An AI program on ChatGPT’s upcoming voice mode raises concerns about its similarity to Scarlett Johansson’s voice, and the actress responded.

Update: Scarlett Johansson has reacted to the AI voice in OpenAI’s ChatGPT system, saying she was “shocked” and “angered” by how closely the voice resembled her own. She also revealed that the company had actually wanted to hire her to voice the chatbot last year, but she turned down the offer, making it all the more suspicious when the final voice sounded so much like her.

You can read Johansson’s full statement below:

Last September, I received an offer from Sam Altman, who wanted to hire me to voice the current ChatGPT 4.0 system. He told me that he felt that by my voicing the system, I could bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives and help consumers to feel comfortable with the seismic shift concerning humans and Al. He said he felt that my voice would be comforting to people.

After much consideration and for personal reasons, I declined the offer. Nine months later, my friends, family and the general public all noted how much the newest system named ‘Sky’ sounded like me.

When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference. Mr. Altman even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word ‘her’ — a reference to the film in which I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human.

Two days before the ChatGPT 4.0 demo was released, Mr. Altman contacted my agent, asking me to reconsider. Before we could connect, the system was out there. As a result of their actions, I was forced to hire legal counsel, who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAl, setting out what they had done and asking them to detail the exact process by which they created the ‘Sky’ voice. Consequently, OpenAl reluctantly agreed to take down the ‘Sky’ voice.

In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity. I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.

— Original article follows —

Scarlett Johansson played the role of an AI voice in Spike Jonze’s prophetic 2013 film Her. In the film, the program, Samantha, is a digital assistant to Joaquin Phoenix’s character who holds realistic call-and-response conversations with him despite only existing through his computer operating systems. As AI technology continues to grow at an immeasurable rate, life is now imitating art as OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4o announcement showcased a new voice mode that included a character named Sky, who many have associated with Johansson’s signature raspy pipes. OpenAI founder Sam Altman would even post “her” on social media during the demo presentation.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, OpenAI has stated that they will be pausing the use of Sky’s voice due to the resemblance to the famous actress. The company stated, “We’ve heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky. We are working to pause the use of Sky while we address them.” They would go further in-depth in a blog post where they addressed people’s concerns and explained their voice casting process, “We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice — Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice. To protect their privacy, we cannot share the names of our voice talents.”

OpenAI stated that they put out a casting call in early 2023 for voice models and received over 400 submissions. The list would eventually be narrowed down to 14 finalists. The company adds that they settled on five final voices when they stated, “We spoke with each actor about the vision for human-AI voice interactions and OpenAI, and discussed the technology’s capabilities, limitations, and the risks involved, as well as the safeguards we have implemented. It was important to us that each actor understood the scope and intentions of Voice Mode before committing to the project.”

The actors flew to San Francisco for the recording sessions that ChatGPT would integrate into its technology later this year. They expounded, “We support the creative community and worked closely with the voice acting industry to ensure we took the right steps to cast ChatGPT’s voices. Each actor receives compensation above top-of-market rates, and this will continue for as long as their voices are used in our products.”

When Ridley Scott’s Gladiator hit the big screen in 2000, it captivated audiences worldwide with  its thrilling tale of honor, vengeance, and redemption set in ancient Rome. The film’s grandeur,  stunning visuals, and gripping performances made it an instant classic, so much so that nearly a quarter of a century later a sequel is finally on the way. However, what many  might not know is that Gladiator drew inspiration from a real-life story, one that is equally as  captivating, though with its own unique twists and turns. Sometimes reality is much stranger than  fiction, so let’s find out What Really Happened To Gladiator?  

Gladiator: Fact Vs Fiction

In the film, Maximus (played by Russell Crowe) is a legendary general in the army of the Roman Empire. The aged Emperor Marcus Aurelius decides to appoint Maximus as his successor over his own son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). This angers Commodus, who orders Maximus to be put to death, but the Roman general is able to escape before the sentence can be carried out. He hurries home to his wife and child only  to find they have been killed.  

While wallowing in his grief, Maximus is captured and put into slavery. It is here that he is put  into gladiator combat by Proximo. At first, he refuses to fight, but soon his fighting skills kick in,  and Proximo is impressed by his tactics. He is put into the gladiator games and begins to earn the  audience’s approval. When he learns they will be heading back to Rome to participate in a  gladiator games marathon, Proximo reveals he used to be a gladiator. When he won enough  matches, he was granted his freedom. Maximus thinks this might be his chance to get close to  Commodus and finally exact his revenge. How close to history is the film?  

The core of Gladiator revolves around the characters of Marcus Aurelius, the wise and just Emperor of Rome, and Commodus, his treacherous and power-hungry son. In reality, Marcus  Aurelius was indeed a revered philosopher-king who ruled Rome from 161 to 180 AD. He was  known for his intellectual pursuits and his military successes against the Germanic tribes. One fact that the film completely omits is that Marcus actually shared the role of Ruler Of Rome with  his adopted brother Lucius Verus. The two consulted each other about the decisions for the  empire.  

In terms of character, Marcus Aurelius shared some similarities with his on-screen portrayal. He  possessed a deep sense of duty and sought to leave a legacy of Roman rule guided by wisdom  and justice. However, unlike the film, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that Marcus  Aurelius intended to restore the Roman Republic or that he wished to appoint any of his Generals  as his successor. He wasn’t killed by his son but actually died during the Antonine Plague. The  Marcomannic Wars from the opening of the film actually lasted until after his death.  

Emperor Commodus was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius and ascended to the throne after his father’s  death. However, the film exaggerates his villainous nature, depicting him as a bloodthirsty  megalomaniac driven solely by a lust for power. While Commodus was not a virtuous ruler, his  reign lasted for over a decade, during which he enacted some reforms and undertook a series of  gladiatorial combats. His demise came at the hands of Narcisuss while Commodus was in his  bath. 

It was discovered that his sister Lucilla (played in the film by Connie Nielsen, with Spencer Treat Clark as her son Lucius Verus) had been part of the plot to kill him. When this was  discovered, she was exiled to Capri, where she was eventually executed. Once Commodus was  killed, Rome would end up having five rulers as a power struggle broke out among those in  power. Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus, and Septimius Severus  would all serve as Emperors in one year.  

Gladiator Facts

The film’s protagonist Maximus was not a real person but instead was a combination of multiple  people throughout Roman history. Marcus Nonius Macrinus was a general in the Roman Army  who was close to Marcus Aurelius. The ruler trusted him so much he was appointed to Roman  Council. The humble beginnings of Maximus may have been inspired by Cincinnatus, a Roman  Emperor who only ruled for fifteen days. He was said to have been a simple farmer who was  appointed ruler. During his short reign. it was said that he stopped an invasion of Rome.  

One person who may have been a big inspiration to Maximus’ plight in the film is Lucius Annaeus Seneca, also known as Seneca the Younger. He was born into an aristocratic family in Cordoba,  Spain around 4 BC and became one of Rome’s most prominent philosophers and statesmen  during the reigns of emperors Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.  

Seneca’s life took a dark turn when he became embroiled in political intrigue during Nero’s reign.  Despite being one of Nero’s closest advisors at first, their relationship eventually soured due to  rumors that Seneca was involved in plots against him. In 65 AD, after being accused of  conspiring in the Pisonian conspiracy against Nero (of which historians now believe he had no  part), Seneca was ordered to commit suicide by opening his veins. He didn’t seek revenge against  those that accused him of being part of the plot but instead was executed.  

Another may be Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus, who was thought to have been the preferred  candidate to replace Aurelius but declined the position when it was offered to him. Perhaps the  most famous inspiration for Maximus was Spartacus. He led a revolt of the slaves, and this also  takes place in the film as Maximus seeks his revenge.  

One of the most captivating aspects of Gladiator was its depiction of the gladiatorial games and  the grandeur of the Colosseum. The film showcased the brutal nature of these spectacles and the  immense popularity they enjoyed among the Roman populace. The portrayal of Maximus, the  seasoned general turned gladiator, winning the hearts of the crowd and seeking revenge against  Commodus, adds an intense dramatic touch to the narrative.  

In reality, gladiatorial combat was indeed a prominent form of entertainment in ancient Rome.  Gladiators were typically slaves or prisoners of war who fought for their lives in often brutal  matches. However, it is worth noting that Gladiator takes some creative liberties, combining  elements of different historical periods and venues to enhance the cinematic experience. 

One of the stranger elements of the gladiatorial arena of Rome was that Commodus would  actively participate in combat. He would don a gladiator uniform made of lion skins (that he had  killed himself in the arena) and fight against other competitors. It was thought that he would only  slightly wound the participants, and they would submit to him since they knew he was emperor.  It does make Commodus seem like a significantly more interesting character than the one from  the film.  

Gladiator Fiction

While Gladiator draws inspiration from real events and historical figures, it is important to  recognize that the film takes significant liberties with the historical record. It prioritizes drama,  spectacle, and emotional storytelling over strict historical accuracy. This is a common practice in  the film industry, where the goal is to entertain and engage the audience rather than adhere  strictly to historical facts.  

However, the film’s creative deviations do not diminish its impact or entertainment value. In fact,  the fictional narrative constructed around the historical framework serves to create a captivating  and emotionally charged story that resonates with viewers. The themes of honor, loyalty, and the  pursuit of justice transcend the boundaries of time and offer universal appeal.  

Gladiator stands as a testament to the power of cinema to bring historical events to life and  captivate audiences worldwide. While the film draws inspiration from the real-life story of  Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, it takes creative liberties to enhance its dramatic impact. The  fictional tale of Maximus, the valiant general seeking vengeance in the gladiatorial arena,  captivated audiences and propelled Gladiator to the status of an epic masterpiece.  By weaving together elements of history, mythology, and human drama, the film transports  viewers to ancient Rome and immerses them in a world of grandeur and conflict. While the real  story may differ in certain aspects, the film’s ability to evoke emotions and inspire awe remains  undiminished. Ultimately, Gladiator serves as a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling  and its ability to transcend time and bring history to life on the silver screen.

Sources:
https://ancientromanhistoryrevival.com/gladiator-the-real-story/
https://www.looper.com/315516/is-gladiator-based-on-a-true-story/
https://collider.com/is-gladiator-historically-accurate/

While Charmed star Shannen Doherty says she wishes fans got to see Prue one more time, she knows it’s for the better she sat out the finale.

Last Updated on May 22, 2024

There has been much debate and discussion over why Shannen Doherty left Charmed just three seasons in. Most fingers – including Doherty’s – point to co-star Alyssa Milano, although she has hardly fessed up to any wrongdoing (although she hasn’t exactly denied it, either…). Whatever the true case may be, when Prue Halliwell was killed off in “All Hell Breaks Loose”, that was it for Shannen Doherty’s Charmed run. And that includes the series finale, “Forever Charmed”, which is one of the finest of its time despite her absence.

Speaking on her own Let’s Be Clear podcast (via The Hollywood Reporter), Shannen Doherty says she wishes she could have given Charmed fans a different sendoff by being part of “Forever Charmed” but knows it wouldn’t have benefited her. “I regret it one sense, I regret it for the fans. But I don’t regret it for me, because I was so incredibly wrecked from getting fired that, I think, even years — years — years later, had I walked on that set, it just would’ve stirred everything back up for me. And it would’ve crushed me all over again.”

The drama surrounding Shannen Doherty’s exit from Charmed is one of the most storied of the past quarter century of television. Doherty has actively blamed Milano – who played sister Phoebe for the show’s entire eight-season run – for her departure, saying their on-set feud was the primary reason she was written off. Milano has said both that she has taken accountability and that most stories are “revisionist history”, so it’s a bit confusing exactly where she truly stands…Regardless, Doherty insists that everything she says should be held as truth, previously saying, “There is no revisionist history happening in the truth that I know we told. There is no brush flinging or shoe flinging. There is no lateness to set, there is no mediator for months on end. I recall the facts as if I was still living in them.”

Milano has further said that she would like to get together with her Charmed co-stars – chiefly Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan – for a reunion…although we don’t see that ever happening considering there’s even more bad blood between the sisters…

What do you make of the Charmed drama? Could the showrunners have made a Prue appearance work?

Last Updated on May 22, 2024

Get your home theaters ready for a brutal display of power because Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is getting a Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray release! The physical version of Patel’s directorial debut hails from Universal Pictures UK, and it comes packed with extras to take you behind the action of one of this year’s best films. The Collector’s Edition enters the ring on June 8.

Monkey Man is an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to victimize the poor and powerless systemically.

Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.

After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

With thrilling fight and chase scenes, Dev Patel directed Monkey Man from his original story and screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World).

You’ll find the specs and Special Features for the Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray of Monkey Man below:

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
• Alternate Opening
• Alternate Ending
• Deleted/Extended Scenes
• A Labour of Love
• MONKEY MAN of Action
• Fateful Encounters
• Roots Exposed
• Optional English SDH, Dutch, German, Italian, and French subtitles for the main feature

Sharlto Copley (District 9, The A-Team), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven, The Night Manager), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm, Go Goa Gone), Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai, Like Stars on Earth), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya, 24) and Makarand Deshpande (RRR) also star.

Monkey Man is produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas, Oscar winner Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christine Haebler, and Anjay Nagpal. Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney, and Steven Thibault executive produce.

Welp, I’m arranging a pre-order today! Monkey Man is one of my favorite films of the year. Patel’s story is surprisingly layered, and the action is hard-hitting and visceral. That’s a movie worth owning physically, in my book.

Will you pick up the Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray of Monkey Man on June 8?

Tobias Santelmann is set to play Harry Hole in the Netflix series Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole, based on the series of bestselling novels

The name Harry Hole may sound like a joke to a lot of English speakers, but Norwegian author Jo Nesbø has managed to build a bestselling series of crime novels around the character – whose last name is meant to be pronounced as “HOO-leh.” There have been thirteen books in the Harry Hole series to date, with the seventh one having previously been brought to the screen as the 2017 film The Snowman… which, despite having Tomas Alfredson at the helm, Martin Scorsese on board as a producer, and a strong cast that included Michael Fassbender as Hole, did not turn out well. (You can read our 3/10 review HERE.) Now Nesbø is seeking redemption for his character by teaming with Working Title and the Netflix streaming service for a series called Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole, which is set to star Tobias Santelmann (The Last Kingdom) as Hole. Deadline has unveiled an image of Santelmann in character, and that image can be seen above.

Santelmann is joined in the cast by Joel Kinnaman (The Suicide Squad) as Tom Waaler and Pia Tjelta (Made in Oslo) as Rakel Fauke. 

Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole is coming our way from Exit and So Long, Marianne creator Oystein Karlsen. Nesbø is writing the scripts, and the first season of the show is based on his novel The Devil’s Star, the fifth entry in the Hole book series. The Netflix series adaptation is described as being a whodunnit serial killer mystery led by the famed anti-hero. Underneath the surface, it is a nuanced character drama about two police officers – and supposed colleagues – operating on opposite sides of the law. Throughout the first season, Harry goes head-to-head with his long time adversary and corrupt detective Tom Waaler.

The Devil’s Star has the following description: It seems the city of Oslo has a serial killer on its hands, and Detective Harry Hole is assigned to the case. Only he is not happy with his colleague Tom Waaler, whom he suspects of arms smuggling and murder. 

Santelmann had this to say about being cast in the lead role: “I am incredibly grateful for the trust I have been shown in getting to play Harry Hole. I am very much aware of the huge global fan base and the millions of readers who love the character.“

Nesbø added: “I’m guessing that all readers of the book series have their own vision of what Harry Hole would look like, and they should be allowed to keep that. We will create a Harry that is based not only on the books but someone based on the actor Tobias Santelmann and everyone involved in this project – both in front of and behind the camera.“

Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole is set up at Universal International Studios. Working Title is producing the series alongside Tor Arne Øvrebø. Nesbø and Karlsen serve as executive producers with Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Katy Rozelle, Rene Ezra, and Niclas Salomonsson.

Are you a fan of the Harry Hole series? What do you think of Tobias Santelmann being cast as the character for the Netflix adaptation? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Ben Affleck’s roast of Tom Brady — which was more of a rant — was met with confusion and criticism for lack of laughs and prep.

Last Updated on May 22, 2024

Roasts can be brutal and humiliating. But we’re not talking about the spotlight celeb, we mean when somebody bombs hard. We’ve all seen it happen and there’s always one – and this time around, Ben Affleck was the bomb (and not in the Phantoms kind of way), delivering a viral rant during The Greatest Roast of All Time that spent less time sacking Tom Brady and more going in delirious circles.

So what happened with Ben Affleck? Comedian Nikki Glaser – who was also included in the roast of Tom Brady – shared her insights with KFC Radio (via Deadline), saying, “I haven’t watched it again because I don’t like to watch people bomb. I know what happened: he didn’t prepare. He’s someone who’s famous enough he probably thinks it’s beneath him to do this. ‘I’m just gonna do a favor, it’s not gonna be that big of a deal.’” She added, “Either they couldn’t get him on the phone enough to work out something, or he didn’t practice enough. He just picked a bad premise and then he had to stick to it the whole time. It didn’t work right away, so it’s not gonna work later.”

The core problem, though, may be that Ben Affleck really isn’t all that funny of a guy (without proper writing, at least) and his most famous link to Brady is a recent Super Bowl spot. For those who haven’t seen his interpretation of what a roast should be, at one point he veered off into taking genuine digs at some internet commentator dubbed “Tall Boy Henry”, slamming him for even thinking about bashing Tom Brady, who Affleck spent the bulk of his time fawning over – you know, the exact opposite of a roast. It was like that scene in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back where Holden blasts faceless trolls on web forums – except that scene had a few laughs.

Dane Cook – who was in attendance for the Tom Brady roast – also commented on Ben Affleck’s attempt. “He decided to deliver a monologue that…didn’t work. And he tied into it for, what, four or five minutes. And about 45 seconds in, it was clear that it just wasn’t the right choice.” Cook would praise him as a fellow Boston native but concluded, “That was just not his night…and so he came in last place.”

The roast of Tom Brady had some high points but also had enough lows that the former quarterback ended up completely regretting the night.

The premiere movie studio A24 is bringing its collection of hardback screenplay books to brick-and-mortar stores in a publishing deal.

Digital media is convenient, storage efficient, and easy to access. However, there’s nothing quite like the real thing. As a collector of physical media (much to the distress of my shelving units), I love slipping a new Blu-ray, vinyl, video game, graphic novel, or book onto the shelf. That satisfying sound when you hear the media slide into place. It’s a chef’s kiss. Thankfully, A24 knows the value of physical media, so they’re partnering with the publishing house Mack to bring its screenplay collections to stores worldwide.

The union between A24 and Mack is the first of its kind. The partnership will see A24’s existing line of film, TV, and creator-driven books sold in bookstores globally from September, distributed via Mack’s network in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Before A24 joined forces with Mack to tempt the wallets of cinephiles and bibliophiles alike, you could only get these books through the studio’s online store. Starting in September, you can walk into a physical store and hold the book, leafing through it before you buy it.

A24 knows the value of seeing hard work up close and in great detail. There’s no better way to learn about scriptwriting than to see how your favorite filmmakers structure their work. The first three books in A24’s collection were hardcover versions of the scripts for Moonlight, The VVitch, and Ex Machina. After positive responses from fans, A24 began printing hardbacks for Ari Aster’s Hereditary, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse, and more original works, like the Horror Cavier cookbook, 99 Movie Crosswords, and more.

“Never before has a leading entertainment company and an art book publisher come together in an exclusive partnership of this nature,” said Mack founder Michael Mack. “It speaks to the shared vision of independent production houses that prioritise artistic innovation and creative expression.”

Which of A24’s hardback books do you want to add to your collection? I like Ari Aster’s Midsommar, Pi: The Guerilla Diaries by Darren Aronofsky, Everything Everywhere All At Once Song Reader, and the Minari screenplay book. Let us know which books you’d choose in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

David Cronenberg originally envisioned his new film The Shrouds as a Netflix streaming series, but Netflix dropped the project

Iconic directors named David haven’t been having the best luck with the Netflix streaming service lately. David Lynch recently revealed that Snootworld, an animated movie he hopes to make, had been rejected by Netflix, and now David Cronenberg has said that his new film The Shrouds – which just made its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival (you can read some of the first reactions HERE) – was originally intended to be a Netflix TV series, but the streamer dropped it after paying him to write the pilot episode.

During a press conference at Cannes, Cronenberg said (according to The Hollywood Reporter) that he “envisioned the story working well as a series. He flew to Los Angeles to speak with two Netflix execs who financed the writing of a first episode – which they loved. But after the second, they did not want to go any further.” Cronenberg went on to say, “They said – and this is a very Hollywood thing to say – ‘It’s not what we fell in love with in the room.’ Later, I felt that what they fell in love with in the room was me, which was very flattering, but not the script. I felt I can’t let this die, let’s see if we can turn it into a movie… It could be a series, but it doesn’t have to be.“

In The Shrouds, Vincent Cassel, who previously worked with Cronenberg on Eastern Promises and A Dangerous Method, takes on the role of Karsh, “an innovative businessman and grieving widower, who builds a novel device to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud. This burial tool installed at his own state-of-the-art though controversial cemetery allows him and his clients to watch their specific departed loved one decompose in real time. Karsh’s revolutionary business is on the verge of breaking into the international mainstream when several graves within his cemetery are vandalized and nearly destroyed, including that of his wife. While he struggles to uncover a clear motive for the attack, the mystery of who wrought this havoc, and why, drive him to reevaluate his business, marriage and fidelity to his late wife’s memory, as well as push him to new beginnings.”

Diane Kruger (National Treasure, Inglorious Basterds, In the Fade), Guy Pearce (Memento, The Hurt Locker), Sandrine Holt (Homeland, House of Cards), Al Sapienza (The Sopranos, Reacher), Elizabeth Saunders (From, Mary Kills People), and Jennifer Dale (Coroner, Into Invisible Light) are also in the cast.

Would you have been interested to watch David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds as a Netflix series? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

Does the 1999 remake of House on Haunted Hill stand the test of time 25 years later? Let’s dig into it and find out

From one 1999 horror remake to another. After rewatching The Haunting with eyes that were both more critical and 25 years older, it got me thinking about the other remake that came out that year. One that was a remake of a far sillier movie and that was the first effort from a new studio, namely Dark Castle Entertainment. The original was from a far less dark castle in that of schlock and gimmick purveyor William Castle and it starred Vincent Price as a man offering strangers money to stay in an allegedly haunted house for a night. While The Haunting failed on multiple levels to improve with age, how does House on Haunted Hill (watch it HERE) look after a quarter of a century? Does its cheesy yet graphic tone feel at home in the time of A24 and elevated horror or should it forfeit its 1 million dollar check and leave the cursed grounds forever. Close the shutters and let’s see if this movie stands the Test of Time.

Plot

In 1998, Robert Zemeckis, Joel Silver, and Gilbert Adler formed Dark Castle Entertainment with it being a subdivision of Silver Pictures with an eye for horror. While its first 3 movies are seen as a fun, unrelated trilogy in House on Haunted Hill, other remake 13 Ghosts, and Ghost Ship, House on Haunted Hill was decided as first with it being kicked around as early as 1997. In a neat touch, William Castle’s daughter served as an executive producer on the movie since it was the first for the company and one of Castle’s biggest movies from his run. William Malone served as the director and claims to have written about 20% of the screenplay but didn’t get his name in the writing credits. Malone was a huge fan of the original and got his start in horror with 1980’s Scared to Death and 1985’s Creature. While these may not be stone cold classics, they are much more fun than they have any right to be. After that he would do episodes in both Freddy’s Nightmares and Tales from the Crypt. This movie and Fear Dot Com would get him a spot in the Masters of Horror lineup, but he has been very quiet since then.

The credited writer on the movie is Dick Beebe whose other screenplays include an episode of Tales from the Crypt and Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows. The cast is a fun and strange one that includes Oscar winner and scene stealer Jeffery Rush as Steven Price, a loving if not obvious nod to the original movie’s star, as well as Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Peter Gallagher, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson, Chris Kattan, and the great Jeffrey Combs. Rush, Diggs, Kattan, Gallagher, and Wilson don’t have much at all in the horror genre of note apart from Wilson’s minor role in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Ali Larter had a bunch of the Resident Evil movies and Final Destination while also appearing in an episode of the Creepshow series on Shudder. Combs is a damn legend, but Famke Janssen has much more horror in her resume than you’d expect. Lord of Illusions is an underrated Clive Barker flick, but she was also in The Faculty, Deep Rising, and Hide and Seek amongst others. The cast is held up wonderfully by Rush and Janssen’s hate chemistry as well as the horror presence, and I meant that spectrally, of Jeffrey Combs.

William Castle was the king of gimmicks for showing his movies in theaters and the original movie was no different with “Emergo” being the one to accompany it. This was a system of pulleys to have skeletons whoosh across the theater to scare and enthrall movie goers. In that spirit, the 1999 remake gave away scratch tickets to patrons in an attempt to have them win the same money that was being given away in the film. While critics didn’t care for the movie, it was a financial success for the studio with a 42 million gross on a 19-million-dollar budget. The movie would also get a straight to video sequel in 2007 that carried over Jeffrey Combs and gave him a much larger role this time.

The story for the movie starts with a scene from 1931 as the patients in a psychiatric hospital get loose and kill all of the staff except for 5. It is found that horrible methods and experiments took place and that Dr. Vannicut was probably one of the 20th century’s biggest killers. Cut to the present and we now follow fright mogul Stephen Price setting up a birthday party for his wife. She sends a list of guests which he promptly shreds before making one of his own. This list too is changed from an unseen presence on his computer and strangers show up to the now abandoned hospital and are given some history by the owner Pritchard. Nobody knows why they were invited as they don’t know each other or the hosts but they are given the enticement of a million dollars each to stay and survive the night. Price has some things set up and one of his engineers is there to oversee but the house locks itself off and eerie occurrences begin to happen.

They go to investigate and after one of the guests disappears and they all start seeing things, we learn that one of the guests is having an affair with Price’s wife Evelyn and they plan to kill him. Price knew from the start and even after being framed and apparently killed, shows his last trick and plans to kill Evelyn. The other guests find out that they were invited because they are descendants of the survivors of the incident in 1931 and Price inadvertently lets out one hell of a poltergeist. The survivors flee and find an exit in the attic while the ghosts reclaim some of their vengeance.

Signs of the Time

While there were remakes before with such masterpieces as The Fly or The Thing or even 1990’s Night of the Living Dead, most of the decade avoided the trend and it really didn’t take off until the beginning of the new millennium. Psycho would come out the previous year though and 1999 would have TWO remakes get released. While it’s a sign of the times, it’s also the beginning of an era for better and for worse. In the technology realm we have some very early looking laptops and cell phones to the degree that these phones don’t have the cameras that we have now and so one of the characters brings an actual video camera on the adventure and the writers use it to great effect. The house is old and big enough with tunnels that go deep enough that these early cell phones also don’t have the strength to get a signal out of the house. It’s a nice moment that a current screenwriter would have to come up with where in 1998 when it was written, that was just reality.

While there is something else that marks it squarely in the 90’s, that being the blockbuster tapes seen being used by the engineer that warms my heart, this is also a time capsule of CGI. We’ve discussed the ebbs and flows of good and bad CGI that happens in the lifetime of the use of it but sometimes we see a difference in the same year. I watched both this and The Haunting on Blu-ray and boy, with a couple of minor exceptions, do the ones here hold up a hell of a lot better than its 1999 remake brethren. It comes down to different effects teams, different budgets, and what you are trying to accomplish but this is an example of good 90s CGI that is a rare thing indeed.

What Holds Up

There is a lot here to like. First and foremost are the credits and opening scene that set up the tone of the movie wonderfully, at least where the scares are involved. The opening massacre is the best shot, scored, acted, and thematically relevant part of the movie and it makes you want to watch the rest of the movie without question. The mix of black and white camera footage with seeing it in real time and then the transition to an America’s Most Wanted type of video explaining what we just saw in a nice diegetic way. Some of the other behind the scenes things that still rule are the score, NOT the soundtrack, the set decoration, and the effects. The score does a good job of telling the story along with the characters while the set decoration and sets themselves are characters on their own. The physical effects that include the use of blood, fast shaking characters ala Jacob’s Ladder, and the makeup of the creatures and ghosts are still freaky and that includes the awesome saturation chamber segment with the two Jefferies. The little CGI used is actually good except for maybe when the house turns into a face, something that was just par for the course in 1999 horror remakes.

The Jefferies of Combs and Rush are the two pillars that hold the movie together from an acting standpoint with Combs leaning into the supernatural killer aspect like he’s mixing Dr. West and the weird FBI agent from Frighteners while Rush is the perfect stand in for Vincent Price and William Castle. Part showman, part snidely conman, and all charisma. It couldn’t be a better portrayal or even character. The other thing that holds up great is how this is as a remake. it pays homage to the originals with general premise and plot and even some character names while keeping itself very much its own thing. It sits in a great place, especially after Psycho was a shot for shot remake and The Haunting tried something different but failed on many levels. One of my favorite scenes is when Bridgette Wilson’s character is filming with her video camera, and she picks up stuff on the tape that she can’t see in real life. It’s a surgery happening, and all of the ghosts look up at her silently at the same time. There are a couple well executed things throughout that standout compared to other movies.

What Doesn’t Hold Up

I’m happy to report that far less doesn’t hold up than does. Some of the CGI is iffy at times like when the house turns into a face or a few of the shots with the evil ghost at the end. While the score is wonderful, the soundtrack doesn’t quite work for the movie even if I don’t hate the songs by themselves. I just find them distracting throughout the course of the actual movie especially compared to what the score brings to the table. Along those lines, while the performances of the two Jefferies and Famke Janssen are without flaw, the rest of the cast and the script in general are nothing special. Is it a case of the cast unable to elevate not great material or script bringing down the casts performances? Either way it’s noticeable. Chris Kattan is an interesting experiment and apparently let him improvise some and just be him, but it is distracting from the rest of the movie. He has a couple really good lines but other than that he is cringy at best and a detractor at worst.

Verdict

This has nothing to do with original vs remake but this movie, Vincent Price and William Castle pedigree aside, is far more watchable than the original. While it has some holes to poke in it, its easily one of the best horror movies of 1999. It predates the remake craze and gave a good schematic on how to do that right even if many of the studios failed to follow the plan. It started the studio off on the right foot and none of the movies that followed really captured the same lightning in a bottle the way it does, nor do they hold up as well as this does. House on Haunted Hill stands the Test of Time and is as strong as the haunted halls of the asylum it takes place in.

A couple of the previous episodes of The Test of Time can be seen below. To see more, click over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!

Deadpool & Wolverine is already breaking Fandango first-day ticket sales as audiences gear up for the superhero tag-team of the century.

The third film in Marvel’s Deadpool franchise, Deadpool & Wolverine, is touching ticket buyers in the money maker ahead of its theatrical release on July 26. What? I’m talking about wallets! Get your head out of the gutter. According to Fandango, Marvel Studios’ upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine film has broken Fandango’s best first-day ticket sales record for 2024. The film is also the best first-day pre-seller from the Deadpool franchise, surpassing the first day of ticket sales for Deadpool and Deadpool 2.

“Deadpool and Wolverine are proving to be the dynamic duo, smashing records before appearing on the big screen,” said Jerramy Hainline, EVP of Fandango Ticketing. “The success of the film’s ticket pre-sales is a testament to the strong appeal and excitement these iconic characters bring to audiences across the nation.”

To mark the occasion of Wade Wilson’s team-up with James Howlett on the silver screen, Fandango offers fans a chance to pop their claws into Deadpool’s Premium Package. The bundle includes two tickets to see Deadpool & Wolverine in any format, official Best Friends necklaces, and entry for a chance to win a trip to the movie’s premiere!

Deadpool & Wolverine stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. In addition to featuring the superhero team-up of the century, the threequel finds Wade and Logan sticking their dirty fingers into the Marvel Cinematic Timeline, creating chaos while foiling a nefarious plot devised by Charles Xavier’s sister, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). The MCU desperately needs a shake-up, and it sounds like Cassandra Nova and multiversal shenanigans could usher significant changes into the interconnected universe.

Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen also star. The House of Ideas is teasing cameos across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Aron Stanford, Chris Hemsworth, and more. To be crystal clear, none of these cameos are officially confirmed. The list is based on trailer tidbits, rumors, and on-set paparazzi fodder.

Have you purchased your tickets to Deadpool & Wolverine yet? Are you surprised that Fandango pre-sales are blowing up? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.