News

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.

Asked to name an Amityville remake, the natural response is the “all abs, all the time” Ryan Reynolds 2005 remake. What folks may not know is that there is *technically* another option: director Éric Tessier’s Tubi original, The Amityville Curse (2023) which is a Canadian remake of another Canadian Amityville film of the same name from 1990.

You can revisit my editorial on the Og film from <gulp> two years ago, but the premise of both films is nearly identical. Each follows a group of College students who purchase a house for dirt cheap under the pretense of fixing it up. At the time, I wasn’t super enthusiastic about Tom Berry’s 1990 cash grab sequel, if only because it was one of the first...

Exclusive: Lifetime has set six new original films to premiere this fall as part of its “Ripped from the Headlines” movie slate starring Heather Locklear, Ana Ortiz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Jackie Cruz, Sheila E. and Karrueche Tran. The new movies will air on Saturdays at 8 p.m./7 c.

These films join the previously announced movies, Buried Alive and Survived (Sept 21) starring Eva Marcille, and He Slid into Her DMs (Sept 28) with Courtney Thorne Smith.

Learn more about the films and when they will premiere below.

The Girl Who Wasn’t Dead

Starring Lyndsy Fonseca, Emma Tremblay and Kyle Clark

Premieres October 5th at 8/7c.

Inspired by true events, The Girl Who Wasn’t Dead tells the story of 15-year-old Erica (Tremblay) who vanishes without a trace. Authorities believed Erica might be the victim of a local serial killer, but her mother, Carrie (Fonseca) refused to believe the worst. In an incredible turn of events,...

What happens when a sudden murder occurs at a reunion of old friends? We can’t help but think of every possible person in close contact with the victim as the actual killer! My Killer Reunion, a Pierre David and Tom Berry film, revolves around a group of friends and their complex love interests. The film stars faces like Brittney Q. Hill, Britton Webb, Carrie Schroeder, and Tatiana Le’Joy. A plethora of questions come to our minds while watching the film. Who was the actual murderer? What was the motive behind the murder? Let’s find out!

Spoilers Ahead

What Conflict Did James Have With Victor?

James had a major conflict with Victor, encircling his wife’s former affair with him. James had committed the mistake of cheating on his wife, Claire, a few years ago, leading to their separation. During that phase, Claire and Victor had been physically intimate with each other.

You know how much we love Christmas movies here at TV Fanatic, so sharing Lifetime's holiday slate brings us great pleasure.

Lifetime's festivities begin on Saturday, November 18, and the entire programming strand will feature 12 movies.

We're talking stars like Tia Mowry, Luke Humphrey, Vivica A. Fox, Nicollette Sheridan, and well-known actors.

So, what's on tap for the holiday season, TV Fanatics?

Check out Lifetime's complete list of movies below.

Christmas Plus One - Saturday, November 18 at 8 p.m.

When sisters Cara (Emily Alatalo) and Amy (Vanessa Smythe) make a pact to find their soulmates by next Christmas, they're not expecting anything to come from it.

However, one year later, Amy's winter wedding is approaching, and Cara finally finds her own perfect man, Chase (Andrew Bushell), who agrees to attend as her plus one.

But after immediately losing his number, all hope is lost. Will she find him in time...

The Roku Channel is breaking out their wreaths. The streaming platform announced two new holiday projects to their lineup.

“How to Fall in Love by the Holidays,” led by Teri Hatcher, follows a writer-turned-ceo who must write a column about love in time for the holidays. Things become more complicated, thanks to the handsome photographer working alongside her.

The Reel One Entertainment film is executive produced by Tom Berry, Suzanne Chapman, Breanne Hartley, Louisa Cadywould, Sebastian Battro and Laurence Braun, written by Ansley Gordon and directed by Michael Kennedy. The movie streams on Friday, November 3.

The Holiday Shift

Roku will also debut a five-episode holiday series titled “The Holiday Shift,” from CBS Studios and Fulwell73. The show follows intersecting love stories of employees at a mall working during the holiday rush. Varun Saranga, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Devyn Nekoda, Nadine Bhabha, Brielle Robillard, Michael Delleva, Sarah Levy and Jon Dore star.

Tommy Johnagin,...

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”

Less than a year after the possessed lamp made its debut, Canada delivers the fifth entry in the Amityville franchise…and the result is a little ho-hum.

I’m still unsure at what point I need to start grading on a new curve, but now that the films have moved entirely into the realm of made-for-tv, there’s a noticeable shift in quality. While The Evil Escapes suffered from over-lit scenes but at least attempted to connect its narrative back to the original house, The Amityville Curse is the first film to basically retain the name and mostly jettison the rest.

I say “mostly” because there is an offhand remark in a scene set at Daughery’s, the local tavern, when a...

Are you ready for some Lifetime holiday movie goodness?

Scroll down to find out which movies will be a part of It's a Wonderful Lifetime this holiday season.

There are plenty of festive treats on the way.

1. Merry Swissmas November 5 at 8/7c Alex (Jodie Sweetin) has wonderful memories of Christmas with her best friend Beth (Mikaela Lily Davies), until Beth starts dating Alex’s ex, Jesse (David Pinard). Because she has missed the last few Christmases with family due to her demanding job as an architect, Alex is excited to spend the holidays with her mother, Caroline (Jane Wheeler), who is opening an inn in Switzerland. Much to her dismay, she learns that Jesse and Beth are also visiting for the inn’s opening. When Alex meets Liam (Tim Rozon), a single father and the manager of her mother’s inn, Liam attempts to show her all the Christmas traditions...

Lifetime is upping its holiday movie game by adding three movies to its 2022 It’s a Wonderful Lifetime movie slate, which will include a reunion of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman stars Jane Seymour and Joe Lando in a flick executive produced by Toni Braxton.

A Christmas Spark follows a widow (Seymour) who has lost her zest for life and given up on ever finding love again. She reluctantly takes on the job of directing the town’s Christmas pageant and soon finds herself falling for her leading man (Lando), the town’s most eligible bachelor.

A Christmas Spark is produced by Lighthouse Pictures and is being distributed by Sony Pictures Television. Braxton, Stephen Bulka and Jamie Goehring are executive producing. Rhonda Baraka directs from a script by Eirene Tran Donohue.

Gospel artist Kirk Franklin is also returning to executive produce and star in his second holiday movie for Lifetime, Kirk...

Lifetime is reuniting “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” co-stars Jane Seymour and Joe Lando in a holiday movie this year, Variety can exclusively announce. The duo will star in “A Christmas Spark,” executive produced by Toni Braxton. Variety can also reveal that the network’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” lineup will also feature two more films on its 2022 slate: “Merry Swissmas,” starring Jodie Sweetin and Tim Rozon; and “Kirk Franklin’s the Night Before Christmas,” starring Naturi Naughton and Luke James.

“A Christmas Spark,” written by Eirene Tran Donohue, produced by Lighthouse Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Television, follows recently widowed Molly (Seymour) who decides to visit her daughter for Christmas. There, she signs on to direct the town’s Christmas pageant and finds herself falling for Hank (Lando), the town’s most eligible bachelor. Braxton, Stephen Bulka, and Jamie Goehring are executive producing. Rhonda Baraka directs.

“Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas,...

Exclusive: As it approaches the launch of its free, ad-supported streaming service, Chicken Soup for the Soul has set content deals with Kin and Reel One Entertainment and lined up a slate of originals.

The service is joining the portfolio of its namesake parent, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, which also runs Crackle, Popcornflix and other services. Chicken Soup for the Soul is already available as a free, ad-supported television channel on Plex, FreeCast, Redbox, LG Channels, Stirr, Xumo and Vizio. The full AVOD version, with thousands of on-demand hours of programming, will go live during this quarter.

Kin makes lifetyle shows with talent including Tia Mowry, Adrienne Bailon Houghton, Jeannie Mai, Malika and Khadijah Haqq and Angela Simmons. In addition to circulating on social platforms, they are syndicated to linear broadcast and streaming. One example is cooking show Comfort Kitchen, hosted by Mowry.

Reel One Entertainment specializes in scripted dramas and will also be providing original movies for Chicken Soup. Plans call for one Reel One original to be released each month. Titles in the works include For the Love of Chocolate, Love Afloat, A Priceless Love, A Slice of Chicago Romance, Love for Starters, A Bouquet of Love, Love Map, A Snapshot of Forever, Love Amongst the Stars, The Beauty of Love, Love at the Ranch, and Love in Full Swing. Tom Berry, CEO of Reel One Entertainment, said Chicken Soup’s “vibrantly loyal audience is a perfect fit for the fun and romantic themes our titles will represent.”

Also premiering on Chicken Soup for the Soul will be its latest original, Smart Home Nation. The show is produced by Efran Films in association with Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and Parkside Entertainment, and hosted by Tanya Memme. Other originals planned for the new AVOD service’s slate include Hidden Heroes, Animal Tales, The New Americans, Project Dad, and Going From Broke. Ashton Kutcher is an executive producer of Going from Broke, which has previously been a big draw on Crackle, according to the company.

“When planning the launch of the Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD streaming service, we set the bar very high,” said Jeff Meier, head of programming for Crackle Plus, ‘We’ve exceeded our own expectations and are excited to be launching with a robust slate that features lifestyle TV staples, fan-favorite personalities, and engaging movies and originals our target audience will be sure to love.”

The service will also offer classic series and movies from the Sonar library. Titles in that vault include Mothers and Daughters, with Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone, Courteney Cox, Christina Ricci, Selma Blair and Mira Sorvino; Morning Glory, with Christopher Reeve and Deborah Raffin; and My Boyfriend’s Back, with Sandy Duncan, Jill Eikenberry and Judith Light. The Sonar library came to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment via the acquisition of Sonar Entertainment last year. In all, Sonar has 1,400 hours of programming, across 600 titles with 268 Emmy and 16 Golden Globe wins among them.

Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus, said last November’s launch of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Fast channel started a number of integration efforts. “We’re launching a branded Chicken Soup ‘tray’ on Crackle, to give fans easy access to the content as it rolls out wide with additional partners over the next few months,” he said.

The Smithsonian Channel has shared a clip promoting “One Thousand Years of Slavery,” a new docuseries that aims to tell the global story of slavery.

The four-part series features interviews and discussions with notable Black actors, celebrities and leaders, who will dive into their own family connections to slavery and unpack the legacy it has left today. Some of the people interviewed for the series include Debbie Allen, Valerie Jarrett, Lorraine Toussaint, Soledad O’Brien, Cch Pounder, Senator Cory Booker, Marc Morial and Dulé Hill.

The series is executive produced by Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s Bassett Vance Productions, with Vance narrating every episode. In the clip, Vance speaks at a private panel discussion with Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, Aafca President Gil Robertson, Smithsonian Channel Head James Blue and Dr. Jessica Mildward. Vance discussed why he thinks the miniseries is necessary, and how it can help young people who...

Exclusive: Fox Entertainment’s free streaming service, Tubi, has set Camilla Belle to star in the romantic comedy feature 10 Truths About Love.

She’ll play Carina, a relationship columnist for whom, despite her professional expertise, love does not come easy. The movie also stars David Lafontaine (Molly’s Game) as Liam, Belle’s love interest.

“We are delighted to have Camilla Belle star in our Tubi Original Movie for Valentine’s Day,” said Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer at Tubi. “Camilla’s charismatic performance is perfectly paired with the charming screenplay for 10 Truths About Love, and we’re so pleased that this movie will anchor our Valentine’s programming event with thousands of bingeable romantic titles.”

10 Truths About Love also stars Sebastian Marziali (Party Mamas), David Keeley (Warehouse 13), Kelsey Verzotti (Top 10 Dorothy), Paula Rivera (Impulse), Maya Cieszynska (And He Was Gone), Karn Kalra (The Dictator’s Playbook), Robert Ifedi (Self Made:...

Exclusive: An English adaptation of the hit Belgian series Team Chocolate will be produced by STXtelevision and Reel One Entertainment after acquiring the rights from Wild Bunch TV.

The award-winning original tells the story of Jasper Bloom, a young man with Down’s syndrome who begins working with a diverse team of employees with a range of disabilities. He falls in love with one of his colleagues but their love story is interrupted when she’s whisked away to another city. So Jasper hits the road with his new friends on a journey of adventure and self-discovery not only for Jasper but for his wider community.

STXtelevision and Reel One are committed to casting the show with the same character-specific attention, authenticity, and care that was a hallmark of the original series.

“We were struck by Team Chocolate’s honest and unbarred portrayal of lives within a community we don...

Halloween has come and gone and it’s time to start celebrating the holidays. Ok, well, Lifetime (and some of its competitors) began decking their lineups with new Christmas movies before Oct. 30 — but now it’s really time to start making the season bright.

See below for Lifetime’s full 2020 “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” slate of holiday movies, which includes 30 different original films this year. Two notable projects on the list are “A Christmas Setup,” which marks the cable channel’s first-ever holiday movie to feature a gay couple as the leads, and “A Sugar & Spice Holiday,” Lifetime’s first holiday film led by an Asian cast.

Christmas on Ice

Starring Abigail Klein, Ryan Cooper, Caroline Portu,

Will Lyman, Meara Mahoney Gross

10/23 at 8pm Et/Pt

Courtney Bennett (Abigail Klein), a former US figure skating hopeful, runs the city’s public skating rink but when the Mayor (Will Lyman) announces its closing,...

Newen Group, the Paris-based international production and distribution company owned by French’s biggest TV network TF1 Group, is rebranding its distribution activities and rejigging its structure under the banner Newen Connect.

The new organization, which will be spearheaded by Rodolphe Buet, will bring together Newen Distribution, TF1 Studio and Reel One Intl. to streamline their processes and operations. The Newen Connect team will comprise more than 20 executives located in Paris, London, Montreal, New York and Buenos Aires.

Buet, who was previously one of the top execs at Studiocanal, joined Newen in February as chief distribution officer and reports to Romain Bessi, the managing director of Newen. The company is in the process of hiring a head of sales for Newen Connect.

Within Newen Connect, Sabine Chemaly, the veteran sales executive who runs TF1 Studio, will manage international film sales and marketing; Coralie Chave will handle sales for TF1 Da...

In today’s TV News Roundup, Amazon announced the premiere date for Season 3 of “Absentia,” and Netflix released a trailer for George Lopez’s upcoming stand-up special.

Dates

Amazon has announced that Season 3 of “Absentia” will premiere on Prime Video on July 17. New episodes will follow Emily Byrne (Stana Katic) as the final days of her FBI suspension are upended by a new international criminal case. “Absentia” is produced by Bizu Productions, in association with Sony Pictures Television’s Gemstone Studios. Watch a trailer for the new season below.

ABC has announced its new comedy series “United We Fall” will premiere with back-to-back episodes on July 15 at 8 p.m. The series follows parents of two young kids trying to live as a functional family. The series comes from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios. Julius “Goldy” Sharpe, Seth Gordon and Julia Gunn serve as executive producers.

TNT has moved the...

Rodolphe Buet has joined Newen, the TF1 Group-owned production and distribution company, as head of distribution. Buet is joining Newen from On Entertainment (“Playmobil”) where he worked as head of the film division for two years. The executive previously held a 12-year tenure at Studiocanal as president of international distribution and marketing for films, library and TV series.

The appointment of Buet underscores Newen’s international growth strategy and the development of its business in Europe. The company is looking to develop a slate of premium content, ranging from drama to TV films, animated series and documentaries created by well-established European and North American producers both within and outside of the group.

Buet will be in charge of overseeing the activities of Newen Distribution, which is led by Malika Abdellaoui, and TF1 Studio, whose international sales division is headed by Sabine Chemaly. Buet will also be collaborating with teams at...

Lifetime saw V.C. Andrews’s Casteel Family movie series ranking as cable’s #2 new drama series among W25-54* for 2019. Now, the network will expand its footprint within the writer’s universe by greenlighting a five movie series based on the Ruby Landry novels.

The first of the five new original movies, V.C. Andrews’ Ruby, will star Australian twins Raechelle Banno as “Ruby” and Karina Banno as “Giselle.”

Watched over by her loving Grandmère Catherine, Ruby Landry is filled with hope as love blooms with her high school sweetheart Paul Tate. But lingering thoughts of her mysterious father and her mother’s death often creep into Ruby’s mind. As dark family secrets begin to reveal themselves when Paul’s parents forbid him from seeing Ruby, Ruby is further devastated when her beloved Grandmère passes away.

Forced to flee to New Orleans from the Bayou, Ruby searches for her estranged father,...

Lorena Bobbitt’s story is getting the biopic treatment.

Lifetime has greenlit “I Was Lorena Bobbitt,” a feature about the woman who became a household name and made tabloid headlines when she cut off her husband’s penis with a knife in 1993 after years of abuse.

Bobbitt was the subject of a Jordan Peele-produced Amazon docuseries which came out less than a year ago, and this new retelling has Bobbitt herself on board as an executive producer. Casting on the project is underway and production will begin later this month. The film, announced by A+E Networks president of programming Rob Sharenow at Lifetime’s Television Critics’ Association winter tour press day, will follow Bobbitt’s “journey from a wide-eyed, immigrant bride to a battered wife into an unlikely media sensation.”

“I Was Lorena Bobbitt” hails from Cineflix International and executive producers Andy Streitfeld, Jeff Vanderwal and Charles Tremayne. Barbara Nance...

Newen, the Paris-based media company owned by TF1 Group, has acquired a majority stake in Reel One, a leading production and licensing company specializing in TV films for the North American and global markets.

Based in Montreal with offices in London, Los Angeles and Vancouver, Reel One develops, finances, produces and sells TV films and series. The company, whose credits include the series “Detective McLean,” generates 90% of its revenue outside of Canada, Newen said.

Newen, the maker of costume drama series “Versailles,” is already well-positioned in French-speaking markets with production banners such as Capa Drama and Telfrance. It should benefit from Reel One’s high volume of English-language productions. This year, for instance, Reel One is expected to deliver more than 75 TV movies, including crime thrillers, romantic films and Christmas specials.

Reel One founder and CEO Tom Berry will continue to hold a minority stake in the group and will...

Former Lifetime and Hallmark Channel exec Barbara Fisher has joined indie producer Reel One Entertainment. She joins the company as Evp Scripted Content to oversee its development and production slate.

Prior to joining Reel One, she was Svp Original Programming for cable network Up TV and held similar roles at the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. In addition to producing for Nat Geo, she spent 15 years at Universal Studios, where she oversaw titles including David Spade’s Just Shoot Me and HBO’s Dream On.

She will be based in Los Angeles and report to Reel One Entertainment CEO Tom Berry, working closely with Evp Business Affairs Breanne Hartley and Evp Distribution Sebastian Battro. Reel One is currently working on an English-language remake of Belgian drama Tygat Chocolat, Irish-Canadian crime series co-production Our Father with ShinAwiL, and an adaptation of the Philip K. Dick novella Second Variety.

“As the company expands...

Screaming, flying ‘Autonomous Mobile Swords’ have decimated the enemy in a war on a far-off planet, but now the pesky smart weapons are self-evolving into ever more cruel and deadly new iterations. Peter Weller and Jennifer Rubin head a cast of desperate soldiers in this adaptation of an early story by Philip K. Dick — that perhaps addresses an aspect of the arms race? The show remains a cult favorite of fans of violent sci-fi adventures. Disc extras interview the filmmakers on Screamers’ decade-long path to the screen.

Screamers

Blu-ray

Scream Factory

1995 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 108 min. / Street Date January 29, 2019 / 29.99

Starring: Peter Weller, Roy Dupuis, Jennifer Rubin, Andrew Lauer, Charles Edwin Powell, Ron White, Michael Caloz.

Cinematography: Rodney Gibbons

Film Editor: Yves Langlois

Original Music: Normand Corbell

Written by Dan O’Bannon, Miguel Tejada-Flores

From the short story ‘Second Variety’ by Philip K. Dick

Produced by Charles W. Fries, Antony I. Ginnane,...

After facing the bladed boogeyman in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and instilling a unique brand of law and order in the first two RoboCop movies, respectively, Jennifer Rubin and Peter Weller went up against deadly manmade weapons in 1995's Screamers. Written by Dan O'Bannon and based on Philip K. Dick's short story "Second Variety," Screamers is coming to Blu-ray on January 29th from Scream Factory, and the full list of special features has now been revealed, including a new interview with Rubin.

From the Press Release: "Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, the science-fiction thriller Screamers will make its Blu-ray debut January 29th, 2019 from Scream Factory. Starring Peter Weller (Robocop) and Jennifer Rubin and featuring a screenplay by Dan O’Bannon, Screamers also includes a number of new bonus features, including new interviews with director Christian Duguay, producer Tom Berry, co-writer Miguel Tejada-Flores and actress Jennifer Rubin.

In today’s film news roundup, Gale Anne Hurd will be honored with a lifetime achievement award, Nicole Kidman’s “Destroyer” gets an AFI Fest screening, and the holiday romance “Mr. 365” starts production.

Film Festivals

The Heartland International Film Festival has selected “The Terminator” and “The Walking Dead” producer Gale Anne Hurd for its lifetime achievement award.

Heartland Film Festival’s director of film programming Greg Sorvig, said, “Gale Anne Hurd has cemented her place in film history as a creator and guiding force behind some of the most iconic genre works in film and television history. You could start and end the list with ‘The Terminator,’ ‘Aliens,’ and ‘The Walking Dead,’ but the fact that there is so much more beyond those two unforgettable films and that groundbreaking television series, speaks to her lasting impact on our film culture.”

Hurd will receive the award at AMC Castleton Square in...

Two indie films have pulled together its cast. First up is Demetrius Shipp Jr., who played the late Tupac Shakur in All Eyez on Me, who is starring along with Essence Atkins from NBC’s Marlon, Terrence Jenkins (Safe Word) and Edwina Findley (Black Lightning) in the indie mystery/drama titled Same Difference. Secondly, Haley Pullos, Haley Webb, and Bryce Durfee will star in another indie film, entitled No Good Deed.

Produced by Datari Turner and written and directed by Derege Harding, Same Difference follows a young woman (Atkins) who is told that her death is imminent by a mysterious group of people who all start dying one by one. The woman becomes compelled to let go of the past and reconcile with her estranged twin sister, also played by Atkins, who is suffering from alcohol addiction.

The film co-stars Kandi Burruss, Affion Crockett, Kris D. Lofton, Gabby Douglas, Lew Temple,...

In this morning's round-up, we have a Q&A with Casper Van Dien from the supernatural horror film, June. Also: details on Dracula's prop auction, XLrator Media's 24 Hour Rental, a video tribute to Friday the 13th Part VIII called "Voorhees Stomp", a new poster for The Hexecutioners, and release details for Krampus: The Reckoning.

Casper Van Dien Q&A: "June tells the story of nine-year-old June (Brice) who has been shuffled in and out of foster homes for years. And though she tries to be good, no matter where she goes, a trail of chaos and terror seems to follow. It’s only when June is sent to live with a new couple, Lily (Pratt) and Dave (Van Dien), that it looks as if things might finally work out. Except this innocent child with the face of an angel is possessed by an ancient, malevolent entity that has hijacked her soul.

We're big supporters of author, screenwriter, and artist Stephen Romano, mainly because not only is he uber-talented, but he's also just as sick as we are. God bless him! Read on for the first details on Resurrection Express as it heads toward the screen.

"I am happy to announce that I have officially sealed the deal with a pair of real Hollywood legends to bring my highly acclaimed novel Resurrection Express to the big screen," Romano tells us exclusively.

Romano continues, "I really love the book. It's one of my favorite things I've done so far. Simon and Schuster really took a chance on it because it's a batshit-crazy, ultra-violent thrill ride filed with over-the-top action, horrific torture, nonstop intrigue and crazy plot twists. It's about a half-mad hacker/martial artist named Elroy Coffin, who gets word that his dead wife may still be alive, and all he has to...

Imagine becoming pen pals with

one of the most notorious serial killers

of the 20th Century…

William Forsythe Stars As

John Wayne Gacy In

Dear Mr. Gacy

From Anchor Bay Entertainment

On Blu-ray™ and DVD December 14th

Thirty-two years ago, one of the most grisly chapters in the history of American crime came to an end with the arrest of infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy. But the story didn’t end with Gacy’s conviction and eventual execution. Anchor Bay Entertainment presents Dear Mr. Gacy, premiering on Blu-ray™ and DVD December 14th, based on the shocking true story and best-selling book “The Last Victim” by Jason Moss, with Jeffrey Kottler, M.D. Starring William Forsythe (Rob Zombie’s Halloween, 88 Minutes, The Devil’s Rejects) as John Wayne Gacy, with Jesse Moss (The Uninvited, Final Destination 3, “Stephen King’s The Dead Zone”), and Emma Lahana (Girlfriend Experience), Dear Mr. Gacy...

Thirty-two years ago, one of the most grisly chapters in the history of American crime came to an end with the arrest of infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy. But the story didn't end with Gacy's conviction and eventual execution. Anchor Bay Entertainment presents Dear Mr. Gacy , premiering on Blu-ray and DVD December 14th, based on the shocking true story and best-selling book "The Last Victim" by Jason Moss, with Jeffrey Kottler, M.D. Starring William Forsythe as John Wayne Gacy, with Jesse Moss, and Emma Lahana, Dear Mr. Gacy was produced by Tom Berry, Clark Peterson, producer of the Academy-Award winning film Monster, and Kellie Madison. The film recounts the experiences of 18-year-old college student Jason Moss and his relationship with the notorious Gacy. As...

Brian Trenchard-Smith’s sci-fi/action/thriller Arctic Blast will premiere at the Possible Worlds Canadian Film Festival in Sydney on August 4.

The film is an Australian-Canadian co-production shot in Tasmania. The executive producer is Antony I. Ginnane, whose distribution venture Ifm/Filmways is set to release the film in Australia/New Zealand.

The other executive producers are Tom Berry (Montreal-based Premiere Bobine) and Pierre David (Imagination Worldwide)

In Arctic Blast, a solar eclipse sends a colossal blast of super-chilled air towards the earth, setting off a catastrophic chain of events that threatens to engulf the world in ice. As Coastal Australia undergoes mass evacuation, physicist Jack Tate races to find a solution while protecting his family.

The Possible Worlds festival will take place August 2-8 in Sydney.

Fango’s Australian correspondent Michael Helms sent along casting and other details on two new projects getting ready to roll there, both of which showcase nature gone amok. The more horrific of the two is The Reef, the latest from Andrew Traucki, who co-wrote and co-directed (with David Nerlich) the killer-crocodile flick Black Water.

Reteaming Traucki with Black Water producer Michael Robertson, The Reef stars Aussie actors Damian Walshe-Howling, Zoe Naylor, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering and Kieran Darcy-Smith in the story of a group of friends whose boat capsizes on a jaunt to the Great Barrier Reef. Deciding to attempt a swim to the distant shore, they find themselves being stalked by a great white shark intent on making meals out of them. The $3.5 million (Australian) film is set to begin a five-week shoot October 12 in Queensland’s Hervey Bay; additional live shark footage will be captured in South Australia.

The producer and cinematographer of "Monster" are taking on another female-themed drama.

Clark Peterson, who produced the Charlize Theron-toplined Oscar winner, and Steven Bernstein, who served as its Dp, will collaborate on "Decoding Annie Parker," a story of the discovery of the breast-cancer gene. Peterson will produce and Bernstein will make his directorial debut.

The movie centers on Parker, a real-life breast-cancer patient who believed her illness had a genetic component, and weaves in the story of the researchers whose mission it was to determine the role DNA plays in the deadly disease.

Doctors dismissed Parker's beliefs, but she was ahead of her time: The group's research eventually led to the discovery of BRCA1, which is associated with breast and ovarian cancer.

Screenwriter Michael Moss, a doctor who knew of Parker's story from medical circles, is penning the screenplay. Tom Berry's Reel One Entertainment is financing, with Berry exec producing.

"Monster" producer Clark Peterson is tracking down another serial killer. Peterson will produce "Dear Mr. Gacy," based on the real-life story of Jason Moss, a college student who became obsessed with notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

The Innovative Artists-repped William Forsythe ("The Rock," "88 Minutes") will play Gacy, while Jesse Moss, who stars in Paramount's current release "The Uninvited," will play the role of Jason Moss.

European director Svetozar Ristovski ("Mirage") will make his English-language debut with the feature, directing from a script by Kellie Madison. Gordon Yang is also producing, while Tom Berry and Madison are exec producing.

The project is based on the memoir "The Last Victim" by Jason Moss, who began corresponding with Gacy in 1994, the last year of the killer's life. Moss eventually met Gacy on Death Row and even narrowly escaped an attack by him.

The twentysomething went on to gain a measure of...

The real-life story of Jason Moss, a college student who became obsessed with notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy, is coming to the screen from Monster producer Clark Peterson. In the film Dear Mr. Gacy , William Forsythe will play the title role, while Jesse Moss, who stars in Paramount's current release The Uninvited , will play the role of Jason Moss. Director Svetozar Ristovski ( Mirage ) will make his English-language debut with the feature, directing from a script by Kellie Madison. Gordon Yang is also producing, while Tom Berry and Madison are exec producing. The project is based on the memoir "The Last Victim" by Jason Moss, who began corresponding with Gacy in 1994, the last year of the killer's life. Moss eventually met Gacy on Death Row and even...

Industry guilds, especially SAG, came under criticism at a panel discussion during AFMA's sixth annual production conference Thursday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Independent producers took the guilds to task for forcing them to operate under rules that, in their view, should be reserved for studios and not for independent producers. The panel was titled "What Will It Take to Bring Production Back to the U.S.?" The producers -- including Reel One Entertainment president Tom Berry, New Image co-chairman Avi Lerner, Crystal Sky president Steven Paul and Andrew Stevens of Andrew Stevens Entertainment -- argued that it is those rules that force them to shoot in foreign countries because the costs of dealing with the unions has priced them out of working Stateside. "We can't produce films here", Paul said.