Tag Archives: Blumhouse

A Look Inside Horror’s New Wave: “15 Years Of Blumhouse” Hits Bookshelves September 30th

Image September 17, 2025 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

Blumhouse’s contributions to the horror genre are inarguable and respect must be given to this from-the-ground-up powerhouse studio that started with an idea of low-budget horror while giving filmmakers the freedom of creativity to bring their horror dreams life. It started in 2007 with PARANORMAL ACTIVITY with a budget of $15,000, and ended up grossing $193 million worldwide. And it only grew from there.

If New Line was the house that Freddy built, certainly Blumhouse is the house that Toby built. Fight me.

Packed with kill counts and some never-before-seen images, HORROR’S NEW WAVE chronicles the company’s fifteen-year rise to become one of the biggest horror players in the film industry. Expanding to Universal and James Wan’s Atomic Monster company, and becoming a part of their family. Blumhouse has even knocked on the door of the Halloween Haunt territory by showing up at Universal’s horror haunts at Horror Nights in Orlando, Hollywood, and most recently, Las Vegas, there’s a lot of films to unpack in this book serves as the ultimate compendium to the Blumhouse film roster. Five Nights at Freddy’s, Sinister, Split, Get Out, M3GAN, and The Purge, just to name a few offer fans of these films a real insider’s look to these enormous horror movies. From script to screen, your new coffee table book begins with an introduction by founder Jason Blum, and includes interviews with key filmmakers and writers like M. Night Shyamalan, Leigh Whannell, James Wan, and Mike Flanagan; actors, such as Allison Williams, Ethan Hawke, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Octavia Spencer; and Blumhouse executives like head of film Couper Samuelson and head of casting Terri Taylor.

The book takes you on a deep dive that will satisfy horror fans’ hunger for the creative process, offering stories and insights into various aspects of filmmaking, including directing, musical score, makeup, acting, cinematography, and more. With film stills, on-set photographs, storyboards, creative briefs, and title treatments, this is the ultimate insider’s guide for horror fans and film lovers alike that really highlights the 21st century of the horror genre!

This Simon and Schuster book is available NOW FOR PRE-ORDER OVER AT AMAZON!

If you pre-order now, you’ll be entered to win a raffle and prizes that include:

a limited edition Blumhouse bookplate signed by Jason Blum himself when you pre-order the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/horrors-new-wave-preorder-giveaway
- You will randomly receive one of three custom-designed bookplates: The Black Phone, Happy Death Day, or M3GAN
Enter for a chance to win one of three signed M3GAN 2.0 scripts by the cast and crew and when you pre-order the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/horrors-new-wave-signed-script-sweeps

Editorials

[Hot Take] Why Not Release “Halloween Kills” on VOD and Then Theatrically Next Year?

Image July 12, 2020 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

I should probably start off by saying this is purely an opinion piece on what I believe would be beneficial in this far from perfect world right now in regards to the push-back on Halloween Kills. Furthermore, I stand my ground on these words in light of the fact I do not bow down to any studios or anyone involved in the entertainment industry as I don’t take part in the so-called ass-kissing train to save face in order to continue to receive any free promos, screenings, or goodies. That’s not what I, or Nightmare Nostalgia is about.

In other words, I am a PR’s worst goddamn nightmare. No fucks given.

Ok, this is a little blasphemous for a Myers centered piece- but how could I resist?!

Now that the PSA is out of the way, let’s get down to brass tacks. Surely by now, you’ve all heard about the long-awaited sequel in the newly revived Halloween trilogy Halloween Kills, has been pushed back an entire year to October 15, 2021. The announcement made by John Carpenter himself on social media kind of threw a lot of fans for a loop. The film is cut and done; ready to go. And while one can certainly understand why maybe, possibly, going to the theaters in 2020 might be a bit of a gamble, there’s clearly always the VOD option. An option in which, some studios are using to their advantage, and others, well, are really not wanting to go that route.

Now I can understand a movie such as Halloween obviously begs to be seen the RIGHT way as a perfect cinematic experience. However, Universal and Blumhouse has opted out of the notion of releasing the movie this year to streaming platforms in the middle of a pandemic so that US, the patrons, can view it in the way that it’s meant to be seen. Because Goddess forbid we have anything nice this year.

Honestly, I think that’s a bit of a cop-out. A monster franchise such as Halloween should be giving fans the choice. I mean, who is to say things will be better a year from now? I would certainly hope they would be, but as it stands now Halloween as we have always known it, will be a far cry from normal in 2020. And given the mental state of the world slowly chipping away, it really would be nice to have SOMETHING to look forward to.

Now I also know some of you make look at this and say, “What a selfish bitch.” “REAL Halloween fans could wait an entire year.” Or the oh so clever and obvious, “There’s a whole world of horror out there to be discovered, focus on that.” I mean, those are all cute and all but here’s my point- now this might sound crazy:

HOW ABOUT RELEASING IT ON VOD IN 2020; AND THEATRICALLY IN 2021????

Fucking wild concept there, eh?

I can also make the argument that REAL HALLOWEEN FANS, such as myself and many others would be more than happy to pay for it twice. There are so many people suffering greatly on the other side of this pandemic in the mental health arena and it would be such a nice goddamn thing in this shithole year we’re experiencing right now to have something to look forward to that’s coming SOON. Not another year from now. For those arguing otherwise, the term selfish is being thrown around quite a bit, so let me oblige by throwing it right back your way in the face of those horror fans struggling mentally right now. I am their voice. Which often gets stifled not just in the midst of chaos, but anytime really as people still don’t like to talk about it.

This leads me into another proposal since we’re supposed to be practicing compassion and empathy for each other’s health needs; why on Earth is this not a viable option always for people who physically CAN’T attend the theater? Should they have to wait six months later than everyone else because they are either physically or mentally unable to have that cinematic experience? In the face of a world that’s changing, I think it’s definitely time to stop and think about not just one, or two groups of people. But the collective as a whole. This planet is so incredibly diverse with all walks of life and no one should be made to feel any certain way about this until you know their story. I just really feel like this was an opportunity for a franchise that I love dearly to do something really great for not only the collective in this isolated world we must live in right now, but for the unheard fans as well that suffer greatly from both physical and mental distress. It really would have been an erm.. trick or treat for them!

Alright enough of my Ted Talk. Here’s that little cockteaser they put out.

Sigh. Anyways, I would love to hear from anyone who feels the same, or hey, if you just want to tell me to get bent feel free to comment below!

News

Myers Has Finally Come Home In The Official Halloween 2018 Movie Trailer!

Image June 8, 2018 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

The moment the entire horror community and beyond has been waiting for the better part of the entire year is finally here Haddonfield residents! Lock your doors, bolt your windows, and turn out the lights, (see what I did there), the Boogeyman has landed! And this time around, Laurie is ready for him.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:

**Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.**

In case you need a refresher:

David Gordon Green directs the movie with a script co-written alongside notable funnyman Danny McBride. Every sequel associated with the beloved franchise over the past 40 years, including in my humble opinion, the just as great as the original Halloween II, making this 2018 addition a direct sequel to the original from horror master John Carpenter. Halloween is throwing out the Laurie and Michael being related thing in favor of a fresh new look at the two subjects. In which case, I’m sure John Carpenter was thrilled with that aspect as he has stated repeatedly he regretted the decision of the whole brother VS sister route. Carpenter is serving as executive producer along with returning to his roots and overseeing the film’s cinematic score one more time.

The movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, with Judy Greer playing Karen Strode- Laurie’s daughter. Andi Matichak who plays daughter to Greer and granddaughter to Curtis.

Nick Castle returns to the role he originally made infamous, Michael Myers, while stunt performer and actor James Jude Courtney also is credited as Myers in, I’m assuming, more demanding scenes.

The cast also includes Virginia “Ginny” Gardner (Project Almanac, Marvel’s “Runaways”), Miles Robbins (Mozart in the Jungle, My Friend Dahmer), Dylan Arnold (Mudbound, Laggies, When We Rise), and Drew Scheid (“Stranger Things”, The War with Grandpa).

Malek Akkad is producing for Trancas International with Jason Blum producing for Blumhouse Productions. Green and McBride will also executive produce under their Rough House Pictures banner. Zanne Devine and David Thwaites will oversee for Miramax, which is co-financing with Blumhouse.

Halloween releases nationwide on October 19th, 2018 to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary AND Myers’ cinematic birthday according to the original franchise canon.

It’s time Michael…