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31 Scary Story Nights: October 31 “The Strange Story of Jack O’ Lantern”

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Well, readers, it seems we’ve finally made it to Halloween night.  We’ve had ghost stories and campfire stories and urban legends galore this month, and here it is, our final tale.  I wavered a lot but finally decided that tonight’s tale would be one of those special to Halloween itself.  It’s The Strange Story of Jack O’ Lantern and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do!

So, one last time, let’s dim the lights, gather around, and enjoy our last Scary Story Night of 2017.

***Writer’s Note:  We here at iHorror are big proponents of responsible parenting.  Some of the stories in this series may be too much for your little ones.  Please read ahead and decide if your kids can handle this story!  If not, find another story for tonight or simply come back to see us tomorrow.  In other words, don’t blame me for your kids nightmares!***

The Strange Story of Jack O’ Lantern as retold by Waylon Jordan

Stingy Jack was the laziest, drunkest, no good layabout in his entire village.  He was constantly playing practical jokes on his neighbors and more than one had caught him stealing pies from windowsills and eggs from their coops.  To Jack it was all good-natured fun, but more than one person had begun using his name as a curse.

One night as Jack stumbled from the pub, he came face to face with the Devil himself.

“Stingy Jack, your time has come.  Tonight you die and it’s hell for you!”

Jack never missed a beat.

“Sure and I’d love to go with you, Satan…can I call you Satan? But how can you take a man without allowing him one more drink?”

“Well, I suppose…,” the Devil replied watching Jack dig around in his pockets.  “What are you looking for?”

“I’ll be damned,” Jack said, throwing the Devil a wink.  “but it seems I’ve spent my last coin.  You wouldn’t happen to have some money would you?”

“I don’t make a habit of carrying money, no,” Satan boomed at Jack, obviously becoming impatient.

Jack began to wail and lament aloud about how he’d soon be leaving the earth without a final drink.  How would his fellow Irishmen respect him in the afterlife?  It went on for so long that the Devil finally interrupted.

“I have no coin, but I can change myself into a coin and after you use me to pay for your drink I’ll change back.”

“THAT, my good Satan, is an ideal proposition!” Jack exclaimed and clapped his hands as the Devil became a shiny silver coin on the ground.

Jack quickly snatched up the coin and dropped it into his pouch  which happened to be marked with a holy cross!

“I’ve got you now, Satan, old boy,” Jack cackled.  “And I’ll never let you out!”

Jack could feel the Devil kicking about inside his pouch and it made him cackle all the more.  Before long, he heard a tiny, though menacing voice from inside his pouch.

“Let me out of here, Jack, or so help me!”

“Let you out?  Why would I do that when you want to take me to hell?  I tell you what, Satan.  I’ll let you out of this pouch on one condition.  You guarantee that I’ll never be allowed into hell and I”ll set you free!”

The pouch ceased moving about and finally the voice from inside said, “Deal…”

With that, Jack turned the pouch over and tossed the coin to the ground.  Immediately, the Devil stood before him and grinned.  “You’ve no idea what you’ve done, Stingy Jack, but one day you will!”

With that, he was gone in a puff of smoke.

Ten years passed, and though Jack had meant to mend his ways, it never came to be.  One night he stumbled drunk from the pub as he had so many times before and was hit by a horse drawn cart, dying instantly.

In the blink of an eye, he stood before the Pearly Gates, and Saint Peter scoffed.

“You’ll never be allowed in here, Stingy Jack.  I’m afraid it’s hell for you.”

In a flash of light, Jack stood before the Gates of Hell.

“Well, well, well,” Satan laughed.  “Jack!  Finally dead?”

“That I am, Satan.  That I am!  And Heaven tossed me out on my own ear,” Jack smiled.

“That is a problem, Jack.  Heaven won’t have you and I gave my word you’d never enter these Gates.  I suppose it’s Limbo for you.”

“Limbo?”

“Aye, Jack, the great grey void.  A vast landscape of…nothing.”

It was the Devil’s turn to laugh as Jack suddenly realized what he’d done, turning and staring into the grey space of Limbo that touches the earth, but not enough for Jack to ever truly interact.  He would be cut off from everything he’d ever loved.

“Don’t fear, Jack, I’ve got a light for you,” Satan called and he scooped up a burning ember from the flames of Hell and tossed it to where Jack stood.  “The light will never die, Jack.  Not like you!”

And with that Satan, Hell, and all the rest disappeared.  Jack knew he couldn’t pick up that ember so he pulled up a large turnip and carved it out.  He scooped up the ember and carried his light forth into the grey.

They say to this day, on Halloween night, when the veil between our world and the land of the Dead is at its very thinnest you can spy poor old Jack still wandering in the darkness searching for other lost souls like him.  So carve your pumpkins and light them this evening so that Jack won’t feel quite so alone!

Well, that does it.  Another Halloween night in the books.  I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of stories and that you’ve shared them with your friends and families.  Who knows, next year, we might just turn up again for another 31 Scary Story Nights!  Happy Halloween!

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Childhood Memories Collide in New Horror Film ‘Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble’

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It looks like ITN Studious and Jagged Edge Productions are going the Avengers: Infinity War route with their upcoming film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. From the deranged mind of Rhys Frake-Waterfield (Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey) comes this belligerent mash up of beloved childhood icons.

According to an article out of Variety today, Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will consist of Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, The Mad Hatter, and Sleeping Beauty. All of these iconic figured will be warped into nightmarish versions of their former selves. Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble is set to be released upon the world sometime in 2025.

Poohniverse

Actor-producer Scott Chambers (Malevolent) had the following to say about Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. “As horror fans, we would love an Avengers that is all villains. It’d have Freddy Krueger, Jason, ‘Halloween,’ ‘Scream,’ all of those. Obviously that will never happen, but we can make it happen in our own little way, and that’s where this film has been born.”

Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will be a part of The Twisted Childhood Universe. Just like the MCU, each character will first get a standalone film. After introductions are made, they will be reunited in an Avengers style film. Although they will be killing off the survivors from the previous films, they won’t be working together.

Chambers describes this as an “epic sequences of monster vs. monster.” And I don’t know what more fans could ask of the studio. This fantastical idea is a huge risk but Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble sounds amazing.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Check back here for more updates on Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. If you haven’t already, check out the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 below.

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Blumhouse’s ‘The Wolf Man’ Reboot Kicks Off Production with Leigh Whannell at the Helm

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Blumhouse Productions has officially commenced filming its reboot of the Universal Monsters legend, “Wolf Man”. Under the direction of Leigh Whannell, known for his acclaimed work on “The Invisible Man” (2020), the project promises to breathe new life into the iconic tale. The film is slated for a theatrical release on October 25th, marking a new chapter in the storied franchise.

Wolf Man

The journey of a “Wolf Man” reboot began in 2020 when actor Ryan Gosling presented a fresh take on the classic story to Universal. This concept quickly evolved into a screenplay crafted by the talented duo Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, who are known for their work on “Orange Is the New Black,” alongside contributions from Whannell and Corbett Tuck. The narrative is set in contemporary times, drawing inspiration from the atmospheric tension of Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Nightcrawler,” albeit with a distinct supernatural twist.

The film has seen its share of directorial and casting shifts, with Whannell initially signing on to direct in 2020, only to step away and then return to the project after Ryan Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance exited. The lead roles have been filled by Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, both of whom bring significant talent to the screen. Abbott portrays a man whose family faces the terror of a lethal predator, with Garner likely playing his wife, sharing in the familial peril. The storyline also hints at a daughter named Ginger, adding a layer of depth to the family’s harrowing experience.

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott

This reboot represents a collaboration between Blumhouse and Motel Movies, with Jason Blum producing. Ryan Gosling remains involved as an executive producer, alongside Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell himself. The announcement of the film’s production start was made by Jason Blum, who shared an exciting glimpse of Whannell on set, signaling the beginning of what is hoped to be a memorable addition to the horror genre.

As the “Wolf Man” reboot moves forward, fans and newcomers alike are eager to see how this modern interpretation will pay homage to its roots while offering a fresh and thrilling experience. With a talented cast and crew at the helm, the film is poised to reintroduce the timeless tale of transformation and terror to a new generation.

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‘Immaculate’ Stars Reveal Which Horror Villains They Would “F, Marry, Kill”

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Sydney Sweeney is just coming off the success of her rom-com Anyone But You, but she’s ditching the love story for a horror story in her latest film Immaculate.

Sweeney is taking Hollywood by storm, portraying everything from a love-lusting teenager in Euphoria to an accidental superhero in Madame Web. Although the latter got a lot of hate among theater-goers, Immaculate is getting the polar opposite.

The film was screened at SXSW this past week and was well-received. It also gained a reputation for being extremely gory. Derek Smith of Slant says the, “final act contains some of the most twisted, gory violence this particular subgenre of horror has seen in years…”

Thankfully curious horror movie fans won’t have to wait long to see for themselves what Smith is talking about as Immaculate will hit theaters across the United States on March, 22.

Bloody Disgusting says that the movie’s distributor NEON, in a bit of marketing smarts, had stars Sydney Sweeney and Simona Tabasco play a game of “F, Marry, Kill” in which all their choices had to be horror movie villains.

It’s an interesting question, and you might be surprised at their answers. So colorful are their responses that YouTube slapped an age-restricted rating on the video.

Immaculate is a religious horror movie that NEON says stars Sweeney, “as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.”

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