Official Press Release

Los Angeles, CA: March 29, 2005 - Showtime Networks has joined with IDT Entertainment’s New Arc Entertainment, Industry Entertainment and Nice Guy Productions to present a shockingly entertaining new anthology series entitled Masters of Horror. For the first time, the most prominent directors of the horror film genre have joined forces to produce a series of new original horror films that promises to shock, terrify and captivate even the most discriminating horror film fans. Slated to direct are Dario Argento (”Suspiria,” “Opera”), John Carpenter (”Halloween,” “The Thing”), Larry Cohen (”It’s Alive”), Roger Corman (”Little Shop of Horrors”), Don Coscarelli (”Phantasm” “Bubba Ho-tep”), Joe Dante (”The Howling,” “Gremlins”), Mick Garris (”Riding the Bullet,” “The Stand”), Stuart Gordon (”Re-Animator”), John Landis (”An American Werewolf in London”), Tobe Hooper (”Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Poltergeist”) and George Romero (”Night of the Living Dead”) for a minimum of 13 one-hour films.

While some of the masters will be directing from their own screenplays, an equally impressive roster of writers will be contributing to the anthology, including Richard C. Matheson (”Tales from the Crypt”); celebrated horror comic book creator Steve Niles (”30 Days of Night,” “Aleister Arcane”); noted horror writer David Schow (”A Nightmare on Elm Street 5″); Michael Brandt & Derek Haas (”2 Fast 2 Furious”); and renowned horror screenwriters Lawrence D. Cohen (”Carrie,” Stephen King’s “It”) and Matt Greenberg (”1408″).

Masters of Horror grew out of an informal bi-monthly dinner attended by many of the horror genre’s most highly regarded directors. Mick Garris transformed their collective desire to work together into reality, and will serve as the series Showrunner.

“Showtime is thrilled to be working with this roster of filmmakers, all of whom have contributed significantly to the horror and suspense genre. The title is truly appropriate since Mick Garris and his fellow directors simply are the “masters of horror,” said Robert Greenblatt, Showtime’s President of Entertainment. “It’s hard to really scare the audience these days, but I guarantee that these guys will really do just that.”

“These are the stories the directors have always wanted to tell; but until now, the right venue had not existed. Showtime is the perfect partner given the filmmakers’ belief that, in order to deliver something truly terrifying, they need as much creative freedom as possible and for their films to be free of commercial interruption,” said Andrew Deane, Partner, Industry Entertainment. “We are thrilled that Showtime Networks will enable us to reach its important premium cable audience. Through IDT Entertainment, its Anchor Bay distribution, and IDT Entertainment Sales’ licensing overseas, we can also look forward to a successful launch of MASTERS OF HORROR throughout the world.”

“For its high profile directors, writers and producers, Masters of Horror is a labor of love which we hope will become a classic,” said Morris Berger, CEO of IDT Entertainment. “We are delighted to work alongside Showtime Networks, Industry Entertainment and Mick Garris as we enter the production phase of this exciting project.”

The Executive Producers of Masters of Horror are Mick Garris, Andrew Deane and Keith Addis. Reunion Pictures’ Lisa Richardson and Tom Rowe are serving as Producers. Adam Goldworm and Ben Browning are Associate Producers on the series. Principal photography will begin in Vancouver in late April. The first six directors have been scheduled as follows:

John Landis will direct “Deer Woman,” starring Brian Benben, which he co-wrote with his son Max Landis; Dario Argento will direct “Jenifer,” based on the comic book by Bruce Jones and Bernie Wrightson which was adapted by and will star Steven Weber; Don Coscarelli will helm “Incident On and Off A Mountain Road,” adapted by Coscarelli and Stephen Romano from Joe Lansdale’s short story; Mick Garris is set to film “Chocolate,” adapted from his own short story; Stuart Gordon will direct “Dreams in the Witch House,” adapted from the H.P. Lovecraft classic; and John Carpenter will shoot “Cigarette Burns,” an original teleplay by Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan.

Hey Cal McDonald fans, listen up! Cal makes his return to comic shop shelves next week, Wednesday April 6th, in the pages of “Supernatural Freakmachine” #1 by Steve Niles and artist Kelley Jones. “Supernatural Freakmachine” marks the second Cal series penned by Kelley. Seems he likes this ol’ Cal Universe! If your comic shop didn’t order any, well, shame on them! You can still have them order you a copy through their distributor.

Once you’re done reading the book, stop on by the Steve Niles Forums and share what you thought of the book.

For more, read the official press release.

Earlier today Steve stopped by the Inner Sanctum (AKA The Steve Niles Forums) to update his readers on what he’s working on for publication in the coming months. Updates on current work plus a couple of new announcements. Click here for a direct link to the update. Lots of good stuff coming up!

About a week ago this here Webmaster was looking at the referral logs for SteveNiles.com and noticed a bit of traffic coming from The Brigade’s Web site. So, I cliked on over to discover that not only are they a pretty cool band that loves Steve, but they like Steve so much they actually named a song after him! While it might be a bit difficult to make out the lyrics in the hard rocking tune, we’ve printed them below so that you can sing along with the band when you listen.

Go ahead, click on over to that Web site, launch the player and sing along with everyone else. You’ll be glad you did.

Steve Niles

Listen. Desolate winter calls.
With a thousand whispers, cries the fangs of the dead man.

Desensitize the army, prepare them for an unholy war.
Escape to the daylight, only the dark will breed these demons.

Listen. Footsteps of macabre. Warm blood disgorged for life.
Silence. Pure snow, macerated by vital fluids.
Choke. This odor, it smells like someone died.
Lower rifles and fire when ready (we’re ready)
Reload arrows (more, more, more)

This story of led meeting undead flesh only will end on one note: Horror

30 days of night. 30 days of horror.

A handfull of new photos have been added to the appearances section of the images gallery. Check out the new pics from Steve’s Dark Delicacies signings as well as photos from his appearance last month at the Dallas ComiCon.

The praise for “Bigfoot” keeps coming hard! Our new best friend Tom McClean at “Variety” writes, “Niles and Zombie’s story is a clear and engaging page-turner. There’s sex and violence, deaths and a mystery, all in the first issue. Corben, who’s consistently drawn brutality better than anyone in comics’ history, turns in another great job in a book perfectly suited to his stengths.

“It’s great to have a first issue of a miniseries that’s actually fun to read while it introduces characters and lays foundation for the rest of the chapters.

“Grade: A”

And Tom, right back at ya, you get an A from all of us at SteveNiles.com!

Most of you know by now that Steve made an appearance recently on G4 TV’s “The Screen Savers.” Well, finally, we’ve got some screen grabs from his appearance on the show! Click on over to the image gallery to see Steve in action, on the set, and being interviewed by Kevin Rose.

The ballots for the annual Bram Stoker Award’s, hosted by the Horror Writer’s Association, are now online and Steve got himself a lil’ nomination. “Aleister Arcane” was nominated in the Illustrated Narrative category. The full category listing includes:

“Lost Loves” by James Lowder (Moonstone Monsters: Demons)
“Aleister Arcane” by Steve Niles (IDW Publishing)
“Heaven’s Devils” by Jai Nitz (Image Comics)
“Graphic Classics: Robert Louis Stevenson” by Tom Pomplun (Eureka Productions)

The free weekly magazine “Columbus Alive,” the independent music, art and culture magazine for Columbus, Ohio, shared the love seemingly everyone has for the Niles/Zombie/Corben “Bigfoot” #1. They especially enjoy looking at the pretty pictures Richard Corben provided for the first issue, proclaiming, “Corben’s idiosyncratic art makes this way better than your average killer monster comic.” Naturally, we agree.

Those cool cats over at Movie preview site JoBlo.com have launched a new column where they review the comics and graphic novels soon to be made in to major motion pictures. Last month they took a look at “30 Days of Night” and gave the book high marks, calling it “brutal and relentless.”

” As fast and intense a read as it is, it’s still a story with characters that you actually believe and care about. Within the first five pages, you’re invested in both EBEN and STELLA. Not only do they both come across as very real, plausible characters, but so does their loving relationship with one another. You really fall for these two as they’re embracing one another on the icy Alaskan tundra while watching the sun set one final time.”