Halloween & Platinum Dunes

[Mitch Henessey]

While some of you may think this is an April Fool’s joke, it’s not. Bloody Disgusting can exclusively report that Platinum Dunes is in talks to take the producing reigns on Dimension Films’ forthcoming Halloween sequel.

Word has it that Michael Myers’ return will not be in 3-D, nor will it instill the popular found footage model, which was originally being explored for the potential Friday the 13th sequel.

We’re hearing that Platinum Dunes is out to writers and directors, which could mean that – and as much as we personally love them – My Bloody Valentine and Drive Angry duo Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier are no longer involved.

Platinum Dunes’ Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are responsible for remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Amityville Horror, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street, as well as originals like The Unborn and Horsemen. They’re in post on the futuristic horror Vigilandia, as well as developing the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adaptation.

http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/28974/no-joke-platinum-dunes-getting-behind-halloween-franchise/

Well, Michael Myers won't return in 3D, and the next Halloween film won't receive the found-footage treatment (the best news I've heard in years), but the horror legend will make a comeback one day. I don't like the idea of digging up Myers AGAIN, but I can have an open mind about a new set of films. Although, Platinum Dunes will be in control of the production for the new Halloween film, unfortunately. This particular production company did play a part in some of the big horror remakes over the past few years. Some of the remakes were enjoyable, but when it comes to quality, films that are produced by Platinum Dunes do have this awful hit and miss streak.

The Amityville horror remake was okay at best, and I really didn't have a problem with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003. Also, Friday The 13th 2009 gets a lot of undeserved hate. It was a fine slasher film, and a damn good remake.

Platinum Dunes can produce some nice entertainment for horror fans every now and then, but the steaming piles of trash can't be ignored. Jackie Earle Haley and Rooney Mara gave it their best, but the Nightmare On Elm Street remake was still terrible. The 2003 version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was enjoyable, but the sequel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) was hard to watch. The gore is more disgusting, and the violence becomes more intense, but The Beginning is too dull and bland, and the lack of scares really hurt this film. And who could forget about this piece of shit?

The 1986 original featured a chilling and menacing performance from Rutger Hauer, and The Hitcher was loaded with some great tension and the violence was unreal. But the 2007 version was just dreadful. This film featured two of the stupidest protagonists I've ever seen, and I was rooting for the gullible boyfriend/girlfriend couple to die. Sean Bean's excellent performance couldn't save this film, and The Hitcher 2007 quickly turned into utter garbage. Yeah, The Hitcher does fall under the category of a thriller, but still, this was another horrendous remake produced by Platinum Dunes.

Also, Platinum Dunes is owned by Michael Bay. Bay really doesn't deserve a spot on the list of talented personalities in Hollywood, and when it comes to quality, his track record as producer isn't anything to brag about.

As far as the story goes, continuing Zombie's storyline might be the best option. I wasn't a big fan of Halloween II 2009, but the ending did provide a nice little cliffhanger, and they do have something to work with story wise. First of all, Michael isn't dead. You can burn him, shoot him, stab him, run him over with a car, but Myers ALWAYS makes a comeback somehow. Laurie seemed to welcome the idea of becoming the next viscous killer in the family, and you can see the evil in her eyes, as this creepy, evil grin came across her face.

Starting from scratch could work, but is there really a need to start over again? Why go through the hassle of reinventing Myers again? You already have some material to work with, and starting from square one again really does feel unnecessary. It's only been three years since the last Halloween film, so a good amount of moviegoers should remember the story. Michael Myers has become one of the legionary horror icons over the years. You don't need to reintroduce him, and waste time providing a backstory, because the vast majority of moviegoers know who this man is.

I don't trust Platinum Dunes, but I will give the new Halloween film a try, because I am a curious fan. I'm always interested to see a different point of view on the franchise. I might hate the latest Halloween release, but there's always the slim chance I might enjoy it.

Oh, and the decision to scrap the 3D was a great choice. The idea of Michael Myers in 3D sounded completely ridiculous. I still can't believe it. 3D was a legit possibility at one time. Ugh.

So with all that said.....

What do you expect from the new Halloween film?

Which direction do you want the story to go in?

Should they continue Rob Zombie's storyline, or would it make more sense to start from scratch?

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

If Myers can take the continued punishment that is handed out by those he hunts, this could be the role that is tailor-made for Cena! (I kid, I kid.)

The continuing legacy of the Halloween films, regardless of their quality, comes down to the fans. Slasher horror is a somewhat niche genre that continues to make money because of the expected factors that come with the genre; blood, violence, shocks, shrieking damsels, muscle-bound idiots etc. The iconic villains capture people's imaginations and as much as the audience should perhaps want the heroes to overcome these unstoppable forces, it seems that the intrigue is now built around what will be thrown at the villains to stop them and how they, the villains, now overcome the odds. I'm trying to think of examples from other genres where this turn-around has happened, and I'm really struggling, so maybe this uniqueness is what makes the slasher train continue to roll on, no matter what the quality of film is like.

As for what direction the new installment should go in, its hard to say. Shy of turning Myers into a comedic fool, I expect that the franchise will make money no matter what they do. Moving away from 3D is a good move too, as it's a gimmick that the films are then seemingly based around which doesn't hold up well in the long-run.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

You can thank director Marcus Nispel for the two quality films Platinum Dunes has put out: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th reboots. If they can get Nispel on board for Halloween, I'm positive we'll get something that's just as enjoyable and good for a viewing every other year or so.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

A lot of you guys have no idea how competitive and difficult it is to get hired for a directing gig. It’s kind of like getting a job at Starbucks, only you’re going up against a handful of name directors who spend tens of thousands of dollars creating pitch packs and short videos to land the job. I’ve heard of directors spending $25,000 (and up) of their own money to make a short video showing the producers and financiers of a film what they can do, and what their vision is.

With that said, I’m really excited to share the following video and images created to pitch for Dimension Films’ next Halloween, when Platinum Dunes was aboard to produce (they aren’t anymore). Federico D’Alessandro, the head Storyboard Artist and Animatics Supervisor over at Marvel Studios (who worked on Thor, Captain America, Avengers, as well as Iron Man 3 and Thor 2), contacted us with an animatic video short and some keyframes used to sell himself to Platinum Dunes. I like to pretend what I’m watching is the un-produced Halloween remake.

“As a lifelong ‘Halloween’ fan it would be a dream to direct a reboot of the franchise that’s so near and dear to my heart,” said D’Alessandro. “I created this animatic to show the tone and storytelling that I would bring to the project if I were lucky enough to have that chance.” He added: “It turned out pretty cool, but unfortunately while I was in the middle of working on it, talks fell through between Platinum Dunes and the Weinsteins…so I missed the boat on that one.”

Source: Bloody Disgusting.com

Well, Platinum Dunes isn't attached to the producing side of the new Halloween film anymore. This is a good thing. Besides Friday The 13th, the success rate for quality horror remakes under Platinum Dunes isn't too high. There's still a lot of details that need to be worked out. Dimension and The Weinstein Company are the driving forces behind the new Halloween film, but when it comes to a story, everything is still up in the air. As I said before, continuing Zombie's storyline from Halloween II would make a lot more sense. They can tie up the lose ends for the cliffhanger of Laurie's future, and there's no need to reinvent Michael Myers AGAIN.

Anyway, the article is about Federico D’Alessandro's possible vision for the new Halloween film. D’Alessandro created this outstanding animated short to pitch his vision to Dimension Films. If you're a Halloween fan, you need to watch this. It's worth the time, and D’Alessandro could bring something different to the Halloween franchise :

[YOUTUBE]9ZECC-f1CKU&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]​