Peacock’s “Twisted Metal” television series is roaring to life this summer, and a brand new clip from the series was just shared during #SummerGameFest this afternoon.

“Twisted Metal” premieres on July 27. Watch the clip below, which features iconic video game character Sweet Tooth and teases the overall tone of the upcoming series.

Peacock’s high-octane action comedy series starring Anthony Mackie follows “a motor-mouthed outsider who is offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.”

Will Arnett will be *voicing* Sweet Tooth in Peacock’s “Twisted Metal” television series, with AEW superstar Samoa Joe physically embodying the iconic character. Neve Campbell has been cast as Raven, with Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, Mike Mitchell, Tahj Vaughans and Lou Beatty Jr. also starring in the video game adaptation.

The original take for the live-action series comes courtesy of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the duo behind Zombieland and the Deadpool movie.

Michael Jonathan Smith (“Cobra Kai”) is on board to write and show-run the “Twisted Metal” series. Additionally, Will Arnett and Marc Forman are executive producing.

The first Twisted Metal game was released in 1995, developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony for the PlayStation. That original game spawned follow-ups and spinoffs, with a movie adaptation at one point in the works from the director of Crank and Ghost Rider. That project never came to be, and a TV adaptation has been in development for the past few years.

Here’s a TEASER for Twisted Metal coming to Peacock on July 27th. pic.twitter.com/40FQ7Zx6jm

— The Gaming Hub (@TheQGNews) June 8, 2023

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Originally announced back at The Game Awards 2022, Focus Entertainment and DON’T NOD’s Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden received a new gameplay trailer at Summer Game Fest. The ghost-hunting RPG will arrive for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam at the “end of 2023“.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden takes place in New Eden, 1695. Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith are lovers and Banishers, ghost-hunters who vowed to protect the living from the threat of lingering ghosts and specters. Following a disastrous last mission, Antea is fatally wounded, becoming one of the spirits she loathes. In the haunted wilds of North America, the couple desperately searches for a way to liberate Antea from her new plight.

As Banishers, you will enter the lives of New Eden’s communities and solve haunting cases in a mystical, lore-rich world plagued with supernatural creatures and ancient secrets. Use your wits or combine Antea’s spiritual powers and Red’s arsenal to defeat and banish the souls tormenting the living.

Challenging decisions will lay on your path, dramatically impacting your story and the fate of New Eden’s inhabitants—be they living people or wandering souls.

Pre-orders are open now across all platforms, with a Collector’s Edition also available. The limited edition set features a physical copy of the game with Steelbook case, a separable statuette of Red and Antea, official artbook, two Banishers signet rings, and the Wanderer Set in-game DLC.

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Right before he heads to Tribeca, Remedy’s Sam Lake joined Summer Game Fest to reveal the first gameplay footage for Alan Wake 2, featuring co-protagonist Saga Anderson in action.

Modelled after and voiced by Melanie Liburd, FBI Special Agent Saga Anderson arrives in Bright Falls to investigate a string of ritualistic murders. The case slides into a nightmare when Anderson discovers pages of a horror story, a horror story that starts to come true. Meanwhile, ​Alan Wake, a lost writer trapped in a nightmare prison beyond our world, writes a dark story to shape reality in a desperate bid to escape. Hunted by an insatiable horror, Wake struggles to retain his sanity and beat the devil at his own game.​

Alan Wake 2 is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via the Epic Games Store on October 17.

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John Carpenter is back in video games. Revealed during Summer Game Fest is John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando. Aiming for release on consoles and PC in 2024 from Focus Home Entertainment and Saber Interactive, Toxic Commando is a cooperative first-person shooter game powered by Saber Interactive’s Swarm Engine.

“It’s exciting to be collaborating on a new video game with Focus and Saber,” says Carpenter. “Look, I really like shooting zombies. They keep telling me that they’re called ’the infected.’ Please. They’re ghouls, dude. They blow up real good and there are a ton of them. People are going to love this game.”

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando cuts to the point when it comes to its story:

A science experiment to extract power from Earth’s core goes horribly wrong, waking the so-called Sludge God, an entity capable of transforming people into zombies.

Players will be able to play solo or cooperatively, choosing from a variety of deadly equipment (such as grenades, katanas, and regular weapons) and special abilities to create the perfect loadout against the undead nightmare.

According to Saber, there will be a Closed Beta test ahead of the game’s launch. You can sign up for it on the official website. Thanks to WCCTech for the info!

Check out the trailer for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando below…

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Appearing at Summer Game Fest, Neowiz’s upcoming Lies of P not only has a release date, but also has a new demo! Initially leaked by Amazon Japan, the Soulslike take on Pinocchio will arrive September 19th for PC and consoles.

Initially aiming for an August release, the team stated that they made the difficult decision to push the release of Lies of P “to ensure the most optimal gameplay experience by further polishing the game.” Pre-orders are now available for the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game, which includes several cosmetics and 72 hours Early Access.

As for the demo, it’s available now on PC via Steam and consoles. Keep in mind that it’s another time-limited demo available from June 8 to the 26. The demo version of Lies of P will feature the first two chapters of the full game. Any progress made in the demo will not carry over to the full-release version.

Inspired by the familiar story of Pinocchio, Lies of P is an action souls-like set in a dark Belle Époque world. As the puppet P, players must wind their way through the streets of the ruined city of Krat, crafting weapons from the materials found in the world and interacting with the remaining few who manage to survive in this hellscape. The more lies told, the more human players become, with all the advantages and disadvantages it entails.

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“The Witcher” Season 3 will arrive in Summer 2023, over two volumes, with Henry Cavill (Geralt of Rivia), Anya Chalotra (Yennefer of Vengerberg), and Freya Allan (Princess Cirilla of Cintra) all returning for the next chapter in the epic monster-slaying saga.

Volume 1 of “The Witcher” Season 3 will include episodes 1-5 and will be released globally on June 29 and Volume 2 will include episodes 6-8, released July 27.

Watch “The Witcher” Season 3 trailer below, which teases a looming war ahead. Our heroes must choose a side.

In “The Witcher” Season 3…

“As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri of Cintra into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where she hopes to discover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line — or risk losing each other forever.”

Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is the showrunner and executive producer. Season 3 directors include Stephen Surjik, Gandja Monteiro, Loni Peristere, and Bola Ogun.

Netflix has also released new images for Season 3, also below.

The full cast for “The Witcher” Season 3 includes Joey Batey (Jaskier), Myanna Buring (Tissaia), Eamon Farren (Cahir), Mimî M Khayisa (Fringilla), Royce Pierreson (Istredd), Anna Shaffer (Triss Merigold), Mecia Simson (Francesca), Tom Canton (Filavandrel), Mahesh Jadu (Vilgefortz), Graham McTavish (Dijkstra), Cassie Clare (Philippa), Hugh Skinner (Radovid), Wilson Mbomio (Dara), Lars Mikkelsen (Stregobor), Terence Maynard (Artorius), Simon Callow (Codringher), Liz Carr (Fenn), Therica Wilson-Read (Sabrina), Safiyya Ingar (Keira), Rochelle Rose (Margarita), Michalina Olszanska) (Marti), Robbie Amell (Gallatin), Jeremy Crawford (Yarpen), Bart Edwards (Emhyr), Aisha Fabienne Ross (Lydia), Christelle Elwin (Mistle), and Meng’er Zhang (Milva).

“The Witcher” Season 4 will see Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt.

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Netflix

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Alright, so we all know Nicolas Cage is joining Dead by Daylight this Summer. The man himself made a surprise appearance at Summer Game Fest to drop a bit more info before Behaviour Interactive drops the big reveal next month.

According to Cage, he’ll be voicing himself in the game, which sees him playing “a Hollywood-ified version of himself” who is dragged into The Fog after thinking he’s heading to a film shoot. Cage will be one of the Survivors, though it’s unclear at this time what his special perks will be.

Nic Cage joins Dead by Daylight on July 25th with him being available in the Public Test Build July 5th.

Dead by Daylight can be found on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, the Windows Store and the Nintendo Switch.

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After more than five years since it was first announced back at The Game Awards 2017, and a couple of delays, The Astronauts’ dark fantasy shooter Witchfire will finally enter Early Access on the Epic Games Store this Fall. The game’s September 20 release date accompanies a new trailer released during Summer Game Fest.

From the creators of Painkiller and Bulletstorm, Witchfire is a first-person shooter set in a grimdark fantasy world in which a deadly war rages between powerful witches and the Church. In this alternate reality, witches are very real and very dangerous— but so is the witch hunter, also known as a “preyer”. Armed by Vatican sorcerers, players wield an ungodly array of guns and forbidden magic as they combat dark terrors on behalf of their shadowy benefactors.

The team’s main focus for the Early Access launch is to present a polished and atmospheric gameplay experience, with further story features getting added as Witchfire approaches full release.

“The last few trailers were very combat focused and I think gave the wrong impression that Witchfire is a non-stop action fest. It is not,” explains Adrian Chmielarz, Creative Director and Co-Founder of The Astronauts. “Sure, some fights will be incredibly intense, but there are also periods of quiet exploration, planning, thinking. It is much closer to Souls in that regard rather than, say, Doom. So that’s why the beginning of this new trailer is a little slower. We might slow down even more when there’s finally time for the launch trailer.”

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Summer Game Fest kicked off in a big way with the first extended gameplay reveal for Mortal Kombat 1. Featuring a selection of the fighters available for the newest entry, we also get a glimpse at the new Kameo Fighters, and of course, the over-the-top fatalities.

The gameplay trailer provides a fresh look at several legendary fighters, along with narrative hints about their backgrounds that offer a glimpse into what the Mortal Kombat 1 story holds. Liu Kang has restarted history by crafting a New Era for the sake of peace, while Mileena, twin sister of Kitana and rightful heir to Outworld’s throne, has been infected by a dreaded and lethal disease. Lin Kuei warriors and brothers Scorpion and Sub-Zero fight for the future of the clan, while Earthrealm champions Raiden and Kung Lao fight for family and honor. Johnny Cage, who is more concerned with staying relevant in the eyes of his fans, fights for his own vanity. Also joining the main roster is Kenshi Takahashi, who is on a quest to retrieve the revered sword, Sento, and restore his family’s name.

Also new are Kameo Fighters, which are “a unique roster of partner characters to assist during matches”, creating expanded gameplay possibilities for players. These characters are chosen separately from the main roster of fighters, which players will be able to call upon to assist them with their own special moves. Each Kameo Fighter is based on a klassic version of the character pulled from over 30 years of Mortal Kombat history and is shown performing offensive and support-based moves, including devastating Fatal Blows, brutal Fatalities, and defensive Breakers.

Mortal Kombat 1 will launch for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 19. Pre-orders are now live via the official site.

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Sons of The Forest players looking for a little more horror action combined with the former’s survival mechanics should keep an eye on HypeTrain Digital’s upcoming Survival Horror game Outbreak Island. In fact, the developer has just released the official gameplay trailer (courtesy of IGN), which shows off those survival mechanics, along with the game’s eerie atmosphere.

After mysterious events occurred on a remote island, where most of its population disappeared without a trace, while the rest have undergone horrific mutations. You arrive on the island to investigate what is happening, but when you realize there is no turning back, all you can do is survive.

The gameplay for Outbreak Island works like this: each night, radioactive energy paints the sky in an ominous green colour, turning on the island’s electricity. This allows you to use the island’s remaining infrastructure to build shelters and set up resource production in factories and sawmills. However, around this time, the various mutated inhabitants of the island also make their presence known, and you’ll have to  deal with their raids. Luckily, you have several weapon types, booby traps, and even turrets at your disposal.

Along with the raids, you’ll have to scrounge up food. In order to do so, you’ll have to master skills such as Farming, Gathering and Hunting in the game’s 20km² open world. Fuel up your vehicle, stock up on supplies, and embark on a perilous journey through the uncharted terrain of the island.

Currently, Outbreak Island is in development for release later this year on Steam.

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We won’t have to wait long for The Game Kitchen’s Blasphemous 2. Initially revealed back in April, the sequel to 2019’s Soulslike will arrive on August 24 for the Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series.

Set after the events of the original Blasphemous’ 2021 DLC “Wounds of Eventide”, Blasphemous 2 sees the return of the supernatural entity The Miracle, leaving The Penitent One no choice but to explore a strange unfamiliar world, defeat the monstrosities that lay in wait, and try to stop the prophetic birth of a new miracle child from coming to pass.

Featuring grotesque enemies and titanic bosses clambering to return him to the grave, The Penitent One will need to utilize and master new weapons and an enhanced skillset and try to survive long enough to deliver judgment to those who stand in his way, while unraveling long forgotten secrets.

Much like the original, Blasphemous 2 will feature a non-linear world of enchantingly grotesque landscapes, oozing Gothic charm and littered with unforgiving traps. How you tackle the labyrinthian world remains at your discretion, there is no wrong turn to be made, only scores to settle.

The original title’s tough-but-fair gameplay also returns, with a series of new weapons offering new moves, brutal executions, and expanded combos. Blasphemous 2 also offers up new ways to play, with the ability to customise and improve your base skillset.

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The Forever Purge had been marketed as the franchise’s *final* movie, but creator James DeMonaco eventually walked back those statements with the suggestion that he may actually have one more Purge story in the tank. The plan, last we heard? To bring Frank Grillo back as Leo Barnes, his character from The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year.

“I think I’m going to write the next one, and if the audience wants it, we’ll do it,” DeMonaco told Daily Dead back in 2021. “Again, I think I came up with a new way to flip the whole thing upside down, and it’ll be five years after [The Forever Purge], but it takes America in a whole new direction and I think it would be a very interesting place to explore.”

DeMonaco explains to Variety in a new update this week that he finished the script “about eight months ago.” He tells the site, “It’s not completely different than previous movies, but it’s a new America that we’re entering into. In The Forever Purge, America kind of collapsed, and it’s really kind of mapped itself according to different ideologies. The states are based on sexuality, religion and ideology. So we’ve broken apart and the state of discord is at its worst.”

“We enter The Purge in that world,” DeMonaco adds, echoing his comments from 2021.

A former Los Angeles Police Department sergeant, Leo Barnes set out on Purge Night in The Purge: Anarchy to seek revenge for the drunk driving death of his son, though he ultimately spared the life of the man responsible. In The Purge: Election Year, Barnes is the head of security for senator Charlie Roan, eventually becoming the new Director of the Secret Service.

The sixth Purge movie would presumably find Leo Barnes once again fighting for his life in a very different America, with The Forever Purge turning it into an apocalyptic landscape.

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It’s Bride vs. Groom in the action-packed Til Death Do Us Part, which hails from Timothy Woodward Jr., director of the Lin Shaye horror The Call, and Final Destination creator Jeffrey Reddick.

“Til Death Do Us Part portrays the grim reality that not every romance story ends happily ever after.

“After running away on her wedding day, a bride-to-be must fight for survival against her former fiancé and his seven deadly groomsmen.

“In the ultimate horror showdown, the groomsmen soon discover that she has no intention of going back to the life she left behind.

Brimming with stylish violence and blood-soaked action, Til Death Do Us Part seamlessly blends the slick, kinetic thrills of John Wick with the dark, twisted revenge tale of Kill Bill.

It features The Lost Boys star Jason Patric, alongside Twilight‘s Cam Gigandet and Natalie Burn.

The film is a Cineverse production set for release in theaters on August 4, 2023.

Here’s the film’s trailer and an absolutely killer piece of art that takes a chainsaw to wedding vows!

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It’s Ghostbusters Day today! And to celebrate the occasion, IllFonic has announced that their asymmetric multiplayer title Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will be heading to the Nintendo Switch later this year! Previously released for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games Store, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will launch on the Switch as the Ecto Edition digitally and physically via Nighthawk Interactive.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed – Ecto Edition will run at a dynamic resolution from a range of 720 (handheld mode) to 1080p at the maximum, 30fps. More information on the game will be released later this year.

“As a gamer, I wanted this to be something I would be proud and excited to play,” says Chance Lyon, IllFonic vice president of technology. “The game will feel very familiar on Switch as on other platforms, and it’s a high-quality port. Most importantly, I’m excited to play the game with my daughter, who games exclusively on the Switch.”

And in case you were wondering, the Ecto Edition is crossplay enabled, meaning you’ll be able to team up with (or team against) players on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (check out our review), Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore (voiced by Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson, respectively) open the Firehouse to you and the next generation of Ghostbusters. This asymmetrical game of hide and seek is a 4v1 setup where players will either play as part of a team of new Ghostbusters or a Ghost. Either going solo or teaming with up to four friends online, you can also play the offline single-player mode available in the form of AI-assisted play.

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Shin Ultraman, from Shin Godzilla filmmaking duo Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, finally dates a home release after a limited theatrical release earlier this year.

Look for the live-action comic book reboot to arrive on Digital on July 4 before heading to Blu-ray and DVD on July 11. No box art or special features have been revealed at this time.

In Shin Ultraman, “we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as ‘S-Class Species (Kaiju)’ has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the SSSP, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery.”

Takumi Saitoh is playing the main character. In addition, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, and Tetsushi Tanaka star in Shin Ultraman.

Shinji Higuchi directs Shin Ultraman from a screenplay by Hideaki Anno.

Ultraman is, per his official bio, “An alien superhero from Nebula M78.” He first appeared in the ’60s Japanese TV series “Ultraman,” fighting various invading monsters and aliens.

The film takes a similar approach to Shin Godzilla, focusing heavily on the politics of dealing with the sudden appearance of giant monsters. In his review for Bloody Disgusting, Paul Lê said the creators “carve out another considerable and clever update of a beloved Japanese icon. The towering, humanoid superhero from another galaxy doesn’t receive a significant physical makeover in this new big-screen adventure, however his origin story is retooled with fantastic results.”

Shin Ultraman is part of Hideaki Anno’s Shin trilogy that reimagines larger-than-life Japanese icons, first established with Shin Godzilla and most recently with Shin Kamen Rider. The latter recently debuted as a limited Fathom Event theatrical screening.

Shin Ultraman is produced by Toho Co., Khara Inc. and Tsuburaya Productions.

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It’s going to be a hot vampire summer. FX recently renewed their hit series “What We Do in the Shadows” for fifth and sixth seasons, and Season 5 is headed our way in one month.

“What We Do in the Shadows” Season 5 premieres July 13 on FX!

While you wait, check out the official Season 5 poster art below.

Season 5’s fresh new episodes will also be available next day on Hulu.

Based on the feature film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, the series documents the nightly exploits of vampire roommates Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) as they navigate the modern world of Staten Island with the help of their human familiar, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén).

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Shin’ichirô Ueda’s brilliant zombie movie One Cut of the Dead has been remade as Final Cut, a French take on the material that was directed by Academy Award winner Michel Hazanavicius. Kino Lorber is bringing Final Cut to theaters here in the United States on July 14, 2023, and Bloody Disgusting has been exclusively provided with the official teaser trailer today.

The short-but-sweet Final Cut U.S. teaser trailer delivers a high energy blast of bloody fun, and you can check it out down below while you wait. Expect the full trailer soon.

Final Cut will first have its New York Premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 9.

Tribeca Festival Screening Schedule:

• New York Premiere: Friday, June 9 – 8:45 PM at AMC 19th Street
• Second Screening: Saturday, June 10 – 9:15 PM at AMC 19th Street
• Third Screening: Thursday, June 15 – 9:30 PM at AMC 19th Street

Oscar® winner Michel Hazanavicius’ remake of Shin’ichirô Ueda’s cult hit One Cut of the Dead follows a director (Romain Duris, L’Auberge Espagnole) charged with making a live, single-take, low-budget zombie flick in which the cast and crew, one by one, actually turn into zombies.

Featuring hysterically unhinged performances from Oscar® nominee Bérénice Bejo (The Artist), Matilda Lutz (Revenge), and Finnegan Oldfield (Corsage), Final Cut is a sly love letter to the art of filmmaking and a blood-soaked, hilarious genre farce with a meta-to-the-max premise.

The post ‘Final Cut’ Exclusive – Watch the Crazy Bloody Teaser Trailer for ‘One Cut of the Dead’ Remake appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Based on H.P. Lovecraft‘s The Thing On The Doorstep, Joe Lynch’s (Wrong Turn 2, Mayhem, “Creepshow”) new movie Suitable Flesh will be World Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival this month as part of the festival’s “Escape from Tribeca” lineup, and the film will be making its debut at home later this year from RLJE Films and Shudder.

While you wait, check out a gallery of first-look images below, which bring Barbara Crampton back into a world she’s well acquainted with by now: the world of H.P. Lovecraft!

“The cast of Suitable Flesh led by Heather Graham brings layered, complex performances to this new take on Lovecraft,” said RLJE Films’ Chief Acquisitions Officer, Mark Ward. “We are thrilled to premiere this film at Tribeca especially with longtime collaborators, actor/producer Barbara Crampton and director Joe Lynch.”

Barbara Crampton stars in Suitable Flesh, exec produced by Brian Yuzna (Re-Animator). The script was written by Dennis Paoli, the writer of Re-Animator and From Beyond!

Both films, of course, were Lovecraft adaptations, and Crampton starred in both. With Paoli, Yuzna, Crampton, and Lynch all involved, this new one should be something very special.

In Suitable Flesh, “After murdering her young patient, a once-esteemed psychiatrist helplessly watches her life spiral into a nightmarish maelstrom of supernatural hysteria and gruesome deaths, all linked to a seemingly unstoppable ancient curse.” Heather Graham, Judah Lewis, Bruce Davison, Johnathon Schaech, and Jonah Ray also star.

Joe Lynch said in a recent statement, “When I read Dennis Paoli’s adaptation of the story, I felt like there was a fantastic opportunity to update and subvert Lovecraft’s often old-fashioned sensibilities in a way that felt modern, relevant and even dangerous, with a pinch of 90’s neo-noir and a dash of eroticism to spice up the stew. Working with Amp and such a fantastic cast – including Heather, Judah, Barbara, Bruce and Johnathon – we’re so excited that this sexy, funny, scary film isn’t just a modernized love letter to Lovecraft, but the kind of provocatively entertaining “sin-ema” I believe audiences are salivating for!”

Barbara Crampton added, “We’ve been so fortunate to work with top talent both behind and in front of the camera on our recent films. At Amp it’s about developing not only memorable, thought-provoking material for an audience, but also fresh and unusual enough to attract the very best creative collaborators. I was ecstatic when first the formidable Joe Lynch, then Heather Graham signed on – her natural charm is always in evidence, but we get to see a different untapped side of her abilities here. I’ve been thrilled to be invited to join seasoned pros at Amp, and we are only getting started.”

The post ‘Suitable Flesh’ – Exclusive Images Preview Barbara Crampton’s Return to H.P. Lovecraft Horror appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

No Troma remake should attempt to match Troma at its revolting, boundary-demolishing, trigger-happy game. Take 1980’s Mother’s Day, for example. Troma Entertainment ringleader Lloyd Kaufman let his brother Charles Kaufman shoot a rape-revenge exploitation sleazefest no mamma would applaud. Darren Lynn Bousman’s 2010 remake abandons Tromaville signatures almost entirely for a mean-mugging reinterpretation rooted in more straightforward thriller formulas because few indie studios are willing to push as far as Troma — especially in today’s acutely more socially attentive climate. You could get away with Mother’s Day (1980) in the 80s, especially with its cereal bowls filled with consumerism commentaries, but even today’s midnighter-loving moviegoer is looking for something more evolved.

Then again, Troma’s catalog might be the most fertile soil for remakes, given how even midrange studio pocket change would be a budgetary increase. Troma Studios has earned its legacy as an independent horror tentpole, but rewatching older “classics” today can be … a challenge. Titles like Mother’s Day (1980) exist to offend and reach for extremes, which is what built Troma’s reputation decades ago. The problem is that borderline edgelord desire to be the nastiest, most disrespectful, and least tasteful version of horror cinema has aged poorly in some cases (gosh, did I like Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead way more when released in 2006 when I was in high school). Bousman’s approach to remaking Troma’s Mother’s Day lays a template for how to honor 80s low-budget splattergore cinema with the right mindset — very, very loosely.

The Approach

‘Mother’s Day’ (1980)

Bousman and writer Scott Milam approach 2010’s Mother’s Day by cautiously dipping their toes into Tromaville’s polluted lakes. Backwoods murderers and sexual deviants swap for countryfied criminals who aren’t necessarily psychopaths by definition, just robbers who pick the wrong safehouse (until the whole virginity-be-gone scene). Troma’s sociopathic goofiness that blurs the lines between slapstick humor and perverse indulgences is nowhere to be seen — Bousman’s vision is gritty home invasion tension that doesn’t want you to laugh. It’s parallel to Fede Álvarez taking the dark-and-fucking-terrifying route to his remake of Sam Raimi’s more fun-and-games (in comparison) Evil Dead. New movie, new vision, same mad-in-the-head mommies.

Powerhouse actress Rebecca De Mornay is our maleficent matriarch, Natalie “Mother” Koffin. Her boys Ike (Patrick Flueger), Addley (Warren Kole), and Johnny (Matt O’Leary) seek refuge after a botched robbery at their mother’s house — only to find she fled after foreclosure and resale. In the basement is a birthday party for new homeowner Daniel Sohapi (Frank Grillo), organized by his wife Beth (Jaime King), with multiple friends in attendance. After hearing commotion upstairs, Daniel finds Johnny bleeding out on his couch and thus begins a standoff between the Koffin boys and their pesky hostages. Mother arrives in her RV with daughter Lydia (Deborah Ann Woll) to clean up her boys’ mess … by making an even bigger one.

The similarities between Milam’s script and Charles Kaufman’s and Warren Leight’s original screenplay are references sprinkled into dialogue. One of the Koffins remarks about how they hate disco, a callback to the teeth-brushing sequence where O.G. Addley (Michael McCleery) and Ike (Gary Pollard) argue over punk and disco. Another line complains about Fruity Pebbles since boxes of sugary breakfast trash are a staple in 1980’s Mother’s Day. Troma programming can be spotted on the background television. Queenie “lurks” as a spoken myth, and cleaning chemicals are once again a weapon. Other than that, Milam inverts almost every conceivable aspect, from bringing peril to the victims’ doorstep this time or making Mother a far more adversarial mastermind who enjoys verbally manipulating Beth and Daniel’s guests. No skinnydipping, no baseball stadium pranks, no police costumes. Mother’s Day (2010) might as well have a different title.

Does It Work?

‘Mother’s Day’ (2010)

We love a remake that’s adamant about clearing its own path. Bousman honors the genesis of Mother’s Day (1980) but stays wholly committed to his interpretation of events in a way that’s never beholden to existing fanbases. Everything works because Mother’s Day (2010) never holds nostalgia precious enough to let it distract Bousman from executing a still bloody, still ruthless struggle for survival against a mamma’s brainwashed brothers in arms. It’s how you usher a Troma concept into the 2010s — leave what appealed to ’80s raunch-and-shock behind and speak to contemporary audiences.

The dynamic storytelling switcheroos inject much-needed intensity as we fear 2010’s Mother even though she speaks politely and with comforting inflections. Ike and Addley also become more dangerous because they’re no longer bumbling juvenile oafs — they’re more formidable than manchildren. Bousman and Milam want their parallels to be The Strangers or Funny Games, dialing into a revisionist remake that doesn’t fumble Troma’s penchant for eye-rolling lewdness. A majority of Mother’s Day (2010) shoots as straight as the most mainstream horror presentations you’ve seen this side of You’re Next. Avoidance of repetition is a good thing, he says for the billionth time in this column’s history.

Although, there are choice touches that still nod back to Charles Kaufman’s blisteringly inappropriate tale of tortured and abused women. Bousman uses the hyper-sexual awkwardness of Mother guiding her possibly dying son’s first lovemaking encounter as something that seems bred from Tromaville sex education classes. It hits out of nowhere for a massive shock because hardly anything feels Troma-adjacent until Mother starts unzipping Johnny’s fly. There’s power in patience and reward in restraint, since Mother’s Day (1980) only has one desensitizing speed. Mother’s Day (2010) is a steamy build that boils over with such a scalding sting, and remains pleasantly in line with the tonal harmony that precedes then follows.

The Result

‘Mother’s Day’ (2010)

Mother’s Day (1980) and Mother’s Day (2010) feel like only-visit-on-holidays cousins, not even siblings. One listens to Butthole Surfers, watches VHS video nasties, and “reads” nudie magazines. The other listens to Killswitch Engage, watches slasher classics, and reads Fangoria. Neither are wrong; both are special little snowflakes. We’re lucky to have options so well suited for varieties of tastes throughout horror audiences, which Bousman clearly understands from the start. Mother’s Day (2010) is a traditional horror arrangement set to the tune of noose-tight devastation, never shy about its dare to differentiate.

De Mornay is endlessly watchable as Mother, the sly cat who adores batting around the mice she’s caught before showing her claws. The way Mother pits lovers against one another by exposing their secrets, or emasculates poor Dave (Tony Nappo) by tearing his hairpiece from his scalp is devilishly entertaining. Mother’s Day (1980) is about the snatch and inevitable revenge, whereas Mother’s Day (2010) delves into the messiness of shattered lifestyle perfection through character analysis. Milam strives to make his script more than just another murder spree, which leads to an accomplished cast meeting an array of fates from foolish to redemptive. Some might declare the ending divisive given how it exits on feel-bad bleakness even after so much avoidable sadness, but is it that much different than Troma’s decision to reveal Queenie as a final boss to battle (with the assumption that there’s no survival)?

Let’s not forget that Mother’s Day (2010) delivers special effects that might not be Troma sloppy but redecorate Daniel’s fixer-upper with gooey red colored accents. SFX creator Francois Dagenais honors Addley’s original death with ample brutality as he’s stabbed and suffocated, gives us nail gun glory against Ike, and shotgun blasts Dave’s noggin Maniac style. Tromafied gore is its own magnificent beast, but Bousman’s veteran understanding of the horror genre ensures that standoff violence remains just as important as psychological thrills and barbaric chills. The stacked cast is a massive upgrade (Briana Evigan, Lyriq Bent, Shawn Ashmore), overall quality benefits from a facelift, and we still get slathered in the yucky-chunky stuff — Mother’s Day (2010) is the revamp we deserve.

The Lesson

‘Mother’s Day’ (2010)

In most cases, remakes shouldn’t be an “anything you can do, I can do better” competition. Mother’s Day (2010) isn’t about Bousman usurping Troma. Mother’s Day (1980) would be received differently in 2010 or 2023. I’m not saying Troma wouldn’t still make it today, but there’s a reason you’re never hearing people rave about Troma’s newest releases like Shakespeare’s Sh*tstorm. Bousman’s take on Mother’s Day is a testament to how I always preach about the best remakes reflecting a filmmaker’s unique vision, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find an original-remake combination with that much distance between the two.

So what did we learn?

● Mother always knows best, even when dealing with a hostage scenario and possible jail time.

● Remakes should make something new, not refurbish something old.

● Some eras are more complicated than others to modernize, and 80s exploitation midnighters are a prime example.

● It’s not disrespectful to do your own thing with a remake — it’s quite the opposite.

Speaking of Troma remakes, I’m foaming at the mouth for Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger. It’s Troma’s premiere mainstream property and possibly the least egregious when it comes to the studio’s uglier tendencies. I’d love a remake of Poultrygeist without all the low-hanging racial humor and flagrant record-scratch-yikes usage of slurs, but The Toxic Avenger makes the most sense for contemporary success. Blair doesn’t have the same hurdles as Bousman when honoring source material for the new generations of horror fans, and an updated Toxie could be a massive success. Let’s get that into my eyeballs ASAP, please?

In Revenge of the Remakes, columnist Matt Donato takes us on a journey through the world of horror remakes. We all complain about Hollywood’s lack of originality whenever studios announce new remakes, reboots, and reimaginings, but the reality? Far more positive examples of refurbished classics and updated legacies exist than you’re willing to remember (or admit). The good, the bad, the unnecessary – Matt’s recounting them all.

The post How the ‘Mother’s Day’ Remake Properly Updates a Low-Budget Troma Film from the 1980s appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

With longtime Friday The 13th composer Harry Manfredini revealing a potential new Friday The 13th video game adaptation in development, you’re probably wondering what’s going on with IllFonic and Gun Interactive’s 2017 title Friday The 13th: The Game. We now have our answer thanks to an official Twitter post. And sadly for fans of the game, much like what happened with Friday The 13th: Killer Puzzle, licensing has reared its ugly head.

The official Twitter account for Friday The 13th: The Game has announced that the license for the title will expire on December 31, 2023. This means that the game will no longer be available for sale either digitally or physically after that date.

If you do own the game, it will still continue to function “through at least December 31, 2024”. The team has made the decision to reduce the price of the base game to $4.99 USD, with each of the game’s DLC packs going for $0.99 each. “We will continue to offer the title and content at that price point right up until it is removed from digital/physical storefronts on December 31, 2023.”

In the interview with Manfredini where he revealed his involvement with the new game, he said that the new project was being developed by another studio other than IllFonic and Gun Interactive, which in a way hinted that the license was set to expire.

It’s not clear from the announcement if players will be able to continue playing the game offline using the bots after 2024. One would hope that would be the case, but until we get an official response, all we can do is speculate.

Currently, you can buy Friday The 13th: The Game on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch.

pic.twitter.com/n52hJPUxwx

— Friday The 13th Game (@Friday13thGame) June 8, 2023

The post ‘Friday The 13th: The Game’ License Expiring This December, Will Be Delisted From Digital Stores and No Longer Sold Physically appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.