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John Dies at the End Saga Continues with Third Book on the Way

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Fans of David Wong’s effervescently deranged John Dies at the End saga can rejoice and prepare to ask themselves “what the hell did I just read?”. The third installment of the series is on its way.

The book – actually titled What the Hell Did I Just Read: A Novel of Cosmic Horror – is now available for preorder with a release date set for October 3. The third installment will continue the “gruesome yet baffling adventures of John, Dave, Amy and other characters who may or may not still be alive”.

The first book, John Dies at the End, was adapted into a film by genre legend Don Coscarelli. If you’ve seen the movie, it’s remarkably loyal to (most of) the details of the book. His dedication to recreating the delirious energy of the book makes it clear that Coscarelli is a fan – he both wrote and directed the film version. That being said, the film only covers about a third of the action because, really, there’s a lot to cover, and the majority of it might be… challenging… to convince a producer that it should be committed to film.

Yes, that is a monster made of meat

Reading John Dies at the End is like consuming way too many psychotropic drugs with your best friend and listening to them describe an extraordinarily batshit crazy dream that they had. Told in the style of first-person narrative, each sentence is personal. It carries the complexity of an unreliable narrator with ease, building tension when appropriate to create horrific and hilariously bizarre scenes of confusion and carnage.

John Dies at the End was first published online as a webserial beginning in 2001, then as an edited manuscript in 2004, followed by a printed paperback in 2007 before it was published by Thomas Dunne Books in 2009. The events unfold in the (hopefully) fictional town of [Undisclosed] – an apex of unusual and supernatural activity.

The plot is difficult to describe, but in brief, two best friends (John and Dave) are exposed to a new drug called Soy Sauce that has the unsavory side effect of either brutally killing the user or unlocking their ability to see inter-dimensional beings – among other things. Needless to say, they find that they must become the most unlikely of unlikely heroes to stop evil forces from invading the universe.

The sequel, This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously Dude, Don’t Touch it, extends Wong’s delightfully specific descriptive writing style (there’s mention of a “turkey Voltron”, which, in context, is a helpful descriptor). It occasionally switches to a third-person narrative to follow the perspective of other main characters. While at first the transition is a bit jarring, it’s necessary to tell all sides of the much larger story.

In This Book is Full of Spiders, the town of [Undisclosed] is overrun with parasitic spiders that violently take over their hosts, however, it is not easy to tell who is infected and who isn’t. As everyone reacts to what they are certain is a zombie invasion, the reluctantly heroic team of John and Dave once again find themselves thrown into the center of the chaos.

David Wong (the pseudonym for Cracked editor Jason Pargin) has built a vivid world with a visceral and palpable absurdity. Both books have a high rating on Goodreads and Barnes & Noble, which is no small wonder. They’re well written, viciously captivating, and outrageously entertaining. We may have to sit tight until October 2017 for the next installment, but if Wong keeps up his track record, it should be well worth the wait.

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A24 Creating New Action Thriller “Onslaught” From ‘The Guest’ & ‘You’re Next’ Duo

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It’s always nice to see a reunion in the world of horror. Following a competitive bidding war, A24 has secured the rights to the new action thriller film Onslaught. Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong) will be directing the film. He will be joined by his longtime creative partner Simon Barret (You’re Next) as the scriptwriter.

For those unaware, Wingard and Barret made a name for themselves while working together on films such as You’re Next and The Guest. The two creatives are card carrying horror royalty. The pair have worked on films such as V/H/S, Blair Witch, The ABC’s of Death, and A Horrible Way to Die.

An exclusive article of out Deadline gives us the limited information we have on the topic. Although we don’t have much to go on, Deadline does offer the following information.

A24

“Plot details are being kept under wraps but the film is in the vein of Wingard and Barrett’s cult classics like The Guest and You’re Next. Lyrical Media and A24 will co-finance. A24 will handle worldwide releasing. Principal photography will begin in Fall 2024.”

A24 will be producing the film alongside Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett for Ryder Picture Company, Alexander Black for Lyrical Media, Wingard and Jeremy Platt for Breakaway Civilization, and Simon Barret.

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

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Director Louis Leterrier Creating New Sci-Fi Horror Film “11817”

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Louis Leterrier

According to an article from Deadline, Louis Leterrier (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) is about to shake things up with his new Sci-Fi horror film 11817. Leterrier is set to produce and direct the new Movie. 11817 is penned by the glorious Mathew Robinson (The Invention of Lying).

Rocket Science will be taking the film to Cannes in search of a buyer. While we don’t know much about what the film looks like, Deadline offers the following plot synopsis.

“The film watches as inexplicable forces trap a family of four inside their house indefinitely. As both modern luxuries and life or death essentials begin to run out, the family must learn how to be resourceful to survive and outsmart who — or what — is keeping them trapped…”

“Directing projects where the audience gets behind the characters has always been my focus. However complex, flawed, heroic, we identify with them as we live through their journey,” said Leterrier. “It’s what excites me about 11817‘s wholly original concept and the family at the heart of our story. This is an experience that movie audiences won’t forget.”

Leterrier has made a name for himself in the past for working on beloved franchises. His portfolio includes gems such as Now You See Me, The Incredible Hulk, Clash of The Titans, and The Transporter. He is currently attached to create the final Fast and the Furious film. However, it will be interesting to see what Leterrier can do working with some darker subject material.

That’s all the information we have for you at this time. As always, make sure to check back here for more news and updates.

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Lists

New to Netflix (U.S.) This Month [May 2024]

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atlas movie Netflix starring Jennifer Lopez

Another month means fresh additions to Netflix. Although there aren’t many new horror titles this month, there are still some notable movies well worth your time. For instance, you can watch Karen Black try to land a 747 jet in Airport 1979, or Casper Van Dien kill giant insects in Paul Verhoeven’s bloody sci-fi opus Starship Troopers.

We are looking forward to the Jennifer Lopez sci-fi action movie Atlas. But let us know what you are going to watch. And if we have missed something, put it in the comments.

May 1:

Airport

A blizzard, a bomb, and a stowaway help create the perfect storm for the manager of a Midwestern airport and a pilot with a messy personal life.

Airport ’75

Airport ’75

When a Boeing 747 loses its pilots in a midair collision, a member of the cabin crew must take control with radio help from a flight instructor.

Airport ’77

A luxury 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art goes down in the Bermuda Triangle after being hijacked by thieves — and time for a rescue is running out.

Jumanji

Two siblings discover an enchanted board game that opens a door to a magical world — and unwittingly release a man who’s been trapped inside for years.

Hellboy

Hellboy

A half-demon paranormal investigator questions his defense of humans when a dismembered sorceress rejoins the living to wreak brutal vengeance.

Starship Troopers

When fire-spitting, brain-sucking bugs attack Earth and obliterate Buenos Aires, an infantry unit heads to the aliens’ planet for a showdown.

May 9

Bodkin

Bodkin

A ragtag crew of podcasters sets out to investigate mysterious disappearances from decades earlier in a charming Irish town with dark, dreadful secrets.

May 15

The Clovehitch Killer

The Clovehitch Killer

A teenager’s picture-perfect family is torn apart when he uncovers unnerving evidence of a serial killer close to home.

May 16

Upgrade

After a violent mugging leaves him paralyzed, a man receives a computer chip implant that allows him to control his body — and get his revenge.

Monster

Monster

After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.

May 24

Atlas

Atlas

A brilliant counterterrorism analyst with a deep distrust of AI discovers it might be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

The Camp Cretaceous gang come together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.

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