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Ask any stunt person, and they'll tell you: the ability to sell taking a punch is just as important, and perhaps more so, than credibly throwing one. Ask any editor or sound designer, and they'll corroborate this and then some. If you've ever watched raw dailies from an action movie, you'll note how oddly weightless a lot of fight sequences become when they're robbed of their rhythm and the satisfying Thwam sound of their body blows. All this is to say that action in cinema is so incredibly dependent on selling the total effect of the violence, even more than show-stopping stunts and feats of strength and dexterity. Since it's all in the timing, it's no wonder that so many great action directors either come from or are adept at comedy -- from Buster Keaton to Jackie Chan.

However, there are just as many great action filmmakers who come from the world of horror,...

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In the realm of TV in the 2000s, few network shows can compete with the success of "Blue Bloods." Debuting on CBS in 2010, the police procedural enjoyed a ridiculously healthy run, airing 14 seasons and nearly 300 episodes. But all good things do come to an end, with CBS canceling the popular series at the end of 2023. That was rough for fans but fortunately, these characters will live on. Or, at the very least, one very popular character will.

Donnie Wahlberg's Danny Reagan is going to headline his very own spin-off, which will keep the "Blue Bloods" universe alive. Get ready for "Boston Blue." As the title implies, this new show will take Danny to a new location, with a new cast of characters, and new cases for him to crack. So, what do we know about the show? How soon is it happening?...

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World will reign supreme in its second weekend with roughly a $30M+ take as it holds on to Imax and premium screens, but watch out for Neon’s second Oz Perkins movie The Monkey.

Currently, the pic based on the Stephen King tome and starring Theo James and Tatiana Maslany looks to do around $17M, give-or-take, at 3,200 theaters, but don’t underestimate this little beast from Atomic Monster, which now is partnered with Blumhouse.

The pic’s trailer blew up with 109M views, as Deadline first told you, an anomaly for an indie horror movie. Plus, Neon has been cleverly stunting this movie with a funeral session church premiere, Hollywood Cemetery fan screenings and 8-foot tall monkey statues in multiplex lobbies — which take six people to assemble — all leading into Fandango declaring the title the best horror ticket pre-seller year-to-date. And there’s been...

Clowns have been known for being more frightening than funny for the longest time in the horror genre. There is a reason why the fear of clowns has its own term, "coulrophobia." What was once a cheerful figure with a big red nose and balloon animal artistry that served as entertainment for children's birthday parties has morphed into an evil monster with a talent for terror. The mention of clowns in horror conjures up popular picks like Stephen King's iconic Pennywise and, more recently, Art the Clown, and while these infamous figures are frightening, there are far more clowns to fear in the genre.

The It and Terrifier movies will scratch that clown horror itch, but there are so many underrated horror movies with clowns that are just as scary and perhaps even a little silly. When looking for actual scares, The Houses October Built and Clown are excellent...

The iconic Rod Serling created The Twilight Zone as an outlet for his most controversial ideas. Dystopian science fiction provided the perfect cover for his critiques of conservative society — but his groundbreaking series also demonstrated his mastery of the horror genre. The ten most bone-chilling Twilight Zone episodes prove that fears about the future are no match for the terrors that could transpire here and now.

These stories are more than 60 years old, but they continue to frighten today's masters of horror. Some served as inspirations behind modern genre classics ranging from Annabelle to Us, while other episodes are too original to be imitated. These deadly dolls, creepy kids, and phone calls from beyond the veil still hold up as major achievements in horror.

The Dummy Helped Make Ventriloquism An Enduring Horror Trope Season 3, Episode 33

Image via CBS.

Killer dolls and deadly dummies were featured frequently on The Twilight Zone,...

Though there may have once been plans for a follow-up to the film, Leigh Whannell seems to confirm the sequel to his underrated sci-fi action movie is no longer happening. The Australian filmmaker first rose to stardom thanks to 2004's Saw, a feature-length expansion of his and James Wan's horror short of the same name, with Whannell writing and co-starring in the film. Subsequent years saw Whannell and Wan's creative partnership continue with the first two Saw sequels, the first two Insidious movies and supernatural horror movie Dead Silence.

The past decade has seen Whannell expand his talents by stepping into the director's chair for a variety of movies, beginning with his feature debut on Insidious: Chapter 3. More recently, Whannell found widespread acclaim for his reboot of The Invisible Man, retooling and salvaging its original plans as part of Universal's scrapped Dark Universe franchise. Most recently, the...

The Walking Dead has brought fans a lot of tremendous villains over the years. From The Whisperers and The Governor in the main series, to the Croat and Dama in the first season of Dead City, the spinoff which focuses on Negan and Maggie. Ahead of the Season 2 premiere later this year, we now have a glimpse into the latest bad guy thanks to star Kim Coates, who teases his new villain as one of the most vicious yet.

MovieWeb caught up with Coates to discuss his new Netflix series American Primeval, and the subject of Dead City Season 2 came up. When asked to share a little about his villainous role in the sophomore outing, Coates teased that the character of Brugal was definitely written for him.

"Eli Jorné, the showrunner, picked me and said 'You have to play this guy,' and I said 'Send me some of the scripts,...

The Alien franchise is known for its terrifying creatures and relentless tension, and several books have a similar feel. For those fascinated by futuristic technology, cosmic horror, or the unrelenting nature of survival, there’s something about the Alien movies that resonates deeply.

Fortunately, there are many fantastic books that are perfect for Alien enthusiasts. From spine-chilling space horror to thought-provoking tales of survival, there’s always something out there to help feed that growing need for more adventures with the Xenomorphs.

Dead Silence By S.A. Barnes

Tapping into the same nerve-wracking mix of science fiction and horror, Dead Silence is a gripping novel that delivers everything an Alien enthusiast would love — an isolated spacecraft, an ominous atmosphere, and the creeping dread of something lurking in the darkness. The book follows the crew of a salvage ship who stumble upon the Aurora, a long-lost luxury space liner. Inside, they...

In Josh Cooley's "Toy Story 4," Woody (Tom Hanks) falls out of his family's Rv on a road trip, and falls in with a group of lost toys. As audiences know from the previous "Toy Story" movies, toys are only happy when children play with them, and lost toys have found a way to travel throughout a neighborhood's multiple public parks, burying themselves in sandboxes right when certain preschools break for the day. Lost toys live in a strange state of chaotic bliss. 

Toys that don't get played with, meanwhile, become bitter and evil. This was true of the old prospector Stinky Pete (Kelsey Grammer) in 1999's "Toy Story 2," and it's certainly true of Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) in "Toy Story 4." Gabby is a decades-old talking doll that has wound up in a small-town antique store. No one will buy Gabby, however, because her inner voice box broke many years ago.

To be honest, we may be just as confused as you are, but we have our theories and just as many more questions about what exactly is happening in “From” Season 3.

Of course, the writers won’t give up the core details of the show so easily, but what an intense ride they’re taking viewers on. From wild hallucinations of a skeleton ghost woman, to a town where human-looking come out at night to chow down on human flesh, John Griffin has created a world that’s full of wonders, and we’re just trying to get to the bottom of it — not where the monsters sleep though.

Here are the five biggest questions we need answered in “From” Season 3.

“From” (MGM+) What exactly are the people/monsters that come at night?

That’s honestly the biggest question most fans have probably had since they stepped into creator John...

The 10 Freakiest Film & TV Dolls of All Time — From Chucky to M3GAN - Main Image

When people think of something scary for Halloween, usually they think up some kind of big scary monster or psychopath with a weapon; but there’s also some horror to be found from the exact opposite of big monsters—creepy little dolls.

The horror genre has had some very memorable creepy dolls for decades, and we take a look at some that are worth checking out for anyone looking to get spooked for the Halloween season.

Chucky (Child’s Play)

Probably responsible for a lot of trauma for millennials when it comes to dolls, Chucky made his debut in 1988’s Child’s Play. His origin is that Chucky was originally serial killer Charles Lee Ray who was dying in a toy store, and in a last-ditch effort committed some voodoo to transfer his consciousness into...

James Wan has been an accomplished director in the horror genre for just shy of two decades. While he's directed other films outside the horror genre, most of his horror creations have become successful franchises. He began his career by co-creating and directing the movie Saw with Leigh Whannell. Wan eventually worked up to building The Conjuring Universe, which has grossed over 2 billion dollars.

While Wan has had mega success within the horror film scene, some of his films have had mixed reviews. Not all are winners, but there are some phenomenal horror films and lore within the movies that he's made. With over nine horror films directed, some precede others in greatness.

Dead Silence Had a Twisted, Entertaining Ending 2007

Dead Silence Critical Reception

IMDb Score

6.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score

21%

Dead Silence follows Jamie Ashen unraveling the mystery surrounding the death of his wife, Lisa Ashen. Her death abruptly happens after...

When it comes to “epic sagas,” horror might not be the genre that first comes to mind. Sure, there are long-lasting franchises like Halloween, Friday the 13th, Saw, and Scream. But in terms of long-form storytelling with world-building and distinct character arcs, the closest to a “saga” would likely be The Walking Dead, with not only its main storyline in both comics and TV, but its many spin-offs as well.

It’s also not always the first genre folks think of when the term “worlds colliding” comes to mind. Of course, there’s your Alien vs. Predator and Freddy vs. Jason—but that’s just it, it’s always two characters opposing one another. Seldom are there team-ups, converging timelines, and characters from vastly different landscapes put in a position to work together in horror; that’s generally saved for your standard superhero fare.

But that’s exactly what happens...

The "sophomore slump" in art is such an assumed phenomenon that it feels almost unfairly like a prerequisite more than a common occurrence. Sure, many creatives often follow up groundbreaking debuts with efforts that don't quite reach the same level of quality and/or success, but there are far more whose follow-up album or film is just as good in its own unique way. In some cases, it takes time for these works to be fully appreciated, as the fog of hype and expectation can cloud one's judgment, of course. These factors are only heightened by the volume of opinions from audiences and critics who wish to participate in another trend that's commonly associated with follow-up films: people love to pile on what negativity they can, perhaps to prove that an artist isn't as good as they've been cracked up to be, or to humble them, or whatever psychology you'd...

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in September. The Peacock September 2024 schedule includes Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, which tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery on the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight transformed Atlanta into the “Black Mecca”).

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie on September 11 (all nine seasons are currently streaming on Peacock). Plus, get a double dose of housewife realness with the two-part reunion of The Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2 uncensored on September 11 and 18, and the season five premiere of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on September 19.

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist

September also brings the spooks! Peacock’s “Face Your Fears” horror collection starts to roll out on the 1st, with more than 75+ Halloween titles arriving in September alone,...

Spooky season is nearly here.

And Peacock, Universal’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform, has just unveiled its Halloween programming line-up, full of tricks and treats from the studio’s back catalog, as well as two new series (“Teacup” and “Hysteria!”) for some fresh scares.

In 2022 and ’23, there was at least one big Blumhouse movie that simultaneously debuted on Peacock — in ’22, it was David Gordon Green’s trilogy-capping “Halloween Ends” and last year, it was the video game adaptation “Five Nights at Freddy’s”. This year doesn’t have anything quite like that, but it’s still a powerful collection of titles for every viewer.

The Sept. 1 batch includes classics like “Bride of Frankenstein,” “It Came From Outer Space” and “Werewolf of London;” 1980s favorites like “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” “The Funhouse” and “The Thing;” along with more modern hits like the original “Candyman,” Jordan Peele’s “Us” and several entries in the “Saw” franchise.

This year, Peacock is bringing everything you need to face your fears, with more than 150 new Halloween titles heading to the service through October.

From Universal classics like Frankenstein, The Raven, and Phantom of the Opera to nostalgic favorites like Child’s Play, The Craft, and Candyman to frightening franchises like Saw, The Purge, and Leprechaun, and the best of Blumhouse like Get Out, Halloween Kills, and Happy Death Day, Peacock has all the titles to get you into the Halloween spirit.

Two new originals – James Wan’s horror series Teacup and the satanic panic thriller Hysteria! – and The Mouse Trap‘s streaming debut will also be available.

Peacock Halloween 2024 Lineup

Peacock Originals

October 10: Teacup (Peacock Original)

New Episodes: October 17, October 24; Finale: October 31

Teacup follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive. Inspired by...

Peacock invites you to face your fears this Halloween with more than 150 new horror titles headed to the streaming service from September 1 straight through All Hallow’s Eve.

From Universal classics, like Frankenstein, The Raven and Phantom Of The Opera, and nostalgic favorites, like Child’S Play, The Craft and Candyman, to frightening franchises, like Saw, The Purge and Leprechaun, and the best of Blumhouse, like Get Out, Halloween Kills and Happy Death Day, Peacock aims to be “your Halloween HQ with a full spectrum of scares to enjoy.”

Not to mention, two new originals – James Wan’s horror series, Teacup, and satanic panic thriller, Hysteria! – as well as the streaming debut of The Mouse Trap.

Here’s the full Halloween 2024 lineup from Peacock…

September 1

30 Days Of Night (2007)

Amityville II: The Possession

Amityville 3-D

The Amityville Harvest

Amityville Moon

The Amityville Uprising

Bride Of Frankenstein

Candyman (1992)

Child’s Play (1988)

The Creature Walks Among Us...

Peacock was the underdog streaming service of the summer with the broadcast of the 2024 Summer Olympics. Now, NBCUniversal’s little streamer that could is gearing up to be the primo destination for spooky season. On Tuesday, Peacock declared its intent to “be your Halloween HQ” this year with the addition...

There are many iconic horror movie directors that audiences have come to know and love, like Wes Craven, John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper. These filmmakers have provided viewers with hours of quality scary movie entertainment, and in many cases, have even helped to define the genre. These legends have had a hand in creating some of the most recognizable faces in horror, including Ghostface in the Scream franchise, Michael Myers in Halloween, and Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Today there is also a crop of new horror movie directors contributing to the genre. Filmmakers like Robert Eggers and Leigh Whannell are bringing their own creative visions to horror. Whether it's directors of the past or the new directors of the present, there are many hidden gem horror films by these directors that have gone overlooked. Fans of the genre won't want to miss out on underrated films from...

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of September titles. The Tubi September 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.

You can watch the Tubi September 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals

Action

Hazard – 9/6

Noah really loves his girlfriend,...

James Wan and Leigh Whannell are the Aussie duo who took Hollywood by storm with two popular horror franchises. 2004's Saw was deemed an early entry in the torture porn subgenre, despite this directorial debut by Wan and screenwriting debut by Whannell being closer to a psychological thriller than a gory shocker. In 2011, Insidious saw the director and writer duo have fun in supernatural terror with a focus on intense jump scares over grisly violence. New sequels for both are on the way. In between the first installments of the two franchises, was Dead Silence, a 2007 horror movie that was a dud with critics and moviegoers. Its not beloved by everyone, not even Wan or Leigh Whannell, themselves, but coming after Saw, it has many elements the duo fine-tuned when they did Insidious, and Wan then expanded upon in The Conjuring and Malignant. Dead Silence's dreary atmosphere would please Edgar Allan Poe,...

The following contains minor spoilers for Chucky Season 3, Episode 5, "Death Becomes Her," which aired on April 10 on Syfy and USA Network.

After 35 years inside a "Good Guy" doll, Chucky's age is finally catching up to him with the pint-sized killer literally on his deathbed in Chucky Season 3. Unable to move, Chucky begins channel surfing, which is when he stumbles across Blumhouse's M3GAN, reigniting his feud with the female killer doll.

Per ComicBook.com, "Death Becomes Her," the fifth episode of Chucky Season 3, finds the title character flipping through the channels on his television and providing commentary on the killer doll movies that appear on the screen. He first comes across the 2015 horror film, The Boy, calling the porcelain doll Brahms "a fucking joke." 2007's Dead Silence is on the next channel, which Chucky roasts for not being able to "even get a franchise." Finally, Chucky lands on M3GAN, prompting him to exclaim,...

Over the last two decades, Leigh Whannell has established himself as one of horror's greatest minds. We first got to know him after writing and starring in Saw, directed by James Wan, but he also wrote the first two Saw sequels, then reconnected with Wan to team up on Dead Silence, Insidious, and Insidious: Chapter 2. He's a brilliant writer in the genre, but with that firmly established, it was time for Whannell to show that he could make a film himself. He directed Insidious: Chapter 3 and the highly underrated Upgrade, but in 2020 came his best film, The Invisible Man.

In the shadowy corridors of horror cinema, there are those films that, despite the cold shoulder from critics, have wormed their way into the hearts of fans, becoming cult classics or beloved guilty pleasures. Today, we’re diving into a crypt of such misunderstood treasures, highlighting “10 Great Horror Movies That Are Way Better Than Their Low Rotten Tomatoes Scores”.

These films, while not always basking in critical acclaim, have undeniably etched themselves into the genre’s vast landscape, offering unique scares, laughs, and everything in between. So, let’s peel back the curtain on these underappreciated gems, proving that sometimes, the most memorable horrors are those that dare to diverge from the norm.

As Above, So Below (2014) | Universal 10. As Above, So Below (2014) – Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 26%

Venturing into the catacombs beneath Paris, As Above, So Below follows Scarlett (Perdita Weeks), a driven archaeologist, as she seeks the fabled Philosopher’s Stone.

The Halloweenies take a quick post-holiday vacay to Raven’s Fair to discuss James Wan‘s 2007 supernatural horror film, Dead Silence. Together, they discuss Wan’s bleached-out style, the muddled mythology, Donnie Wahlberg‘s scene-stealing performance, and, naturally, 2010’s Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. Note: This episode was recorded in September 2021.

Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, and this past year’s Chucky!

Next up? Get ready to board the Nostromo with the Alien franchise.

You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries, one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals, and even spinoffs like their recent run Fortune & Glory: An Indiana Jones Podcast.

The common thread that unites all James Wan movies is sincerity. The director of modern horror classics like "Saw," "Insidious," and "The Conjuring," blockbuster behemoths like "Furious 7" and "Aquaman," and beloved cult items like "Dead Silence" and "Malignant" doesn't allow a single shred of snark or cynicism into his movies. Even his horror movies wear their hearts on their sleeves, which means this is doubly true for his bigger movies aimed at a massive worldwide audience. The first "Aquaman" made over a billion bucks by staying true to its goofball nature. In troubled times, it's clear audiences are buying Wan's particular brand of earnestness. 

Wan's latest film, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," opens in theaters this week, and I had the opportunity to sit down with the filmmaker over Zoom to chat all about it. We talked about drumming octopuses and how the world of "Aquaman" carries the...

James Wan took us into The Further when he directed the first two Insidious films a decade ago, now he’s set to take us… nowhere. Deadline reports that Wan’s production company Atomic Monster is behind an NBC series called Nowhere, which comes from Siberia and Emerald City creator Matthew Arnold. Arnold serves as creator, executive producer, and showrunner on the show, which is currently in development.

In addition to Atomic Monster, Vertigo Entertainment, Room 101, and Antihero Entertainment also have a hand in the development of Nowhere. Wan will be executive producing with Rob Hackett and Michael Clear for Atomic Monster, while Natalie Viscuso and Roy Lee executive produce for Vertigo, Steve Schneider executive produces for Room 101, and Aengus McLoone does the same for Antihero Entertainment. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.

Arnold originally envisioned Nowhere as a novella, then when he wrote...

This episode of Revisited was Written by Cody Hamman, Narrated by Travis Hopson, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Adam Walton and Chris Bumbray, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Over-the-top action sequences. Bone-crunching fights between titans of the action genre. A popular horror director getting his chance to make a massive-budget blockbuster. Fast & Furious 7 (watch it Here) brings all of those elements to the table. But it’s primarily remembered for being a production that was disrupted by tragedy. And we’re going to look into how it all played out in this episode of Revisited.

Universal Pictures doesn’t have a lot of major blockbuster franchises. In 2012, Jurassic Park had been dormant for a decade and the Bourne Identity movies had lost Jason Bourne. So they really only had Fast and Furious. It makes sense that while they were sending the sixth movie out into the world,...

James Wan is currently doing the press rounds for his latest film, the superhero sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (you can read our interview with him on the Aquaman 2 subject Here), but during a conversation with the folks at Collider he indicated that he may be returning to horror for his next project.

Of course, Wan got into the entertainment industry with horror, directing the franchise starter Saw as his first feature. Since then, he has directed several more horror films and started a couple more franchises in the process: Dead Silence, Insidious, The Conjuring, Insidious: Chapter 2, The Conjuring 2, and Malignant. He also branched out into revenge thriller territory with Death Sentence and directed the blockbusters Furious 7 and Aquaman.

Asked what’s next for him, Wan said, “You know, I have a tendency to want to go back and forth. So, whenever I make a smaller film,...

From slashers set in the middle of the woods to bone-chilling haunted houses, the horror genre's versatility never ceases to terrify the different types of horror fan. That said, there are plenty of movies in the genre that aren't for the faint of heart, and watching these creepy films with the lights on can be advised.

The horror fandom is as diverse as the genre itself, and while some love the immersion of watching a horror film with the lights off and alone in the dark, this isn't true for everyone. Halloween is an especially great time to watch these terrifying movies, and there's always something for everyone. Horror is at its best when it can scare viewers enough to look over their shoulders and switch the lights on for some extra piece of mind, and some movies are a testament to that.

Creep

Release Date

March 8, 2014

Director

Patrick Brice...

Five Nights at Freddy’s is a supernatural horror film directed by Emma Tammi, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Seth Cuddeback. Based on a video game series of the same name by Scott Cawthon, the film revolves around a troubled security guard who starts his new job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. You know what happens next. Five Nights at Freddy’s stars Mike Schmidt, Elizabeth Lail, and Matthew Lillard. So, if you love the horror film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Willy’s Wonderland (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Screen Media Films

Synopsis: When his car breaks down, a quiet loner (Nic Cage) agrees to clean an abandoned family fun center in exchange for repairs. He soon finds himself waging war against possessed animatronic mascots while trapped inside Willy’s Wonderland.

Dead Silence (Peacock & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Universal Pictures

Synopsis: You Scream. You Die. Dare...

One of the best decisions the creatives behind Blumhouse's "Five Nights at Freddy's" film adaptation (read /Film's review) made was hiring Jim Henson's Creature Shop to manufacture its merrily murderous mascot animatronics as real-life puppets and not CGI creations. Both the movie and the original video games take place at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a Chuck E. Cheese-style family entertainment center populated by giant animatronics who like to sneak around and murder people under the cover of night. It would be one thing if Mr. Fazbear and his friends were obviously computer-animated in the film. But the fact they're as tactile as the flesh-and-blood humans they're stalking makes the horror of the situation that much more immediate and perceptible.

Puppet horror, in general, thrives on practical effects for similar reasons. Part of what makes the ventriloquist dummies work in films like "Magic" and "Dead Silence" -- besides their creepily uncanny...

Not many directors are responsible for a single massive horror franchise. James Wan has three under his belt. Since his 2004 feature debut “Saw,” the Australian filmmaker and founder of the Atomic Monster production company has had a hand in creating some of the most influential horror movies of the 21st century. He’s shown no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Born in Malaysia and raised in Australia since age 7, Wan graduated with a degree in Media from Rmit University in 1999. In 2004, he headed to Hollywood with his friend Leigh Whannell, directing Whannell’s nasty script about a killer who uses deadly games to torment those he deems necessary to punish. Released by Lionsgate, the first “Saw” movie was a ridiculously profitable success, grossing over $103 million on a $1 million budget. It spawned a franchise with a truly intense, labyrinthine mythology and a dedicated fanbase. Although he’s never directed or written a followup,...

Having taken the world by storm with "Saw" in 2004, Australian director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell were suddenly the hottest new act in horror. Unfortunately, three years later, the duo would suffer the dreaded "sophomore slump" with "Dead Silence," an original puppet horror film that was lambasted by critics and bombed at the box office, barely matching its $20 million budget. It's a shame, honestly. I won't deny that "Dead Silence" has its problems (which we will get into), but it's also an enthrallingly gothic tale of mystery and the macabre (one bursting with creative ideas and inventively ghastly visuals). Not to mention it functions as a useful primer for the rest of Wan and Whannell's horror oeuvre.

"Dead Silence" starts out pretty nasty and only gets meaner the further along it goes. Upon being anonymously gifted with a ventriloquist doll named Billy (think Slappy from "Goosebumps" only somehow even...

Amazon is running a massive sale on over 100 Scream Factory titles today, including some of the lowest-ever prices on their 4K UHDs and Blu-rays. Now is the time to stock up!

Here are some of the top horror highlights from the sale…

Halloween 4K UHDs:

Halloween – $22.99 Halloween II – $20.99 Halloween III – $20.99 Halloween 4 – $20.99 Halloween 5 – $19.99 Halloween 6 / Halloween H20 / Halloween: Resurrection – $59.99

John Carpenter 4K UHDs:

They Live – $18.99 They Live [Steelbook] – $23.99 The Fog – $19.99 The Fog [Steelbook] – $25.99 Prince of Darkness – $19.99 Escape From New York – $20.99 Halloween – $22.99

4K UHDs:

Child’s Play – $22.99 Child’s Play 2 – $20.99 Child’s Play 3 – $19.99 The Howling – $19.99 The Funhouse – $19.99 Slumber Party Massacre / Slumber Party Massacre II – $20.99 Carrie – $20.99 Carrie [Steelbook] – $22.17 Brotherhood of the Wolf – $20.99 Cat People – $20.99 Happy Death Day – $20.99 Happy Death Day 2U – $20.99 Army of Darkness – $21.99 Evil Dead (2013) – $21.99 Dog Soldiers – $21.99 The Haunting of Julia – $21.99 Lifeforce – $21.99 Krampus: The Naughty Cut – $21.99 Alligator – $21.99 The People Under the Stairs -$22.99 Bubba Ho-Tep – $22.99 The Exorcist III – $22.99 Dawn of the Dead (2004) – $22.99 Motel Hell – $22.99 Dead Silence – $22.99 The Return of the Living Dead...

James Wan earned his recognition by directing known horror movies. His first notable work was 2004’s ‘Saw,’ a horror movie that spawned the entire franchise, for which the tenth installment will be released later this month. Wan also directed ‘Dead Silence,’ and the first two installments of ‘The Conjuring’ and ‘Insidious’ franchises. His first non-horror movie was 2015’s ‘Furious 7,’ which grossed over $1.5 billion. In 2018, he debuted in the superhero genre with ‘Aquaman,’ which grossed $1.148 billion and became the highest-grossing DC movie ever.

After five years of waiting, ‘Aquaman’ will finally get a sequel this December, and Wan returned to direct it. However, DC Studios is currently in a rough era since every DC movie released this year was a commercial failure. Since Wan’s ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is set to close Dceu for good, the box-office predictions for the upcoming sequel do not look promising at all.

In James Wan's "Aquaman," Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) struggles with his legacy as heir to Atlantis and overcomes obstacles to claim what is rightfully his. This victory is hard-earned and not without opposition, and this transition will serve as the premise for Wan's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Now, as the King of Atlantis, Arthur has to contend with the return of Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and seek help from his estranged family to protect his kingdom. While "Aquaman 2" will lean heavily into the themes of revenge and heroic retribution, director James Wan has also incorporated a primary element from the "Fast and Furious" franchise: family.

In a trailer reveal event for "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" attended by /Film's Jenna Busch, Wan spoke about the themes the sequel embodies, and how family emerges as a key motivator for Arthur in the upcoming film. While explaining this aspect,...

Dolls, with their lifeless eyes and eerily human-like features, have long been a staple in horror cinema. Their uncanny ability to blur the line between the animate and inanimate makes them the perfect vessel for terror. Whether they’re possessed by malevolent spirits or simply designed to be unsettling, these dolls are anything but child’s play. Here’s a list of ten creepy doll horror movies that will make you rethink that old toy collection gathering dust in your attic.

MGM 10. Child’s Play (1988)

The film that introduced the world to Chucky, the killer doll with the soul of a serial murderer. When young Andy receives a “Good Guy” doll for his birthday, little does he know that it’s possessed by the spirit of Charles Lee Ray, a notorious killer. Child’s Play masterfully combines dark humor with genuine scares, making it a standout in the creepy doll subgenre. Its success spawned numerous sequels,...

Saw X, soon-to-be included as another entry to the Saw series, is coming to theaters in 2023, which gives fans of the franchise an opportunity to rewatch all the terrifying torture trap-based movies in preparation for Jigsaw's return. While there are plenty of movies in the series -- seven mainline films, the prequel story aptly named Jigsaw and the spinoff Spiral that stars a copycat killer -- to get fans ready for this latest installment, there is also another horror film that is deserving of a little more attention this Saw season -- 2007's Dead Silence.

The film is directed by James Wan, a well-known director and producer who does his best work in the most gruesome genre and is mostly recognized for his directing of hit horror films like Insidious and The Conjuring. However, this Australian filmmaker also has a history with the Saw movies. In fact, his involvement...

The Nun II Release Date: 2023-09-08 Quick Links The Latest The Nun 2 News The Nun 2 Release Date The Nun 2 Cast The Nun 2 Story The Nun 2 Trailer The Nun II is set to be released on September 8, 2023, with Valak returning as the demonic entity. The Nun II will feature new cast members, including Storm Reid, and will explore a platonic friendship between Frenchie and Sister Irene while they fight against the evil within him. The cast of The Nun II features returning cast members alongside new faces, including Storm Reid.

The Conjuring spinoffs are continuing with The Nun 2, and news around the demon Valak's return is arriving fast as The Nun 2 release date looms. Following the success of his directorial debut Saw in 2004, James Wan struggled with his follow-ups. While they've since developed cult followings, both Dead Silence and Death Sentence struggled at the box office.

Don’t Look Away is a horror thriller film directed by Michael Bafaro, he also worked on the screenplay with Michael Mitton. The horror film follows the story of Frankie, a young woman who finds out that ever since she laid her eyes on a killer mannequin, it shows up wherever she goes and kills her friends. So, if you loved Don’t Look Away here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Annabelle Credit – Warner Bros.

Synopsis: Before The Conjuring, there was Annabelle. Capable of unspeakable evil, the actual Annabelle doll exists locked up in an occult museum in Connecticut — visited only by a priest who blesses her twice a month. In this supernatural thriller from producer James Wan, Annabelle’s story begins before the evil was unleashed. John Form (Ward Horton — The Wolf of Wall Street) has found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia (Annabelle Wallis — X Men: First Class) — a beautiful,...

Slotherhouse is a horror comedy film directed by Matthew Goodhue from a screenplay by Bradley Fowler and Cadey Lanigan. The film follows the story of Emily Young (Lisa Ambalavanar), a high school who wants to be the sorority’s president in order to get votes she adopts a cute sloth as a mascot for her campaign but things go totally batshit when the sloth is implicated in multiple fatalities. So, if you loved Slotherhouse here are some similar movies you could check out next.

Child’s Play (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – MGM

Synopsis: A contemporary re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic, Child’s Play follows Karen (Aubrey Plaza), a single mother who gifts her son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) a Buddi doll, unaware of its more sinister nature.

Sorority Row (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Summit Entertainment

Synopsis: It’s all fun and games until someone gets stabbed with a tire iron. When...

For the last two decades, writer and director James Wan has been one of our best and most successful masters of horror. That began in 2004 when he wrote a little movie with Leigh Whannell and directed it as well: Saw. It was a surprise hit that helped bring horror back from the brink, after the clones that came after Scream dried up. The 2000s were all about ultra-violent horror, and that all started with Wan. After Dead Silence in 2007, Wan hit a mammoth one-two punch in 2010 and 2013 with the huge successes of Insidious and The Conjuring, respectively.

With the Halloween season finally on the horizon, streaming services are pulling out their best content for horror fans, though one platform is boasting a particularly massive lineup.

Peacock, the premiere streaming service of NBC Universal, recently revealed their list of incoming films and television shows for September, with various horror franchises taking the spotlight. From classic monster movies to iconic slashers, the streamer is gearing audiences up for spooky fall viewing. Starting on Sept. 1, Peacock is rolling out dozens of horror films, many of which are brand new to the platform and some of which are completing its collection of entries to entire franchises.

Related: Peacock Premium Prices to Rise in August

For fans of 80s-era slasher movies, the many sequels to Child's Play are headed to the streamer, including the more comedic entries, Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky, as well as the second season of the...

The most wonderful time of year is nearly upon us! With Halloween season just around the corner, Peacock unveiled an impressive lineup today of more than 100 Halloween, horror, thriller, and spooky season titles hitting the platform this September.

Get ready, the list is massive…

Whether you’re looking for recent releases like Hypnotic, or cult gems like Slither, Peacock invites you to face your fears in September. Binge complete freakish franchises like Chucky, Saw, and Amityville, or tune-in for fun family fare that includes Ghostbusters and Casper. Look for a variety of classic horror to arrive on the streaming service mid-September.

Speaking of “Chucky,” if you’re looking to catch up on the series ahead of season three, Peacock brings “Chucky” season two to their Halloween HQ on September 4. That gives you a whole month to catch up before the October 4 premiere of “Chucky” season three.

Full Peacock Halloween horror highlights below.

The episode of Deconstructing… covering Malignant was Written, Edited, and Narrated by Kier Gomes, Produced by Tyler Nichols and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Malignant (watch it Here) is your worst nightmare. Whenever the mood strikes and I’m looking for a spooky, atmospheric midnight movie to deliver on the thrills and chills, I’ll turn to Malignant to satisfy the craving. It’s a movie that showcases every one of James Wan’s directorial sensibilities and combines what we love about of each of his films. It’s got the sleepy and somber look of Insidious, the cold and foggy lighting of Dead Silence and the utter brutality of Saw– while also giving us the incredible cinematography and unsettling horror of The Conjuring. There’s a specific feeling that Malignant evokes which makes you as intrigued as you are afraid. A specific “sleep walking through your...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

Cinematic universes are all the rage now but it's easy to forget how recent a phenomenon this actually is. The notion of a cinematic universe didn't really exist until around 2010 when it became clear what Marvel Studios was doing with its various superhero franchises in the lead-up to the record-breaking "The Avengers" in the summer of 2012. Sure, we had Kevin Smith's films making up the View Askewniverse starting with "Clerks" in 1994 -- not to mention Universal's monster movie crossovers from decades earlier. Still, once Marvel perfected the model, Hollywood chased it down rabidly. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it fails spectacularly. But arguably nobody has done it better this side of Marvel than James Wan and "The Conjuring" universe.

Wan...

With four films that earned a combined total of over $250 million at the box office, the Insidious franchise is a force to be reckoned with. And that force is only getting stronger with the release of the franchise's fifth film, Insidious: The Red Door, which is out in theaters now. The first film was another collaboration between James Wan and Leigh Whannell after their previous films, Saw and Dead Silence. It follows the Lambert family, Josh (Patrick Wilson), Renai (Rose Byrne), and their young children, who move into a new home. After their son (Ty Simpkins) mysteriously falls into a coma, the Lamberts find themselves battling a malicious paranormal presence that threatens to tear their family apart. Though the franchise continued its creative world-building with each installment, the latter films left the Lambert family behind in favor of focusing on the backstory and investigations of psychic Elise Rainier, turning the...

Onetime Asutralian college students and longtime friends, James Wan and Leigh Whannell began their careers as filmmakers with a proof-of-concept short that — once fully financed — turned into Saw, a cleverly-plotted, attention-grabbing, gore-soaked horror film that spawned eight sequels in as many years. With commercial success came creative freedom. For Wan and Whannell that meant several additional collaborations, including the criminally underseen and underappreciated Dead Silence; Death Sentence, a brutally nihilistic riff on Death Wish; and another franchise/series starter, Insidious, an ingeniously conceived and executed supernatural thriller. Wan went on to kickstart another supernatural franchise with The Conjuring (a virtual cinematic universe at this point), graduated to $100M+ budgets with the Fast & the Furious series, and directed arguably the most artistic and commercially...

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