News

‘The First Omen’ Almost Received an NC-17 Rating

Published

2 months ago

March 25, 2024

Set for an April 5 theater release, ‘The First Omen’ carries an R-rating, a classification that was almost not achieved. Arkasha Stevenson, in her inaugural feature film directorial role, faced a formidable challenge in securing this rating for the prequel to the esteemed franchise. It seems the filmmakers had to contend with the ratings board to prevent the film from being saddled with an NC-17 rating. In a revealing conversation with Fangoria, Stevenson described the ordeal as ‘a long battle’, one not waged over traditional concerns such as gore. Instead, the crux of the controversy centered around the depiction of the female anatomy.

Stevenson’s vision for “The First Omen” delves deep into the theme of dehumanization, particularly through the lens of forced birthing. “The horror in that situation is how dehumanized that woman is”, Stevenson explains, emphasizing the significance of presenting the female body in a non-sexualized light to address themes of forced reproduction authentically. This commitment to realism nearly landed the film an NC-17 rating, sparking a prolonged negotiation with the MPA. “This has been my life for a year and a half, fighting for the shot. It’s the theme of our film. It’s the female body being violated from the inside outwards”, she states, highlighting the importance of the scene to the film’s core message.

**The First Omen** Movie Poster – by Creepy Duck Design

Producers David Goyer and Keith Levine supported Stevenson’s battle, encountering what they perceived as a double standard in the ratings process. Levine reveals, “We had to go back and forth with the ratings board five times. Weirdly, avoiding the NC-17 made it more intense”, pointing out how the struggle with the ratings board inadvertently intensified the final product. Goyer adds, “There is more permissiveness when dealing with male protagonists, particularly in body horror”, suggesting a gender bias in how body horror is evaluated.

The film’s bold approach to challenging viewers’ perceptions extends beyond the ratings controversy. Co-writer Tim Smith notes the intention to subvert expectations traditionally associated with The Omen franchise, aiming to surprise audiences with a fresh narrative focus. “One of the big things we were excited to do was to kind of pull the rug out from under people’s expectations”, Smith says, underscoring the creative team’s desire to explore new thematic ground.

Nell Tiger Free, known for her role in “Servant”, leads the cast of “The First Omen”, set for release by 20th Century Studios on April 5. The movie follows a young American woman dispatched to Rome for church service, where she stumbles upon a sinister force that shakes her faith to its core and reveals a chilling plot aimed at summoning evil incarnate.

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News

Radio Silence No Longer Attached to ‘Escape From New York’

Published

1 hour ago

May 9, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Radio Silence has certainly had its ups and downs over the past year. First, they said they wouldn’t be directing another sequel to Scream, but their movie Abigail became a box office hit among critics and fans. Now, according to Comicbook.com, they won’t be pursuing the Escape From New York reboot that was announced late last year.

Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin are the duo behind the directing/production team. They talked with Comicbook.com and when questioned about Escape From New York project, Gillett gave this answer:

“We are not, unfortunately. I think titles like that bounce around for a while and I think they’ve tried to get that out of the blocks a few times. I think it’s just ultimately a tricky rights issue thing. There’s a clock on it and we just weren’t in a position to make the clock, ultimately. But who knows? I think, in hindsight, it feels crazy that we would think we would, post-Scream, step into a John Carpenter franchise. You never know. There’s still interest in it and we’ve had a few conversations about it but we’re not attached in any official capacity.”

Radio Silence has yet to announce any of its upcoming projects.

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Movies

Shelter in Place, New ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ Trailer Drops

Published

3 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The third installment of the A Quiet Place franchise is set to release only in theaters on June 28. Even though this one is minus John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, it still looks terrifyingly magnificent.

This entry is said to be a spin-off and not a sequel to the series, although it’s technically more a prequel. The wonderful Lupita Nyong’o takes center stage in this movie, along with Joseph Quinn as they navigate through New York City under siege by bloodthirsty aliens.

The official synopsis, as if we need one, is “Experience the day the world went quiet.” This, of course, refers to the quick-moving aliens who are blind but have an enhanced sense of hearing.

Under the direction of Michael Sarnoski (Pig) this apocalyptic suspense thriller will be released the same day as the first chapter in Kevin Costner’s three-part epic western Horizon: An American Saga.

Which one will you see first?

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News

Rob Zombie Joins McFarlane Figurine’s “Music Maniacs” Line

Published

19 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Rob Zombie is joining the growing cast of horror music legends for McFarlane collectibles. The toy company, headed by Todd McFarlane, has been doing its Movie Maniacs line since 1998, and this year they have created a new series called Music Maniacs. This includes legendary musicians, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, and Trooper Eddie from Iron Maiden.

Adding to that iconic list is director Rob Zombie formerly of the band White Zombie. Yesterday, via Instagram, Zombie posted that his likeness will join the Music Maniacs line. The “Dracula” music video inspires his pose.

He wrote: “Another Zombie action figure is headed your way from @toddmcfarlane ☠️ It’s been 24 years since the first one he did of me! Crazy! ☠️ Preorder now! Coming this summer.”

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This won’t be the first time Zombie has been featured with the company. Back in 2000, his likeness was the inspiration for a “Super Stage” edition where he is equipped with hydraulic claws in a diorama made of stones and human skulls.

For now, McFarlane’s Music Maniacs collection is only available for pre-order. The Zombie figure is limited to only 6,200 pieces. Pre-order yours at the McFarlane Toys website.