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Exclusive: Fia Perera has wrapped production on her first narrative feature, Mermaid, an expansion of her 2020 short film of the same name, which she wrote and directed.

The cast includes Devyn McDowell (Jerry and Marge Go Large), Arturo Luíz Soria (Found), Nat Faxon (The Way Way Back), Alex Moffat (Saturday Night Live), Mary Birdsong (Succession), Tom Kiesche (Breaking Bad) and Missi Pyle (Harlan Coben’s Shelter).

In Mermaid, a 10-year-old boy wanting desperately to be a mermaid crosses paths with a grief-stricken, unraveling drag queen, and a deep connection is forged… One that they will risk everything for.

Shot in Cape Cod and Los Angeles, the film’s producers are Ryan Lacen, Jenica Bergere, Hilliard Guess, Tyler Musikanth, Toni Long and Mary Vernieu. Jeffrey Sobrato, Sheri Sobrato, Safe Space and Perera Picture are the executive producers, and Findley Davidson handled casting.

A passionate LGBTQ+ advocate committed to amplifying the voices...

Sons of Anarchy features many characters who are both fan favorites but also irredeemable. Set in a world of crime and chaos, bad situations lead to even worse choices. Before anyone realizes, things are too far gone to be saved.

Shows with no redeemable characters have their own charm. They tend to tackle dark and forbidden topics like revenge, cannibalism and war. Many shows have irredeemable characters like Jax. They may have done one really bad thing, or they have done several over the course of the entire series. From House of the Dragon to Yellowjackets to Breaking Bad, these pitch-black and morally grey characters have caused fans to think about the damning choices they made.

Walter White Is Far Gone in Breaking Bad

As Breaking Bad's protagonist, Walter White is a sympathetic character, similar to Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy. However, throughout the course of the crime series,...

Sometimes, TV shows introduce characters who seem fundamental to the story, but it becomes clear that the writers aren't sure what to do with them after their initial storyline. The result is often that the TV show will repeat the same story many times, focusing on one character. Maybe said character will eventually be written out of the show when the actor or writers have had enough, but they may be needed for one particular future storyline.

Some TV show love interests that were suddenly dropped and great female TV characters that deserved better ended up in these circumstances because creativity had run out concerning their arcs. Great TV shows should effectively use all their characters, at least providing a reason for them to be shelved for a while if screen time is limited. However, it is hard to feel like some shows did not waste characters when they are...

Villain protagonists can carry a TV show with complex characters and brilliant acting. Shows like Breaking Bad and Veep feature characters who become morally worse. The most compelling TV characters are complex, showcasing human imperfection and moral ambiguity.

There are numerous widely acclaimed TV shows where the protagonist is essentially the villain, although they may be the hero of their own story. Some of the TV characters with the best development ever demonstrate negative development, where they only become worse people as the series progresses. It still makes for amazing TV when the show can illustrate the psychology of this character's fall in a dark and nuanced story.

Through a combination of character charisma and brilliant acting, a villain protagonist can carry an excellent TV show about the nature of evil. Because of the villainous characters' complexities, some of the best TV actors of all time are remembered for playing villains or anti-heroes.

In the wake of five new horror movies releasing at home this past Tuesday, the October horror season rolls on today with another eight new horror movies being added to the mix.

Here’s the full list of horror movies released today, October 20, 2023!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

The tenth installment in the franchise, Saw X has thus far scared up over $73 million at the box office, and it was just unleashed for Premium VOD rental and purchase today.

The DVD, Blu-ray and 4K will follow on November 21.

Lionsgate teases, “The return of Tobin Bell to the franchise furthers Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ goal of a film that captures everything Saw fans love about the franchise, while also keeping them guessing with all-new traps and a new mystery to solve.”

“John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back for the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s final games.

Stars: Jenna Z. Alvarez, M.C. Huff, Emily Hall, Nicole Lovince, Jack Schumacher, Tom Kiesche, Harrison White, Ron Roggé | Written by Tom Kiesche | Directed by Robyn August

As KillHer opens, Mattie is just days away from getting married and her best friend Eddie has planned a camping trip for the bachelorette weekend. That doesn’t sit well with Jess and Rae who feel like they’ve been pushed aside since Mattie and Eddie became friends.

Also somewhere in the woods is Jagger, Mattie’s fiance. The idea being that they’ll surprise him and his buddies by setting up camp next to them and having a party weekend. Of course, if they’d seen Slashlorette Party they might have reservations about combing the bride and groom’s weekends. And they certainly have some reservations after they set up their tent next to what they think is Jagger’s tent. Only to...

"I want you to make sure you know what you're getting into before saying 'I do.'" Dark Sky has debuted an official trailer for an indie horror thriller called KillHer, another hip modern "what if it was also a hashtag" (#KillHer) film title. Mattie and her friends go on a weekend trip to the woods to plan Mattie's wedding, settled near the camp of Mr. Rogers, and with no phone signal, their trip starts to turn into a bad idea when they start dying and a big secret is revealed. All these girls wanted was a killer pre-bachelorette party... and that's exactly what they got! Ha ha. The indie horror film stars Jenna Z. Alvarez as Mattie, M.C. Huff, Emily Hall, Nicole Lovince, Tom Kiesche, Harrison White, Jack Schumacher, Ron Roggé, and Meredith Thomas. This is opening on VOD in October for anyone to watch - just before Halloween.

In limited theaters and on VOD platforms October 20 from Dark Sky Films is Robyn August’s (Party With Me) indie slasher KillHer, which now has a trailer and art.

In the film…

“Mattie and her three besties–Eddie, Jess, and Rae–head into the woods for a weekend to plan Mattie’s upcoming wedding and bachelorette party. Eddie, Mattie’s roommate and an unrelenting practical joker, leads them to believe they will be setting up camp near Mattie’s hunky fiancé, Jagger, and his friends. They soon realize the tent they’ve snuggled up next to belongs to a mysterious recluse named Mr. Rogers, rather than Jagger, and this is definitely his neighborhood!

“With zero cell reception and only a literal pot to piss in, their weekend camping trip is beginning to look like a bad idea for these unhappy campers. But it only gets worse when people start to...

Dark Harvest: "In a cursed town, the annual harvest becomes a brutal battle for survival. On Halloween 1963, Sawtooth Jack, a terrifying legend, rises from the cornfields, threatening the town's children. Groups of boys unite to defeat the murderous scarecrow before midnight. Richie, a rebellious outcast, joins the run, motivated by his brother's previous victory. As the hunt progresses, Richie makes a shocking discovery and faces a pivotal choice to break the relentless cycle."

Directed By: David Slade Screenplay By: Michael Gilio Based on the Novel by: Norman Partridge Produced By: Matt Tolmach, p.g.a., David Manpearl, p.g.a. Executive Producers: Pamela Hirsch, Michael Gilio Music By: Brian Reitzell Cast: Casey Likes, E’myri Crutchfield, Dustin Ceithamer, Elizabeth Reaser with Jeremy Davies

Available On Digital October 13th

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Killher: "Mattie and her three besties--Eddie, Jess, and Rae--head into the woods for a weekend to plan Mattie's upcoming wedding and bachelorette party.

Nicole Lovince, Emily Hall, and Jenna Z in ‘KillHer’

From the opening scream scene, director Robyn August’s cleverly named KillHer captures the classic slasher film vibe and then finesses it into something original and entertaining. Once the main characters play a game listing stupid things people do in horror movies, it’s obvious KillHer knows exactly which boxes it needs to tick. And watching as those items are checked off is bloody good fun.

The film follows four women who head into the woods for a pre-bachelorette party. Why the woods? Because one of the ladies – Eddie, the outsider of the group – has arranged it so that they’re spending the weekend camping near Mattie’s fiancé, Jagger, and his friends.

The tension between Eddie and Mattie’s two other friends is so thick you could slice it with Michael Myers’ knife. Eddie’s idea of a good time...

The iMom Short Film Ariel Martin‘s The iMom (2014) short film stars Matilda Brown, Marta Dusseldorp, Karl Beattie, Curt Bonnem, and Tom Kiesche. Plot Synopsis The iMom‘s plot synopsis: “With a rapid evolution in robotics in a not-so-distant future, loving couples are now able of tackling with the discouraging and tiresome task of parenting, as the innovative [...]

Continue reading: The Imom Short Film: Cyborg Matilda Brown Takes Care of Two Kids in Ariel Martin’s Touching & Disturbing Story...

A teen mystery series is in development at digital network Brat, featuring Brat and Nickelodeon stars Annie LeBlanc and Addison Riecke. The show, Brat’s first period drama, takes place in 1963, a decade after a factory fire had ruined a small town; LeBlanc’s and Riecke’s characters become unlikely friends from opposite sides of the tracks and uncover the community’s complex history. The eight-episode order is slated to air this summer.

Also joining the cast are “Jane the Virgin’s” Wes Armstrong, “Breaking Bad’s” Tom Kiesche and Reid Miller. The show marks Brat’s second series starring LeBlanc, who takes the title role. LeBlanc also plays Rhyme in Brat’s family drama “Chicken Girls.” Riecke is known for her work on Nickelodeon’s “The Thundermans,” in which she plays little sister Nora Thunderman.

Directed by Jeff Jenkins and written by Carlos Rafael Gomez, the show joins Brat...

Last night, CBS dropped the new promo/spoiler clip (below) for their upcoming "The Mentalist" episode 3 of season 7, and it gives us new looks at things getting pretty awkward between Patrick and Teresa when Patrick's ex gets thrown into the mix while they're on a dangerous mission in Beirut, and more. The episode is titled, "Orange Blossom Ice Cream.” In the new, 3rd episode official plotline: "Jane and Lisbon will end up, traveling to Beirut where they must work with Jane’s familiar adversary, Erica Flynn, who agrees to help the FBI apprehend her boyfriend, a courier for terrorist organizations, in exchange for amnesty for her past crimes." Guest stars include: Nick Gracer (Georgi), Mark Ivanir (Jan Nemic), Anto Boghokian (Jameel) and Tom Kiesche (Hendricks). The episode was written by Tom Szentgyorgyi and it was directed by Chris Long. Episode 3 is scheduled to air on Sunday night, December 14th at 8pm central time on CBS.

Recently, CBS released the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "The Mentalist" episode 3 of season 7. The episode is entitled, "Orange Blossom Ice Cream,” and it turns out that we're going to see Patrick get forced to join forces with an old adversary of his on risky mission in Beirut, and more. In the new, 3rd episode press release: Jane is going to have to work with a familiar adversary, femme fatale Erica Flynn, during a dangerous mission in Beirut. Press release number 2: Jane and Lisbon are going to travel to Beirut where they must work with Jane’s familiar adversary, Erica Flynn, who agrees to help the FBI apprehend her boyfriend, a courier for terrorist organizations, in exchange for amnesty for her past crimes. Morena Baccarin returns as Erica Flynn. Guest stars feature: Nick Gracer (Georgi), Mark Ivanir (Jan Nemic), Anto Boghokian (Jameel) and Tom Kiesche (Hendricks). Episode...

Recently, CBS dished out the new,official spoilers,synopsis for their upcoming "The Mentalist" episode 2 of season 7. The episode is entitled, "The Greybar Hotel," and it turns out that we're going to Teresa go deep undercover as a prisoner in an attempt to take down a car theft operation, and more. In the new, 2nd episode press release: Lisbon will go undercover as a prison inmate to bust a car theft ring. Press release number 2: Lisbon is going to undercover as a prison inmate in order to get a convict to turn on her boyfriend, who is the leader of a high-end car theft ring. Cheat Tweet: Lisbon’s going to jail (undercover)! How will Jane feel about having a convict 4 a girlfriend? #TheMentalist 12/7 9pm Et/Pt http://bit.ly/1tZrC7c. Guest stars feature: Garcelle Beauvais (Danitra Cass), Brit Morgan (Marie), Val Lauren (Cole), Tom Kiesche (Hendricks), Ryan Dorsey...

With the sci-fi genre really digging deep these days for cheap thrills and gore fest styles instead of interesting stories with decent quality, it's hard to find something worthwhile to put your money into. Considering most sci-fi flicks are so mediocre they end up on the sci-fi channel, you'd be hard pressed to say that the genre itself isn't in the crapper. The average sci-fi flick gives us aliens, mystical creatures or a giant ass snake coming to tear the world apart and only 5 soldiers, 1 reporter and an unlucky camera man standing in their way. I just gave you a premise to about 80% of the crappy sci-fi films of today. Example, Alien Abduction and Manticore. Boosh...

In the light of that, we have a new look at aliens and heroes in a somewhat typical setting in Alien Raiders. The question you must ask is "can it be pulled off?" I'm...

**Note: This will be on top for a bit; new updates will be below!** Here at Dread Central we try and bring you goodies no one else can or will, up to and including asking filmmakers to do things just for us. Usually this means sending us a pic or two from their film that no one else has, but when we saw that Ben Rock’s excellent Alien Raiders was going to hit DVD without a commentary track from its director, we set out to do something about it.

And do something we did! Rock was more than happy to sit down with the film’s composer, Kays Alatrachki, and star Tom Kiesche to discuss how the film was made and how much fun they had making it exclusively for Dread Central readers! You’re not going to find this commentary anywhere else (unless Warner Bros. decides to include...