For those that noticed we had a slight issue with imagine uploads. i.e they weren't happening and the whole thing was busted. Done and dusted, happy uploading.

Opening day prediction of $19 million has Friday the 13th set to score the best ever opening weekend for a horror movie. The target from here should be around the $50 million mark which opens up the possibility of the remake targeting above $100 million (which to be honest was expected).

This could all be down to hype and aggresive marketing of course, last year Cloverfield opened above $40 million but failed to achieve solid word of mouth and dropped to around a 2 times multiplier. Word on the net is solid, for what that is worth, however critical reaction is pretty bad with the RT meter reporting 30/78 and a low 28%.

We have started to look at what happened at the Box Office in 2008 with a look at the horror genre in North America, Click Here. Chick power drove the major hit of the year, a big monster failed to destroy us all after a large opening, and M. Night is back. So what went down in the dark genre up North in 2008?

Producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy have been out and about admitting that the concept hasn't exactly been rocketing ahead and with the death of Michael Crichton, author of the original concept, they felt it was a sign that the movie shouldn't go ahead. New age hippy excuse if you ask me, Speilberg unable to float a movie perhaps? That would be a first, but my thought is that the U.S Director is over the concept and doesn't want to be seen to go back on his word after promising JP4 post the latest Indiana Jones epic.

I'm at best bemused by this news. On the one hand I was looking forward to seeing what they could do with modern technology, come on down Wheta, on the other I had this fear Speilberg would really send the franchise off the cliff after the less than well received third movie. And for those wondering I thought the third flick was a hoot and the haters should get off the bandwagon. Anywise at least we are spared any possibility of Raptors being trained as security guards as one "script" floating around the net a while back claimed.

Simple thought here Speilberg, don't promise on stuff you aren't going to deliver. Your last movie sucked by the way.

News coming out of North America is Walt Disney have pulled the pin on their committment to Walden Media's third Narnia movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Disney aren't citing any reason for the sudden decision, Treader is currently in pre-production, but the belief in online communities is that the disappointing results of the second Narnia movie Prince Caspian at the Box Office probably tipped Disney's hand considering the Studio is under increasing attacks in it's core animation markets by both U.S and British rivals. Walden Media haven't announced any plans to halt production, the Director and cast are already in place, and could seek help from Fox Studios who distribute a lot of Walden's other product.

Prince Caspian was released, in a decision that defies any logic, in the North American summer right in the midst of Ironman and the fourth Indy movie holding sway at the box office. A November/December release of a family orientated flick is of course the logical decision and one wonders why Disney keep getting it wrong. As opposed to claims that Prince Caspian is the biggest box office failure of 2008, well it actually made a profit hence is not really a failure just a disappointment.

Fingers crossed someone other than Fox steps in here.

So Rob Zombie's remake of the classic Halloween made some cash in North America and promptly bombed in every other market on the planet. Why? Zombie doesn't have a fanbase of male teen biatchs outside the U.S, and the remake was complete bollocks. Naturally since the Studio has been counting their profits and cackling madly a sequel is on the way. Yes we're getting Halloween 2 (hence forth known as H2 on this site as opposed to H20).

Way back in July 2007 Rob Zombie had this to say about sequels



So guess who is whoring themself out by taking the Director's chair in the sequel? Well no prizes, once again Zombie proves he's full of the brown stuff when it comes to the Studio money offers. One of the more ardent critcism of the original remake was that Zombie needed to wake up to the fact that he can't write horror scripts, he hasn't learned and is also penning the sequel.

Early prediction: The sequel wont bomb in North America but it will make substantially less than the remake, it will however find it hard to get cinema distribution outside the U.S. In short, Zombie should cut costs on this one.

Which is all sort of depressing, Mick Myers needs more respect than has been shown him over the last three movies, considering Plat Dunes are going all out on Jason in the remake/re-envisage of Firday the 13th. We have a hard core R rating and a promise that it's a return to the 1980s with the new F13th. Some how I don't believe that, and think we'll end up with a glossy over edited Studio flick rather than a rough Indie made with passion.

Seems we completely forgot about music so a forum has been added "Been a long time since I rocked and rolled". To get the gig underway there's news on Triple J's album of the year, including a vid of the winning Band, and also a retro look at legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper to tie in with his new album release.

So if wanting to mention that event you went too, the new album you brought, or what ever else musically inspires you then post on up.

News to hand is the Weinsteins, and don't we just love those clowns, are going full steam ahead with a second Halloween movie. Hasn't Mr Myers suffered enough? It was initially announced French Duo Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury (Inside the original The Strangers) were slatted for taking the helm. Well okay I was slightly excited by that prospect, but naturally the Studio gave the idea the arse as it might result in a half decent flick. The Weinsteins can happily announce Rob "no remakes" Zombie is involved in a "Production" capacity, meaning they want his name on the credits to excite the Zombie fanboys, all two of them.

Favourite related comment

"As much as i hate to say it Platinum Dunes and Dimension share the spoils as the new Hammer, just without the class and the acting calibre of the Hammer roster." - mattau666
(you tell em Bro!)

Rob Zombie's Halloween results:

Theatrical Performance
Total US Gross: $58,269,151
International Gross: $12,679,826
Worldwide Gross: $70,948,977

Home Market Performance
US DVD Sales: $33,610,216

Okay so clearly the movie made a few bucks, but they don't want to spend a whole bunch of money on the sequel as the International markets aren't going to do much with a theater release this time round considering the results of Zombie's mess.

A regular reader and sometime contributor dropped a note on me over the weekend with news of a new Downunder horror magazine which made it’s debut in October of this year (2008). Seems the Australian Horror Writers Association have been busy behind the scenes working for a number of years on “Midnight Echo”, a magazine dedicate to the dark genre. Issue one contains a fine selection of short stories by both Australian and New Zealand Writers, highlights a story by Brit writer Robert Shearman, and rounds out with some fine art and an interview with Aussie writer Dave Hoskin.

My man had a word with editor Kirstyn McDermott to clarify a few points. “Midnight Echo” will be published bi-annually, that’s twice a year for Tasmanian readers, but may, depending on the quality of submissions, expand to a quarterly release schedule.

“So tell them the price son”. Drop your linen and start your grinning folks, “Midnight Echo” is available as a pdf download for the impressively small sum of US$3.50, or if wanting a soft cover issue to hold in your blood stained hands US$12.95 (plus shipping). Now considering issue one clocks in at 98 pages that’s value for money kids. You can order your copy on line at Clicky Purchase.

If you are a budding writer, or heck have something published already, then check out Midnight Echo Home for magazine submission guidelines etc. Remember to check the first issue for word length etc, and remember this is a Downunder publication ergo they are more apt to publish works by Downunder scribes.

Enzino will be hitting us up with a review of issue one during the week, so keep checking the “Writing Matters” forum for his views on Australia’s latest literally outlet for dark genre writers.

We’ll keep you informed on all things “Midnight Echo” and any press releases the Australian Horror Writers Association might make in the coming months. If possible we might even see if we can go twenty questions with Marty Young the Executive Editor of “Midnight Echo”.

Seems the hosting company moved servers on us and we lost the last couple of days worth of posts

So for years we have been reading the news on horror sites that there will be an Evil Dead 4 real soon now. At one stage it was going to be a remake of the original movie, at another it was going to be set immediately after Ash's return to the present, and of course numerous "Ash vs" articles sprung up from time to time. Bruce Campbell has finally put everything into perspective in a way only Bruce Campbell can:

"Look, let's cut to the chase because you keep dancing around it, if you're talking about Ash coming back again, Sam Raimi has the best perspective. He says, 'Look, I can go back and do Ash vs. whoever whenever I want. I can do that when I'm 70; I don't have to do that now. Right now I'm on a fast, fat groovy train in Hollywood.' And he's going to follow that, and he'll come back and to Evil Dead stuff when he's unemployed and living at the Old Director's Home."

The verdict is fairly clear folks, Raimi ain't even thinking about making a fourth movie and as usual the horror sites are reporting rumours as facts and once again getting it wrong. Word people, only report on what you can verify not every random idea some thirteen year old has dreamed up and posted somewhere.

Just to keep the horror sites in information overload we heard from Hollywood movie sources that Rob Zombie is going to remake The Exorcist with Sherri starring as a Catholic Priest fighting to save the sole of Sid Haig. She does this during a pole dance apparently! Sounds like an Oscar winner to me.

Due to the spambots working out the current security system we are upgrading to the latest release of the forum software. So if the site starts behaving weirdly then check back later as we are in the process of putting in new software scripts.

Catch you all on the other side.

Yes that's right kids some doofus in the States is making a direct to DVD remake of Ed Wood's infamous "Plan 9 From Outer Space". They are promising to heighten the horror and SciFi angles and are deadly serious



Planned as a two DVD Region 1 release you will not only get the new movie, simply titled "Plan 9", but also Ed Wood's original masterpiece spoilt by some dickwad commenting throughout. Sorry if I wanted to listen to the piss being taken out of a movie I would go to one of those theatre cinema places.



Just goes to prove nothing is safe from the pod people remake machine, what the hell can they come up with next

Announced further movies based around various Superhero franchises.

Iron Man 2- April 30, 2010

Thor-June 4, 2010

Captain America- May 6, 2011

The Avengers-July 2011

Here's hoping at least two of these movies crash and burn as Pussywood continues to pander to the teen set. Latest news on how there's a lack of balls out L.A way Terminator 4 will be PG13 rated. That's right folks, after three "R" rated movies the Studio isn't even going with a Director's DVD cut and a theatre release, they are going with a cut down piece of crap. Just say no would be my call on this one.

In a major move Icon Australia have purchased the Independant Distributor Dendy. We actually got word on this about a year ago but have been sitting on it till official announcements and such. Icon will be moving offices over to Newtown to take advantage of Dendy's office space and cinema. While they were spending some cash Icon should have looked at their website, guys it looks like a Split Enz album cover.

Entirely not related but the current RT rating for "Iron Man" is 83%, can I have some of the drugs these people are clearly on.