Movies
OMFG #2: Lionsgate Throws Violent Blow at Paramount: ‘Saw’ vs ‘Paranormal Activity’… IT’S ON!
And you thought the Halloween II / The Final Destination battle was good…. the war between Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate has officially begun – and it’s positioning itself to be EPIC. As many of you know, Saw VI director Kevin Greutert was attached to get behind the camera for Paranormal Activity 2. Paramount furthered the attack by placing the sequel head-to-head with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ Saw VII 3D on October 22. If last year was any indication, Paranormal definitely had the upper hand in the competition, a battle that hadn’t really begun until now. Lionsgate has thrown a VIOLENT blow back at Paramount by exercising an option that has forced Greutert to head back to Toronto for the seventh Saw film instead of showing off his talents in Paranormal 2. It wasn’t his decision as he’s now officially a casualty of war. David Hackl on the other hand, he’ll be moving over to an unnamed Lionsgate project (thank God). Want more? Read on. Talk, talk, talk, talk, TALK. OMFG.
The following comes courtesy of Deadline:
“It’s a move that ratchets up the rivalry between Paramount and Lionsgate for Halloween 2010 dominance. Saw franchise partners Twisted Pictures and Lionsgate have just exercised an option and installed Saw VI director Kevin Greutert as director of Saw 3D, the seventh volume of the fright series. That blocks Paramount, which had hired Greutert to direct Paranormal Activity 2. Both films are set for release on October 22nd, and the move came after Paramount set that date. Meanwhile Twisted Pictures, which held an option on the director from back when he helmed Saw VI, bumped previously announced Saw 3D director David Hackl, who directed Saw V and who will be assigned another film quickly, sources tell me. Both directors have been involved in the Saw films from the beginning. The rivalry between the films began last fall, when Paramount’s sleeper hit Paranormal Activity bloodied Twisted/Lionsgate’s Saw VI at the box office en route to a $150 million worldwide gross on a $15,000 budget. It will be interesting to see how Paramount responds. But I like this battling a lot.”
I was a pretty big fan of Kevin Greutert’s work in the sixth Saw, which is why I’m excited to see him back for the seventh film. But in all honesty, I would have really enjoyed to see what he could have done in a completely different sub-genre with Paranormal 2. I think this is such a dick move by Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate, especially at the expense of Kevin, but this makes for some good PR.
Damned if I can’t wait to see how Paramount strikes back — if they even need to. STAY TUNED THERE IS MORE TO THIS STORY TO COME!
Movies
R-Rated ‘The X-Files: I Want to Believe’ Director’s Cut Gets New Title and Streaming Premiere Date
After a slight delay, Disney has finally announced a new streaming date for the R-Rated director’s cut of The X-Files: I Want to Believe. According to Gizmodo, it’ll also come with a new title.
The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn begins streaming on Hulu on August 14.
The new cut was first teased in an interview with director Chris Carter on the Fail Better With David Duchovny podcast from last year, where he teased a much scarier movie he intended.
“Now I have a chance to go back and make the scary movie that I always intended to make,” Carter explained last year. “It’s not just doing a Director’s Cut to do a Director’s Cut. It’s really kind of bringing to life something that for me was on the page and never got to the screen.“
The director’s cut of the film was initially set to arrive on Disney+ in June, but quietly disappeared from the schedule without a word. Polygon reported the delay was “due to some last-minute adjustments being made to the film.”
The release’s new “Vrach Frankenshteyn” title certainly suggests those adjustments have been made, likely referring to a Frankensteining of bonus footage.
In the film, Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) have been out of the FBI for several years, with Mulder living in isolation and Scully having become a doctor at a Catholic hospital, where she has formed a bond with a critically ill child patient.
When an FBI agent is mysteriously kidnapped, and a former Catholic priest who has been convicted of pedophilia claims to be experiencing psychic visions of the endangered agent, Scully is asked to bring Mulder back to the bureau to consult on the case because of his work with psychics.
The brand new R-rated cut will “faithfully restore the filmmaker’s original vision.”
Look for it on Hulu next month.