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Candy Canes, falling snow, and endless carnage? In Anna and the Apocalypse, a little-known 2017 British Christmas movie directed by John McPhail, all of this is accompanied by some festive song-and-dance and a ton of zombies. Anna and the Apocalypse primarily follows a teen named (you guessed it) Anna as she fights to survive high school and an eventual zombie apocalypse. The cult classic combines a signature British dark humor with catchy tunesby Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly, including several Christmas tunes, such as the opening number, "Christmas Means Nothing Without You."

Written by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, it is based on McHenry's college short film, Zombie Musical. McHenry was notably inspired by High School Musical, as well as films like Night of the Living Dead and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. From hilarious camp to excessive violence, Anna and the Apocalypse has something for everyone from horror to Broadway fans.

Stars: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye | Written by Alan McDonald, Ryan McHenry | Directed by John McPhail

Director John McPhail takes genre mash-up to new heights with this hugely entertaining Scottish horror comedy that plays like Shaun of the Dead meets High School Musical. It’s derived from the 2011 Scottish short Zombie Musical, whose late director Ryan McHenry (also responsible for the Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal meme) co-wrote the script before his tragic death in 2015.

Ella Hunt (Robot Overlords) plays Anna, a sixth former at her school in the small town of New Haven, who clashes with her widowed father (Mark Benton) over her desire to spend a year travelling instead of going off to university. Soon, however, Anna realises she has much bigger problems on her hands, as New Haven faces a full-on zombie apocalypse.

Banding...

Ever since she gave it a five-star review at Fantastic Fest 2017, Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson has championed her undying love for the zombie Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse, and although the film was released on digital platforms back in February, it looks like the film will finally be coming to physical home media in the Us this Halloween season.

As shared by Heather Wixson on Twitter, Anna and the Apocalypse is listed for an October 1st DVD release on Amazon. At this time, no special features have been revealed, and there is no Region 1 Blu-ray listing for the movie, but we'll keep Daily Dead readers updated as more details are announced, and we also have the cover art below (via Amazon).

In the meantime, in case you missed it, read Heather's interview with Anna and the Apocalypse star Ella Hunt, and listen to Heather talk with director...

Stars: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye | Written by Alan McDonald, Ryan McHenry | Directed by John McPhail

[Note: With the film now out on DVD, here's a reposting of our review of Anna and the Apocalypse from its screening at last years Ediburgh Film Festival]

Director John McPhail takes genre mash-up to new heights with this hugely entertaining Scottish horror comedy that plays like Shaun of the Dead meets High School Musical. It’s derived from the 2011 Scottish short Zombie Musical, whose late director Ryan McHenry (also responsible for the Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal meme) co-wrote the script before his tragic death in 2015.

Ella Hunt (Robot Overlords) plays Anna, a sixth former at her school in the small town of New Haven, who clashes with her widowed father (Mark Benton) over her desire to spend a year travelling instead of going off to university. Soon, however, Anna realises she has much bigger problems on her hands, as New Haven faces a full-on zombie apocalypse.

Banding...

Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and/or own this week via various Digital HD providers such as cable Movies On Demand, FandangoNOW, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical Bohemian Rhapsody (Oscar-nominated biographical drama about Freddie Mercury and Queen; Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aiden Gillen, Mike Myers; rated PG-13) Anna and the Apocalypse (comedy-horror-musical; Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Ben Wiggins; rated R) Nobody's Fool One Million...

Stars: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye | Written by Alan McDonald, Ryan McHenry | Directed by John McPhail

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

Based on the 2011 short film Zombie Musical, Anna and the Apocalypse, directed by John McPhail, is a mash-up of the comedic inventive edit prowess of Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead and the engaging charisma of Damien Chazelle’s La La Land. The result? An undoubtedly charismatic feature that unfortunately exudes a far...

Cavity Colors has just announced their new line of killer merch, and this time the company is taking on director John McPhail's zombie-musical Christmas-comedy flick Anna and the Apocalypse. Their exclusive capsule collection includes Tees, Baseball Raglans, and Lapel Pins featuring the artwork of such talented peeps as Nacho Scratcho and Devon Whitehead. You can check out pics of the merch below, and then make sure and head on over to Cavity Colors and snag some stuff for yourself or a loved one this Christmas!

For those of you that still might not know, Anna and the Apocalypse is a zombie musical comedy that begins when a zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon...

Delia Harrington Dec 6, 2018

Anna and the Apocalypse is the teenage-focused, Christmas zombie musical you've been waiting for all your life.

Zombie Christmas musical. With those words alone, you pretty much know if you’re in or you’re out. But allow me to make a case for the indelibly winning Anna and the Apocalypse, a Scottish movie so toe-tappingly charming and laugh out loud funny that by the end of the first song, even the skeptics will likely have warmed up. If you’re looking to have an absolute blast at the movies this Christmas, look no further than this movie.

Anna is a high school senior headed off to a gap year before college, much to her father’s dismay. Her best friend John (Malcolm Cumming) is trying to get over his unrequited feelings for Anna and how much he’ll miss her when she flies off to Australia...

It’s a weekend of repeats.

With just one nationwide debut at the box office, a series of holdovers are set to take the top spots, with the second frame of Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” heading for first place with an estimated $24 million.

The sole cross-country rollout, Sony’s “Possession of Hannah Grace,” is likely to open to $6.4 million from 2,065 North American theaters after taking in $2.56 million on Friday. That estimate is more than double what Sony had originally predicted for “Hannah Grace.”

Directed by Diederik Van Rooijen and written by Brian Sieve, the horror flick follows a young morgue attendant (Shay Mitchell) who realizes a cadaver has been possessed by a demon. Shot on a Sony A7S II, “Hannah Grace” has a C- CinemaScore and a 19% Rotten Tomatoes score, with its Audience Score at 22%.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” will cross $100 million domestically this weekend, and has...

Following last weekend’s big roll out of The Favourite from Fox Searchlight, this weekend will likely see a pause for awards contenders making splashy Specialty box office numbers. Orion Pictures is giving a limited start to comedy-horror-musical Anna And the Apocalypse, starring Ella Hunt and Malcom Cumming. Timed to the holiday season, the title fits the company’s strategy of releasing films that target specific audiences. Screen Media, meanwhile, has two very different features heading out, though both will have one-time event screenings around the country (on different dates) in addition to specific targeted regular runs. James Marsh’s The Mercy starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz opens Village East in New York through the distributor, while animated feature Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer will have regular engagements starting in New York and L.A. Friday in a day and date release in addition to event screenings in over 100 cities.

We’re accustomed to horror movies using creativity and artistry to cover up their low budgets; a filmmaker can create plenty of scares with one set and a cast of four. The low-budget musical, on the other hand, is expected to provide splashy razzle-dazzle and grandeur with the same economy of means, and it’s a tougher genre to make succeed on a dime. That said, if you’re willing to overlook a little scruffiness at the edges, it’s a Christmas miracle that the Scottish import “Anna and the Apocalypse” works so well as both a horror movie and a musical.

And “Christmas miracle” should be taken literally, because this is a holiday movie as well. And if you don’t think the undead mix well with musical numbers and gaudy Yuletide decor, “Anna” might be the movie to change your mind.

It’s a film that the protagonist...

Here’s the holiday musical you’re looking for — if, say, you like a splash of gore and a parade of flesh-eating zombies between musical numbers. Eat your heart out, Mary Poppins! Literally! Set in Scotland during Christmas season, in the perfectly named town of Little Haven, Anna and the Apocalypse knows it’s a horror-comedy-musical throwaway and proceeds to lean heavily into the curve. You’ve never heard of the actors, which also helps. And director John McPhail (Where Do We Go From Here) keeps the movie speeding over...

Sometimes, you are so excited about a film that you just have to do a flash mob. Ahead of the November 30th release of Anna and the Apocalypse from Orion Pictures, a group of Austinites and zombies participated in a flash mob in downtown Austin, Texas. Also: The Rainbow Experiment VOD and DVD release details, and Death Kiss is coming to DVD as well.

Details on the Anna and the Apocalypse Flash Mob in Austin: "To celebrate the critically-acclaimed Christmas zombie high-school musical Anna And The Apocalypse, the movie came to life in Austin, TX with a flash mob dance in downtown at the popular Lamar Pedestrian Bridge to get the holidays started with a bloody bang (and possibly a bite).

In anticipation of Orion Pictures' new holiday film, a group of Austinites & zombies participated in a Surprise flash mob to the original song from the film, "Hollywood Ending" while...

Ever since Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson gave it a five-star review, we've been excited for Daily Dead readers to unwrap the holiday horrors of the zombie Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse. We're thrilled that Heather will be hosting a special Q&A with director John McPhail and co-star Chris Leveaux this Friday in Los Angeles, and to give you an idea of what to expect, Orion Pictures released a new clip from the film that features the rise of the living dead and an oblivious dance number in the midst of their carnage.

Directed by John McPhail from a screenplay by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, Anna and the Apocalypse stars Ella Hunt, Malcom Cumming, Ben Wiggins, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, and Paul Kaye.

Orion Pictures will release Anna and the Apocalypse in select theaters on November 30th, followed by a nationwide release on December 7th.

Turn your life around with the official soundtrack and a new clip from Orion Pictures' upcoming zombie holiday musical Anna and the Apocalypse! Watch as star Ella Hunt unknowingly sings her way through the zombie apocalypse and listen to the full soundtrack to hear the rest of the songs from the film. Don't miss Anna and the Apocalypse in select theaters November 30th, expanding nationwide December 7th.

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna (Ella Hunt) and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other...

The stellar cast of this unique Christmas musical filled...

MGM Holdings on Thursday reported revenue for the third quarter that was improved compared with the same period a year ago, but the company’s net income fell far short of last year’s mark.

In a filling on its investor relations website, MGM, which is a privately held company, said that revenue for the quarter ending Sept. 30 hit $380.2 million, up from $267.7 million during the same quarter last year.

The company’s net income, however, was $25.3 million, which was a decline compared with the $114.2 million in profits the company reported last year.

Also Read: MGM Partners With Lantern Entertainment to Develop, Distribute 'Boys in the Boat'

During the company’s third-quarter conference call with executives, however, which was previously recorded and posted later on Thursday, MGM chief financial officer Kenneth Kay said that the quarter’s results reflect “the investments we are making in long-term growth and value creation.”

He...

We’ve got a new clip from the zombie Christmas musical, Anna and the Apocalypse, for you to watch today. This one shows us Ella Hunt’s Anna and Sarah Swire’s Steph as they find a zombie in the women’s bathroom where they proceed to violently kills is by bloodily bashing its head in with a toilet seat.

There’s been a lot of hype online for this movie. This is one of those horror films that is going to have a loyal cult following. I like that it mixes together several different genres and does something unique and different that we don’t see very often. Here’s the synopsis:

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones.

Ever since Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson gave it a five-star review, we've been excited for Daily Dead readers to unwrap the holiday horrors of the zombie Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse. Giving horror fans a deeper look at the blood-stained laughs and comedic carnage to come, Orion Pictures has now revealed a new clip from Anna and the Apocalypse ahead of its theatrical release this holiday season.

Directed by John McPhail from a screenplay by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, Anna and the Apocalypse stars Ella Hunt, Malcom Cumming, Ben Wiggins, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, and Paul Kaye.

Orion Pictures will release Anna and the Apocalypse in select theaters on November 30th, followed by a nationwide release on December 7th.

Synopsis: "A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash...

Halloween isn't the only season that gets to have any horror fun when it comes to big genre movies. This Christmas, we're getting a couple of blood-tinged treats that will surely satisfy your craving for guts and goulash. But there is perhaps no bigger thriller heading our way than Anna and the Apocalypse. Which also happens to be a Christmas musical about zombies. It's really hitting every note with a big fat rock.

Today, we get a special preview from Anna and the Apocalypse. After an avalanche of cool posters, a few trailers, and even a music video, now we get our look at the first clip. And boy, is it a floozy of a doozy. Get your cherry slushies ready. You'll definitely need a refresher after sitting through this harrowing bit of trash cinema turned fried gold.

Yes, get a teeth-snarling first look at Orion Pictures' zombie holiday...

Anna and the Apocalypse Red Band International Trailer John McPhail‘s Anna and the Apocalypse (2017) international red band movie trailer stars Ella Hunt, Christopher Leveaux, Sarah Swire, Mark Benton, and Paul Kaye. Anna and the Apocalypse‘s plot synopsis: “When the zombie apocalypse hits the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – teenager [...]

Continue reading: Anna And The Apocalypse International Movie Trailer Proves “There’s no such thing as a Hollywood Ending”...

The upcoming zombie Christmas musical, Anna and the Apocalypse, has been building a lot of hype over the past few months and there seems to be a lot of people getting excited about it. This is going to be one of those films that finds a very dedicated cult following. Today we’ve got a new trailer for you to watch along with a delightful toe-tapping musical clip from the film.

The movie looks like it will be a charming blood and gore fest. The movie mixes together several different elements and genres and it definitely tries to do something unique and different. I’m excited about the movie, especially since I’m a fan of both horror films and musicals. Are there a lot of those around? Anyway, here’s the synopsis:

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight,...

If you are looking for an alternative Christmas adventure you won’t forget, with blood-thirsty Santas, zombified faculty members and original songs you’ll be singing ‘til New Year, Anna and the Apocalypse may just be what you are after. Watch the trailer below.

Related: Our review of Anna and the Apocalypse

Shot on location in Scotland, the film has enjoyed its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, receiving both critical praise and a nomination for the coveted Audience Award. At FrightFest, lead actress Ella Hunt was named Screen FrightFest Genre Rising Star 2018, and the film has also been nominated for Best Film and Best Actress [Ella Hunt] at the Scottish BAFTAs.

Directed by John McPhail, written by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, the film stars Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins and Marli Siu alongside British comedy stars Mark Benton and Paul Kaye.

Also in...

Ahead of its arrival in UK cinemas next month, Vertigo Releasing has revealed a new poster and red band trailer for Christmas zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse – which we caught at this years Edinburgh Film Festival, calling it “a thoroughly entertaining zombie musical that fully deserves its imminent cult following and marks out director McPhail and its young cast as serious talents to watch. Don’t miss it”. (Check out our full Anna and the Apocalypse review here)

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other…

Directed by...

Zombies are on the attack in the latest trailer for Anna and the Apocalypse. The high school zombie holiday movie is preparing to launch into theaters in November to get a jump on the Christmas season, after originally premiering at Fantastic Fest in September of 2017. The film has been getting rave reviews, one of which says that it's, "Shaun of the Dead meets La La Land," which describes it pretty well. While there are zombies on the attack and blood is everywhere, things get tied together nicely with sweet catchy songs.

Anna and the Apocalypse stars Ella Hunt, Malcom Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, and Marli Siu joined director John McPhail, as well as the film's composers, at Nycc over the weekend and delivered the first single, Hollywood Ending, from the movie. And now, there's a new trailer that takes a closer look at what zombie fans can expect when...

"Yeah - certain death is so much fun!" Vertigo Releasing in the UK has revealed a brand new, official UK trailer for the horror comedy Anna and the Apocalypse, which is really an enjoyable zombie Christmas musical. This trailer is much better than the Us one, capturing the crazy fun aspects of this movie. A girl and her friends must fight - and sing - their way through a zombie invasion to reach the supposed safety of their school, not knowing if their parents and friends are still alive. There's a bunch of original songs in this, a few you can hear in this trailer. Starring Ella Hunt as Anna, along with Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, and Mark Benton. I first saw this at the Sitges Film Festival last year and wrote a great review. If you love musicals, if you love zombies, you have to catch this.

Some zombie fans simply can't wait for Anna and the Apocalypse to hit theater screens. This particular subset of undead lovers also happen to be huge musical aficionados, and absolutely adore Christmas and holiday movies. Hey, it's not often that all of these genres collide in one big colorful explosion of death, gore and exuberantly cheery numbers. Today, we have an idea of what that looks like.

This past Saturday, the Anna and the Apocalypse cast appeared at Nycc for their first ever convention appearance! Stars Ella Hunt, Malcom Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, and Marli Siu joined director John McPhail, and composers Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly for a rousing panel and in-depth interviews about what fans can expect. Just prior tp the big Con weekend, the new Limited Edition Nycc poster for the anticipated Christmas Zombie Music was unveiled from award-winning artist Jim Evans, which you can check out below.

Anna And The Apocalypse open in select theaters November 30th, expanding nationwide December 7th!

There’s no such thing as a Hollywood ending in the official trailer and new stills from Orion Pictures’ Anna And The Apocalypse. When a zombie apocalypse descends upon their small town during Christmas, it’s up to Anna (Ella Hunt) and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to safety. Don’t miss this year’s biggest zombie holiday musical in select theaters November 30th, expanding nationwide December 7th!

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other…...

Anna and the Apocalypse Trailer John McPhail‘s Anna and the Apocalypse (2018) movie trailer stars Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cummings, Ben Wiggins, Sarah Swire, and Christopher Leveaux. Anna and the Apocalypse‘s plot synopsis: “The feature takes places in Little Haven on Christmas as a zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town, forcing Anna (Ella Hunt) and her high [...]

Continue reading: Anna And The Apocalypse (2018): Ella Hunt stars in John McPhail’s Zombie Christmas Musical...

We've got a fun and wild new trailer for Anna and the Apocalypse for you to check out today! If you haven't heard of this film yet, it's going to be the best zombie apocalypse zombie Christmas musical ever! Of course, it's probably the only zombie apocalypse Christmas musical movie that has ever been made. Regardless, the movie looks like it will deliver some great and bloody entertainment. The movie definitely tries to do something unique and different and I'm looking forward to watching it. Here's the synopsis:

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only...

"What a time to be alive!" Orion Pictures has debuted the new full-length trailer for a horror comedy titled Anna and the Apocalypse, which is a zombie Christmas musical. Here's the plot: a girl and her friends must fight - and sing - their way through a zombie invasion to reach the supposed safety of their school, not knowing if their parents and friends will still be alive when they get there. There's a bunch of original songs in this that are quite amusing and clever, even if they're not the catchiest. Starring Ella Hunt as Anna, along with Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, and Mark Benton. I saw this at the Sitges Film Festival last year and wrote a great review, which is quoted in this trailer (huzzah!). Orion is releasing this awesome horror musical in theaters this December, just in time for the holidays,...

The official trailer for Anna and the Apocalypse has arrived. Thanks to La La Land, musicals are back in vogue and that makes the timing of this particular movie seem almost too perfect. This is being billed as the first-ever zombie Christmas musical, which is a mash-up of genres that couldn't seem more ridiculous on paper. Yet, if the trailer is any indication, this is going to be a ridiculously fun part of the upcoming holiday season and something you're going to want to put on your Christmas list this year.

Orion Pictures picked up the movie for distribution after it debuted at Fantastic Fest last year to rave reviews. A trailer had made its way online nearly a year ago, which has since been taken down. So this serves as the first official trailer for Anna and the Apocalypse and it's loaded down with zombie carnage, dance numbers and...

Ever since Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson gave it a five-star review, we've been excited for Daily Dead readers to unwrap the holiday horrors of the zombie Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse. Giving horror fans a deeper look at the blood-stained laughs and comedic carnage to come, Orion Pictures has now revealed the official trailer and new images from Anna and the Apocalypse ahead of its theatrical release this holiday season.

Directed by John McPhail from a screenplay by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, Anna and the Apocalypse stars Ella Hunt, Malcom Cumming, Ben Wiggins, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, and Paul Kaye.

Orion Pictures will release Anna and the Apocalypse in select theaters on November 30th, followed by a nationwide release on December 7th.

Synopsis: "A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight,...

Can high school students sing and dance their way to safety during a zombie cataclysm in small-town Scotland at Christmas time? That’s the delightfully crazy and highly entertaining question in “Anna and the Apocalypse,” a horror-musical-comedy loaded with cartoonish gore and peppy production numbers performed with full “let’s put on a show” gusto by an appealing cast of little-knowns. Although this combo of carnage, crooning, and comedy is just a tad overlong, it has the originality and crowd-pleasing energy to become a Christmas movie hit when it opens theatrically in the U.K. and U.S. just in time for the holidays.

“Anna” registers as more than just a throwaway novelty item thanks to simple yet highly effective emotional underpinnings. For the first 15 minutes there’s not a drooling ghoul in sight. We’re in classic, John Hughes-style teen movie territory, with singing and dancing added. Anna, played...

A brand new poster for Anna and the Apocalypse has arrived. The poster comes fresh from San Diego Comic-Con, which is happening now through Sunday and is the premiere pop culture destination of the year. If you haven't heard of Anna and the Apocalypse just yet, it's being billed as the first-ever zombie Christmas musical and is set to arrive in theaters just in time for the holiday season later this year. Now, thanks to this new poster, people have a great idea of what to expect from what could very well be positioning itself as a future cult classic.

The poster is the first in a series of four designed by award-winning artist Jim Evans, who has also created posters for movies such as American Ultra, Shogun Assassin, The Green Inferno and some of the Saw sequels. He's also done work for bands like U2, The Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters,...

Stars: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye | Written by Alan McDonald, Ryan McHenry | Directed by John McPhail

Director John McPhail takes genre mash-up to new heights with this hugely entertaining Scottish horror comedy that plays like Shaun of the Dead meets High School Musical. It’s derived from the 2011 Scottish short Zombie Musical, whose late director Ryan McHenry (also responsible for the Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal meme) co-wrote the script before his tragic death in 2015.

Ella Hunt (Robot Overlords) plays Anna, a sixth former at her school in the small town of New Haven, who clashes with her widowed father (Mark Benton) over her desire to spend a year travelling instead of going off to university. Soon, however, Anna realises she has much bigger problems on her hands, as New Haven faces a full-on zombie apocalypse.

Banding...

The school year is half over and Anna (Ella Hunt) can’t wait to escape to Australia, even if it means missing the Christmas show in order to work off her ticket at the local bowling alley. After all, she’ll be sharing the graveyard shift with John (Malcolm Cumming), her best friend and secret admire, who has Christmas spirit to share. As the show gets underway back at school, and singer Lisa (Marli Sui) takes to the stage, her boyfriend Chris (Christopher Leveaux) is across town at a local soup kitchen filming with class activist Steph (Sarah Swire) when violence breaks out in the queue. Little Haven’s resident Santa is sick, you see, and it’s contagious.

Since their introduction in 1932’s White Zombie the walking dead have proliferated, the subgenre since reaching pandemic proportions with a staggering fifty-five installments released in 2014 alone. Zombies have spread from America,...

Since Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson gave it a five-star review at Fantastic Fest, we've been excited for readers to check out the zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, and now Orion Pictures has reportedly set a December release date for the horror comedy.

Deadline reports that Anna and the Apocalypse will be released in select Us theaters on Friday, December 7th, ahead of its nationwide release at a later date (that has yet to be announced). Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates and check out the previous press release and teaser trailer below:

Previous Press Release: Los Angeles — Orion Pictures, recently relaunched by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a new, stand-alone U.S. theatrical marketing and distribution company, has acquired the North American and Latin American rights to John McPhail’s award-winning zombie holiday musical Anna and the Apocalypse. The announcement was made today by John Hegeman, President,...

The world's first ever zombie, Christmas musical is making its way to theaters this December. Anna and the Apocalypse made its debut at last year's Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas and was met with an incredibly warm reception from critics. That led Orion Pictures to scoop up the very original horror flick and now, the studio has announced that the movie will arrive in limited release on December 7, with a nationwide rollout planned for subsequent weeks. So get your pipes, both the kind for singing and the kind for bashing in zombie's heads, ready for this year's holiday season.

In Anna and the Apocalypse, a zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven, Anna and her high school pals must fight, sing and slash their way to survival in this bizarre and original genre mashup. Teaming with her best friend John, Anna and her young group must try to...

Exclusive: Orion Pictures will open John McPhail’s Anna and the Apocalypse on Dec. 7 in select theaters before a nationwide rollout.

Based on the 2010 BAFTA-winning short Zombie Musical, Anna and the Apocalypse debuted at last year’s Fantastic Fest. Pic follows Anna (Ella Hunt) and her friends as they hack, slash and sing their way in a desperate race to save their loved ones during a zombie apocalypse – at Christmas. Malcom Cummings, Ben Wiggins, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Mark Benton (The Halcyon) and Paul Kaye (Game Of Thrones) also star. Pic was written by Alan McDonald and the late Ryan McHenry (who was behind the YouTube craze Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal videos). Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly wrote the music. Currently in the post Thanksgiving corridor there aren’t any studio wide releases, which is typical, but specialty labels like Fox Searchlight capitalize on launching...

Fantastic Fest premiere in 2017 was followed by prize at Sitges.

Vertigo Releasing has acquired UK rights to zombie musical Anna And The Apocalypse after sealing a deal with Amp International.

The film follows a group of friends who must fight – and sing – their way through a zombie invasion. It premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2017 and won Sitges’ Best Midnight X-Treme Feature Length Film prize.

Vertigo is plotting a wide theatrical UK release later this year to coincide with the North American release from Orion Pictures, the new Us marketing and distribution company launched by Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM).

Vertigo CEO Rupert Preston said: “This is an incredibly original and entertaining film that audiences across the UK will love and devour!”

Amp International has also sold the title to Japan (Pony Canyon), German-speaking Europe and Benelux (Splendid), Middle East (Front Row), Taiwan (MovieCloud), and Latin America (MGM).

Pan-Asian TV rights have gone to Fox Asia.

The deals were negotiated...

Smt Heads, Orion Pictures’ upcoming Anna And The Apocalypse has made the New Year ring! Coupled with Victor Crowley Final Trailer, indie horror is back and ready to put the chop down!

Dark Sky Films has brought the goods for Kane Hodder’s other Vintage Slasher hero. Check it out here:

Victor Crowley Fan-favorite Slasher Franchise Will Be Released On VOD And Digital on February 6, 2018 Dark Sky Films has announced the official release date of Victor Crowley, the surprise fourth film in the fan-favorite Hatchet franchise. The film will be released on VOD, Digital and Blu-ray and DVD on February 6, 2018. Kept tightly under wraps for over two years, the slasher reboot unexpectedly debuted this past August. The highly anticipated release was shown in theaters across the country in October as part of the “Victor Crowley Road Show.” Set a decade after the events of the series’ first three films, Victor...

Since Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson gave it a five-star review at Fantastic Fest, we've been excited for readers to check out the zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, and now horror fans are one step closer to seeing the horror comedy deck the cinematic halls, as Orion Pictures has acquired the film and is planning a holiday season release this year.

Press Release: Los Angeles – January 9, 2018 — Orion Pictures, recently relaunched by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a new, stand-alone U.S. theatrical marketing and distribution company, has acquired the North American and Latin American rights to John McPhail’s award-winning zombie holiday musical Anna and the Apocalypse. The announcement was made today by John Hegeman, President, Orion Pictures. Orion plans to release Anna and the Apocalypse in the 2018 holiday season.

The film stars Ella Hunt (Our Robot Overlords) as Anna, Mark Benton (The Halcyon), Paul Kaye (Game Of Thrones) and...

Orion Pictures has acquired the North American and Latin American rights to John McPhail’s zombie holiday musical “Anna and the Apocalypse,” the distribution company announced Tuesday. Orion, recently relaunched by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a standalone theatrical marketing and distribution company, plans to release the film in the 2018 holiday season.

“Anna and the Apocalypse” stars Ella Hunt, Mark Benton and Paul Kaye, along with a group of new talent: Malcom Cumming, Ben Wiggins, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux and Marli Su.

The zombie...

"What a time to be alive!" If the movie description "high school zombie comedy holiday musical" sounds like the mash-up from horror heaven, then you'll want to check out Anna and the Apocalypse. The new film recently had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, where Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson called it "simply divine & pure joy from start to finish," and you can now watch the official teaser trailer for the film that should have you tapping your toes... and looking down to make sure a zombie isn't about to bite them off.

Synopsis: "When a zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - Anna and her high school friends have to fight, sing and slash their way to survival with a fast-spreading undead horde in relentless pursuit. Teaming up with her best friend John, Anna and her crew fight their way through zombified snowmen,...

In John McPhail’s gorehound musical “Anna and the Apocalypse,” one of the standout world premieres at this year’s Fantastic Fest, our high school heroine (Ella Hunt) sleeps through the start of a worldwide zombie attack, slips on her headphones, steps out her front door, and begins to sing. “It’s a beautiful day!” belts Anna. Behind her, one neighbor dies, another falls out of a window, and as the camera pulls back, we see her small Scottish town is on fire. Yesterday, her dad (Mark Benton), the school janitor, found out she’s skipping college for a gap year in Australia, the class bully Nick (Ben Wiggins) propositioned her in the cafeteria, and her dorky best friend John (Malcolm Cumming) nearly lost his job when he accidentally thwacked their co-worker with a bowling shoe. Today, she dances down the street, swinging on light poles like Gene Kelly, totally...

As a massive fan of happy-go-not-so-lucky genre hybrids, it should come as no shock that I abso-f$%king-lutely dig John McPhail’s Anna And The Apocalypse – his Scottish Christmas horror musical zombie invasion flick with a heart of solid gold (co-written by Ryan McHenry). High School Musical meets Footloose meets Shaun of the Dead, with all the yuletide yucks you could want. Each song so deliberate in message – warnings about social media hypnotism to escaping small-town mentalities – and each zombie interaction coated in appropriate amounts of bloodshed. Gremlins, Anna And The Apocolypse, Black Christmas – my new favorite X-Mas triple feature.

Ella Hunt stars as Anna, a high school teen who dreams of jet-setting before her university stint and the pursuit of a successful career. Father Tony (Mark Benton) disagrees with his daughter’s decision – as any protective parent would – but a freak event keeps Anna from fleeing her simple little community – the zombie apocalypse.

"Oh the weather outside is frightful..." Blazing Griffin has unveiled the very first teaser trailer for a horror comedy titled Anna and the Apocalypse, which is basically a zombie Christmas musical. Yeah, you read that right, this is one of the very few, rare horror musicals and it looks kind of awesome. Here's the plot: a girl and her friends must fight - and sing - their way through a zombie invasion to reach the supposed safety of their school, not knowing if their parents and friends will still be alive when they get there. Starring Ella Hunt as Anna, plus Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, and Mark Benton. This looks bloody, and bloody brilliant, and I can't wait to see it. From the looks of it, this could be one of the best zombie films since Shaun of the Dead. Here's to hoping it turns out superb.

Ahead of its premiere later this week at Fantastic Fest, the creators behind Anna and the Apocalypse have released a teaser trailer for a glimpse into the absurd world of zombie Christmas musical. The movie is based off of the 2010 Zombie Musical short film by the late BAFTA winning Ryan McHenry who co-wrote the script with Alan McDonald. Anna and the Apocalypse was directed by John McPhail (Where Do We Go From Here) and it looks like High School Musical made a Christmas comedy movie and mixed it with The Walking Dead.

The trailer comes to us courtesy of Deadline and it features a group of friends trying to survive a zombie apocalypse during the holidays. The trailer begins with a play on T'was the Night Before Christmas by a narrator who peppers in rhymes about Anna and the undead with some cheerful holiday music playing underneath. What happens next is pretty self-explanatory,...

You know that zombie musical that everyone who loves zombie movies and TV shows has been asking for? Well, it is finally happening. Anna and the Apocalypse, a full-length zombie musical, is currently in the works and has started filming in Glasgow, Scotland.

The news comes courtesy of Screen Daily who are reporting that Anna and the Apocalypse is already underway. Filmmaker Ryan McHenry, who was probably best known for his viral short Ryan Gosling Won't Eat His Cereal, wrote the screenplay for the movie, which is based off the short he wrote and directed back in 2010 called Zombie Musical. Originally, Ryan McHenry was supposed to directed Anna and the Apocalypse but sadly, he died of cancer back in 2015 at the age of 27. John McPhail, who directed the 2016 rom-com Where Do We Go From Here, has taken over directing duties on the project. Here is how the movie is being described in the report.

Exclusive: Mark Benton, Paul Kaye join Ella Hunt; Amp handles sales; Creative Scotland among backers.

Shoot on zombie comedy-musical Anna And The Apocalypse is underway in and around Glasgow, Scotland.

In the movie, a girl and her friends must fight – and sing – their way through a zombie invasion to reach the supposed safety of their school, not knowing if their parents and friends will still be alive when they get there.

Emerging UK actress Ella Hunt (Our Robot Overlords) stars in the title role alongside Mark Benton (ITV drama The Halcyon) who plays her father and Paul Kaye (Game Of Thrones), who plays the wicked antagonist Savage.

Ryan McHenry, who wrote and directed the 2010 short film Zombie Musical upon which it is based, wrote the original script and was due to direct the feature but the filmmaker died of cancer in 2015 aged 27. He was best known for creating viral hit Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal...