News

Many actors find early success in the horror genre. Jennifer Aniston battled an evil, pun-loving Irish creature in "Leprechaun" years before she landed "Friends," for example. Charlize Theron's first role came in "Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest." Even "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation" boasted not one, but two future Oscar winners in its cast, Matthew McConaughey and Renée Zellweger.

That said, not everyone manages to go on to achieve that same level of success. For every Michelle Williams ("Halloween H20: 20 Years Later") and Leonardo DiCaprio ("Critters 3"), there are countless horror stars whose careers don't reach the same level of renown. It can be especially interesting to look back at teen horror films, which often feature ensemble casts, to see who made it and who didn't. The actors on this list all have respectable careers, and most are still working in Hollywood; they simply never...

Movies about possession and exorcism must scratch a very particular itch for American viewers. Going back to the mother of that horror subgenre, "The Exorcist," you can see one of the biggest box office hits of 1973, and in the fifty years since, many movies have played with that premise. A filmmaker can do it relatively cheaply, often just needing to rely on fearless performers willing to contort themselves and speak in tongues. And seeing an ordered world enter total disarray is what horror is all about.

William Brent Bell's 2012 film "The Devil Inside" took that to heart, dealing with the threat of possession through a mockumentary, found-footage lens. In the movie's universe, it's a documentary about Isabella (Fernanda Andrade) as she investigates her mother, particularly the grisly murders she committed when Isabella was a child. The mockumentary takes the form not just of a horror movie, but of an expose,...

Stars: A.J. Cook, Sebastian Roché, Vik Sahay, Stephanie Lemelin, Simon Quarterman, Brian Scott O’Connor, Camelia Maxim | Written by William Brent Bell, Matthew Peterman | Directed by William Brent Bell

It’s not often you can sit down to watch a werewolf movie and say you were truly surprised by what you saw. I think the last time I can recall feeling the same way was upon seeing Ginger Snaps for the first time. But I can honestly say I was totally surprised by Wer. Even more so given that this film was written and directed by William Brent Bell, the man behind the godawful found footage horror The Devil Inside!

When something slaughters a family camping in the French countryside, the freakishly large and powerful Talan Gwynek (Brian Scott O’Connor) is arrested for the crime. While as his public defender Kate (A.J. Cook) argues his case, she begins to...

A “found footage” horror movie about werewolves? From the guys behind The Devil Inside? Bear with me, I promise there’s a light at the end of this topsy-turvy tunnel.

Where The Exorcism Of Emily Rose attempts to weigh demonic possession against mental illness, Wer calls upon the same judicial storytelling by putting a suspected werewolf on trial in hopes of proving innocence through physical ailments. Playing out like a faux-documentary, most of the film is spent watching a sassy lawyer defender her furry client, condemning a case riddled with inconsequential evidence that only the worst investigation could slum together, but a shockingly invigorated third act changes at the rising of a full moon. Writer/Director William Brent Bell and co-writer Matthew Peterman’s previous film, The Devil Inside, crumbles under the weight of vapid storytelling and an absolutely insulting ending, but these rejuvenated artists refuse to wander the same joyless road a second time.

The new flick from the makers of the much reviled film The Devil Inside, entitled Wer, is coming home on DVD via Universal on September 23rd; but you can now head on over to your preferred VOD provider and find it waiting for you.

A.J. Cook ("Criminal Minds"), Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside), Vik Sahay ("Chuck"), and Brian J. O’Connor (Epic Movie) round out the main cast of the werewolf flick directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside).

Steven Schneider, producer of The Devil Inside, The Tall Man and the Paranormal Activity films, produced with Matthew Peterman (who wrote the screenplay) and Morris Paulson through their production company Prototype. Robert Hall and his Almost Human Inc. tackled the makeup and visual effects for Wer.

Synopsis

Following the brutal slaying of an American family vacationing in rural France, a peculiar man living near the crime scene is blindly charged with their murders.

We told you earlier the new flick from the makers of the much reviled film The Devil Inside, entitled Wer, is coming home on DVD via Universal on September 23rd, and right now we have the artwork and a new trailer for you to start barking at!

A.J. Cook ("Criminal Minds"), Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside), Vik Sahay ("Chuck"), and Brian J. O’Connor (Epic Movie) round out the main cast of the werewolf flick directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside).

Steven Schneider, producer of The Devil Inside, The Tall Man and the Paranormal Activity films, produced with Matthew Peterman (who wrote the screenplay) and Morris Paulson through their production company Prototype. Robert Hall and his Almost Human Inc. tackled the makeup and visual effects for Wer.

Synopsis

Following the brutal slaying of an American family vacationing in rural France, a peculiar man living near the crime scene...

The new flick from the makers of the much reviled film The Devil Inside, entitled Wer, is coming home to DVD via Universal on September 23rd with an early digital release date to be announced soon. Maybe the devil made 'em do it?

A.J. Cook ("Criminal Minds"), Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside), Vik Sahay ("Chuck"), and Brian J. O’Connor (Epic Movie) round out the main cast of the werewolf flick directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside).

Steven Schneider, producer of The Devil Inside, The Tall Man and the Paranormal Activity films, produced with Matthew Peterman (who wrote the screenplay) and Morris Paulson through their production company Prototype. Robert Hall and his Almost Human Inc. tackled the makeup and visual effects for Wer.

Synopsis

Following the brutal slaying of an American family vacationing in rural France, a peculiar man living near the crime scene is blindly charged with their murders.

Writer/director William Brent Bell is teaming up once more with his 'Stay Alive' and 'The Devil Inside' co-writer Matthew Peterman for new werewolf-based found footage horror feature 'Wer'. A new international trailer has been released for the project which stars A.J. Cook -below ('Final Destination 2'), Sebastian Roche, Vik Sahay, Stephanie Lemelin, Oaklee Pendergast, Angelina Armani, Simon Quarterman, Brian Johnson and Brian Scott O'Connor. FilmDistrict will be handling Us distribution, however no official date has been announced just yet. Head below to check out the trailer....

An international trailer has arrived for the new flick from the makers of the much reviled film The Devil Inside, entitled Wer, and we have it for you right here. Can this one redeem the filmmakers, and has this movie been approved by the Vatican?

A.J. Cook ("Criminal Minds"), Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside), Vik Sahay ("Chuck"), and Brian J. O’Connor (Epic Movie) round out the main cast of the werewolf flick being directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside).

Steven Schneider, producer of The Devil Inside, The Tall Man and the Paranormal Activity films, is producing the film with Matthew Peterman (who wrote the screenplay) and Morris Paulson through their production company Prototype. Robert Hall and his Almost Human Inc. are tackling the makeup and visual effects for Wer.

The flick tells the story of a defense attorney named Kate Moore (Cook) who has set out to...

The first trailer has arrived for the new flick from the makers of the much reviled film The Devil Inside, entitled Wer, and we have it for you right here. Gotta say it looks pretty damned good. However, you'll no doubt retort, "So did The Devil Inside." Spoilsports!

A.J. Cook ("Criminal Minds"), Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside), Vik Sahay ("Chuck"), and Brian J. O’Connor (Epic Movie) round out the main cast of the werewolf flick being directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside).

Steven Schneider, producer of The Devil Inside, The Tall Man and the Paranormal Activity films, is producing the film with Matthew Peterman (who wrote the screenplay) and Morris Paulson through their production company Prototype. Robert Hall and his Almost Human Inc. are tackling the makeup and visual effects for Wer.

The flick tells the story of a defense attorney named Kate Moore (Cook) who has...

In a day brimming with all manner of casting news that began with Tom Cruise playing Van Helsing of all things, yet more additions have come our way. Next up ... Wer.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Vik Sahay, best known for his comedic work on NBC’s "Chuck" and the recent American Reunion movie, is moving into horror movie territory, closing a deal to join the cast of Wer.

Sahay joins A.J. Cook ("Criminal Minds"), Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside) and Brian J. O’Connor (Epic Movie) to round out the main cast of the werewolf flick being directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside).

The story is set in Paris and follows an investigation of a gruesome slaying of a family. Sahay is a member of the defense team which learns its client (O’Connor), who is a suspect in the slayings, is a werewolf.

Wer starts shooting in Bucharest,...

Though he didn’t win over most critics, The Devil Inside director William Brent Bell certainly made enough profit on his latest stab at horror to convince companies to keep funding his work. His next project is docu-style werewolf horror Wer, and Bell has locked in four leads, with Devil veteran Simon Quarterman joining Aj Cook, Brian J O’Connor and Vik Sahay.Wer will find Quarterman playing Gavin Flemyng, caught up in the case of Talan Gwynek (O’Connor, whose casting was first broken by Bloody Disgusting) a mysterious fellow who also happens to be the prime suspect in the brutal, bloody slaying of an American family in Romania. His defence lawyer, Kate Moore (Cook), is trying to make the case that he’s innocent, but then strange things start to happen that make everyone involved reconsider their ideas about the seemingly harmless Gwynek. Especially when the full moon rises…...

Wer

"The Devil Inside" star Simon Quarterman is re-teaming with that film's director William Brent Bell on the horror tale "Wer". A.J. Cook also stars.

The story focuses on werewolves and will again make use of a "found footage" style. Bell and Matthew Peterman penned the script and shooting begins in Romania this April. [Source: Deadline]

Identity Thief

Amanda Peet has joined the cast of Seth Gordon's comedy "Identity Thief" at Universal Pictures.

Jason Bateman plays the victim of an identity theft by Melissa McCarthy's character. Shooting kicks off next month. [Source: Variety]

The Pretty One

Zoe Kazan and Jake Johnson are set to star in Jenee Lamarque's offbeat comedy "The Pretty One" which begins shooting June 1st in Los Angeles.

The story follows an awkward but loveable young woman who is mistaken for her dead “perfect” identical twin, and seizes the chance to masquerade as her sister. [Source: Deadline]

A Single Shot

Ophelia Lovibond,...

The Devil Inside star Simon Quarterman is reuniting with director William Brent Bell for Wer, which also has A.J. Cook (Criminal Minds) attached to star.

The story centers on a lawyer (A.J. Cook), who is trying to acquit Gavin Flemyng (Simon Quarterman) on charges he murdered a family. The attorney begins to discover that her soft-spoken client is actually a werewolf.

William Brent Bell is directing from a script he co-wrote with his The Devil Inside writing partner, Matthew Peterman. Steven Schneider is producing alongside Matthew Peterman and Morris Paulson.

Production is scheduled to begin next month in Romania, with FilmDistrict financing alongside Sierra/Affinity and the Incentive Filmed Entertainment Fund.

Wer comes to theaters in 2013 and stars Simon Quarterman, A.J. Cook. The film is directed by William Brent Bell.

The horror film Wer just got Simon Quarterman set as the male lead. He’ll play Gavin Flemyng and stars opposite Aj Cook, the Criminal Minds star who’s also starring in the film. Quarterman reunites with The Devil Inside helmer William Brent Bell, who wrote the script with Matthew Peterman. Morris Paulson, Peterman and Steven Schneider are producing. Wer is financed by FilmDistrict, Sierra/Affinity and the Incentive Filmed Entertainment fund. The film begins production in April in Romania. Wer brings a filmmaking style similar to The Devil Inside, but applies it to a different horror mythology — the werewolf. Cook plays a lawyer out to get an acquittal for a man charged in the brutal murder of an American family, and despite his gentle demeanor, she discovers he’s got a bit of a bark to him when the moon is full. Quarterman is represented by ICM and Elevate Entertainment.

Simon Quarterman has signed on to lead Wer , the upcoming horror project from The Devil Inside director William Brent Bell. Deadline has the news, listing Quarterman as the lead, Gavin Flemyng. Quarterman, who also appeared in Devil Inside , will star opposite A.J. Cook, playing a character named Kate Moore. Wer (the German word for "who"), is said to focus on werewolves and will again make use of a "found footage" style. Bell co-penned the script with his Devil cohort Matthew Peterman and shooting begins in Romania this April.

More quick casting news coming in for the latest cinéma vérité style werewolf flick, Wer. Read on for the latest and stay off of the moors.

According to Bloody Disgusting, Epic Movie's Brian J. O'Connor has landed the lead role opposite A.J. Cook in Wer, the found footage werewolf flick shooting next month in Romania. Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside) and Vik Sahay (American Reunion) round out the cast.

As previously reported, Cook star as "Kate Moore", a defense attorney determined to clear the name of her client, "Talan Gwynek" (O'Connor), who is the main suspect in the grisly multiple slaying of an American family. While Talan appears to be gentle on the surface, his attorney soon learns that Talan is actually a werewolf.

As we previously reported, the FilmDistrict release takes place in Translyvania police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf.

William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside,...

Bloody Disgusting has learned that Epic Movie's Brian J. O'Connor has landed the lead role opposite A.J. Cook in Wer, the found footage werewolf flick shooting next month in Romania. Simon Quarterman (The Devil Inside) and Vik Sahay (American Reunion) round out the cast. As previously reported, Cook star as "Kate Moore", a defense attorney determined to clear the name of her client, "Talan Gwynek" (played by O'Connor), who is the main suspect in the grisly multiple slaying of an American family. While Talan appears to be gentle on the surface, his attorney soon learns that Talan is actually a werewolf. As we previously reported, the FilmDistrict release takes place in Translyvania police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf. The Devil Inside and Stay Alive's William Brent Bell will direct from a screenplay by longtime collaborator Matthew Peterman.

With all the crew components falling into place, it was only a matter of time before some casting news would begin leaking out for the latest cinéma vérité style werewolf flick, Wer. Read on for the latest.

According to Bloody Disgusting, A.J. Cook (Final Destination 2, Mother's Day) is in final negotiations for the lead role in the flick, which starts shooting next month in Bucharest, Romania.

Wer is coming to us from FilmDistrict and The Devil Inside helmer William Brent Bell. Bell wrote the script with Matthew Peterman, with whom he scripted The Devil Inside, a sleeper low budget horror film which has grossed $53 million domestic for Paramount.

Wer will bring a filmmaking style similar to The Devil Inside and tell the story of a defense attorney who has set out to clear the name of a suspect in a brutal murder case. The lead, Talan, is accused of murdering an American family.

Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned that A.J. Cook is in final negotiations for the lead role in Wer, the found footage werewolf flick shooting next month in Romania. Cook, who starred in Final Destination 2 and Anchor Bay's forthcoming Mother's Day, will star as "Kate Moore", a defense attorney determined to clear the name of her client, "Talan Gwynek", who is the main suspect in the grisly multiple slaying of an American family. While Talan appears to be gentle on the surface, his attorney soon learns that Talan is actually a werewolf. As we previously reported, it takes place in Translyvania police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf. The Devil Inside and Stay Alive's William Brent Bell will direct from a screenplay by longtime collaborator Matthew Peterman. Robert Hall and his newly re-branded Almost Human Inc. is tackling the Makeup and Visual Effects for Wer.

Following on from the surprising decision to screen William Brent Bell's new docu-exorcism horror flick 'The Devil Inside' in various churches around the world the UK decided to get in on the action and took the almost sacrilegous decision to preview the movie the night before its general release last Friday at the Round Chapel in Hackney, London. Bell co-penned the script for 'The Devil Inside' along with Matthew Peterman. Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, Ionut Grama, Suzan Crowley, Bonnie Morgan and Brian Johnson all star in the movie. It's currently running in theatres here across the UK and you can check out a special audience reaction footage clip from the Hackey-based event below. ...

More good news is coming in for fans looking to Wer to deliver the werewolf-driven cinéma vérité style goodies. Rob Hall's Almost Human, Inc., has signed on to do the effects, which will be a blend of practical and digital.

The news comes courtesy of Bloody Disgusting, who report Hall (pictured right) has embraced the hybrid approach of both practical and digital effects work, as seen in his Laid to Rest films alongside Don Coscarelli's forthcoming John Dies at The End, "Wilfred," etc.

"It makes sense," Hall tells the site. "I've been trying to achieve the perfect balance of digital and practical on my films for years, and so many folks have taken notice that we just can't keep it to ourselves anymore... it's growing and making the company stronger. I've done several movies with Steven Schneider, and I really loved the script for Wer. Matt, Brian and...

Bloody Disgusting learned today that Robert Hall and his newly re-branded Almost Human Inc. is tackling the Makeup and Visual Effects for Wer, the found footage werewolf flick shooting next month in Romania. The Devil Inside's William Brent Bell will direct from a screenplay by longtime collaborator Matthew Peterman. It takes place in police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf. Hall has embraced the hybrid approach of both practicle and digital effects work as seen in his Laid to Rest films, alongside Don Coscarelli's forthcoming John Dies at The End, "Wilfred," and the Steven Schnieder (Paranormal Activity, Tall Man) produced Sxtape, among others.

Blending the possession elements of The Exorcist with the video-camera stylings of Paranormal Activity, new horror film The Devil Inside has topped the UK box office on its first weekend of release.

It belongs to the found footage genre in which a film is presented as an amateur recording of actual events, giving it an added sense of grittiness and authenticity. It's a documentary-style technique that may well make filmgoers ask if what they are seeing is real, thus offering an immediate suspension of disbelief.

So what better way to see how viewers responded than by pointing a video camera at the audience, too?

Following the earlier reaction footage, taken at a screening in America where the film was released at the start of January, comes a new video from the first UK screening last week. Like the Us showing, it was held in a church, which no doubt added to the creepy atmosphere.

The Devil Inside

Stars: Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, Ionut Grama, Suzan Crowley | Written by William Brent Bell, Matthew Peterman | Directed by William Brent Bell

We’re doing something a little different for this review folks… If you’ve read any of my reviews of documentary-style or found-footage horror flicks you’ll know I have a particular disdain for the sub-genre. Couple that fact with the terrible reviews that came out the Us when the film opened over there and I knew I’d give The Devil Inside a bad review. So I thought in the interests of balance and fairness, why not see what joe public thinks of the film? After all, despite what critics say about these types of movies they still attract an audience. Hence we tracked down a found footage film fan who has a fondness for the Paranormal Activity movies (again another franchise I...

Exorcism thriller The Devil Inside will be possessing UK cinemas this Friday, March 16.

It joins a spine-tingling spectrum of found footage horror flicks including such titles as The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, [Rec], Cloverfield, The Last Exorcism, The Zombie Diaries, Grave Encounters, The Troll Hunter, The Locals and upcoming Awake in the Woods.

The cast of the Paramount release features Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth and Suzan Crowley.

Included here are the poster, trailer and four clips. We also take a look at how The Devil Inside ranks in the found footage trend, in which a story is presented as though it is an amateur video recording of real events.

Here's the official synopsis of The Devil inside:

In 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi (Suzan Crowley) confessing that she had brutally killed three people.

Twenty years later, her daughter Isabella (Fernanda Andrade) seeks...

Everywhere you go for news about Wer, they always say that the plot is being kept under wraps. Everywhere, that is, except for the horror new sites, who'll no doubt be ignored by the mainstream press.

Today Bloody Disgusting dug up some new plot details pertaining to the next film from FilmDistrict and The Devil Inside helmer William Brent Bell. Bell wrote the script with Matthew Peterman, with whom he scripted The Devil Inside, a sleeper low budget horror film which has grossed $53 million domestic for Paramount.

Wer will bring a filmmaking style similar to The Devil Inside and tell the story of a defense attorney who has set out to clear the name of a suspect in a brutal murder case. The lead, Talan, is accused of murdering an American family. While Talan appears to be gentle on the surface, his attorney soon learns that Talan is actually a werewolf.

We continue to dig deeper to bring you the first news on FilmDistrict's forthcoming Wer, a top secret project we're continuing to pull the covers off of. While we've already exclusively reported that the film follows a werewolf locked up in a Translyvania prison, we've got a bit more info on the found footage project. William Brent Bell and Matthew Peterman - the duo behind Paramount's The Devil Inside - have re-teamed to tell the story of a defense attorney who has set out to clear the name of a suspect in a brutal murder case. The lead, Talan, is accused of murdering an American family. While Talan appears to be gentle on the surface, his attorney soon learns that Talan is actually a werewolf. Casting is under way for an April shoot in Bucharest, Romania.

FilmDistrict and Sierra/Affinity are teaming to finance the horror thriller "Wer", filmmaker William Brent Bell’s follow-up to his recent hit "The Devil Inside" says The Hollywood Reporter.

Bell and Matthew Peterman co-wrote the script and while plot details are being kept under wraps, rumours have already begun that it's a werewolf tale of some sort - a claim Bell neither confirms or denies.

Pre-production is already underway and filming begins April 9th, ahead of another project he's been linked to entitled "The Vatican" which is still awaiting a first draft from Dave Cohen.

He confirms both films will utilise the crime-documentary approach seen in 'Devil', albeit in different ways.

Last month, the filmmakers behind The Devil Inside announced they would be pursuing another horror film that would start shooting April 9. That film, by writer/director William Brent Bell and co-writer Matthew Peterman now has the title, Wer. Although the plot details are scant, Bell did suggest that the title doesn’t necessarily correlate to “werewolf.” However, he has previously said that the filmmakers wanted to apply the same techniques they used on The Devil Inside to “another classic horror mythology.” Hit the jump for more on Bell/Peterman, including their upcoming project, The Vatican. THR reported on Wer’s title and recorded the following quotes from Bell. Regarding the status of Wer and his upcoming project, The Vatican, he commented as follows: “The projects are totally separate. Wer is currently in pre-production with shooting this April. For the The Vatican we're waiting on the first draft of the script from Dave Cohen.

Right at the beginning of this year, two new films were announced as follow-ups to William Brent Bell and Matthew Peterman's surprise horror hit The Devil Inside. One was conspiracy thriller The Vatican, and the other was being referred to as The Untitled Bell/Peterman Project. A few more details have now emerged on the latter, including the fact that it's no longer untitled, and actually called Wer.What does Wer mean? Well, the word on the street is that, following The Devil Inside's exorcism shenanigans, the new film will be pointing its shaky-cams at another classic horror mythology, leading to some speculation that Wer is an abbreviation of Werewolf.Not necessarily so, says Bell. "We can't speak about many specifics. There are rumours; some true, some not." He did reveal that "wer" can mean both "who" in German and "man" in Old High German. So, like, read into that what you will.

The unfortunate, unsurprising news that William Brent Bell and Matthew Peterman — director and co-writer of The Devil Inside, respectively — would reunite on an untitled feature has been given a big update. As Deadline reports, FilmDistrict is investing in this next project of theirs, which we can now refer to as Wer (their caps, not mine).

While they’ll at least throw in some monetary support — alongside Sierra/Affinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment — distribution isn’t locked in; with some financial problems currently plaguing the group, they’ll have to “[recalibrate] and should have new heads of distribution and marketing by Cannes.” So long as they can release more movies like Drive into thousands of theaters on their opening weekend, whatever they do to get things sorted out is fine by me. This, however, probably won’t be in the same league as Drive. Yes, I can just take that guess.

Solid...

Given the success of The Devil Inside (at least in its first week), we knew it wouldn't be long until the next project from the duo behind that flick would score some support.

According to Deadline, FilmDistrict has taken an equity stake in Wer, a horror film directed by The Devil Inside helmer William Brent Bell that is expected to be one of the hot titles at Berlin later this week. Bell wrote the script with Matthew Peterman, with whom he scripted The Devil Inside, a sleeper low budget horror film which has grossed $53 million domestic for Paramount. Shooting begins April 9th.

FilmDistrict could end up as the film’s domestic distributor, but that hasn’t yet been decided as Peter Schlessel’s distribution company recalibrates and should have new heads of distribution and marketing by Cannes. FilmDistrict, which is working on a sequel to Insidious and a remake of...

Exclusive: FilmDistrict has taken an equity stake in Wer, a horror film that is directed by The Devil Inside helmer William Brent Bell that is expected to be one of the hot titles at Berlin later this week. Bell wrote the script with Matthew Peterman, with whom he scripted The Devil Inside, a sleeper low budget horror film which has grossed $53 million domestic for Paramount. Shooting begins April 9. FilmDistrict could end up as the film’s domestic distributor, but that hasn’t yet been decided as Peter Schlessel’s distribution company recalibrates and should have new heads of distribution and marketing by Cannes. FilmDistrict, which is working on a sequel to Insidious and a remake of Evil Dead and is up for four Spirit Awards for Drive, will finance the film alongside Sierra/Affinity and its partner, the Incentive Filmed Entertainment fund. Wer will bring a filmmaking style similar to The Devil Inside,...

Colin Firth is joining Reese Witherspoon in Atom Egoyan's drama based on the real-life case of the West Memphis Three, "Devil's Knot."

Deadline has the news, and reports that the story centers on Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, Jr. who were convicted of the murder of three 8-year-old boys. The case was sensationalized with reports of devil worship and ritualized sacrifice, despite lack of physical evidence. Witherspoon will play a mother of one of the murdered boys, while Firth will take on the role of the heroic investigator who helped the Memphis Three when no one else would, uncovering important evidence for their defense.

Peter Jackson talks West Memphis Three doc!

While truth is usually scarier than fiction, we have some frightening fictional features in this week's Horror Bites that should please. Hit the jump for more of this week's news.

Cubicles Are Terrifying and "Not Safe...

After The Devil Inside‘s successful opening weekend, director William Brent Bell was quick to line up a number of new horror projects. The first is a film titled The Vatican for Warner Bros. and it has also been revealed that he’s working on a new werewolf movie.

Bell is teaming up again with The Devil Inside co-writer Matthew Peterman for a found footage werewolf movie, now titled “Wer”. Although plot details are unconfirmed, it has been said that the movie will take “place in police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf”. Filming is expected to start on April 9th in Romania.

William Brent Bell, the director of the much-criticised yet successful The Devil Inside, has a new film about to start filming – and it’s called Wer…

In spite of its negative critical response, and a rather mixed public reaction to its conclusion, director William Brent Bell’s found-footage horror flick The Devil Inside has managed to make back its $1million budget more than 53 times over so far. With statistics like that behind him, it’s little surprise that Bell has a couple more projects currently in production.

One of these is The Vatican, about which we know nothing. The other, we’ve just learned, is now called Wer. It’s been co-written with Matthew Peterman, who collaborated with Bell on The Devil Inside, it’s set to commence filming in Romania in two months, and it’ll once again be shot from a shaky-cam first-person perspective.

The name and the...

Back on January 11 we exclusively revealed the "top secret" plot behind The Devil Inside director William Brent Bell's next project. With Berlin kicking off next week, Screen Daily confirms that Bell's next project is in fact a werewolf flick revealing the title as Wer. Matthew Peterman co-wrote the screenplay that's still being kept under wraps, but that didn't stop us from getting the scoop: The found footage pic takes place in police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf. Production is scheduled to commence on April 9. Bell and Peterman also collaborated on Stay Alive and were recently attached to The Vatican for Warners.

[This Post Has Mild Devil Inside Spoilers]

-

The found-footage horror film The Devil Inside took full possession of the box-office its opening weekend, earning $34.5 million dollars for Paramount Pictures, which had picked up the film for a mere $1 million. Paramount, of course, also had tremendous success with the continuously popular Paranormal Activity franchise. The Devil Inside initially looked poised to compete with the monster that is “Paranormal.” The second weekend for the film, however, saw a 76% decline and a drop to sixth place at the box-office earning a drastically reduced $7.5 million.

The much-maligned ending of the movie may account for the steep reduction in box-office returns. Writer/director William Brent Bell and co-writer Matthew Peterman, however, say that the audience response has not scared them ...

Click to continue reading ‘The Devil Inside’ Director Defends the Movie’s Ending...

The Roman Empire was brutal, repressive, tyrannical, corrupt, morally bankrupt… Well, nothing’s perfect, right? After all, the Empire’s collapse after 700 years didn’t bring freedom or reformation, but the Dark Ages – disease, ignorance, witch trials, book burnings, illiteracy, and all that other bad stuff which made the Dark Ages so damned dark.

It’s like that line in Monty Python’s Life of Brian: a Jewish revolutionary group is plotting the overthrow of their Roman overseers, and ringleader John Cleese declares, “After all, what’ve the Romans ever done for us?”

After which Cleese’s followers offer a shopping list – a long shopping list – of the benefits of Roman occupation. An exasperated Cleese finally concedes/concludes with, “All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?”

To...

It pretty much goes without saying that The Devil Inside's co-writer/director William Brent Bell and co-writer/producer Matthew Peterman are having one hell of a week. After seeing their independently made film open to a staggering $33.7 million, the pair have witnessed some passionate debates heat up online surrounding it, and they've also been announced as attached to two other upcoming horror projects. Of course we have the scoop on it all!

Dread Central sat down to chat with Bell and Peterman yesterday to hear their thoughts on the opening weekend success of The Devil Inside as well as the controversial "non-ending" of the film and what they have in store for fans with their upcoming genre projects.

It had only been a week since we last spoke to Bell and Peterman at the Los Angeles premiere of The Devil Inside, and what a difference a week has made...

In an event that no one saw coming, last weekend, the micro-budgeted found footage horror film "The Devil Inside," managed to scare up $34 million and displace "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" from the top of the box office heap. We got a chance this week to chat with director William Brent Bell and writer Matthew Peterman and they told us what it was like to be behind a huge smash, what's coming next, and what people think about that controversial ending (which led to the film's CinemaScore being a dismal F).  We of course had to first congratulate them on their huge-ass opening weekend, which is even more impressive when you consider the film, with no stars and very little production value, was picked up by Paramount for around $1 million -- a number it outgrossed on its opening night alone. "It was pretty crazy. It was an ongoing reaction because...

William Brent Bell and Matthew Peterman, the team behind The Devil Inside, aren't letting a little thing like universally negative reviews stop them from making another horror flick.

These brave little troupers are getting right back on the rearing horse that is filmmaking and striking while the iron is hot, not that they really have a choice.

Deadline is reporting that pair of filmmakers already have a deal in place to shoot the Untitled Bell/Peterman Project, which will be directed by Bell and written by Bell and Peterman — the same winning formula used to make The Devil Inside.

This eagerness to throw money at the makers of what some have already called possibly the worst film of 2012 might have something to do with the fact that The Devil Inside earned $35.5 million during its first weekend in theaters. Granted, that's not an overly impressive opening gross, but when you consider...

After last weekend’s big opening for The Devil Inside, director William Brent Bell hasn’t wasted any time lining up new projects. He’s already signed on to film The Vatican for Warner Bros. and he’ll be teaming up again with writer Matthew Peterman for a new horror film.

The untitled horror movie will begin shooting in Romania this April, and it is being reported that the project is a werewolf film that “takes place in police station with the suspect turning into a werewolf”. Sierra/Affinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment are financing the film, which is said to be another “found footage” movie. We’ll have more details on the project in the very near future.

With The Devil Inside still performing well above expectations at the box office, writer-director William Brent Bell and writer-producer Matthew Peterman have just secured financing for their follow-up film, another horror project expected to be in the found-footage medium. More after the jump. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Sierra/Affinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment are financing and producing the next horror pic from the team behind The Devil Inside, which opened to record-breaking business at the domestic box office last weekend." "Devil Inside director William Brent Bell will direct the untitled project from a script he wrote with Matthew Peterman. Steven Schneider, producer of Devil...

Hot on the heels of a demonic monster opening weekend at the box office (to the tune of $34.5 million) for The Devil Inside, the film’s writer/director (William Brent Bell) and co-writer (Matthew Peterman) are already preparing to shoot another, currently untitled, “found footage” style horror film.

It’s no surprise to hear that the pair is moving fast, especially considering that most box office experts are expecting a major drop-off for The Devil Inside in the coming week – due to negative word of mouth and the unenthusiastic response of the critical community (read our review of The Devil Inside). However, regardless of the film’s reception, it managed to do big bucks on a $1 million budget – making the pair an attractive prospect for Hollywood executives.

According ...

Click to continue reading ‘The Devil Inside’ Director & Writer Making New ‘Found Footage’ Horror Film...

Director William Brent Bell must have made a deal with the devil, because he has another horror film in the works. THR reports that Sierra/Affinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment are financing and producing his next movie. This should be no surprise since The Devil Inside opened at the number one spot this weekend, with $34 million.

Bell will direct the untitled project based on a script he co-wrote with Matthew Peterman. He plans on starting production in Romania this April. The project is being produced by Peterman, Steven Schneider, and Morris Paulson via their production company Prototype. The project will be shopped internationally by Sierra/Affinity during next month's European Film Market in Berlin.

We don't have a plot to share at this time, but it is reported that the horror film will be in the found-footage style once again. Here is what Sierra/Affinity CEO Nick Meyer had to say:

"From day one,...

"The Devil Inside" director William Brent Bell and writer Matthew Peterman are re-teaming for a new project which will tackle another bit of classic horror mythology with a similar filmmaking style reports Deadline.

The plot itself is being kept under wraps, but Bell will direct from a screenplay he and Peterman wrote. Shooting will kick off in Romania in April with Sierra/Affinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment Fund financing the project.

Peterman, Morris Paulson and Steven Schneider are producing. The new comes just after reports broke of Bell signing on to direct the conspiracy thriller "The Vatican" at Warner Bros. Pictures.

The supernatural horror movie, The Devil Inside, opened to an impressive weekend at the box office, winning the top spot for the weekend and earning $33.7 million on a $1 million budget despite being eviscerated by critics. In light of The Devil Inside's success, Writer-director William Brent Bell is doing what any new director with a #1 movie would do: line up as many new projects as possible.

Earlier this week, Bell grabbed the director's chair for Warner Bros.' upcoming, found footage, "conspiracy-driven thriller" The Vatican, which is currently being "fast-tracked" through the studio; but will first direct an untitled new project from Devil Inside screenwriter-producer Matthew Peterman.

Next Showing: The Devil Inside is currently in theaters

Link | Posted 1/12/2012 by Ryan

Matthew Peterman | William B Bell (II) | Steven Schneider | Nick Meyer | The Devil Inside...

If you’ve ever doubted that a box office success gets you ahead, look no further than William Brent Bell. His latest feature, The Devil Inside, opened to scathing reviews and plenty of dollar signs, landing him two projects less than a week after the film hit. The first of these is Warner’s The Vatican, a conspiracy thriller that shares the found footage conceit inherent to Devil; THR is now saying that he’s boarded another project, one that will pair him with his frequent co-writer, Matthew Peterman.

Other than the note that this is also “expected to follow in the found-fooage style of Devil Inside,” all that can definitively be said is that it’s an independent project, unlike Vatican. Sierra/Affinity and Incentive Filmed Entertainment are financing and producing with Steven Schneider, Peterman, and Morris Paulson, and the companies will shop it around next month’s European...