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It’s Alive! Blockbuster Video Still Lives Among Us

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If you grew up in the 1990’s you remember begging your parents to take you to the local Blockbuster Video every Friday night to rent a movie.  On nothing more than a wing and a prayer, and you’re allowance money, you hope that one special movie is still on the shelf.

Pacing down the aisles your laminated membership card is getting sweatier and sweatier by the second in your palm.  As you pray to everything holy there is a copy of that special movie left behind the Styrofoam stuffed VHS case you reach out to the shelf, hand trembling, you push the cardboard VHS case aside and… success!  One white, blue, and yellow clamshell video case remains!

Don’t you miss those memories of stalking the horror aisle, breathing in the scent of the plastic VHS cases and paying $4.99 for a three day rental?  Oh, and don’t forget that $0.99 charge for each day you’re late!  Well lament no longer, fellow thirty-somethings!  Your dreams of walking that royal blue musty carpet is just a hop, skip, and a jump away… in Alaska!

That’s right!  There is still a Blockbuster Video alive and well in the Last Frontier of Anchorage, Alaska!  While the franchise finished closing its doors to nearly 9,000 stores worldwide in 2013, franchise owner Alan Payne decided to keep his doors open.  In fact, he owns nine Blockbuster Video stores of the twelve that remain today.


While most movie lovers get their flicks from an automated machine or download it online, video store owner Payne offers the experience many younglings born after 2000 will never get to experience.  While the movies have no doubt moved over from VHS to DVD and Blu Ray, making the “Be Kind, Rewind” stickers obsolete, you can still physically browse the aisles and read the back of the cases to obtain the synopsis.

You can also enjoy the experience of candy, popcorn, and soda impulse buys in the line queue, as well as asking to keep the poster from the wall once it was taken down.  I can’t be the only one who did this… am I?  Not to mention embracing the feeling of disappointment when you find out they don’t have a copy of the movie you anticipated watching all day long.  Yet hope can be restored as you quickly walk to the front of the store and ask the clerk if a customer has recently returned said movie, and perhaps they just haven’t had the chance to return it to its proper home on the shelf yet.

All jokes aside, the video stores in Alaska are a very important corner stone to the community.  Unbeknownst to those who don’t reside in the snowy North, access to the Internet is quite expensive.  Even though the prices seem expensive in comparison to your local Red Box, they are reasonable in comparison to the prices of gigabytes.

Another benefit is, as odd as it sounds, the video store serves as a place of gathering.  In a place that has long, cold, and dark winters, it’s nice to have a place to go and socialize with other people.  In fact, this is something we have lost as a culture when looking for videos.  I can’t tell you how many times I spoke to other horror fans in the horror aisle and received great recommendations… as well as some not so great.  I don’t know where you are Blockbuster Video patron, but I Still Know What you Did Last Summer is not a scary movie!

 

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’47 Meters Down’ Getting Third Movie Called ‘The Wreck’

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Deadline is reporting that a new 47 Meters Down installment is heading into production, making the shark series a trilogy. 

“Series creator Johannes Roberts, and screenwriter Ernest Riera, who wrote the first two films, have co-written the third installment: 47 Meters Down: The Wreck.” Patrick Lussier (My Bloody Valentine) will direct.

The first two films were a moderate success, released in 2017 and 2019 respectively. The second film is titled 47 Meters Down: Uncaged

47 Meters Down

The plot for The Wreck is detailed by Deadline. They write that it involves a father and daughter trying to repair their relationship by spending time together scuba diving into a sunken ship, “But soon after their descent, their master diver has an accident leaving them alone and unprotected inside the labyrinth of the wreck. As tensions rise and oxygen dwindles, the pair must use their newfound bond to escape the wreck and the relentless barrage of bloodthirsty great white sharks.”

The filmmakers are hoping to present the pitch to the Cannes market with production starting in the fall. 

47 Meters Down: The Wreck is the perfect continuation of our shark-filled franchise,” said Byron Allen, founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “This film will once again have moviegoers terrified and on the edge of their seats.”

Johannes Roberts adds, “We can’t wait for audiences to be trapped underwater with us again. 47 Meters Down: The Wreck is going to be the biggest, most-intense film of this franchise.”

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‘Wednesday’ Season Two Drops New Teaser Video That Reveals Full Cast

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Christopher Lloyd Wednesday Season 2

Netflix announced this morning that Wednesday season 2 is finally entering production. Fans have been waiting a long time for more of the creepy icon. Season one of Wednesday premiered in November of 2022.

In our new world of streaming entertainment, it isn’t uncommon for shows to take years to release a new season. If they release another one at all. Even though we will likely have to wait quite a while to see the show, any news is good news.

Wednesday Cast

The new season of Wednesday looks to have an amazing cast. Jenna Ortega (Scream) will be reprising her iconic role as Wednesday. She will be joined by Billie Piper (Scoop), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Evie Templeton (Return to Silent Hill), Owen Painter (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Noah Taylor (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

We will also get to see some of the amazing cast from season one making a return. Wednesday season 2 will feature Catherine-Zeta Jones (Side Effects), Luis Guzman (Genie), Issac Ordonez (A Wrinkle in Time), and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Devs).

If all of that star power wasn’t enough, the legendary Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas) will be directing the series. As a cheeky nod from Netflix, this season of Wednesday will be titled Here We Woe Again.

Jenna Ortega Wednesday
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams

We don’t know much about much about what Wednesday season two will entail. However, Ortega has stated that this season will be more horror focused. “We’re definitely leaning into a little bit more horror. It’s really, really exciting because, all throughout the show, while Wednesday does need a little bit of an arc, she never really changes and that’s the wonderful thing about her.”

That’s all the information that we have. Make sure to check back here for more news and updates.

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A24 Reportedly “Pulls Plug” On Peacock’s ‘Crystal Lake’ Series

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Crystal

Film studio A24 might not be going forward with its planned Peacock Friday the 13th spinoff called Crystal Lake according to Fridaythe13thfranchise.com. The website quotes entertainment blogger Jeff Sneider who made a statement on his webpage through a subscription paywall. 

“I’m hearing that A24 has pulled the plug on Crystal Lake, its planned Peacock series based on the Friday the 13th franchise featuring masked killer Jason Voorhees. Bryan Fuller was due to executive produce the horror series.

It’s unclear whether this is a permanent decision or a temporary one, as A24 had no comment. Perhaps Peacock will help the trades shed more light on this project, which was announced back in 2022.”

Back in January 2023, we reported that some big names were behind this streaming project including Bryan Fuller, Kevin Williamson, and Friday the 13th Part 2 final girl Adrienne King.

Fan Made Crystal Lake Poster

“‘Crystal Lake info from Bryan Fuller! They officially start writing in 2 weeks (writers are here in the audience).” tweeted social media writer Eric Goldman who tweeted the info while attending a Friday the 13th 3D screening event in January 2023. “It will have two scores to choose from – a modern one and a classic Harry Manfredini one. Kevin Williamson is writing an episode. Adrienne King will have a recurring role. Yay! Fuller has pitched four seasons for Crystal Lake. Only one officially ordered so far though he notes Peacock would have to pay a pretty hefty penalty if they didn’t order a Season 2. Asked if he can confirm Pamela’s role in the Crystal Lake series, Fuller replied ‘We’re honestly going to be covering it all. The series is covering the life and times of these two characters’ (presumably he’s referring to Pamela and Jason there!)'”

Whether or not Peacock is moving forward with the project is unclear and since this news is secondhand information, it still has to be verified which will require Peacock and/or A24 to make an official statement which they have yet to do.

But keep checking back to iHorror for the latest updates to this developing story.

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