Nightly Horror News Website Up and Running

I'm very happy to announce the launch of Nightly Horror News, a website dedicated to horror movie news plus the occasional story on music, comic books, and television.

This will allow Movies at Midnight to return and refocus on what it has always been meant to be, a movie review website.

I hope you check it out.  I'm just getting the website up and running, but it will soon be integrated into most aspects of the Movies at Midnight social media empire, such our facebook fanpage and twitter account plus I'll be setting up independent accounts for this new venture.

First Look at Pinhead in HELLRAISER REVELATIONS

A few weeks back we reported that Stephan Smith Collins had been revealed as the new face of Pinhead, after Doug Bradley declined to reprise his most famous role in the next HELLRAISER sequel.

Above is the first shot of Stephan Smith Collins in full Pinhead make-up for the direct-to-DVD HELLRAISER: REVELATIONS.

This photo is a poor selection on Dimension's part to showcase the premiere of the new Pinhead. Collins here just does not instill the instant terror in me that Bradley has done in the past. No slight on Collins as there is yet to be any video footage released and he has some pretty big shoes to fill. At a glance this looks like really really good make-up and costume created by a super fan of the series, not the official heir of the pain throne.

Judging by this photo alone I don't see this change-up going very well with the few fans left who have stuck with the franchise, but maybe they'll surprise me.  What do you think of the photo?

HELLRAISER: REVELATIONS recently wrapped shooting in Los Angeles. No release date has been set yet.

Horror Movies in the Theaters October 2010 - 31 Days till Halloween

There's nothing quite like watching a good horror movie in the movie theaters, sitting in a giant blackened room and soaking up the crowds reactions as the suspense and terror ratchets up. Nothing, save for watching that horror movie in a theater during the month of October, as Halloween waits in the near distance.

October 2010 has a pretty good selection of movies to watch on the big screen, with a little something for everyone as the screen gets a sampling from just about every subgenre of horror. Check out the schedule below.

OCTOBER 1st:

LET ME IN - For the vampire crowd out there, the American remake of LET THE RIGHT ONE will definitely be one to sink your teeth into.

HATCHET 2 - Adam Green's sequel to his 2006 slasher genre throwback offers more blood and more guts in all its unrated glory.

CHAIN LETTER - Just another blood and guts slasher

CASE 39 - for the thriller crowd (aka those that don't watch "horror") Renée Zellweger stars as a case worker who tries to save a girl who may not be so innocent.

OCTOBER 8th:

MY SOUL TO TAKE - Wes Craven writes and directs this teen-centered slasher focuses on the return of a serial killer who supposed died the same night seven kids were born.

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE - Another week, another remake release, this time focused bringing one of the hardest movies ever to watch to a 2000s audience.

OCTOBER 22nd:

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 - For those that didn't learn from following the hype machine the first time around, here's more camcorder horror to bore you with.

OCTOBER 29th:

MONSTERS - This year's DISTRICT 9 focuses on the journey of a man and woman through a restricted area in Mexico that is full of aliens who now call Earth home.

SAW 3D - The movie franchise that helped establish the modern torture horror genre comes to a close in three glorious dimensions!

So you see, a little something for everyone. Which films will you be seeing?

31 days till Halloween...

Greg Nicotero of KNB to Direct THE DRIVE IN Adaptation

Greg Nicotero, the special effects wizard who co-founded KNB and whose work can be seen from current films like PIRAHNA 3D PREDATORS and classics like EVIL DEAD 2 and BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR will be making his feature length directorial debut with the film adaptation of THE DRIVE IN.

The Drive In is a novel written by Joe R Lansdale, which has already been adapted into comic book form by Avatar Press, that focuses on a group of friends who decide to spend a day at the world's largest Drive-In theater horror fest. They expect to see tons of bloody murders, rampaging madmen, and mayhem on the screen, but when a mysterious force traps all the patrons inside the Drive-In, the worst in humanity comes out.

No telling when the film will finally see the light of day, but just knowing that Nicotero is involved makes me giddy with anticipation.

Ghostface in Action in SCREAM 4 Photo

Above you can see one of the first images of Ghostface in action in SCREAM 4, here stalking Courteney Cox as reporter Gale Weathers.

The new film sees the return of cast members Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, along with a group of new stars - Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Nico Tortorella, Anthony Anderson, and Marielle Jaffe - who can hopefully stay alive long enough to figure out the new rules to this one-of-a-kind horror franchise.

Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson bring the latest entry in their slasher franchise to the big screen April 15th.

LORDS OF SALEM to be Rob Zombie's Next Movie

After keeping his fans waiting with anticipation over the past few weeks, Rob Zombie has announced that his next directorial outing will be THE LORDS OF SALEM, which keeps good on his promise that the announcement would be a previously unmentioned title. Since HALLOWEEN 2, it had been speculated that Zombie's next movie would be TYRANNOSAURUS REX or a remake of THE BLOB.

THE LORDS OF SALEM will be a thriller set in contemporary Salem, where the inhabitants receive a demonic visit from a 300-year-old coven of witches.

Zombie will write the script while on his upcoming concert tour circuit and will shoot next year. The movie will be put out by Haunted Films, which is comprised of the team that put out PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

Above, you'll find the very first teaser art for THE LORDS OF SALEM.

New Pinhead for HELLRAISER REVELATIONS Unmasked

Meet Stephan Smith Collins. He'll be replacing Doug Bradley as Pinhead in Dimension Films HELLRAISER: REVELATIONS. He's got the bald head already, but will he be able to conjure up Bradley's infamous Master of Pain? The horror world will be waiting on... wait for it... pins and needles.

HELLRAISER: REVELATIONS is currently filming in Los Angeles, and no release date has been set yet. Be sure to stay tuned for updates when Collins is finally revealed in full Pinhead garb.

***10/6 Update - check out Collins in his shot in the full Pinhead make-up.

Casting for HANSEL AND GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS Revealed

Tommy Wirkola,the Norwegian director who brought us the over-the-top Nazi zombie romp DEAD SNOW, is planning his English language film debut HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS. Set fifteen years after the original Grimm Brothers fairy tale, the now grown-up brother and sister have become full-time witch killers.

During an interview at the Venice International Film Festival Jeremy Renner, still running strong off his performance in THE HURT LOCKER, let it slip that both he and Noomi Rapace (of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) will play the titular characters.

"I think Hansel and Gretel will be awesome. I play him and Noomi Rapace plays Gretel. They have become adults, are damned and going on witch hunting."

If this is true, it will certainly provide a little extra power to the intended horror-comedy fantasy that is seeking an EVIL DEAD 2 vibe.

Will industrial band Hanzel Und Gretyl provide the soundtrack? It would seem the only logical choice.