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Universal Pictures has just announced (via Deadline) release dates – in some cases, new release dates for movies that are shifting around on their schedule – for five upcoming horror films… and every one of them happens to be a Blumhouse production. The movies in question are The Woman in the Yard, Drop, The Black Phone 2, M3GAN 2.0, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 – and we’re about to go through them one-by-one.

First up is the thriller The Woman in the Yard, which was once set to reach theatres on January 10, 2025, but was bumped out of that date so the Blumhouse reboot of Wolf Man could move from this October to January 17th. Jaume Collet-Serra is directing the film, which stars Danielle Deadwyler of The Devil to Pay and Till, Okwui Okpokwasili of The Exorcist: Believer and I Am Legend, and Russell Hornsby of The Hate U Give and Fences.

Exclusive: Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars) has signed on to star in My One and Only, a psychological thriller from writer-director Wayne Kramer (The Cooler) that’s being presented for worldwide sales at Cannes by Film Bridge International.

Set to go before cameras in July, the film centers on Molly (Hale), a recently widowed young woman, suicidal with grief, who is abducted by a man intent on reinventing her as his dead wife — unleashing in Molly a fierce will to live.

Siena Oberman (The Good Mother) will produce for Artemis along with Steven Schneider and David Guglielmo (The Last Stop in Yuma County) for Spooky Pictures. Greg Lauritano (Fairyland) is executive producing alongside Phil Hunt for Head Gear, as well as DC Cassidy, Udaya Sharma and Michael Fisk for Interstellar Entertainment.

“Lucy Hale is one of the most gifted actors of her generation, and...

Al Onorato, who handled casting for such TV shows as Bewitched, The Partridge Family, Police Story and Fantasy Island and represented Mark Harmon, Kristin Chenoweth and others as a talent manager, has died. He was 88.

Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.

Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982, and he received a lifetime achievement award from the organization in 2019.

Onorato won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for Bagdad Café (1987), sharing it with Jerold Franks, his partner in Onorato/Franks Independent Casting.

Alfred Louis Onorato was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Nov. 10, 1935. He graduated from Hackensack High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University, then worked as a page at NBC Studios in New York City.

He was a vice president in charge...

Blumhouse's Imaginary is poised for success despite its lukewarm domestic chart performance. The movie is projected to earn $9.3 million in its opening weekend, landing at No. 3 behind Dune: Part Two and Kung Fu Panda 4. With an estimated budget of $10 million, the movie has already made most of its money back.

Blumhouse's Imaginary is already set for success despite a lukewarm performance on the box office chart. The new movie was directed by Jeff Wadlow, who helmed the previous Blumhouse titles Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island. With a cast that includes DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Pyper Braun, and Betty Buckley, the movie follows a woman whose stepdaughter forms an attachment to her old teddy bear Chauncey, though her bond with the supposedly imaginary friend grows more and more violent and disturbing.

Per Deadline, the Imaginary release is currently projected to end its opening weekend with a 3-day domestic total of $9.3 million.

Editor Sean Albertson has worked with director Jeff Wadlow on six projects to date, but their latest collaboration on “Imaginary” provided a new challenge: How to use editing to project human characteristics onto Chauncey, the stuffed bear that serves as the titular imaginary friend. In the Blumhouse/Lionsgate horror film, the audience quickly becomes aware that this new pal of young Alice (Pyper Braun) is very real and very dangerous — something that is largely conveyed through cleverly timed reaction shots that reveal what Chauncey is thinking and feeling even though his expressions barely change.

“I edited Chauncey the same way I would a human actor,” Albertson told IndieWire. “I believe that an audience knows how to feel based on the reactions of the other people in the scene, so precisely when we would cut to Chauncey mattered immensely. What is he reacting to? There’s a scene where Alice says to [her stepmom] Jessica,...

Imaginary has received a dismal 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, continuing Blumhouse's trend of poor reviews on the review aggregate. Director Jeff Wadlow's latest effort faces negative reception, adding to his history of poorly received films. Blumhouse's future may hinge on such upcoming releases as Speak No Evil and The Wolf Man to regain success.

After the studio's numerous successes, Imaginary has continued Blumhouse's recent dismal trend on Rotten Tomatoes. Co-written and directed by Jeff Wadlow, who previously partnered with the indie studio on Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island, the horror movie revolves around a woman moving into her childhood home with her husband and stepchildren, only to realize the connection her youngest stepdaughter forms with her old teddy bear is leading to something darker. DeWanda Wise leads the ensemble Imaginary cast alongside Pyper Braun, Tom Payne, Betty Buckley, Teagen Burns and Dane Diliegro.

With the movie's recent release, reviews...

Pyper Braun as Alice in ‘Imaginary’ (Photo Credit: Parrish Lewis / Lionsgate)

At first glance, it would seem as if Blumhouse’s new horror movie Imaginary is just another killer doll movie along the lines of Child’s Play or Annabelle. And after a watch, that’s pretty much what it is. But with a few twists.

Imaginary is about a children’s book author/illustrator named Jessica (DeWanda Wise from Jurassic World Dominion) who moves into her childhood home with her husband, Max (The Walking Dead’s Tom Payne), and his two girls, the teenaged Taylor (Monarch’s Taegen Burns) and the younger Alice (Desperation Road’s Pyper Braun). Lonely in her new place, Alice immediately makes an imaginary friend named Chauncey who takes the form of a cute little teddy bear. But there’s more to Chauncey than meets the eye – and he has history with Jessica.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow...

Dane Diliegro‘s breakthrough role as the feral Predator in 2022’s Prey marked him as one to watch in the genre space. Now, the 6’8″ actor can be seen going feral on screen once more in Imaginary, as the more monstrous version of Chauncey the Bear.

Imaginary, out now in theaters, is directed by Jeff Wadlow (Cry Wolf, Kick-Ass 2, Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island, The Curse of Bridge Hollow) and stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley.

The horror film introduces a cute, imaginary teddy bear named Chauncey, brought to life via the award-winning animatronic and practical effects house Spectral Motion. But there are many iterations of the villain, with the Diliegro’s Bear Beast delivering critical scares and at least one notable kill. Bloody Disgusting spoke with Diliegro about his turn in Imaginary, where the actor provided more insight into the film...

Filled with stock scares, stock plot turns, and stock set pieces, Imaginary, writer-director Jeff Wadlow’s latest enfeebled effort, stumbles from its first moments through its last shot before the end credits mercifully roll and bored, disinterested moviegoers head for the exits. Hampered by surface-deep dialogue, a flailing cast that deserves better, and one too many rote set-pieces, Imaginary will, like the invisible “friend” at its center, gradually fade from the memories of anyone unlucky enough to find themselves watching it at a movie theater or at home in several weeks. Wasting a perfectly serviceable idea for the horror genre, a demon-possessed stuffed teddy bear, and shamelessly borrowing, or occasionally stealing, every supernatural horror cliche, Imaginary opens inside a...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Lionsgate horror Imaginary opens in 516 UK-Ireland cinemas this weekend, as the first challenger to Dune: Part Two’s box office supremacy.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow who wrote the screenplay with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland, Imaginary stars DeWanda Wise as a woman who returns to her childhood home, to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is real and unhappy at his abandonment.

It is the eighth feature from US filmmaker Wadlow, who has worked predominantly in the genre space with titles including 2018’s Truth Or Dare and 2020’s pandemic-afflicted Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (£392,999; £763,958). His highest-grossing title is 2013’s Kick-Ass 2,...

They have been known to get us through tough times in our childhoods, but what happens to imaginary friends when we get older and leave them behind for the “real world”? Do they simply vanish, or does some part of them remain, waiting for us to return for a playdate that will never happen? And what if they get impatient while they wait, with their own imagination becoming dark and twisted as the days turn into years and they wait for us to return so that we can be friends forever? These intriguing (and unsettling) questions are explored in the new horror movie Imaginary, a supernatural slice of gateway horror that takes some unexpectedly eerie turns and introduces viewers to Chauncey the Bear, a new horror villain who doesn’t play nice.

At first, moving back into her childhood home seems like a fresh start for Jessica (DeWanda Wise), a...

The Curse of Bridge Hollow and Fantasy Island director Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary adheres to the time-honored tradition of transforming make-believe childhood pals into sinister manifestations that torment their abandoners. Here, a cuddly teddy bear named Chauncey harbors dangerous resentment for being forgotten, igniting a wave of terror for an unsuspecting family. If only that terror extended to the audience experience.

A cold open teases the monstrous imaginary friend via nightmare sequence before introducing the central family unit. Jessica (DeWanda Wise), along with her husband (Tom Payne) and stepchildren Taylor (Taegen Burns) and Alice (Pyper Braun), relocate from their hectic New Orleans apartment to Jessica’s childhood home in the suburbs. Typical growing pains and adjusting to a new town are compounded by dark family histories. Then Alice finds a cute teddy bear named Chauncey in the basement, which will force Jessica to confront painful memories when Alice starts behaving strangely.

DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) doesn’t just star in upcoming horror movie Imaginary but executive produces as well. In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, the actor explains what drew her to the project, and she also reveals her personal biggest fear.

Spoiler alert: It’s not a creepy teddy bear coming to life…

DeWanda Wise plays Jessica in the film, but behind the scenes the actor collaborated with director Jeff Wadlow and beyond, including working with costume designer Eulyn Colette Hufkie. Color is important to the world of Imaginary, with blue signaling the imaginary world of the Never Ever. But color was also important to Wise for her character’s wardrobe.

Watch the interview below to learn more.

Imaginary releases in theaters on March 8, 2024.

In Imaginary, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named...

Do you need a new best friend? Lionsgate and Blumhouse introduce Chauncey in this week’s upcoming theatrically released horror movie Imaginary, a cute teddy bear with a severe mean streak. A new image finally gives a better look at Chauncey’s beastly side.

The villain in Imaginary, Chauncey the bear, was brought to life via the award-winning animatronic and practical effects house Spectral Motion. The fully articulated teddy bear runs the gamut of emotions, often to adorable effect. But when Chauncey gets mad? Well, you get the Chauncey Beast, played by Predator actor Dane Diliegro (Prey).

Take a closer look at the Chauncey Beast with the new image, and stay tuned to hear more about the character in an upcoming interview with the 6’8″ actor who played him, Dane Diliegro.

DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in and produces Imaginary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on Friday, March 8, 2024.

In the horror movie,...

The thawing of the winter box office continues this weekend with Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 which is bound to see the franchise’s second highest domestic opening at $50M+ at 3,900 theaters after the original 2008 movie ($60.2M). But that’s not all, it’s also the second biggest start for a Dwa title after Universal acquired the label from its 20th Century Fox distribution deal; the biggest during Universal’s 2.0 with Dwa being How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World which debuted to $55M in March 2019. Kung Fu Panda 4 is skewing among males and females under 25. Previews start Thursday at 2Pm. No Rt review rating yet.

Legendary Entertainment/Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two keeps humming with $8.1M yesterday off bargain Tuesdays, +12% over Monday, for a running total through five days of $98M. The Zendaya-Timothee Chalamet-Austin Butler-Josh Brolin-...

After one of the biggest opening weekends of 2024 (by far), things normally might settle down, but DreamWorks Animation is releasing one of the first family animated movies since December, and it’s one that can help the box office recover. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

Offering “Dune: Part Two” some hearty competition and counter-programming this weekend is the first family animated feature in months, as DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” arrives in over 3,900 theaters nationwide. Once again starring Jack Black as Po, the martial arts savvy panda bear, he’s joined in this one by the ubiquitous Awkwafina – when was the last time there was an animated movie in which she didn’t provide a voice? –as a thieving fox. Viola Davis voices the primary villain, the evil sorceress chameleon, plus there are new characters voiced by Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once...

Get ready to meet Chauncey the bear. He’s not imaginary… and he’s not your friend, either. The new horror villain in Imaginary might also be the most high maintenance star on set, at least according to a new interview with the stars.

DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in and produces Imaginary, releasing in theaters on March 8, 2024. The upcoming horror film also stars Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley.

In Imaginary, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than a stuffed toy bear.”

The villain in Imaginary, Chauncey the bear,...

It’s a new month and a new month brings new horror. In this first full week of March 2024, Eight new horror movies are on the way, coming to theaters, VOD, and even the big screen.

Here’s all the new horror releasing March 5 – March 10, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

First up, Breaking Glass Pictures has released Beware of the Boogeyman, a psychological thriller written and directed by Calvin Morie McCarthy, on VOD outlets today, March 5.

“In this chilling tale, Dr. Tristian MacKenzie embarks on her first day of orientation at the Silverdale Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane. There, she encounters the enigmatic Dr. Moon, who reveals a series of bizarre cases involving five patients and their shared delusion.

“As Dr. MacKenzie delves deeper into the unsettling files, she unravels a web of intrigue and horror that challenges her understanding of reality.

Childhood nightmares come to life in Imaginary, a terrifying twist on the bond between a girl and her imaginary friend. DeWanda Wise leads a gripping performance in Imaginary, portraying Jessica's struggle to save her family from a sinister imaginary friend. Director Jeff Wadlow's high-energy style and practical effects bring the creepy bear monster to life in the horror film Imaginary.

Imaginary explores the terrifying notion of what can happen when the imaginary friend left behind has a dark desire to torment the one who abandoned him. Protagonist Jessica, who is newly married and a stepmother to two troubled girls, returns to her childhood home and opens old wounds about the trauma in her past when Alice, her youngest stepdaughter, bonds with her childhood teddy bear. What could be a sweet friendship takes a disturbing turn as Alice and imaginary friend Chauncey's games grow more sinister.

From the minds...

Imaginary explores the dangers of leaving behind an imaginary friend, with eerie games turning sinister. Director Jeff Wadlow and producer Jason Blum bring a terrifying twist to the idea of an imaginary friend in this horror movie. Practical effects bring the terrifying Never Ever space to life, creating a visually chilling experience for viewers.

Jessica learns just how deadly it can be to leave an imaginary friend behind in Blumhouse's newest horror movie, Imaginary. Now a grown woman, Jessica (DeWanda Wise) returns to her childhood home and finds her old stuffed teddy bear, Chauncy, which her stepdaughter Alice quickly bonds with. Although she initially believes this to be sweet, Jessica grows suspicious as the games Chauncy and Alice play grow more nefarious, leading her to believe that the bear she left behind is much more than he seems.

Director Jeff Wadlow is no stranger to Blumhouse, with both Truth or Dare...

NCIS: Origins could risk revealing too much about Gibbs, potentially ruining the mysterious charm of his character. Actor Mark Harmon will return as the narrator in NCIS: Origins, with Austin Stowell portraying a young Gibbs. Despite the excitement of exploring Gibbs' adventurous background, there is a massive risk in making him the central character of the prequel series.

The upcoming prequel series NCIS: Origins could very easily ruin what makes Leroy Jethro Gibbs so special. The crime drama NCIS follows Special Agent Gibbs and the rest of the people who work in the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, investigating crimes connected to the Navy and Marine Corps. This show has spurred many NCIS series located in different parts of the world – Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawai’i, and Sydney. However, an upcoming spinoff will break the mold by focusing on a single character from the original series – Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

After...

Austin Stowell to star in ‘NCIS Origins’ (Photo credit: Dave Allocca / Courtesy of CBS)

CBS has found its young Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Catch 22‘s Austin Stowell has signed on to play Gibbs in the NCIS prequel, NCIS: Origins, which was given a series order in early January 2024.

“NCIS: Origins, produced by CBS Studios, is the newest chapter in the NCIS franchise, exploring Gibbs’ early years. Narrated by Mark Harmon, the new series begins in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs,” reads CBS’s synopsis. “In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.”

Harmon originated the character and played Gibbs for 19 seasons, beginning in 2003. In addition to narrating, Harmon will be involved in the prequel as an executive producer.

First announced in early January, CBS has given a series order for “NCIS: Origins,” which takes place in 1991, years before the events of “NCIS” and follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (narrated by Mark Harmon) through his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks. Playing a young Gibbs will be Austin Stowell, the network announced today.

​​Stowell’s television credits include “A Friend of the Family,” “The Hating Game” opposite Lucy Hale, and “Breathe.” He also starred opposite George Clooney, Chris Abbott and Hugh Laurie in the limited series “Catch 22,” the Steven Spielberg anthology series “Amazing Stories,” and “Public Morals,” which was also executive produced by Spielberg and Ed Burns.

Sowell’s feature film credits include “Battle of the Sexes” alongside Emma Stone, “Bridge of Spies” with Tom Hanks,...

Austin Stowell (Catch-22 TV series) is taking on Mark Harmon’s signature NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Stowell has been cast as young Gibbs in CBS’ new drama NCIS: Origins, a prequel to the venerable procedural, which has a straight-to-series order for the 2024-2025 broadcast season. CBS Studios is producing.

Narrated by Harmon, the new series begins in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and chronicles Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ younger years. In the series, Gibbs (Stowell) starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling Nis Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.

Mark Harmon and his son Sean Harmon, who portrayed Gibbs in flashbacks on NCIS and was a driving force behind the prequel, executive produce alongside David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal who are co-writing the premiere episode and serving as co-showrunners.

Rod Holcomb, an Emmy-winning TV director of “ER,” “Lost” and other series, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 80.

Holcomb was best known for directing both the pilot and the series finale of “ER,” winning an Emmy for that farewell episode in 2009. He was nominated four four Primetime Emmys over his career, and also nominated for three DGA awards — winning one in 1995 for the “ER” pilot. Holcomb directed 21 pilots over his career, with the remarkable track record of 15 going to series.

“Every good director will elevate the material on the page. His job is to elevate it visually, to give it the weight of an art form,” Holcomb told Variety in 2011. “In a way, it’s easier to determine with a show that you know very well as a viewer, and if you know the contours and the voice of the show, then you can more easily answer some key questions.

Rod Holcomb, an Emmy-winning ER director who also helmed Battlestar Galactica, The Six Million Dollar Man, China Beach and dozens of other shows and was a longtime Directors Guild negotiating committee menber, has died. He was 80.

The DGA said Holcomb died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness.

“The DGA deeply mourns the passing of Rod Holcomb — a visionary director whose impact on television direction and the creative rights of television directors cannot be overstated,” DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter said in a statement. “Rod’s influence as a pilot director on shows like China Beach and ER among many others, resonated deeply with directors and audiences alike, leaving a cultural imprint. His pioneering use of Steadicam and other techniques brought a more cinematic style to television, helping establish a visual aesthetic that continues today.”

Holcomb helmed hundreds of TV episodes during his 40-year career, scoring four career Emmy...

Dashing, magnetic superstar Ricardo Montalbán got his start in the 1940s, appearing in numerous notable hit films in his native Mexico, playing a variety of roles in romantic dramas, historical comedies, and other swashbuckling adventures. His natural dazzle and ineffable "it" qualities caught the eye of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1947, and he shot the English-language film "Fiesta" with Esther Williams, Cyd Charisse, and Mary Astor. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Montalbán became incredibly busy, starring in romances, dramas, and an enormous amount of American TV, including one-shot TV movies and multiple notable hit shows. He was in "Dr. Kildare," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "Gunsmoke," "Hawaii Five-o," and, of course, "Star Trek," playing the charismatic tyrant Khan Noonien Singh. 

A new generation of Montalbán fans was born with the debut of "Fantasy Island" in 1978. On "Fantasy Island," Montalbán played the mysterious Mr. Roarke, the manager of Devil's Island, a remote, hard-to-get-to tropical paradise...

Shecky Greene, the legendary standup comedian known for his long tenure as a Las Vegas headliner and for working with Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, died Dec. 31 at his home in the city. He was 97.

Greene’s wife of 41 years, Marie Musso Greene, confirmed his death to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Greene was a regular on the TV talk show and guest star circuit in his 1960s and ’70s heyday, when he often sported a comb-over haircut and wide-lapel suits. Earlier in his career, he came to represent the epitome of the Rat Pack-adjacent comedian in a tux, delivering lightly risque or edgy anecdotal stories and zingers on stage.

Greene was known for his many appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and for working as the opening act for Sinatra in Miami and Presley in Las Vegas. During the 1962-63 season, he played a recurring character on the...

Herman Rush, a prominent television pioneer and former president of Columbia Pictures Television, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Dec. 12. He was 94.

Rush got his start in the television industry in 1951 as a salesman at Official Films. In 1957, he acquired television syndication firm Flamingo Films, which he turned into a major independent syndication company. Rush also had an extensive career as head of the talent division at the agency Creative Management Associates, where he worked from 1960-1971.

In the late 1960s, Rush acquired the popular British sitcom “Till Death To Us Part” from Lord Lew Grade. He sold the intellectual property to the late television titan Norman Lear, who turned that show into “All in the Family.” The hit sitcom starring Caroll O’Connor ran for nine seasons on CBS. Rush also imported, repackaged and produced multiple BBC comedy television series including “For the Love of Ada” and “Love Thy Neighbor.

Exclusive: Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2 at Warner Bros. has rounded its cast with Amy Aquino, Adrienne C. Moore, Cedric Yarbrough, Chikako Fukuyama and Onix Serrano.

The movie follows Justin Kemp, played by Nicholas Hoult, who while serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma — one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict–or free–the wrong killer. Eastwood is producing under his Malpaso banner in addition to directing off of Jonathan Abrams’ screenplay. The pic is currently shooting in Georgia.

Also part of the ensemble are Toni Collette (prosecutor), Gabriel Basso (accused), Zoey Deutch (Kemp’s wife), Leslie Bibb (juror), Chris Messina (public defender), and Kiefer Sutherland (Kemp’s AA sponsor).

Also producing for Malpaso are Tim Moore and Jessica Meier, and Dichotomy’s Adam Goodman & Matt Skiena. EPs are Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell and David M. Bernstein.

According to Fandango, the most-anticipated 2024 movies are all sequels, prequels, or spinoffs of existing franchises. The top three anticipated movies are Deadpool 3, Beetlejuice 2, and Ghostbusters: The Frozen Empire. The remainder of the Top 10 are also IP-driven, including animated and live-action movies.

A new poll has revealed the most-anticipated upcoming 2024 movies, all of which are IP-driven sequels, prequels, and spinoffs. As 2023 comes to a close, quite a few major movies have had their official release dates set for the coming year. This includes wide-release expansions for Oscar contenders, entries in major franchises including the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Planet of the Apes, and movies that had their releases delayed from 2023 amid the dual Hollywood strikes, such as Dune: Part Two and Luca Guadagnino's Challengers.

Per Deadline, Fandango recently conducted a poll of audiences' most-anticipated 2024 releases. As it turns out, every single one of the Top 10 movies are...

Decal Releasing has acquired “Which Brings Me to You,” a romantic comedy starring Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff. The movie is based on a novel by Steve Almond and Julianna Baggott. It is directed by Peter Hutchings, who previously helmed “The Hating Game.” Keith Bunin (“Onward”) wrote the script. The film will be released in theaters on Jan. 19.

The ensemble also includes Britne Oldford (“Free Guy”), Genevieve Angelson (“The Upside”), Alexander Hodge (“Insecure”) and John Gallagher, Jr. (“10 Cloverfield Lane”). Hale worked with Hutchings on “The Hating Game.” Her other credits include “Pretty Little Liars” and “Fantasy Island.” Wolff has appeared in “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Paper Towns.”

“We’re thrilled to work with such a talented production team. Lucy and Nat are a perfect duo and we can’t wait to start the New Year with this charming romantic comedy,” Ayo Kepher-Maat, Decal’s SVP of acquisitions,...

The 38th Annual Imagen Awards took place on Sunday, Dec. 3 to celebrate Latino excellence and contributions to Hollywood. Taking place at the Biltmore Hotel in L.A., the talent that showed up to the event included Gina Rodriguez, Edward James Olmos, Michael Cimino, Enrique Arrizon, Julieta Egurrola, and many more.

This year’s ceremony comprised 136 nominations across 27 categories highlighting storytelling and performances by Latino talent. Among the nominees were programs and films such as Flamin’ Hot, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Acapulco and This Fool.

Contending for Best Feature Film were A Man Called Otto, Flamin’ Hot, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Ruido. Nominees for Best Actor in a Feature Film included Daniel Giménez Cacho for Bardo, Andy García for Father of the Bride, Jesse García for Flamin’ Hot and Tenoch Huerta Mejía for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In the Best Actress in a Feature Film category, the...

There is not a more dependable movie genre in 2023 than horror. They can be made quickly and cheaply, starring up-and-coming teens and twenty-somethings, with the occasional appearance from a B-list (at most) actor whose presence lends the project a shred of credibility. They can also be released at any time of the year. In 2023, "M3GAN" cleaned up in January, "Scream VI" carved out a significant chunk of change in March, while the A24 sleeper hit "Talk to Me" entranced scare-seeking audiences throughout July and August.

Beginning with the release of "Paranormal Activity," Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Productions have been churning out durable franchises like "Insidious" and "The Purge," while taking chances on original visions from ambitious filmmakers like Jordan Peele ("Get Out") and Scott Derrickson ("The Black Phone"). Blumhouse has certainly produced its share of clunkers, but its batting average is Joe Dimaggio-esque. Rather than swing for the fences,...

These days, imaginary friends may be up to something more sinister than stealing the last cookie out of the jar. Don’t forget to check under the bed: Blumhouse and Lionsgate have unveiled the trailer for the upcoming horror film, Imaginary, set to be released on March 8th.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow, the film stars DeWanda Wise as Jessica, a woman returning to her childhood home with her family. When her youngest stepdaughter, Alice (Pyper Braun), develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey, Jessica grows increasingly concerned when she begins to wonder if Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

Imaginary also stars Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley. Check out the trailer below.

It’s Not All In Your Head in Trailer for Blumhouse’s Imaginary: Watch

Kayla Higgins...

Pyper Braun as Alice in Imaginary. Photo Credit: Parrish Lewis

In theaters March 8 is the horror film Imaginary.

From Blumhouse, the genre-defining masterminds behind Five Nights At Freddy’S and M3GAN, comes an original horror that taps into the innocence of imaginary friends – and begs the question: Are they really figments of childhood imagination or is something more terrifying lying just beneath?

When Jessica (DeWanda Wise) moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun) develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister.

As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

Imaginary is directed by Jeff Wadlow. The cast includes DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns,...

Blumhouse is back with a brand new, original horror movie. And this one also involves a bear! Fresh off of the success of "Five Nights at Freddy's," the studio has released the trailer for its latest creation, "Imaginary." Set to be released by Lionsgate next year, it takes something innocent from our childhoods -- the concept of imaginary friends -- and turns it into something sinister. Check it out above.

The trailer sees DeWanda Wise ("Jurassic World Dominion") moving back into her old home with her family. Things seem happy enough, but then a kid finds an abandoned stuffed bear in the basement. What could possibly go wrong? It turns out a whole lot. Things get downright demonic in a hurry as it turns out this bear has connections to some truly evil s*** beyond our world. The official synopsis for the movie reads as follows:

When Jessica (DeWanda Wise...

We’ve all had imaginary friends, right? Well, probably not ones like Chauncey! Take a look at the Imaginary trailer here.

Jason Blum’s horror studio Blumhouse have been raking in the profits with Five Nights At Freddy’s, which has exceeded all expectations when it comes to dominating the box office. Horror has always been a particularly profitable genre and Blumhouse are now looking for an early 2024 hit with Imaginary.

Take a look at the first, spooky trailer below.

Starring Jurassic World: Dominion’s DeWanda Wise, Imaginary asks the terrifying question: are our imaginary friends just imaginary, or something a little more sinister? Maybe they murder people. Wouldn’t that be positively ghoulish?

Wise plays Jessica, who moves her family to her childhood home. Jessica’s stepdaughter Alice finds a talking teddy bear in the basement named Chauncey. Chauncey makes her do things, including showing a nail in her arm.

Lionsgate will be giving Imaginary, the latest from director Jeff Wadlow and Blumhouse Productions – who had previously collaborated on the 2018 film Truth or Dare and the 2020 horror version of Fantasy Island – a theatrical release on March 8, 2024. Yesterday, a motion poster and video tease arrived online to let us know a trailer would be unveiled today… and now we have the trailer in the embed above!

The film sees DeWanda Wise of Jurassic World: Dominion taking on the role of Jessica, who moves back into her childhood home with her family, and her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more concerning, Jessica intervenes, only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believes him to be.

Wadlow wrote the screenplay for Imaginary with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland.

Blumhouse and Lionsgate have unveiled the trailer for the upcoming horror film “Imaginary,” set for a March 8 release.

Directed by Jeff Wadlow, “Imaginary” stars DeWanda Wise as Jessica, a woman returning to live in her childhood home with her family. Once moved in, her stepdaughter Alice becomes infatuated with Chauncey, a stuffed bear found in the basement. As Jessica grows concerned about the sinister connection between Alice and Chauncey, she realizes Chauncey might be more than just a bear.

Keri Moore, Lionsgate’s co-president of theatrical marketing, told Variety of the film’s premise: “Something you see across cultures is that children have a unique access to the spirit world. What if their imaginary friends are something from the spirit world? What if these imaginary friends were real, and what if when you left one of them, that made them upset?”

The film’s teaser trailer, which played exclusively in...

After playing ahead of Five Nights at Freddy’s and teasing its arrival with an adorable motion poster, the trailer for Lionsgate and Blumhouse’s Imaginary is finally here. And it dares to tap into the concept of childhood innocence and imaginary friends, “Are they really figments of childhood imagination or is something more terrifying lying just beneath?”

Get ready to meet Chauncey. He’s not imaginary… and he’s not your friend, either.

The trailer has shades of Little Monsters, Drop Dead Fred, and Child’s Play.

DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) will both star in and produce Imaginary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on March 8, 2024.

In the original horror movie, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister.

The official trailer for Blumhouse’s Imaginary will launch tomorrow, and as a teaser Lionsgate’s released a motion poster for the twisted horror film. The 20-second video introduces Chauncey, a stuffed teddy bear who’s neither imaginary nor your friend.

The cast of the 2024 release includes DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion), Tom Payne (Prodigal Son), Taegen Burns (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers), and Pyper Braun (Erin & Aaron). Veronica Falcon (A Million Miles Away) and Betty Buckley (Preacher) also star.

Jeff Wadlow (Fantasy Island) directs and co-wrote the screenplay with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland. Wadlow and Jason Blum serve as producers.

“From Blumhouse, the genre-defining masterminds behind Five Nights at Freddy’s and M3GAN, comes an original horror film that taps into the innocence of imaginary friends – and begs the question: Are they really figments of childhood imagination or is something more terrifying lying just beneath?” reads Lionsgate’s synopsis.

Lionsgate will be giving Imaginary, the latest from director Jeff Wadlow and Blumhouse Productions – who had previously collaborated on the 2018 film Truth or Dare and the 2020 horror version of Fantasy Island – a theatrical release on March 8, 2024. A trailer for the film is going to be unveiled tomorrow, and to promote that a motion poster and a video tease have arrived online today. You can watch the video in the embed above, while the motion poster can be seen at the bottom of this article.

The film sees DeWanda Wise of Jurassic World: Dominion taking on the role of Jessica, who moves back into her childhood home with her family, and her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more concerning, Jessica intervenes, only to realize Chauncey is much more...

Lionsgate and Blumhouse recently previewed their horror movie Imaginary with a trailer attached to Five Nights at Freddy’s, and the trailer is coming online tomorrow (11/16).

While you wait, you can meet Chauncey – he’s not imaginary… and he’s not your friend – in a sneak peek video below, along with a motion poster for the upcoming film.

DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) will both star in and produce Imaginary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on March 8, 2024. In the horror movie…

“Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

DeWanda Wise is about to face her fears, as she is set to star in and executive produce the new Blumhouse movie “Imaginary.”

The movie is about a woman (Wise) who returns to her childhood home to find that her imaginary friend from childhood is waiting for her – and is not pleased that it had been abandoned for so long. The movie is co-written and directed by Jeff Wadlow, a longtime Blumhouse collaborator, having previously directed “Truth or Dare” and “Fantasy Island” for producer Jason Blum.

Wadlow collaborated with Greg Erb, Bryce McGuire and Jason Oremland on the screenplay for “Imaginary” and produces the film alongside Blum.

“DeWanda has been more than a star on this movie – she has been a full creative partner. So much of horror grows out of our most basic fears from childhood, and DeWanda taps into all of that. You know that old saying that...

Lionsgate and Blumhouse recently previewed their horror movie Imaginary with a trailer attached to Five Nights at Freddy’s, but the trailer has thus far only played in theaters.

Deadline brings us some more information about the movie this week, announcing that DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) will star in and produce the horror film.

The upcoming film also has a new release date: March 8, 2024.

Stay tuned for the Imaginary trailer, coming online soon. In the movie…

“Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.”

Blumhouse’s Jason Blum will produce,...

Earlier this year, we heard that director Jeff Wadlow and Blumhouse Productions – who had previously collaborated on the 2018 film Truth or Dare and the 2020 horror version of Fantasy Island – were teaming up for a new horror project called Imaginary, with Lionsgate having acquired the worldwide rights to the film. A February 2024 release date had been announced for the project… but if you saw the Blumhouse production Five Nights at Freddy’s in the theatre over the weekend, chances are that you saw a trailer for Imaginary play before it. We don’t have the trailer to share here just yet, but we can report that Imaginary‘s release date has shifted back to March 8, 2024.

As the theater lights dim for #FiveNightsAtFreddys, close your eyes…and imagine.

Experience the first ever imaginary trailer – Only in theaters. #ImaginaryFilm pic.twitter.com/SwXDM2kfF8

— Blumhouse (@blumhouse) October 27, 2023

Wadlow wrote the screenplay for Imaginary with Greg Erb,...

Lionsgate recently acquired worldwide rights to the Blumhouse horror movie Imaginary, and the first trailer for the movie is attached to Five Nights at Freddy’s – only in theaters.

The upcoming film also has a new release date: March 8, 2024.

Expect the trailer to make its way online in the near future.

Blumhouse’s Jason Blum will produce, with Jeff Wadlow (Cry Wolf, Kick-Ass 2, Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island, The Curse of Bridge Hollow) producing and directing.

In Imaginary, a young woman returns to her childhood home only to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and very unhappy she left.

The screenplay is by Jeff Wadlow, Greg Erb, Jason Oremland, and Bryce McGuire.

Ryan Turek will Executive Produce Wadlow’s Imaginary.

As the theater lights dim for #FiveNightsAtFreddys, close your eyes…and imagine.

Experience the first ever imaginary trailer – Only in theaters. #ImaginaryFilm pic.twitter.

On May 5, 1979, the writers of Fantasy Island made a strange decision. After 35 successful episodes in which guests paid to live out dreams such as being a king, marrying a millionaire, finding the fountain of youth and having a harem, they offered viewers “The Comic,” in which a guy gets to be a stand-up.

Over the next decades, industries would rise to whisk money from middle-aged middle management in exchange for fulfilling their deepest wishes. They got to put on Dodger uniforms with their names on the back and practice grounders with Steve Garvey at baseball fantasy camps. Play guitar in a band with Roger Daltrey at rock fantasy camps. Get B-12 shots in their ass with Gwyneth Paltrow at the In Goop Health conference. Which makes sense. Because those things are fun. People spend their weekends in softball leagues, playing in bar bands with co-workers and getting detox massages. They...

Horror movies in 2023 ran the gamut. From much-awaited sequels to new takes on old stories to Russell Crowe riding around town on his little Vespa, in "The Pope's Exorcist," there was something for everyone. We began the year with the viral sensation "M3GAN," and now we're living through a moment of industry-wide instability due to the AMPTP's refusal to negotiate with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions.

But not to worry, horror fans have plenty to look forward to in the year 2024. We've got evil spirits, imaginary friends, ruthless aliens, and movies that are so mysterious we don't even know what the heck they're about yet. If you're already feeling hungry for your next horror snack, here are some sneak peeks to whet your appetite even further. Get ready to mark your creepy calendars.

Read more: The 15 Best Horror Movie Directors Of All Time

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