THE SHROUDS: “In an eerie, deceptively placid near-future, a techno-entrepreneur named Karsh (Cassel) has developed a new software that will allow the bereaved to bear witness to the gradual decay of loved ones dead and buried in the earth. While Karsh is still reeling from the loss of his wife (Kruger) from cancer—and falling into a peculiar sexual relationship with his wife’s sister (also Kruger)—a spate of vandalized graves utilizing his “shroud” technology begins to put his enterprise at risk, leading him to uncover a potentially vast conspiracy. Written following the death of the director’s wife, the new film from David Cronenberg is both a profoundly personal reckoning with grief and a descent into noir-tinged dystopia, set in an ominous world of self-driving cars, data theft, and A.I. personal assistants. Offering Cronenberg’s customary balance of malevolence and wit, The Shrouds is a sly and thought-provoking consideration of the corporeal and the digital, the mortal and the infinite.”
- Written & Directed by David Cronenberg
- Produced by Saïd Ben Saïd, Martin Katz, Anthony Vaccarello
- Starring Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce and Sandrine Holt
In Theaters in LA & NY April 18
Expands Nationwide April 25
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825 FOREST ROAD: “Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, today announced the premiere date, and released the trailer and poster for 825 FOREST ROAD, from the director/writer of the HELL HOUSE LLC franchise, Stephen Cognetti. The highly anticipated film, which marks Cognetti’s first film outside the found footage franchise, will make its exclusive streaming debut Friday, April 4 on Shudder as part of the Halfway to Halloween celebration.
“Stephen’s HELL HOUSE LLC franchise been a cult favorite for Shudder viewers and we’re excited to welcome him back home,” said Sam Zimmerman, Head of Programming at Shudder. “825 FOREST ROAD is a twist on a haunted house tale that will stay with you long after the credits roll.”
The story is centered on Chuck Wilson who is starting a new life after a family tragedy when he moves to the town of Ashland Falls with his wife Maria and little sister Elizabeth. But he quickly discovers that the town has a dark secret. The ghost of Helen Foster has terrorized residents for decades, since her own suicide back in the ‘40s. Finding Helen’s old home is key to ending the hauntings, but the address they have doesn’t match any of the town’s existing streets. When Chuck realizes his family might be in danger of Helen’s wrath, he takes it upon himself to locate 825 Forest Road before it’s too late.
Written and directed by Cognetti, 825 FOREST ROAD is produced by Joe Bandelli, Dana Guerin and Cindi Rice, and is executive produced by John Frank Rosenblum for Epic Level Entertainment.”
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Salem House Films’ Popeye the Slayer Man Releases a Music Video to Metal Song That’s Catchy as F#*k: [From the Press Release:] In true 80’s horror film fashion, the feature film Popeye the Slayer Man, which releases to select theaters and on VOD on March 21, 2025 via Vantage Media (and is available for Pre-Order NOW on Apple TV), has just unleashed its official tie-in song and music video titled “Sailor to Slayer.”
Written by Kyle Brian Abbott, Dustin Treinen, and Angela Relucio, known collectively as The Man From Alphabet, the music video features vocals by Relucio, who also stars in both the video and film. She recalls of the song’s inspiration: “Knowing the film intimately, shaped my approach to the lyrics. I wanted to go deeper than Popeye’s monstrous facade while honoring the other characters’ experience, and capturing the sort of raw chaos that makes you feel on edge. Just a taste of what you can expect from the film.”
Added Treinen, “Writing a theme song for a horror movie has been a dream of mine ever since I saw Killer Klowns From Outer Space, so I was thrilled to pitch to the film’s creative team. I was driven to create a dark mood for the song and head down an energetic and hard-hitting path, with groove and melodies that create the same tension we feel when watching a slasher.”
For Abbott, it was a no-brainer to jump on board: “I’m stuck in LA gridlock when I hear this radio show host raving about the movie’s announcement. Coincidentally, Dustin called me up a few hours later and asked me to co-write the music for it. I was, like, ‘Fuck yeah! When do we start?!’ The film’s reputation had clearly preceded itself.
Popeye the Slayer Man is directed by Robert Michael Ryan from a screenplay by John Doolan (Remains), and is a co-production between Salem House Films, Millman Productions, Ron Lee Productions, and Otsego Media. Jeff Miller (The Toybox), Cuyle Carvin (Ouija Witch), and Ryan also contributed to the story. Producers include – along with Miller, Carvin, and Ryan – Alexander Tucker, Nathan Todaro, and Alysa Blasetti.
Reads the synopsis for Popeye the Slayer Man, “A group of friends sneak into an abandoned spinach canning factory to film a documentary on the legend of ‘The Sailor Man,’ who is said to haunt the factory and local docks, only to find out that the legend is all-too true.”
Popeye the Slayer Man stars Sean Michael Conway, Elena Juliano, Mabel Thomas, Marie-Louise Boisnier, Jeff Thomas, and Steven McCormack, along with “scream queens” Angela Relucio (Code Black, The Cabining) and Sarah Nicklin (The Black Mass, Garden of Eden).
Jason Stephens plays the title role.
Special makeup effects are supervised by R.J. Young with cinematography by Korey Rowe.
Said Ryan of Popeye the Slayer Man, a film which has been featured on Drudge Report, CBS News and outlets around the world since its announcement in November of 2024,“We went old-school with this movie, using practical effects for the horror. I wanted this film to have a more visceral feel reminiscent of the classic horror films of the ‘70s and ‘80s.”
Added Miller, “We hope audiences will have as much fun with this movie as we had making it. Grab a can of spinach, sit back, and enjoy!”
Said VMI Worldwide COO and Head of Acquisitions Jessica Russo, who negotiated the deal, “Popeye the Slayer Man’s dark reimagining of the classic Popeye character delivers a fresh take on a beloved icon that audiences will die for.”