Latest news with #HalfwaytoHalloween
See - Sada Elbalad
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Ma" Sequel in Works with Octavia Spencer Returning
Yara Sameh A sequel to the 2019 revenge thriller "Ma" is in development at Blumhouse. Octavia Spencer is set to reprise her role as the eponymous killer, but plot details are still being kept under wraps. The project remains in early stages, with no director attached or release date set. The original film followed a group of high schoolers who find an unlikely, intergenerational friend in Sue Ann Ellington, a lonesome veterinarian and devoted party animal played by Spencer. The woman, affectionately called 'Ma,' allows the teens to party in her basement, but things get bloody once their relationship starts to sour. The first 'Ma' re-teamed Spencer with director Tate Taylor, who helmed the aactress'Oscar-winning performance in 'The Help.' Released by Universal in May 2019, the low-budget Blumhouse production was a box office winner, earning $61 million worldwide. But the film has grown an even stronger following in the years since, spawning various memes including parody posters and reaction images. Spencer even joined in on the fun in 2020, holding an online contest for the 'best Ma meme' and awarding numerous prizes. In 2024, she referenced the film in a short video posted by the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. In May, 'Ma' featured as one of the re-release selections for Blumhouse's Halfway to Halloween campaign. The pic, along with 'M3GAN' and 'Annabelle,' received a one-night-only engagement in theaters nationwide. The 'Ma' sequel was unveiled by Blumhouse at Atomic Monster and its first-ever Business of Horror event in Hollywood. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
‘Ma 2' horror sequel in development with Octavia Spencer returning
Blumhouse Productions is developing a sequel to its 2019 horror hit Ma, with Octavia Spencer set to return as the iconic killer, Sue Ann Ellington. The film, which gained a cult following after its release, will continue the dark and twisted tale of Sue Ann, who developed an unsettling bond with a group of high schoolers in the original. While the project remains in its early stages, Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum expressed excitement about Spencer's return, stating, ''Ma' has proven to be a social phenomenon since its release in 2019, with fans eagerly embracing the film and Octavia's iconic performance as Ma.' ' The first Ma film, directed by Tate Taylor, saw Spencer's character offer a group of teenagers a place to party in her basement, only for the situation to spiral into violence. The low-budget thriller was a box-office success, grossing $61 million globally. Since its release, Ma has continued to enjoy popularity, with the film being embraced in memes and pop culture. Spencer even engaged with fans in 2020, hosting a contest for the best Ma meme. The film was also featured in Blumhouse's Halfway to Halloween event in 2024, alongside other iconic horror films. Although no director or release date has been set, fans of the original can look forward to another terrifying chapter with Spencer's return to the role of Ma.
CBC
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Text with M3GAN and clock in at the Severance office — immersive experiences are changing how we watch
M3GAN returns to theatres! This time, U.S. audiences can text with chatbot version of killer doll during movie The internet's favourite killer AI doll is back in theatres and this time, viewers can slide into M3GAN's DMs during screenings to text with a chatbot version of the character. Will it set a new low for theatre etiquette, or is it just another innovative way audiences are being invited to actively participate? The sci-fi horror movie went viral in 2022 thanks to the doll's killer dance moves, and now it's being re-released in the U.S. for one night only as part of Blumhouse Productions' Halfway to Halloween festival on April 30, and to hype the sequel, M3GAN 2.0, coming out June 27. Viewers of the re-release will be able to use their phones to interact with a chatbot version of the title character powered by Meta's new Movie Mate technology. And the M3GAN chatbot isn't the only innovation on offer as we move from an era where we passively sit and watch and into one where we're encouraged to interact with our entertainment. Immersive experiences for shows like the Apple TV+ hit Severance are transporting fans into fictional worlds. Experts say these marketing strategies can help build engagement, but also note authenticity is key. Why a movie chatbot might work … The first M3GAN film garnered a lot of attention online, going viral on social media and contributing to its box-office success. Three years later, the sequel seems to be striving to recreate that same momentum. By sending a direct message to the internet's favourite killer doll on Instagram, viewers attending the M3GAN re-releases will be able to access exclusive content, trivia and behind-the-scenes info. Kristen Duke, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Toronto, says the fact that the screenings are a one-night-only event introduces an element of scarcity, and enhances the value and excitement people could feel. "Part of the goal will be to kind of stimulate conversation afterward, like, 'I had this crazy interaction with the M3GAN bot,' " she said. Duke also noted that this may be specifically intended to attract Gen Z consumers, because they're already in the habit of using their phones as a second screen. "That might be a new way of the future," she said. … and how it could backfire Duke also points out that M3GAN 's chatbot gambit could mean that if people are busy on their phones, they might miss details in the film. "If you were kind of in the flow of the story, you were narratively transported, we would say," she said. "Then switching to your phone and doing a slightly different task will kind of break you out of that." New York-based film and pop culture critic Kristen Maldonado says that while viewers might find it interesting to be able to access exclusive content or additional information, encouraging them to do that while texting a chatbot as a movie plays is "a little dangerous," because it makes it more socially acceptable to use phones in a dark theatre. "Maybe there's a different way that could be done, where you're still getting that experience but not taking away from what's on the actual silver screen," Maldonado said. But just as recent rowdy screenings of A Minecraft Movie have disrupted traditional theatre etiquette, more young people may be bringing their second-screen habits to the silver screen. Duke says that will probably upset people who just want to watch the movie. "I think all of this is meant to be additional experiences that enhance your immersion in the story, but don't actually interrupt your actual consumption," she said. Sure enough, when the M3GAN chatbot was announced, not everyone was thrilled. "I don't really want people to be looking at their brighter-than-the-sun screens in a dark room," wrote @JiltedValkyrie on X. That's a sentiment shared by American theatre chain Alamo Drafthouse, which told Variety it will continue to enforce its strict no-phones policy during the screenings — sorry M3GAN, they're putting you on do not disturb. Severance connects with fans through pop-ups To Maldonado, a second-screen experience "doesn't sound as exciting" as being physically present somewhere. She suggests that instead of incorporating phones in theatres, a better way to keep fans engaged is to connect them to each other by offering immersive events that can truly bring fictional worlds to life. It's a trend that's caught on in recent years, with shows as diverse as Friends and Stranger Things recreating sets that allow fans to grab a coffee at Central Perk, or venture into the infamous Hawkins lab for an interactive adventure. But the most recent show earning praise for its immersive fan experience is Severance. Just before its second season premiered in January, Apple pulled off a genuinely impressive marketing stunt by recreating the show's Macrodata Refinement department at Lumon Industries in the middle of New York City's Grand Central Station — complete with actors Adam Scott, Britt Lower and Zach Cherry in character as severed workers Mark S., Helly R. and Dylan G. That attention to detail caught the eye of Severance superfan Cris Bartoletti, who posted on social media that she was surprised when the actual cast showed up. So when the Boston resident got an opportunity to take part in an immersive event for the show — or an Outdoor Retreat Team-Building Occurrence, as Lumon would call it — she jumped at the chance. Clocking in for work at Lumon Industries Earlier this month, as she drove up the familiar semi-circular driveway toward the Bell Works building in New Jersey that stands in for Lumon Industries, Bartoletti felt her excitement growing. When she got inside, she was even more impressed by the attention to detail as she and other fans got to live in the Severance world for a day. "Everywhere you looked, there was something Lumon-themed and it very much felt made for fans," she said, before relating a perfect example of how the event catered to the people who really love the show. "Have you finished your file?" That was the question posed to Bartoletti by a worker in the Mammalians Nurturable department of Lumon, populated on the show by goats and their caretakers, including department chief Lorne, played by Gwendoline Christie. The actor made a surprise appearance to help kick off a Q&A panel featuring the rest of the cast and hosted by Stephen Colbert. Fans crave authenticity Bartoletti says this particular sense of "excitement and spontaneity" that the surprise pop-ups provided can only really happen organically. "Trying to engage fans and sort of getting that organic conversation going are what gets most people to start new shows at this point." WATCH | Apple TV+ organizes an ORBTO: To Duke, it's no surprise that fans are delighted by the elaborate Severance events. "The top trend that I've seen with younger consumers is this desire for authenticity," she said. "We've developed this skepticism of outright explicit advertising."
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Crypt Kicker performs live on FOX8
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — Check out Crypt Kicker as they perform live in the FOX8 studio. If you've been to the Woods of Terror at Halloween, you've probably heard of them. They joined us for Live Music Thursday to tell us about an upcoming event called Halfway to Halloween. Get tickets at the Woods of Terror website. Follow Crypt Kicker at their is looking for more local musicians and musical groups to spotlight. If you're interested in performing on FOX8 or you have a recommendation, let us know by emailing 10amNews@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
