The final trailer has been released for the killer Mickey Mouse movie Screamboat, which reaches theatres in April

On January 1, 2024, the earliest versions of Mickey Mouse – seen in the animated shorts Plane Crazy, The Gallopin’ Gaucho, and most famously Steamboat Willie – became public domain… which, of course, means we’re now going to get multiple horror movies that feature characters inspired by Mickey Mouse. Within the first three days of the year, we saw the short film The Vanishing of S.S. Willie, a trailer for the slasher movie Mickey’s Mouse Trap, and an announcement that Terrifier 2 producers Steven Della Salla and Michael Leavy and director Steven LaMorte, who previously made the Grinch-inspired horror movie The Mean One, were teaming up for a Steamboat Willie-inspired horror flick that we now know is titled Screamboat. The film had been aiming for a January 2025 release, but Iconic Events Releasing recently announced that they’ll be releasing it on April 2nd. With that date nearly upon us, the final trailer has made its way online and can be seen in the embed above.

David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown in the Terrifier films and brought the horror version of the Grinch to life in The Mean One, is playing the horror version of Steamboat Willie in Screamboat. Thornton is joined in the cast by Allison Pittel (Stream), Amy Schumacher (The Mean One), Jesse Posey (Teen Wolf), Jesse Kove (Cobra Kai), Rumi C Jean-Louis (Hightown), Jarlath Conroy (George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead), and Charles Edwin Powell (The Exorcist III). Filming is set to take place this summer, and the press release promises the movie will “feature a number of yet-to-be-announced cameo appearances.”

Screamboat will tell the story of a mischievous mouse that stalks a group of New Yorkers on a late night ferry ride, unleashing murderous mayhem on a relaxing commute. Can the ship’s motley crew of travelers find a way to stop a killer creature who has developed a taste for tourists? A previous press release told us LaMorte and the producers are “promising buckets of blood and unhinged chaos as their miniature mouse attacks a group of ferry commuters against the unmistakable backdrop of New York City’s iconic skyline. Screamboat will feature a mix of practical creature effects, miniatures, and cutting edge virtual production to showcase its very mischievous monster slashing his way through a ferry of fear.”

LaMorte is producing Screamboat with Amy Schumacher, Martine Melloul, and the previously mentioned Steven Della Salla and Michael Leavy. Kali Pictures, Sleight of Hand Productions, Reckless Content, and Julien Didon serve as executive producers. The director provided the following statement: “I’m thrilled to be working on Screamboat with such a killer cast from horror legends to comedy icons. David Howard Thornton is bringing our mischievous and murderous take on Steamboat Willie to life like never before. I can’t wait for audiences to laugh and scream with us onboard Screamboat!“ Thornton added: “I’m beyond excited to join this incredible cast and bring Steamboat Willie to life with a horror twist. Screamboat is going to be a horrific and hilarious big screen thrill ride that fans won’t want to miss.“

Speaking with Variety, LaMorte said, “I’m so excited to share our mischievous monster mouse with the world. Screamboat is my way of paying homage to Disney while putting a sinister, yet comedic twist on the classic. Watching David Howard Thornton bring Steamboat Willie to life with the magicians at Quantum Creation FX has been nothing short of amazing — he’s hilarious and murderously entertaining. I can’t wait for audiences to meet Willie and experience the chaos we’ve created.” Variety notes that the practical effects used to transform Thornton into the murderous mouse were designed by Christian Cordella and built by Quantum Creation.

What did you think of the final trailer for Screamboat? Will you be watching this movie? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A trailer has been released for the creature feature Big Freaking Rat, starring Felissa Rose and coming to VOD in April

Lionsgate is planning to give the horror comedy creature feature Big Freaking Rat a VOD release on April 25th – and with just one month to go until that date arrives, a trailer for the film has dropped online. You can watch it in the embed above.

This film comes our way from writer/director Thomas J. Churchill, whose previous credits include A System Devoured, Emerging Past, The Day of the Living Dead, Check Point, The Rack Pack, Nation’s Fire, The Step Daddy, The Amityville Harvest, The Business of Christmas, The Amityville Moon, Amityville Uprising, The Godfather Buck, and Devilreaux. We recently heard that he’s teaming with Anson Williams of Happy Days and Brian Austin Green of Beverly Hills, 90210 on a horror thriller called The Three Killer Pigs.

The story Churchill crafted for Big Freaking Rat has the following synopsis: Ranger Brody, along with his niece and nephew, works on opening a campsite for the season. All seems to be going well until a gigantic rat, mutated by years of hazardous waste dumping, starts killing people and going crazy.

The film stars Scott C. Roe of The Terminal List as Ranger Brody. Also in the cast is horror genre icon Felissa Rose, who is best known for her performance in the 1983 slasher classic Sleepaway Camp, and genre regular Kelly Lynn Reiter, who has recently been seen in the likes of Camp Pleasant Lake, Clown Motel 2, Maneater, Slotherhouse, and more.

Churchill produced Big Freaking Rat with Steven Louis Goldenberg and Phillip B. Goldfine. Executive producers include James T. Bruce IV, Nicolas Chartier, Binh Dang, David Davis, and Adam D. Wright. Felissa Rose was a co-producer and Aleksandra Zorich Hunt the associate producer. This film was completed way back in 2020, and is finally making its way out into the world five years later, thanks to Lionsgate.

What did you think of the Big Freaking Rat trailer? Will you be watching this movie on VOD next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below. I was sold on watching this one as soon as I saw the title.

New episodes of Seth MacFarlane’s show American Dad! will no longer air on TBS after its upcoming season finale.

The adult animated series American Dad! is packing its bags and could head for a return trip home! According to Deadline, the upcoming Season 19 finale for Seth MacFarland’s American Dad! will serve as a network finale for TBS. The final, new episode of the animated comedy airs on Monday, March 24 at 10/9c, with plans to continue hosting reruns of past seasons in the aftermath. Additionally, reruns will continue to screen on Adult Swim.

Thankfully, the show isn’t going anywhere. American Dad! could return to Fox after leaving TBS, starting with the launch of its 20th season. Fans with long memories know this is not the first time American Dad! has needed to fly its flag at another network. The animated comedy premiered on Fox in February 2005 and made the leap to basic cable in October 2014.

American Dad! “centers on super patriotic CIA agent Stan Smith and the misadventures of his unconventional family in Langley Falls, Virginia,” per the official logline. The voice cast includes series co-creator Seth MacFarlane (as Stan and Roger), Wendy Schaal (as Francine), Rachael MacFarlane (as Hayley), Jeff Fischer (as Jeff), Scott Grimes (as Steve) and Dee Bradley Baker (as Klaus).

American Dad! burst onto the animation scene after MacFarlane’s Family Guy – another show that struggled with cancelations and network migration – took the pop culture community by storm. After multiple years and seasons of Family Guy, fans of MacFarlane’s “dart board” approach to comedy jumped at the opportunity to meet a new cast of characters in an alternate, more patriotic setting. At first, Family Guy fans warred with themselves over which was the better show. Eventually, everyone came to their senses, realizing that liking both doesn’t hurt anyone.

American Dad! stands proudly alongside other animated series like Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, Hazbin Hotel, Big Mouth, BoJack Horseman, The Great North, Archer, Brickleberry, and more, as a show that’s keeping 2D animation alive at a time when 3D and CGI dominate the airwaves and movie screens. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that American Dad! returns to Fox after 388 hilarious episodes.

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.

We’re proud to share an EXCLUSIVE clip from the Tim Burton docuseries that looks back at Burton’s first meeting with Johnny Depp

Last week, we unveiled the trailer for Tara Wood’s four-part docuseries about the life and beloved work of director Tim Burton. Now, we’ve gotten our hands on an EXCLUSIVE clip from the docuseries – and this one looks back at a very important moment in Burton’s life and career: the first time he met actor Johnny Depp, who he would go on to work with on Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, and Alice Through the Looking Glass (Burton didn’t direct that last one, but he was still on board as a producer). You can hear about their first meeting by checking out the video embedded above.

As previously mentioned, Wood’s Tim Burton docuseries marks a special occasion because it’s the first exploration of Burton’s storied career that was made with Burton’s blessing. The presentation includes exclusive interviews, unpublished artworks, and a never-before-seen-stop-motion short film. Attendees of last year’s Tribeca Film Festival got a sneak peek of the first episode, with rave reviews circulating throughout the event shortly thereafter. Joining Tara Wood—whose previous works include the well-received Tarantino and Linklater documentaries—for her Tim Burton docuseries is a who’s who of Burton’s hallowed library of films, including Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, Danny Elfman, Danny DeVito, Christoph Waltz, Christopher Walken, and Mia Wasikowska.

When the trailer was unveiled, Wood provided the following statement: “Following the incredible response to Episode 1 at Tribeca and the fans’ voracious desire for more, I’m thrilled to announce the completion of the long-awaited Tim Burton docuseries! Tim tells his life story through his filmography, and the doc takes us on a truly inspiring journey through decades of cinematic history, filled with deep personal insights, passions, and struggles — the challenge is keeping it to four episodes!“

Are you looking forward to Tara Wood’s Tim Burton docuseries? Take a look at the exclusive “meeting Johnny Depp” clip, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

Disclaimer: Our JoBlo Media founder/CEO, Berge Garabedian, is one of the executive producers on this project.

Grammy-winning artist and One of Them Days actress SZA wants to play Ororo Monroe, aka Storm, for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Not long after making her acting debut alongside Keke Palmer (Nope, Scream Queens, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy) for Lawrence Lamont’s buddy comedy One of Them Days, musical artist and actress SZA wants to play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During an interview with Jennifer Hudson on The Jennifer Hudson Show, SZA told the talk show host and Dreamgirls actress she wants to play Ororo Monroe, aka Storm, for the MCU.

SZA is currently making waves as a Grammy-winning artist with multiple talents. Her double album “SOS Deluze: LANA” dropped on February 9, and clips of her recent performance alongside Kendrick Lamar at this year’s Super Bowl are making the rounds. When Hudson asked SZA about her future acting plans, SZA said she’d “love to play” Marvel’s iconic weather witch, Storm, in the MCU.

“You know how Storm has an origin story? Like she comes from this whole other place where it’s like the jungle,” SZA said. “I think that would be so gnarly if I could be Storm [in an] origin story. I love to bring the range.”

In January, Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo expressed interest in playing Storm, saying she’d love to explore the character’s depth and “inner turmoil,” feeling like a lot has been left on the table by previous incarnations. “I really want to play Storm,” Erivo told the National Board of Review. “I know it sounds frivolous but I think we haven’t uncovered how grand she is and all of that inner turmoil that she has, so I think there’s a world where we could do something like that.”

Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp gave solid performances as the weather-wielding character, but anyone who’s picked up a Marvel comic lately knows Ororo is capable of more. In addition to being one of the X-Men’s most formidable team members, Storm is a commanding political leader, fierce warrior, and master of omega-level powers.

In November, Kevin Feige said fans can expect X-Men characters to appear in upcoming Marvel movies before the team’s official reboot. “I think you will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize,” Feige said about drip-feeding X-Men characters with new films and television series.

“Right after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, it’s one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back,” Feige teased.

Do you think SZA has what it takes to play Storm in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? According to JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols, she delivers one hell of a good performance in One of Them Days and is a natural talent in front of the camera. Could Marvel’s answers to casting Storm be as easy as inviting SZA to audition? We’ll eventually find out.

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.

Robbie Amell and Victoria Justice are set to star in the horror thriller Send a Scare, the new film from director Josh Trank

Josh Trank got a lot of positive attention for his directorial debut, the 2012 found footage superhero movie Chronicle… then nearly destroyed his career with his follow-up, the disastrous 2015 Marvel Comics adaptation Fantastic Four. He came back with the 2020 biopic Capone, which went straight to VOD during the Covid lockdown. Now, Deadline reports that Trank is putting together his fourth feature film, an independent horror thriller called Send a Scare, which has Robbie Amell (Code 8) and Victoria Justice (Depravity) taking on the lead roles.

Scripted by Tank and Andrew Ryan from an original story by Ryan, Send a Scare centers on an interactive horror startup that gives thrill-seekers a way to send scares to friends and family… but when potential investors host a demonstration, the experience gets hijacked by a real masked killer with a deadly agenda.

Amell and Justice are joined in the cast by Karan Soni (Deadpool), Noel Fisher (Shameless), Mackinlee Waddell (American Spirit), and Adain Bradley (Tarot).

Ryan Scaringe of Kinogo Pictures is producing the film with Austin Lantero of Range Media Partners. Amell, Justice, Trank, and Ryan serve as executive producers alongside Amy Lippens and Steven Schneider, whose previous producing credits include the Paranormal Activity and Insidious franchises.

Capone wasn’t the greatest comeback Trank could have hoped for. The reviews assembled by Rotten Tomatoes were only 40% positive, and the movie fared even worse with the audience than with critics, with a 24% positive “popcornmeter.” JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray gave Capone a 6/10 review that can be read at THIS LINK. Still, Trank was fine with the response to the movie. He told The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m actually very happy with the outcome. At this moment, it looks like it’s split down the middle, and the things that people seem to love about the movie are the same exact things that other people hate about the movie. That’s perfectly fine because everything in this movie is up front and center for you to see. Nothing is being hidden. It’s right there. But I’m glad that what people are reacting to are the most extreme elements of the movie. It’s getting a reaction. If you hate this movie, that’s perfectly fine because you’re reacting to something that’s pretty real.“

Are you glad to hear that Josh Trank is getting another movie into production? Share your thoughts on Send a Scare by leaving a comment below.

The Dead Want Women Noir: Full Moon has given their insane Eric Roberts comedy chiller from 2012 the black & white treatment.

Last year, Charles Band’s company Full Moon announced that they were launching a new production label called Pulp Noir, which would focus on “edgier, weirder, darker horror and dark fantasy films.” Two Pulp Noir movies, Quadrant and Death Streamer, have since made their way through production – and while those movies were initially released in color, all of the Pulp Noir movies will also get black & white “noir” releases, so there are both color and black & white versions of Quadrant and Death Streamer available on the Full Moon Features streaming service. While we wait for more Pulp Noir movies to be made, Band has started going through the Full Moon library to give some of their older films the black & white / noir treatment. Last month, a “noir” version of the 1984 sci-fi thriller Christmas classic Trancers was released through Full Moon Features and YouTube, as was a black & white version of the 1997 creature feature The Creeps. Earlier this month, the company unveiled a black & white version of the 2007 movie The Haunted Casino, a.k.a. Dead Man’s Hand. And today, they released The Dead Want Women Noir, turning their “insane comedy chiller” from 2012 into a black & white movie. You can watch the trailer in the embed above, and the full movie can be viewed at THIS LINK.

Directed by Band from a script by Kent Roudebush, The Dead Want Women Noir has the following synopsis: The Roaring Twenties end in a scream when the first talking movie debuts. The world’s biggest female silent movie star, Rose Pettigrew, goes on a killing spree when she loses her studio contract, murdering her friends and co-stars – Tubby Fitzgerald, the comedian, Erik Burke, the horror icon and Sonny Barnes, the cowboy – before taking her own life. Rose’s mansion has stood empty for decades, but when two realtors Reese and Danni finally buy the house to remodel and sell it, they discover that there are more than skeletons in the closets. Haunted by the ghosts of a time long ago, the girls quickly find that they have been cast in a nightmare that will never end. Get ready for your close-up and it’s “Lights… Camera… Die!!!”

The film stars Jessica Morris (The Pitt), Ariana Madix (Vanderpump Rules), Eric Roberts (Runaway Train), Jean Louise O’Sullivan (Puppet Master: Axis Termination), J. Scott (Trouble Is My Business), Robert Zachar (Star Trek: First Contact), porn stars Jeanie Marie Sullivan and Misty Anderson, Robin Sydney (The Gingerdead Man), Bryan Scott Cooper (City of Demons), Evan Strand (12 to Midnight), Lee Schall (Rule of 3), J.R. Craig (Listening), and Circus-Szalewski (Mindhunter).

Will you be watching The Dead Want Women Noir? Take a look at the trailer, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

Zach Cregger is preparing to shoot his Resident Evil reboot later this year, and he’s looking at Euphoria’s Austin Abrams to star.

Zach Cregger is planning to start shooting his Resident Evil reboot this summer in Europe, and he’s considering Austin Abrams of Euphoria as a potential star. The actor is said to be in early talks to lead the reboot, and this would be something of a reunion as Abrams is part of the cast of Weapons, Cregger’s highly anticipated follow-up to Barbarian.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film is said to have “elements of a wilderness survival thriller.” Cregger co-wrote the script with Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4). In a statement, Cregger said, “I’ve been a rabid fan of these games for decades and to be able to bring this amazing title to life is a true honor.” The Resident Evil reboot has already been slated for a September 18, 2026 release.

In addition to Euphoria, Abrams is known for his work on The Walking Dead, This Is Us, and Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark. He also starred alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Wolfs.

As for Weapons, studios were very eager to get into the Zach Cregger business. New Line Cinema emerged as the victor, shelling out some serious bucks for the project and giving Cregger final cut privilege. “Zach proved with Barbarian that he can create a visceral theatrical experience for audiences and that he commands every tool in the filmmaker toolbelt,” said New Line’s president and CCO, Richard Brener. “We couldn’t be happier that he, Roy [Lee] and Miri [Yoon], and J.D. [Lifshitz]and Rafi [Margules] chose New Line to be the home of his next film, and hope it is the first of many to come.“

Not much is known about Weapons, only that it takes place in a small community after a group of kids mysteriously disappear overnight.

Weapons stars Julia Garner (Ozark), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Amy Madigan (Antlers), Austin Abrams (Euphoria), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), and Cary Christopher (Days of Our Lives). The film was originally slated for a January 16, 2026 release but was bumped up to August 8, 2025 after it received some very high scores at test screenings.

Another Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot is said to be in the works, with Glen Powell reportedly interested in the project.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise could be getting yet another reboot. Deadline reports that Verve, who currently represents the rights, have studios and filmmakers eager to pitch a new take on the iconic horror franchise.

“Verve represents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre estate and is building out a multimedia strategy for the seminal horror franchise,” said a Verve representative in a statement to Deadline. “Verve has not officially submitted the property into any filmmakers, producers, or buyers. Because this is such a hot and iconic horror property, packages are preemptively being brought to Verve.“

According to Deadline’s report, writer/director JT Mollner (Strange Darling) and producer Roy Lee (It) are among the interested parties. One intriguing tidbit is that once Mollner puts his script together, Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) is reportedly keen to read it, with an eye towards starring in and producing the project. Lionsgate, A24, and NEON are also in the mix. Keep in mind that this is all very early in the process.

The original film by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel was released in 1974, but it would be more than a decade before the first sequel. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was released in 1986, followed by Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III in 1990 and Texa Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation in 1995. Then, the franchise received its first reboot in 2003, which was followed by a prequel to the reboot in 2006. Then came Texas Chainsaw 3D in 2013, which was a direct sequel to the original movie. Leatherface, a prequel to the original, was released in 2017. Finally, Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released on Netflix in 2022, taking place 50 years after the first movie and dealing with an elderly Leatherface who hasn’t lost his skill with a chainsaw.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is such an important piece of horror history, but after decades of sequels, prequels, and reboots, are fans ready for another reboot? Is there anything left to say that hasn’t already been said? If this latest reboot does move forward, what do you hope to see?

A few Mayans M.C. alumni have joined the cast of the upcoming Prison Break reboot pilot, including Clayton Cardenas, JR Bourne & more.

The cast of the Prison Break reboot continues to grow, and Deadline reports that Clayton Cardenas (Mayor of Kingstown), JR Bourne (Teenwolf), Georgie Flores (Into The Dark), and Myles Bullock (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist) have joined as series regulars.

Cardenas and Bourne were both main cast members on Mayans M.C., so this will be something of a reunion as the Prison Break reboot pilot is being written and executive-produced by Mayans M.C. co-creator Elgin James. Cardenas will play Ghost, a “ruthlessly dangerous inmate at one of the deadliest prisons in America.” Bourne will play Junior, a “mentally unstable lone survivor of a decades-old prison break that devasted the town.” Bullock will play Darius ‘Red’ Lewis, an inmate. Flores will play Andrea, a “female cadet training to be a Corrections Officer.“

It was announced last week that Emily Browning (American Gods), Lukas Gage (Road House), and Drake Rodger (Landman) will all have leading roles in the Prison Break reboot pilot. Browning will star as Cassidy Collins, “an ex-soldier turned corrections officer takes a job at one of the deadliest prisons in America.” Gage will play Jackson, “a politician from a well-to-do background in his first congressional campaign.” Rodger will play Tommy, “an inmate at one of the deadliest prisons in America, incarcerated ten years ago.” Although this project will tell a new story with new characters, it will be set in the same universe as the original Prison Break series.

If you’re hoping to see any original Prison Break characters show up in the reboot, it was previously reported that the series “is not expected to involve the characters at the center of the original series.” Wentworth Miller (who played Michael Scofield) has said he’s done with the series as he no longer wants to play heterosexual characters.

Prison Break debuted in 2005 and followed Michael Scofield (Miller) as he attempted to get his brother Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) off death row and escape from Fox River State Penitentiary. With its twists and turns, the series was one of the biggest hits of the year. The series came to a close after four seasons and was followed by a TV movie, The Final Break. However, much of the main cast returned for a nine-episode Prison Break revival in 2017. Although another season was in the early stages of development, it ultimately didn’t move forward.