Latest news with #ParanormalActivity
Hype Malaysia
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Movie Tea: Punisher To Star In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'; Blumhouse Purchases Entire 'Saw' Franchise
Much like when Freddy first duked it out with Jason, the world of cinema is forever changed when two gigantic worlds collide. From the potential meeting of MCU's most brutal anti-hero with our favourite Web-Head, to the union of franchise horror giants, here's the latest news on upcoming movies out of Hollywood. Blumhouse Buys Rights To 'Saw' Series In 25 short years, Blumhouse has become a household name in the world of horror, known for bringing iconic series such as 'Insidious', 'Paranormal Activity', 'Get Out', and more to the public consciousness. It is an absolute juggernaut of the industry, one that recently got bigger thanks to its acquisition of the 'Saw' franchise. Following a lengthy process and undisclosed amounts of money, the torturous mascot, Jigsaw, will now be sharing a seat in the production house's killer doll gallery alongside Megan and Freddy Fazbear… well, at least a portion of it. Blumhouse has specifically purchased the part of the franchise that was previously owned by Oren Koules and Mark Burg. As per Deadline's reporting, Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse, has now acquired the rights to any and all 'Saw' projects, such as film, TV, games, and even theme park attractions — all of it. Despite this move, Lionsgate still retains partial ownership of the IP and is still on board for any future production and distribution. Blum went on to say that the franchise 'defined a generation of horror' and that 'its cultural impact continues to grow, making this a strategic investment in one of the most recognisable and successful genre properties of the last two decades.' Though it has not been outright stated, many believe that the reason why the franchise was sold off was because of the critical and commercial failure of two of its most recent entries, 2017's 'Jigsaw' and 2020's Chris Rock-led 'Spiral: From The Book Of Saw'. In a brief statement, Koules said that it was 'the right time to pass the baton,' while Burg stated that he wanted to 'move on and tell new stories.' Though the franchise is now under new management, that doesn't mean we are seeing some old and familiar faces. Blum added that James Wan and Leigh Whannell will be brought 'back in the fold' to help guide the future of the franchise. Following this news, Wan went on to say that 'Saw holds a special place in my heart — it's where Leigh and I began our Hollywood journey. Coming back to this world with a fresh perspective is both thrilling and deeply personal. For me, this will mark a significant creative return to the Saw franchise for the first time since the early days, and I'm very much looking forward to embracing the original spirit whilst pushing the legacy forward in bold, unexpected ways.' Jon Bernthal's Punisher Joins Tom Holland In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' At last! After months of waiting, we finally got substantive news on everyone's favourite webslinger. Not only do we now have an official release date for the film, but also the news that he's not returning to the big screen alone. Everyone's favourite MCU anti-hero, Frank Castle, is finally making his theatrical debut. This news came to light just prior to the movie's summer shoot in England, but the plot of the film, as well as Bernthal's role in it, remains a mystery. These aren't the only two stars that have been confirmed, as Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are set to reprise their roles as MJ and Ned, respectively. Though we do not know the implications of this team-up in the greater MCU universe, we do know that Bernthal and Holland have a special bond that goes beyond showbiz, as the two have lifted each other up during their respective Marvel roles. Bernthal has been very vocal about his friendship with Holland and has even shared their lives before their MCU roles. For those who remember, the Punisher actor was on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' when he said, 'We did a film about seven or eight years ago.' The film in question was 2017's 'Pilgrimage'. 'That was where both Tom did his audition for Spider-Man and I did my audition for Punisher. We actually made each other's audition tapes on that film,' Bernthal added. Together, they would help each other out in doing specific scenes or actions that would eventually net them their desired roles. Suffice it to say that it all paid off in the end, and to see them once again share in the fruits of their labour is something we can't wait to see unfold. 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' is set to hit theatres on 31st July, 2026. Sources: Variety, Empire, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
Engadget
04-06-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Phasmophobia is getting the Hollywood treatment
Paranormal horror game Phasmophobia is being adapted into a movie by Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster, in partnership with the games developer Kinetic Games. Blumhouse is a major player in the horror genre, having produced the Purge and Paranormal Activity franchises as well as Get Out , The Invisible Man and many more. Atomic Monster produced all the films in The Conjuring universe since 2016's The Conjuring Two . First released on PCs in 2020, Phasmophobia quickly became a pandemic-era hit , with YouTubers and streamers racking up millions of views playing the multiplayer survival game. The game follows one to four players as they work to complete a contract requiring them to identify the type of ghost haunting a specific site. The horror genre has risen in popularity over recent years in both video games and the film business . In 2023 Blumhouse adapted the video game horror series Five Nights at Freddy's into a film, which went on to be the highest grossing film in its history. Blumhouse has also begun making video games in-house, and released its first game, Fear the Spotlight , last year. Blumhouse Productions announced the Phasmophobia adaptation at its first-ever 'Business of Fear' event in Hollywood, where founder and CEO Jason Blum and Atomic Monster founder and CEO James Wan spoke about the business of horror movies. No distributor or release date has been announced yet.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Is The Conjuring: Last Rites based on a true story? Meet the real Smurl family that battled a demon in 1986
If you thought The Conjuring: Last Rites was just another popcorn-sprinkled Hollywood horror movie, think again. This spine-chiller is rooted in one of the most infamous real-life hauntings that paranormal power couple Ed and Lorraine Warren ever investigated: the haunting of the Smurl family in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. Before the devil made her do it, the Smurl family did It all started innocently enough in 1976. Jack and Janet Smurl moved into a humble duplex with their daughters. Jack's parents lived in the other half. Cute setup, right? Wrong. Things went sideways a decade later in 1985 when a ceiling light fell and gashed their daughter's forehead. From there, it was like Paranormal Activity meets The Exorcist, but in real life. Reality behind the story of the Smurl family The Smurls reported chilling screams, mysterious stinks, and even their German shepherd being hurled across the room like a chew toy. One of the most disturbing claims? Jack said a demonic entity had assaulted him. It was chaos, and the family was desperate. Enter the Warrens—Ed and Lorraine—the ghost-hunting legends who had just wrapped their work on the Amityville horror and were ready for round... whatever. The Warrens jumped in with holy water, crucifixes, and a suitcase full of exorcism gear. Ed told reporters at the time that the temperature dropped 30 degrees, a dark mass appeared, and furniture started going poltergeist-mode. Lorraine, ever the clairvoyant, sensed four entities: a gentle grandma ghost, a little girl with violent vibes, a sad dude who died in the house, and one demon using the rest as puppets. The Conjuring: Last Rites release date Hollywood may have added some spice, but the core story? Totally real. Jack and Janet eventually wrote a book in 1986 titled The Haunted: One Family's Nightmare. A TV movie followed. And now, with Last Rites hitting theatres on 5 September 2025, the Smurl saga is getting the full Conjuring Universe treatment. Jack passed away in 2017, but his daughter Carin still investigates the paranormal. According to her, their story was never about fame, it was about surviving the unexplainable and helping others do the same.
See - Sada Elbalad
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Saw XI" Suffers Devastating Blow as Production Plunges into Crisis
Yara Sameh The future of "Saw XI" is currently uncertain as 'zero progress' has been made on the next installment since writing partners Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan turned in a draft back in the spring of 2024. 'We haven't heard anything since May,' says Saw XI screenwriter Melton, who has been involved with the franchise since 2007's Saw IV. 'It's stalled at a managerial level. It has nothing to do with the creative or anything else. There's higher-level things at play.' In late December 2023, Lionsgate announced that franchise mainstay Kevin Greutert was attached to direct "Saw XI" for a September 2024 release, but the studio ultimately delayed it by a year to September 26, 2025. Greutert helmed "Saw X", which revitalized the franchise when it hit theaters in September 2023 and collected $112 million at the global box office. It is unclear if he is still involved in "Saw XI". Melton points out that "Saw X" did well, and that the team has a concept that they're proud of for the next movie. They intended to tackle a timely topic, although plot details have not yet been shared publicly. The writer likens the new project's premise to the timeliness of the 2009 release "Saw VI", in which health insurance executives are targeted by John Kramer, aka Jigsaw (Tobin Bell). This topic captured renewed attention earlier this year with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. 'Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story in it, and I hope it gets made just because of that,' Melton said. 'It taps into the same themes of Saw VI, where you're a citizen, you feel angry and frustrated with something, you feel like you can't do anything, and John Kramer's going to do it.' Adds the writer about "Saw XI", 'The reason it's held up is just, there's inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate. They just can't quite get on the same page.' As far as the previous movies, Melton recalls that critics reacted favorably to "Saw VI", but that the feature was hurt at the box office by Paranormal Activity hitting theaters a month prior. 'Saw VI was the one that got cut in half because of Paranormal Activity, which was odd because it was the best-reviewed one [at the time],' he added. 'It was the first one that really resonated with a lot of critics because it was about health care. The production was really easy, though, even though the Saw movies were made every year, which is hard to do.' Mark Burg, a longtime producer on the Saw franchise that launched with director James Wan's 2004 original, pointed out that he oversaw not only "Saw VI" but also 2002's similarly themed "John Q", the Denzel Washington thriller about a father who resorts to crime after he can't pay his son's health bills. 'Jigsaw goes after somebody who won't provide insurance for him,' Burg says of Saw VI. 'So I guess I'm two for two.' As it turns out, Melton went to college with slain United Healthcare CEO Thompson at the University of Iowa. 'We were at Iowa at the same time, so we graduated the same year in 1997,' recalls the writer, who notes that they knew each other but weren't close friends. 'I can tell you Brian was pretty normal at school. He drank Bud Light and was a good guy.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) News Ireland Replaces Former Israeli Embassy with Palestinian Museum News Israeli PM Diagnosed with Stage 3 Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Maguy Farah Reveals 2025 Expectations for Pisces News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
