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Heart Eyes director Josh Ruben may be a horror filmmaker, but nothing could’ve prepared him for the waking nightmare he experienced last month.

On Jan. 7, just weeks before Ruben and his wife Lauren Sick were slated to move into their dream home in Altadena, they watched along in horror as the Eaton Fire headed straight for their new neighborhood in Los Angeles County. While they assumed the worst when their security camera cut to black, Ruben and Sick received confirmation on Jan. 9 that their vacant home was gone. Immediately, friends and collaborators like Mark Duplass, Jordana Brewster and Christopher Landon came to their aid and rallied wider support from the general public, raising nearly $75,000 to get the beloved filmmaking couple back on their feet.

In the process, Ruben also overcame two of the most common fears a person can have: asking for help and accepting it.

“It’s virtually...

“Maury The Miserable Vampire” To Hit The Big Screen As An Animated Feature: "Theatrical rights for “Maury the Miserable Vampire,” the surprise hit children’s book written by first-time author Jeff Roland, have been acquired by Josh Ruben’s Nocturnal Kid, a new genre label from the director of 2020’s breakout Sundance hit, Scare Me, and Ubisoft’s Werewolves Within. Nocturnal Kid plans to adapt the film into an animated feature. The acquisition was announced today by Ruben and Roland, who will also be writing the screenplay.

Complete with easter eggs and a hidden puzzle, the book contains positive messages for children about friendship and acceptance. Available from major retailers and Amazon, Maury has become a beloved member of families all over the country.

“I’m a big fan of Josh’s work and know that he has the exact mindset needed to not only handle a story involving classic...

The Hallmark Channel recently came under fire for its decision to pull four commercials from wedding planning company Zola which featured two women kissing. The decision came in response to pressure from conservative group One Million Moms, which called for a boycott of the network, though afterwards Hallmark quickly found itself in even hotter water with the rest of its audience. While the network cut four ads showing the women kissing, it continued to air two that featured a heterosexual couple kissing.

The network, which is owned by Crown Media Family Networks, reversed course on Sunday, reinstating the ads and issuing an apology. “The Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we’ve seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused,” Hallmark Cards Inc. President Mike Perry said in a statement. “Said simply, they believe this was the wrong decision. Our mission is rooted in helping all people connect,...