Latest news with #JasonVoorhees
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Horror's middle class is vanishing – and that's bad news for all film fans
Does no one want to watch people get butchered any more? Horror, long recognised as one of Hollywood's most reliable cash cows, is in a panic: few scary movies are breaking through financially in 2025, many more are cratering completely, and questions are being asked about the future of a genre that once seemed as durable as Jason Voorhees. Forget the death of the archetypal movie star: if sassy psycho-cyborg M3GAN can't open a movie, who can? Back in 2022, the first M3GAN – about an artificially intelligent doll with a bloodthirst – grossed $182m (£135m), including $78m of pure profit for its backers at Universal Pictures and the micro-budget horror studio Blumhouse, off a production budget of just $12m. Thanks to smart marketing, which turned its leading lady's incongruous dancefloor skills into a spooky meme, M3GAN ended up exemplifying the dream outcome of the modern studio horror film: low-cost, big-brain thrills with such inescapable dazzle that audiences couldn't not seek it out. Why, then, did last month's M3GAN 2.0 go so badly? In four weeks, the more action-oriented sequel has grossed a measly $38m worldwide, a result so mortifying that the head of Blumhouse put his hands up within days of its release and admitted to having totally missed the mark. M3GAN 2.0 isn't alone, either. This year has seen a staggering number of horror films die at the box office, among them Blumhouse's reboot of Wolf Man ($34m gross on a production budget of $20m), the Ayo Edebiri horror comedy Opus ($2m gross/$10m budget), Jenna Ortega vehicle Death of a Unicorn ($16m gross/$15m budget), the well-received adoption chiller Bring Her Back ($23m gross/$15m budget), and last week's revival of the Nineties hit I Know What You Did Last Summer, which opened to a flat $13m in the US. Yes, these films' production budgets are lean (though the extent of marketing budgets is largely kept under lock and key), and many of the above titles will ultimately break even once video-on-demand grosses are factored in – but none of their respective backers will be happy with what amounts to loose change. On the other end of the spectrum, meanwhile, are this year's handful of out-and-out horror smashes, most significantly the Michael B Jordan vampire film Sinners, which cost a reported $100m to make but has grossed $365m. There's also been Final Destination: Bloodlines ($285m and counting on a budget of $50m) and Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later, which has so far grossed $145m on a budget of $60m – not wildly profitable, by any means, but decent enough. So people are still going to see horror on the big screen, but – echoing the Western world as a whole – horror's middle class is evaporating. The genre seems to either go big or collapse entirely. Any kind of financial in-between is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. All this leaves a film such as next week's Weapons carrying undue levels of pressure. A missing-persons thriller starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, it revolves around the disappearance of a class of children in small-town USA, and serves as filmmaker Zach Cregger's follow-up to his 2022 sleeper hit Barbarian. Promotion for the film has been strong – lots of abstract and eerie imagery in trailers, and attempts at virality via the publishing of two hours of 'surveillance footage' from the night of the children's 'disappearance'. But the stakes feel particularly high. Weapons sparked a bidding war between rival studios when Cregger first unveiled his script, with Warner Bros so eager to get the up-and-comer on side that they coughed up a $38m budget for the film, and allowed him final cut. If Weapons underperforms, this kind of investment in a young, ambitious filmmaker's original ideas may become even rarer than it is already. Why this is bad for everyone is that, in the last decade or so, horror has been one of the few genres to wholeheartedly embrace fresh ideas and fresh voices. The likes of Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017), Coralie Fargeat's The Substance (2024), Ari Aster's Hereditary (2018) and Robert Eggers's The Witch (2015) proved that audiences will turn out in droves for intriguing new concepts, no matter how wild they might seem on paper – and in the process, an entire generation of buzzy new filmmakers developed fanbases, industry clout, and (relative) name recognition. Speaking to The Town podcast shortly after M3GAN 2.0 bombed, Blumhouse head Jason Blum suggested that there is simply too much horror being released for many films to break through, and that the cheap-to-produce movies that were Blumhouse's bread and butter (their biggest hits have included Get Out, Us, The Invisible Man and the Purge franchise) no longer cut it. 'We need to up the budgets,' he insisted. 'People need theatrical events.' Which is, I suppose, accurate. This year's most successful horror films had heavy promotional spends behind them, while even the most financially lucrative horrors of 2024 – meaning the low-cost, high-return likes of The Substance and Oz Perkins's Silence of the Lambs pastiche Longlegs – were transformed into must-see 'events' via relentless and effective marketing. But just as important is the actual quality of material on offer, with far too many modern horror movies settling for tedious mining of intellectual property and repetitive premises (Knives Out and Midsommar have created an unfortunate cottage industry of star-studded, eat-the-rich, religious-cult disappointments). Blumhouse have been particularly guilty of this over the last 18 months, tossing out a raft of movies that felt as if they were formed backwards from an already unimpressive elevator pitch: Night Swim (haunted pool!); AfrAId (haunted Alexa device!); House of Spoils (Ariana DeBose!). Things may, however, be looking up. As much as it pains me to slander a film that made smart use of Nineties stalwarts Freddie Prinze Jr and Jennifer Love Hewitt, it is something of a relief that I Know What You Did Last Summer couldn't get people in cinema seats last week. A largely serviceable but poorly directed slasher pastiche, the film may have lifted the story beats and faces from the 1997 original, but it failed at the things that truly matter: character development, suspense, memorable chase sequences. It seemed to prove that, when it comes to horror, box-office success in 2025 requires far more than just dusting off some old IP and hoping for the best. Hollywood does have a knack for taking all the wrong lessons from its success stories. (Just look at how Barbie's gargantuan box office has led to the development of loads of other movies about toys.) But wouldn't it be lovely if the triumph of Sinners sparked an influx of expensive, original horror movies moving forward – and not, well, Sinners 2. 'Weapons' is released 8 August
Screen Geek
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
'Sweet Revenge' Trailer Revives Jason Voorhees
Friday the 13th fans have been waiting close to two decades for a new installment in the long-running slasher franchise. Things are finally coming together under the Jason Universe label, however, and we've now received our first look with the trailer for Sweet Revenge . The upcoming 'short-form vignette' revives Jason Voorhees just in time for the franchise's 45th anniversary. As the footage below reveals, writer and director Mike P. Nelson has put together all of the elements that fans have come to expect from a traditional Friday the 13th endeavor. Angry Orchard sponsored the vignette in a collaboration with Jason Universe and Horror, Inc. What's most exciting, of course, is that this trailer gives us our first look at the newly-redesigned Jason Voorhees in action. Responses to the Jason Universe's design for the iconic character have been mixed, but this footage fully reveals how the character functions in proper lighting and setting and, as you can see below, Jason is as brutal and enraged as ever. Here's the official trailer for Sweet Revenge : It's worth noting that there are still other Jason Universe projects in the works, including the upcoming Peacock series Crystal Lake , which is more focused on Jason's mother, Pamela Voorhees. It looks like the label is eager to bring back Jason and the Friday the 13th brand in as many ways as possible, and Sweet Revenge is just the first step in making it happen. Fortunately, fans will be able to see the vignette when it drops as soon as next month. The highly-anticipated Friday the 13th vignette Sweet Revenge from Jason Universe will be released on August 13, 2025. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding the Friday the 13th franchise as we have them – and, beginning with this new short film, there should be plenty of news coming our way soon.
Screen Geek
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
Jason Voorhees Officially Cast In 'Crystal Lake' Series
The Friday the 13th franchise is being rejuvenated under the Jason Universe label. One of the new projects coming from the label includes the television series Crystal Lake produced by A24 for release on Peacock. The new series stars Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees and, excitingly enough, an actor has just been cast to portray franchise antagonist Jason Voorhees in Crystal Lake . The iconic hockey mask wearing killer wasn't introduced as an antagonist until Part 2 , and he didn't even get his trademark mask until Part 3 , but fans have been a fan of Jason for decades. Since 2009, fans have been waiting for his return, and now it will happen in the upcoming television series that aims to tell the backstory of Jason and, perhaps more importantly, his mother who never really got her due beyond the original 1980 movie. Now, as shared via Deadline, we know who will be portraying Jason Voorhees in this new venture: 'A new Jason Voorhees has joined the Friday the 13th universe, as Callum Vinson ( Chucky , Long Bright River ) boards Peacock's prequel series Crystal Lake from A24.' As such, Vinson has gone from fighting against Chucky in the third season of the series of the same name to now playing fellow horror icon Jason Voorhees. Vinson is described as a 'recurring guest star,' with most of the show's focus being placed on Pamela Voorhees. Nevertheless, fans are definitely eager to see how Vinson plays the role and what this means for Jason's character. Fans have never seen much of Jason's youth, and without much ability for the character to speak or express himself in the original film series, there is still very little known about Jason or what thoughts he may have behind his mask outside of the love he has for his mother. Crystal Lake has the potential to shed some light on the character and expand his role in the franchise – though that will no doubt require some heavy acceptance from fans that never expected to see Jason portrayed in such a way. Additionally, several other characters from the original film have also been recast for this prequel. This includes Nick Cordileone as Ralph, Phoenix Parnevik as Barry, and Danielle Kotch as Claudette. Joy Suprano has also joined the series as the new character Rita. Fans will recall Ralph as an older recluse in the original two Friday the 13th films, nicknamed Crazy Ralph by the locals, while Barry and Claudette were Pamela's first victims in the opening of Friday the 13th set not long after Jason's drowning. Now that Crystal Lake is in production – we'll likely continue to get major updates regarding the series and the franchise's future including Jason Voorhees and the Jason Universe. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for more updates as we have them.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Peacock Raising Monthly Price Of Its Main Subscription Tier To $10.99 Ahead Of NBA Debut
Peacock, the flagship NBCUniversal streaming outlet that will add NBA games to its lineup this fall, is raising the price of its subscription plans by $3. Starting next week, Peacock Premium will cost $10.99 a month, up from $7.99, making it the priciest level for any ad-supported service on the market. Premium Plus, which has no ads (except on live sports) and access to local stations, is also going up by $3, to $16.99. On an annual basis, Premium will now be $109.99 and Premium Plus $169.99. More from Deadline Streamer Subscription Prices And Tiers – Everything To Know As Costs Rise And Ads Abound (Hello, Peacock) – Update Peacock's 'Friday The 13th' Prequel Series 'Crystal Lake' Casts Callum Vinson As Jason Voorhees Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme' Plots Peacock Premiere Date Inflation is increasingly common across the streaming landscape, with consumers feeling the squeeze as media joins other sectors upping prices. The notion of cutting the traditional pay-TV cord in order to save money seems downright fanciful given that signing up for even a modest handful of streaming services can easily result in a monthly tab equal to a cable bill. Price increases have tracked overall adoption. Streaming in June accounted for nearly 50% of all viewing on TV sets, according to Nielsen, with broadcast networks falling to an all-time low of 18.5%. Even companies like NBCU with both linear and streaming operations are ratcheting up direct-to-consumer prices in a bid to extract profit from streaming after billions of dollars of investment over the past handful of years. The increasing cost of programming, chiefly sports rights, has also forced subscribers to be asked to bear the burden. NBCU agreed to pay $2.45 billion a year for 11 years for rights to the NBA and WNBA, and is also committed to the NFL for billions more. Subscriber cancellations often follow price hikes, but the bet from streaming operators is that over time enough subscribers remain aboard to make the margins worthwhile. Eventually, the sting is forgotten. Peacock has lagged the broader market, reaching 41 million subscribers as of the most recent report. NBCU parent Comcast is due to report second-quarter earnings later this month and is apt to provide an update on Peacock's subscriber growth and progress toward break-even. Along with a growing menu of live sports, Peacock has also drawn significant viewership for the most recent season of dating reality series Love Island USA. Its scripted originals have not been as consistent, though breakthroughs recently have included Poker Face and Day of the Jackal. Along with the NBA, Peacock has featured exclusive NFL and Premier League games as well as golf tournaments like The Open (currently unfolding in Northern Ireland). It also has featured the pay-1 window for Universal movies, making Peacock the destination for the likes of broad-audience titles like Wicked and Super Mario Bros. Vulture's Josef Adalian had the first report on the price hike. Best of Deadline Streamer Subscription Prices And Tiers – Everything To Know As Costs Rise And Ads Abound (Hello, Peacock) - Update The Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Global Box Office 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
New Friday the 13th 'film' announced... and horror fans AREN'T happy about it
The Friday the 13th franchise is getting a new entry, but it's not quite what fans were expecting. Instead of a new full-length film, a short-form vignette is being produced to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the original 1980 movie. Titled Sweet Revenge, the project is being sponsored by Angry Orchard Hard Cider as part of a larger collaboration between the boozy brand and the iconic horror franchise. Sweet Revenge will be directed by Mike P. Nelson, who is also working on a reboot of the holiday horror film Silent Night, Deadly Night. 'I am so grateful that the team at Horror, Inc. saw something in "Sweet Revenge" and wanted it as a part of the Jason Voorhees story,' Nelson said in a statement. 'And to think 30 years ago I was trying to secretly watch these movies on VHS when no one was looking,' he continued. 'To have the opportunity to write and direct one of these stories is surreal – not to mention having an amazing team led by Chad Villella and Brianna Lee Johnson help me bring it to life! 'Not only is the vignette a new take on the beloved IP, it is a comforting, gory hug, reminding us why we fell in love with these movies. Much gruesome fun awaits you!' Production kicked off earlier this month, reports Variety. Fans were furious over news that the vignette won't be a full-length theatrical film. 'What are they doing what is this garbage? No Jason films for almost 20 years and now this,' commented one. 'They'll do anything but put jason back on a feature film. Yikes,' raged another. 'Wow... a short film. We've had a million of those already. What we want is a new film. This universe is a desperate joke,' a third commented. An all-new Jason Voorhees design was recently unveiled by special effects legend Greg Nicotero and will be used in upcoming Friday the 13th projects. While longtime fans will need to wait a lot longer for a new Friday the 13th film, an upcoming prequel series is currently on its way. Titled Crystal Lake, the series is being produced by A24 for the Peacock streaming service. Linda Cardellini will play Jason's mother, Pamela Voorhees. Other cast members include William Catlett, Devin Kessler, and Cameron Scoggins. Showrunner Brad Kane announced that production had officially started on the project last week. Crystal Lake has been described as an 'expanded prequel' to the original film and will most likely dive into the backstory of Jason and Pamela Voorhees.
