News

There’s a new Wolf Creek movie coming our way, with Wolf Creek: Legacy aiming for a fall 2026 release… but franchise creator Greg McLean isn’t going to be writing or directing that one. While he remains on board the project as producer, he handed the writing duties over to Duncan Samarasinghe and chose Sean Lahiff, who was editor on Wolf Creek 2, to direct the film. While Lahiff focuses on bringing Wolf Creek: Legacy to the screen, McLean has set up another project: he’ll be directing the meta action horror film The Horror Game, and Variety reports that Ella Balinska of the Netflix Resident Evil series has signed on to star in it.

Scripted by Gus Krieger (Would You Rather), The Horror Game has the following synopsis: While desperate to find her missing sister, a young woman (Balinska) and her three best friends find themselves trapped inside a...

Wolf Creek director Greg McLean will helm The Horror Game, a meta action horror film written by Gus Krieger (The Killing Room).

Variety reports that Ella Balinska has signed on to lead the film, with further casting announcements expected soon.

Balinska will star as Gemma, a young woman desperate to find her missing sister, who becomes trapped with her three friends in a virtual reality game in which each level forces its players to survive a different horror subgenre. When they learn that dying in the game means dying in real life, the friends are forced to battle their way to the toxic mastermind behind it all.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the wonderful Ella Balinska to lead the cast of The Horror Game,” said McLean. “Ella radiates the intelligence, prowess, and charisma necessary for our resilient protagonist Gemma, and our team couldn’t be happier to join with her in bringing this scary,...

Ella Balinska, best known for her lead role in the “Charlie’s Angels” reboot, has boarded meta action horror film “The Horror Game,” which will commence production later this year.

Greg McLean, who directed “Jungle” starring Daniel Radcliffe as well as the “Wolf Creek” series, is set to direct from a script penned by Gus Krieger. Further casting announcements are expected soon.

In “The Horror Game,” while desperate to find her missing sister, a young woman (Balinska) and her three best friends find themselves trapped inside a virtual reality game where every level forces its players to survive a different genre of a horror movie. When they learn that dying in the game means dying in real life, the friends are forced to hack, slash and battle their way to the toxic mastermind behind it all.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the wonderful Ella Balinska to lead the cast of ‘The Horror Game,...

Ella Balinska from Charlie’s Angels and The Occupant has joined the cast of Greg McLean’s meta genre title The Horror Game, which Concourse is introducing to buyers at EFM this week.

Production is scheduled to commence later this year on the story of a young woman, desperate to find her missing sister, who along with her three friends must fight her way through a virtual reality horror game where death becomes real.

McLean, best known for the Australian Wolf Creek horror franchise and Jungle starring Daniel Radcliffe, will direct from a screenplay by Gus Krieger.

Balinska gained recognition as...

Exclusive: Shout! Studios has acquired North American rights to animated feature Into The Wonderwoods, in a deal struck with Paris-based Urban Sales.

The movie brings together the talents of Vincent Paronnaud, co-director of Cannes Jury Prize winner and Oscar-nominated, Iran-set work Persepolis, and Alexis Ducord, who co-directed César-nominated Halloween Theme Park caper Zombillenium.

Their new movie is a based on a comic book by Paronnaud (a.k.a. Winshluss) who adapted it to the big screen and co-directed with Ducord.

The fantastical tale follows the adventures of Angelo, a 10-year-old boy with dreams of becoming an explorer and a zoologist, who is left behind by his distracted parents during a rest stop while on route to see his beloved granny.

When Angelo cuts through the nearby forest in pursuit of his family, he discovers a dark and mysterious world inhabited by strange creatures, some friendlier than others.

Into The Wonderwoods...

Greg McLean, the director of the horror films Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek 2, Rogue, The Darkness, and The Belko Experiment (as well as the survival thriller Jungle), has lined up his next genre project. Deadline reports that McLean will be directing the action horror movie Graveyard Smash from a screenplay by Old Henry and Would You Rather writer Gus Krieger.

Coming our way from Film finance and sales company Concourse Media and production company CinemaWays, Graveyard Smash is expected to start filming later this year. It has the following synopsis: Desperate to find her missing sister, a young woman and her three best friends find themselves trapped inside a virtual-reality game where every level forces its players to survive a different genre of a horror movie. When they learn that dying in the game means dying in real life, the friends are forced to hack, slash and battle their way...

Australian filmmaker Greg McLean has lined up his next feature in Graveyard Smash, an action-horror movie centered around a lethal virtual reality game.

Deadline reports that the new feature is gearing up for production this year.

In Graveyard Smash, “Desperate to find her missing sister, a young woman and her three best friends find themselves trapped inside a virtual-reality game where every level forces its players to survive a different genre of a horror movie. When they learn that dying in the game means dying in real life, the friends are forced to hack, slash and battle their way to the toxic mastermind behind it all.”

Greg McLean will helm from a script by Gus Krieger (Would You Rather).

“As a lifelong horror fan, Graveyard Smash is our love letter to the genre that’s given us so much joy, fun and pure terror,” McLean told Deadline. “As a director,...

Exclusive: Film finance and sales company Concourse Media and production outfit CinemaWays have greenlighted action-horror pic Graveyard Smash, which will roll cameras this year.

Aussie filmmaker Greg McLean, best known for Jungle starring Daniel Radcliffe as well as the Wolf Creek series, is set to direct from a script penned by Gus Krieger.

The film’s synopsis reads: Desperate to find her missing sister, a young woman and her three best friends find themselves trapped inside a virtual-reality game where every level forces its players to survive a different genre of a horror movie. When they learn that dying in the game means dying in real life, the friends are forced to hack, slash and battle their way to the toxic mastermind behind it all.

“As a lifelong horror fan, Graveyard Smash is our love letter to the genre that’s given us so much joy,...

Ozark and Arrested Development star Jason Bateman will be moving behind the camera for an upcoming adaptation of Gus Krieger's recently released novel, Superworld. The novel, and thereby the movie, is set in a world where everyone has superpowers, except for one man. Superworld has been described as having tones similar to the beloved Pixar classic, The Incredibles, and sounds like it could be a welcome addition to the superhero genre.

The story, which hit this summer as an Audible audiobook, is set in 2038 in a world where every person on the planet has superpowers, except for one man named Ignatius Lohman. Lohman is stuck in a white-collar, dead-end job while his father is one of the most powerful super-people on the planet and leader of defense organization, Peerless. But Lohman will get his chance to step up when he is forced to face a corporate overlord whose power...

THR has reported that Jason Bateman (Ozark) and Mark Perez (Game Night) will be teaming up for Superworld, an adaptation of Gus Krieger's recently released Audible audiobook. The story takes place in 2038 in a world where every single person has superpowers, with the exception of one man by the name of Ignatius Lohman who is "stuck in a white-collar job while his father…...

Jason Bateman is teaming up with his writer from the 2018 comedy “Game Night” and will direct a movie based on a superhero audiobook called “Superworld,” an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the recently released Audible Original that’s set in 2038 when everyone on Earth has superpowers, except for one man who may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

“Superworld” will be based on the audiobook story by Gus Krieger. Bateman will direct the film adaptation and Mark Perez will adapt the screenplay.

Also Read: Jason Bateman in Talks to Direct 'Shut In' for New Line Cinema

Bateman will also produce through his Aggregate Film banner. Anonymous Content’s David Kanter and Joff Okin will also produce.

The “Ozark” star has been a hot commodity of late — he’s also attached to direct an untitled film at Netflix with John Cena...

Game Night alumni Jason Bateman and Mark Perez are reuniting for Superworld, based on the Gus Krieger Audible original set in a world where everyone has superpowers except for one man. Bateman will direct the project while Game Night writer Perez will handle the script. And while we’re making this an official Game Night reunion, may I please request […]

The post ‘Superworld’, About a World Where Everyone Has Superpowers, Will Reunite Jason Bateman with ‘Game Night’ Writer Mark Perez appeared first on /Film.

Jason Bateman and Mark Perez are feeling super.

The duo, who worked together on New Line hit Game Night, have teamed up to adapt Superworld, a recently released novel by Gus Krieger.

Warner Bros. picked up the rights to the book with Bateman to direct the project, which Perez will write.

Bateman will also produce with his Aggregate film banner, along with David Kanter and Jeff Okin of Anonymous Content.

The story, which hit this summer as an Audible audiobook, is set in 2038 where every person on the planet has superpowers, except for one man names Ignatius Lohman. Lohman is stuck ...

Jason Bateman and Mark Perez are feeling super.

The duo, who worked together on New Line hit Game Night, have teamed up to adapt Superworld, a recently released novel by Gus Krieger.

Warner Bros. picked up the rights to the book with Bateman to direct the project, which Perez will write.

Bateman will also produce with his Aggregate film banner, along with David Kanter and Jeff Okin of Anonymous Content.

The story, which hit this summer as an Audible audiobook, is set in 2038 where every person on the planet has superpowers, except for one man names Ignatius Lohman. Lohman is stuck ...

It's alive! It's. Alive! North Hollywood Theatre breathes life into George A. Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead. Continue reading for details on the cast as well as the stage production's start date. Also in today's Horror Highlights: The Fetch Wilson's premiere at London Horror Festival, Black Wood casting details, and The Cleansing Hour images, trailer, and info.

Details on Night of the Living Dead at the North Hollywood Theatre: "North Hollywood Theatre Brings New Adaptation Of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead To The Stage.

The Group Rep is proud to present George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, adapted for the stage by filmmaker Gus Krieger, directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Larry Eisenberg, October 4 through November 10, on the Main Stage of the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, California.

In Night of the Living Dead, as a mysterious pandemic emerges and quickly spreads,...

Named after the town of North Bend, Washington, that acted as the original filming location for David Lynch's cult classic Twin Peaks, the North Bend Film Festival has announced its full lineup, with plans to showcase 10 films and 13 shorts including Anna and the Apocalypse (co-presented by Collider), Sandi Tan's Shirkers, and much more! Continue reading for a full breakdown of the festival's screenings and guest appearances:

Press Release: The North Bend Film Festival is right around the corner and we’re thrilled to announce the full line-up for our inaugural edition, including Cinema Vista and Something Strange feature and short film programs. In addition to the films, the weekend of August 23rd to the 26th will be rich with events that embrace the town of North Bend, once the original shooting location for David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, such as a special Twin Peaks Tour, a scenic mountainside...

As part of its celebration of the best of independent moviemaking from around the world, including from the U.S., this year’s Munich Film Festival will include works highlighting some of today’s defining issues: the MeToo debate, racism, the increasingly troubling nature of social media and the impact of ever-growing surveillance.

The festival, which runs June 28 to July 7, opens with Joachim A. Lang’s “Mackie Messer — Brechts Dreigroschenfilm,” a fictional tale inspired by Bertolt Brecht’s 1928 play “The Threepenny Opera,” and Kurt Weill’s song “The Ballad of Mack the Knife,” in which the famed playwright seeks to adapt his work to film without blunting its political edge.

For festival director Diana Iljine, the film is particularly timely: “Just like the famous first words of ‘Mack the Knife’ — ‘And the shark, he has teeth’ — one might say: This film, it has teeth. At a pivotal moment in recent history,...

The 44th Seattle International Film Festival announced its winners at the festival’s concluding ceremony Sunday, with Bo Burnham’s “Eighth Grade” taking home prizes for best film and best actress for star Elsie Fisher. Mister Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” which has drawn attention since the release of its nostalgic trailer, won the best documentary prize for director Morgan Neville.

See the full list of winners below.

Best Film

“Eighth Grade,” directed by Bo Burnham (USA 2018)

Best Documentary

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” directed by Morgan Neville (USA 2018)

Best Director

Gustav Möller, “The Guilty” (Denmark 2018)

Best Actor

Miguel Ángel Solá, “The Last Suit” (Argentina/Poland/Spain/France/Germany 2017)

Best Actress

Elsie Fisher, “Eighth Grade” (USA 2018)

Best Short Film

“Emergency,” directed by Carey Williams (USA 2017)

Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision

Presented by Women in Film – Seattle

Dana Nachman, “Pick of the Litter” (USA 2017)

Siff...

A celebration of genre films both old and new, the Boston Underground Film Festival returns for its 20th year later this month at Harvard Square, and the lineup is packed with new anticipated titles such as Jenn Wexler's The Ranger and Coralie Fargeat's Revenge, as well as a 35th anniversary screening of Slava Tsukerman's Liquid Sky:

Press Release: Cambridge, Ma – New England’s spring festival season is nigh, with the 20th annual Boston Underground Film Festival returning to Harvard Square, bringing with it a five day fever dream of vanguard and description-defying filmmaking, including soul- thrillers/killers/chillers, to the Brattle Theatre and Harvard Film Archive from March 21st through the 25th. This year’s program includes some of the festival’s most eclectic and challenging selections to date, highlighting the harrowing, the horrifying, and the heady.

Kicking off the big 2-0 is the East Coast...

Following last year's release of their original film Fender Bender, Shout! Factory now has more new content on the way, as they have acquired global rights to a new, untitled horror film from Kevin Shulman, with a cast that includes Bill Moseley and William Forsythe.

Press Release: Los Angeles, Calif., March 21, 2017 – Shout! Factory, a multi-platform media company, has acquired worldwide rights to writer/director Kevin Shulman’s new feature film, Untitled Shulman Horror Project, starring Eoin Macken (Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, NBC’s The Night Shift), Kristina Klebe (Dementia, Proxy, Halloween), Bill Moseley (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects), Faran Tahir (Iron Man, Star Trek, Escape Plan) and William Forsythe (The Rock, The Bronx Bull, Raising Arizona). The film is developed, produced and co-financed by Jeremy M. Rosen and Kevin Shulman for Roxwell Films, and co-financed and executive produced by Shout! Factory for its horror genre entertainment imprint,...

A woman discovers that the person she married and (and once trusted) could be a deadly source of danger to her and their child in The Binding, now out on Blu-ray and DVD from Scream Factory. And to celebrate the recent release, we’ve been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

————

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Binding.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Binding Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on August 8th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

————

“An unsettling spiritual shocker, The Binding shows the darker side of devotion when a...

The third annual MondoCon 2016 has been announced and tickets for the monster event are currently on sale. Attendees will be able to purchase The Monster Squad vinyl soundtrack with new artwork by Gary Pullin. Also in today’s Horror Highlights: three Blu-ray clips for The Binding before it debuts on August 2nd, a look at cover artwork and preview pages for Fractured Scary Tales #2, and details and a Kindred Spirits clip from Destination America’s panel at Sdcc 2016.

Third Annual MondoCon 2016 Announcement: Press Release: “Austin, TX-July 27 2016 – Mondo is pleased to announce tickets are on sale for the third annual MondoCon along with an initial lineup of exhibitors and artists. MondoCon 2016 will take place October 22nd and 23rd in Austin, TX at Afs Cinema and Holiday Inn Midtown Conference Center.

MondoCon is a celebration of everything Mondo loves, including movies, art, comics, music, toys and food. It’s a weekend curated with fans in mind,...

Exchanging information after an accident on the road is usually the responsible, smart thing to do… except when the car you collided with belongs to a killer. Ahead of Fender Bender’s June 3rd premiere on the Chiller channel, the official trailer for Scream Factory’s new horror film teases the deadliness of the Driver.

Written and Directed by Mark Pavia (Stephen King’s The Night Flier), Fender Bender stars Makenzie Vega (The Good Wife), Dre Davis (Pretty Little Liars, Scavenger Killers), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville, Longmire) and Bill Sage (American Psycho, We Are What We Are). Evocative of the horror-thriller classics of yesteryear, Fender Bender brings you back to a time when the boxes on the shelf at your local video store beckoned you with masked, knife-wielding maniacs and a twisted sense of morals.

In a small New Mexico town, a 17-year-old high school girl who just got her driver...

In today’s Horror Highlights, we have release details for Sugar Skull Girls, The Binding, and Sickhouse, as well as a Mother’s Day card from Bates Motel and a new Blade-inspired music video.

Sugar Skull Girls 2017 Release Details and Trailer: Press Release: “Sgl Entertainment is pleased to announce that they will be releasing “Sugar Skull Girls” the Teenage Comedy Adventure Movie and TV Series on Blu-ray, DVD, Cable TV and VOD in early 2017. The film is Written and Directed by Christian Grillo, Produced by Christian Grillo, John Kent, David Gechman, and Carmela Hayslett.

And Stars: Addy Miller, Carmela Hayslett, Cece Hagen, Anika Buchanan, Isabella Sobejano, Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes), John Amplas (Day of the Dead) and Leslie Easterbrook (The Devil’s Rejects).

Synopsis: Three demonic sisters who resemble neo-goth voodoo dolls are accidentally conjured from the other side during a failed attempt to raise a little girl from the dead.

Showing the darker side of devotion when a religious family’s patriarch begins receiving visions of bloodshed, Gus Krieger’s The Binding is set to make you fear what you believe, and it’s soon headed home courtesy of our friends over at… Continue Reading →

The post Scream Factory Bringing Spiritual Shocker The Binding to Home Video appeared first on Dread Central.

*Updated with the official press release.* “It’s just a fender bender, right?” Scream Factory announced a June 3rd premiere date for Fender Bender, their first original horror film that’s written and directed by Mark Pavia (The Night Flier). Ahead of its debut on the Chiller network, a new teaser trailer and poster offers a look at the movie that might make you think twice about exchanging information after a car accident.

Press Release: New York, NY – April 29, 2016 – Chiller and Scream Factory™ announced today that original movie Fender Bender will premiere Friday, June 3 at 9 Pm Et. Written and Directed by Mark Pavia (Stephen King’s The Night Flier), the movie stars Makenzie Vega (The Good Wife), Dre Davis (Pretty Little Liars, Scavenger Killers), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville, Longmire) and Bill Sage (American Psycho, We Are What We Are). Evocative of the horror-thriller classics of yesteryear, Fender Bender brings you back...

After years of providing viewers with high-definition upgrades of beloved fright films, Scream Factory has teamed up with Chiller for an original horror movie called Fender Bender, which began production today with a newly announced main cast:

Press Release: "Los Angeles, CA – November 4, 2015 – Scream Factory™, Shout! Factory’s horror genre entertainment imprint, and Chiller announced today the principal cast for the upcoming original horror thriller Fender Bender, written by writer/director Mark Pavia (Stephen King’s The Night Flier). Makenzie Vega (The Good Wife), Dre Davis (Pretty Little Liars, Scavenger Killers), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville, Longmire), Steven Michael Quezada (Breaking Bad, Element) and Bill Sage (American Psycho, We Are What We Are) are starring in the film. The studios also announced that principal photography has commenced on location in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Pavia is directing the film from a screenplay he has written. Carl W. Lucas and Joshua Bunting of EchoWolf Productions are producing,...

It’s been a hot minute since we brought you (first) word on writer and director Gus Krieger’s feature directorial debut The Binding, and now we’re bringing you a first look at the film’s trailer as well as a theatrical one… Continue Reading →

The post First Look: Trailer and Theatrical One-Sheet for The Binding appeared first on Dread Central.

From Halloween II to The Return of Count Yorga, horror fans have enjoyed the new life given to beloved fright films by Shout! Factory's imprint, Scream Factory. Now the company will begin creating original content, beginning with the horror film Fender Bender from writer/directorMark Pavia (1997's The Night Flier).

Press Release: Los Angeles, Calif., October 20, 2015 – Shout! Factory, a multi-platform media company, has acquired all rights to the script Fender Bender, a horror-thriller feature written by writer/director Mark Pavia (Stephen King's The Night Flier). The film is being developed, financed and executive produced by Shout! Factory for Shout’s horror genre entertainment imprint, Scream Factory. This announcement was made today by Shout! Factory’s founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos.

Pavia will direct Fender Bender from a screenplay he has written. He and Nadia Redler (Fear X) will also executive produce the film with Shout! Factory. Shout...

It’s no secret that the DC staff has historically and fervently supported the indie film scene, and as much as we love to do so, we favor it even more when a film comes across our desk that simply nails… Continue Reading →

The post Exclusive Stills, Poster Debut, and the First Word on Gus Krieger’s The Binding appeared first on Dread Central.

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Bold Films has picked up the action-thriller “Psy-Ops” from Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger. Stewart, who is directing the live-action adaptation of the manga series “Priest”, co-developed the initial story with Krieger, who will write the script for the film. Stuart Maschwitz is directing. Maschwitz co-founded the VFX company the Orphanage with Stewart. “Psy-Ops” revolves around a covert U.S. military unit of operatives who employ psychological warfare tactics against targets, exploiting their deepest, darkest fears. But when in the Amazon on an assignment, the group discovers something more terrifying than they could have imagined in the jungle with them. Stewart is producing alongside [...]...

Robert Rodriguez's Predators reboot has left us all with mixed feelings, particularly after the offbeat casting choices that were announced last week. If you read that and said "Man, you know what I really want instead? A movie that's like Predators, but original!", then you might be in luck. The Hollywood Reporter tells of an action thriller called Psy-Ops that was penned by Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger, and might just introduce some new terror into the jungle.* It was just optioned by Bold Films, and will be directed by Stuart Maschwitz as his feature film debut.

Psy-Ops centers on that usual gang of suspects, a U.S. military team sent on a routine mission to the Amazon Basin. Instead of being the typical black-ops bunch, these guys are psychological operatives who specialize in exploiting the deepest and darkest fears of their enemies. But on this trip to the Basin,...

When I first saw the title for this project, I got really excited because I thought it was based on the silly PS2/Xbox video game, “Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy” where you controlled a psychic soldier who could use various psychic powers like telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and “mind-drain” where you restored your psychic energy by making your enemy’s head implode. It was fun.

Sadly, this project is spelled “Psy-Ops” and has no relation to the video game. That doesn’t mean it sounds completely terrible because it still has psychic soldiers so it could make for a great double-feature with “The Men Who Stare at Goats”. Hit the jump to shoot mind bullets.

THR reports that Scott Stewart, co-writer and director of the upcoming Paul Bettany/fallen angel/apocalypse flick “Legion”, came up with the original idea and developed it with Gus Krieger, who will write the script. Stuart Maschwitz...

Bold Films (The Hole) has snagged the psychological action thriller Psy-Ops, which was conceived by director Scott Stewart (Legion, Priest) and written by Gus Krieger, writer of the upcoming psychological thriller The Killing Room.

Psy-Ops will tell the tale of a covert U.S. military unit of “psychological operatives,” whose specialty is “exploiting their target’s deepest fears.” During a routine mission (funny term for a covert specialty unit) to the Amazon, the Psy-Ops discover something even They are afraid of.

At first glance I thought this film was about psychic soldiers at war (See: The Men Who Stare At Goats). On the one hand that mistaken impression seems like a much more interesting concept; on the other hand, it’s also a concept that I’ve been developing as a film-in-my-head for some time now, so I was relieved when I realized this Psy-Ops flick was about something totally...

A gritty war film featuring soldiers with psychic powers? It's as if Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger are reading my mind.

Stewart, who is directing the upcoming vampire action flick Priest, dreamed up the premise of 'Psy-Ops', which Bold Films has picked up. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he then developed the idea with Krieger, who will be writing the script for first-time director Stuart Maschwitz.

'Psy-Ops' centers around an elite U.S. military unit composed of psychics whose modus operandi is exploiting the enemy’s deepest fears. However, during a routine mission to the Amazon Basin, they encounter a force more disturbing than anything their training could have prepared them for.

Bold, which released the family-friendly 3-D thriller The Hole this year, hopes 'Psy-Ops' is a successful hybrid of Alien and Predator with the realism of Blackhawk Down. One assumes they’re also optimistic about emulating the financial success...

In the span of a year, writer/director Scott Stewart has gone from being somewhat unheard of in the world of film to having two theatrical releases attached to his name. First was his Paul Bettany-starring religiously themed horror film Legion, swiftly followed by … another religiously themed horror film, Priest. Paul Bettany will star in the latter as well. Intriguing.

Now, Bold Films has picked up Stewart’s story Psy-Ops, which will be scripted by Gus Krieger. The film will be directed by Stuart Maschwitz, who co-founded the effects house The Orphanage with Stewart.

According to THR:

“Psy-Ops revolves around a covert U.S. military unit of psychological operatives who specialize in exploiting their target’s deepest fears. When on a routine mission to the Amazon Basin, they discover something more terrifying than they could have imagined.”

Yikes. Does Nimrod Antal’s Predators have some competition?

The good news (to me,...

Looks like Scott Stewart is doing more badass movies besides Legion. THR reports that he and Gus Krieger have developed a film for Bond Films called Psi-Ops, about a secret U.S. military unit of psychological operatives who specialize in exploiting their target's deepest fears... like Ghost Rider I guess. On a routine mission to the Amazon, they discover something that makes even them soil themselves. It may bring up memories of that god-awful Playstation 2 game of the same name, Psi Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy. They're hoping to combine the elements of 1980s action movies like Predators and Aliens with the psychological tone and visual realism of movies like Black Hawk Down.  Kinda sounds like Independence Day  and Saving Private Ryan mixed with a little Matilda to me. Given Stewart's track record as a special effects artist and how good Legion is looking right now, I wouldn't worry too much...

No, it's not hurried sequel to The Men Who Stare At Goats, rather Psy-ops is a project from Scott Stewart (Priest) and Gus Krieger, and shockingly it is Not based on a video game (despite my picture on the right), book or Japanese movie. Stewart actually came up with the idea himself and Krieger is penning the script. Originality alone just won a bunch of points from me already. As for the plot? "Psy-Ops" revolves around a covert U.S. military unit of psychological operatives who...

Bold Films has picked up Psy-Ops , an action thriller from Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger, says The Hollywood Reporter . Stewart (upcoming Legion and Priest ) came up with the initial story, then developed it with Krieger, who will write the script. Stuart Maschwitz, who co-founded visual-effects company the Orphanage with Stewart, is attached to make his directorial debut. Psy-Ops revolves around a covert U.S. military unit of psychological operatives who specialize in exploiting their target's deepest fears. When on a routine mission to the Amazon Basin, they discover something more terrifying than they could have imagined. Stewart is producing with Bold's David Lancaster and Michel Litvak. Gary Michael Walters is executive producing.

Priest and Legion director Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger have sold a pitch for an action-thriller called Psy-Ops. Krieger will write the script but not for Stewart to direct; instead, that job will fall to Stuart Maschwitz, one of the co-founders of The Orphanage, the now-defunct San Francisco-based special effects house.

Psy-Ops involves a team of American military psychological operatives who are used on black ops missions. When they are sent on one located in the Amazon they encounter something "more terrifying than they could have imagined," as THR puts it. My guess: the nasty divorce hearings of Kate and Jon Gosselin.

Two things:

1. Bold Films, the company that bought the project, wants to make a movie that evokes chunks of classic action/monster movies like Predator and Aliens, but also make a film that carries with it the action sophistication found in the Bourne film series. That leads me...

Scott Stewart is a name that might be hanging around for a while in the area of horror/action, so it’s probably a good idea to keep track of his projects. He’s got two notables coming up — the Paul Bettany angels-with-machine-guns movie “Legion” and the comic book adaptation of “Priest”, also starring Bettany as a vampire-killing priest. Aside from those two, the former special effects man has got something called “Psy-Ops” on the way, a movie that he hatched with writer Gus Krieger. “Psy-Ops” will revolve around a covert U.S. military unit of psychological operatives (hence the title) who specialize in exploiting their target’s deepest fears. During a routine mission to the Amazon Basin, they discover something (described rather dramatically as) more terrifying than they could have imagined. Here’s hoping our heroes have a creative imagination. The action film is being described as being in...

In a story from The Hollywood Reporter, Bold Films has snapped up Psy-Ops from writers Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger.

Stewart has previously directed the film Priest.

Stuart Maschwitz, the founder of the visual-effects company the Orphanage with Stewart, is slated to make his directorial debut with this film.

Psy-Ops focuses on a covert U.S. military unit of psychological operatives that specialize in toying with their target's deepest fears. On a mission to the Amazon Basin, they come across something that is more terrifying than they have ever seen.

This film is said to combine aspects of Predator and Black Hawk Down.

Bold Films has picked up "Psy-Ops," an action thriller from Scott Stewart and Gus Krieger.

Stewart, who is directing the vampire action thriller "Priest," came up with the initial story, then developed it with Krieger, who will write the script.

Stuart Maschwitz, who co-founded visual-effects company the Orphanage with Stewart, is attached to make his directorial debut.

"Psy-Ops" revolves around a covert U.S. military unit of psychological operatives who specialize in exploiting their target's deepest fears. When on a routine mission to the Amazon Basin, they discover something more terrifying than they could have imagined.

Bold is hoping to combine the elements of such 1980s action flicks as "Predators" and "Aliens" with the psychological tone and visual realism of such 21st century movies as "Black Hawk Down" and the "Bourne" series.

Stewart is producing with Bold's David Lancaster and Michel Litvak. Gary Michael Walters is exec producing.

Bold, which...

Year: 2009

Directors: Jonathan Liebesman

Writers: Gus Krieger, Ann Peacock

IMDb: link

Amazon: Link

Trailer: link

Review by: agentorange

Rating: 7 out of 10

Back in the 50s and 60s the American government conducted a rash of freaky experiments on unsuspecting citizens. The code name for the covert CIA mind-control and chemical research program was called Mk-ultra and basically it was like an evil version of the Dharma Initiative. There were research stations all over the States, each testing different things and none of them really knew how their work effected the whole or influenced a final master plan. Citizens who signed up were fed all kinds of drugs, like Lsd and then shown disturbing images or hypnotized or much much worse. Honestly, as f-ed up as it sounds, I'm not making this up. You can read all about it on wikipedia. Long story short, the government eventually shut all Mk-ultra stations down...

Director Jonathan Liebesman ( Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning ) returns to the genre with The Killing Room . Categorize it under "more thriller/less horror," still, it's got our attention and ShockTillYouDrop.com has your first look at the one-sheet being used to tout its premiere at Sundance next month. Nick "Mr. Mariah Carey" Cannon, Clea DuVall and Timothy Hutton star in this film about four individuals who sign up for a psychological research study only to discover that they are now subjects of a brutal, classified government program. Gus Krieger and Ann Peacock penned the script and we're curious to see a trailer. If you haven't perused our growing still gallery for The Killing Room then click here . Click below for a hi-res version!

Following the success of Platinum Dunes' Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning , director Jonathan Liebesman flirted with a number of projects including the upcoming Friday the 13th before Marcus Nispel was brought in. Liebesman ultimately decided to helm The Killing Room by screenwriters Gus Krieger (a newcomer) and Ann Peacock ( The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ). The film was shot in Shreveport, Louisiana with actors Nick Cannon, Clea DuVall, Timothy Hutton, Meade Patton and Chloë Sevigny. And, as reported yesterday , Liebesman's latest - about four folks roped into an extreme psychological research study sanctioned by the government - is a Sundance entry (out of competition). Four official stills have floated our way to share with you....

First off, the best news, as I predicted (in private) Duncan Jones' Moon will be premiering, yay! The comedy Adventureland starring the talented Bill Hader is playing. The sweet kid soldier film Johnny Mad Dog is playing in the spectrum section, and the Jesco White story White Lightnin' which we reported on earlier is in the Park City at Midnight section.

But where the hell is Stingray Sam?

Full list after the break.

Premieres

* "Adventureland," directed and written by Greg Mottola, stars Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds and Bill Hader in the story of a college grad who gets a job at an amusement park. A Miramax release.

* "Brooklyn’s Finest," directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin, a drama about three Brooklyn cops who come together at the same deadly location. With Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle and Ellen Barkin.

* "Earth Days," directed by Robert Stone,...

Premieres

To showcase the diversity of contemporary independent cinema, this section offers the latest work from American and international directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films.

Adventureland / U.S. (Director-screenwriter: Greg Mottola)

In 1987, a recent college graduate takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park and discovers the job is perfect preparation for the real world. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader. World premiere

Brooklyn's Finest / U.S. (Director: Antoine Fuqua; screenwriter: Michael C. Martin)

After enduring vastly different career paths, three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location. Cast: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin. World premiere

Earth Days / U.S. (Director: Robert Stone)

The history of our environmental undoing through the eyes of nine Americans whose work and actions launched the modern environmental movement. World premiere, closing-night film

Endgame / U.K. (Director: Pete Travis; screenwriter: Paula Milne)

A...

• Sundance got serious about fine-tuning their Park City at Midnight section this year. The section which I normally only dabble in to fill up voids in my scheduling has got enough worthy films this year that are potentially worth the detour - commencing with a film I mentioned last week -- Black Dynamite! Here are the 8 pack of films from directors like Sundance-regular Adam Bhala Lough, horror specialist Jonathan Liebesman and newcomer Ryan Shiraki. Black Dynamite / USA (Director: Scott Sanders; Screenwriters: Michael Jai White, Scott Sanders, and Byron Minns)—When 'The Man' murders his brother, pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to take him on. Cast: Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Byron Minns, James McManus. World Premiere The Carter / USA (Director: Adam Bhala Lough)—An in-depth, intimate look at

...

Screenwriter Ann Peacock will pen the big-screen adaptation of John Grisham’s novel “The Partner,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The trade says the film centers on a disillusioned lawyer who steals $90 million from his law firm, stages his own death and successfully disappears for several years. What at first seems to be a brilliant white-collar crime is further complicated by a murder charge.

The project will be produced by Robert Chartoff, whose credits include all the "Rocky" flicks, "Raging Bull" and "True Confessions" and Lynn Hendee of Chartoff Prods., along with Grant Turck and Mark Bethea of newcomer Velocity Management.

Peacock also wrote the adaptations of Nicholas Sparks’ novel “Nights in Rodanthe,” and Valerie Tripp’s “Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl.” She also recently penned “The Killing Room” with Gus Krieger.