Incoming Slashers

With remakes becoming such big business at the moment, 2009 has been one of the most active times for the slasher genre for over a decade, with My Bloody Valentine and Friday the 13th being followed by one announcement after another of old classics being brought back to life. Here’s a lowdown on what the genre has to offer in the near future…

THE STEPFATHER
Director: Nelson McCormack
Writer: J.S. Cardone
Starring: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard
Distributor: Screen Gems
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 16 2009

Having already directed the atrocious PG-13 remake of Prom Night, filmmaker Nelson McCormack tries his hand at another lost eighties gem, The Stepfather. Originally starring Terry O’Quinn (of Lost fame), the 1987 classic told of Jerry Blake, a man obsessed with the idea of the perfect family, who slashes his way through each household when they fail to meet his standards. McCormack’s update sees David Harris (Walsh) enter the life of Susan Harding (Ward) and her teenage son, Michael (Badgley), but soon he becomes suspicious of this seemingly charming man. Produced by Screen Gems (Vacancy, When a Stranger Calls).

H2
Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Starring: Malcolm McDowall, Scout Taylor Compton, Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie
Distributor: Dimension Films
Rating: Not yet rated
Release Date: August 28 2009

After months of teaser images and fan speculation, rock star-turned-filmmaker Rob Zombie is set to unleash his sequel to the 2007 remake of Halloween this August. Much like its 1981 counterpart, H2 will take place immediately after the events of the previous film and will see Michael Myers attempting to finish what he began by hunting down his sister, Laurie Strode (Compton). Despite his re-imagining of the John Carpenter classic dividing the fan base upon its initial release, H2 has provoked even more of a reaction. This could be make-or-break time Zombie as if the film fails at the box office this could taint his otherwise successful career.

SORORITY ROW
Director: Stewart Hendler
Writer: Josh Stolberg, Pete Goldfinger
Starring: Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Rating: R
Release Date: October 2 2009

Stewart Hendler’s teen friendly makeover of Mark Rosman’s 1983 classic The House on Sorority Row has been the subject of much debate, particularly with regards to its rating. Well, fear not gore fans, the MPAA have blessed this one with an R, for ‘strong bloody violence, language, some sexuality/nudity and partying.’ Utilising our favourite plot device – the prank gone wrong – Sorority Row sees a group of friends playing a joke on one of their boyfriends, which results in her accidental death. Borrowing as much from I Know What You Did Last Summer as it has from Rosman, Sorority Row promises old school slashing with modern day pretty boys and girls.

THE FINAL DESTINATION
Director: David R. Ellis
Writer: Eric Bress
Starring: Krista Allen, Nick Zano, Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Rating: R
Release Date: August 28 2009

The franchise which kick-started with James Wong’s slick and stylish original back in 2000 slices its way onto the big screen in 3D. Despite constantly changing its name (Final Destination 4, Final Destination: Death Trip), the third sequel in the inventive series sees a race-car crash result in the Grim Reaper once again closing in on a group of youths whilst one of them attempts to solve the mystery of cheating death. Set to go toe-to-toe with H2 this August, The Final Destination was directed by David R. Ellis, previously responsible for the second movie.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
Director: Samuel Bayer
Writer: Wesley Strick, Eric Heisserer
Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Rating: Not yet rated
Release Date: April 16 2010

After the success of Friday the 13th, Platinum Dunes are currently producing a reboot of the Nightmare on Elm Street series with Maniac Cop 3‘s Jackie Earle Haley in the role of supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger, which will once again see him terrorising kind hearted teenager Nancy Thompson (Mara), whose vengeful parents were responsible for his death years earlier. Whilst the script had made the rounds online a couple of months back to less-than-impressed responses, fans are still curious to see which direction Michael Bay’s company takes the hit-and-miss franchise.

More to come:
Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead (DVD, October 2009)
Saw VI (October 23 2009)