Remakes, sequels and re-imagings of classic monster movies dribble to cinema and TV screens, but that small but steady flow is now a torrent. Five sizable films are hitting cinema and TV screens. Universal Pictures premiered “Wolf Man” (marketing image above) in cinemas this weekend and Netflix has “Frankenstein” coming later this year from auteur Guillermo del Toro, among … [Read more...] about Classic Monsters Enjoy Film Revival
genres
‘Freddy’s’ Boxoffice Pops Despite Peacock Streams
Horror film “Five Nights at Freddy’s” achieved amazing premiere boxoffice despite its simultaneous run on the Peacock video streaming service. Just a $20 million movie production, “Freddy’’s” posted a humongous $80 million domestically (U.S. and Canada) for Universal Pictures for the Oct. 27-29 weekend while streaming concurrently on Peacock. Both Universal and Peacock are … [Read more...] about ‘Freddy’s’ Boxoffice Pops Despite Peacock Streams
Testing Prompts More ‘Nun II’ Gore
Warner Bros. Pictures amped up the gore in “The Nun II” after prerelease test screenings indicated audiences wanted more mayhem, in a departure from the first “Nun” flick, which emphasized suspense. The R-rated “Nun II” rolled up a healthy $32.6 million in domestic boxoffice Sept. 8-10 at 3,728 theaters. The horror genre-flick ranking No. 1 In weekend boxoffice and easily … [Read more...] about Testing Prompts More ‘Nun II’ Gore
‘Terrifier 2’ Ignites Boxoffice
Independent horror film “Terrifier 2” is feasting on boxoffice as a moderate hit, benefiting because of pandemic disruptions of film supply. “Terrifier 2” has grossed a respectable $5.3 million in 17 days of domestic theatrical release, and that’s boffo for a horror/slasher film with a bare minimum national release. “While these grosses may seem low, don’t forget that … [Read more...] about ‘Terrifier 2’ Ignites Boxoffice
‘Nope’ Reaches for the Skyy Vodka
Universal Pictures set up an expansive tie-in promotion with Skyy vodka for off-beat horror film “Nope” that includes out-of-home marketing, whipping up interest on social media, a sweepstakes and experiential activations. The R-rated “Nope” is scheduled for “in theaters only” domestic premiere July 22. Its R-rating limits promotional partners since voluntary audience … [Read more...] about ‘Nope’ Reaches for the Skyy Vodka
Universal Mounts Horror Image Contest
A major studio built on a foundation of horror films 109 years ago, Universal Pictures now mounts a contest soliciting amateur-made posters and other marketing images celebrating the fright genre. Universal’s Out of the Shadows contest is partnered with onliner Tongal, which is a digital platform connecting businesses with vendors providing graphics/creative services to … [Read more...] about Universal Mounts Horror Image Contest
Indie ‘True’ Shines Amid Pandemic
An independent film, “True to the Game 2,” made an impact in national box office laid low by Corona-19 pandemic. Over the Nov 6-8 boxoffice weekend, the urban action film took in $290,000 from 247 locations with a per screen average of $1,174—a good showing in the virus social-distancing era. That per-screen average appears to rank #2 nationally among all films in … [Read more...] about Indie ‘True’ Shines Amid Pandemic
Bawdy ‘Deadpool’ Breaks From Comic Norm
R-rated comic book adventure-comedy “Deadpool” remains the #1 box office film in its second weekend, raising the question why this 20th Century Fox youth-audience film became a surprise blockbuster. In 12 days of release, “Deadpool” has grossed $234 million domestically, including $55 this weekend. It's all the more surprising that blockbuster performance is for a movie … [Read more...] about Bawdy ‘Deadpool’ Breaks From Comic Norm
Horror Flicks Transplanted in Theme Parks
Halloween is weeks away but already several horror attractions based on scary movies are being announced by the Universal theme parks in Los Angeles and Florida. These entertainment destinations each mount numerous fright attractions for Halloween known as mazes and scarezones. The attractions that transplant movies or other familiar horror properties (including TV series) … [Read more...] about Horror Flicks Transplanted in Theme Parks
Easy-to-market Horror Films Proliferate
Hollywood rolls out horror films starting in early September to cash in on the Halloween holiday and “this year’s ghoulish conga line is particularly crowded,” notes an article in “The Hollywood Reporter.” “A few movies, like Universal’s “Devil,” with a domestic gross of $32.4 million, posted modest returns, while others, such as Paramount Vantage’s “Case 39” ($12.7 million) … [Read more...] about Easy-to-market Horror Films Proliferate