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Blumhouse Expanding into Horror Games

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Blumhouse Productions announces its move into the indie horror game market. Here’s what we know about the film company’s expansion into the game’s industry.

The horror film heavyweight Blumhouse Productions, behind successful horror movies such as Insidious, Sinister, Get Out, Paranormal Activity and recently M3GAN are set to expand into video games.

M3GAN. Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Blumhouse Productions

Blumhouse Productions is a film and television production company known for producing low-budget horror and thriller movies. Founded in 2000 by Jason Blum, the company has been responsible for many successful films, including the Paranormal Activity series, Get Out, The Purge, and Insidious. Blumhouse has grown through investing in low-budget horror films some of which have gone on to become box-office successes. The production company has been able to carve out a highly-profitable niche within Hollywood. On November 16, 2022, it was announced that the company was in talks to merge with Atomic Monster. Both companies would retain their individual creative independence and brand identity, and function as separate labels. More recently it was announced that the two horror heavyweights are looking to collaborate with Behaviour Interactive to bring the hit horror game Dead by Daylight to Hollywood. Now, the horror hit production company are getting their gnashers into the gaming market with their new division – Blumhouse Games.

Blumhouse Games plans to join up with independent developers and “in the spirit of its film business” (via Variety) focus on original horror games with a budget below $10M. The plan is for Blumhouse Games to offer financing and creative input to these smaller indie projects for console, PC and mobile platforms.

The company has appointed two industry veterans, Zach Wood as President and Don Sechler as CFO of the new venture. Wood, a video game producer of 25 years, has shipped over 30 games on all the major platforms, and has worked on AAA titles as well as small indie games. One of Wood’s most recent projects is the upcoming Bethesda FPS game Redfall. His other projects include Prey: Mooncrash. (Bethesda) and Sound Shapes, Hohokum, The Unfinished Swan and Bound (Santa Monica Studio/PlayStation). Prior to joining Blumhouse, Sechler served in a key executive role at Playstation and has worked on structuring business deals for some of the largest IPs as well projects by new developers.

“For some time we have been looking to build out a team to start accessing the growth opportunity in interactive media. When we sat with Zach and Don they articulated an approach that resonated with Blumhouse’s model and we knew it was a perfect place for us to start our push into the interactive space.” said Abhijay Prakash, Blumhouse President (via Bloody Disgusting). “With their experience, sensibility and knowledge of the gaming marketplace Zach and Don are the ideal leaders to leverage Blumhouse’s unique genre strengths into gaming.”

This is exciting news for horror game enthusiasts as Blumhouse have consistently produced some of the most successful horror films to date.

No specific projects were discussed at the time of the announcement.

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Evil Dead Rise: Claws its Way to Second Place in the Box Office and Possible Sequels

Evil Dead Rise has enjoyed decent openings since it hit theatres for Thursday night previews, taking second place at the box office.

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Evil Dead Rise has enjoyed a decent opening since it hit theatres for Thursday night previews, taking second place at the box office. The film has surpassed box office expectations since its official release on April 21st, making its way into second place behind Super Mario Bros. The film had a budget of $19 million, and has already grossed almost $25 million domestically in the US.

As of April 23rd, the film had a worldwide total grossing of $42.4 million, with $24.5 million going to domestic US audiences, and $17.9 million for international. If the film continues to do well, this may lead to more sequels. The film’s predecessor Evil Dead (2013) opened to $25 million, and had a total grossing of $97.5 million.

Evil Dead Rise was originally meant to be released for streaming on HBO Max, but after positive test screenings in August 2022, it was set for theatrical release under Warner Bros. Pictures. The story is written and directed by Lee Cronin, and Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell served as executive producers.

With a decade between the two most recent films in the franchise, there are plans to release films more frequently. In an interview last week, Evil Dead legend Bruce Campbell told AV Club:

“I think the stories will progress a little more now. We’re going to try and do them more like every two or three years rather than every 10 years. It’s also the first time Sam is working with his brother Ivan to create an overall Bible that will give future writers and directors an idea of where this thing should go next to potentially tie in some of these stories. So, I think it’s going to get a little more tied in as the years go by. But because it’s all about the books. It could be a book in the past, a book in the future. It’s yet to be determined.”

On Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 162 critics’ reviews are positive, with an audience score of 80%, and an average rating of 7.2/10. Our review states: “Evil Dead Rise is a satisfyingly gory, blood-soaked rip roaring ride to the credits”.

The film is suitable for general audiences as well as long-time Evil Dead fans, and one doesn’t necessarily have to have seen any of the previous films to enjoy it. Fans of practical effects may also be in for a treat, since much like its predecessors, Evil Dead Rise relies more heavily on them than CGI, with over 6,500 litres (about 1,717 gallons) of fake blood used.

Evil Dead Rise stars Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan in a twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short with the discovery of the book of the dead in the bowels of an apartment block basement. The two sisters are thrust into a nightmarish battle for survival with flesh possessed demons.

Ultimately, if fans and audiences want to see more Evil Dead films, then they will need to support the film and watch it in theatres.

Evil Dead Rise is in cinemas nationwide.

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RoboCop: Rogue City. New Official Gameplay Trailer

Game developer Teyon along with publisher Nacon have released a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming game RoboCop: Rogue City.

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Game developer Teyon along with publisher Nacon have released a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming game RoboCop: Rogue City.

The first gameplay trailer for RoboCop: Rogue City has arrived, and it shows the iconic cyborg patrolling the mean streets of Detroit, and enforcing the law on criminals. Based on the iconic 1987 film RoboCop, players will get to become part man part machine and bring justice to the crime-ridden streets of Detroit. And, it won’t be long until we get to play it, developer Teyon announced a release date of September. The game was originally set for a June 2023 release (via Bloody Disgusting) for the Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Game publisher Nacon released the trailer as part of the latest edition of its online press conference, Nacon Connect. The trailer shows RoboCop engaging criminals armed with his trusty Auto 9 as well as other weapons. The game looks faithful to the original films and is packed with nostalgia. Peter Weller, the original actor from the first two films, reprises his role for the game. We see the iconic green tracking grid that we first saw when RoboCop was undergoing final testing in the original 1987 film. RoboCop’s trademark footfall can be heard as he patrols the dangerous streets of Detroit.

Teyon state they along with Nacon are working with MGM to produce a game that is faithful to the franchise’s DNA. The first-person shooter will feature an original story where the player takes the role of RoboCop, formerly good cop Alex Murphy who was fatally wounded by a gang of ruthless criminals and restored by scientists and doctors as the titular cyborg. Players will go up against forces that seek to destroy the city and will have the power to decide prime directives their own way.

The RoboCop Franchise

The RoboCop franchise is a series of science fiction action films that revolve around the story of a former police officer who is brought back to life as a cyborg law enforcement officer. The first film, released in 1987, was directed by Paul Verhoeven and starred Peter Weller as the titular character, RoboCop. The film was a critical and commercial success, and its gritty, satirical tone and graphic violence earned it a loyal fan base.

The franchise continued with two sequels, RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993), and a 2014 reboot of the original as well as a television series, animated series, and numerous comic book adaptations. While each instalment follows a similar plot of a human being transformed into a cyborg police officer, the themes and tone of the franchise have varied over time.

The RoboCop franchise explores themes of corruption, corporate greed, and the blurred lines between man and machine. The character of RoboCop serves as a symbol of justice and morality, representing the struggle to maintain one’s humanity in a world that values profit and power over compassion and empathy.

Overall, the RoboCop franchise has left a significant impact on popular culture and remains a beloved and iconic example of science fiction action cinema.

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Drag Me To Hell 2: Sam Raimi Teases Development of a Possible Sequel

There may be development of a possible sequel to Sam Rami’s 2009 film Drag Me to Hell.

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In a recent Reddit AMA, filmmaker Sam Raimi teased there may be development of a possible sequel to his 2009 film Drag Me to Hell.

The 2009 film Drag Me To Hell undoubtedly had a definitive ending, and a sequel to the film seemed quite unlikely. However, during a Reddit AMA, someone asked Sam Raimi if there was a possibility of a sequel to Drag Me To Hell (2009), to which Rami responded:

“The team at Ghost House Pictures: Romel Adam and Jose Canas, are trying to come up with a story that would work and I’m anxious to hear if they do!”

Drag Me to Hell‘s worldwide box office earnings back in 2009 were $90 million. Despite the success of the first film, there has never been a follow-up. In a 2019 interview with Bloody Disgusting, Raimi explained that there’s never been a sequel because the first film had a definitive end.

Drag Me to Hell is a 2009 supernatural horror film directed by Sam Raimi. The movie follows the story of Christine Brown, a young loan officer who denies an old gypsy woman an extension on her mortgage payment. In response, the gypsy woman places a curse on Christine, which brings forth an onslaught of terrifying supernatural events. As the curse intensifies, Christine seeks the help of a psychic to rid herself of the curse before she is dragged to hell.

The film has a perfect balance of horror, suspense, and dark comedy, with fantastic performances from the cast, including Alison Lohman, Justin Long, and Lorna Raver.

The film’s memorable ending [SPOILER ALERT] certainly lives up to its title. Christine, believing she has escaped the curse, is dragged kicking and screaming to hell. Bringing Alison’s character back alive would be a challenge since she’s meant to be dead and suffering in hell, but we are dealing with the supernatural here. Raimi commented in this Bloody Disgusting interview that in his mind he considered her to be dead and that he didn’t know where to start with a sequel. However, it seems that he is open to hearing about what the team at Ghost House Pictures may be working on.

Actually, the author’s suggestion at the end of the article about Justin Long’s role in a sequel wasn’t a bad one and it could work. If not that, perhaps the story could focus on a new curse and still feature some of the characters from the original. Sequels don’t have to feature all of the original characters, but there would be ways to include Lohman’s character in a sequel if it did happen. There’s room to expand the story or create more stories within that universe. A series would be good, perhaps focusing on different curses in different places with different characters.

We’ll have to wait and see if the folks at Ghost House Pictures can come up with something good enough for a sequel that works.

Stay tuned for more news about a sequel to Drag Me to Hell.

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