morvant's Award Winning Independent Science Fiction Film, LIFE CYCLE, Comes to Novelization!: "Christopher Morvant's first feature film, Life Cycle, was shot in little under a month in 2021 in a garage in South Orange County, California. Minimal crew was hired due to strict filming policies during the pandemic. Creature Effects, an LA based company that built Vetro the animatronic head, worked attentively to bring this vision to life. Four remote operators worked in unison to convey the myriad of emotions that Vetro expresses throughout his life cycle. The finished product reflects the tenacity and determination of everyone involved both on screen and behind the camera.

In 2023, LIFE CYCLE was awarded Best Indie Sci-Fi Feature Film at Film Threat's Award This! Ceremony. Now, Encyclopocalypse Publications maintains their commitment to preserving cinematic genre history through novelizations with their release of LIFE CYCLE: THE NOVELIZATION—penned by the Writer/Director himself— on December 3rd, 2024. This release also included a short story adaptation of Christopher Morvant's short film NIGHT DRIVE.

LIFE CYCLE follows Carl, a computer programmer living an isolated existence in the remains of his grandparent's basement, has activated the culmination of the past several years of his life's work: An Animatronic Head, complete with artificial intelligence and tasked with the goal of becoming human. Through their conversations, Carl and his creation, Vetro, must endure the obstacles and emotional consequences while trying not to lose themselves.

“It was an honor to work alongside so many creative and talented individuals.” Writer/Director Christopher Morvant reminisces. “They toiled tirelessly to make LIFE CYCLE a reality.”

Mark Alan Miller first caught a glimpse of LIFE CYCLE at the Film Threat Award This! Show, “When I saw glimpses of LIFE CYCLE I was mesmerized. Then it took home the top prize of the night, and I knew I had to see it. There's nothing else like it, and that's exactly the kind of movie that captures my heart and imagination. Chris is a singular voice, and I hope this book leads to more people discovering his incredible, brilliant film.”

Paperback pre-orders in the USA are available directly at encyclopocalypse.com, with International Pre-orders available via Amazon, Waterstones, and Booktopia. There are two versions available: a standard Trade size and a pocket-sized Mass-Market version reflecting the publisher's love of novelizations from the 80s and early 90s.

eBook pre-orders are available for everyone via encyclopocalypse.com and all major online booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

On December 3rd 2024, LIFE CYCLE: THE NOVELIZATION will be available wherever books are sold."

Pre-order Links:

• eBook (US & International): https://www.encyclopocalypse.com/product/life-cycle-ebook/426
• Trade Paperback: https://www.encyclopocalypse.com/product/life-cycle/427
• Retro Mass Market Paperback: https://www.encyclopocalypse.com/product/life-cycle-mm/428

---

ARROW Brings Pandemonium to their Streaming Service - May 2024 Lineup Announced: "Arrow Video is excited to announce the May 2024 lineup of their subscription-based ARROW platform, available to subscribers in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland. Enjoy a selection of new titles, from carefully cultivated curations, shorts by new talent, and deep dives into the tastes of filmmakers whose talents have delighted audiences and shaped genre filmmaking.

The May 2024 lineup leads with the exclusive ARROW release of Quarxx’s French macabre horror PANDEMONIUM, available May 27 in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland.

Drawing on themes found in Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost, Pandemonium is a multi-textured existential fantasy, topped with signature notes of visceral horror, disturbing fairy tale, wry comedy, and dark thriller. From the creative mind of Quarxx, comes this aesthetically stunning and relentlessly macabre tale. Pandemonium made its world premiere at Neuchâtel and went on to screen at Fantasia, Frightfest, Fantasy FilmFest, Sitges, Grimmfest, Trieste and Screamfest and you can see it at home on ARROW with a host of brand new extras!

May Seasons bloom May 3 with Jennifer Reeder Selects (UK/IRE/US/CA).

Jennifer Reeder, director of Perpetrator, Knives and Skin and Night's End shares, "Campy Culty Chaos. Feral Femme Fetish. Glorious Goopy Gore. Nasty Neo Noir.

My list of ARROW Selects range from some undeniable classics by genre auteurs to more recent films from stylish storytellers who are just getting started. Generally, I am drawn to films that are peripherally or directly related to the films I make both in terms of form and content. I am a visual storyteller and I prioritize allegory over reality which is also what I appreciate about the films on this list. Each of these films, for me, is an unrelenting celebration of cinema as a profound form of fine art."

Titles include: Switchblade Sisters, The Sacred Spirit, Lady Morgan’s Vengeance.

Also on May 3, subscribers in all territories can enjoy a pair of underseen violent short films.

The Host (UK/IRE/US/CA): In this tense-as-hell 1960 short from Jack Hill (Coffy, Foxy Brown), Sid Haig (House of 1000 Corpses) plays an on-the-run cowboy who is laying low. But, to remain safe and appease a local tribe, he must commit another terrible crime…

Hill and Haig’s incredible talents were burning bright right from the beginning in an atmospheric, violent debut feature that is not to be missed!

The Adventures of Denchu-Kozo (UK/IRE/US/CA): Hikari is a boy who is bullied at school because he has an electricity pole growing out of his back. One of his classmates named Momo comes to his rescue and he thanks her by sharing his secret possession with her: a time machine. Activating the time machine transports him 25 years into a dark, dystopian, world of the future. There he encounters members of the Shinsengumi Vampire Gang who are hunting a woman named Dr. Sariba who is revealed to be Momo's future self. He and he alone must save the world.

On May 10, head to the fields and forests and watch Cunning Folk (UK/IRE/US/CA).

Cunning Folk is a collection focussing on folklore and folktales, the locals who believe in them and the outsiders who inevitably fall foul of them. If you know what's good for you, you will fear, respect and uphold the Old Ways of the Cunning Folk. Or else...

Titles include: The Wyrm of Bwlch Pen Barras, Threshold, Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji.

On May 10, enjoy a trio of recent additions to the indie horror lexicon.

Legs (UK/IRE/US/CA): Joy and Harry are trying to have a baby. One night, Joy swallows a spider in her sleep. When Joy subsequently develops an insatiable appetite for flies, it dawns on her that there may be more than one way of becoming a mother.

The Afterlife Bureau (UK/IRE/US/CA): "There's something which comes after death and before you meet your maker… paperwork". The Afterlife Bureau is a dark comedy in which brings Earthly nuisances such as bureaucracy to the afterlife.

Ouzo and Blackcurran (UK/IRE/US/CA): Two old friends take a trip down memory lane, but they are not alone - there's someone there who never left.

On May 17, stay up all night and watch The City that Never Sleeps (UK/IRE/US/CA).

On ARROW, the Big Apple is known as The City That Never Sleeps because the films set on its streets will give you nightmares!

Psychopathic gangsters, deranged killers, out-of-control street gangs, even zombies and misshapen, deadly ex-conjoined twins, get a taste of an older, scarier, grittier, scuzzier New York in The City That Never Sleeps.

Titles include: The Driller Killer, Basket Case, Mammoth.

Also on May 17, enjoy a pair of origin stories of genre legends.

Eaten Alive (UK/IRE/US/CA): Nearly a decade before he donned Freddy Krueger's famous red and green sweater, horror icon Robert Englund delivered a supremely sleazy performance in Eaten Alive another essay in taut Southern terror from Tobe Hooper, director of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Oozing atmosphere from its every pore, Eaten Alive matches The Texas Chain Saw Massacre for sheer insanity helped in no small part by some marvelous histrionics from Chain Saw star Marilyn Burns and William Finley (Phantom of the Paradise).

Spider Baby (UK/IRE/US/CA): This was the first solo feature by Jack Hill (Coffy, Switchblade Sisters, Foxy Brown), whom Quentin Tarantino dubbed "the Howard Hawks of exploitation filmmaking", and it remains one of his wildest and weirdest.

Lon Chaney Jr gave one of his most memorable late performances as Bruno, their guardian and protector, who has managed to cover up their crimes until two distant relatives lay claim to their house. When they insist on moving in, Bruno has to cross his fingers and hope that the 'children' behave towards their new guests...

On May 24, slide into The Ick (UK/IRE/US/CA).

Guaranteed to gross you out and featuring the sleaziest and skeeziest films on ARROW, this one is bound to give you The Ick.

Titles include: Doom Asylum, Hellish Flesh, The Baby.

On May 27, ARROW drags audiences into their new release, Pandemonium (UK/IRE/US/CA).

Director Quarxx (All the Gods in the Sky) explores the peculiar, welcoming all those hungry for wonder, in Pandemonium, a unique cinematic blend of fantasy, drama, genre, and humour.

Pandemonium takes the viewer on a chilling journey as three interconnected stories unravel in this macabre exploration of tales depicting fallen souls. From the intricacies of everyday drama to the realms of supernatural intrigue, each narrative weaves a haunting tapestry that blurs the lines between the mortal and the supernatural.

On May 31, ARROW closes out the lineup by sending audiences to Heaven or (Mostly) Hell (UK/IRE/US/CA).

Recently dead and stuck in limbo with a very important choice to make: up or down. Who knows if we get a choice of paradise or the abyss à la the beginning of Quarxx's film Pandemonium? We've tried to give you a choice in this collection, but let's be honest, on ARROW the choice favours purgatory more than the pearly gates!

Titles include: Pandemonium, Hotel Poseidon, A Ghost Waits.

ARROW is available in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland on the following Apps/devices: Roku (all Roku sticks, boxes, devices, etc), Apple TV & iOS devices, Samsung TVs, Android TV and mobile devices, Fire TV (all Amazon Fire TV Sticks, boxes, etc), and on all web browsers at https://www.arrow-player.com.

With a slickly designed and user-friendly interface, and an unparalleled roster of quality content from westerns to giallo to Asian cinema, trailers, Midnight Movies, filmmaker picks and much, much more, ARROW is the place to go for the very best in on-demand entertainment."

The post Genre Highlights: FROM, LIFE CYCLE, ARROW appeared first on Daily Dead.

From It's a Wonderful Life to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, there are no shortage of "What If...?"-style stories that tackle an alternate history of what came to be. But none of them have focused on an alternate world where Ed Gein didn't become infamous, which is the subject of James Murray's NO GEIN. From the story's origins to his take on "Pop Culture Alternative History" and how it would impact a movie like Halloween, we dive all into NO GEIN in our latest Q&A:

Ed Gein has captured the attention of so many storytellers. What drew you to the story of Ed Gein?

I’m an 80’s kid, so during my childhood, Friday the 13th and all those other slasher movies were popular. Later, I got into Halloween and Psycho, but I didn’t know who Ed Gein was for a while. At some point in my mid 20’s I borrowed a book from a friend; it was called something like, “The A to Z of Horror.” The “E” entry was about Ed Gein, and it was there I first learned about the case and its direct influence on Psycho.

Your fascination resulted in "No Gein," and how pop culture would have changed if he had never been caught. What inspired this novel idea?

No Gein was born from the COVID era. I was actually working as a teacher in China at the time and was traveling South East Asia for my winter holiday. It was then that the news broke about Covid 19; and I ended up spending most of my 2020 back home in the United States with my family.

While at home, I was thinking I should spend this time writing something, but I didn’t know what yet. I’d borrowed a book by Harry Turtledove, who is kind of the master of the alternate history subgenre. Then, one night on TV, I watched a documentary about Ed Gein.
So, with Turtledove on the brain, and looking for what my next project would be, watching this Gein documentary got me thinking. What if Ed Gein never got caught, or at the very least, what if the general public never knew who he was? Without Gein, Robert Bloch doesn’t write Psycho. No Psycho novel means no Psycho movie with Janet Leigh in the shower. Then her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, doesn’t get cast in Halloween. Halloween is not as successful, and the whole scene of 1980’s American horror has a different look to it. I had to figure out what the actual story would be with all this, but that was the initial idea. It’s what I call Pop Culture Alternative History.

You have an extensive timeline, with your stories covering decades. Was this an organic process where the ideas spilled out over time or did you thoroughly plan the timeline out ahead of time?

It was an organic process. Originally, my only idea was for the first No Gein story, so I pumped it full of pop culture references. Later, I had an idea for a follow up. Then I figured, if I do two stories, I might as well do a trilogy. Along the way came smaller stories called No Gein: Leftovers. As I wrote all these, I actually went back and edited out some pop culture stuff from the first No Gein and spread them out through the other stories.

To answer your question in a roundabout way, as I wrote more and more tales of this world, I started developing a timeline for myself just so I could keep track of what was what. Developing this tool to write my stories soon became as enjoyable as writing the stories themselves. Since it was so enjoyable I began adding more to it, such as the release dates and plot summaries of these films from an alternate world. I realized a time-line could be a means to flesh out some of the pop culture deviations that I couldn’t fit into the proper stories. It was fun writing it out, so I decided to share it with some friends and to post it on my blog.

Can you talk to our readers about a specific example of how Ed Gein not being caught impacted your fictional world?

On the pop culture end of it, I enjoyed playing around with Halloween. Carpenter wanted to turn the series into an anthology, but after Halloween III flopped, the series re-focused on Meyers. In the world of No Gein, Halloween continued as Carpenter envisioned. I had a blast speculating what further Halloween anthology films might have looked like.

On the dramatic side, in real life, the people of Plainfield hate the association their community has with Ed Gein, which is understandable. In my stories, Plainfield gets to remain this quiet unknown place, for a while. Then, it’s kind of like the town pays a price for keeping a secret, and the place becomes even more of a circus than it does in our world.

No Gein is available on your website. Are there any other release plans for the stories and/or plans to translate this into a screenplay or graphic novel?

I put No Gein on my blog because I was unsure of the legalities of a story that leans so heavily into other people’s intellectual property. In a way, it’s kind of borderline fan fiction. So, I don’t have any plans to adapt this into anything else. I’m not big on comic book adaptations of prose. If I could publish it all in a book form I have an idea for some little things that would be fun to add. I could see No Gein as a series for a streaming service, but it would take a small miracle to sort out all the rights.

---

You can read No Gein right now at James Murray's website: https://jemurr.wordpress.com/2020/10/01/no-gein-an-alternate-horror-part-one/

The post Q&A: James Murray Discusses the Alternate Horror History of NO GEIN appeared first on Daily Dead.

Premiering May 2nd on BET+, The Despaired is a new horror film from director / co-writer Jean-Pierre Chapoteau. Starring Denise Boutte, Jared Wofford, Drew Sidora, TC Carson, CJ Sykes, Jon Avery, & Jason Louder, we have a look at the trailer and a Q&A with Jean-Pierre Chapoteau.

"Jill lost her husband during a violent crime. She receives a letter addressed “to the despaired” which resurrects him from the dead. Wayne tells Jill that in order for him to stay with her, Jill needs to find three souls that he can consume before the full moon. Jill makes a vow to only find people that “deserve” such a horrible demise, but her promise is at stake when otherworldly entities unwillingly assist her quest; all while she unfolds the mystery of who her husband truly was before his untimely death."

The film was written by Jean-Pierre Chapoteau & Jennifer Pessima, executive produced by Jennifer Pessima, Quincy Kelly, Lorisa Bates, QVH Media, and features cinematography by Azariah Oldacre.

Director Q&A: 

What inspired you to make The Despaired?

Funny enough, my producer, Jennifer,  and I thought we were told to write a Christmas horror movie so we came up with this elaborate horror movie that took place during Christmas and sent in the treatment to the network. The exec loved it, but said we misheard the request and that she actually wanted a Christmas movie or a horror!. We had like a week to resubmit so we just met up at a coffee shop everyday and hammered out the concept that we have now. We each had something to say about when we came up with the concept. Jennifer wanted to talk about Soul Ties and how giving your body to an evil entity and going against God can literally drag you to hell. I’m Haitian-American and my grandmother always used to tell us super creepy stories about how Haitians would use voodoo to do really crazy stuff, and one of those was bringing people back from the dead. I also love a good Anti-hero, and a protagonist that is willing to do the wrong thing when given the choice to do the right, That always intrigued me, so combining all of our thoughts and experiences in life created “The Despaired”

How was it to work with named talent as a first time director?

It was a blessing to get the talent that we had. I was familiar with Denise Boutte’s from Tyler Perry movies and just black films from the 90s growing up. She is such a talented actress and really throws herself in the role. She admitted that she had never played in anything like this, and that my “mad scientist mind” really took her places that had to make her stretch as an actress. Man, I grew up watching Living Single, so being able to direct T.C. Carson was awesome! He came ready and prepared, and gave a spin to the character that only a seasoned vet could bring. He taught me that sometimes you’ve got to see where the actors take the characters and learn to apply that to your direction. It was like watching a master class on acting seeing TC work, and he was a really chill guy. Drew Sidora is such a ball of energy and she’s always all smiles. The way she would take in my direction and flip her character’s motivation on the fly was impressive.  It showed me that she took the craft seriously and put in a tone of work to be where she’s at now. I loved every second directing Drew on set.

What was it like working with heavy SFX, and working with Face/Off winner “Rashaad Santiago”

Going into this film, I knew I Wanted a lot of practical effects. I watched a ton of 80s horror films and the practical effects were always awesome, so I wanted realistic looking monsters in my film and everything as practical as possible. I heard that a lot of Black SFX artists don’t get a lot of chances in the industry to lead an SFX team so I made the conscious decision to find one. I already knew of Rashaad because I was a huge fan of Face/Off, it’s a special effects competition show, and he was the only black guy to win it. But, in my mind, there is no way in hell I’m getting him on our little indie film because he’s big time. So I scoured the internet for other black sfx people that have created full body monster suits for film, but I kept coming back to Rashaad. I think finally my producer, Jennifer Pessima,  just reached out to him because the worst he could say was no, and he actually agreed to do it!  So we were able to get Rashaad to make some pretty elaborate and awesome pieces for us which I will forever be grateful for, and he’s such a cool dude, he’s definitely a friend for life.

How do you see this film contributing to the larger conversation in the film industry or society?

My goal as a filmmaker is to place people of color in spaces we typically don’t see ourselves in. Black people are multidimensional. I want to create Horror, sci-fi and any genre that suspends our belief but the majority of the cast will be us. The Despaired is a supernatural horror dealing with demons, possessions and has full blown monsters, and I want to see black folks fight those monsters. I know if we continue to push unconventional stories with black faces in them, we’ll get opportunities to create more diverse content.

What other films do you have coming up next? 

Right now we’re working on a Trell Donk Webb bio-pic, two other horror features in the pitch phase, and also a social commentary horror series set in the hood which I’m super excited about.

The post Watch the Trailer for THE DESPAIRED, Coming to BET+ on May 2nd appeared first on Daily Dead.

Paramount has officially announced plans for Natalie Erika James' Apartment 7A, a prequel to Rosemary's Baby that stars Julia Garner:

"Paramount+ today announced that the all-new original film APARTMENT 7A, a psychological thriller starring Golden Globe winner Julia Garner (Ozark) and directed by Natalie Erika James (Relic), will premiere this fall exclusively on Paramount+ in the US and in select international markets. Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.

When a struggling, young dancer (Garner) suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.

The film also stars two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest (MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN), Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean film series). Additional supporting cast includes Marli Siu (Everything I Know About Love), Andrew Buchan (All the Money in the World), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Wonka).

“APARTMENT 7A is the perfect way to kick off the Halloween season,” said Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+. “Director Natalie Erika James and the prodigious creative team have crafted a chilling and clever new entry into the genre.”

Paramount+ has even more for horror fans with an expertly curated Peak Screaming collection that offers a broad and popular lineup of new originals, fan-favorite horror movies and iconic Halloween episodes from beloved series.

APARTMENT 7A, a Paramount+ original movie in association with Paramount Pictures, is a Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night Production and is based on the novel Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin. Directed by Relic filmmaker Natalie Erika James, with a screen story by Skylar James and a script by Natalie Erika James & Christian White and Skylar James, the film is executive produced by Vicki Dee Rock and Alexa Ginsburg, and is produced by John Krasinski, Allyson Seeger, p.g.a, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, p.g.a, and Brad Fuller."

The post Paramount+ to Release ROSEMARY’S BABY Prequel APARTMENT 7A This Fall appeared first on Daily Dead.

One of my favorite horror films of the year thus far (and one of my most memorable times at this year's Overlook Film Festival, including the opportunity to have tarantulas crawl on my face), Infested pits an eclectic group of apartment tenants against rapidly reproducing spiders. As thought-provoking as it is palpably horrifying, Infested has now skittered onto Shudder, and I had the pleasure of catching up with director/co-writer Sébastien Vaniček in a video interview to discuss his new movie, including the spider-centric research that went into the making of the film's realistic effects, the movie's exploration of socioeconomic divisions, as well as the excellent performances from the cast, and Sébastien also shared his excitement for his upcoming Evil Dead movie!

Synopsis: "Kaleb is about to turn 30 and has never been lonelier. He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive."

Director: Sébastien Vaniček

Screenwriters: Florent Bernard, Sébastien Vaniček

Cast: Théo Christine, Finnegan Oldfield, Jérôme Niel, Sofia Lesaffre and Lisa Nyarko

Producer: Harry Tordjman

Cinematographer: Alexandre Jamin

Editor: Thomas Fernandez, Nassim Gordji Tehrani

Composer: Xavier Caux, Douglas Cavanna

Languages: French

Country of Origin: France, United States

Running Time: 106 minutes

The post Video Interview: Director/Co-Writer Sébastien Vaniček Discusses the Spider-Infused Scares of INFESTED and the Excitement for His Upcoming EVIL DEAD Movie appeared first on Daily Dead.

"Survios, the industry-leading virtual reality studio, in collaboration with 20th Century Games, officially announces Alien: Rogue Incursion will be coming to PlayStation VR2, PCVR via Steam, and Meta Quest 3 for Holiday 2024. Fans can wishlist the upcoming single-player, action-horror game for PlayStation VR2 starting today, with additional platform wishlisting available in the future.

Alien: Rogue Incursion fully immerses players in a harrowing VR journey deep into the Alien universe with an all-new storyline of an ultimate mission that tests their courage, wits, and skill to survive the terrors of the “Perfect Organism.”

“Our team at Survios are huge fans of Alien and have been building Alien: Rogue Incursion for a long time, honing our ability to pair the most technically advanced, immersive, and engaging VR experiences with best-in-class franchises,” said TQ Jefferson, Chief Product Officer at Survios. “This fully original story embraces all our favorite elements from 45 years of Alien, from kinetic action and heart-pounding exploration to our terrifyingly resourceful Xenomorphs that will truly make your skin crawl. We can’t wait for fans to get their hands on it this holiday season.”

For upcoming news on Alien: Rogue Incursion, visit alienrogueincursion.com, sign up for the newsletter, and follow the official Survios social channels on Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Discord, and Facebook."

The post Watch the Trailer for New VR Game ALIEN: ROGUE INCURSION appeared first on Daily Dead.