Director Steven Kostanski (Frankie Freako, PG: Psycho Goreman) reboots Roger Corman’s cult favorite with new movie Deathstalker, and Bloody Disgusting has learned that Shout! Studios will be bringing the sword-and-sorcery film to theaters on October 10.
Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick, Nobody, Barry) stars as the warrior Deathstalker in what’s being described as “a newly reimagined installment of the cult sword and sorcery series.”
Exclusively check out the official poster for the Deathstalker reboot below!
Here’s the official synopsis: “The Kingdom of Abraxeon is under siege from The Dreadites, a mysterious horde of warriors, whose sudden appearance arerumoured to foretell the return of Nekromemnon, an ancient sorcerer long thought dead. Such times of chaos are times of fortune for men like Deathstalker, who, having broken ties with all guilds and banners, now ekes an existence from the spoils recovered in the wake of Dreadite attacks.
“Our story begins when Deathstalker unknowingly recovers an enchanted amulet from a corpse-ridden battlefield and finds himself cursed by an arcane magick. Now pursued by a monstrous clan of assassins at the behest of the Dreadite scourge, Deathstalker is forced into a perilous quest to reverse the curse and rid the realm of evil.”
Steven Kostanski’s big screen reboot focuses on the fantasy setting, utilizing creature suits, prosthetic FX make-up and stop-motion animation from his Action Pants FX shop.
Rob Zombie’s psychotic masterpiece The Devil’s Rejects is returning to theaters nationwide for the film’s 20th anniversary, Bloody Disgusting has learned this afternoon.
Screening in 4K for the first time, Rob Zombie’s blood-soaked cult classic is presented in theaters by Fathom Entertainment, the leading specialty distributor of content to theatrical partners worldwide, and Lionsgate. The second installment in Zombie’s infamous Firefly trilogy will screen for two nights only — Monday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 8!
Each screening includes an exclusive new introduction created by Rob Zombie, reflecting on the legacy and impact of The Devil’s Rejects.
Check out the 20th anniversary re-release poster artwork below.
Picking up where House of 1000 Corpses left off, The Devil’s Rejects begins with revenge-crazed Sheriff Wydell and his men surrounding the Fireflys’ homestead, guns blazing — but when the smoke clears, Otis and his sister, Baby, have managed to escape. Taking refuge — and hostages — in a back-road motel, the most-wanted siblings rendezvous with their deranged partner in crime, Captain Spaulding, killing whoever happens to stand in their way.
But as the body count mounts higher, Sheriff Wydell decides to “cross the line” and take the law into his own hands, paving the way for one of the most terrifying, mayhem-filled showdowns in cinematic history.
Starring Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, William Forsythe, and Leslie Easterbrook, The Devil’s Rejects is a visceral descent into outlaw horror that has earned its place as a genre-defining cult favorite.
Old-fashioned television programming still exists in many places throughout the world, but I think it’s safe to say that most internet users find the idea of channel-surfing through media that wasn’t curated by either yourself or a highly personalized algorithm to be about as primitive as dining on mammoth meat. However, as certain practices are lost to the past, they can also become esoteric inspiration for modern storytellers – which is likely why Analog horror is so popular among younger generations that have never even seen a real VHS tape.
That’s why I was intrigued by the trailer for Michael Hurst’s eerie love-letter to late-night TV, Transmission. As someone who used to routinely spend the night watching multiple different channels at once in the old-school equivalent of managing multiple browser tabs on your computer, I was fascinated by the idea of a Found Footage movie using several self-contained vignettes to tell a larger horror narrative.
In the film (which was completed back in 2023 but is only getting released now due to the usual difficulties that plague indie distribution), we follow a mysterious block of late-night programming from the point of view of an unidentified old man as he channel-surfs through the unraveling of a supernatural conspiracy in real time. This is conveyed to us through a series of interconnected scenes from retro movies, breaking news broadcasts and televised documentaries, with the footage having apparently been sourced from what I assume are the old man’s VHS recordings from that particular night.
From sci-fi epics to raunchy ’70s comedies and even the occasional horror host intermission, Transmission’s clever premise allows the film to indulge a wide array of filmmaking styles in order to explore a genuinely compelling meta-narrative about a director who went too far in search of genre thrills. However, while a good script can elevate even the cheapest of productions, things can get a little messy when you’re dealing with a format that relies heavily on authenticity.
Contrary to popular belief, good Found Footage is usually harder to produce than traditional movies (even if it’s often cheaper), as modern audiences instinctively recognize what “real” footage looks like. This means that filmmakers need to be extra careful in order to make their faux media look convincing. Unfortunately for Transmission, low production value combined with sup-par acting and questionable creative decisions keep the experience from ever feeling real enough to be scary.
From cheap digital filters meant to emulate vintage recordings to the annoying use of high-quality stock footage that doesn’t match the rest of the film (as well as modern CGI effects in what’s implied to be a period setting), it’s hard to get invested when the film makes no effort to suspend your disbelief. I usually wouldn’t fret about these budget-related blemishes, but when the entire premise hinges on the movie successfully emulating a specific form of real-world media, it’s hard to justify all of these cut corners. This is especially egregious since many of these issues could have been prevented by either writing a less-ambitious screenplay or investing more time in the post-production process.
However, if you aren’t as much of a Found Footage purist as I am and can put believability aside, there’s still a lot to like about the multilayered world of Transmission. On its own, the script is surprisingly solid, with influences from Robert W. Chambers, films like Antrum and even John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns. I also love the subtle humor peppered throughout the in-universe movies and shows – as well as the recurring hints that the over-arching narrative is a puzzle meant to be assembled piece by piece.
It’s also quite refreshing to see genre veteran Felissa Rose in a more down-to-earth role as a distressed news anchor, though Vernon Wells really steals the show with his intense performance as a mysterious filmmaker willing to sacrifice everything for his art. It’s just a shame that their appearances are so brief (and often relegated to green-screen compositing), though that might also be a budget issue.
When Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan claimed that “the medium is the message,” he was referring to the fact that content and presentation are two sides of the same coin. This is especially true when it comes to Found Footage filmmaking, as the peculiarities of attempting to replicate real world recordings in fiction are precisely what make this the perfect genre to tell stories about media itself and how it affects our lives. Refusing to engage with the visual side of these meta elements misses the point of the genre entirely, and that’s why Transmission doesn’t work despite boasting its fair share of eerie moments.
However, while the film wasn’t exactly a homerun, I can’t help but respect Hurst’s lofty ambitions for its story. The screenplay features quite a few genuinely interesting ideas that could have been better executed in a larger production, and the director clearly has a knack for combining several different narrative threads into a cohesive experience. In fact, I’d like to see Hurst experiment with Found Footage again in the future – especially if he’s given a larger budget to bring his vision to life. In the meantime, a VHS rerelease of Transmission marketed as a bootleg recording might actually fix many of the film’s aesthetic issues, so I’d recommend that readers keep an eye on this one just in case the distributor ever decides to release a more authentic cut of the movie.
Netflix likes to keep its brands going as long as possible, so it’s no wonder Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline has already given thought to a potential spin-off.
Even Rotten Tomatoes agrees that this military series developed by the creator of Peaky Blinders is worth checking out, scoring a coveted 100% rating on the site.
The erotic horror thriller Bone Lake is coming to theaters nationwide on October 3, 2025, and an attention-grabbing official poster for the upcoming film has arrived this afternoon.
From Bleecker Street, the adrenaline-filled erotic horror/thriller is directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, and this week’s new poster is teasing a killer climax – maybe quite literally.
Check it out below…
In the film, “A couple’s romantic vacation at a secluded lakeside estate is upended when they are forced to share the mansion with a mysterious and attractive couple. In this darkly hilarious and seductive horror story, a dream getaway spirals into a nightmarish maze of sex, lies, and manipulation, bringing terrifying secrets to light and triggering a bloody battle for survival.”
Marco Pigossi (“Gen V”), Maddie Hasson (Malignant), Alex Roe (Rings), Andra Nechita (“Fatal Attraction”), Eliane Reis, and Clayton Spencer star in Bone Lake. Mercedes Bryce Morgan (Spoonful of Sugar) directs from a screenplay by Joshua Friedlander (Holly Slept Over).
Trace Thurman wrote in his BD review out of Fantastic Fest, “Bone Lake emerges as one of the biggest surprises of Fantastic Fest, operating as an incredibly entertaining thriller that doesn’t skimp on the gore or the laughs. It’s a goddamn blast from start to finish.”
As you might have guessed, Bone Lake has been rated “R” for strong bloody violence, grisly images, sexual content, graphic nudity, language throughout and some drug use.
It’s about to be one hell of a bad night in Human, which has drawn comparisons to Evil Dead II, the splattery early work of Peter Jackson, and the stylized productions of Gregg Araki.
We have an exclusive look at the teaser trailer below ahead of the gory supernatural horror film’s world premiere at FrightFest in London on August 22.
It’s past midnight and Dani Ferris is a woman all alone, away from home. A woman who’s tired as hell, wanting nothing but a little tease of digital debauchery before shutting her eyes. A woman not even remotely prepared for the roller coaster of emotions she’s about to ride with a front-row seat.
Sleep? Nope. Tonight is a night for friends, lovers, enemies, frenemies?, little guns, bigger guns, body parts, body fluids, body solids, love, hate, life, death, and things a hell of a lot more super than natural. A night Dani will never forget. And neither will he.
Matt Stuertz (Tonight She Comes) writes and directs. Jackie Kelly stars with Jeffrey Decker, Brock Russell, and Cecily Dowd. Howie Mandel makes a voice cameo.
“Human is a movie meant to take people on a ride through the full spectrum of (human) emotions and horrors,” Stuertz tells Bloody Disgusting. “It’s by far the most personal film I’ve ever made, and I’m extremely excited to premiere it with the FrightFest audience – and see everyone’s reactions in person.”
