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Stars: Ashley Moore, Camren Bicondova, Gage Marsh, Shiloh O’Reilly, Andre Anthony, Christian Rose | Written by Miriam Lyapin, Helen Marsh | Directed by The Soska Sisters

Festival of the Living Dead is not only the latest Tubi Original, it’s the latest film from Jen and Sylvia Soska. That’s a bit of a come down for the sisters, who, after Dead Hooker in a Trunk and American Mary, were loudly proclaimed to be the future of horror. Dave Parker, who was in the same position some years back, recently used a Tubi Original, You Shouldn’t Have Let Me In to prove he can still make an entertaining film. Can the Soska Sisters do the same?

Ash and Iris are looking to do something to celebrate Ash’s birthday. Her boyfriend Kevin and some friends stop by with a birthday present, tickets to the titular Festival of the Living Dead.

The...

George A. Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain, so a lot of people have made their own sequels and remakes to the film over the decades, put out their own releases of it, colorized it, animated it, etc. It’s a property that has never been dormant… but these days it seems like its undead ghouls are livelier than ever. The George A. Romero Foundation and the Cinedigm-backed Bloody Disgusting are making a podcast sequel called The Dead. Nikyatu Jusu is directing a film sequel that will be released by MGM. Greg Nicotero is planning to make a movie about the making of Night of the Living Dead. About a year ago, it was announced that twin directors Jen and Sylvia Soska are taking the helm of their own Night of the Living Dead follow-up called Festival of the Dead, and now the...

George A. Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain, so a lot of people have made their own sequels and remakes to the film over the decades, put out their own releases of it, colorized it, animated it, etc. It’s a property that has never been dormant… but these days it seems like its undead ghouls are livelier than ever. The George A. Romero Foundation and the Cinedigm-backed Bloody Disgusting are making a podcast sequel called The Dead. Nikyatu Jusu is directing a film sequel that will be released by MGM. Greg Nicotero is planning to make a movie about the making of Night of the Living Dead. And now Deadline has revealed that twin directors Jen and Sylvia Soska are taking the helm of their own Night of the Living Dead follow-up called Festival of the Dead, and Ashley Moore (I Know What You Did Last Summer...

Don Kaye Dec 13, 2019

Canada’s horror auteur twins, the Soska Sisters, remade their idol David Cronenberg’s earliest and grisliest film.

Canadian filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska have been delivering artistic haymakers since they started their careers. It was back then that they self-financed, wrote, directed and starred in the the delicately titled Dead Hooker in a Trunk. Since then, they’ve also created their best and most acclaimed movie to date, American Mary (2012), while also directing a segment for The ABCs of Death 2 (2014), and two movies for WWE Films, the slasher sequel See No Evil 2 (2014) and the action thriller Vendetta (2015).

Their movies are marked by a decidedly feminist point-of-view as well as a gleeful, often outrageous use of gore and visceral horror, so it’s no surprise that they have now taken on the risk of remaking Rabid, one of the early films by their idol and fellow Canadian,...

Jen and Sylvia Soska first met actress/model/snake-yoga enthusiast Tristan Risk at the debut screening of their first feature film, Dead Hooker in a Trunk. She’s been a part of the “Twisted Twins’” inner circle ever since, playing the surgery-obsessed Beatress Johnson in American Mary and appearing with the filmmakers at numerous horror conventions. So, it […] The post Exclusive: Jen Soska Confirms Tristan Risk’s Multiple Roles in Rabid + Recent Screening Details appeared first on Dread Central.

Film Mode Entertainment racked up sales at the European Film Market in Berlin for Rabid, the Soska Sisters’ reimagining of David Cronenberg’s 1977 namesake cult classic, and for Project Ithaca, a sci-fi thriller with compelling visual effects.

Rabid stars Laura Vandervoort and Ben Hollingsworth and is the latest feature directed by the “Twisted Twins” — aka the Soska Sisters. The cast includes former pro wrestler Cm Punk, the sixth longest reigning WWE champion of all time, as well as a cameo by his wife Aj Lee, a WWE superstar in her own right as well as a New York Times bestselling author.

Rabid is written by Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska and John Serge, and led by the sibling horror directors who established a following with their 2012 slasher epic American Mary.

Rabid has been sold to 101 Films in the UK,...

Out of Cannes is news that Laura Vandervoort will lead the cast of the remake of David Cronenberg's Rabid, the next film from Jen and Sylvia Soska:

"Cannes -- Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment is thrilled to announce that Laura Vandervoort will lead the cast on their newest feature, Rabid, a remake of the 1977 David Cronenberg film of the same name. The remake of the 1977 cult classic will star Laura Vandervoort and be directed by the highly sought after “Twisted Twins” aka, the Soska Sisters.

Rabid is written by Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska and John Serge, and led by the twin sister horror-movie directors that established a huge following with the 2012 slasher film American Mary. With a modern and relevant spin from the woman’s perspective, and the addition of Laura Vandervoort,the new Rabid is going to be a uniquely chilling, and captivating film.

Film Mode Entertainment President Clay Epstein says,...

"There's something trying to get me... three of them, actually." The atmospheric trailer for The Night Sitter headlines today's Horror Highlights, which also includes a look at Terror Threads' new apparel featuring filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska, as well as preview pages from the first issue of Mike Mignola's new Hellboy comic book miniseries, Koshchei the Deathless.

The Night Sitter Trailer: "A scheming con artist (Elyse DuFour, AMC's The Walking Dead) poses as innocent babysitter "Amber" to steal from Ted Hooper, a wealthy occult enthusiast with a reclusive son named Kevin. Her crew arrives to clean out the house just as Kevin stumbles upon one of his father's most prized artifacts and unwittingly summons a trio of witches known as The Three Mothers. As the playful, sadistic witches start picking people off, Amber and Kevin form an unlikely bond and try to survive the night together."

Written and...

Women in Horror Film Festival showcases the wonderfully talented female voices in my favorite (and your favorite) film genre, horror. The festival directors have announced that Jen and Sylvia Soska have joined an already rad lineup of appearances, and in today's Horror Highlights is a new clip from The Black Room and a trailer for 4/20 Massacre.

The Soska Sisters to Attend Women in Horror Film Festival: Press Release: "Festival Directors and horror filmmakers Samantha Kolesnik and Vanessa Ionta Wright are thrilled to welcome some amazing guests, panelists and guest judges to the 2017 Women in Horror Film Festival! Guest judges and panelists Marianne Maddalena (Producer of Scream 1,2,3 & 4, The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left), Heather Langenkamp & Amanda Wyss (A Nightmare on Elm Street). A panel with Jen & Sylvia Soska (Hellevator, American Mary, Dead Hooker in a Trunk). Appearances by Lynn Lowry (The Crazies, Shivers, Cat People) and Sonya Thompson (The Walking Dead,...

What makes you afraid? The masterminds behind Fear, Inc. probably know. The new poster for the upcoming film tops this Horror Highlights. Also: world premiere details for Jennifer Blanc-Biehn's The Girl and Destination America's Paranormal Lockdown Halloween special, info on the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival lineup, and details on the Indiegogo campaign for the short film Mannequins.

New Official Poster for Fear Inc.: "What if there was a company you could call that, for a premium, will bring your fears to life. You don’t have to leave your house, your office, or your vacation; the scares are customized to your tastes and arrive at your doorstep when you least expect it. But like texting an ex at 2 a.m., what sounds like a great idea at the time, can end up getting you killed.

When horror movie enthusiast Joe Foster (Lucas Neff) and his girlfriend, Lindsey Gains...

2016 is hereby declared the year of the female filmmaker.

A few exceptions aside, for several years, a spot in the director’s chair seemed like a seat reserved only for those in the boys’ club. However, a revolution has been quietly brimming beneath the surface, with more and more women stepping behind the camera as of late and genre films leading the way in this massive reconstruction. Game changers like Jennifer Kent, Marjane Satrapi and Veronika Franz have been stepping up and proving themselves as not only worthy contenders when it comes to noteworthy women who make movies, but equally as skilled as any male photographer.

While there are many exciting projects on the horizon to be helmed by talented ladies, this list is dedicated to a few of the most striking pictures that are set to release soon. Read on to learn about these thrilling new prospects, and find...

While there has been talking of redoing David Cronenberg films over the past few years — a "Shivers" remake was brewing a while back, and Cronenberg himself had a new take on "The Fly" that 20th Century Fox passed on — none have come to pass. But that changes this summer. Read More: Retrospective: The Films Of David Cronenberg Filmmaking duo Sylvia and Jen Soska (“American Mary,” “Dead Hooker in a Trunk” and “See No Evil 2”) will be directing a remake of "Rabid." Cronenberg's fourth feature follows a woman (played by porn star Marilyn Chambers in the original) who survives a motorcycle crash, and receives life-saving skin grafts, only to develop a phallic stinger that feeds on blood, turning its victims into zombies. And things get more horrific from there. There's no word yet on casting, but with filming gearing up to start in the summer, more news should be coming soon.

Forget Tarantino’s Crazy Babysitter Twins because we’re all about the Twisted Twins here at Dread Central. After serving up some gruesomely good grindhouse action with Dead Hooker in a Trunk, Jen and Sylvia Soska went on to wow the festival… Continue Reading →

The post The Soska Sisters Launch 7th Annual Massive Blood Drive PSA Anthology appeared first on Dread Central.

Although relatively scarce, horror movies directed by women are out there. You may have to turn over a few rocks to know who they are and their material might be a little more difficult to get your hands on, but these directors deserve just as much attention and scrutiny as their male counterparts, who have long dominated the genre. The following discusses selections of female directors’ forays into the business of terror. (This post contains spoilers)

Antonia Bird

The late director Antonia Bird’s Ravenous is a bizarre amalgamation of humor and horror that explores cannibalism with warped nuance. The strangely cacophonous score builds up tension as craven outcasts face a glutinous and depraved attacker whose strength seems fortified by his consumption of human flesh. Set during America’s westward expansion, the metaphor of humanity’s insatiable appetite for power is plain to see, but its execution indulges in such...

Stars: Dean Cain, Paul Wight, Michael Eklund, Ben Hollingsworth, Adrian Holmes, Matthew MacCaull, Kyra Zagorsky, Aleks Paunovic, Jonathan Walker, Dee Jay Jackson, Juan Riedinger, Leo Rano, David Allan Pearson, Garfield Wilson, William Stewart | Written by Justin Shady | Directed by Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska

“Get Ready for Hell in a Cell”

The Soska Twins (American Mary) have seemingly gone from strength to strength. The pair first appeared on the radar with their film Dead Hooker in a Trunk and received great acclaim with their body modification horror, American Mary, starring Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps). Thanks to the success of that film, they have been involved in projects such as The ABC’s of Death 2 and began a relationship with WWE Films starting with quite frankly god awful See No Evil 2. It’s safe to say that the pair have made quite an impact within the horror scene within a remarkably short time,...

Former Superman Dean Cain takes the lead opposite The Big Show in Vendetta, the latest offering from WWE Studios. Helmed by Jen and Sylvia Soska (American Mary, Dead Hooker In A Trunk) this one hits theaters and VOD June 12th and we've got an exclusive clip for you to take a look at.Dean Cain and WWE Superstar The Big Show star in "Vendetta," an action-packed thriller about a detective pushed beyond his limits who will stop at nothing for vengeance. When his wife is killed by a criminal that he put away, Mason (Cain), a hard-nosed detective, deliberately gets arrested in order to get revenge. While inside, Mason discovers a new criminal enterprise that those behind it would kill to protect.Check it out below....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Holy cats, creeps, I can hardly believe my putrid peepers! None other than the diabolical duo Jen and Sylvia Soska have dropped by the ol’ Crypt o’ Xiii to chew the fat and give us a look into what it’s like bein’ two of the most talented die-rectors in the horror biz!

Famous Monsters. We all know that you are rulin’ the fright flick universe these days from within the ebony walls of the Twisted Time Mansion­™, but let’s cast our minds back across the aether of time and jaw a bit about how you got all entangled in the horror biz. Fer instance, when I was a lil’ ghoul, my putrid parents would let me watch quite a few horror shows, but they usually would draw the line when things got a bit heavy on the whole “special huggin” (hence the now legendary Humanoids From The Deep...

By Jonathan Weichsel

MoreHorror.com

The Soska sisters (Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska), those twisted identical twins from Canada who rocked the horror scene with the bizarre, over the top exploitation classic Dead Hooker in a Trunk and then broke into popular culture with the equally outrageous, but more challenging and deep horror film American Mary, are back at it again with their first major original project since American Mary, and Twisted Twins fans, as well as fans of horror, exploitation, and comics should be very, very excited.

Kill-Crazy Nymphos Attack! is an upcoming graphic novel co-written by the Soska sisters, and to be frank, the title of the project and the fact that the Soskas are writing it is enough to get me onboard. In recent years the Soska sisters have focused on directing other people's projects, and this is all well and good, but what makes the Soskas really unique,...

Reviewed by Robert J. Thompson II

MoreHorror.com

Possible spoilers ahead. *Seriously, don't read, if you haven't seen the movie*

When I first heard about Jen and Sylvia Soska (re: Soska Twins/The Soskas), I admit I had never seen their work. I had zero idea about who they were, or how they had come to Indie Horror prominence, yet once I started hearing their names, it became almost a daily occurrence.

Something about this concerned me, though, because the first thing I heard about them was, “Have you seen 'American Mary'? They're awesome for female Directors! Their stuff can lean a bit extreme feminist at times, but, they're not bad, at all!” – and that didn't quite sit well, with me. The way their work was described was almost 'man-hating', and for obvious reasons, I found myself hesitant to seek out their work.

Then I heard that Katherine Isabelle...

Considering one of their films is called "Dead Hooker in a Trunk," it comes as no surprise that twin sister directors Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska have scored a reputation for sticking to their guns and keeping the horror elements of their films hardcore.

Recently it was announced the pair are set to direct a film adaptation of Jimmy Palmiotti's comic book "Painkiller Jane". Now, the pair have now confirmed to Crave Online they are definitely aiming for a hard R-rating. Jen Soska says:

"I'm not working for Marvel. It has to be an R-rated character. When you come to a character like Jane, she drinks, she fights, she f--ks, she talks like you and I talk, and that's an important part of her character.

That's why we'd be really disappointed if that ended up being a PG or a PG-13 film because if you look at the character.

Twin sisters Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska have gained a reputation for their own special brand of horror with cult favorites American Mary and Dead Hooker in a Trunk. This past year at San Deigo Comic-Con, it was announced that the duo was planning to direct their own cinematic take on Jimmy Palmiotti's comic book Painkiller Jane. Speaking with Crave Online, The Twisted Twins confirm that the movie will not water down its subject matter, and that they are definitely aiming for a Hard R.

This is what Jen Soska had to say about bringing the gun-toting heroine to the big screen:

"I'm not working for Marvel. It has to be an R-rated character. When you come to a character like Jane, she drinks, she fights, she f*cks, she talks like you and I talk, and that's an important part of her character. That's why we'd be really...

We’re back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting the recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes a trailer for Exists, Don’t Blink, and The Wolves of Savin Hill, an announcement of the Fifth Annual PollyGrind Film Festival, Dead Rage first details, and more:

New Clip from Exists: “For five friends, it was a chance for a summer getaway – a weekend of camping in the Texas Big Thicket. But visions of a carefree vacation are shattered with an accident on a dark and desolate country road. In the wake of the accident, a blood curdling force of nature is unleashed – something not exactly human, but not completely animal – an urban legend come to terrifying life and seeking murderous revenge.

Opening in select theaters and On Demand on Friday, October 24th, 2014. Directed by Eduardo Sanchez and written by Jamie Nash, Exists stars Dora Madison Burge,...

The best way to describe how I approach Fantastic Fest is like summer camp. It happens once a year. You get back together with old friends. Yet in this case, this non-traditional camp is for fans of the most bizarre, violent, horrific, and Fantastic movies you could imagine. And even still, Fantastic Fest is so much more. This will be more third time attending Fantastic Fest and We Are Movie Geeks fourth time covering the crazy events that take place in Austin every September. For eight days I will be immersed in a world that is unlike any other film festival I have ever attended. What other festival is going to feature events like an opening night food fight, a karaoke party, a “nerd rap throwdown,” and the signature event at the festival – Fantastic Debates (which includes a verbal debate followed by a literal boxing match). These are just a...

You know her best for her role as Beatress Johnson in American Mary, but Tristan Risk has been a very busy girl lately, and she's about to break big. She sat down with Dread Central to talk about her work, past and future.

Little Miss Risk is a compelling performer, a staunch horror fan and a charismatic interviewee. She talked about her beginnings, her affinity for her beloved character Beatress and the loads of work she's done since. Risk is as witty as she is alluring and we're sure you'll enjoy reading her interview as much as we enjoyed speaking with her.

We started at the very beginning and asked Risky how she got started in the acting business. "I've been a performer all my life," Risk said. "That's everything from doing stage shows, school plays, musicals, things at my grandpa's church. I didn't go to the church, but still performed in the recitals.

You read that correctly. When we first heard about Escape from Jesus Island, we just had to cover it for the crazy title (same as Dead Hooker in a Trunk). But like Dead Hooker, Efji seems to be taking off, and the comic was only the beginning.

Escape from Jesus Island creator Shawn French tells Dread Central that the comic is indeed being developed into a role-playing game for mobile devices. The full title will be Escape from Jesus Island: Rise of the Antichrist, and it will be designed by Eric Pavone using the Unity Engine.

Pavone was the designer of Spider-man: The Movie and senior designer for Spider-man 2: The Movie, Army of Two, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. French is stoked to be working with the veteran game designer.

"The chance to work with a designer like Eric Pavone on an Efji adaptation is a dream come true,...

Last week we brought you the insane and bloody red-band trailer for ABCs of Death 2. A tamer green-band trailer has now been released that you can show to your kids if you want! It's not as gory as the red-band, but it's still a fun trailer to watch that's packed full energy.

The movie consists of 26 short films, and each one has a completely different director and storyline. Some of the directors in the mix include Vincenzo Natali (Splice), Rodney Ascher (Room 237), E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills), and the Soskasisters (American Mary). Here's the synopsis:

ABCs Of Death 2 is the follow-up to the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning from Nigeria to UK to Brazil and everywhere in between. It features segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film. The film is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters,...

The ABCs of Death 2 will be making its VOD premiere via Magnet Releasing on October 2nd with a theatrical run set for October 31st. That being said a new work friendly green band trailer has come our way and it's fit for mass consumption. Dig it!

The ABCs Of Death 2 is produced by Ant Timpson and Tim League, in conjunction with associate producers Todd Brown, Marc Walkow, Mitch Davis, and Ted Geoghegan.

The ABCs Of Death 2’s directors are an eclectic, acclaimed group, consisting of Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh; Israel’s Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves, Rabies); Japan’s arthouse provocateur Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Suicide Club); Academy Award-nominated animator Bill Plympton; Room 237 mastermind Rodney Ascher; Filipino icon – and Director’s Fortnight inductee – Erik Matti (On The Job, Magic Temple); Lithuania’s Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper (Vanishing Waves); Splice and...

The ABCs of Death 2 will be making its VOD premiere via Magnet Releasing on October 2nd with a theatrical run set for October 31st. Right now we have a new red band trailer for you cats to dig on that is brimming with the good stuff!

The ABCs Of Death 2 is produced by Ant Timpson and Tim League, in conjunction with associate producers Todd Brown, Marc Walkow, Mitch Davis, and Ted Geoghegan.

The ABCs Of Death 2’s directors are an eclectic, acclaimed group, consisting of Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh; Israel’s Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves, Rabies); Japan’s arthouse provocateur Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Suicide Club); Academy Award-nominated animator Bill Plympton; Room 237 mastermind Rodney Ascher; Filipino icon – and Director’s Fortnight inductee – Erik Matti (On The Job, Magic Temple); Lithuania’s Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper (Vanishing Waves); Splice and...

The bad thing with anthology films is that the quality can vary from short to short but that also happens to be the good thing about anthology films because if something is really terrible, it'll be over in just a few minutes and a new possible bit of awesome starts. That was certainly the case with the first ABCs of Death and that's likely also going to be true of the follow-up but judging from the opening of the trailer, the sequel is already looking like all sorts of awesome.

The line-up of directors this time around is nothing to scoff about and includes the Twisted Twins (Dead Hooker in a Trunk, American Mary), world renowned animator Bill Plympton (Cheatin'), Vincenzo Natali (Haunter, Splice, Cube), E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills), [Continued ...]...

The ABCs of Death 2 will be making its VOD premiere via Magnet Releasing on October 2nd with a theatrical run set for October 31st. I mean, what better day could there be to go see a horror movie in a theatre?!?

The ABCs Of Death 2 is produced by Ant Timpson and Tim League, in conjunction with associate producers Todd Brown, Marc Walkow, Mitch Davis, and Ted Geoghegan.

The ABCs Of Death 2’s directors are an eclectic, acclaimed group, consisting of Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh; Israel’s Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves, Rabies); Japan’s arthouse provocateur Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Suicide Club); Academy Award-nominated animator Bill Plympton; Room 237 mastermind Rodney Ascher; Filipino icon – and Director’s Fortnight inductee – Erik Matti (On The Job, Magic Temple); Lithuania’s Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper (Vanishing Waves); Splice and Cube's Vincenzo Natali; indie...

Many horror fans are familiar with the Soska sisters, the directing duo behind 2012′s American Mary and the upcoming See No Evil 2. Fans of American Mary should be pleased to learn that Jen and Sylvia Soska now have their next project in sight: an adaptation of the comic book series, Painkiller Jane.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the Soska sisters have signed on to helm a feature film adaptation of the comic originally created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada for Event Comics in 1995, with Palmiotti as one of the producers. For those unfamiliar with the comic book, recently relaunched by Dynamite Entertainment, here’s the synopsis via THR:

“Jane centers on the titular heroine, a cop, who, along with with her best friend and partner, goes undercover into an interconnected drug ring. When her identity is exposed, Jane is tortured, which leaves her with preternatural regenerating abilities and a high tolerance for pain.

The Soska Sisters, the twin sister horror film directing duo behind "American Mary" and "Dead Hooker in a Trunk," have signed on to helm the film adaptation of Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada's comic "Painkiller Jane".

The series follows Jane, a cop who joins her best friend/partner in going undercover into an interconnected drug ring. When her true identity is exposed, she is tortured and discovers that she has supernormal regenerative powers bordering on invulnerability - minor ones heal in seconds, major ones in minutes. There's a catch though, she still feels the pain of her injuries before they heal.

Palmiotti and Stephen L'Heureux are producing this new adaptation which plans to be an indie action thriller. It follows both a SyFy TV movie and subsequent short-lived TV series based on the property.

Source: Heat Vision...

Indie filmmakers Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska, who earned rave reviews last year for American Mary, have signed on to direct an adaptation of the Painkiller Jane comic book.

The Painkiller Jane comic, created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada, follows an undercover cop who is tortured after her identity is exposed, which ignites her supernatural regenerative abilities along with an incredibly high pain tolerance.

The comic was first adapted as a 2005 TV movie starring Emmanuelle Vaugier, which lead to the 2007 Painkiller Jane TV series, where Kristanna Loken played the title character.

Jimmy Palmiotti is producing through his Paperfilms company, alongside Stephen L'Heureux (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For) and his Solipsist Films banner. The producers are plotting an indie action thriller, but it is not set up at a studio yet.

Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska made their directorial debut with Dead Hooker in a Trunk, which they followed up with American Mary.

Previously pegged as horror directors thanks to the gnarly Dead Hooker In A Trunk and the freaky American Mary, "Twisted Twins" Jen and Sylvia Soska have recently shifted gears to action filmmaking with their Vendetta for WWE Studios. They're sticking with action for their next project, having signed on for Painkiller Jane, adapted from the '90s Event Comics series by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada.Jane Vasko first appeared in print in 1995, and already has a tortuous continuity giving her multiple origin stories. In one, as an undercover cop, she believed she had gained the trust of Mafia boss Joey Fonti, but was duped into delivering a "message" to a rival mobster that turned out to be a bomb that took her with it. She was then mysteriously revived after the explosion with high pain tolerance and Wolverine-like regenerative abilities. Another version has her tortured and drugged rather than blown up,...

Back in 1995, when Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada created Event Comics' Painkiller Jane I'm sure they never dreamed it would one day generate two television projects on SyFy channel and an upcoming features film. In December of 2005, SyFy aired a made-for-television movie that that starred Emmanuelle Vaugier. Then in 2007, SyFy produced a television series based on the character, which starred Kristanna Loken ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"). And today, The Hollywood Reporter reports, The Soska Sisters, Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska, have been hired to direct the adaptation of Painkiller Jane. The twin horror directors are best known for directing Dead Hooker In a Trunk and American Mary. Jane centers on the titular heroine, a cop, who, along with with her best friend and partner, goes undercover into an interconnected drug ring. When Jane’s identity is exposed, her subsequent torture leaves her with preternatural regenerating abilities and a...

Making a name for themselves with Dead Hooker in a Trunk and American Mary, twin sisters Jen and Sylvia Soska make their anthology debut with The ABCs of Death 2, contributing a short film to the madness.

Though we don't yet have any idea what their entry will be about, we can be pretty damn sure it's going to be a hard one for male audiences to endure, as this just released behind-the-scenes shot leads us to believe. You have been warned, men!!

Check out the Nsfw image below, which was pulled from The ABCs of Death 2 Facebook page for being too gruesome for mass consumption!

Magnet is planning to release the film later this year. The ABCs Of Death 2 is produced by Ant Timpson and Tim League, in conjunction with associate producers Todd Brown, Marc Walkow, Mitch Davis, and Ted Geoghegan.

The ABCs Of Death 2’s directors are an eclectic,...

We first came across Vancouver based filmmaker Cj Wallis here at Twitch thanks to his association with the Soska Sisters - for whom he shot, edited and appeared in Dead Hooker In A Trunk -and we've been keeping a close eye on the progress of his debut feature, Bb.Bb is the provocative story of a girl named Leah who, under the name "Candy Cummings", performs strip shows online from her apartment for thousands of strangers every day, never fully knowing the extent of evils that could be watching on the other side of the screen.After sharing a proof of concept promo and the first images from the shoot we now have the first proper trailer for the film. This is very much Nsfw so be...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Lionsgate and WWE Studios have agreed to co-produce six new films together, according to Deadline. The deal will begin with Vendetta, an original story to be directed by the Soska sisters and set to star Paul White, aka WWE wrestler The Big Show. The companies are continuing a partnership that began back in 2006 with horror outing See No Evil. A sequel, See No Evil 2, has already been completed with Jen and Sylvia Soska, makers of cult indie horror Dead Hooker in a Trunk and American Mary, taking over from Gregory Dark in the director's chair. Due for release later this year, the sequel will see WWE's Kane returning to his role as murderous psychopath Jacob Goodnight as he hunts down a group of...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

WWE Studios and Lionsgate have signed a new deal for a further six action films together, the first being the revenge thriller "Vendetta" which begins filming this summer.

Filmmaking twin sisters Jen and Sylvia Soska ("Dead Hooker In A Trunk," "See No Evil 2") will helm the film which stars WWE's Big Show (Paul Wight) who was previously seen on screen in films like "MacGruber," "The Waterboy" and "Knucklehead".

Justin Shady penned the script which tracks a hard-nosed detective who deliberately commits a crime to get sent to prison. Once there he seeks vengeance on the crook serving a life sentence for murdering his wife.

The next film in the six-title deal begins in the Fall, though details are under wraps for now.

Source: Deadline...

Hot on the heels of their ambitious horror anthology The ABCs Of Death, Drafthouse producers Ant Timpson and Tim League decided that the world needed another collection of horror shorts spanning every letter of the alphabet – and adventurous horror fans much like myself rejoiced. The ABCs Of Death 2 was greenlit, the directors were selected, and the inevitable waiting game began.

I tried on numerous occasions to extract as much information as possible from contributing artists – Jerome Sable, Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado were tight-lipped in our interviews – but it looks like Magnet and Drafthouse are ready to start opening the floodgate of horrors hiding amidst these 26 short stories that are ready to shock, scare, and revolt viewers in ways the original didn’t dare.

While certain sites were originally given their own exclusive images, we’re now able to collect the smattering of gross faces, forest scenes, and creepy monsters...

A pair of exclusive stills have come our way to offer up to you cats who are eagerly anticipating the release of The ABCs of Death 2. So check 'em out right here, and keep your eyes open for more... lest they be sewn shut! Dig 'em!

Magnet is planning to release the film later this year. The ABCs Of Death 2 is produced by Ant Timpson and Tim League, in conjunction with associate producers Todd Brown, Marc Walkow, Mitch Davis, and Ted Geoghegan.

The ABCs Of Death 2’s directors are an eclectic, acclaimed group, consisting of Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh; Israel’s Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves, Rabies); Japan’s arthouse provocateur Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Suicide Club); Academy Award-nominated animator Bill Plympton; Room 237 mastermind Rodney Ascher; Filipino icon – and Director’s Fortnight inductee – Erik Matti (On The Job, Magic Temple); Lithuania...

There is some freaky stuff going on in Vancouver, B.C. these days. Other than the complete implosion of my beloved Canucks it is turning into one of the hotspots for women making a name for themselves in Canadian horror cinema and the international festival circuit. The most notable exports from the Emerald City have to be the Soska Sisters and their horror outputs Dead Hooker In A Trunk and American Mary. But now, horror photographer Danielle K L Anathema, is making the transition from photography to film with her upcoming short A Gift For Amelia.  A young woman finds her inner beauty while in the throws of a mysterious doctors surgical embrace. Inspired by films such as Aftermath, Perfume, and certain elements of Repo-Men, we're imagining...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Another year has come to an end, which means it's time for the Dread Central staff to weigh in with their picks of the best and worst of 2013's horror offerings. We're giving you a full dozen lists this time, and per usual they come in a variety of formats, each reflecting the unique styles of our writers.

We've also compiled them to come up with the year's overall winners and losers. We averaged out the top and bottom five vote getters on everyone's lists, and here are the results:

Best: Maniac

Runners-up: The Conjuring, Evil Dead

Worst: Texas Chainsaw 3D

Runners-up: The Purge, The Last Exorcism Part II

Check out the Dread Central staff's Best of and Worst of lists for 2013 by following the links below!

[Andrew Kasch]

[Anthony Arrigo]

[Brad McHargue]

[Buz "Danger" Wallick]

[Debi "The Woman in Black" Moore]

[The Foywonder]

[Gareth "Pestilence" Jones]

[Jinx]

[MattFini]

[Scott "Doctor Gash" Hallam]

[Staci Layne Wilson]

[Uncle Creepy]

Andrew Kasch's Picks

Stoker: Chan-wook Park delivered some next-level filmmaking and his best film since Oldboy with his U.

by Seth Metoyer, MoreHorror.com

It's that time of year where horror sites and fans present their Best Horror Films of 2013 lists. For some reason I've typically steered clear of top lists in the past. I think it's mostly because of the constant whining and bellyaching that occurs once lists are released. Plus there will inevitably be good films that didn't make the list. However, mostly it's the constant cries of "That wasn't a horror movie that was a thriller stupid!" or "That movie released last year dummy!" or "There are too many mainstream releases here losers!" or my personal favorite "That film totally sucked so you guys suck!", that really get to me.

This year I decided to go ahead and make a MoreHorror Top 20 Horror Films of 2013 list because a lot of people seem interested in our take. Yes there are some mainstream Hollywood films on the list,...

Back in August, Magnet Releasing announced the full directorial lineup for ABCs of Death 2, with the lone exception of one amateur filmmaker who would win a spot in this horror anthology. Today, the studio announced the winner of their 26th Director Competition, Robert Boocheck, for his film "M is for Masticate." Take a look at the award-winning submission below, and read on for more details about this upcoming sequel.

In a significant departure from the first installment, ABCs of Death 2 is expanding beyond horror directors. Joining the sequel's roster are Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh; Todd Rohal (The Catechism Cataclysm); Canada's king of lo-fi, Steven Kostanski (Manborg); Cuba's Alejandro Brugu&#233s (Juan of the Dead); acclaimed UK commercial director Jim Hosking; Japanese monster-maker Hajime Ohata (Henge); and Canadian short film wizard Chris Nash (Skinfections).

Previously confirmed filmmakers include Goya Award winner &#193lex de la Iglesia (The Last Circus,...

While you may not know Charles de Lauzirika’s name offhand, you’ve likely collected a fair amount of his work already. The director of some of the biggest behind the scenes features on DVDs and Blu Rays including the Alien Quadrilogy box set, Blade Runner and The Amazing Spider-man among many others, has just seen his first feature film, Crave, released on VOD, on iTunes and theatrically this month. Crave is intriguing, complicated and immensely entertaining. It’s a film that is on one hand absolutely astounding for the combination of the emotional story arc and the rich world created within that and on the other hand a fascinating examination of a disintegrating mind.

Crave is the story of Aiden (Joshua Lawson), a crime scene photographer in Detroit who is unable reconcile the injustices he sees around him with the disturbing visions in his head. The film is a...

From mid-August through October, a contest was held to find the 26th director of The ABCs of Death 2, all entrants tasked with making short films centered around a word beginning with the letter "M." Today a winner has been chosen.

Read all about it below, and watch the winning entry underneath the dreaded wall of text!

From the Press Release

Producers Ant Timpson, Tim League, and Magnet Releasing have announced the winner of The ABCs Of Death 2’s “Search for the 26th Director” – Robert Boocheck’s riotous M Is For Masticate.

The original ABCs Of Death, comprised of 26 alphabet-themed ways to die from the biggest names in horror, invited filmmakers from around the world to submit their own T-themed deaths – with one exceptional entry being chosen to appear in the final film. The tradition of selecting the 26th Director proudly continued in the 2014 sequel, this time using the letter “M.

Likely best known to regular readers of Twitch as a regular collaborator of the Soska Sisters - for whom he shot, edited and appeared in Dead Hooker In A Trunk - Vancouver based Cj Wallis steps out on his own with new feature film Bb.Bb is the provocative story of a girl named Leah who, under the name "Candy Cummings", performs strip shows online from her apartment for thousands of strangers every day, never fully knowing the extent of evils that could be watching on the other side of the screen.Newcomer Jennifer Mae takes the lead role as Leah and if the synopsis and Wallis' involvement in Dead Hooker have you thinking this is going to be some sort of grindhouse throwback the first teaser...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

There are a lot of unaccomplished filmmakers out there, especially in the horror community buying deeply into their own hype. But how often do we have an unassuming filmmaker who has been behind the scenes, helping to craft some of the best indie horror sensations that comes out swinging with their first effort? Cj Wallis is such a filmmaker. He’s the man who helped the Soska Sisters become what they are; : he was the backbone of Dead Hooker In A Trunk and was heavily involved in the pre-production of American Mary. Conveniently not a part of their Women in Horror agenda, he shows us what he's been cooking on his own these past 3 years.

Bb - Official Red Band Promotional Trailer (2014) [HQ]

Bb is his first feature length film, and even with just the trailer his artistic prowess is clear. Beautifully shot with serious attention to its musicality, the...

Last month, Dark Sky Films and Xyz Films announced the production of an historic film: Xx, the first horror anthology written and directed entirely by women. Filmmaker Jovanka Vuckovic is one of the directors on this trail-blazing film - and she's in good company. The other segments will be directed by Jennifer Lynch (Boxing Helena, Surveillance), Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol, American Psycho), Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, Jennifer's Body), and Jen and Sylvia Soska (Dead Hooker In A Trunk, American Mary), with opening credits and interstitials by stop-motion animator Sofia Carrillo. Vuckovic, who is also serving as associate producer on Xx, is a former visual effects artist with a heavy pedigree in the horror genre (she was the editor of Rue Morgue Magazine and has written two non-fiction books about horror). She developed the project with Todd Brown of Xyz Films to help female filmmakers gain more exposure in the genre.