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The Afterparty, Tiffany Haddish

Lil Rel Howery has starred in comedies like Vacation Friends and Reunion, and he has also dealt with darker material in the likes of Get Out and The Mill. Now he’ll be pulling from both his comedy and horror experiences to direct the horror comedy Haunted Heist, which he’ll also be starring in – and Deadline reports that he’s being joined in the cast by Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip, The Afterparty, Haunted Mansion).

Howery will be making his directorial debut on this film, working from a screenplay by Carl Reid, writer of the recent Hulu horror movie Mr. Crocket. The story Reid crafted for this one begins when four estranged friends reunite at what appears to be a typical house. But one friend has ulterior motives; he plans to rob the place and needs their help to find an antique worth a fortune. But the house is straight up haunted, and the group must squash their differences to survive the night and an insane pack of ghosts.

The Coven will be launching world distribution sales at the American Film Market, which is happening this week in Las Vegas. Haunted Heist is expected to go into production in January. Howery is producing Haunted Heist with Death Ground’s Josh Feldman and Sean King O’Grady (the team behind The Mill and Mr. Crocket) and Robinwood7’s Feras Majid Shammami and Jesse Ford. Priscilla Ross Smith and Kendall Anlian serve as executive producers.

Howery provided the following statement: “I’m so excited to be working on this project in front and behind the camera. It’s going to be so much fun.

The Coven’s Priscilla Ross Smith added, “We are always looking for something fun and fresh. The best Saturday night movie that an audience could hope for. Haddish and Howery will knock this out of the park.Haunted Heist will be the second film to be produced by The Coven; the first was the upcoming exorcism horror movie Shadow of God.

Does Haunted Heist sound like an interesting project to you? Share your thoughts on this Lil Rel Howery / Tiffany Haddish horror comedy by leaving a comment below.

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Heretic, box office, Venom: The Last Dance

A24 isn’t done scaring up dollars at the box office as the studio’s horror thriller, Heretic, looks to convert $10M during the film’s box-office launch. Analysts see the chilling feature starring Hugh Grant at $8-10M from 3,200 cinemas, especially if audiences still feel spooky after the Halloween holiday. In contrast, Lionsgate’s faith-based family film The Best Christmas Pageant Ever could pull a cheerful $6 million to $8 million during its debut from 3,000 theaters.

While new films are typically the cat’s pajamas at the box office, analysts predict Sony’s Venom: The Last Dance will take another bite out of the top spot. The symbiotic sequel could drop 40% to 50% from the weekend before, resulting in $13 million to $15 million in upcoming ticket sales. Venom: The Last Dance is holding onto screens after earning $318M worldwide, compared to 2018’s Venom ($856M) and 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage ($506M). The third (and final) Venom film only cost $120M to produce, so it’s not a total loss.

If positive word of mouth spreads, there’s a chance Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever could exceed expectations. Election cycles are always emotionally taxing on all sides, and audiences could look to theaters for a respite from the tension. Thankfully, cinemas are always waiting with comfy seats, booming sound systems, and snacks to bring good vibes.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods directed Heretic from their script. In the film, two religious women are drawn into a cat-and-mouse game in a strange man’s house. Hugh Grant leads the film alongside Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Topher Grace and Elle Young also star as primary cast members.

As for Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo is forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.

Are you planning to check out Heretic this weekend? How about Venom 3? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post A24’s Heretic could convert $10M into a box office debut as Venom: The Last Dance looks to top the charts again appeared first on JoBlo.

ernie hudson

Ernie Hudson seems to have a love-hate relationship with the entire Ghostbusters series, acknowledging its significance in his career but also recognizing that the studio crossed the streams when it came to promoting the movies. But one aspect that shines above the rest is his admiration for Peter Venkman himself, Bill Murray, who he recognizes helped him star onboard for the 1989 sequel.

Appearing at the Rhode Island Comic Con over the weekend (via People), Ernie Hudson remembered that his casting in Ghostbusters II wasn’t exactly a guarantee. “Bill Murray is the only actor I think I’ve ever worked with who when they tried to get him to do another [Ghostbusters] — remember it was about 20 years before we came back with another movie after the second movie. But Bill just basically said, ‘If Ernie Hudson’s not in it, I’m not doing it.’ There are not many people who sort of stand up for you. And that was just very, very special. So I love all the guys. They’re very, very supportive.”

Considering the issues Ernie Hudson had with the first Ghostbusters – which found Columbia only boasting Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis on the poster instead of also featuring Hudson – it’s nice that he recognizes the people would still go to bat for him for the sequel. It also paints Bill Murray in a solid light and shows him as one of the most loyal guys in the business (provided you’re not on his bad side). Hudson, too, would go on to praise his other castmates, saying, “I had been acting for, I don’t know, a lot of years before I even did Ghostbusters. The studio was really not as welcoming, but the guys were. When we do a scene, the guys would say, ‘Wait a minute, Ernie’s not saying anything. So let’s make sure he’s included.’ So a lot of those lines probably could have gone to somebody else, but they were kind enough to make sure that I was always included.”

Even though Winston Zeddemore was a late addition to the original Ghostbusters gang, his – and those of Ernie Hudson – contributions can’t go unnoticed. Not only would he be needed for the first sequel, but he was absolutely essential for both Afterlife and Frozen Empire to help the passing of the proton packs be successful…2016’s version, not so much.

Ernie Hudson definitely has some choice words for certain elements of the Ghostbusters series, but it’s entirely impossible to imagine them taking on the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man or Vigo the Carpatian without the help of Winston. And hey, for a steady paycheck, that’s not too bad of a reputation.

What is your favorite Winston line or scene from the Ghostbusters franchise? Share your pick with us below!

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