Exclusive: Take a deep dive into the score of The Wolf of Snow Hollow

ComingSoon.net has received an exclusive video from Lakeshore Records and Orion Pictures offering a deep dive into the development of the musical score for Jim Cummings’ acclaimed horror-comedy The Wolf of Snow Hollow, which can be viewed in the player below!

RELATED: CS Interview: Writer/Director/Star Jim Cummings on The Wolf of Snow Hollow

Composed by Ben Lovett (The Ritual, The Wind), the album is a strikingly orchestrated, multi-faceted work inspired by old school Bernard Herrmann-era suspense thrillers reflecting all the dimensions of the offbeat horror film — from darkly comedic to tension-fueled terror to oddball mystery caper. The album includes the newly reimagined cover version of “Little Red Riding Hood” originally performed by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs in 1966, and given a seductive and thoroughly haunting treatment by Lovett and indie artist Valen. The album follows the release of the EP Little Red Riding Hood which includes four versions of Lovett’s adaption including a full Acapella arrangement of Valen’s vocal parts.

Click here to digitally purchase The Wolf of Snow Hollow!

1. The Werewolf
2. Welcome to Snow Hollow
3. Little Red Riding Hood
4. First Full Moon
5. First Crime Scene
6. Snow Hollow Mystery
7. Second Full Moon
8. Second Crime Scene
9. Slopes
10. Relapse
11. Werewolf Stories
12. Third Crime Scene
13. Utah
14. Detectives
15. Second Relapse
16. Full Moon Fever
17. Snow Hollow Killer
18. Returning Evidence
19. For Protection
20. New Sheriff

Click here to purchase the soundtrack from Lakeshore Records!

Written and directed by Jim Cummings, the film follows a small-town sheriff struggling with a failed marriage, a rebellious daughter, and a lackluster department, as he is tasked with solving a series of brutal murders that are occurring on the full moon. As he’s consumed by the hunt for the killer, he struggles to remind himself that there’s no such thing as werewolves.

Alongside Forster, the cast for the film includes Riki Lindhome (Knives Out, Under the Silver Lake), Jimmy Tatro (American Vandal, The King of Staten Island) and Chloe East (Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Next Level).

RELATED: [Beyond Fest] The Wolf of Snow Hollow Review: Subversive, Offbeat & Quietly Thrilling

The Wolf of Snow Hollow is now available in select theaters and on digital platforms and VOD just in time for the Halloween season!

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Colin Trevorrow Shares Behind-the-Scenes Photo as Jurassic World: Dominion Resumes Production

Following a halt in production after a few crew members tested positive for COVID-19, filmmaker Colin Trevorrow revealed they have resumed filming Jurassic World: Dominion in the UK by sharing a new behind-the-scenes photo featuring original franchise stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum, which you can check out below!

Back. pic.twitter.com/OC9f5Z0k6H

— Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) October 23, 2020

RELATED: CS Video: Laura Dern Talks Return for Jurassic World: Dominion

“The ‘Jurassic World’ cast and crew are back to work, with the spirit of a legend watching over them while they create together,” said production company Amblin (via Variety).

According to the outlet, key cast members were still shooting during the brief hiatus, filming secondary sequences. Production resumed “shooting main scenes again last Friday.”

Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow return to executive produce Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Dominion, with Trevorrow once again directing the next chapter in one of the biggest franchises in the history of cinema. Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again partner with Spielberg and Trevorrow in leading the filmmakers for this installment.

The upcoming threequel will be starring returning cast members from the first two Jurassic World films include Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith as well as original Jurassic Park stars Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Campbell Scott. It will also feature Mamoudou Athie (Sorry for You Loss), DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It), Dichen Lachman (Animal Kingdom, Altered Carbon), Scott Haze (Venom, Antlers).

Joining the Jurassic team for the first time is Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim Uprising, The Black Hole), who has crafted the screenplay with Trevorrow. They will work off a story by Derek Connolly and Trevorrow, who together co-wrote Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom.

RELATED: Jeff Goldblum Recreates Jurassic Park Shot to Encourage Fans Vote

Jurassic World: Dominion is currently set to debut in theaters on June 10, 2022.

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New Look at James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad Revealed!

After two months since we finally got our first look at James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad during the DC FanDome event back in August, Empire Magazine took to Twitter to reveal the two covers for their upcoming exclusive issue for Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly-anticipated DC film. Featuring a new look at the dysfunctional team of DC villains including Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, John Cena’s Peacemaker, Idris Elba’s Bloodsport and more, you can check out the full The Suicide Squad covers below!

This month’s exclusive subscriber cover features James Gunn and the rest of #TheSuicideSquad – only available to existing Empire subscribers. READ MORE: https://t.co/vEL3A5RfuY pic.twitter.com/5q7I7v7rVT

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) October 23, 2020

RELATED: First The Suicide Squad Footage Promises a Wild Action Adventure!

The Suicide Squad cast includes: John Cena, Jai Courtney, Joaquín Cosío, Joel Kinnaman, Maylin Ng, Flula Borg, Juan Deigo Botto, Storm Reid, Pete Davidson, Taika Waititi, Alice Brage, Tinashe Kajese, Daniela Melchior, Peter Capaldi, Julio Ruiz, Jennifer Holland, Viola Davis, Idris Elba, and Margot Robbie.

As we already know, Davis, Robbie, Courtney, and Kinnaman will all play the same roles they had in the 2016 film, reprising as Amanda Waller, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, and Rick Flag, respectively. Michael Rooker will play Savant, Flula Borg will play Javelin, David Dastmalchian will play Polka Dot Man, Daniela Melchior will play Ratcatcher 2, Idris Elba will play Bloodsport, Mayling NG will play Mongal, Peter Capaldi will play Thinker, Alice Braga will play Solsoria, Pete Davidson will play Blackguard, Natha Fillion will play TDK, Sean Gunn will play Weasel, John Cena will play Peace Maker and Steve Agee will play King Shark.

RELATED: Wonder Woman 1984 DC FanDome Trailer Reveals Cheetah!

The movie is written and directed by Gunn. Charles Roven and Peter Safran will serve as producers. Nik Korda is executive producing the movie.

The Suicide Squad will hit theaters on August 6, 2021.

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Wander Trailer Starring Aaron Eckhart & Tommy Lee Jones

Saban Films has released the official trailer for their upcoming thriller drama film titled Wander, featuring Golden Globe nominee Aaron Eckhart as his character uncovers an illegal human trafficking ring that’s connected to the death of his daughter. Also starring Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones, the film will arrive in theaters, on VOD and digital on December 4. Check out the video in the player below!

RELATED: Dreamland Trailer: Margot Robbie Stars in New Thriller Drama

After getting hired to probe a suspicious death in the small town of Wander, a mentally unstable private investigator becomes convinced the case is linked to the same ‘conspiracy cover up’ that caused the death of his daughter. The film is directed by April Mullen from a screenplay she co-written with Tim Doiron.

Wander stars Aaron Eckhart (Erin Brockovich, The Dark Knight), Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, Men in Black films), Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, The Hangover trilogy), Katheryn Winnick (Bones, Vikings), Raymond Cruz (The Closer) and Brendan Fehr (Roswell).

RELATED: Mel Gibson is a Deadly Santa Claus in Fatman Trailer

Wander is produced by Doiron, Mullen, Andre Relis, Chad A. Verdi, Douglas Falconer and Mary Aloe.

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Shudder unveils November 2020 movie highlights!

Even as the month of October nears a close and the streaming platform’s 61 Days of Halloween block is about to end, Shudder is looking to keep the terror going for horror fans and has unveiled its roster of programming for the month of November including the documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist and more!

RELATED: Leap of Faith Trailer: Shudder Nabs William Friedkin-led The Exorcist Doc

New Movies for August

November 2

Emelie (Director: Michael Thelin)

As their parents head out for a date in the city, the three young Thompson children – Jacob, Christopher and Sally – immediately take to their new babysitter Anna, who seems like a dream come true: she’s sweet, fun, and lets them do things that break all of their parents’ rules. But as the night creeps along and Anna’s interactions with them take on a more sinister tone, the kids slowly realize that their caretaker may not be who she claims to be. Soon it’s up to big brother Jacob to protect his siblings from the increasingly nefarious intentions of a very disturbed woman whose weapon is trust, and whose target is innocence. Starring Sarah Bolger, Joshua Rush, Carly Adams.

Salem’s Lot (Director: Tobe Hooper)

Driven by inner forces even he cannot understand, novelist Ben Mears returns to his hometown to write about a mysterious mansion that has intrigued him since childhood. But he discovers a horrifying secret: The community is slowly becoming a village of vampires.  Starring David Soul, James Mason, Bonnie Bedelia.

Urban Legend (Director: Jamie Blanks)

Dr. Wexler, professor of American Folklore, states that urban legends exist only to convey hidden moral lessons for all who hear them. But the students at New England’s Pendleton College are finding out just how fatal these stories can really be. When a series of murders occurs at the school, student Natalie begins to notice a bizarre link between the killings. Starring Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Rebecca Gayheart, Robert Englund.

November 5

Blood Vessel (Director: Justin Dix)

Somewhere in the North Atlantic, late 1945, a life raft adrift at sea, and in it, the survivors of a torpedoed hospital ship. With no food, water, or shelter, all seems lost until a seemingly abandoned German minesweeper drifts ominously towards them, giving them one last chance at survival—if they can survive the bloodthirsty monsters on board. Starring Nathan Phillips (Wolf Creek), Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), Robert Taylor (Longmire).

November 9

Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson (Director: David Gregory)

“Horror Film Director Found Slain, Buried Under Floor,” screamed the 1995 headlines read ‘round the world. But the truth behind the wild life of Al Adamson—including the making of his low budget classics and his grisly death—reveals perhaps the most bizarre career in Hollywood history, as retold in this captivating documentary. Featuring Al Adamson, John ‘Bud’ Cardos, Robert Dix, Marilyn Joi, Gary Kent.

Cherry Tree (Director: David Keating)

After learning dad’s leukemia has advanced, Faith is stunned when her teacher approaches her with a devilish deal. If Faith gets pregnant and hands the baby over for a sacrifice, the sorceress will heal poor papa. But there’s always a catch, and when Faith realizes what she’s actually agreed to, the sweet deal goes sour very fast. David Keating’s follow-up to Shudder favorite Wake Wood. Starring Anna Walton, Naomi Battrick, Sam Hazeldine.

RELATED: Shudder Announces Return of Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Uncut

November 12

Lingering (a.k.a. Hotel Lake) (Director: Yoon Eun-kyoung)

Seeking support as the guardian of her younger brother, Yoo-mi returns to a small hotel run by a family friend. As bizarre incidents creep up in her mother’s old room, Yoo-mi will have to unravel the supernatural mystery and discover the truth before it’s too late. Starring Lee Se-young (Memorist), Park ji-young (The Concubine).

November 14

Saturday the 14th (Director: Howard R. Cohen)

In this horror comedy, John and Mary can’t believe their good fortune when they inherit the vast estate of John’s recently departed uncle. Sure, it’s a fixer-upper. But there’s nothing that can’t be taken care of with a fresh coat of paint, a little dusting … and maybe an exorcist! Monsters, mayhem, and mirth descend upon the house and only a mysterious book can save this everyday normal family from Saturday’s paranormal activity. Starring Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss, Jeffrey Tambor.

November 16

Are We Not Cats? (Director: Xander Robin)

After losing his job, girlfriend, and home in a single day, a desperate thirty-something accepts a delivery job upstate. There he stumbles upon Anya, a beguiling and mysterious young artist who shares his proclivity for eating human hair. While their shared obsession bonds these two loners together, it also takes them on a perverse and disturbing journey in one of the most exciting and singular American indies of recent years. Starring Michael Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, Michael Godere.

Blood of Wolves (Director: Kazuya Shiraishi)

Rookie detective Shuichi Hioka is assigned to the East Kurehara precinct’s Second Investigation Division, which boasts the best arrest rate in the Hiroshima Prefectural Police. He and his new partner Shogo Ogami, a veteran detective rumored to be in cahoots with the mob, are tasked with investigating the disappearance of an employee of Kurehara Finance, a front company for the Kakomura-gumi organized crime group. Starring Koji Yakusho, Tori Matsuzaka.

Coherence (Director: James Ward Byrkit)

On the night of an astronomical anomaly, eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events. Part cerebral sci-fi and part relationship drama, Coherence is a tightly focused, intimately shot film that quickly ratchets up with tension and mystery. Starring Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon

Let the Corpses Tan (Director: Helene Cattet, Bruno Forzani)

Belgian filmmakers Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani trade in the crushed velvet and creeping shadows of their giallo-worshiping first two films (Amer, The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears) for blistering sun, creaking leather and raining bullets in this glorious homage to 1970s Italian crime films. Based on a classic pulp novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette and featuring vintage music cues by Ennio Morricone, Let the Corpses Tan is a deliriously stylish, cinematic fever dream that will slamfire your senses like buckshot to the brain. Starring Elina Lowensohn, Stephane Ferrara, Bernie Bonvoisin.

November 19

Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (Director: Alexandre O. Philippe)

A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, Leap of Faith explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that have shaped his life and filmography. The film marks the sixth feature documentary from Philippe (78/52, Memory: The Origins of Alien), continuing his thoughtful analysis of iconic genre films. Starring William Friedkin.

RELATED: Shudder Orders Animated Creepshow Special With Sutherland & King!

November 23

The Mario Bava Collection:

A master of Gothic, a genius of giallo and a Godfather of Italian Horror—Shudder celebrates the legacy and influence of Mario Bava with a collection spanning his first foray into fright, Black Sunday to his final gem, Shock. Featuring: A Bay of Blood, Black Sabbath, Black Sunday, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, KIll Baby Kill, Lisa and the Devil, Shock and The Whip and The Body

November 24

Porno (Director: Keola Racela)

When five repressed teen employees at a local movie theatre in a small Christian town discover a mysterious old film hidden in its basement, they unleash an alluring demon that is determined to give them a sex education…written in blood. Starring Robbie Tann, Katelyn Pearce, Evan Daves, Larry Saperstein (High School Musical: The Musical Series), Jillian Mueller (The Last O.G.), Glen Stott (The Good Fight).

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Universal’s Battlestar Galactic film lands Simon Kinberg to write/produce

It’s been two years since word last broke that Jay Basu (The Girl in the Spider’s Web) had been tapped to pen a new draft for Universal Pictures’ Battlestar Galactica film adaptation and now it looks as though the studio is changing gears again as Simon Kinberg (Dark Phoenix) has signed on to write and produce the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

RELATED: Kinberg & Weil’s Invasion Builds Cast as Production Resumes

“Battlestar Galactica is one of the holy grails in science fiction,  and I couldn’t be more excited about bringing something new to the franchise, while honoring what’s made it so iconic and enduring,” Kinberg said in a statement. “I’m so grateful that Dylan and my partners at Universal have trusted me with this incredible universe.”

After spending years as the creative head of Fox’s X-Men film franchise, Kinberg has found a new franchise to work with in Battlestar and is reportedly going to start from scratch in developing the story of humans on distant planets at war with a race of intelligent machines hellbent on wiping them out. Kinberg will produce the project alongside Dylan Clark, who has been attached to the project for nearly five years now, with other previous talent attached to the project having included screenwriter Lisa Joy (Westworld) and directors Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games) and Bryan Singer (X-Men: Apocalypse).

The sci-fi franchise began with the 1978 television series, which chronicled the adventures of space faring vessel centuries in the future. At the end of a millenia-long conflict with a robotic race known as the Cylons, the last surviving warship, the Galactica, leads a convoy of hundreds of human vessels in search of a mythic planet called Earth.

RELATED: Legendary Developing Film Adaptation of Buck Rogers

The first Battlestar Galactica series was followed by a brief sequel/spinoff series, Galactica: 1980, two years later. The franchise is arguably best known today, however, as a rebooted television version that premiered in 2004. That series, created by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, was followed by a short lived prequel series, Caprica, in 2010 and a webseries, Blood & Chrome, in 2012. It is believed that the new Battlestar Galactica movie, which is being produced by Bluegrass Films, will again reboot the franchise.

(Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)

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Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train adds Aaron Taylor-Johnson

The Brad Pitt-starring thriller Bullet Train has found another passenger for its ensemble cast roster in the form of Kick-Ass and Marvel Cinematic Universe alum Aaron Taylor-Johnson, according to Deadline.

RELATED: Andrew Koji Hops Aboard Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train

Bullet Train will mark the eighth collaboration between David Leitch (Hobbs & Shaw) and Pitt, who first worked together in 1999 on Fight Club on which Leitch worked as an uncredited stunt double for Pitt, followed by 2001’s The Mexican, Ocean’s Eleven and Spy Game, the latter two in which he doubled again for Pitt and helped coordinate the martial arts stunts on the Tony Scott-helmed film. Leitch would once again double for Pitt in 2004’s Troy and 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith and would later reunite with the star in 2018’s Deadpool 2, in which Pitt cameoed as Vanisher and Leitch directed.

On top of directing, Leitch will supervise the script written by Zak Olkewicz (Fear Street). Plot details for the film are currently being kept under wraps, but it is based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle by Isaka Kotaro.

Leitch and Kelly McCormick will produce the project via their company 87North along with Antoine Fuqua (The Magnificent Seven, Training Day, The Equalizer) and Kat Samick (The Equalizer, Southpaw, Infinite). Brittany Morrissey is the executive overseeing the film for Sony Pictures.

RELATED: Joey King in Talks for Brad Pitt-Starring Bullet Train

Leitch and McCormick recently signed a first-look deal at Universal and produced the action film Nobody, starring Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk, which is expected to release in February 2021. The duo is also developing a biopic of Jutta Kleinschmidt, the first and only woman to win the brutal off-road endurance race known as The Dakar Rally, as well as the rights to her book My Victory at Dakar.

(Photo Credit: Rich Fury/Getty Images)

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CS Soapbox: Franchises that need to end following Fast & Furious

“Overstaying its welcome.” It’s a phrase I’ve often heard when discussing television but very rarely in the film world, despite a number of franchises running far past their expiration date, and with the recent confirmation that Universal Pictures’ Fast & Furious mainline series would be coming to an end after two more films, I think it’s high time we look at some of the many movie series out there, be they our favorites or most detested, and take a hard honest look at the fact that sometimes dead is better.

RELATED: Universal Wrapping Fast & Furious Franchise, Lin to Helm Final Two Films

Child’s Play

I’m a big horror genre fan and the tale of a killer doll named Chucky that spawned from the mind of Don Mancini has delivered plenty of thrills and chills in its 32-year life cycle, even in some of its more lackluster outings, but let’s be real, there are far too many variations on the personality of Chucky and the story of Child’s Play that it’s hard to justify a major interest in wanting to see more of the Brad Dourif-voiced slasher. I admittedly enjoyed the Mark Hamill-starring reboot and am certainly interested in seeing the upcoming series with Mancini back at the helm, but much like many slasher genres over the years, there’s becoming frequently fewer terrifying things and increasingly more convoluted to the point it’s lost its shock value and might just need to be returned for store credit.

The Purge

Now before you go calling for my head or saying you’d purge me if given the chance, it’s not that I don’t enjoy the murderous franchise, they’re very stylish, have some well-executed action and noble political aspirations, but in all honesty, there’s really only one good film in the series: Anarchy. The first film introduced the franchise’s brilliant concept but buried it in a fairly formulaic home invasion thriller, the third film Election Year tried for some poignant themes and the on-the-street anarchy of the eponymous film but couldn’t reach the same heights while the fourth film, a prequel, didn’t offer anything new to say or see. Now granted, the upcoming fifth film is intended to be its finale, but should the studio see dollar signs and look to continue without franchise creator/scribe James DeMonaco, the chances are they could and it would be a poor decision looking to capitalize on money instead of anything interesting.

Jurassic Park

As a kid born in the mid ’90s, the Jurassic Park series was a paramount element of my childhood and I enjoyed every second of the original trilogy, even the pretty flawed and too-CGI heavy Jurassic Park III, but to see where the franchise has come in the years since is kind of disheartening. I absolutely adored Jurassic World as it felt like a return to the capitalism-skewering themes of the source novel and was a fast-paced adventure with solid CGI and charming turns from Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, but it’s the former point that indicated a return to the flaws of the previous two films: far too much CGI. The practical nature of many of the dinosaurs in the first film was even more impressive than the incredible early CGI creatures and as the films have gone on, the stories have become less interesting and the effects far more generic that there’s no longer the same sense of wonder as what came before, especially in the pretty rough Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, a film full of potential that drops the ball and introduces some awful attempts at story evolution. Though Dominion is supposedly set to conclude the Jurassic World franchise, producer Frank Marshall has confirmed the series will continue with humanity looking to adjust to the possibility of dinosaurs living on the mainland, but this is frankly a pretty uninteresting concept and begs the question: If you have the original film’s trio returning for major parts, why not just end it there?

Alien

41 years ago, Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett and Ridley Scott introduced audiences to the terrifying creature that is the Xenomorph in the Oscar-winning Alien starring Sigourney Weaver as the now-iconic heroine Ellen Ripley, and though James Cameron initially kept the franchise alive with the exhilarating Aliens, the subsequent sequels attempted to reach the same level of excitement to decidedly mixed results and frankly even with Scott back at the helm of the series, it’s frankly time for it to end. The 2012 pseudo-prequel Prometheus was actually a brilliant and exciting film from start to finish, but its studio-mandated attempts at connecting to the mothership franchise felt forced and underwhelming, and while a return to the grim tone of the first two films was welcomed in 2017’s Alien: Covenant, the further convolution of the story and awkward efforts to connect both the Alien and Prometheus storylines resulted in a mostly dull and unintentionally hilarious affair. The ending for the latter certainly left plenty of room for a follow-up film, but rather than continue to force the merge of two totally different franchises, it would be nice to see the next film Scott is developing be either a proper sequel in the mainline Alien franchise that could lead to something better or a fitting conclusion to the prequel series.

RELATED: Sigourney Weaver Doesn’t Think She’ll Return To the Alien Franchise

Bourne

While some of his more acclaimed roles may have come in the indie world of the ’90s, Matt Damon will forever be best-known — and rightfully so — for his turn as Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne in Universal Pictures’ big-screen adaptations of the spy thriller novels, but after three incredible films and two so-so entries, it’s honestly time to hang up the amnesia-laden coat on this franchise for a while. Damon is still young enough to portray the role and deliver on some of the exciting action sequences of the films, but the initial finale to the series, The Bourne Ultimatum, felt like a fitting-enough conclusion to his story and the secrets behind it that a spin-off film was a good idea, though its execution proved a bit troublesome, and Damon’s return was still only welcomed with mixed reviews. While another film is reportedly in development in connection to the now-cancelled series Treadstone, it’s probably best to go ahead and classify those details permanently.

Halloween

The John Carpenter and Debra Hill-created Michael Myers really suffered after his 1978 debut as he was subject to a number of formulaic and fairly campy installments in the Halloween franchise until comedy vets David Gordon Green and Danny McBride came along and delivered the stunning 2018 direct sequel of the same name, which left the room open for another exciting installment, Halloween Kills, that is set to hit theaters next October, as well as a third installment, Halloween Ends, for October 2022. But the thing is, after the latter film, the slasher franchise should honestly come to a close as the story has fairly run its course and should Ends offer a fitting final battle between series heroine Laurie Strode and Myers, it would be nice to leave it there and put the slasher to rest.

Friday

Ice Cube really proved his worth to the film world in 1995 when making his screenwriting debut with the stoner comedy Friday, receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences and becoming a cult favorite in the years since, going on to spawn two sequels that received far less fanfare from critics and audiences alike — though the holiday-themed third installment Friday After Next is arguably my favorite in the series and a must-watch come Christmas season. A fourth film, reportedly titled Last Friday, has languished in development hell for some time now, with star John Witherspoon’s passing creating a major speed bump for the project and with Cube still looking to find a new path for the film, it may be best to use the story as a means to grant fans and series cast members to honor the late comic legend and give a fitting conclusion to the beloved story franchise.

Friday the 13th

Another iconic horror slasher who has resurrected one too many times, Friday the 13th‘s Jason Voorhees has also seen a mixed bag of outings since his debut 40 years ago, but unlike Myers, he really didn’t start out that great. Borrowing heavily from Carpenter’s horror classic, Sean S. Cunningham and Victor Miller’s original film was already a pretty formulaic affair even as the slasher genre was finding its early footing and though it saw a few entertaining sequels such as 1986’s Jason Lives, the Nightmare on Elm Street crossover Freddy vs. Jason and the 2009 reboot, it’s one that begs the question of why another outing is reportedly in the works. Audiences by this point know the origin of the character, they know his general shtick and M.O., it makes it kind of hard to find the desire to see another outing of the hockey mask-wearing unless it returned to the tongue-in-cheek and self-aware nature of Jason Lives.

RELATED: LeBron James to Produce Friday the 13th Reboot

Indiana Jones

Much like Damon’s Bourne, the George Lucas-created Indiana Jones will forever be one of Harrison Ford’s most iconic characters from his legendary career, although unlike his fellow Oscar nominee, the role of the whip-toting archaeologist will forever be attached to him given the films were an original work rather than an adaptation of a novel. Critically, the Indiana Jones films have all been hits, receiving rave reviews for Ford’s charismatic performance, Spielberg’s direction and the exciting action sequences, though audiences have been generally mixed on the the fourth and most recent installment Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which introduced the titular hero’s son Mutt Williams, or Henry Walton III, portrayed by Shia LaBeouf as a potential replacement for the franchise lead. Due to the film’s mixed reception from fans, these plans were scrapped and a fifth film is currently in development with Ford returning and Logan‘s James Mangold set to direct and Disney CEO Bob Iger promising it won’t be the final installment in the overall franchise, but unless they plan on passing the reins to a new, younger character, it probably should be the end. Ford may still be starring in such blockbusters as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Call of the Wild, but given his age of 78 it’s kind of hard to imagine him being able to continue the action-heavy series on his own, especially if a sixth film were to take as long to get made as the fifth, which should establish the next film as Ford’s finale or a passing of the reins.

Lethal Weapon

The buddy cop genre has given audiences plenty of lovable duos over the years including 48 Hrs’ Jack and Reggie, Rush Hour‘s Lee and Carter and Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone’s Tango & Cash, but arguably the most iconic is Mel Gibson and Danny Glover’s Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh of the Lethal Weapon franchise from Shane Black. Even in the lackluster third and slightly over-indulgent fourth films, the comic chemistry between the leads and well-executed action sequences always kept the proceedings lively but after over 20 years since we last saw Gibson and Glover in the roles, it’s kind of hard to imagine the 64 and 74-year-old stars returning for another outing that will be just as exciting as the past. Reportedly titled Lethal Weapon Finale with Gibson, Glover and franchise director Richard Donner returning, the fifth film could be a fun and proper final outing for the original iterations of Riggs and Murtaugh, given the cancelled series’ infamous behind-the-scenes drama leading to its demise, but it should be just that, the holstering of the lethal weapon.

The Matrix

The Wachowskis brought their groundbreaking sci-fi Matrix franchise to an end 17 years ago with more of a whimper than a bang, and while its “final” installment certainly left room for more and plenty of unanswered questions, it was one that should’ve stayed shut down. Instead, we are now set to get a fourth installment with Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett-Smith and more returning and joining for the first time and while what’s being teased sounds exciting and the prospect of seeing the John Wick star donning those slim sunglasses again is undoubtedly intriguing, it’s hard to desire another mainline entry past the fourth film. The universe of the Matrix is ripe with potential for other stories, The Animatrix proved this, but much like George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise, a story following “The Chosen One” is no longer as compelling as just exploring the interesting world they inhabit. Speaking of….

Star Wars

BLASPHEMY! MADNESS! FEED HIM TO THE SARLACC! Look I get it, as a fan of blockbuster filmmaking, there’s no way I should be saying that the mammoth Star Wars franchise should come to an end, but frankly the big screen storytelling of the series is kind of beginning to lose much of its luster to the point it’s hard to argue for its continued existence. Yes, with masterminds like Taika Waititi and Kevin Feige — and, fingers crossed, Rian Johnson — the franchise could find bold new paths to continue down, but frankly, as much as the space-faring adventures can unite fans, they also breed so much toxicity across the internet and in public that it’s hard to want to root for new voices to come in when some fans are too willing to dig their heels in on what’s come before and what they want to continue that it’s honestly time for at least the film world of Star Wars to end.

Terminator

Terminator 2: Judgement Day is hands-down one of the greatest films of all-time, not just sci-fi, ALL films. That being said, however, boy has this franchise struggled to re-achieve the magic that came from that seminal 1991 blockbuster film. The fact a threequel was made to the Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring sequel still baffles me to this day as the ending to the James Cameron co-written/directed hit perfectly wrapped things up from a story standpoint, but Hollywood’s cries for more has caused more convoluted storytelling that lacked the emotional heart of the first two. Rise of the Machines was a campy and braindead affair, Salvation was anything but as it wasted its cast and potential for a future-set outing, Genisys was a flawed but mildly enjoyable attempt to evolve the formula of the franchise and Dark Fate was a heavy-handed rehash of the first two films whose promise dropped after the first act of the film. The latter film was touted as the start of a new trilogy of stories, but with no real clear ideas of where to take it and an overall disappointing installment, it may be best to consider Dark Fate as an actual foreshadowing for the franchise’s future should it continue.

RELATED: Linda Hamilton Would be Happy to Never Return to Terminator

Transformers

After years of delivering beloved animated series and films following the line’s 1984 debut, Hasbro’s Transformers came to life on the big screen in live-action glory in 2007 from the explosive minds of Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman and the initial results were rather thrilling. The visual effects were stellar, the humor was enjoyable and the story a nice combination of adapting the toy line and finding its own unique path, which helped launch a big-screen franchise that only became progressively worse as installments went on. While 2018’s prequel/reboot Bumblebee may have finally set the film series on a proper path, it also proved enough of a proper closure of wrapping up the franchise’s storyline in an emotionally fitting manner that it’s hard to want to see the new live-action outing slated for a May 2022 release, or even the animated feature from former Pixar creative Josh Cooley.

MonsterVerse

After Roland Emmerich dropped the ball (rather entertainingly) in 1998, Americans got their hands on the Godzilla property once again and landed on-the-rise British filmmaker Gareth Edwards to helm a fresh take on the Toho creature and helped launch Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse. The production house continued with the awe-inspiring Kong: Skull Island with fellow rising filmmaker Jordan Vogt-Roberts at the helm and also having announced a Godzilla sequel that would set up the highly-anticipated Godzilla vs. Kong, the second time the two titans have faced off against one another, but without any concrete future plans for the franchise, it may be better to just let it end. Chances are the title will take a Batman v Superman path and have the titular monsters face off against one another before partnering for some bigger threat to the planet, which would allow the two to remain protagonists in audiences eyes as they return to live peacefully in their natural environments.

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Dreamland Trailer: Margot Robbie Stars in New Thriller Drama

Paramount Movies has released the official trailer for director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte’s upcoming thriller drama film titled Dreamland, featuring Margot Robbie as she portrays a wanted bank robber with a big bounty on her head. Also starring Peaky Blinders‘ Finn Cole, the film will be arrive in select theaters on November 13 and will also be available on VOD on November 17. Check out the video in the player below!

RELATED: Black Bear Trailer: Aubrey Plaza Stars in New Comedy Thriller

Set amidst America’s struggle during the Great Depression, Dreamland follows Eugene Evans, a young man who dreams of escaping his small Texas town. His normal life takes a turn when he discovers a wounded, fugitive bank robber Allison Wells (Robbie) hiding closer than he could ever imagine. Torn between claiming the bounty for her capture and his growing attraction to the seductive criminal, nothing is as it seems, and Eugene must make a decision that will forever affect the lives of everyone he’s ever loved.

The film stars Academy Award nominee Margot Robbie (I Tonya, Birds of Prey), Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders), Travis Fimmel (Warcraft, Vikings), Kerry Condon (Avengers: Infinity War) Lola Kirke (American Made), Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) and Darby Camp (Big Little Lies).

RELATED: Christina Hodson & Margot Robbie Reunite for New Pirates of the Caribbean

Dreamland is directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte from a screenplay written by Nicolaas Zwart. The film is being produced by Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara of Lucky Chap Entertainment and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Rian Cahill of Automatik. Brad Feinstein of Romulus Entertainment is producing and financing.

The film had its world premiere last year at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

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The Last Vermeer Trailer: Guy Pearce & Claes Bang lead historical drama

After slating the film for a new November release date, Sony Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for the historical drama The Last Vermeer starring Emmy winner Guy Pearce (A Christmas Carol) and Claes Bang (Dracula). The trailer can be viewed in the player below!

RELATED: News of the World Trailer Sees Tom Hanks on a Cross-Country Journey

Based on the book The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez, the official logline for the film reads as follows:

While Joseph Piller (Claes Bang), a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the witty, debonair aesthete, Han van Meegeren (Guy Pearce) was hosting hedonistic soirées and selling Dutch art treasures to Hermann Goring and other top Nazis. Following the war, Piller becomes an investigator assigned the task of identifying and redistributing stolen art, resulting in the flamboyant van Meegeren being accused of collaboration — a crime punishable by death. But, despite mounting evidence, Piller, with the aid of his assistant (Vicky Krieps), becomes increasingly convinced of Han’s innocence and finds himself in the unlikely position of fighting to save his life.

Directed by Dan Friedkin (Killers of the Flower Moon) on a screenplay from James McGee and mark Fergus & Hawk Otsby (The Expanse, Iron Man), the cast for the film includes Pearce, Bang, Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread), Roland Møller (Atomic Blonde), August Diehl (A Hidden Life), Olivia Grant (All the Money in the World), Adrian Scarborough (Artemis Fowl) and Susannah Doyle (Black Mirror).

The Last Vermeer is produced by Ryan and Danny Friedkin alongside Bradley Thomas, while Ridley Scott, Peter Heslop and Gino Falsetto are attached as executive producers on the historical drama.

RELATED: Exclusive Most Guys Are Losers Trailer Starring Mira Sorvino & Andy Buckley

The Last Vermeer is set to hit theaters on November 20.

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