Last month, we learned that Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill director Christophe Gans’ new Silent Hill movie Return to Silent Hill, which is said to be “totally independent from the two previous movies,” had secured a U.S. distribution deal with entertainment studio Cineverse. About three months ago, that company, which is also behind the Terrifier franchise, went into production on a remake of the classic Christmas slasher movie Silent Night, Deadly Night, with writer/director Mike P. Nelson (the Wrong Turn reboot) at the helm. Now, Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting, its horror division, have announced that they’re teaming with Iconic Events Releasing to bring the Silent Night, Deadly Night remake to theatres on December 12th, with Return to Silent Hill following on January 23rd.
Directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr. from a screenplay by Michael Hickey (with Paul Caimi receiving story credit), the original Silent Night, Deadly Night has the following synopsis: Bearing the emotional scars of a young boy who has seen his mother and father brutally murdered by a savage killer in a Santa Claus costume, 18-year-old Billy explodes into a lethal frenzy – he’s asked to put on a Santa Claus suit himself to entertain the customers of the department store where he works. Reminded of the tragic events that have marked his life, Billy embarks on a killing rampage that is as ghastly – and controversial – as anything ever seen on film. The remake stars Rohan Campbell of Halloween Ends as Billy Chapman, who dons a Santa Claus costume and goes on a killing spree in the film. Campbell is joined in the cast by Ruby Modine (Happy Death Day) as Pamela, a colleague on whom Chapman develops an unrequited crush. Taking on unspecified roles are Mark Acheson (Brand New Cherry Flavor), David Lawrence Brown (The Pinkertons), and David Tomlinson (Fellow Travelers).
Gans directed the 2006 version of Silent Hill from a screenplay he wrote with Roger Avary and Nicolas Boukhrief, and directed this new film from a screenplay he wrote with Sandra Vo-Anh and Will Schneider. Based on the video game Silent Hill 2, Return to Silent Hill follows James, a man broken after being separated from his one true love. When a mysterious letter calls him back to Silent Hill in search of her, he finds a once-recognizable town transformed by an unknown evil. As James descends deeper into the darkness, he encounters terrifying figures both familiar and new and begins to question his own sanity as he struggles to make sense of reality and hold on long enough to save his lost love. The film stars Jeremy Irvine (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) and Hannah Emily Anderson (Jigsaw).
The Silent Night, Deadly Night remake is being produced by the original film’s producers Scott Schneid and Dennis Whitehead, along with New Dimension’s Jamie R. Thompson, Rebel 6’s Erik Bernard, and White Bear Films’ Jeremy Torrie. Steven Schneider, Anthony Masi, Sarah Eilts, Yolanda Macias, Erick Opeka, Bondit Media Capital’s Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor serve as executive producers with Brandon Hill and Brad Miska, who are overseeing the project for Cineverse. Financing was provided by Bondit Media Capital and Royal Bank of Canada. Return to Silent Hill was produced by Victor Hadida, Molly Hassell, and David Wulf.
Cineverse Chief Motion Pictures Officer Yolanda Macias provided the following statement: “We have been anything but silent about our mission to champion proven IP as a central piece of our theatrical strategy. These two films will represent event viewing that meet fan demand for new releases from their favorite franchises, and an opportunity for them to reach a new audience.” Mark Rupp, CFO/COO and co-founder of Iconic Events Releasing, added: “Cineverse’s decision to release Silent Night, Deadly Night as an unrated wide theatrical title reflects a proven strategy that continues to resonate with genre fans and deliver results and we’re confident it will be well-positioned for the holiday season. Return to Silent Hill hits theaters at the perfect time following the successful recent launch of the Silent Hill 2 game remake that the movie is based on, while also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the start of the horror film franchise.“
Are you looking forward to the theatrical release of the Silent Night, Deadly Night remake and/or Return to Silent Hill? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
