Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 147 i SciFi Now

Summer’s just warming up (literally – we can already feel ourselves cooking and at the time of writing it’s barely mid-June), but it feels like summer blockbuster season is almost over. We’ve had (deep breath) Infinity War, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Deadpool 2 and Solo and, by and large, they’ve all impressed. But the big movies aren’t done yet, as Ant-Man And The Wasp is on the way to remind Marvel fans that it’s not all about cataclysmic events that are coming to wipe out your favourite characters. Indeed, one of the reasons we’re so excited about the follow-up to Peyton Reed’s miniature hero hit is that it doesn’t come with ‘biggest event ever’ labels or the kind of baggage that Solo rolled in with. It’s a visually inventive team-up…

Is there finally light at the end of the tunnel for Locke And Key? The unluckiest TV adaptation that still hasn’t come to pass yet hit yet another speed bump earlier this year when Hulu passed on a pilot directed by IT’s Andy Muschietti, a decision that shocked the industry and disappointed fans. However, it’s being reported that (at the time of writing) Netflix is in final negotiations to give a series order to Locke And Key. Now, it’s worth noting that the deal isn’t all the way done yet, but showrunner Carlton Cuse and writer Joe Hill are still on board. While Muschietti is getting an executive producer credit, he won’t be back to direct (Pennywise calls) and the pilot will be starting from scratch with a new script…

Middle-earth was born in Oxford – the home of JRR Tolkien for most of his life – and now it’s returning, in the form of an exhibition at the Bodleian Libraries. The Bodleian already had 500 boxes of Tolkien’s papers in their possession, and to that they added some of Tolkien’s personal belongings and the original manuscripts of The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, on loan from Marquette University in Milwaukee. “Original manuscripts of his popular classics sit alongside lesser-known and posthumous works and materials, some of which will be on public display for the very first time,” curator Catherine McIlwaine explains. The challenge lay in selecting which items from their vast Tolkien collection to exhibit. “It was important to choose items which were visually appealing and which…

Welcome to Memory Bank, the cobwebbed sidebar of the magazine in which we dust off past issues of SciFiNow and flick through the crumbled pages to see what on earth was going on in the world of sci-fi, fantasy and horror. This month we’re looking at issue 20, which hit the shelves way back in 2008. Heroes was still a major thing back then, so our cover star was the lovely Zachary Quinto as super-powered villain Sylar in the lead up to Season Three. Though Heroes wowed viewers with a solid and exciting first season, the show seemed to lose a bit of momentum with Season Two. “The truth is what you were referring to as Season Two was not really our Season Two,” said series creator and executive producer…

CAPTAIN MARVEL Release: 8 March 2019 Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Cast: Brie Larson, Ben Mendelsohn, Gemma Chan, Jude Law, Lashana Lynch, Annette Bening, Samuel L Jackson, Clark Gregg, Lee Pace Status: Production began in March 2018 under the working title Warbird, and filming is about halfway completed AVENGERS 4 Release: 26 April 2019 Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Cast: Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Chadwick Boseman, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo Status: Principal photography started in August 2017 and wrapped in January 2018, with reshoots scheduled for later this year SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 2 Release: 5 July 2019 Director: Jon Watts Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Michael Keaton, Jacob Batalon Status: The…

WE’VE BEEN SPOILED FOR SCI-FI, FANTASY AND HORROR TV SO FAR THIS YEAR, BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO COME. The first half of 2018 has brought the stunning second seasons of Westworld and Legion, the second half of Star Trek: Discovery’s dazzling freshman run and newcomers like Altered Carbon and Happy!, not to mention (deep breath) Jessica Jones Season Two, Luke Cage Season Two, iZombie Season Four, Marvel’s Runaways, Lost In Space, The City And The City...oh yeah, and The X-Files came back. But if you were thinking about saving any of those for an imagined lean stretch ahead, you’d better think again. This is Peak TV, so make sure you’re sitting nice and comfortably. It seems like a particularly good time for fans of spooky supernatural chillers, as…

BARDO Netflix’s first Chinese-language series focuses on a prisoner facing execution who begins to experience alternate timelines. KINGDOM Kingdom is a series about a zombie plague in medieval South-Korea and stars Sense8’s Bae Doona. DARK SEASON TWO The hit German show will return to our screens for Season Two some time in 2019. MORTEL This French drama will tell the story of teenagers bound together by supernatural forces. LUNA NERA Luna Nera is an Italian show billed as ‘genre’ and is about a woman who has been accused of witchcraft back in 17th century Italy.…

“I MEAN, HOW MANY 50 YEAR OLD SUPERHEROES DO YOU GET WHO ARE GAMBLING ADDICTS AND MAVERICK COPS?” LAUGHS STAR JAMES NESBITT WHEN ASKED TO SUMMARISE THE APPEAL OF STAN LEE’S LUCKY MAN, THE THIRD SERIES OF WHICH BEGINS AN EIGHT-EPISODE RUN IN JULY. Cleverly blending comic-book fantasy elements with the reliably high standard of British cop dramas, the show stars Nesbitt as Murder Squad detective Harry Clayton, who gains the power to control luck after receiving an ancient bracelet from the mysterious Eve (Sienna Guillory). However, Harry soon finds out that luck comes at a price, as the bracelet ensures that every positive is balanced by a negative in Harry’s life. The proprietary inclusion of Stan Lee’s name in the title isn’t just for show. “The idea of the…

In 1993, Giuseppe Di Matteo, a 12-year-old Sicilian boy was kidnapped and murdered by the mafia. Filmmakers Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza both grew up in Palermo, not far from the small village where Giuseppe lived and have been haunted by his story ever since. They wanted to find a way to pay tribute to the boy and after reading a short story by Marco Mancassola inspired by the tragedy, they decided to turn their film into a dark fairy tale told from the point of view of a young girl called Luna who is deeply in love with Giuseppe but too afraid to tell him. “One of the many reasons we decided to make the film was because we feel that it was unfair that this kid was forgotten…

Details 18 // 84 mins // 1972 // // Released Out now Director Wes Craven Cast Sandra Peabody, Lucy Grantham, David Hess, Fred J Lincoln, Jeramie Rain Distributor Arrow Video Perhaps the most remarkable thing about The Last House On The Left is that it’s lost none of its power to shock, all these years later. Wes Craven’s unforgiving debut is as nasty and brutal as ever and watching it remains a stomach-churning proposition. It lacks the finesse of his later efforts and its confrontational nature cuts both ways. Yes, it’s a commentary on the brutality of the Vietnam war, but it’s also a seedy and gleefully provocative piece of work. While it’s unlikely that this is anyone’s favourite Craven film, it remains an important genre milestone and this new…

Details 15 // 108 mins // 1995 // // Released Out now Director Joe Gayton Cast Lance Henriksen, Giovanni Ribisi, Natasha Gregson-Wagner, Claire Stansfield Distributor 88 Films The stories surrounding Mind Ripper are far more interesting than the film itself, so bless 88 Films for including a wonderfully frank interview with writer Jonathan Craven on its new Blu-ray, who details everything from its Hills Have Eyes 3 origins and its bizarre connections to the OJ Simpson case to the experience of shooting in newly independent Bulgaria. It’s a far more entertaining watch than the overlong horror, which finds scientist Lance Henriksen and his kids (Giovanni Ribisi and Natasha Gregson Wagner) trapped in a desert facility with a genetically enhanced mutant who wants to eat their brains. There’s a surprisingly decent…

Details 12A // 111 mins // 2018 // // Released 30 July Director Steven S DeKnight Cast John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, Burn Gorman, Jing Tian, Charlie Day Distributor Universal Pictures In 2013, Guillermo del Toro managed to create a sci-fi adventure that told a story about overcoming trauma and the power of human connection alongside over-the-top action. Like it or not, it was an achievement – even more so when you consider his protagonist was played by a very wooden Charlie Hunnam. Fortunately, follow-up Pacifi c Rim: Uprising boasts a more intriguing lead on paper; a former academy cadet-turned-Jaeger-parts dealer, forced to save the world despite not being keen on living up to his hero father’s name (he’s also played by charismatic John Boyega). But as it abandons…

Details 15 // 90 mins // 2017 // // Released Out now Director Marko Mäkilaakso Cast Harry Lister Smith, Alex Mills, Vanessa Grasse, Mark Arnold Distributor Thunderbird Releasing Inspired by the 1989 Amiga video game and fitting neatly into the likeable slackers vs monsters movie lineage of films like Infestation, Big-Ass Spider and Eight Legged Freaks, It Came From The Desert transparently doesn’t want to be anything other than a good time. It lacks most of the more sordid elements that ‘aimed at teenage boys’ might imply, but that seems to be its target audience, packed as it is with beer, fraternal bonding and dirt bikes. Brian (Harry Lister Smith) and his awesome older brother Lukas (Alex Mills) are heading out for a kegger in the desert with Brian’s crush…

Author: Naomi Novik Publisher: Macmillan Price: £16.99 Released: 12 July Uprooted author Naomi Novik returns with a new spin on the Rumpelstiltskin legend, a confident and morally complex fairy tale with a fantastic trio of leading characters and an immersive world grounded in a recognisable historical reality. At first, Novik only gives us the perspective of Miryem, the daughter of an ineffectual money lender, before gradually introducing Wanda, the daughter of an abusive drunk, and Irina, the daughter of an ambitious duke. Miryem’s family is suffering from her father’s inability to collect on debts owed, and when she decides to take matters into her own hands she proves to be a formidable and canny one-woman industry. When she takes on Wanda as a house servant as part-payment for her father’s…

“We Ride The Storm by @DevinMadson it’s extremely good, really enjoying it. #BookClub” @andyangel44 “Reading @ marishapessl’s first YA novel, Neverworld Wake at the moment and loving it! A slightly more philosophical look at the ‘recurring time loop trope’, but no less entertaining for it. #GroundhogDayisreal #BookClub” @Cfpercy “The Iron Council - China Mieville. It’s so good. I’ve nearly finished it and it feels like we haven’t even scratched the surface of Bas-Lag. Fine Fine world building.” @Am05ing “Revolution Man by Paul Leonard. It’s as weird as Fitz’s mind! #bookclub” @ChrisHatch “The Outsider by Stephen King. Really, really good. Super scary! #BookClub” @lisahawson “Kindred by Octavia Butler. About a third of the way through and it is exceptional. #BookClub” @Malky44 “Currently reading The Outsider by @ StephenKing brilliant storytelling yet…

“THE STORY’S NON-HUMAN SPECIES ARE THE MOST INTERESTING ELEMENT BY FAR” Details Author: Christopher Ruochhio Publisher: Gollancz Price: £16.99 Released: Out now Christopher Ruocchio’s debut novel, the first in the series, begins by telling us where it will end. Our narrator, Hadrian Marlowe, is here to tell us the story of his life, to explain how he went from the eldest son of a powerful duke to the man who destroyed an entire alien race. Hadrian pops up throughout the novel to muse on events and remind us of where he’s going to (eventually) end up, but once we’re done with the prologue, Ruocchio takes us on a fairly traditional journey as the spoiled but idealistic man is knocked to the bottom of the ladder and forced to find his own…

Details Writer: Mariko Tamaki Artist: Joelle Jones Publisher: DC Comics Price:£12.99 Released: Out now Sometimes, it sucks to be Supergirl. You have to keep your powers secret; you have no idea if you’re the only Kryptonian on the planet; and, then, a pimple breaks out on yearbook photo day. Award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki, fresh off redefining She-Hulk for a new generation for Marvel, is the perfect pick to retell Kara Danvers’ Supergirl origin story. From her original graphic novelsSkim and This One Summer (created with her cousin, Jillian Tamaki), to her recent work for larger publishers, Tamaki has dedicated herself to chronicling the fussy, frustrating adolescent and young adult years, encompassing the inflamed passions and life-changing experiences that go toward forming an identity. Being Super recallsBuffy The Vampire Slayer in…

There was nothing, only the empty boat and the folded oars and no sign that Jack had ever been there at all. Amelia knew then that the ocean had swallowed him, tore him away from her, and a great bitterness filled her heart. She hated the ocean, hated the vast and heartless expanse that had taken Jack from her. She wanted only to be out of the water then, away from the lapping waves and the boat that had borne her love away from her and delivered him into the cruel depths. Mermaids do not cry, but Amelia had spent too long as a human, and so as she swam back to shore the tears streamed over the scales on her face and mixed with the brine of the sea.…

Film RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes RELEASE DATE: 17 August 1998 DIRECTOR: Vincenzo Natali WRITERS: Andre Bijelic, Vincenzo Natali, Graham Manson CAST: Nicole De Boer, Nicky Guadagni, David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, Maurice Dean Wint, Wayne Robson, Julian Richings About Six strangers wake up in some kind of maze-like prison. Each room has a hatch in each of its four walls, its ceiling and its floor, each leading to an apparently identical room. Only the colour of the lighting is visibly different but the prisoners will soon discover that some rooms contain deadly traps. The key to finding a safe passage lies in the numbers etched into each doorway, but is there really any escape from the Cube? And should they be more worried about each other? As a general rule, we…

Everything we’ve seen of this Lord and Miller-produced animation looks fantastic. From the glorious art style(s) to the casting, it looks like the kind of fresh spin on the Spidey universe that we need. Of course, it’s set in a different universe to the MCU, and follows Miles Morales as he discovers his powers, helped along the way by Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) and Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld). With Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Liev Schreiber and Lily Tomlin rounding out the cast, this has the potential to be something special.…

IT’S… AT THE BEACH (JAWS) Oh, did you think a Great White Shark wasn’t going to turn up on a Massachusetts shoreline to feast on holiday makers? Think again. IT’S… MUCH SMARTER (DEEP BLUE SEA) When you violate the Harvard Compact to increase the size of a shark’s brain to attempt to cure Alzheimer’s, you’ve only got yourself to blame. IT’S… IN A SUPERMARKET (BAIT) Oh, did you think you were safe from sharks in a supermarket? When a tsunami hits the Australian coast, guess what just came in with the flood. IT’S… KIND OF AN ARSEHOLE (THE SHALLOWS) Not content with cornering Blake Lively on a rock, this shark also eats a bunch of people who try to help or rob her. Surely, it’s full…

Godzilla Vs Kong EXPECTED RELEASE May 2020 Two of the planet’s biggest beasts go head to head in this electrifying battle of kaiju brawn. ROLE UNNAMED CHILD: Male, 13-16 years old, any ethnicity. Must have good comic timing, sick dance moves, and not shy away from strong language. CONTACT adamwingard@wingardrules.com REPLIES JULIAN DENNISON Maleficent 2 EXPECTED RELEASE Once upon a time The magical sequel to Disney’s 2014 prequel to Disney’s animated classic based on a fairy tale by Charles Perrault. ROLES A QUEEN: Female, 50s-60s, caucasian. Regal, preferably with past fairy tale experience. A VILLAIN: Male, 30s. Should be able to be creepy. PRINCE PHILIP: Male, old enough to be a dream boat but young enough for it not to be disturbing if he were to get with Elle Fanning.…

1 New director, same universe Robot smashin’ sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising sees director Stephen S DeKnight inherit Guillermo del Toro’s giant-machine-versus-mega-alien punch-fest but make no mistake, it’s business as usual. “You know what they’ve both got in common?” asks Burn Gorman a.k.a Rim’s techy mad scientist Hermann Gottlieb. “They both run a very fluid, disciplined and calm set. Guillermo was very much involved in the hiring of Stephen as somebody who really understood the tone. He’s been involved for many years with the Buffy-verse, Spartacus and showrunning Daredevil. He also brings a very collaborative, relaxed air to the set which Guillermo does too,” he adds. “If you have an idea, he’ll listen. It was a pleasure working with him.” 2 This time it’s personal The Pacific Rim sequel ups the…

1 LAURIE IS READY We were surprised when Jamie Lee Curtis agreed to come back as Laurie Strode but now we get it. This is a Laurie who has spent 40 years preparing to face her nightmares, and it’s taken a toll on her family. Everyone thinks that she’s been crying wolf, but she’ll be the only one who can stop the boogeyman. 2 BACK TO BASICS Right from the first announcement, director David Gordon Green and co-writer Danny McBride have stressed that this will be a return to the original’s grounded sense of dread and that absolutely comes through in the trailer. The sequence in the mental institution is a little silly but the rest is dead serious. 3 FORGET THE SEQUELS… If you’re wondering what happened to Jamie…

Since the primary cinematic gimmick of Ant-Man And The Wasp is a result of the heroes being able to change size, production designer Shepherd Frankel had a task on his hands when designing the film’s many sets. “I love our tiny sets that are a couple of walls and old crackly paint compared to the spectacle sets of high tech and science,” he says. “The hardest set was the Hank Pym laboratory, just from the amount of people involved and what it takes to get done. It’s a representation of how the industry works: on your best day, everybody is involved with making something happen, and this was a huge spectacle that involved every department. Everybody has touched it to make it happen and we’ve used cutting edge technology.” To…

HENRY DEAVER Andre Holland A death row lawyer who left Castle Rock after his father died in a mysterious accident. The town decided he was the prime suspect so Henry’s not exactly thrilled to be back, but he had no choice when he got a phone call from Shawshank. THE KID Bill Skarsgård The mystery man who might just be at the centre of it all. ‘The Kid’ is found in a cage beneath Shawshank prison and makes a phone call to Henry asking for his help. Where did he come from? What crime did he commit? What does he want? RUTH DEAVER Sissy Spacek Ruth is Henry’s adopted mother and is a retired professor. She is also suffering from dementia and is never exactly clear where she is or,…

SEASON EIGHT EPISODE FOUR Director: David Nutter Writers: David Benioff and DB Weiss Notes: David Nutter is known for mostly handling the drama-heavy episodes, but importantly he also directed the ‘Red Wedding’ episode. It’s not a far stretch to say that things might get massacre-y… SEASON EIGHT EPISODE FIVE Director: Miguel Spapochnik Writers: David Benioff and DB Weiss Notes: We all know that Game Of Thrones loves a big penultimate episode, and this one comes from the director and writers of ‘ Battle Of The Bastards’ and ‘Hardhome’. This one will be HUGE. SEASON EIGHT EPISODE SIX Directors: David Benioff and DB Weiss Writers: David Benioff and DB Weiss Notes: Benioff and Weiss are probably the least experienced directors on Game Of Thrones, so expect the show to end on…

RED DWARF Episode: ‘Quarantine’ (S5E4) Plot: The crew discover a luck virus and when an out-of-control Rimmer locks the crew in quarantine, Lister doses himself with and uses it to crack the door’s ten-digit combination code. SUPERNATURAL Episode: ‘Bad Day At Black Rock’ (S3E3) Plot: When Sam retrieves a stolen rabbit’s foot, he experiences remarkable good luck, including surviving being shot at. However, once he loses it, the good fortune turns bad and nearly kills him. THE X-FILES Episode: ‘The Goldberg Variation’ (S7E6) Plot: Mulder and Scully encounter a man with good luck, as demonstrated when he’s thrown off a roof and lands in a laundry basket. The catch is that the universe always requires a balance… STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE Episode:…

THE MATCHMAKER HOTEL (THE LOBSTER) With scenic views, this is the perfect spot for contemplation and thinking about whether you’re taking up space as a single person. We host near-constant social gatherings and activities to help you find your perfect match. THE OVERLOOK HOTEL (THE SHINING) If you come during the summer, this is a wonderful resort. We have a beautiful mountain location, an incredible hedge maze and there’s a lot of history attached to the place. You may have heard the rumours about our last caretaker but all we can say is that the winter can be fantastically cruel. THE HEADLAND HOTEL (THE WITCHES) Why not spend a weekend in beautiful Torquay? The sea air is wonderful for the constitution and there’s lots of room for…

Details 15 // 110 mins // 13 July Director Sergio G Sánchez Screenwriter Sergio G Sánchez Cast George MacKay, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Mia Goth Distributor Entertainment One The directorial debut from the writer of The Orphanage, Sergio G Sánchez, plays out like a blend of Agatha Christie mystery and twisted fairy tale that pounds with dread and imbues a genuine concern for its young protagonists thanks to the talented young cast. Like a throwback to early Guillermo del Toro its melancholic atmosphere is achingly tender but certain aspects of the human drama are difficult to pull off due to the intentional vagueness of the narrative. A confident George MacKay leads a damaged brood of British children played by Mia Goth, Matthew Stagg and Charlie Heaton (Jonathan from Stranger Things).…

Details 12 // 83 mins // 2000 // // Released Out now Director Beeban Kidron Cast Kathleen Turner, Marcella Plunkett, David Warner, Jane Birkin Distributor Simply Media The casting of Kathleen Turner as Cinderella’s wicked stepmother is so perfect that you may not really need to read the rest of this review, but in case you haven’t put the magazine down and gone to buy Simply Media’s reissue of the 2000 TV movie, it’s a very likeable and interesting spin on the classic tale that’s only occasionally badly dated. Writer Nick Dear and director Beeban Kidron set things in a sort of Fifties land that’s fairly obviously the Isle Of Man, and they cast the hell out of it. Jane Birkin is a misanthropic mermaid fairy godmother, David Warner is…

Details 15 // 92 mins // 2018 // // Released Out now Director Brian O’Malley Cast Charlotte Vega, Bill Milner, Eugene Simon, David Bradley Distributor Thunderbird Releasing Let Us Prey director Brian O’Malley shifts gears for this atmospheric slice of gothic. He enthuses about how he’d been dying to make a classic ghost story on the disc’s documentary, and that comes through in every frame of The Lodgers. It’s the Twenties, and twins Rachel (Charlotte Vega) and Edward (Bill Milner) live alone in their crumbling mansion in rural Ireland. Well, almost alone, as they live in fear of an unseen presence which they keep at bay by following three rules: be in bed by midnight, never let a stranger in, and never leave the house for good. As they approach…

Details Author: Alexa Donne Publisher: Titan Books Price: £7.99 Released: Out now Two worlds that one might never expect to meet smash together in Brightly Burning, as the stiff upper lip Bronte era bashes into the intergalactic, futuristic world of sci-fi… in a good way! Those of us familiar with the over dramatised story of plain Jane Eyre will instantly draw the connections littered throughout Alexa Donne’s Brightly Burning, a charming tale of star crossed love orbiting the solar system. Earth has entered an ice age and, in an attempt to save the human race, survivors live on a fleet of class defined space ships, with the poorest harvesting for the rich, rationed and miserable. Stella (Jane) is a top-class engineer on board the Stalwart, searching for job satisfaction and…

“THERE IS NO RESPITE FROM THE ACTION” Details Author: Joshua Winning Publisher: Peridot Press Price: £6.99 Released: Out now Miracles can happen, but our reluctant hero needs more than that to clear up the mess that was unknowingly unleashed at the end of the last instalment of The Sentinel Trilogy. When last we saw Nicholas Hallow he was whooping demon ass and trying to prevent the return of The Dark Prophets with the help of his friends. Not much time has passed as we re-join Nicholas and co, but so much has changed. No longer little boy lost, Nicholas has embraced his Sentinel destiny, shorn his curly locks in favour of a tough, symbolic number 2 and has a new ‘take no prisoners’ attitude. Times are hard – Nicholas has snap…

Details Author: Jonathan French Publisher: Orbit Price: £8.99 Released: Out now While it’s not ‘grimdark’ per se, Jonathan French’s debut is packed with the kind of violence, creative swearing and sex that we expect from that grittiest of genres, but with a sense of glee that can be missing at times. The titular clan are a band of half-orcs who live in an uneasy peace with the humans who rule the land, the elves who rarely leave their territory and the violent orcs who are the biggest threat. Jackal is beginning to believe their leader may no longer be the best man for the job, and when a series of unfortunate coincidences tie together a little too neatly, he believes that the head of the clan may be working against…

Details Writer: Emily Carroll Artist: Emily Carroll Publisher: Shortbox Price: £7 Released: Out now “What sort of girl would I be, to meet a scoundrel like you, beneath the dead oak tree?” Emily Carroll, expert in short-form comics that beguile, returns with this superb horror-in-miniature that is part fairy tale, part psycho-sexual nightmare. A young lady-in-waiting is courted by a handsome rogue, and invited to meet him by a withered oak tree in the wilds of the night. There, she sees something that equally shocks and delights her – and is drawn further into the darkness in pursuit of her impulses. In Beneath The Dead Oak Tree, Carroll adopts the spiralling, insistent meter of folk songs, and brings with it the form’s underlying viciousness too. As with her horror collection…

“So when you have finished this bizarre account, judge for yourself its believability, and then try to tell yourself, wherever you may be: it couldn’t happen here…” BeforeThe X-Files, Buffy, and Fringe, one man stood between us and the supernatural. The name might not be familiar, but you know him, all right: an invisible presence hovering behind Mulder and Scully, or raising a sardonic eyebrow at Walter Bishop’s wackier theories. Carl Kolchak, reporter, supernatural investigator, and bane of multiple police chiefs’ lives. Even if you’re not familiar with his résumé, chances are you love one of the many shows inspired by his monster-hunting exploits. Created by Jeff Rice in his then unpublished novel, The Kolchak Papers, Carl first arrived on the small screen in a hugely successful TV movie, The…

Devoid of axe-wielding madmen, killer clowns, psychotic nurses or outcast prom queens, The Dead Zone is, comparatively speaking, a relatively relatable Stephen King story about how much fate plays a part in the trajectory of our lives. Subtle and psychological The Dead Zone centres on ‘everyday schoolteacher’ Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) and how his life takes a dramatic and unexpected turn following the consequences of a chance road accident that places him in a coma for five years. He awakens in a clinic to find he can no longer walk, his job is gone and, perhaps most harrowing of all, his girlfriend Sarah, (Brooke Adams) whom he was planning on spending his life with, has moved on without him. Significantly, Johnny is now also plagued by psychic visions of the…

”NO MORE TALKING. NO MORE GUESSING. DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOTHING THAT’S NOT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. THAT’S THE REAL CHALLENGE. YOU’VE GOTTA SAVE YOURSELVES FROM YOURSELVES.” RENNES “YOU HAVE TO USE IT, OR YOU ADMIT IT’S POINTLESS.” WORTH “THIS MAY BE HARD FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THERE IS NO CONSPIRACY. NOBODY IS IN CHARGE. IT, IT’S A HEADLESS BLUNDER OPERATING UNDER THE ILLUSION OF A MASTER PLAN. CAN YOU GRASP THAT? BIG BROTHER IS NOT WATCHING YOU.” WORTH “HEY! LISTEN TO WHAT I’M SAYING. WE HAVEN’T BEEN MOVING IN CIRCLES, THE ROOMS HAVE.” WORTH “THIS ROOM IS... GREEN. I WANNA GO BACK TO THE BLUE ROOM.” KAZAN “YOU DON’T HAVE A LOT OF LIVES LEFT.” LEAVEN “WHO DO YOU THINK THE ESTABLISHMENT IS? IT’S JUST GUYS LIKE…

”Adored that film. Great acting, great effects, twisting plot and an ultimate point. Shame about the sequels, which had none of that, despite having larger budgets…” @destr0ytheearth “A personal favourite! Goes to show that you don’t need a ton of CGI and big name stars to make a great film.” @runestone1066 “Brilliant movie, very unique!” @BeardedWhovian “Simple but effective, it was one of the most creative and inspirational low budget SF movies at the time. The sequels are also worth viewing.” @ParsonsFiction “Terrible and great all at the same time, as all cult classics should be. Watched it so many times.” @fl ashahahhh Cube is great! Cube 2: Hypercube is surprisingly watchable. Cube Zero is probably best avoided.” @adamfl eetmovies “Cube is an absolute joy – a masterclass in low-budget…

Q. What is your favourite genre movie team-up? Jonathan Hatfull Editor A. Chucky and Tiffany The pitter-patter of tiny doll feet and the maniacal laugh of crazed killers. Abigail Chandler Deputy Editor A. Marty McFly and Doc Brown There’s a reason Rick And Morty chose to rip off this BTTF twosome. Poppy-Jay Palmer News Editor A. Also Marty McFly and Doc Brown They’ve always got each other’s backs when the manure hits the fan. Marcus Faint Art Editor A. Neo and Trinity The outifts, the guns, the chemistry, the moves. These two had it all and then some! Rachael Harper Sub Editor A. Murphy and Lewis Okay, so Lewis may not be the best at keeping her partner safe, but her loyalty is without question!…

As far as production hells go, there can’t be many that have been quite as brutal as The Crow remake’s, and now there’s yet another nail in Eric Draven’s coffin. After nearly four years spent working on the film, Corin Hardy has left the production along with his star Jason Momoa. The reason for the duo’s departure was reported to be down to “creative and financial differences” with Davis Films head honcho Samuel Hadida. Davis Films owns the rights and was stumping up the money for the film, while Sony Pictures had distribution rights and their eye on a release date of 11 October 2019. However, Deadline’s report also states that a deal hadn’t actually been done between the two companies, which makes that whole situation a lot less stable…

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE After the almost spiritual experience that was watching the Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse trailer (read more on our reaction to the trailer and others over on page 14), no poster could have really lived up to the hype. However, this one comes pretty close to it. The bold accent colours, the 3D-esque fonts, the seriously trippy dimensions (our eyes are still readjusting after watching the trailer) and the gorgeous art style highlight everything that made the trailer stand out. Also, just like the trailer, this keeps with the comic book vibe – it almost looks like a splash page rather than a poster. We can’t wait to see this one on the big screen – Christmas can’t come soon enough. DUMBO We all already know the…

DEFINITELY NOT ZOMBIES The Walking Dead never calls its ‘walkers’ zombies, but that doesn’t stop every viewer calling them zombies. That seems to the fashionable thing to do when it comes to strange viruses turning people into flesh-eating loons, like the ‘infected’ of the 28 Days Later and the ‘hungries’ in The Girl With All the Gifts. DEFINITELY NOT VAMPIRES The ‘v’ word went out of fashion in the Eighties, with The Hunger and Near Dark avoiding it, despite their bloodsuckers falling under many classic vampire rules. DEFINITELY NOT WEREWOLVES Underworld prefers to call its werewolves ‘lycans’, and Doctor Who went for the significantly less catchy Lupine Wavelength Haemovariform. Meanwhile, on the kids’ TV show Wolfblood, a character explicitly states that they are Wolfbloods, not werewolves (but they’re defi nitely…

FAMILY AND HOME are the two main themes that run through the work of Spanish screenwriter Sergio G Sánchez, who finally gets the opportunity to direct his first feature film over ten years after writing the script for The Orphanage. JA Bayona directed that one and steps up to produce horror film The Secret Of Marrowbone so Sánchez can flex his directing muscles. One of the little bugbears Sánchez had with The Orphanage is that it wasn’t shot in a real house, something which was of the utmost importance to him on this project: “I knew from the start that I wanted to shoot in a real house. I needed the house to be bright and sunny and be very familiar, to be the one perfect memory of a perfect…

What would you do if you met yourself? What would you think? Would you see the best parts of you, or the worst? In Natasha Kermani’s superb debut Imitation Girl, a mysterious young woman (played by genre favourite Lauren Ashley Carter) arrives in the desert, appearing to discover the earth and humanity for the very fi rst time. Meanwhile, in New York, her exact double is working as an adult fi lm actress and is in the middle of a crisis. When the Imitation Girl realises that she has a mirror, she sets out to fi nd her. “I think it is a fairly straightforward concept, that there’s two sides to every coin, and I think everybody can relate to that,” Kermani tells us. “There are some days where you…

THE SEXY PROFESSOR AS SEEN IN: JURASSIC PARK, LIFE AQUATIC, BUCKAROO BANZAI) Distinguishing features: Somehow managing to be fast-talking and drawling at the same time, a disdain for authority, charming arrogance, sunglasses, a willingness to bare the chest. AKA the alpha prof. THE AWKWARD NERD AS SEEN IN: INDEPENDENCE DAY, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, THE START OF THE FLY Distinguishing features: A desperation to be understood/appreciated/ accepted but managing to the be the coolest person in the room in spite of struggling with social interactions. THE IMPERIAL ALIEN AS SEEN IN: THOR: RAGNAROK Distinguishing features: Channelling that undeniable Goldblum otherworldliness into actually playing a character from another world. Really, all it takes is adding a little bit of face-paint and a cape, and also possibly some minions… THE DASHING…

STAN MILLER CURRENT POSITION: Retired sheriff LOCATION: Willard’s Mill, New England EXPERIENCE: Decades of working as Sheriff of Willard’s Mill DESIRED POSITION: Sitting in my recliner SKILLS: I’m pretty handy with your standard home repair tools TEAMWORK: Only if absolutely necessary. And I mean necessary WEAKNESSES: Apparently, I’m not a great listener ASH WILLIAMS CURRENT POSITION: On the road LOCATION: See above EXPERIENCE: I’ve been fighting evil since you were in diapers DESIRED POSITION: Anywhere with ladies and beer SKILLS: I’m the number one Deadite slayer in history, baby! TEAMWORK: I like to have a couple of helpers on hand WEAKNESSES: I don’t tend to think things through. Also, booze… MAL REYNOLDS CURRENT POSITION: Captain of Serenity LOCATION: Out in the black EXPERIENCE: My crew has been handling business for…

WAIKIKI Bank robber. Very good at what he does, and he’s cool, calm, collected. Only has one weakness: his brother Honolulu. HONOLULU Jewel thief. Reckless, and the chances he takes often get him into trouble. Also has a serious drug problem. NICE Contract killer. The best at what she does, and she’s in high demand. She’s not about to take crap from anyone, but she’s got a soft spot for Waikiki. ACAPULCO Arms dealer. He’s got a big mouth and runs it constantly, and he reacts badly when things don’t go his way. Liable to get punched in the face. NIAGARA The Wolf King of Los Angeles. The scariest mob boss on the West Coast, who shows his displeasure by drowning his enemies in the ocean.…

Details 12A // 118 mins // 2018 // // Released Out now Director Roar Uthaug Cast Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas Distributor Warner Bros Pictures “I’m not that kind of Croft,” Alicia Vikander’s Lara utters on more than one occasion during Tomb Raider. It’s a line that could simply be a plot device; a way of showing us that this young part-time boxer, full-time bike courier isn’t keen on involving herself in her absent father’s wealthy business. It could also be a way of hinting that this outing is far different than the Angelina Jolie-fronted instalments we’ve seen before. It is, largely due to Vikander offering up a grounded, charming and capable version of Lara Croft, but it also shares some similarities to its…

Details 12 // 106 mins // 2018 // // Released 2 July Director Anders Walter Cast Madison Wolfe, Zoe Saldana, Imogen Poots Distributor Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment Madison Wolfe turns in an extraordinarily affecting lead performance in the adaptation of Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura’s graphic novel about terminal illness and acceptance. There have been many comparisons to JA Bayona’s recent fi lm, A Monster Calls (based on the Patrick Ness novel), and the two have a lot in common with their young protagonists disappearing into a world of fantasy to deal with the death of a loved one. It must be said, though, that they are both tear-jerkingly great in their own ways. Barbara is obsessed with the mythology of giants. She spends most of her time locked away in…

Details 15 // 87 mins // 1982 // // Released Out now Directors Harry Bromley Davenport Cast Philip Sayer, Bernice Stegers, Danny Brainin, Maryam d’Abo, Simon Nash Distributor Second Sight Where do you start with a film like Xtro? It’s a film of ludicrous excesses that’s set in the sleepy British countryside, with a Hellraiser-esque blend of gore and domestic strife that has absolutely no qualms about chucking everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. Available for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, its cult following will surely grow and rightfully so. As baffling as it is, its madness is compelling. Three years ago, Tony’s dad Sam disappeared. Tony believes that he was abducted by aliens, while his mum Rachel and her new fella Joe are certain…

Details 15 // 780 minutes // 2018 // // Released 22 June Creator Cheo Hodari Coker Cast Mike Colter, Simone Missick, Alfre Woodard, Theo Rossi, Rosario Dawson, Mustafa Shakir Distributor Netfl ix Despite moments of brilliance and a vibe unlike anything else on TV, Season One of Luke Cage felt like a trailer for Luke’s world. Season Two rectifies that, and then some. It goes deeper – we meet Luke’s father, we learn more about the shady past of the Stokes family and we get a better sense of the gangs vying for control of Harlem. Season Two sees Bushmaster (Mustafa Shakir) and his gang challenging Mariah (Alfre Woodard) for control of Harlem, with Luke (Mike Colter) trying to prevent casualties in a war he never wanted to be part…

1. Stardust “I don’t know why it is my fave but I reread it multiple times a year. It’s dark but whimsical, too. It’s just a good mix of love story and intrigue. #BookClub” @comicvixen 2. Snake Ropes “So beautifully told I could vividly imagine every page, which is something I rarely experience. I can’t think of anything else quite like it. #BookClub” @britnightmares 3. Uprooted “Basically crams a trilogy of events into one novel, terrifying and beautifully contextualized villains, brilliant world, the love interest is basically Blackadder II, female gaze. #BookClub” @AlasdairStuart “A CONFIDENT AND MORALLY COMPLEX FAIRY TALE” 4. Coraline “It’s got to be Coraline (because everyone is secretly scared of their Mum). #BookClub” @EJCownley 5. Loved “Do PC Cast’s goddess or divine books count as fairy tale-esque?…

Details Author: Hannu Rajaniemi Publisher: Gollancz Price: £14.99 Released: 28 June What happens to the world when death is no longer a finality? This is the underlying question in Summerland from Hannu Rajaniemi. A key asset dies after revealing the name of a mole in the Summer Court intelligence office and Rachel White, of the earthbound Winter Court, has to go rogue in order to expose him. Meanwhile, Peter Bloom, the man named as the mole, is determined to stay undiscovered in order to achieve his orders from the mysterious Presence. Rajaniemi blends his science fiction ideas with an alt-history espionage thriller to great effect. As a result, all of the characters operate in a moral grey area, which in turn lends the narrative a degree of unpredictability. Rajaniemi also…

Details Author: Christina Henry Publisher: Titan Books Price: £7.99 Released: Out now To say that the way in which Western society treats the female body has come under scrutiny in recent times is an understatement. From the 8th amendment referendum in Ireland to the #MeToo movement, we’re going through a time where the way a woman’s body is treated and viewed is an essential issue. In that way, The Mermaid feels like a book born of this pivotal moment. As soon as she signs her contract with showman PT Barnum, Amelia (a mermaid who comes to live on land after falling in love with a fisherman) is on display. In the street, she is hounded by journalists and her first performance on stage is met with an audience crush as…

We have certain expectations when we hear that an author has retold a classic fairy tale. We expect words like ‘darker’, ‘sexier’ and ‘edgier’ to be thrown around, but although Naomi Novik’s superb Rumpelstiltskin riff Spinning Silver is certainly gritty, it also defies expectations. The author, who is known for her Temeraire series and 2016’s hugely acclaimed Uprooted, grounds the story in a harsh, difficult reality and uses it to explore three fascinating and strong women. We spoke to the author about the process of discovery, telling a story about the immigrant experience and Polish fairy tales… How did Spinning Silver first come to you? I was asked to write a fairy tale retelling for the anthology The Starlit Wood, and they offered us a list of suggested fairy tales…

Details Writers: Mike Mignola, Troy Nixey Artists: Troy Nixey, Farel Dalrymple Publisher: Dark Horse Price: $17.99 Released: Out now First published in 1999 in black and white, this long-gestating series from writer Mike Mignola and writer-artist Troy Nixey (Harley Quinn, The Matrix comics) bounced between independent publishers for years, finding temporary lodgings at Oni, Atomeka and Boom! Studios. Now, it has been rescued from semi-obscurity by Mignola’s publisher of choice, Dark Horse, and has been given a generous colour job by Hellboy regular Dave Stewart. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Jenny Finn is its unique development process, as detailed in Nixey’s notes in this collection. Mignola was keen to collaborate with Nixey, and so the artist “filled a sketchbook with some of the weirdest images I could think of”…

A 2005 reboot of the show, starring Stuart Townsend and Gabrielle Union, surpassed the original in only one area: the speed of its cancellation. It was axed after just half a season. Recasting Carl Kolchak as a brooding young widower probably wasn’t the best plan of action, with hindsight. As for the film version announced in 2012 – rumoured to star Johnny Depp in the lead role, and with Edgar Wright attached as director – your guess is as good as ours. At the current time, it appears to have vanished without trace, much like all of Carl’s evidence the minute he files a story. Happily, we don’t have to rely on film and television for a Kolchak fix. Since 2003, Moonstone Books has kept the newshound’s legacy alive with…

1 THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN Early in the movie, a pre-comatose Johnny Smith tells his students that he’ll be reading them the classic Washington Irving novel The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow in their next lesson. Sadly, due to circumstances beyond his control, it wasn’t meant to be. However, 16 short years later Walken would actually portray the sinister titular character himself in Tim Burton’s 1999 fantasy adaptation Sleepy Hollow. 2 MARTIN SHEEN AS THE PRESIDENT In yet another performance foreshadowing, Martin Sheen’s portrayal of sinister president hopeful Greg Stillson anticipates his Golden Globe winning role of Jed Bartlet, the far kinder, well-meaning president in long-running NBC series The West Wing (1999-2006). 3 THE FLY ENDING Subsequent Cronenberg classic The Fly (1986) similarly ends with the tragic death of our male lead…

1 CYPHER (2002) This under-seen sci-fi was shelved by the Weinsteins for years but it’s a fantastic nifty thriller, with Jeremy Northam as a corporate nobody who gets caught up in espionage with Lucy Liu. 2 PARIS, JE T’AIME (2006) Natali directed a fun and dialogue-free segment of the rather delightful anthology in which Elijah Wood’s backpacker falls for a beautiful Parisian vampire (Olga Kurylenko). 3 SPLICE (2009) Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody play geneticists who create a new hybrid animal that becomes their surrogate child… until she becomes uncontrollable. 4 HAUNTER (2013) This riff on the haunted house genre may not be his best but there’s a lot to like, as Abigail Breslin tries to break out of a time-loop that threatens to affect another family. 5 HANNIBAL (2014-2015)…

SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS 1. On what date does the tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory take place? 2. Where does Charlie Bucket get the money to buy the chocolate bar containing the Golden Ticket? 3. How many Golden Tickets does Willy Wonka hide? 4. What is an Oompa-Loompa’s favourite food? 5. Which country was the counterfeit Golden Ticket from? EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPERS 6. Who accompanies Charlie on his visit to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory? 7. What does Violet Beauregard’s father do for a living? 8. At what age does Mike Teevee’s father tell him he’s allowed a gun? 9. Which fictitious German city is Augustus Gloop from? 10. In which room does Veruca Salt fall into the garbage chute? FIZZY LIFTING DRINKS 11. What is the name of Charlie Bucket’s school teacher? 12.…

16-20 CHARLIE BUCKET Though life has given you your fair share of rotten luck, you continue trying to make the best of every situation. You are the true heir, and all it took was morality, positive thinking and a chocolate bar. 11-15 WILLY WONKA You might be the genius behind it all, but you’re also edging closer to retirement. However, there are still more than a few tricks up your sleeve, and you will be darned if you don’t use every last one of them. 6-10 VIOLET BEAUREGARDE Being obsessed with winning gives you drive, but there is a fine line between being a motivated and being a snob. You often get ahead of yourself, and end up being one of the first to go. 0-5 AUGUSTUS GLOOP You may…