This week in horror – 24.07.21

First Look: James Wan’s Malignant 

James Wan has certainly built up a stellar reputation within genre cinema, with titles such as Saw (2004) and The Conjuring (2013) being created under his name. Wan’s latest venture is Malignant, which follows Madison, who is constantly terrorised by terrifying visions of ghastly murders, but when she unearths a sinister secret it is revealed that these dreams are in fact realities.

The trailer released just this week hints at a looming intense thrill focusing on developing a close character study whilst ensuring plenty of scares are had. Malignant has been described as a supernatural slasher, which is certainly a bold take. Audiences will be able to make up their own minds on this new exciting descent into madness when it hits cinemas in September 2021. 

Ari Aster to direct new A24 horror 

Ari Aster has been a hot topic within the last couple of years as both Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019) exceeded expectations. Earlier this year it was revealed that Aster would be directing Disappointment Boulevard, a heavy drama following the story of an entrepreneur. There was definitely a mixed reception over his next voyage drifting away from horror, but now it has been revealed that he hasn’t abandoned the genre just yet as he joins forces with the aesthetically beloved A24 to direct another unsettling film. However, unlike his other films, he will not be penning the script, instead, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson will be writing this untitled project. Little detail has been released as the production is at the earliest stage possible, but be sure to check back here in the future for further information. 

Julia Ducournau receives the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival for new body horror ‘Titane’ 

Julia Ducournau is the first solo woman to win the most prestigious award at Cannes Film Festival. It’s not the first time the French director has turned heads as her 2016 film Raw received great acclaim. Winning her the award is Titane, a disturbing body horror that centers on Alexia (Agathe Rousselle), who has a metal plate installed in her head after a tragic car accident when she was younger, but her true story lies within her sexual desires for automotive vehicles. Titane is beyond transgressive as it has been likened to Cronenberg’s early filmography through its courageous and zealous exploration into the human psyche. The eccentrically driven film will be available theatrically and via VOD later this year. 

The Final Girl Support Group TV series to be directed by Andy Muschietti 

Grady Hendrix’s novel The Final Girl Support Group was only published this month, but already HBO has picked the novel up to be adapted into a TV series. The project already has It (2017) director Andy Muschietti tied to direct the pilot, with his production company ‘Double Dream’ also co-producing the show alongside Charlize Theron.

The Final Girl Support Group is sure to please horror audiences as it takes on one of the genres most quintessential topics, the final girl. The novel follows a group of women who meet up in their support group to discuss the horror movie-like events that they have miraculously survived through, but when one of them doesn’t show up they suspect that something sinister must be at play. 

Waxwork records unveil exclusive Fear Street soundtrack vinyls 

Waxwork Records are known for their specialisation of cult and genre cinema soundtrack releases. To add to their repertoire is the Fear Street trilogy soundtrack featuring the score composed for all three films. The vinyl’s embody the film’s neon-lit aesthetic, with bright pink, green, and blue covering the exterior.

Also included in the release are liner notes by Leigh Janiak, the writer and director of Fear Street, as well as new and exciting artwork by the very talented Sam Gilbey, who has clearly been inspired by the iconic 1990s covers of R.L. Stine’s original Fear Street novels in which the trilogy is based on. The vinyl package is available to pre-order right now at https://waxworkrecords.com/products/fear-street