[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

Here are all the movies Disney has coming up in 2023 and beyond. Disney has had some of the biggest box office years of any studio in the history of movies in recent memory. The studio has produced so many blockbusters in the last few years, it honestly is starting to look easy, and with a look at everything that it has coming in the next few years, the juggernaut studio shows no signs of slowing down. Between all the different properties that the entertainment company owns, and with Fox having joined the team not that long ago, there's a nearly endless stream of movies planned for the rest of this decade. Here is everything currently on the official release calendar: Whatever your particular passion, animated or live-action, superheroes or science fiction, they have it all. This is your one-stop shop for all the upcoming Disney movies, including Star Wars, upcoming Marvel movies, and new Fox projects. Here's everything coming from the popular conglomerate, for the rest of this year and beyond. The MCU's versions of Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan The Marvels Release Date: November 10, 2023 What was once called Captain Marvel 2 is now known as The Marvels. While little is known about the project beyond the title, that title implies a lot. WandaVision gave superpowers to Monica Rambeau, and we know that Iman Vellani, who recently debuted as Ms. Marvel in her own Disney+ series prior to this film, is also set to co-star. We can likely expect both to join forces with Brie Larson's Carol Danvers, though to what end remains to be seen. Originally set for July, this movie was recently pushed back to November, reportedly to give the movie more time to complete visual effects. Michael Fassbender in Next Goal Wins Next Goal Wins Release Date: November 17, 2023 Following his success with Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika Waititi’s next directorial effort will shift focus from superhero action to sports action. Next Goal Wins tells the true story of Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), who is hired to coach the national soccer team of American Samoa, seen as one of the worst teams in the world. The Next Goal Wins trailer looks to have Waititi's trademark humor and heart in equal measure. Asha, her goat and the wishing star in Wish. Wish Release Date: November 22, 2023 Wish was officially confirmed at D23 Expo 2022, and while few details are known, it looks to be an animated feature in the company’s tradition. Written by Jennifer Lee and co-directed by Chris Buck, both previously of the Frozen franchise, the film will follow a new Disney Princess named Asha, who’s voiced by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose. The story will reportedly include lots of Disney easter eggs, and a star that Asha wishes upon will be a major character. The first trailer for Wish has revealed an absolutely beautiful art style and Chris Pine as the movie's villain. Untitled Disney Release Date: December 1, 2023 Untitled Disney Release Date: February 14, 2024 Elio Release Date: March 1, 2024 Elio is the story of an 11-year-old boy who gets transported across the galaxy and finds himself mistaken for an ambassador for the planet Earth. Newcomer Yonas Kibreab voices Elio, while America Ferrera will voice the boy's mother. Adrian Molina, the co-director of Coco, will be helming this one as his first solo directorial effort for Pixar. Disney’s Snow White Release Date: March 22, 2024 Before most people saw her in West Side Story, Rachel Zegler was cast in the live-action adaptation of Snow White. After the world saw that dance-filled remake, though, we could not wait to see this updated story. This one goes back to the original hit for Walt Disney Studios, and while we know this Snow White adaptation will make some key changes to the original story regarding the dwarfs, it will also include some new original songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul of The Greatest Showman. Deadpool 3 Logo Untitled Deadpool Movie Release Date: May 3, 2024 One Marvel hero that fans have been very curious about is Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Marvel kept assuring us that Deadpool 3 would happThe Amataeuren under Disney, and recently we learned that not only was the movie happening, but it will apparently, surprising all, include the return of Hugh Jackman, playing Wolverine one more time. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes concept art of ape riding horseback outside of city ruins Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Release Date: May 24, 2024 The last Planet of the Apes trilogy was a major hit for Fox, and now that Fox is under the Disney umbrella it's time to start again. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will directly follow on the events of the previous trilogy, which ended with War for the Planet of the Apes, but will be set many years later, and focus on a new generation of apes that have now taken control of the planet, and do battle with each other. Inside Out emotions Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust and Joy Inside Out 2 Release Date: June 14, 2024 Pixar has released a string of generally well received original films in the last few years, but we’ll see our first direct sequel since Toy Story 4 with Inside Out 2 in 2024. The project is in the very early stages, and it’s possible not all of the core voice cast from Inside Out will be back, but the first film is one of the most well regarded Pixar movies ever, so a sequel is welcome to many fans. Mufasa: The Lion King Release Date: July 5, 2024 The Lion King was a massive hit as both a traditionally animated film and as a technically impressive CGI remake. While that success meant several direct-to-video sequels for the original, it means a CGI prequel for the remake. Mufasa: The Lion King will follow the life of Simba’s father, and it’s set to be directed by the great Barry Jenkins, so this one is going to be worth checking out. Anthony Mackie as Captain America in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Captain America: Brave New World Release Date: July 26, 2024 The fourth Captain America movie will be the first one not to star Chris Evans in the title role. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson took on the mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+, and he’ll take Cap back to the big screen in Captain America: Brave New World, previously subtitled New World Order. Not a lot is known about the film at this time, but it will see the long-awaited return of Tim Blake Nelson to the MCU as The Leader, as well as Harrison Ford, taking over the role of "Thunderbolt" Ross from the late William Hurt. Most recently we learned that Liv Tyler will also return to the MCU as Betty Ross, so the new Captain America film is turning into a minor Incredible Hulk reunion. Untitled Alien Event Movie (20th) Release Date: August 16, 2024 Untitled Disney Movie Release Date: September 6, 2024 The Amateur Release Date: November 8, 2024 Untitled Disney Animation Release Date: November 27, 2024 Yelena Belova, the Winter Soldier and Red Guardian will be in Thunderbolts. Thunderbolts Release Date: December 20, 2024 It’s going to be a long time in between Avengers movies for the MCU, but in 2024 we’ll get a different sort of team-up with Marvel’s version of the Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts. At D23 2022 we learned who the Thunderbolts team will consist of: Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier. Florence Pugh’s Yelena, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, all from Black Widow. The team will also include Wyatt Russell’s US Agent from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hannah John Kamen’s Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Blade Release Date: February 14, 2025 First revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, we knew that Mahershala Ali would play Blade in the same instant we learned a Blade movie was even happening in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At this point, that’s still basically all we know. Director Bassam Tariq recently left the film, causing a delay in production and release date, but the movie is still reportedly moving forward. Untitled Disney Release Date: March 7, 2025 Untitled Disney Release Date: March 21, 2025 Fantastic Four Release Date: May 2, 2025 The first family superhero comics will officially join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2025. Matt Shakman of WandaVision has been tapped to direct the film after Spider-Man franchise director Jon Watts stepped away. Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer are on board to handle the script. So far, no casting has been announced. Untitled Disney Release Date: May 23, 2025 Untitled Pixar Release Date: June 13, 2025 This is a release date without a title, but we do know that Toy Story 5, a movie without a current release date, is in production. Moana Screenshot Moana (Live-Action) Release Date: June 27, 2025 Knowing how successful live-action remakes of Disney movies are, we probably could have guessed that a live-action Moana would happen someday, but few probably expected to happen so fast. Less than a decade after the animated hit was released, the live action version is set to debut. Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role in the flesh as Maui. Auli'i Cravalho will not be back on screen, opening the door for another newcomer to make a splash, but the original Moana is involved as a producer. Untitled Disney Release Date: July 25, 2025 Untitled Disney Release Date: August 15, 2025 Untitled Disney Release Date: November 7, 2025 Untitled Disney Animation Release Date: November 26, 2025 The title of this project is unknown, but sequels to both Frozen and Zootopia were recently announced, so this, or another of the upcoming untitled projects could be one of these. Avatar 3 Release Date: December 19, 2025 Avatar 3 was filmed concurrently with Avatar: The Way of Water, so we know the movie is on the way, but with the release so far in the future, we likely won’t hear much about it any time soon. We do know it will include a tribe of Na'vi who live around volcanoes, known as the Ash People, who, unlike the Reef people of Avatar 2, will be antagonists to Jake Sully and his family. Untitled Disney Release Date: January 16, 2026 Untitled Marvel Release Date: February 13, 2026 Untitled Pixar Release Date: March 6, 2026 This is a release date without a title, but we do know that Toy Story 5, a movie without a current release date, is in production. Untitled Disney Release Date: March 27, 2026 Untitled Disney Release Date: April 17, 2026 Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains in Loki Avengers: The Kang Dynasty Release Date: May 1, 2026 The MCU multiverse was born in the first season of Loki with the introduction of Jonathan Majors as Kang. It will, we assume, come to some sort of a conclusion or at least the beginning of one, with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings will helm the effort, that will be followed months later by a second Avengers film Untitled Star Wars Release Date: May 22, 2026 After many years of confusion regarding the future of the Star Wars universe on the big screen, we finally received some details. At the recent Star Wars Celebration in London, three new movies were confirmed. One of them will see Daisy Ridley return as Rey in a film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. A second film will be directed by Dave Filoni and will act as a culmination of the current Disney+ series that he has produced. A third project, directed by James Mangold will tell the story of the first Jedi. An older project, written and directed by Taika Waititi is also still in development. Which of these projects this one will be is unknown. Untitled Pixar Release Date: June 19, 2026 This is a release date without a title, but we do know that Toy Story 5, a movie without a current release date, is in production. Untitled Disney Release Date: July 10, 2026 Untitled Marvel Release Date: July 24, 2026 Untitled Disney Release Date: August 14, 2026 Untitled Disney Release Date: September 18, 2026 Untitled Marvel Release Date: November 6, 2026 Untitled Disney Animation Release Date: November 25, 2026 The title of this project is unknown, but sequels to both Frozen and Zootopia were recently announced, so this, or another of the upcoming untitled projects could be one of these. Untitled Star Wars Release Date: December 18, 2026 Avengers: Secret Wars Release Date: May 7, 2027 Secret Wars is one of the most popular comic crossover stories that Marvel has ever created, and so there’s already a lot of excitement surrounding a movie of the same name. Avengers: Secret Wars is set to be the official end of Phase Six of the MCU and The Multiverse Saga, but that’s really all we know at this point. Untitled Star Wars Release Date: December 17, 2027 After many years of confusion regarding the future of the Star Wars universe on the big screen, we finally received some details. At the recent Star Wars Celebration in London, three new movies were confirmed. One of them will see Daisy Ridley return as Rey in a film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. A second film will be directed by Dave Filoni and will act as a culmination of the current Disney+ series that he has produced. A third project, directed by James Mangold will tell the story of the first Jedi. An older project, written and directed by Taika Waititi is also still in development. Which of these projects this one will be is unknown. Avatar 4 Release Date: December 21, 2029 James Cameron has said that parts of Avatar 4 were filmed alongside Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar 3, but another massive production will need to get underway to finish out the five-movie cycle. One certainly hopes that it won’t take as long to happen as it did to make the first sequel. Avatar 5 Release Date: December 19, 2031 The final Avatar movie will finally arrive in 2028, assuming there are not more delays, and Cameron doesn’t get it in his head to write more sequels. While all of this is, of course, subject to change, and there are a lot of “Untitled” movies we know literally nothing about, there’s plenty here that is likely to keep Disney on top of the box office for several more years to come. Continue below for a look back at recently released Disney films. Previously Released The women of Wakanda holding court in the throne room in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Release Date: November 11, 2022 With the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman there were questions as to whether or not the announced sequel to Black Panther would even happen. While Wanda Forever was a very different movie compared to what the Black Panther sequel was originally planned to be, it was a movie that resonated with many fans, becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of 2022. The sequel is now available to view on Disney+ where it has already become one of the most widely viewed films on the service. Ralph Fiennes in The Menu The Menu Release Date: November 18, 2022 It’s still a bit strange to have horror movies produced under the umbrella of Disney. The Menu stared Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult as guests at a special dinner party being put on by chef Ralph Fiennes. Things go south quite quickly, and while The Menu is a horror movie, it’s also full of its share of dark comedy. Searcher Clade in Strange World Strange World Release Date: November 23, 2022 Walt Disney Animation Studios Found solid success among fans with Encanto, but went in a very different direction for the next feature, Strange World. The non-musical film was a more action-focused story inspired by early 20th century pulp adventure stories. The cast was led by Jake Gyllenhaal and while the movie wasn't a massive box office hit, neither was Encanto, and it found its audience eventually. Olivia Colman in Empire of Light Empire Of Light Release Date: December 9, 2022 Empire of Light was a romantic drama set in the 1980s that stared Oliva Colman and Michael Ward. It was also a movie about the movies, which tend to be stories that get the attention of the people that give out those end-of-the-year awards. The film received some minor recognition in that regard, but that's all. Avatar 2: The Way of Water screenshot Avatar: The Way Of Water Release Date: December 16, 2022 The first of the oft-delayed Avatar sequels, Avatar: The Way of Water put into motion a four-film cycle in James Cameron's blockbuster franchise. Avatar: The Way of Water launched this in the best possible way, with a movie that, while it wasn't able to overtake the original, still became one of the highest-grossing movies of all-time. Paul Rudd and Jonathan Majors in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Release Date: February 17, 2023 The third movie in Marvel's Ant-Man franchise, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, saw the return of Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly as the title characters, as well as the return of director Peyton Reed. Jonathan Majors joined the cast as Marvel villain, Kang the Conqueror. While all indications are that the movie will be important in the larger Marvel Multiverse Saga, the movie failed to outgross the previous Ant-Man sequel and got a lukewarm response from both fans and critics. Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges Chevealier Release Date: April 21, 2023 Chevalier was based on the true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the son of a slave and a plantation owner who became a star in French society. Kelvin Harrison Jr. played the lead in a film co-starring Samara Weaving and Minnie Driver. Drax, Mantis, Star-Lord and Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Release Date: May 5, 2023 Originally set to be launching the point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally arrived in 2023 under director James Gunn. All the core cast was back, and Will Poulter joined the film as Adam Warlock. The movie brought Gunn's trilogy to a close in a powerfully emotional way, and became a box office champion in the process. Halle Bailey as Ariel singing Part of Your World in 2023 live-action The Little Mermaid trailer The Little Mermaid (Live-Action) Release Date: May 26, 2023 Disney’s live-action remakes of its animated hits have been some of the popular company’s biggest successes on the big screen, and The Little Mermaid was the movie that kicked off the Disney Renaissance and brought the Mouse House back to its place as the king of theatrical animation. When these two things came together expectations were quite high, and The Little Mermaid grossed over a half billion dollars at the global box office. Sophie Thatcher in The Boogeyman The Boogeyman Release Date: June 2, 2023 In the years during and since the pandemic we've seen a lot of movies that were intended for theatrical distribution make the move to streaming platforms instead. Now, a big movie has gone the other way. An adaptation of Stephen King's The Boogeyman, which had been destined for Hulu, was instead moved onto the theatrical calendar, seemingly showing a great deal of faith in the film Wade from Pixar's Elemental Elemental Release Date: June 16, 2023 Pixar has previously given life to toys, emotions, and even human souls. In Elemental, we saw the elements of fire, water, earth, and air personified. Directed by The Good Dinosaur’s Peter Sohn, Elemental was a somewhat surprising character-driven narrative that told a story of a romance while also being a powerful immigrant tale. While Elemental initially struggled at the box office, it ultimately found an audience through positive word of mouth. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in The Dial of Destiny Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Release Date: June 30, 2023 After 15 years, Indiana Jones returned one more time. The first trailer revealed the official title, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and showed off both an older Indy, as well as de-aged Harrison Ford, indicating that the new adventure has elements tied to Indy's past. James Mangold took over the directing duties on Indiana Jones 5 from Steven Spielberg. Mads Mikkelsen plays the film’s villain, while Phoebe Waller-Bridge is Indy’s goddaughter. If you haven't checked it out yet, read CinemaBlend's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review to see what we thought. Chase W. Dillon and Rosario Dawson in Haunted Mansion Haunted Mansion Release Date: July 28, 2023 This studio has been somewhat hit or miss when it comes to movies based on Disney theme park rides. One of the previous failures was a movie based on the popular Haunted Mansion. But, never let it be said they won’t try again after a failure. The new movie stared Rosario Dawson as a woman who moves into the titular New Orleans mansion but then needs to find help when she discovers it’s already inhabited, but 999 happy haunts. The new Haunted Mansion was received better by critics than the previous iteration, but it struggled at the box office just as much. Kenneth Branagh stands looking eerily into a mirror at night in A Haunting In Venice. A Haunting In Venice Release Date: September 15, 2023 A Haunting in Venice saw the return of Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot for a third big-screen outing. This time things took a turn for the supernatural when Poirot attended a séance, where another guest turns up dead. As with previous entries, this one will be a star-studded affair with Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, and Michelle Yeoh. The film saw some of the best responses from critics the franchise has seen so far, so this may not be the last we see of Poirot. John David Washington in The Creator The Creator Release Date: September 29, 2023 Originally called True Love, The Creator was directed by Rogue One's Gareth Edwards and starred John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Allison Janney, and Ken Watanabe. The science fiction film that saw humanity in an ongoing war with artificial intelligence. Washington plays a soldier who finds a child of AI, of unexplained origin, that humanity wants to destroy, but he feels he must protect.

The Selma director explained why so few Black filmmakers compete in famous film festivals. Black filmmakers have experienced great success in Hollywood that's somewhat reminiscent of the era of prominence that occurred during the 1990s and early 2000s. However, success hasn’t erased any of the adversity many African Americans in the industry have faced since Tinseltown’s early days and continue to go through today. Film and TV director Ava DuVernay has experienced both sides throughout her storied career. After premiering her latest film, Origin, at the Venice Film Festival, DuVernay explained why so few Black filmmakers present their movies at famous film festivals. Ava DuVernay made history at the Venice Film Festival by becoming the first Black woman to compete. While it was a historic moment to celebrate, she used the moment to spotlight the lack of fellow African American directors competing in major international film fests. The Selma director opened up about how Hollywood executives and producers discourage some of her peers from entering competitions. She said during the film’s Venice press conference (via The Guardian): " For Black film-makers, we’re told that people who love films in other parts of the world don’t care about our stories and don’t care about our films. This is something that we are often told: you cannot play international film festivals, no one will come. " Hollywood is changing for the better, but there are still some negative elements entrenched in the film industry. Black filmmakers, actors, audiences, etc. have been underestimated for decades when it comes international appeal. In recent years, filmmakers like Ava DuVernay, Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele kicked off their careers and brokered huge deals by competing at famous events, like the Toronto International Film Festival and Cannes. DuVernay was only the second Black female director to premiere a film in Venice after Regina King debuted her Oscar-nominated feature debut, One Night in Miami, in 2020. So her words do indeed have merit. The A Wrinkle in Time director was certainly open about how she views the relationship between African American creatives and international film festivals. She also went into greater detail about what she's been told by Hollywood decision-makers about her hypothetical reception from famous cinema-centric events, stating: " People will not come to the press conferences, people won’t come to the [press and industry] screenings. They will not be interested in selling tickets. You might not even get into this festival, don’t apply. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told, ’Don’t apply to Venice, you won’t get in. It won’t happen. " Continued success doesn’t make Black directors immune from the racism that's still present within the entertainment business. According to the publication, a 2021 study revealed films by Black filmmakers only make up one percent of competition entries at film fests. Ava DuVernay’s account sadly isn’t surprising, as multiple creatives within the Black community have spilled about Ho downplaying their broad appeal. Many have complained for years about bigwigs downplaying the commercial appeal that their stories have with international audiences. Directors aren't the only ones facing discrimination either. Several actors have opened up about dealing with beauty standards, fighting for equal pay and fighting against exclusion from Hollywood’s A-list. Ultimately, he success of films like Black Panther (as well as its sequel) and Get Out has proven helped prove international fans love Black-oriented content just like U.S. audiences. On that note, Ava DuVernay’s Origin received a standing ovation and a positive response at the Venice Film Festival. The book-to-screen adaptation garnered Oscar buzz after playing at TIFF, and it'll premiere to wider audiences later this year. In the meantime, keep up with our schedule of 2023 new movie releases so you'll know when you can see other Academy Award contenders.

From Hereditary to X. For those who don’t know me, I am very much into horror. I’ve always loved some of the best horror movies like Halloween, or newer ones that have graced our cinema screens. However, one studio that has absolutely been killing the game this last decade is A24. From smaller, independent films to wide releases that have captured our eyes, A24 horror movies have almost become a genre of their own. Today, I'm going to rank the top 15. If you’re a fan of horror, these are the films you have to watch from A24. And, even if you don’t like horror, you should give them a try. Justin Long in Tusk Honorable Mention: Tusk (2014) In Tusk, directed by Kevin Smith, we watch as a podcaster travels to Canada for an interview, only to realize down the line that the person he is speaking to is unlike anyone else he has ever met – and that this person has dark plans for him that involve a walrus. Okay, this movie isn’t horror. It’s just disturbing, which is why I need to put it at least as an honorable mention. Justin Long was the best choice for something like this, because he keeps the comedy in this movie, but damn, this is just a film that needs to be viewed once for the simple disturbing hilarities that it provides. And yes, you need to watch the whole thing, don’t turn away once. Lamb Movie A24, lamb in flower crown 15. Lamb (2021) Released in 2021 is A24’s Lamb. This movie follows the story of two farmers in Iceland who discover something from their barn that shakes them to their core - a sheep that has given birth to a hybrid of a human and a lamb. But, this strange occurance soon turns into a nightmare. Lamb is a bit of a slower film, hence why it's number 15, but it has a special place in my heart. The story itself is intense with plenty of twists and turns, but what really sells it for me is the main character, Maria, played by Noomi Rapace. Her performance is chilling in the best ways and really captures the realities of a grieving mother battling with the dark forces at play. That, paired with the beautiful cinematography of the film, makes Lamb a winner. Marianne Jean-Baptiste in In Fabric. 14. In Fabric (2018) Next up, we have In Fabric. This horror-comedy asks the question, “What if clothing could be the source of all your troubles?” And, it takes that question and runs with it through its main character, a red dress that tortures its owners, one after the other. In Fabric is number fourteen just because I feel it doesn’t have the same horror atmosphere as most A24 films. Honestly, though, it doesn’t have to have it. It has its own moments of pure insanity and horror that make it worthy, and it has so many that will make you jump up in fear, along with its interesting premise, and for that I put it at number 14 - even if the idea of a scary red dress is a little silly. Chase Sui Wonders and Pete Davidson in Bodies Bodies Bodies 13. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) A24 horror movies had a good year in 2022, and you’ll see why, starting with Bodies Bodies Bodies. The black comedy slasher film stars the impressive cast of Amandla Stenberg, Pete Davidson, Maria Bakalova, and more, and tells the story of a group of rich twenty-somethings who get trapped at a mansion when a hurricane comes through, and decide to play a game called “bodies bodies bodies” that takes a murderous turn throughout the night. To be honest, I just watched this film for the first time not that long ago, and let me just say that I laughed my ass off during it, and I mean that in the best way. There’s a lot that this film does that’s so unbelievably silly, and other moments that are genuinely scary as heck that made me turn my head away from my television screen. I don’t think it’s good enough to be in the top 10, but it’s certainly a fun one to view. Jenna Ortega on a bus in X movie. 12. X (2022) X is a great horror film starring Mia Goth and Jenna Ortega about a cast and crew who are gathered in Texas to film a porno. Soon, a killer starts to shake things up for the main players. X is utter madness. Really, so much better than I thought it was going to be. I went into this film with zero expectations because I trusted that A24 would, at the very least, make a good horror film, but I didn’t expect it to blow me away as much as it did. It almost feels like an ode to slasher films of old with its major bouts of horror, blood, and intensity. This is not for the faint of heart, which is why it's at 12 - it's almost a little too gory sometimes, but it's certainly a great horror film. Joel Edgerton in It Comes at Night 11. It Comes At Night (2017) Don’t be fooled by the title - this isn’t a monster movie. It Comes At Night is a smaller tale about what a family does to survive as a worldwide disease kills the rest of the population. This film, in its entirety, focuses on the idea of what it’s like for humanity to be pushed to its breaking point, to where there’s this very slim line between sane and insane. This film isn’t a bloody one, but it’s full of tension that will make you squirm in your seat. The only reason why I put it at number 11 is that I feel some of the other films on this list work a little better at that idea of humanity slipping, which you'll see later on. Morfydd Clark in Saint Maud 10. Saint Maud (2019) Saint Maud was a film that deserved so much more attention than it got. This film tells the story of a religious nurse who starts to trust her faith too much and falls into delusions that she is meant to do many things because of her love of God - so much that it turns her down a horrible path of pain. This film is slow in its work to scare you, hence why it's at 10, as not a lot happens at first. It’s not trying to be overly flashy or bloody, but the eerie tenseness of what this woman’s faith has done to her is what makes this movie so good, and how it slowly tears her apart. It’s like the perfect movie to show the complexities of faith and how it can lead someone down the wrong path. Also, Morfydd Clark was freaking amazing as Maud. Seriously. Mia Goth in Pearl. 9. Pearl (2022) Remember X? Now, if you enjoyed the old lady in that movie, then Pearl is for you. It tells the origin story and how she got to be the person she became in X – and all the bloody goodness that came with it. I can’t say much about Pearl without revealing major details in X, so all I’ll say is that it’s even better than its predecessor and provided so much more lore that I never would have expected from just watching the original film. And yes, it’s about as weird as it gets. I would re-watch this film – if it didn’t creep the heck out of me in so many ways. It’s top 10 quality, for sure. Dane DeHaan and Aubrey Plaza in Life After Beth 8. Life After Beth (2014) There is seriously nothing like Aubrey Plaza in a zombie comedy horror movie. The film follows a young man who is devastated by the loss of his girlfriend, but finds out that she’s actually returned from the dead. However, his joy is short-lived when he begins to realize that she is turning into a zombie. Life After Beth isn’t the scariest movie by any means, but I think what makes me put it at number eight is that it balances both comedy and horror in such great ways that nothing feels like it’s overshadowing the other. There’s a fair amount of great jokes in it, but then as it slowly starts to get darker, the dread begins to build. Quite honestly, Plaza delivers an excellent performance, as well as Dane DeHaan. It’s definitely worth a watch at least one time. Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in The Killing Of A Sacred Deer 7. The Killing Of A Sacred Deer (2017) The Killing of a Sacred Deer stars Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in the story of a cardiac surgeon meeting a teenage boy who has a strange connection to his past. Through the friendship which grows, he brings the boy home to his family - and not long after, they begin to succumb to illness. This is such a fantastically well-written film, from start to finish. I have to give credit where credit is due, and give it up to Barry Keoghan, because his part was the absolute best. He perfectly captures what it’s like for someone who is going through grief, but also seeking justice. Number seven feels like a good spot for this movie, because while the story is a little slow to start, the performances are some of the best in A24's horror films. Some of the cast of Green Room. 6. Green Room (2015) Oh, you want gore? You want horror? This film is the one to watch. Green Room is a horror-thriller that follows a punk band that witnesses something they weren’t supposed to. This, in turn, leads to them getting captured by a group of Neo-Nazis, who plan to off them one by one. Now they have to fight to survive. I would rank this higher than six if the movie weren’t as gruesome as it is - there is such a thing as too much blood, but the difference between this and X is the brutal reality of the deaths, which make this movie so terrifyingly real. It feels like something that can happen. Oftentimes, horror films are filled with impossible realities, such as mysterious ghosts or demons, but being captured, tortured, and killed? Yeah, that stuff happens in real life, which is what makes Green Room so scary. Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin. 5. Under The Skin (2013) Agh, this movie literally does get under my skin. Under the Skin, starring the wonderful Scarlett Johansson, tells the story of a mysterious young woman who seduces men using her looks, but there’s more to her than just her pretty face. It’s one of those films where Johansson should have been nominated for an Oscar. She was outstanding in this film. Not only that, but the story is genuinely petrifying. The whole point is the idea of not really knowing who you’re with, whether that be a friend, lover, or even a family member, which is what makes her so scary here. The only reason I rank it at five is that sci-fi horror doesn't really fit in with a lot of other A24 films, but this one stands out. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson in The Lighthouse 4. The Lighthouse (2019) Can we talk about how The Lighthouse was not nominated for Best Picture? Because it should have been. This film, starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, tells the tale of two lighthouse keepers who end up succumbing to madness when a storm traps them on the island, forcing them to survive in ways they never thought possible. While I wasn't the hugest fan of the art style, which is why it's number four, The Lighthouse is still a masterpiece. Starring literally only Dafoe and Pattinson (besides two other small roles that aren’t featured as much), it gives them so much room to wow us with their performances and it is a sin they were not at the very least nominated for their work. The story is phenomenal as well, melding psychological and survival horror, creating a well-balanced experience that makes you feel uncomfortable in the best way possible. Anya Taylor-Joy in The Witch 3. The Witch (2015) While Anya Taylor-Joy got famous from other big roles, many first saw her in The Witch. In this fantastic horror film, a family moves to an area that is hidden in the woods when their church banishes them. However, when an unknown evil entity begins to make their lives a living hell, they must rely on their faith to survive. The Witch is what I like to call slow-burn horror. It doesn’t hit you in the face with blood, guts or anything gruesome, and it takes its time slowly trying to break you apart as you wonder who the heck you can trust, which is why it's number three. You never quite find out until the end what is causing this whole family to suddenly be tortured, but you’re questioning everything, and you almost feel like you’re going insane by the end of it. Only two other films can top the tension this movie creates. The Witch (2015) tt4263482 6.9/10 m/the_witch_2016 60% Watch at Apple TV Watch at GooglePlay Alex Wolff in Hereditary 2. Hereditary (2018) You knew this would be ranked high. Hereditary, directed by Ari Aster, tells the story of a family who is hit with a tragedy, but while they are grieving, a mysterious force that has a connection to their past relatives begins to haunt them and tear apart their family from the inside out. Let me tell you - it takes a lot to scare me to the point where I can’t sleep. I thrive off of this stuff because I know it’s very hard to get me to feel genuine fear from a film. However, Hereditary did that and more, and it deserves its number two spot here. From the spectacular performance by Toni Collette that should have been nominated for an Academy Award, to the brilliant practical effects to the story to even the score, it’s phenomenal in every way. And, that Hereditary ending, gosh, it sticks with you, doesn’t it? But, there’s one other film that I do think outdoes the others. Hereditary (2018) tt7784604 7.3/10 m/hereditary 70% Watch at Apple TV Watch at GooglePlay Florence Pugh in Midsommar 1. Midsommar (2019) This film, man. This freaking film. It will be number one for a long time unless another A24 film can overtake it. Midsommar, starring the amazingly talented Florence Pugh, tells the story of a young woman who has recently undergone a horrible personal loss and leaves with her boyfriend and his friends on a trip to Sweden to take part in a traditional festival that takes a deadly twist. While both Hereditary and Midsommar are great films, Midsommar left me feeling some type of way. I was floored by Pugh’s performance, and truly felt uneasy in many of the scenes, from the flowers on her crown to the dancing to the usage of symbols and subtle gore. Even its moments of intense blood and horror are so beautifully done, like cutting out the music and sound so we can just focus on the death. What really makes Midsommar so fantastic is that you feel as if you are the main character. Pugh takes us on such an intense emotional journey that by the end of the film, you almost feel as exhausted as her, and then the movie ends and you realize just how intense it really is. Midsommar is an experience unlike any other that will stun you from the moment you first start watching it. Truly the best A24 horror film, and one that needs to be studied over and over again. This just makes me want to re-watch all these films again - and I think I’m gonna go and do that right now until the next A24 horror film comes out. Is anyone else as excited for Talk to Me as I am?

From Frailty to Saw, the Aughts were a great horror genre decade. It's time to dust off those old DVD and VHS collections and rediscover the hidden treasures that made the 2000s a standout era in horror cinema. (Some even earned a spot on our list of the top 100 movies from the decade.) While there have been some amazing horror movies over the years -- see our list of the best horror movies of all time for evidence of that -- the early aughts marked a period of innovation and growth in the genre, thanks to filmmakers pushing boundaries, blurring the line between reality and nightmare, and crafting unforgettable spine-chilling experiences. Whether you're into paranormal thrillers starring Harrison Ford, or the emergence of "torture porn" in James Wan's Saw and others, this was a time when horror took on more captivating and diverse forms as it left the '90s behind. So, dim the lights, grab your popcorn, and join me as we explore the 15 best horror movies of the 2000s. (Note that the list is ordered by year of release, and is not ranked by quality.) Michelle Pfeiffer terrified in What Lies Beneath What Lies Beneath (2000) Let's kick off our spooky journey with Robert Zemeckis' What Lies Beneath, a suspenseful masterpiece starring the charismatic Harrison Ford and the ever-enchanting Michelle Pfeiffer. The story follows Claire Spencer (Pfeiffer), who suspects her dream house by the waterfront is haunted. Zemeckis skillfully weaves through the atmospheric thriller with expertly built tension in a way that straddles the line between psychological and supernatural horror. Pfeiffer's captivating performance and Ford's descent into madness help cement What Lies Beneath as an enduring classic, keeping viewers on edge until the chilling climax. Unsurprisingly, this movie ranks among the highest-grossing supernatural horror movies of all time. Christian Bale in American Psycho American Psycho (2000) Another standout horror film in 2000 delved deep into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. American Psycho, directed by Mary Harron, introduced moviegoers to Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a wealthy New York investment banker who may or may not be a completely unhinged serial killing sadist, depending on your interpretation of the chilling ending. Christian Bale's unforgettable portrayal of Bateman, a charismatic and profoundly disturbed character, cements American Psycho as a horror classic, with the actor earning his place as a genuinely terrifying modern horror villain. The film, adapted from Bret Easton Ellis' novel of the same name, hinges on a satirical exploration of materialism and the superficiality of society, adding layers of depth to its disturbing narrative. Nicole Kidman looks terrified in The Others. The Others (2001) The Others, directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring the incomparable Nicole Kidman, earns its spot on our list as one of the best one-off horror films, as well as one of the most atmospheric flicks of the early aughts. Kidman takes on the role of Grace Stewart, a woman who becomes increasingly convinced her house is haunted. Amenábar's masterful storytelling weaves a tale brimming with suspense and dread, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The confirmation dress scene is one of the scariest scenes in cinematic history, and the highly lauded shock of a twist will leave you speechless. Matthew McConaughey in Frailty Frailty (2001) The late, great Bill Paxton wears multiple hats in this 2001 thriller. Not only does he star alongside Matthew McConaughey, but he also steps into the director's chair. The story revolves around a father who becomes convinced he has a divine duty to eliminate demons hiding among ordinary people. Frailty stands out for its deep exploration of faith, morality, and the hazy boundaries between good and evil. Paxton's direction and the exceptional performances by the cast elevate this film to the status of an underrated gem, one certainly meriting a revisit. Angela Bettis stars at May in this 2002 horror cult classic. May (2002) Lucky McKee's May invites us on a chilling exploration of its eponymous protagonist, brought to life by the talented Angela Bettis. This film unfolds as a dark character study, delving into the unsettling depths of isolation and the powerful yearning for human connection. Through the lens of a lonely young woman, we witness her obsessive quest to craft the ultimate companion. Angela Bettis, who impressively portrayed Carrie in a less-remembered Stephen King adaptation the same year, delivers a genuinely Award-winning worthy performance in this gripping psychological horror. Robin Williams as Sy Parrish, One Hour Photo One Hour Photo (2002) One Hour Photo, directed by Mark Romanek, deviates from supernatural horror, diving into the unsettling world of obsession and voyeurism. Robin Williams crushes it in this unexpected role, giving a chilling performance as Sy Parrish, a photo technician obsessed with a family whose pictures he develops. It's a slow-burning psychological thriller, capitalizing on Williams' ability to play charming and deeply disturbed characters. The film's exploration of loneliness and the consequences of obsession lingers long after the credits roll. Zombies in Dawn of the Dead Dawn of the Dead (2004) Before Zack Snyder embarked on his ambitious Star Wars-inspired two-part saga, Rebel Moon, he breathed new life into the zombie genre with Dawn of the Dead. This reimagining of George A. Romero's iconic classic thrusts a band of survivors into a shopping mall, where they face relentless waves of the undead—only this time, the zombies are sprinters! Snyder's dynamic direction and the film's unrelenting momentum combine to deliver a heart-pounding and spine-tingling zombie adventure, an exhilarating rollercoaster of survival horror. Shaun of the Dead cast Shaun of the Dead (2004) While Shaun of the Dead is often celebrated for its comedic elements, it's also a love letter to the zombie apocalypse movie genre. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film stars Simon Pegg as Shaun, a slacker who must save his loved ones from a zombie apocalypse. Shaun of the Dead blends humor and horror, delivering a unique and delightful experience. Wright's sharp wit and clever references to classic zombie films make this a must-watch for horror fans with a sense of humor. Shaun of the Dead tt0365748 7.9/10 m/shaun_of_the_dead 93% Watch at AmazonPrimeVideo Watch at Peacock Watch at Apple TV Billy the Puppet of the Saw franchise Saw (2004) James Wan's Saw ushered in a fresh era of horror, blending intricate puzzles with challenging moral choices, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats. At its core, the film follows two men trapped in a harrowing room by the sadistic Jigsaw killer. Saw reshaped the horror landscape thanks to its complex narrative and bone-chilling traps, and even after two decades, it continues to captivate fans. Saw X promises to keep the terror alive on the big screen this Halloween season. Tobin Bell's iconic portrayal of Jigsaw still lingers in our nightmares, and the film's unparalleled ability to grip viewers in suspense remains undiminished. Shauna Macdonald in The Descent 10. The Descent (2005) Neil Marshall's The Descent takes us underground into claustrophobic terror. A group of friends explores an uncharted cave system, but their adventure takes a horrifying turn when they encounter deadly creatures. The movie is a masterclass in tension-building and creature features and is one of the best horror movies of the century. Marshall's direction, combined with solid performances from the female-led cast, makes this film a nail-biting and unforgettable experience. The Descent tt0435625 7.2/10 m/descent 76% Watch at Amazon Prime Watch at GooglePlay Watch at Apple TV Sam sits next to a flaming pumpkin in Trick 'r Treat. 11. Trick 'r Treat (2007) It's rare for a more modern movie to join the esteemed ranks of great holiday classics, but Trick 'r Treat manages to do so. This horror anthology skillfully interlaces a collection of stories all unfolding on the mystical night of All Hallows' Eve, firmly establishing itself as a contemporary Halloween masterpiece. Directed by Michael Dougherty, the film delves into the traditions, legends, and supernatural phenomena that define the holiday, all while paying homage to Halloween folklore through a series of clever and spine-tingling tales. Its anthology format keeps the audience engaged, and Dougherty's genuine affection for the holiday radiates from every frame. We eagerly await the long-anticipated sequel to manifest. The first Paranormal Activity Paranormal Activity (2007) After its release, Oren Peli's found-footage horror film Paranormal Activity became a cultural phenomenon. The film follows a couple, Katie and Micah, as they document their haunting experiences at home. A low-budget triumph, this movie proves sometimes less is more. With its deliberate pacing, steadily mounting tension, and authentic chills, the film unexpectedly struck a chord with audiences, morphing into a sleeper hit. It left an indelible mark on the found-footage subgenre and stands tall among the best demonic possession films ever made. Paranormal Activity tt1179904 6.3/10 m/paranormal_activity 57% Watch at ParamountPlus Watch at Netflix Watch at Apple TV Tom Jane screams in The Mist The Mist (2007) Frank Darabont, known for his exceptional Stephen King adaptations, continues his streak of excellence with The Mist. In this film, we follow a group of townspeople who find themselves confined within a supermarket, surrounded by an enigmatic mist teeming with lethal creatures. The Mist skillfully merges creature horror with a profound examination of human psychology and morality. Darabont's talent for crafting well-rounded characters and weaving suspenseful narratives elevates this movie to remarkable heights, delivering some of the most bone-chilling content ever seen in a King film. Three masked strangers terrorize a couple in The Strangers The Strangers (2008) According to director Bryan Bertino's claims, The Strangers delves deep into the primal terror of home invasion, drawing inspiration from real-life events. The film revolves around a couple, portrayed by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, who masked attackers hunt at their remote vacation residence. This movie is an unrelenting and atmospheric thriller, capitalizing on the unsettling vulnerability of one's home and the sheer dread of arbitrary acts of violence. Its minimalist style and chilling authenticity deliver a genuinely harrowing cinematic experience. Megan Fox as Jennifer in Jennifer's Body Jennifer's Body (2009) Megan Fox faced heavy criticism upon the release of Jennifer's Body in 2009, but over the years, the movie has discovered its dedicated following. Under the direction of Karyn Kusama, the film features Megan Fox in the role of Jennifer, a high school student possessed by a malevolent entity. Penned by Diablo Cody, the writer of Juno, Jennifer's Body seamlessly combines elements of horror and dark comedy, all while delving into themes of female camaraderie and empowerment. Megan Fox's captivating and wicked portrayal adds a unique dimension to this horror-comedy blend, making it a perfect choice for a revisit during this Spooky Season. The main star of Hostel getting tortured. Honorable Mentions These honorable mentions may not have made it into the top 15, but they each bring something unique and memorable to horror cinema. If you want to expand your horror watchlist, remember to try these chilling titles. 28 Days Later (2002) - Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later reinvigorated the zombie genre by introducing fast-moving, rage-infected zombies. The film follows Jim (Cillian Murphy) as he wakes up in a post-apocalyptic London and must survive the infected hordes. It's a pulse-pounding and intense survival horror film that explores themes of isolation and societal collapse. Wrong Turn (2003) - Directed by Rob Schmidt, Wrong Turn is a gruesome and unapologetic slasher, taking us on a terrifying journey through the backwoods of West Virginia, where a group of friends encounters a clan of deformed and cannibalistic mountain men. Hostel (2005) - Eli Roth's Hostel is not for the faint of heart. It follows a group of backpackers who fall victim to a sinister organization, offering wealthy clients the opportunity to torture and kill tourists. The Hills Have Eyes (2006) - Alexandre Aja’s remake of Wes Craven's classic, The Hills Have Eyes, follows a family stranded in the desert who becomes the prey of a group of mutated and cannibalistic mutants and is a brutal, unrelenting survival horror film that doesn't pull any punches. 1408 (2007) - Directed by Mikael Håfström, this Stephen King adaptation centers on Mike Enslin (John Cusack), a skeptical writer who checks into a notoriously haunted hotel room to debunk its supernatural claims. John Cusack's stellar performance and the film's mind-bending narrative make it a standout in the haunted hotel subgenre. And there you have it, a chilling journey back in time through the 15 best horror movies of the 2000s. Whether you prefer jump scares, psychological dread, or eerie atmospheres, the 2000s had something to offer every horror enthusiast. So, the next time you're in the mood for spine-tingling entertainment, consider revisiting these timeless classics from a bygone era of fear. Horror hounds should make sure to check out our schedule of upcoming horror movies, so that the future can always remain filled with promising new flicks.

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

Spoiler alert! SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for The Nun II. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk! After 10 years, the timeline and continuity for The Conjuring Universe has gotten quite complex. At the core of everything is the main run of Conjuring movies (The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2, and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), but the popularity of those titles has inspired multiple spinoffs with sequels of their own. The latest spinoff sequel is director Michael Chaves’ The Nun II – and now that it’s in theaters, we can discuss the strange relationship that the end of the film has with the established canon. It’s all a bit complicated, which is why we put together this feature. What happens at the end of The Nun II, how does it fit with the rest of the Conjuring Universe, and what does the director have to say about its franchise connections? We’ve packed everything you want to know in this piece – and we’ll start with a recap of the new horror movie’s last few scenes. Sister Irene and The Nun Valak in The Nun 2 What Happens At The End Of The Nun II For a brief moment at the end of The Nun II, it feels like all may be lost. Valak (Bonnie Aarons) has achieved its goal and acquired the eyes of Saint Lucy, and the girls at the all-girls boarding school are helpless while being chased around the grounds by a demonic goat (who may or may not actually be Satan). But then Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) and Sister Debra (Storm Reid) figure out how to win. Reflecting on their earlier conversation about how faith is behind the idea of transubstantiation, Irene and Debra pray together and take advantage of the fact that the property used to be a winery before it was turned into a school. Caskets of red wine explode and douse Valak as it hovers in the air, and the prayers of the protagonists turn the liquid into the blood of Jesus Christ (the same weapon that was successfully used in The Nun). The unholy evil burns in a pillar of fire, and the demon goat returns to its place in the stained glass window of the chapel. Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) screams as Valak immolates, but Irene and Debra pray with him until he is back to normal and the film’s titular antagonist is embers. The next morning, Irene finds Maurice back out in the school’s garden tending to his tomato plant – which grew from the seeds that the young nun gave to him when they went separate ways in Romania. Also with “Frenchie” is Kate (Anna Popplewell) and her daughter Sophie (Katelyn Rose Downey), and the formerly possessed groundskeeper apologizes to them all. As Irene watches, the trio walks away hand in hand, and the movie ends with a cut to black. Frenchie and the nun in The Nun 2 Wait, Does The Nun II Fit With The Rest Of The Conjuring Universe? Those of you who distinctly remember the ending of The Nun may be a touch confused by what happens in the final minutes of The Nun II. For those who don’t recall, the 2018 movie concludes by executing a special deep canon link featuring Maurice a.k.a. Frenchie – who is shown to be inhabited by Valak following the big third act battle (as indicated by a scar on his neck that looks like an inverted cross). After this reveal, the film fast-forwards to 20 years later via footage from The Conjuring, with Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) giving a lecture that features footage of them with a possessed Maurice performing an exorcism. Maurice being plagued by Valak is a detail that properly syncs up with what happens in The Nun II, but it’s at the end of the 2023 film where things go wrong. In the last scene, Maurice is looking happy and demon free as he says goodbye to Sister Irene, and if that’s truly the case, why would Ed and Lorraine Warren need to do an exorcism? The puzzle pieces don’t fit together… though there is a pretty simple solution for the franchise: make The Nun III. If the canon is going to be cleared up, that means Maurice is going to have to get repossessed, and the story of how that happens could close out a Nun trilogy. Additionally, the theoretical sequel could explain how Valak survives the events of The Nun II (we know that the demon comes back years later thanks to The Conjuring 2), and it could also finally forge a definitive link between Sister Irene and Lorraine Warren. How The Nun 2 Director Approached Its Big Ending Knowing The Movie’s Place In The Conjuring Universe Director Michael Chaves is certainly not a novice when it comes to The Conjuring Universe. The filmmaker helmed his first chapter of the franchise making 2019’s The Curse of La Llorona, and he followed that up by making The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. The Nun II marks his third film in the canon, and when I discussed the ending of the new film with him during the movie’s virtual press day, he started by demonstrating his depth of knowledge regarding not only big screen continuity, but the real files of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Said Chaves, " We couldn't kill Maurice 'cause it's too... he tragically dies. The real Maurice died tragically after a failed exorcism. And we couldn't kill him in this movie. I didn't want to kill him 'cause I loved Jonas [Bloquet] too much. I was like, 'Maybe we could get another movie out of him.' " Maurice "Frenchie" Theriault could be called a doomed character in The Conjuring Universe, as his entire life in the movies is leading to his post-exorcism death, but Michael Chaves apparently wasn’t ready to tell that story (but obviously he is keeping that door open for the future). As for the construction of the ending, Michael Chaves addressed that there was an inherent challenge in telling what is a middle chapter in the franchise (The Nun II is simultaneously a sequel and a prequel). Fans know that there is more of this story to be told, but he wasn’t interested in doing what audiences saw from Fast X, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 this summer: " We know where it's going, and I think it was really important to signal to the audience that we recognize the timeline, that we are on that timeline, and we are heading towards an event which you know, everybody knows is coming. But at the same time, I think that there's a certain art to not just doing the shameless 'tune in next time' or 'to be continued' where, there is enough of resolution within this movie that it feels complete, and it feels like the chapter is closed. " The way that the director explains it, the film is able to serve two audiences. Movie-goers who come to The Nun II knowing nothing about The Conjuring Universe will be satisfied by a self-contained horror story, and die-hards will understand that there is still more of this story to be told. In Chaves words, " I think what works really well is for people who have never seen the movie before, they can just jump right into it and you can pick up the pieces and you can follow along with the story. And it feels complete at the end. It feels like this chapter's been closed. But it also serves, I think especially well for fans of the universe who have been there the whole time who know where it's going, know where it's come from. I think it gives a complete story. " While we don’t presently know if/when we will get The Nun III, the franchise does have future plans in the form of The Conjuring: Last Rites, which was first announced in October 2022 with David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick penning the screenplay. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates about the amazing horror franchise, and learn about all of the scary films on the way in the coming months with our Upcoming Horror Movies guide. Or if you're interested in visiting or revisiting some past horror movies, check out our list of the best horror movies of all time.

Check out what these great filmmakers have to say. Ahead of the fall movie season set to bring audiences big horror movies and award-worthy films, we have to talk about how big of a surprise Oppenheimer was for the 2023 summer box office. In a major twist, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour biopic about the father of the atomic bomb has made over $900 million worldwide, becoming the third biggest hit of the year right now, behind Barbie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s billion dollar+ hauls. Its success is blowing away beloved filmmakers like Denis Villeneuve and Paul Thomas Anderson, and those two recently talked about it. Given Oppenheimer's success, one would think the historical figure was a Marvel superhero or something. How incredible is it that a non-franchise film beat out Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Disney’s The Little Mermaid remake, and even bested Tom Cruise’s stunt-heavy Mission: Impossible film? It’s a rather wild turn of events, and Dune filmmaker Villeneuve recently shared these words after calling the movie “a masterpiece”: " Where [Oppenheimer] is right now has blown the roof off of my projection. It’s a three-hour movie about people talking about nuclear physics. … There’s this notion that movies, in some people’s minds, became content instead of an art form. I hate that word, ‘content.’ That movies like ‘Oppenheimer’ are released on the big screen and become an event brings back a spotlight on the idea that it’s a tremendous art form that needs to be experienced in theaters. " Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer success really surprised Villeneuve, who told AP News he predicted it might be a hit, but never would have guessed all the wild stats the movie earned. For example, the movie is now the highest-grossing biopic of all time, along with being Nolan’s third highest-grossing movie yet, behind the two Dark Knight sequels. Villeneuve is gearing up for his sci-fi sequel to 2021’s Dune to be among the upcoming 2024 movies. There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson also weighed in on the monumental box office smash. In his words: " When a filmmaker as strong as Chris is pointing a finger at you and telling you where to go…you listen…and audiences have been rewarded for it. I know some film buffs who drove from El Paso to Dallas to see the film properly. That’s about 18 hours round trip. I don’t think there’s anyone who could disagree - seeing ‘Oppenheimer’ on film is superior in every single way. Not to mention, people are tired of asking, ‘Why would I go to a movie theater to watch TV?’ Good question...you don’t have to anymore. " Anderson commented on the huge success of Oppenheimer, very much aided by IMAX and IMAX 70mm screenings, (which earned an extended run due to demand), as “nature’s way of healing.” With big Hollywood movies existing on streaming at home more than ever, Oppenheimer’s numbers certainly signal a huge demand for theatrical releases for original films that are shot on film and have a distinct vision like Nolan’s. It goes to show the streaming era doesn’t necessarily mean there’s not a bright future for filmmakers like Villeneuve and Anderson. Will Nolan’s Oppenheimer perhaps inspire these filmmakers, and more like them, to bring their movies to original works to big screens? Time will tell how the biopic affects the film industry moving forward, but the success is a beacon of hope for dramas and director-driven films of which Villeneuve and Anderson are taking note.

The actor has been chatting about the film a lot lately. The Blind Side – the 2009 sports biopic inspired by the story of NFL alum Michael Oher – has been heavily re-examined in the wake of Oher’s lawsuit against the Tuohy family. He claims Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who supposedly adopted him when he was a teen, actually exploited him and made business deals, thanks to his name. He also alleges that they’ve made significant sums of money as a result of the Oscar-winning film. As the controversy has played out, a number of people involved in the actual events and the film that seemingly depicts them have spoken out. Among them is Quinton Aaron, who played Oher in the movie, and he shared some thoughts on whether this recent development tarnishes the production. Quinton Aaron received a considerable amount of notoriety as an actor when he starred in John Lee Hancock’s well-received drama. It essentially marked his breakthrough role, so it’s not too surprising that he would have feelings on the film amid the legal drama. Over the years, Aaron has expressed pride over the motion picture, and his feelings don’t appear to have been soured by the recent lawsuit. While explaining his rationale, he pointed to the aims of the entertainment industry: " No, it doesn't, because I feel like in the movie, not all facts are gonna be… not all of the story is gonna be a hundred percent [true] anyway. … We're in the business of entertaining, and sometimes, there's certain liberties that are taken from either the writer or producer or the creator[’s] standpoint to make the film [appealing] to a certain audience. And I think in doing so, they successfully put out something that has motivated an entire generation of people to do good. " The movie, which received mostly positive reviews from critics and general audiences, is essentially a story of determination. It’s meant to show young Michael Oher rising from poverty with the help of the Tuohys and eventually becoming a college football player, before being drafted into the NFL. The production did have its share of critiques, however, as some argued that it exemplified the “white savior” trope. Despite the criticisms and reignited discussions, Quinton Aaron seems to be leaning on the positive elements. He went on to tell People that fans have told him that “the story has changed their lives and in such a positive way.” The 39-year-old actor also told the trade: " We're in the business of entertaining, and sometimes, there's certain liberties that are taken from either the writer or producer or the creator[’s] standpoint to make the film [appealing] to a certain audience. And I think in doing so, they successfully put out something that has motivated an entire generation of people to do good. " At present, Michael Oher is seeking damages from the Tuohys for allegedly putting him under a conservatorship as opposed to adopting him. He claims Sean, Leigh Anne and their two kids have received millions of dollars as a result of the film, though Sean denied the allegations. The patriarch asserted that the film split its earnings with Michael Lewis, the author of the book on which the film was based. Sean claims everyone in the family (including Oher) got an equal share, amounting to roughly $14,000. Interestingly, Oher also referenced the legal arrangement in own book, which would seemingly contradict the extortion claims. Nevertheless, he’s still seeking to have the conservatorship revoked and wants a fair share of the reported profits. Meanwhile, fans have been responding to the situation in their own way. Many are calling for The Blind Side’s Leigh Anne actress, Sandra Bullock, to return her Oscar for Best Actress. Sources claim Bullock is distraught over the backlash the movie is now receiving. Quinton Aaron has since defended his co-star and said that “people just need to chill out.” Quinton Aaron also sent a message to Michael Oher himself. The actor said that he’s “praying” for the Super Bowl winner and “what has happened doesn't diminish everything that you worked for.” The best we can all probably do at this point is follow Aaron’s lead in hoping that cooler heads prevail in this matter.

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content]

A spooky season upset? Spooky season is most definitely here. While studios will certainly mix things up by releasing films of different genres in the coming weeks, this is the time of year for horror to shine, and it's already properly taken over the box office. Last week, Michael Chaves' The Nun II kicked things off in solid fashion by being another win for The Conjuring Universe, but this time around, we have a close race playing out – with The Nun II doing battle with Kenneth Branagh's latest Hercule Poirot mystery, A Haunting In Venice, to be the #1 title domestically. The early numbers are in, and the two films are neck-and-neck. Check out the full Top 10 below, and join me after for analysis. The Nun 2 Weekend Box Office September 15-17, 2023 TITLE WEEKEND GROSS DOMESTIC GROSS LW THTRS 1. The Nun II $14,730,000 $56,523,000 1 3,743 2. A Haunting In Venice* $14,500,000 $14,500,000 N/A 3,305 3. The Equalizer 3 $7,235,000 $73,679,930 2 3,528 4. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 $4,700,000 $18,572,000 3 3,678 5. Barbie $3,965,000 $626,122,000 5 3,012 6. Jawan $2,493,986 $12,193,700 4 776 7. Blue Beetle $2,475,000 $67,281,000 6 2,386 8. Gran Turismo $2,350,000 $39,422,852 7 2,202 9. Oppenheimer $2,100,000 $318,639,000 8 1,799 10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem $2,000,000 $114,148,000 9 2,066 While Selling Fewer Tickets, The Nun II Has Much Better Second Weekend Than Its Predecessor Corin Hardy's The Nun had what could be called a box office run with mixed results when it was released in 2018. The film unquestionably had a phenomenal opening, breaking records for The Conjuring Universe by making $53.8 million... but the movie also didn't get an impressive critical response, and it received a "C" grade from CinemaScore surveys. Reflecting this, the movie had a rough second Friday-to-Sunday – its domestic profits plunging 66 percent weekend-to-weekend. The film still ended up being a crazy successful blockbuster, making $363.4 million worldwide, but that was an unignorable part of the story during its box office run. Five years later, The Nun II finds itself in a better position than its predecessor as far as "image" is concerned. As noted in last week's box office column, the film debuted in theaters making significantly less than The Nun ($32.6 million, to be more specific), but it experienced a far softer weekend-to-weekend drop of 55 percent. According to The Numbers, the sequel has added $14.7 million to its domestic haul, and to date it has made $56.5 million from theaters in the United States and Canada. According to Deadline, The Nun II was a more expensive movie to make than The Nun, with a pre-marketing/publicity budget of $38.5 million, but the film is already well on its way to being a financial success. It won't end up making $300 million, but globally it has already brought in $158.8 million. After a little more than a full week in theaters, its presently the 30th biggest domestic release of 2023 (only about $1.1 million away from surpassing David F. Sandberg's Shazam! Fury Of The Gods), and worldwide its the 31st place behind Jeff Rowe's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (which mas made $167.2 million to date). Sister Irene surrounded by nuns in The Nun 2 Within The Conjuring Universe, it will have to make quite a bit more money to start climbing up the ranks. It's not presently sitting in last place (that position belongs to Michael Chaves' The Curse Of La Llorona, which ended its 2019 worldwide box office run making $123.1 million), but it will need to make $41.5 million to outgross Chaves' The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It from 2021, which was the seventh film in the franchise to earn over $200 million globally. One big issue that The Nun II faces as far as long term success is competition. As noted, the movie was in prime position to kick off spooky season by being released in the second weekend of September, but that also means that its core audience will have a number of titles vying for its attention as we get ever closer to Halloween 2023. David Gordon Green's The Exorcist: Believer and Kevin Greutert's Saw X are just two of the high profile titles, not to mention the big wide release that just came out this past Friday, which surely stole at least a small fraction of the Conjuring crowd... A Haunting In Venice May Have To Settle For Second Place Thanks To Its Tepid Opening Weekend After Kenneth Branagh's Murder On The Orient Express made over $350 million worldwide in 2017, 20th Century Studios heavily invested in the big screen future of Hercule Poirot... but things haven't quite worked out as well as hoped. Branagh's star-studded Death On The Nile cost $90 million to make, but released at a time when the box office was still being hampered by COVID-19 (February 2022), the film only made $130.3 million by the time its theatrical run ended. Financially, more restraint was shown in the making of the latest sequel, A Haunting In Venice – which had a $60 million budget (per Variety) – but the movie still isn't exactly off to what could be called a hot start. After its first three days, A Haunting In Venice has made $14.5 million domestically, which is better than the $12.9 million debut for Death On The Nile, but it looks like it won't be enough for the film to wear the weekend's box office crown. The film has received a relatively strong critical reception (Mike Reyes' CinemaBlend review calls it "both riveting and disturbing"), but pre-release buzz hasn't translated to significantly stronger debut numbers. Factoring in money from overseas, A Haunting In Venice has made $37.2 million worldwide – and like the case with The Nun II, its legs will be interesting to watch. It's unclear at present if Kenneth Branagh has the desire to extend his run as Hercule Poirot beyond the existing trilogy, but ticket sales may end up making the choice for him. Barbie Passes Avengers: Age Of Ultron On The All Time Worldwide Box Office Rankings Greta Gerwig's Barbie came out nearly two months ago, but the film just won't stop generating headlines. As you can see from the chart up top, it's still one of the biggest titles playing in theaters domestically – and as the money keeps rolling in, the movie just keeps breaking records and surpassing titles on the all time worldwide chart. Today, we can report that the 2023 hit has now earned more money than Joss Whedon's Avengers: Age Of Ultron, which made $1.4 billion when it hit theaters in 2015. Barbie is now the 14th biggest film of all time (unadjusted for inflation), and it will need to make another $50 million to surpass Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck's Frozen II. Looking ahead to next weekend, we should see some interesting competition at the box office, as the current Top 10 will get a shakeup with the arrival of Scott Waugh's Expend4bles and Bishal Dutta's hyped horror movie It Lives Inside. Head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday for our report on the results, and check out our 2023 Movie Release Calendar to discover all of the big titles set to come out between now and the end of the year.

The Sixth Sense is great and all, but... It’s unanimous! Everybody thinks The Sixth Sense is the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, right? WRONG. Because you know what? I don't. In fact, I never have. That distinction has always belonged to Shyamalan’s fourth movie, Unbreakable, in my eyes. Now, look. I’m not just going to point out everything wrong with The Sixth Sense, because how could I? It’s an excellent film and one of only six horror movies to ever be nominated for Best Picture. But is it M. Night Shyamalan’s best movie? Well, I’m going to say no, and I have four reasons why Unbreakable surpasses it. Oh, and massive spoilers for some relatively old flicks lie ahead. Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson in Unbreakable Unbreakable Solidified The Fact That M. Night Shyamalan Isn't A One Trick Pony Nowadays, it’s easy to criticize M. Night Shyamalan. Heck, even the actors he’s worked with, like Mark Wahlberg, have been critical of his movies. But back in 1999, when The Sixth Sense came out, you'd hardly see or hear a bad word about the director. I remember it well. Proclamations that Shyamalan was “the next Hitchcock,” or “the next Spielberg” ran rampant. And, mind you, this was just after ONE MOVIE. One great movie, to be sure, but one nonetheless. That’s how big of a deal the horror thriller was. But then, the filmmaker seemingly did the impossible. The very next year, fans received 2000’s Unbreakable. And instead of being another horror movie like its predecessor, it proved to be a much quieter (but no less effective) film. With this production, M. Night Shyamalan basically made the most understated comic book origin story in history, as Bruce Willis’s character, David Dunn, has superhuman abilities but is really just learning about it himself for the first time and questioning his entire life. What I love about this reveal, which I think is even stronger than the one in Sixth Sense, is that Willis's character has to make a decision here. And his choice is ultimately to fight evil. It’s not a tale about making peace with oneself. It’s a story about good vs. bad. And that twist! (Which I’ll get back to later). That twist, which may arguably be more shocking than The Sixth Sense's, proved the rising director had a very healthy career ahead of him. And then, Sighs, I’m sorry, Signs came out, and all that good will essentially went down the toilet. And yes, I know. A lot of people love that sci-flick. (I’m just not one of them.) Glass movie trio Unbreakable Created A Whole Shyamalan Universe That We Wouldn’t Know About Until Much Later My colleague, Alexandra Ramos, ranked M. Night Shyamalan’s movies and believes Split is his second best film. I definitely think there’s a case to be made there but, if one were to ask me what my absolute favorite part of Split was, it's that it's set in the same universe as Unbreakable. I mean, what!? Forget the chronology of the MCU. This is the SCU! In all seriousness, my heart leapt to my throat when I saw Bruce Willis in that diner mentioning Mr. Glass. I’m not even joking when I say that during the scene, I gasped louder than I did over seeing Thanos in the mid-credits stinger of The Avengers. But why would this make Unbreakable better than the 1999 horror movie? Well, because the former movie sparked some more creative delights from the filmmaker. Split is arguably one of his best flicks, and I'm amazed by the fact that it was derived from the same world that the director crafted for his 2000 superhero movie. This is some proof -- for me, at least -- that this fictional universe gave the Last Airbender helmer some of his best movies. We never got a follow-up to The Sixth Sense. (Not that we needed one, but still). Yet the other film I'm comparing it to did, and that's fairly impressive for a flick that was thought to be a one-off. Bruce Willis in Unbreakable Unbreakable Marks Bruce Willis' His Best Performance In An M. Night Shyamalan Film Don’t just take my word for it. Quentin Tarantino himself called Unbreakable Bruce Willis’s “best performance on film," and this is coming from a guy who has actually directed the man himself! Now, I wouldn’t go that far, as I actually think Bruce Willis has a much better performance in Tarantino’s best movie, Pulp Fiction. Yet I definitely think the performance he gives in the superhero movie is much better than the one he gives in The Sixth Sense. And that’s not the actor's fault. Sixth Sense was really a star-creating vehicle for Haley Joel Osment, but I’ve always found the Die Hard icon a little stiff in the film. Of course, there's a reason for that, as the movie is about a ghost who thinks he’s still alive and is mentally sorting through all of that. On the other hand, Unbreakable is purely a character study. In fact, I really think Bruce Willis’s performance in the 2000 feature is the best performance in any M. Night Shyamalan movie. At times, the film feels downright somber, and a great deal of that is due to Willis’ stellar and balanced performance, which is definitely one of the best in his career -- if not THE best. Samuel L. Jackson in Unbreakable The Twist In Unbreakable Is Arguably Even More Shocking Than The One In The Sixth Sense I know many would disagree with this statement, since pretty much everybody agrees that “Bruce Willis is a ghost” is one of the greatest twists in cinematic history, but hear me out. In his article on M. Night Shyamalan’s best twists, my fellow writer, Jason Weise, concluded his description of Unbreakable’s with this statement: “Perhaps if the audience did not know it was a comic book movie…” And that’s just it! We didn’t know it was a comic book movie when it first came out. We didn’t know WHAT kind of movie it was. It was just the latest feature from M. Night Shyamalan, and that was enough to get butts in the theaters back then. With The Sixth Sense, what people seem to remember the most about IS the twist. Upon rewatch, you might check to see if anybody is actually looking at Bruce Willis’ character besides Cole. (They’re not!). So the twist really supports the film itself. With Unbreakable, however, the surprise only makes the overall movie better. The revelation that Glass is actually an arch-nemesis was even more potent because it was at that very moment that we actually learned, as an audience, that we WERE watching a comic book movie. The fact that the twist actually CHANGES what the movie is makes it, in my mind, even more effective than the ending in the supernatural drama. It's just too bad the third movie, Glass, wasn't the best conclusion to the trilogy… So all in all, those are my reasons. Have I convinced you that Unbreakable is M. Night Shyamalan’s best film rather than The Sixth Sense? Probably not but, regardless, thanks for checking out my musings! And those who'd like to make a comparison for themselves should seek out the two quality films.

Blumhouse reimagines a dark Danish drama. I have gone on record time and time again about how scarily satisfying many of the horror movies that came out in 2022 were, yet none of those great horror movies managed to haunt me in such a disturbing and profoundly upsetting way more than Speak No Evil – a Danish thriller that is getting updated for American audiences. Being an international import, this recent freaky flick may have flown under the radar for some people – who may now be wondering about what exactly is this “evil” that is going unspoken. While it would be ill-advised to give away too many details regarding that question, I will happily provide answers about who is making the film, when it's coming out, and more. WHAT IS THE SPEAK NO EVIL RELEASE DATE? Speak No Evil 2022 movie There are many intriguing horror flicks to look forward to on our upcoming 2024 movies schedule and Speak No Evil is among them. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie currently set to release in theaters on Friday, August 9, 2024. JAMES MCAVOY AND MACKENZIE DAVIS STAR IN THE SPEAK NO EVIL CAST James McAvoy in Split The trade article above also confirms that James McAvoy will star in Speak No Evil, following his already impressive experience with the horror genre so far. The Scottish X-Men star previously played the titular role of Victor Frankenstein (a 2015 reimagining of Mary Shelley’s revolutionary novel), took on multiple roles living inside the mind of DID patient Kevin Wendell Crumb in the M. Night Shyamalan movies Split and Glass, and played an adult Bill Denbrough in the second half of Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s It in 2019. Deadline has confirmed that McAvoy will be joined by Mackenzie Davis, whose own previous contributions to the genre include 2016’s Always Shine, 2020’s The Turning (one of two adaptations of Henry James novella from that year), and one of the best Black Mirror episodes, “San Junipero” (which is actually a far cry from the hit anthology series’ more horrifying tales, admittedly). We also know that the new Speak No Evil cast also includes Scoot McNairy, who led the 2010 alien invasion movie Monsters and had a small role in A Quiet Place Part II. It's also been reported that the thriller will be the theatrical film debut of Alix West Lefler, who previously starred in some holiday Hallmark movies and a Netflix original movie from 2022 called The Good Nurse. SPEAK NO EVIL IS A REMAKE OF A SHOCKING DANISH THRILLER Speak No Evil cast Speak No Evil is the English-language update of a Danish film of the same name about a Danish family – Bjørn (Morten Burian), Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) and their daughter, Agnes,(Liva Forsberg) – who meet a Dutch couple named Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders) with a son named Abel (Marius Damslev) while vacationing in Tuscany. After receiving a surprise invitation from their new friends to spend a weekend at their house, Bjørn and Louise accept, but they soon find their host's methods of hospitality to be very inconsiderate, and they are discomforted by other questionable behaviors. However, the couple eventually comes to the horrifying discovery that awkward disagreements and misunderstandings are the least of their worries. Directed by Christian Tafdrup, who also wrote the screenplay with his brother, Mads, Speak No Evil had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival as part of the prestigious annual event’s “Sundance Midnight” section. As reported by Variety, even before its unveiling at the festival, the film had been acquired for distribution in the United States and United Kingdom by AMC Networks’ all-horror streaming service, Shudder. For its relatable depiction of passive-aggressive responses to social upheaval and effective slow-burn structure, some might call it one of the scariest movies on Shudder (myself included). JAMES WATKINS WRITES AND DIRECTS daniel radcliffe in the woman in black Penning the screenplay for this new reinterpretation of Speak No Evil is James Watkins, who is also helming the project, according to Deadline. The English filmmaker previously wrote thrillers like 2002’s My Little Eye and Gone from 2006 before making his directorial debut in 2008 with the unsettling drama Eden Lake, starring Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly from the cast of Yellowstone. He followed that up by directing Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe in 2012’s The Woman in Black – which, technically, also counts as a remake of a 1989 TV movie also based on Susan Hill’s novel – and he went on to helm one of the most intense Black Mirror episodes: “Shut Up and Dance.” Universal Pictures will distribute the film that will also mark a reunion for James McAvoy and Jason Blum, who produced Split and Glass and is producing Speak No Evil for Blumhouse. The production company behind many freaky modern favorites has previously remade thrillers like the underrated slasher The Town That Dreaded Sundown, the harrowing French Extremist drama Martyrs, and the holiday horror movie classic Black Christmas. Those serving as an executive producer on the film include Paul Ritchie, Jacob Jarek, Bea Sequeira, and the story’s original creator, Christian Tafdrup. SPEAK NO EVIL HALTED PRODUCTION IN JULY 2023 Morten Burian and Sidsel Siem Koch in Speak No Evil It might be a while before you hear any of the actors or behind-the-scenes talent involved say anything about Speak No Evil in lieu of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The ongoing strikes are also why the film’s production has been on hiatus since mid-July 2023. According to Screen Daily, Speak No Evil was actually just days away from wrapping up principal photography in Gloucester, England when the production was shut down. The report goes on to say that while it three top stars are from different countries — with McAvoy being Scottish, Davis hailing from Canada, and McNairy being America — all three are under contract with SAG for the film. I personally regard Speak No Evil as an Oscar-worthy horror film worth recommending to anyone with a Shudder subscription (as long they brace themselves for the brutal climax). I am curious to see how the story will be handled under Watkins’ guidance and how McAvoy and company will portray the characters. Of course, until the remake finally hits theaters, I’ll be sure to hold my tongue.

The veteran actor was overseas when he became unwell. Kevin Spacey has faced a number of issues during the past few years but, simultaneously, he’s continued to appear (and be honored) at major events. The Oscar winner was most recently on hand for a film festival held outside the United States. While taking in the sights though, he reportedly had to be rushed to a hospital due to an apparent medical complication. He’s since recovered, but the details shared about the situation do sound somewhat scary. The 64-year-old actor was in Uzbekistan for the 15th Tashkent International Film Festival when he became ill. Per reports, he was visiting Samarkand’s Afrasiyab Museum during the exact moment he started feeling sick. The Baby Driver alum felt his “entire left arm go numb for about eight seconds,” according to The U.S. Sun. From there, he needed to be admitted to Innova Diagnostic Clinic and ultimately needed an MRI scan, before participating in other tests. A source provided further details on the situation: " Mr. Spacey was taken to a medical centre over health concerns. He was treated professionally by doctors and staff and found to have no problem with his heart. " As indicated above, it was assumed he may have suffered a heart attack, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. The actor was eventually released from the hospital and continued on with his planned schedule of events at the festival. When he addressed attendees, he confirmed he was feeling “normal" and also shared his own account of the events that led to his hospitalization: " I was looking at these extraordinary murals on the walls and I suddenly felt my entire left arm go numb for about eight seconds. I shook it off, but I immediately told the people I was with and we went immediately to the [...] medical centre. I spent the afternoon there having a variety of tests. Staff took care of me, and even put me through an MRI. Everything turned out to be completely normal, and I'm grateful it's not anything more serious. " The House of Cards star has dealt with a few personal hurdles as of late, but those have had more those have been legal-based troubles as opposed to health-related ones. After fellow actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him when he was still a minor, the two became embroiled in a $40 million sexual battery suit. Ultimately, the verdict determined Spacey was “not liable for battery.” He was later charged with more counts of assault in the UK and was eventually found not guilty of those reported offenses either. Amid the controversies, the Hollywood veteran has continued to work on projects. Just last year, at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, he attempted to make a comeback. Studio execs were attempting to sell the distribution rights to his latest film, Peter Five Eight, which eventually landed at SPI International. While addressing the crowd Kevin Spacey also declared that his medical situation made him “ take a moment and think about how fragile life is.” So one would think this is an experience that’s going to stick with him for some time.

Who is ready to return to Salem's Lot... again? We seem to be experiencing something of a renaissance for Stephen King movies – and, by that, I mean many older films (or TV specials) inspired by the best-selling author’s work are being revived and reimagined for a modern audience. One of the many new Stephen King adaptations that is currently in the works is a theatrical version of Salem’s Lot. The upcoming horror movie is based on the 1975 novel set in a small town in Maine (as per tradition for King stories), which serves as the author’s own most popular contribution to vampire lore. Fans have been keeping a close eye on all the major updates surrounding this new take on Salem and we have compiled them all in one place below, starting with when a good time to grab a crucifix, a wooden stake, and some garlic would be. WHAT IS THE SALEM’S LOT RELEASE DATE? The vampire from Salem's Lot The biggest mystery surrounding Salem’s Lot right now is when the film is going to come out as it does not have a release date at the moment. It was previously on our upcoming 2023 movies schedule and set for that April until it was removed from the schedule and Warner Bros. gave its slot to Evil Dead Rise. A new release date still has yet to be announced. Some argue that the best time for a horror movie to come out is during the Halloween season in October. However, at this point, horror fans probably have no preference of what time of the year Salem’s Lot comes out as long as they get to see it. LEWIS PULLMAN LEADS THE NEW SALEM’S LOT CAST Lewis Pullman's Bob flying in fighter plane in Top Gun: Maverick Leading the Salem’s Lot cast is Top Gun: Maverick star Lewis Pullman (son of Bill Pullman) as Ben Mears. A Stephen King movie veteran also slated to appear is William Sadler (known for playing Heywood from The Shawshank Redemption in 1994, Klaus Detterick in 1999’s The Green Mile, and Jim in the devastating 2007 creature feature, The Mist – all from Frank Darabont), whose role in this new film is currently undisclosed. Additional supporting players include Mackenzie Leigh (of Gotham cast fame) as Ben’s love interest, Susan Norton, The Queen’s Gambit cast member Bill Camp as school teacher Matthew Burke (one of Ben’s most trusted allies against the vampire invasion), and Glass star Spencer Treat Clark as Mike Ryerson (a victim of the vampire invasion). Salem’s Lot character Richard Straker is the latest villain played by former Game of Thrones cast member Pilou Asbæk, Tony nominee John Benjamin Hickey stars as Father Donald Callahan, and playing a gender-swapped version of Dr. Cody is Academy Award nominee Alfre Woodard in her second collaboration with the film’s director. SALEM’S LOT IS A MODERN VAMPIRE TALE Ralphie Glick in Salem's Lot 1979 The Stephen King multiverse is full of vampires, such as the nocturnal creatures a fan may find in short stories like “The Night Flier” – which inspired a mean made-for-TV creature feature in 1997 – and his series of Dark Tower novels, among others. However, the most famous bloodsucker of the author’s creation must be Kurt Barlow, who is the centuries-old antagonist of Salem’s Lot. The novel (King’s second) gets its title from the shortened name of the town where it is set, Jerusalem’s Lot – the childhood home of writer Ben Mears. When he returns to the Maine community to research his next book, it becomes apparent that many of the locals are either disappearing, dying, or simply acting strangely. Upon further investigation, Ben starts to suspect this suspicious activity is the work of a creature of the night. CINEMACON 2022 SHOWED AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK OF SALEM’S LOT Kurt Barlow in Salem's Lot 1979 At the moment, we have no Salem’s Lot trailer to mention – let alone any official promotional material related to the film to comment on (unless you count the movie tie-in reissue of the novel that hit bookstores in 2022). However, the crowds at CinemaCon from April of that year were exclusively treated to some early footage of the project that teased key moments from the novel, such as an introductory scene depicting Mike Ryerson succumbing to the vampire plague. The clip has still not been made available to the general public, but curious fans may be happy to know that the sneak peek has received positive responses online, such as from Variety’s Rebecca Rubin with an X post that called out her colleague, Matt Donnelly, for screaming loudly at the scary sights. It even piqued the curiosity of Flick Direct’s X account manager, despite, as they state, Salem’s Lot not even being their favorite King property. IT WRITER GARY DAUBERMAN WROTE AND DIRECTEDSALEM’S LOT It the dancing clown in IT Chapter One. A story as complex, as widely celebrated, and (most importantly) as terrifying as Salem’s Lot deserves to be put in the care of someone with plenty of experience in that business. Well, the one whom New Line Cinema put in charge is certainly no stranger to the horror genre and is clearly a Stephen King fan. Salem’s Lot is both written and directed by Gary Dauberman, who is also known for writing both halves of Andy Muschietti’s theatrical IT adaptation and developing the short-lived, but much-loved Swamp Thing TV show. He made his directorial debut with Annabelle Comes Home in 2018 after penning the first two installments of the possessed doll’s own trilogy of spin-off movies and The Nun, making him a key component of the Conjuring movies Universe. Speaking of, the one who started that franchise is also joining Dauberman for this project. JAMES WAN PRODUCED SALEM’S LOT Joseph Bishara and Ty Simpkins in Insidious, directed by James Wan Simply putting James Wan’s name on a poster is a good way to sell tickets these days, but that does not exclusively apply to horror movies anymore. The filmmaker, known for creepy modern classics like the first of the Saw movies or 2011’s Insidious, would also break into action flicks in 2015 with Furious 7 and is currently preparing a sequel to his comic book movie debut with the upcoming superhero movie, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, 2021’s Malignant showed he has not left his flagship genre behind and his involvement in this new Stephen King movie is further proof. In April 2019, almost exactly a year before Dauberman was confirmed to be at the helm, Wan’s involvement with Salem’s Lot was officially announced. The director of The Conjuring and its 2016 sequel shares a producing credit on the film with Dauberman and others, but it will not be the last King adaptation Wan is attached to. He will also produce The Tommyknockers, which is yet another theatrical update of a miniseries based on one of the author’s novels. SALEM’S LOT WRAPPED PRODUCTION IN 2021, BUT IS CURRENTLY DELAYED Father Callahan in Salem's Lot 1979 As we established above, we are still not sure when Salem’s Lot is set to come out. As of 2023, the horror film’s highly anticipated theatrical release is still on a delay, which brings up the questions of what is keeping it from seeing the light of day. Star Mackenzie Leigh confirmed in an Instagram post that principal photography had wrapped in November 2021. The next year, the aforementioned CinemaCon footage debuted and, the following fall, the film received an R rating from the MPA. Considering all that we already do know about its production status, hopefully we can expect a 2024 movie release… or perhaps access with a Max subscription? SALEM’S LOT IS THE LATEST OF SEVERAL MOVIES AND TV SHOWS INSPIRED BY STEPHEN KING’S NOVEL Rob Lowe in Salem's Lot 2004 Salem’s Lot follows in the footsteps of the It movies as a feature-length adaptation of the author’s work that was previously made for television as a limited series. However, the original two-part event directed by Tobe Hooper (creator of one of the best horror movies of all time, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre) is not the only time this vampire story came to the small screen. The 1979 miniseries spawned a feature-length sequel called A Return to Salem’s Lot in 1987 and a remake starring Rob Lowe that aired over two nights on TNT in 2004. While the plot of Salem’s Lot has nothing to do with the Hulu original series, Castle Rock, Jerusalem’s Lot was a prominent setting of its second season. King later wrote a short, 19th-Century-set prequel called “Jerusalem’s Lot,” that serves as the basis of Adrien Brody-led series, Chapelwaite, which has a second season in the works. How might this new adaptation of Salem’s Lot compare to its previous interpretations and other recent Stephen King films? Don’t lose sleep over that question, as there will surely be more for us to sink our teeth into as we wait for the film to open.

Spoiler alert: It's not just the sandworms. When Dune was released in 2021, the sci-fi masterpiece captivated audiences worldwide and left many waiting to see what would happen next in the embattled sands of Arrakis. While Dune: Part Two is still months away from its release, momentum is already building for what could be one of the most successful sequels in recent memory. But fans of the first film shouldn’t hold their breath if they’re expecting a repeat. According to director Denis Villenueve, we can expect to see some huge changes when it comes to how the story for this second chapter plays out. The cast and crew of Dune: Part Two remained mostly tight-lipped about details during filming. But in the intervening months since production wrapped, they’ve given fans some clues about what’s to come. Most recently, Denis Villeneuve hinted to Empire Magazine that thematically and tonally, the highly anticipated will differ from the first film significantly. Here’s what he had to say about the sequel: " The first movie was more contemplative – a young man discovering a world. Here, it’s a war movie. … At the very core is a love story between Paul and Chani. How Paul will gain her trust, how she will open her heart to him, and how they will find a way to free Chani’s world from the Harkonnen grip. It’s a much more emotional movie. " The Blade Runner 2049 helmer's insights are far from the first that we’ve been given. However, this take does very much closely align with what we’ve seen of both the action and the budding romance in the recently released trailer for Dune: Part Two. Also, this matches up nicely with what we’ve seen and heard from the film’s cast, too. Earlier this year, Zendaya also hinted at the challenges she faced in perfecting Chani and Paul’s chemistry alongside Timothée Chalamet. And in February, Dave Bautista raved about the sequel during a chat with CinemaBlend, hyping up the intensity of the story. Unfortunately, fans who are eager to see how everything comes together in Part Two will have to wait a bit longer than originally planned. While the follow-up was first set to hit theaters in November 2023, Warner Bros. has chosen to delay it to its roster of 2024 movie releases amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. This is likely because the film’s stars will be barred from actively promoting the film until the studios and union reach an agreement. This news has left Dune fans feeling frustrated but, by now, they’re seasoned pros at the waiting game since the first movie was also delayed several times during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, this latest tease from Denis Villeneuve has me thinking that the movie will indeed be worth the wait. I, like so many others, am excited to see how the Arrival director expands upon the world created by Frank Herbert and closes out this leg of the story. As fans mull over the small bits of information that the filmmaker and the cast have offered about what to expect in Dune: Part Two, those with HBO Max subscriptions can also tide themselves over by watching (and re-watching) the franchise’s first installment. You'll have plenty of time to do so, as the new movie doesn't open in theaters until March 15, 2024.

[Hidden Content]