The wait is almost over for those hungry to own a physical copy of Toho’s Godzilla Minus One here in the United States, with pre-orders now open for various different releases.
Following the Godzilla Minus One Blu-ray Deluxe Japan Collector’s Edition, which was exclusively offered up in the Godzilla Store, four new home video versions of Godzilla Minus One are now available for pre-order at US and Canadian physical and online retailers.
The four Godzilla Minus One home video release versions available for pre-order include:
These Japanese language releases include audio in Japanese or an English dub, with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish, Bloody Disgusting has learned this week.
Unlike the Godzilla Minus One Blu-ray Deluxe Japan Collector’s Edition, however, these releases do NOT include the black & white version of the film, Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color.
Check out the Godzilla Minus One SteelBook release artwork below!
Toho’s Godzilla Minus One, written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, sees an already devastated post-World War II Japan facing a new threat in the form of Godzilla.
In addition to next year’s sequel M3GAN 2.0, arriving in theaters June 27, 2025, the M3GAN Universewill also be expanding with a spinoff horror movie titled SOULM8TE, and Deadline reports today that Lily Sullivan (Evil Dead Rise, Monolith) will star.
The website details, “Sullivan will portray the gorgeous, artificially intelligent android that a man acquires to help him cope with the loss of his recently deceased wife.
“In an attempt to create a truly sentient partner, the man inadvertently turns a harmless lovebot into a deadly soulmate.”
SOULM8TE is being billed as a ’90s-style erotic thriller with a “new technological twist,” and it’s coming to theaters on January 2, 2026. Kate Dolan (You Are Not My Mother) will direct.
“Fundamentally, I view this film as an exploration of relationships and loneliness,” Dolan said in a recent statement. “Despite technological advances, there are enduring human truths we cannot escape, and I am looking forward to delving into those depths.”
“SOULM8TE is a thrilling and seductive addition to the M3GAN universe. We’re excited to partner with Kate to bring this story to life with her unique cinematic vision and point of view,” said James Wan, who produces through his company Atomic Monster.
M3GAN was a massive viral hit for Blumhouse back in 2022, the film scaring up $180 million at the worldwide box office. It’s no secret why Blumhouse is all-in on all things M3GAN.
Shout! Studios, in collaboration with A Kiss and Tale Productions, Convoke Media, and Pixium Film Group has announced the upcoming release of Succubus, a “gruesome thriller” that’s headed to VOD outlets for purchase and/or rental beginning September 24, 2024.
Written and directed by R.J. Daniel Hanna (Hard Miles, Miss Virginia), Succubus boasts a talented cast of Brendan Bradley (A Tale Told by an Idiot, Death Valley), Rachel Cook (The Hack Job, Kill Shot), Olivia Applegate (Love & Death, Euphoria), Derek Smith (What/If, Narcos: Mexico), Emily Kincaid (London Fields, Abducted in Plain Sight), Rosanna Arquette (Signs of Love, Pulp Fiction) and Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley, Don’t Look Up).
Produced by Todd Slater, Anna Elizabeth James, Ari Novak, Ron Perlman, and R.J. Daniel Hanna, Succubus follows a young father going through a marital separation, joins a dating app, and matches with a beautiful but mysterious young woman…whose powers of seduction and manipulation entangle him in a mystery more horrifying than he could have ever imagined.
Coached by his over-sexed friend Eddie, Chris, a new father, joins the StarCrossed dating app “just to see what’s out there,” and eventually comes to the conclusion he should probably rekindle things with his estranged wife. But when he matches with Adra, a seductive young woman with a mysterious past, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he finds himself getting sucked into her world even as his own life falls apart. As Chris, Eddie, and Adra’s stalker, Dr. Zephyr circle her, Adra’s power grows, finally revealing her harrowing true nature.
Watch the official trailer below and look for Succubus on Digital platforms September 24.
With Alien: Romuluschest-bursting into movie theaters beginning August 15, Regal Theatres has unleashed its full line of exclusive merchandise that you’ll soon find in theaters.
Regal’s “Xenomerch” will be available one week early, hitting theaters TOMORROW!
Beginning August 9, Regal theatres across the country will have two exclusive collectible containers to offer Xenomorph enthusiasts.
“Moviegoers anxiously awaiting the latest chapter in the Alien franchise can collect a sleek black Xenomorph head or an illuminated Face Hugger Specimen Container. Both popcorn buckets are priced at $34.99 unfilled or $39.99 with an added large popcorn. Plus, Regal Crown Club (RCC) members who purchase these containers in theatre will earn 2X credits.”
Additionally, “On Thursday, August 15 at select Regal locations, members of the Alien fandom can also snack while expressing their love of this sci-fi horror release with an exclusive “I’m A Hugger” t-shirt and large popcorn combo available for $24.00. The online Regal Store will also open an Alien: Romulus section featuring themed apparel and collectible items.”
Advance tickets for Alien: Romulus are available to purchase at theatre box offices and kiosks, on the mobile app, and at REGMovies.com. RCC members selecting IMAX or ScreenX tickets will enter continuity programs to earn discounted or free tickets for future blockbuster releases in those premium formats.
Video game movies have been awful for decades, with a few rare exceptions. Here are some of the best video game-adjacent movies not directly adapting a game.
Horror movies based on public domain properties are pretty hot right now, but it seems a lot of filmmakers are messing around and finding out when wading into these waters. Much the same way Mickey’s Mouse Trap was retitled The Mouse Trap for its VOD release this week, the film formerly titled Sleeping Beauty’s Massacre has a new title for its own release.
Now titled Ouija Castle, the Sleeping Beauty-inspired horror movie is now available on VOD outlets including Prime Video. Yes, Ouija Castle. You can watch the new trailer below.
From the team behind Cinderella’s Curse comes Ouija Castle, a horror retelling of the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty that was directed by Louisa Warren (Cinderella’s Curse).
In the film, “The beautiful Princess Thalia is thrown to ruins after her father’s mysterious death. She lives with Prince Edison who she is in love with but can no longer marry since losing her status. Queen Velma wants the kingdom for herself and will use her dark powers, and use of the occult, to take over at any means necessary.
“Velma casts Thaila into a deep sleep to never wake, till one day she does and her web of lies start to fall around her. A violent twist after twist with gory and graphic deaths will ensue.”
Lora Hristova stars in Ouija Castle as Princess Thalia, along with Benedict Clarke, Sophie Rankin, Charlotte Coleman and Yvonne Curwen.
Director Louisa Warren had teased a few months back, “This film will flip everything as you know it on its head. It is savage, dark and utterly horrifying. I am setting out to create the most uncomfortable horror experience to date. There will be lies, gore and a big massacre. If you look back at the original material there is so much to play with.”
There was a time when most genre fiction was lumped together as a single collection of unserious literature by both critics and magazines. This is why weird fiction often shared an audience with sword and sorcery (and why writers like Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft could connect over their stories), with both genres influencing each other as they evolved.
There’s a similar inter-genre connection in the world of film, as many scholars have noticed a pattern where horror filmmakers eventually move onto bigger and more expensive fantasy projects. From Cannibal Holocaust’s Ruggero Deodato directing 1987’s The Barbarians to B-movie maestro Peter Jackson helming the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it seems like the horror genre somehow produces the best fantasy storytellers. However, today I’d like to discuss a particularly strange sword and sorcery flick directed by none other than Phantasm’s Don Coscarelli. Naturally, I’m referring to 1982’s wonderfully schlocky TheBeastmaster – a film that I think deserves more love from horror fans.
The Beastmaster began life as an adapted screenplay written by Coscarelli and his frequent collaborator Paul Pepperman soon after the success of Phantasm. While it was technically based on the novel of the same name by Andre Norton, the filmmaking duo ended up rewriting so much of the original story (which featured a Navajo war veteran that could communicate with genetically engineered animals in a sci-fi future) that the author demanded to have her name removed from the project.
After two years attempting to find funding in Europe, Coscarelli set about one of the toughest directing jobs of his career. Not only did the $9 million budget make it difficult to bring a thriving fantasy world to life on camera, but the titular beasts made the entire shoot a waking nightmare. For starters, a Russian bear escaped its wrangler on Marc Singer’s first day of shooting, and that’s not even mentioning the stubborn eagle that refused to fly on command or the 25 ferrets that had to be prepped for filming at all times. However, after five and a half grueling months (and more than one near-death experience), production wrapped on what was optimistically seen as a rival to John Millius’ Conan the Barbarian adaptation.
In the finished film, we follow Marc Singer as Dar, the King’s first-born son who’s kidnapped by a witch following orders from the mad priest Maax (Rip Torn). Rescued and adopted by a resident of Emur village, the boy eventually grows up and discovers that he’s somehow able to communicate with wild animals. When the village is destroyed by a horde of Jun barbarians allied with Maax, Dar recruits a party of animal companions and sets out on a quest for revenge.
SO WHY IS IT WORTH A WATCH?
I’ve always had a soft spot for cheap fantasy filmmaking. While I enjoy glossy blockbusters like the recent Dungeons & Dragons adaptation as much as the next nerd, the fact is that I find it more fun to watch a cinematic underdog attempt to bring a magical world to life without the help of a millionaire effects budget. And among epic B-movies, The Beastmaster is certainly one of the most entertaining.
From the bonkers action scenes where ferrets, painted tigers and eagles attack frightened stuntmen and leave you wondering “how the hell did they get this on camera?” to the flick’s surprisingly spooky magical elements, there’s never a dull moment here as we see Coscarelli flex the same creative muscles that made Phantasm such a memorable experience.
The movie relies on some absurd cinematic trickery in order to get past its low budget, like using POV shots to avoid showing expensive/dangerous stunts or passing off still photography as real footage when an animal refuses to lie still for a death scene, but these moments come together in the same way as the B-movie elements of the original Star Wars (which is why I think it’s still the most enjoyable entry in the franchise). And while the worldbuilding behind the Kingdom of Aruk isn’t as fleshed out as something written by Tolkien, the impressive sets, detailed miniatures and desertic California imagery breathe life into what could have easily been a visually unappealing slog.
The experience also benefits from a memorable ensemble. Sure, none of these thespians could ever match the legendary casting of James Earl Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan, but Marc Singer’s natural charisma is one of Beastmaster’s greatest assets. His hair may look silly and the dialogue has too many made-up nouns (not to mention the character’s uncomfortably horny tendencies), but Singer somehow makes it work through sheer charm. I also appreciate both Rip Torn and John Amos’s hammy performances here, with both actors feeling like they’re having the time of their lives in a live-action D&D campaign. And do I even need to bring up the incredibly talented Tanya Roberts?
AND WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?
The behind-the-scenes stories about the art department having to dye four different tigers black while crew members hid from rampaging bears are already the stuff of nightmares, but Coscarelli’s horror pedigree also resulted in The Beastmaster feeling oddly terrifying at times.
While the story’s general tone is adventurous and sometimes even playful, the film occasionally takes a sharp turn into unexpectedly mean-spirited territory. From warlocks sacrificing children over open flames to upsetting death scenes where genuinely terrified actors appear to be mauled by wild animals, there’s plenty of dark material for horror fans here.
Of course, the highlight of the experience might very well be The Beastmaster’s use of fantastical antagonists enhanced by practical effects. For starters, the Death Guards’ getup may look like cheap BDSM gear, but their tragic origins as tortured prisoners that were magically lobotomized and turned into living weapons is downright disturbing. I also really dig the Winged Devourers – bat-like monsters that feel like they would be right at home in the Satanic-Panic-inducing pages of an old D&D bestiary. There are even a handful of weirdly sexualized hags that serve as Maax’s freaky minions!
Some audiences might find The Beastmaster’s low production value and crazy storytelling grating rather than endearing, but I think it’s a damn shame that Coscarelli was never given the chance to work on more fantasy films – preferably with a higher budget. And in a world where epic adventures are usually held back by PG-13 ratings and studios scared of alienating advertisers, I think we can all appreciate a light-hearted fantasy romp where one of the main antagonists looks like Jason Voorhees at a LARP session and our hero is saved by freaky demons that digest their victims between leathery wings.
There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.
