Darren Lynn Bousman, the mastermind behind a massive chunk of the Saw franchise (Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, and 2021’s Spiral) as well as the beloved, blood-soaked cult classic Repo! The Genetic Opera is stepping back behind the camera for Serpentine, an upcoming psychological thriller from Dream State Studios and Brand in Entertainment.

Corruption Meets Ice Skating in New England

According to Deadline‘s exclusive report, the project “is set in a seemingly quiet New England town where organized crime, crooked cops, buried secrets, and the intensely competitive world of figure skating begin to collide. At the center of the film is a woman who believes she has found a way out of a dangerous life, only to discover that escape comes with consequences. What begins as an attempt to disappear quickly pulls her into a strange web of criminals, local power players, and people with their own reasons for keeping the past buried.”

While discussing the new venture, Bousman described Serpentine as an ideal playground to stretch his creative muscles as a storyteller. Though forever etched into horror royalty, he sees this film as an opportunity to mesh distinct genres and moods into something unexpected and raw.

Blending Horror Roots with Small-Town Crime

“Serpentine gives me that opportunity without completely abandoning the things I love,” Bousman told Deadline. “There’s still dread, fear and a real sense of intensity running through it, but it exists in this strange, darkly funny, FARGO-esque world that feels very different from anything I’ve directed before. That combination is what really excites me.”

The Tools in Bousman’s Creative Arsenal

Looking at Bousman’s filmography outside of Jigsaw’s traps, Serpentine feels like a natural evolution for the filmmaker. His work on the mean-spirited 2010 home-invasion thriller Mother’s Day showed he can execute grounded, high-tension crime thrillers where desperate antiheroes clash with corrupt authority. Combine that grit with the theatrical camp and dark eccentricity of The Devil’s Carnival, and Bousman already has the exact blueprint needed to balance small-town corruption with the eccentric, high-stakes drama of competitive figure skating.

The post Serpentine: Saw Franchise and Repo! The Genetic Opera Director Darren Lynn Bousman to Helm a New Psychological Thriller appeared first on JoBlo.

After years of uncertainty, Michael Giacchino’s planned remake of Them! is showing signs of life. The Oscar-winning composer has confirmed that he and Warner Bros. are still working to get the sci-fi horror film off the ground. Matt Reeves (The Batman) previously joined the project as a producer.

In an interview with ScreenRant on the AFI Fest red carpet, Giacchino was asked for an update on the remake. He confirmed that he and the studio are “still pushing it forward,” while explaining that the Warner Bros. merger with Paramount and scheduling conflicts have contributed to the delay.

Giacchino offered the following update:

“Now that the dust is sort of settling, we’re re-getting into it and my hope is that, yes, this is a movie that will get made and we’re doing the best we can.”

What Is Michael Giacchino’s Them! Remake About?

Directed by Gordon Douglas, the original Them! arrived in 1954 and became one of the most popular entries in the giant monster movies inspired by the atomic age. The story follows people in New Mexico who come under attack from giant, man-eating ants mutated by nuclear testing.

The film starred James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, and James Arness. It also featured Leonard Nimoy before his rise to fame as Spock in Star Trek.

Giacchino’s remake was announced in January 2023, with the filmmaker revealing that he wanted to approach the material through a contemporary social lens. He explained:

“There’s always a movie in your mind that never leaves your head. For me, that’s Them! It wasn’t until much later in life until I learned what it was about, the nuclear age. What I love about Them! is exactly what it’s called: Them!. It’s about the other, the unknown which one refuses or can’t understand. The current version of Them! is about immigration, and to tell a story about the subject through a lens of this insane science fiction monster movie.”

It’s unclear whether that concept has changed during the project’s lengthy development.

Matt Reeves Joined Them! as a Producer

Another significant development came in early 2025, when Matt Reeves joined the project as a producer. Reeves has a long creative history with Giacchino, who has composed the scores for several of his films, including Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and The Batman. The two are reuniting on The Batman Part II.

Giacchino has continued composing music for major releases, including The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while also working on the upcoming neo-noir adventure Ray Gunn. He previously helmed the short film Monster Challenge, an episode of Star Trek: Short Treks, and Marvel’s Werewolf by Night special presentation.

Would you like to see Michael Giacchino bring the giant ants of Them! back to the big screen? Let us know in the comments.

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UPDATE: Just two weeks after her Sleepover casting was announced, Parker Posey said on the Today show that she has dropped out of the film, as “something came up.”

The original article, published on October 13, follows:

Blumhouse Atomic Monster’s latest movie, Other Mommy, topped the box office this weekend despite some of the worst reviews of the year. Audiences didn’t seem to like it much either, giving it an abysmal D+ CinemaScore rating. But it will make the studio some solid coin, and no doubt they’re hoping for lightning to strike twice, with them choosing the same weekend in 2027, October 8th, to launch their next movie, Sleepover.

The film comes from some Blumhouse regulars, with it directed by Insidious: Out of the Further’s Jacob Chase, who co-wrote the script with Night Swim’s Bryce McGuire. So far, the premise is under wraps, but Variety is revealing that it will star none other than indie darling Parker Posey. Recently seen in Beau Is Afraid and the most recent season of The White Lotus, and also having a role in the upcoming Wild Horse Nine, Posey is a great choice to lead a movie like this. Hopefully, it will deliver higher-caliber scares than Other Mommy did, which relied on a lot of cheap jump scares.

Blumhouse has a packed twelve months ahead of them. Before the end of the year, they’ll release Violent Night 2, starring David Harbour, which is a rare action flick for the studio. They’ll go back to horror on January 15th with River, which we saw and enjoyed at TIFF. Other highlights include The Exorcist: Martyrs, which is out March 12th, and their reteam with Obsession’s Curry Barker, Anything But Ghosts. They also have reboots of Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project in the works for 2027, in addition to more non-franchise titles. Will Sleepover be a highlight? We’ll have to wait and see, but either way, it will likely make them plenty of dough!

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The secrets of Verity are heading home. Amazon MGM Studios’ adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling psychological thriller will be available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the United States starting tomorrow, October 27. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, with director Michael Showalter bringing Hoover’s twisted tale of ambition, attraction, and disturbing secrets to the screen.

The digital release follows the film’s theatrical debut on October 2. Viewers will be able to rent Verity for $19.99 or purchase it digitally for $24.99. A Prime membership is not required to rent or buy the movie, although regional availability and pricing may vary. According to Amazon, viewers who rent the film have 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once playback begins.

What Is Verity About?

Based on Hoover’s bestselling novel, Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson), a struggling writer who receives an unusual career opportunity from Jeremy Crawford (Hartnett). Jeremy’s wife, Verity Crawford (Hathaway), is a celebrated author left incapacitated after an accident, and he hires Lowen to finish the remaining books in Verity’s successful series.

Lowen moves into the Crawford family’s remote estate to research Verity’s work. But when she discovers a disturbing manuscript that appears to contain the author’s personal confessions, her assignment takes a sinister turn. As she reads further, Lowen begins questioning the truth about Verity, her family, and the events described in the manuscript.

Directed by Showalter (The Idea of You), the film features a screenplay by Nick Antosca and Hoover. The cast also includes Ismael Cruz Cordova and Brady Wagner. The movie is rated R for sexual content, some nudity, language, violence, and bloody images.

What Did We Think of Verity?

The film brings together three popular stars for a story packed with secrets and psychological games, but the result didn’t win over JoBlo’s reviewer. In his Verity review, Tyler Nichols gave the adaptation a Below Average rating, criticizing its performances, pacing, and handling of its twists. Tyler praised Hathaway for bringing more dimension to the mysterious title character, but found Johnson’s performance underwhelming and felt the film struggled to generate suspense. He also questioned whether Showalter’s direction gave the material enough energy to make its revelations land properly.

For viewers who missed Verity in theaters, the digital release offers a chance to decide for themselves whether this dark adaptation of Hoover’s novel delivers the psychological thrills its premise promises. Will you be checking it out? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Robert Eggers’ Werwulf is bringing its medieval nightmare to theatres this Christmas, and Focus Features has revealed that tickets are now on sale for select 35mm screenings!

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, and Ralph Ineson, Werwulf is the latest period horror film from the filmmaker behind The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu. The film is scheduled to open exclusively in theatres on December 25, 2026.

Werwulf 35mm Screening Tickets Are Now on Sale

Fans who want to experience Eggers’ latest film on 35mm film can now purchase tickets for special screenings at participating theatres across the United States. The announced venues include:

• Alamo Drafthouse Downtown LA — Los Angeles, California
• Alamo Drafthouse Cedars — Dallas, Texas
• Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Brooklyn — Brooklyn, New York
• Alamo Drafthouse New Mission — San Francisco, California
• Angelika Film Center at Mosaic — Fairfax, Virginia
• Angelika Film Center — Dallas, Texas
• Belcourt Theatre — Nashville, Tennessee
• Enzian Theater — Maitland, Florida
• Harkins Tempe Marketplace — Tempe, Arizona
• Heights Theater — Columbia Heights, Minnesota
• Hollywood Theatre — Portland, Oregon
• Jacob Burns Film Center — Pleasantville, New York
• Philadelphia Film Society East Theater — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Plaza Theatre — Atlanta, Georgia
• Screenland Armour — North Kansas City, Missouri
• Somerville Theatre — Somerville, Massachusetts
• Village East by Angelika — New York, New York

Screening schedules and availability may vary by location. Fans can find ticket information through the official Werwulf website.

What Is Robert Eggers’ Werwulf About?

Focus Features is keeping the plot details close to the vest, describing the movie as a tale of devotion, damnation, and the devil within. The story takes place in 13th-century England, where a mysterious creature stalks the fog-covered countryside and local folklore begins turning into a terrifying reality.

Taylor-Johnson plays a cursed farmer struggling to find salvation through love, while Depp plays his wife. Dafoe also stars as a hunter. The cast reunites Eggers collaborators from Nosferatu, alongside Hamnet performer Bodhi Rae Breathnach.

Eggers co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón, his writing partner on The Northman. The production has emphasized period authenticity, including historically informed dialogue and a visual approach designed to make its medieval setting feel harsh, grimy, and unforgiving. The director has described Werwulf as the darkest thing he has written.

Werwulf reaches theatres on December 25, 2026. Will you be buying tickets for a 35mm screening? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Robert Eggers’ Werwulf announces 35mm screenings appeared first on JoBlo.

Halloween is about to get a fresh dose of undead mayhem. Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath is scheduled to launch exclusively on DragonFlix on October 31, 2026, with a digital release package that promises more than just another zombie movie. According to the platform’s announcement, fans can preorder the film and receive three different versions of the feature, along with a collection of bonus material celebrating the legacy of the original 1985 horror classic.

The release is being presented as a direct sequel to the 1985 classic The Return of the Living Dead.

Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath Arrives Amid Franchise Confusion

The arrival of Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath comes as multiple projects connected to the cult zombie franchise have been announced. DragonFlix is promoting Aftermath as a direct sequel to the 1985 original, while Trash’s Revenge, from ROTLD Originals LLC and DragonSTUDIOS, has also been developed as part of a new Return of the Living Dead universe. Meanwhile, director Steve Wolsh’s separate Return of the Living Dead project has been caught up in a public legal dispute involving franchise veterans and the companies behind Trash’s Revenge.

The competing projects have made the franchise’s future complicated, but DragonFlix says Aftermath and its accompanying bonus material will be available on Halloween for $19.

Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath Offers Three Versions of the Movie

One of the more unusual features of the Aftermath release is the inclusion of three separate feature-length formats in the same preorder package. Alongside the standard 2D version, buyers will receive a full side-by-side 3D version designed for compatible virtual reality headsets and a traditional red-and-cyan anaglyph 3D edition.

Preorders are available through the platform’s official website.

Original Return of the Living Dead Veterans Featured in Bonus Material

The preorder package also includes several documentaries and retrospectives exploring the history of the franchise. Among the highlights is a segment featuring John Russo, the horror writer and co-creator associated with the Living Dead legacy, discussing the series and its impact. Linnea Quigley and Beverly Randolph, both associated with the original 1985 film, are also featured in a retrospective looking back at the making of the cult classic.

The package includes a documentary titled Juan Lord Music ID, which explores the music and punk influences associated with the franchise. A release trailer and a downloadable PDF screenplay are also part of the announced collection.

When Does Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath Come Out?

Here are the key details:

• Title: Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath
• Release date: October 31, 2026
• Platform: DragonFlix
• Preorder price: $19
• Feature formats: Standard 2D, full side-by-side 3D for compatible headsets, and red-and-cyan anaglyph 3D
• Bonus features: Release trailer, Juan Lord music documentary, John Russo retrospective, Linnea Quigley and Beverly Randolph featurette, and downloadable PDF screenplay

Fans can find preorder information at DragonFlix.

With its Halloween launch, multiple viewing formats, and a collection of franchise retrospectives, Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath is positioning itself as a special release for fans of the original cult classic. Whether viewers are most interested in the new film, the returning franchise veterans, or the archival extras, DragonFlix is bringing the package to its platform just in time for the year’s biggest night for horror. Will you be checking it out? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Return of the Living Dead: Aftermath sets Halloween release on DragonFlix appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris

WB/Legendary’s MonsterVerse saga has attempted to somewhat reinvent the traditional Kaiju film for Western audiences, with our mighty monster heroes Godzilla and Kong now being called Titans. While the franchise arguably stumbled out of the gate with director Gareth Edwards’ coolly received Godzilla, the saga has steadily grown in popularity, and the most recent release, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was a big hit. But how do the films stack up against each other? Let’s take a look with our MonsterVerse Movies Ranked List!

• 1. Kong: Skull Island (2017) — Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. Biggest strength: Style, heart, and ensemble cast. Biggest weakness: Thin lead protagonists.
• 2. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) — Directed by Adam Wingard. Biggest strength: Action spectacle and pacing. Biggest weakness: Uneven human subplot.
• 3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) — Directed by Adam Wingard. Biggest strength: Titan-focused storytelling. Biggest weakness: Minimal emotional depth.
• 4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) — Directed by Michael Dougherty. Biggest strength: Massive kaiju battles. Biggest weakness: Overstuffed universe-building.
• 5. Godzilla (2014) — Directed by Gareth Edwards. Biggest strength: Atmosphere and scale. Biggest weakness: Too little Godzilla.

5. Godzilla (2014)

• Director: Gareth Edwards
• Main Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe
• Tone: Serious disaster thriller
• Best Monster Moment: HALO jump into San Francisco
• Most Common Criticism: Godzilla appears too little
• Most Praised Element: Atmosphere and scale
• Legacy: Established the Western version of the MonsterVerse and introduced the grounded “Titan” approach.

Audiences were pretty hyped for Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla reboot, with awesome early trailers that used Ligeti’s Requiem II from 2001: A Space Odyssey, promising the most intense Kaiju movie to date. It didn’t really work out that way, with many complaining about how dull the film was, with Godzilla himself off-screen for endless patches of time. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who’s since proved himself a solid leading man, made for a bland hero, and the fact that two of the best actors in the film, Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche, were killed off early on, didn’t endear it to anyone. At least we got a great line from Ken Watanabe.

4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

• Director: Michael Dougherty
• Main Cast: Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga
• Tone: Mythic sci-fi epic
• Featured Titans: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah
• Best Monster Moment: Godzilla’s burning form finale
• Most Common Criticism: Complicated shared-universe setup
• Most Praised Element: Fan-service monster battles
• Legacy: Initially divisive but increasingly appreciated by kaiju fans.

Luckily, the sequel (which was actually the third film in the franchise), which replaced Edwards with director Michael Dougherty (Trick or Treat), was more entertaining, with it packed with more monster action, putting Godzilla up against Mothra, Rodan , and King Ghidorah. However, it proved to be a costly box office disappointment, earning initially poor reviews because Legendary was trying to set up a complicated shared universe no one seemed all that interested in – yet. The box office results were disasterous, and had they not already started shooting the next film in the franchise, the MonsterVerse might have ended right here. Still, the movie is a bit underrated, with Kyle Chandler cast against type as our family man hero.

3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

• Director: Adam Wingard
• Main Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens
• Tone: Fast-paced monster adventure
• Best Monster Moment: Kong’s extended Hollow Earth sequences
• Most Common Criticism: Thin human storylines
• Most Praised Element: Focus on Titan action
• Legacy: Cemented the franchise’s evolution toward pure monster spectacle.

The newest addition to the MonsterVerse saga is stripped down as far as its human characters go. Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison Russell was initially supposed to be the franchise’s anchor, but she sits out this entry. Instead, Rebecca Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews and her adopted daughter, Kaylee Hottle Jia, seem to be the new anchors, with Brian Tyree Henry also carrying over from 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong for comic relief. One thing this movie does is double down on the monsters, especially Kong, with many extended sequences focusing only on the Titans themselves rather than the humans. Meanwhile, Dan Stevens brings some welcome energy to the film as a cool new character named Trapper, who’s basically a veterinarian for Kaiju.

2. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

• Director: Adam Wingard
• Main Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall
• Tone: Action-heavy crossover event
• Best Monster Moment: Aircraft carrier battle
• Most Common Criticism: Simplistic plot
• Most Praised Element: Crowd-pleasing action and pacing
• Legacy: Became a pandemic-era box office success and revived excitement for theatrical blockbusters.

One of the smartest things Legendary and WB did for this installment was bring in genre director Adam Wingard to take over the franchise. Reinventing the saga from the perspective of an action director, he made Kong our underdog hero protagonist and doubled down on the carnage as the Titan went on an adventure into the Hollow Earth. Audiences loved it, and this fun flick was a bright spot for all during the early dark days of the pandemic.

1. Kong: Skull Island (2017)

• Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
• Main Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reilly
• Tone: Vietnam War adventure fantasy
• Best Monster Moment: Kong vs. the Skullcrawler finale
• Most Common Criticism: Generic lead heroes
• Most Praised Element: Personality, style, and supporting cast
• Legacy: Widely considered the most emotionally engaging MonsterVerse film.

As good as Adam Wingard’s additions to the franchise are, I have a soft spot for the Vietnam War-set prequel, Kong: Skull Island. For one thing, it has the best cast, even if the two heroes, played by Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston, are dull. There’s Samuel L. Jackson, Shea Wigham, John Goodman, and best of all, John C. Reilly, who delivers an acclaimed performance as a long-lost soldier from WW2 still fighting the war twenty-nine years later. Of all the movies in the franchise, this is the one with the most heart and style (from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts) and the one I judge all MonsterVerse movies against.

FAQ

What is the MonsterVerse?

The MonsterVerse is a shared cinematic universe created by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, featuring iconic Titans like Godzilla and Kong.

What is the best MonsterVerse movie?

Based on this ranking, Kong: Skull Island is considered the best due to its strong visual style, memorable supporting cast, emotional core, and adventurous tone.

Why is Godzilla ranked last?

While praised for atmosphere and realism, many viewers felt the movie spent too little time showing Godzilla and focused too heavily on less compelling human characters.

Which MonsterVerse movie has the most monster action?

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire probably contains the heaviest emphasis on Titan-focused action, with long stretches centered almost entirely on Kong and the creatures themselves.

Did Godzilla: King of the Monsters flop?

It underperformed financially relative to expectations and received mixed reviews upon release, though fan appreciation has grown over time.

What order should you watch the MonsterVerse movies in?

1. Godzilla
2. Kong: Skull Island
3. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
4. Godzilla vs. Kong
5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Which MonsterVerse movie is the most critically acclaimed?

Kong: Skull Island is often regarded as the most consistently praised by both critics and audiences due to its balance of action, humor, and character work.

Do you agree with my rankings? Let us know how your list of MonsterVerse movies ranked would look in the comments!

The post MonsterVerse Movies Ranked: From Worst to Best appeared first on JoBlo.