Movies
‘Scream VII’ Greenlit, But Should the Franchise Take a Decade-Long Rest Instead?
Bam! Bam! Bam! No that’s not a shotgun inside the bodega in Scream VI, it’s the sound of producer’s fists rapidly hitting the green light button to further franchise favorites (i.e. Scream VII).
With Scream VI barely out of the gate, and a sequel reportedly filming this year, it seems horror fans are the ultimate target audience to get ticket sales back at the box office and away from “press play” streaming culture. But maybe it’s too much too soon.
If we haven’t learned our lesson already, banging out cheap horror movies in quick succession isn’t exactly a fool-proof strategy to get butts in theater seats. Let’s pause in a moment of silence to remember the recent Halloween reboot/retcon. Although the news of David Gordon Green blowing off the gossamer and resurrecting the franchise in three installments was great news in 2018, his final chapter did nothing but put the tarnish back on the horror classic.
Possibly drunk on the moderate success of his first two films, Green advanced to a third one very quickly but failed to provide fan service. Criticisms of Halloween Ends mainly hinged on the lack of screen time given to both Michael Myers and Laurie Strode and instead on a new character that didn’t have anything to do with the first two films.
“Honestly, we never once considered making a Laurie and Michael movie,” the director told Moviemaker. “The concept that it should be a final showdown-type brawl never even crossed our minds.”
How’s that again?
Although this critic enjoyed the last film, many found it off-course and perhaps a stand-alone that should have never been connected to the redeveloped canon. Remember Halloween came out in 2018 with Kills releasing in 2021 (thanks to COVID) and finally Ends in 2022. As we know, the Blumhouse engine is fueled by brevity from script to screen, and although it can’t be proven, hammering out the last two films so quickly might have been integral to its critical undoing.
Which brings us to the Scream franchise. Will Scream VII get underbaked purely because Paramount wants to reduce its cooking time? Also, too much of a good thing can make you sick. Remember, everything in moderation. The first movie was released in 1996 with the next almost exactly a year later, then the third three years after that. The latter is considered the weaker of the franchise, but still solid.
Then we enter the decade release timeline. Scream 4 released in 2011, Scream (2022) 10 years after that. Some may say, “well hey, the difference in release times between the first two Scream movies was exactly that of the reboot.” And that is correct, but consider that Scream (’96) was a film that changed horror movies forever. It was an original recipe and ripe for back-to-back chapters, but we are now five sequels deep. Thankfully Wes Craven kept things sharp and entertaining even through all the parodies.
Conversely, that same recipe also survived because it took a decade-long hiatus, giving new trends time to develop before Craven attacked the newer tropes in another installment. Remember in Scream 3, they still used fax machines and flip phones. Fan theory, social media and online celebrity were developing fetuses at that time. Those trends would be incorporated into Craven’s fourth movie.
Fast-forward another eleven years and we get Radio Silence’s reboot (?) which made fun of the new terms “requel” and “legacy characters.” Scream was back and fresher than ever. Which leads us to Scream VI and a change of venue. No spoilers here, but this episode seemed oddly reminiscent of re-hashed past storylines, which may have been a satire in and of itself.
Now, it’s been announced that Scream VII is a go, but it leaves us to wonder how such a short hiatus is going to fare with nothing in the horror zeitgeist to channel. In all of this race to get the big bucks, some are saying Scream VII could only top its predecessor by bringing back Stu? Really? That, in my opinion, would be a cheap effort. Some also say, that sequels often bring in a supernatural element, but that would be out of place for Scream.
Could this franchise do with a 5-7 year hiatus before it ruins itself on principle? That break would allow time and new tropes to develop — the franchise’s life’s blood — and mostly the power behind its success. Or is Scream heading into the “thriller” category, where the characters are just going to face another killer(s) in a mask without the irony?
Perhaps that is what the new generation of horror fans want. It could work of course, but the spirit of the canon would be lost. True fans of the series will spot a bad apple if Radio Silence does anything uninspired with Scream VII. That’s a lot of pressure. Green took a chance in Halloween Ends and that didn’t pay off.
All that being said, Scream, if anything, is a masterclass at building hype. But hopefully, these movies don’t turn into the campy iterations they make fun of in Stab. There is still some life left in these films even if Ghostface doesn’t have time to catnap. But as they say, New York never sleeps.
Movies
‘King On Screen’ Trailer – A New Stephen King Documentary, Coming Soon
Today the official trailer has been released for a new documentary, King on Screen, that Dark Star Pictures has acquired the North American rights.
Over the years, Stephen King has gained recognition as an immensely popular and prolific author known for his mastery of horror, supernatural, and suspense. His writing style is often characterized by vivid descriptions and compelling characters, and he just has an overall knack for building that suspense that we’ve all come to enjoy.
King has the ability to create a sense of unease and terror in everyday settings; this has become quite a hallmark for the author. The dark side of human nature and how people treat each other is another trademark King often delivers within his characters.
The Synopsis: 1976; Brian de Palma directs Carrie, the first novel by Stephen King. Since then, more than 50 directors have adapted the master of horror’s books into more than 80 films and series, making him the most adapted author alive in the world. What’s so fascinating about him that filmmakers cannot stop adapting his works? KING ON SCREEN reunites the filmmakers that have adapted Stephen King’s books for cinema and TV, including Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Walking Dead), Tom Holland (The Langoliers, Chucky), Mick Garris (The Stand, Sleepwalkers) and Taylor Hackford (Dolores Claiborne, Ray). It is a movie made for the fans and with the fans, led by an international ambition.
Interviews also include Tim Curry, James Can, Dee Wallace, Mark L. Lester, Mike Flanagan, Vincenzo Natali, and Greg Nicotero. Directed by Daphné Baiwir
The documentary will be in select theaters on August 11, 2023, and On Demand and Blu-Ray on September 8, 2023.
Movies
A New Supernatural Thriller – ‘Hell Hath No Fury’ Is In The Works
A new supernatural thriller, Hell Hath No Fury, is currently in the works. (not to be confused with the 2021 film with the same title). Miles Crawford (Babylon), Sharlene Rädlein (Spinning Out of Control), Brooke Butler (Ozark), Jamie Zevallos (The Skulleton), and Lorenzo Antonucci (Paradise City) have signed on to the Karbis Sarafyan and Andrew Pearce-produced thriller film.
Written by Dennis Wilder and directed by Rustam Vakilov, Hell Hath No Fury follows Aidan (Crawford), an agnostic psychiatrist who runs a residential facility while grieving the loss of his newborn child with his wife. When one of his patients is brutally murdered just as a beautiful new employee comes into his life, he tries to balance saving his marriage with preventing the facility from closing. As the story progresses, Aidan must confront his own lack of faith as he realizes that these frightening new circumstances are anything but natural.
“The plot features a thrilling mix of psychological drama, horror, and supernatural elements that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats,” said producer Sarafyan. “It is a stroy about grief, faith, and the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most challenigng obstacles.”
Not much more is known about this new thriller. Check out the cast’s photos below, and check back with iHorror.com for more information on Hell Hath No Fury.
Lists
5 New Horror Movies You Can Stream Starting This Week
I am old enough to remember when after a new horror movie’s theatrical release, you would have to wait six months before you could find it at the local video store. That’s if they even released in the area where you lived.
Some movies were viewed once and lost into the void forever. They were very dark times. Fortunately for us, streaming services have cut that wait down to a fraction of the time. This week we have some big hitters coming to VOD, so let’s jump right in.
* An update has been made to this article. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will be released in theaters June 9th and will be released on digital on demand services June 23rd.
Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story
Ok, so this isn’t technically a horror movie, it’s a documentary. That said, it should still be on all horror fan’s watch list this week. This documentary is about one of horror’s largest icons. The man who haunts all of our dreams, Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street).
Not only is the source material amazing, but we have two great co-directors heading this endeavor.  Gary Smart (Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser) and Christopher Griffiths (Pennywise: The Story of It) have made a name for themselves in the horror community for providing in-depth analysis of some of the greatest horror films ever made.
Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story will be streaming via Screambox on June 6th. If you want to know more about this documentary before watching it, check out our interview with Gary Smart and Christopher Griffiths here.
Renfield
Nicolas Cage (The Wicker Man) is really hard to put a label on. He has been in so many terrific films, while also ruining one of the greatest folk horror films ever made. For better or worse, his over-the-top acting has placed him in a special place in the hearts of many.
In this iteration of Dracula, he is joined by Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies), and Awkwafina (The Little Mermaid). Renfield looks to be a more lighthearted take on the classic Bram Stoker tale. We can only hope that the awkward lovable style of Hoult mingles well with the zaniness that Cage is known for. Renfield will be streaming on Peacock June 9th.
Devilreaux
Tony Todd (Candy Man) is one of horror’s greatest living icons. The man has a way of making evil sexy in an unmatched way. Joining Tony in this period piece is the marvelous Sheri Davis (The Amityville Moon).
This one feels fairly cut and dry. We get some old-timey racism which leads to a curse that haunts the land to this day. Mix in some voodoo for good measure and we have ourselves a horror movie. If you want an older feel to your new horror movie, this one’s for you. Devilreaux will be released to video on demand services on June 9th.
Brooklyn 45
If you aren’t already subscribed to Shudder, now is the time to try out a free trial. That said, all horror fans should still have it on their watch list this week.. But they normally include some of the standout horror films of the year.
Brooklyn 45 looks like it is going to be one of the good ones. Already receiving massive praise before its release, the hype on this one has me excited. Starring Anne Ramsey (The Taking of Deborah Logan), Ron Rains (Teacher), and Jeremy Holm (Mr. Robot). Brooklyn 45 is my most anticipated new horror film this week. Brooklyn 45 will hit shudder June 9th.
She Came from the Woods
Tubi has been playing its hand at making its own horror films for a while now. Up until this point they have been less than stellar. But after seeing the trailer for She Came from the Woods, I have hope that’s all about to change.
This film isn’t giving us anything new, it’s an old camp legend gone awry. But what it is giving us is William Sadler (Tales from the Crypt) right back where he belongs. Fighting ghosts with a shotgun and loving every minute of it. If you are looking for a new horror movie that is easy to digest, this is the one for you. She Came from the Woods will hit Tubi June 10th.
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5 New Horror Movies You Can Stream Starting This Week
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