Would you believe that it has been over 20 years since Night of the Comet director/scribe Thom Eberhardt penned a movie? Well, he’s back, writing upcoming horror movie Menace, which is slated to make an appearance at this year’s Cannes Market.
Menace comes from Image Nation and Spooky Pictures, the studio behind Late Night with the Devil, a film that has been widely praised by critics and audiences (despite some controversies). Both companies were also behind 2022’s Watcher, another highly regarded work in the genre.
As per Deadline, Menace stars Isabel May “as a research student who has a psychotic breakdown and is remanded to the custody of her aunt and uncle in a small town. When strange things start happening around her and people start disappearing, she isn’t sure what is real or what is her imagination.”
That’s not a whole lot to go on but judging by Image Nation and Spooky Pictures’ building reputation, no doubt horror fans will be anticipating Menace. Add to that the return of Thom Eberhardt – whose Night of the Comet is one of the most fun sci-fi/horror flicks of the mid-’80s – and you’ve got interest piqued across fans of the genre. In a statement, Image Nation acting CEO Ben Ross said, “Menace marks the continuation of Image Nation’s journey into the international market and expanding slate of dark genre films…We can’t wait for audiences to see this script come to life with Isabel May leading the cast for another Image Nation/Spooky Pictures edge of your seat thriller.” Meanwhile, Spooky Pictures co-founder Steven Schneider stated, “Our co-production partnership with Image Nation continues to go from strength to strength. We are thrilled to announce our third project, especially with a fantastic talent like Isabel May in our lead role. We look forward to seeing what success Menace and our continued partnership brings.” Menace is directed by See for Me’s Randall Okita.
Menace star Isabel May has some experience in the horror genre with 2020’s Let’s Scare Julie but is best known for playing Elsa Dutton on Yellowstone spin-off 1883.
Are you looking forward to Menace? Share your thoughts below.
People had strong feelings, to put it mildly, after Xbox shuttered Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and other studios, and we share some of our own. Also,PlayStation finally relented on a requirement that PC players maintain a PSN account, but not before colossal fan uproar, and as the dust started to settle, we had…
People had strong feelings, to put it mildly, after Xbox shuttered Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and other studios, and we share some of our own. Also,PlayStation finally relented on a requirement that PC players maintain a PSN account, but not before colossal fan uproar, and as the dust started to settle, we had…
May 11, 1994 saw the release of Alex Proyas’ The Crow, and cinema was never the same. And now, 30 years later, we’re finally being treated to the definitive version on 4K UHD. You know what big fans of physical media we are here at JoBlo so we’ve been highly anticipating this release. And we also LOOOOOVE The Crow. We’ve covered it on our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube Channel and have even taken a look at its terrible sequels. Heck, I’m not sure about you guys but The Crow was one of those films I always loved to talk about on the old JoBlo forums. I wonder what they’d be saying about the new film?
And shoutout to those that were able to snag the very cool Steelbook that went quickly out of print. It’s easily one of the coolest Steelbooks out there and features an absolutely beautiful design. Although, if you’re one of those people reselling it on ebay for $150 then maybe rethink your life choices.
The Crow has never had great releases, with its old DVD and Bluray on the uglier side. I’ve always considered that part of its charm but it’s an absolute treat to see the film fully realized in 4K. The HDR provides such a brilliant contrast in the night scenes. The blacks are deep but not crushing, and the highlights pop the image just enough. The church scene at the end features such vibrant red, that I felt like I was watching it with new eyes. And don’t worry, despite the lack of grain, there’s no excessive DNR that has become so prevalent in 4K releases. The sound mix is also wonderful, with a perfect balance that doesn’t require you to constantly have your finger on the volume control.
Unfortunately, outside of the absolutely beautiful transfer, there aren’t a ton of NEW features on the disc. “Shadows & Pain: Designing the Crow” follows the creation of the film through the eyes of Production Designer, Alex McDowell. It’s extremely well done and has a wealth of knowledge about the creation of the film. “Sideshow Collectibles: An Interview With Edward R Pressman” follows the producer of The Crow as he goes over the movie a bit. It’s more surface level, but its cool to see the wonderful statues by Sideshow, who always knock these out of the park.
I was hoping to be able to get some new information about the film but, given its history, most of that has already been expounded upon. There are some cleaned-up Production Stills that help to provide a little more context to the behind-the-scenes. It’s really too bad there isn’t a wealth of footage from filming. Regardless, here are some fun tidbits I pulled from the new 4K release:
The film has had some very messy releases, with one UK release even getting an ugly 1080i transfer. This is easily the highest fidelity release we’ve ever received for the film.
Production Designer, Alex McDowell claims the Punk scene greatly affected The Crow‘s look, as he worked with directors like David Fincher, Michael Bay, and, of course, Alex Proyas on a variety of music videos.
Devil’s Night was based on actual events in Detroit. McDowell and Proyas surveyed the damage after Devil’s Night in Detroit before filming.
The miniatures are what help to give the film its texture, whether it’s the usage of a train set or remote control cars, the scale of the film is always at the film’s forefront.
The pawnshop exterior was filmed on the studio backlot, for the most amount of control with the decay of the city.
Other special features on the set include: Audio Commentary with Director Alex Proyas, Audio Commentary with Producer Jeff Most and Screenwriter John Shirley, Behind-the-Scenes Featurette, A Profile on James O’Barr, Extended Scenes, Deleted Footage Montage, and the Trailer. While not exclusive to this set, there’s a beautiful quote that Brandon says, which is actually a quote from the book Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. I think it’s the perfect way to end this:
“Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. And yet everything happens only a certain number of times and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood. An afternoon that is so deeply a part of your being that you cannot even conceive of your life without it. Perhaps 4 or 5 times more. Perhaps not even that. How many times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps 20. Yet it all seems limitless.”
Will you be buying The Crow 4K UHD? Have you owned any past releases? Let us know in the comments!
THE CROW IS AVAILABLE ON 4K EVERYWHERE ON MAY 7TH, 2024.
This past week started with a shock, as Microsoft announced it was closing a number of studios including Tango Gameworks, responsible for the very well-liked Hi-Fi Rush, leading many to wonder just what a studio has to achieve in this day and age to be deemed successful enough to exist. Also, one of the most…
This past week started with a shock, as Microsoft announced it was closing a number of studios including Tango Gameworks, responsible for the very well-liked Hi-Fi Rush, leading many to wonder just what a studio has to achieve in this day and age to be deemed successful enough to exist. Also, one of the most…
1999 was an amazing year for movies. But, among all the classics like The Matrix, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Magnolia, Go, Three Kings, and so many more, one that often gets overlooked is The Mummy. Originally, the summer of ’99 was supposed to be all about Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but a few weeks before that movie opened, The Mummy turned out to be an unexpected smash for Universal Pictures, with it spawning two sequels, a spin-off movie, and (less cool), a reboot.
With the movie turning twenty-five, the film’s director Stephen Sommers, revisited the film during an extended sit-down with THR. For those who may not be aware of his career, Sommers made a whole slew of super-fun adventure movies in the 90s, including a really solid re-imagining of The Jungle Book for Disney and the creature feature Deep Rising. The Mummy propelled him to the A-list, although he’s laid low since making Odd Thomas back in 2013.
In the interview Sommers gives the scoop on how Brendan Fraser transformed himself into an action star for the franchise. He explains why he opted not to direct the third film in the franchise, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (although he produced it), and what he thinks of the 2017 reboot.
Expectedly, he’s not a fan, telling THR, “I was kind of insulted because the writers and director [Alex Kurtzman] of that Tom Cruise one, no one ever contacted me. I contact people if I was going to take over somebody’s thing. The third one, which Rob [Cohen] directed, it’s kind of my baby. I didn’t want to step on his toes, so I helped produce it. But I had nothing to do with the Tom Cruise one. They never contacted me or called me. I was doing other things, and it’s not like I sat crying. I just think it’s common courtesy.”
Sommers also says he’d be game to revisit the franchise if the original stars, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz were involved. “It would have to be something really special. Of course, I would work with all of those actors again.”
For our older readers, do you remember seeing The Mummy in theatres 25 years ago? Let us know in the comments!
In a nice piece of good news for exhibitors and studios, audiences are checking out to see Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in theatres, with Deadline reporting that it’s on track for an opening north of $50 million. That’s about on par with industry projections and better than the $40 million-plus we expected. That’s similar to the openings for Rise of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, which opened with $54.8 million and $56.2 million, respectively. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes did much bigger business, with a $72 million opening, but that was seen as a one-off.
While the $50-55 million is undoubtedly softer than those other movies if you adjust it for inflation, the industry has changed in recent years. The Fall Guy had a disastrous opening last weekend despite great reviews. Hollywood and exhibitors are feeling the pinch, especially in a summer with very few surefire hits (outside of Deadpool and Wolverine) due to the production shutdown with the strikes last year. As a result, a $50 million-plus opening is considered a huge win for Disney and bodes well for them continuing the franchise if the global box office is good.
Meanwhile, The Fall Guy, as expected, will slip to second place, with Deadline estimating a weekend in the $14-15 million range, which means the movie only fell about 50% week-to-week, which isn’t bad but isn’t amazing either. If it had an opening in the 40-50 million range, a 50% decline would have been great, but the soft opening means the movie will undoubtedly end up as a money loser for the studio (sadly). It may not even hit $80 million domestically.
We’ll be back tomorrow with a full breakdown of the weekend box office. In the meantime, have any of you checked out Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
In a galaxy far, far away, no one can hear you scream…Sigourney Weaver — who is certainly no stranger to sci-fi — is reportedly in talks to join the cast of The Mandalorian & Grogu, set to be the first new Star Wars film in seven years by the time it arrives in 2026.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Sigourney Weaver is possibly near a deal to become part of the Star Wars Saga with The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is huge and exciting news for fans of both. And considering her history in the sci-fi and fantasy genre – Alien franchise, Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, Avatar, etc. – she would absolutely be a natural addition.
The next few years will be crucial for Star Wars, with a new set of movies that will further build on the franchise and the series that the studio has invested in. As far as The Mandalorian & Grogu goes, Jon Favreau is on board to direct this continuation of the Disney+ series, particularly following season three, which concluded last year. Favreau, who created The Mandalorian, previously expressed his excitement for the film by saying, “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created. The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”
Following The Mandalorian & Grogu’s May 22nd, 2026 release, we’ll also get a wealth of other projects being helmed by the likes of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Dave Filoni, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, Rian Johnson, and more, although release dates have yet to be announced for any of these films. One of the biggest challenges those behind Star Wars will face is not coming across like they’re bombarding fans, which it can feel like. We’ve seen “superhero fatigue” hit audiences, so it would be a true shame if it takes over the Star Wars Saga…if it hasn’t already. But news of Sigourney Weaver being in talks for The Mandalorian & Grogu is a major boost in hopes for the continuation of the franchise, especially since season three of The Mandalorian was a serious disappointment to fans of the first two.
How do you feel about Sigourney Weaver joining the Star Wars franchise? Would her casting give you new hope for The Mandalorian & Grogu? Share your thoughts below.
I love me some damn dirty apes, and I’m not alone. Ever since the first Planet of the Apes movie in 1968, it’s been one of Hollywood’s most consistent (on a quality level) franchises. Think about it. Has there ever really been a lousy Planet of the Apes movie? Not really. Yet, it’s often unheralded when we talk about the great franchises. So, let’s look at the series as a whole, with this Planet of the Apes movies ranked list (from worst to best). And don’t worry – you’ll get to have your say tomorrow with a poll I’ll be publishing, so check back for that.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s remake of the original 1968 classic is a mixed bag. Mark Wahlberg was a little too green at this point in his career to make a captivating action hero, with him paling compared to Charlton Heston’s powerhouse performance in the original. The film itself is more than a little inconsistent, and I can see why it couldn’t launch a big new franchise for the studio, even if it did pretty well financially ($362 million worldwide). However, the makeup from Rick Baker is incredible, and the fact that it’s the last Apes movie to use the old, practical makeup FX instead of CGI makes it a must-see. Also, it’s one of Paul Giamatti’s favourite roles ever.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1972)
In the sixties and seventies, sequels were made differently. The general consensus was always that a sequel would make less money than its predecessor, so the budgets were lower. As the Planet of the Apes series went on at 20th Century Fox, the studio started pumping less and less money into them, and Battle for the Planet of the Apes had a minuscule budget, resulting in the cheapest-looking Apes film of all time. However, it still has Roddy McDowell acting his ass off in the culmination of the original Caesar trilogy. It also has a very eccentric supporting cast, with director John Huston and singer Paul Williams (The Phantom of the Paradise) turning up as Apes. Williams loved playing the part so much that he was known to turn up on talk shows wearing John Chambers’ makeup. Like all the other Apes movies, it made money for Fox, but rather than make an even cheaper sequel, they opted to spin the series off into a short-lived TV series they managed to get McDowell to return for.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
When Planet of the Apes was a smash hit, 20th Century Fox immediately committed to a sequel. But, as was the general thinking about sequels those days, it was not designed as an “A-feature” in the vein of the first film. That movie’s director, Franklin J. Schaffner, never considered returning, with him making the Oscar-winning Patton for the same studio instead. The budget was only a fraction of the first film’s, partly because the studio had suffered a series of costly flops. The result is a reasonably cheap-looking film, with TV actor James Franciscus taking over for Charlton Heston in the lead. However, they did manage to entice Heston back for an extended cameo, which allows the film to end on a provocatively gloomy note, making the movie worth watching. This is the only classic Apes movie that didn’t have Roddy McDowell in it, with him shooting another film while doing this – and his absence is sorely felt.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Wes Ball’s new entry into the Apes saga is half a great movie. It’s terrific when it focuses on Ape culture and the new characters, such as Owen Teague’s Noa. But, when it starts to emphasize the humans and tee up yet another interspecies war, it becomes more of a mixed bag. We already have a pretty good trilogy on that very topic, so it would be nice to see this potential new series heading in another direction.
Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971)
This one starts on a deceptively light note, with us seeing that Apes Zira (Kim Hunter) and Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) escaped the destruction of the planet of the apes (a future version of Earth) and have gone through a time warp that sends them back in time to 1973. Initially, they become celebrities, with the movie adopting a silly, sitcom-style tone, only to take a HARD left turn towards the finale, when it becomes a tragedy that expertly sets the stage for all the movies to come.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
In my review of Kingdom, I mentioned this movie being a mixed bag, and I was surprised at how upset some folks got with me in the comments, as this is almost universally beloved among fans of the series. I remember it getting more of a mixed reaction when it originally came out, and I stand by the idea that it’s a GOOD film, but the sequels are better. James Franco phones in his performance, but it doesn’t matter in the end because the movie wisely focuses on Andy Serkis as our new ape hero, Caesar. John Lithgow is excellent in this as Franco’s dementia-affected father, who becomes a surrogate parent to Caesar, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion.
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
The reboot trilogy ended with this all-out war film depicting how humans lost control of the planet due to their desire to re-establish dominance over the Apes. Some found the film overly self-serious and dark, but it brought the reboot trilogy to an operatic end and gave Serkis a platform to deliver (perhaps) his best mo-cap performance to date. Woody Harrelson also makes one of the most despicable human villains in the series (to date).
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
For me, this stands as the best entry in the reboot trilogy. It was Matt Reeves’ first time making a super large-scale blockbuster, and he does a better job than most other films in the series of juggling the screen time between humans and aes, with Gary Oldman playing the most sympathetic antagonist the series ever had.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
While Beneath and Escape the Planet of the Apes were hits, Fox continued slashing every subsequent instalment’s budget. Yet, the silver lining was that the movies were able to tackle riskier material, with director J. Lee Thompson and his writer Paul Dehn making the film a metaphor for fraught race relations in the U.S, with this very much informed by the battle for Civil Rights, the rise of the Black Panthers, and more. The film’s theatrical cut was toned down a bit by Fox, but if you watch it on Blu-ray, you’ll see the legit, uncompromised cut, with it standing as one of the more radical sci-fi films of the era.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Of course, no movie in the series can match Franklin J. Schaffer’s original entry, one of the best science fiction movies ever made. It’s a very influential film, with stunning makeup effects courtesy of John Chambers, a superb musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, and an iconic performance by the great Charlton Heston in the lead. It also has one of the most unhinged, disturbing endings of all time. As good as every other movie in the franchise is, this one is arguably the only true masterpiece of the series. That said, in my opinion, again, there’s never actually been a bad Planet of the Apes movie.
