Horror Highlights: SAW ESCAPE, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA, SCARY MOVIE, THE SEX WRITER

The Official SAW Escape Revamps for Halloween 2024 with New Twists, Exciting Surprises, and an Exclusive Encounter for SAW Superfans: “Egan Escape Productions is excited to announce thrilling new upgrades to The Official SAW Escape just in time for Halloween 2024, including fresh games and immersive new content. Jason Egan recently invited a group of devoted SAW fans to experience the latest enhancements, but he had a shocking twist in store for them. While exploring the infamous SAW bathroom, the fans were stunned when Shawnee Smith, the actress who plays “Amanda Young” in the SAW films, dramatically unmasked herself from behind the iconic Pig Mask, giving superfans the surprise of a lifetime.

This exciting new content within the escape, which features Shawnee Smith as “Amanda”, is part of a broader revamp that includes heightened gameplay, new puzzles, additional interactors to increase the immersion, and atmospheric outdoor effects that create a thrilling ambiance from the moment guests arrive at The Official SAW Escape.

Ranked as one of the top escape rooms in the nation, The Official SAW Escape brings the terrifying world of SAW to life with 13 intricately themed rooms. Seven of these rooms challenge guests to match wits with Jigsaw, the Master of Games in SAW, solving puzzles to escape before time runs out. Now, with the addition of Shawnee Smith’s character “Amanda”, the experience is taken to a whole new level, giving fans the chance to come face-to-face with one of the franchise’s most memorable characters.

“We provide one of the largest, most immersive escape experiences in the world,” said Jason Egan, producer of The Official SAW Escape. “From the moment you step onto the property, you’re not just visiting an escape room—you’re stepping into an entire facility that makes you feel like you’ve entered the world of SAW. And with Shawnee Smith as “Amanda”, the experience becomes even more exciting and authentic for our guests.”

Jason Egan, known for creating immersive attractions worldwide, continues to offer engaging experiences in Southern Nevada with The Official SAW Escape and other popular attractions such as ESCAPE BLAIR WITCH (based on Lionsgate’s The Blair Witch Project) and ESCAPE IT, which immerses guests in the world of Stephen King’s IT.”

Photo Credit: Ryan Valdez

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Blood Saga: Dissecting the Cult Film Repo! The General Opera:“On November 26, 2024, 1984 Publishing will release Blood Saga: Dissecting the Cult Film Repo! The Genetic Opera by author Staci Layne Wilson. Blood Saga offers an unparalleled look at the cult classic that merged sci-fi, horror, and rock opera. 

Celebrated writer Staci Layne Wilson goes behind the scenes into the dark and dazzling world of Repo! The Genetic Opera like never before, revealing the development and making of the movie, its immediate aftermath, and the expanding fandom since its debut. This hardbound Repo! compendium includes interviews with much of the cast and crew, sixteen pages of production and promotional images, and takes readers to on-set experiences, premieres, and Repo! fan events. Wilson’s interviews include director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II to IV, 2021’s Spiral: From the Book of Saw), screenwriter Darren Smith, and current and historical interviews with cast members Paris Hilton, Sarah Brightman, Alexa Vera, Bill Moseley, Ogre (of Skinny Puppy), and more.

When the film debuted in 2008, it was frequently disregarded by film reviewers. The New York Times, for example, said that “Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of several Saw sequels, has devised an excruciating new torture with Repo! The Genetic Opera.” 

But fans saw something completely different. The film’s unique blend of rocky opera, body horror, black comedy, and societal commentary was seemingly ahead of its time. Repo! The Genetic Opera is now discussed more than when it was initially released, and continues to resonate in the same pattern as the original 1975 classic midnight musical-comedy-horror film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

Wilson: “I never got into The Rocky Horror Picture Show phenomenon, so for me, Repo! was my first real-time experience with a devoted community of fans who were affected by a film as a collective soul. From that first day on the set in Toronto, Canada, as a member of the press, I knew that Repo! was something special and wholly unique. There’s not only the amazing cast and incredible songs, but the enthusiasm and passion of the filmmakers was infectious (pun intended).” 

The book’s packaging is designed by Hagcult, who previously worked with 1984 Publishing on Clark Collis’ acclaimed You’re Got Red on You: How Shaun of the Dead Came to Life, plus on artwork for officially-licensed Halloween and Vampira merchandise. 

Pre-orders for the book can be found at 1984 Publishing, plus signed copies are available at Los Angeles-based Dark Delicacies. 

The book will additionally be available at local bookstores, Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the US, Amazon in the UK and Canada, and more. Wholesale inquiries can be made to Consortium, Ingram (UK and US), PGC (Canada), and Baker & Taylor.”

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The Wayans Brothers Reunite with Miramax to Bring Back SCARY MOVIE for Paramount Pictures: “Scary Movie, the comedy franchise that parodied horror movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, will be rebooted. The Wayans brothers are reuniting for the first time in 18 years to write an all new, original script for the restart of the franchise. The Scary Movie film franchise was developed by Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Keenen Ivory Wayans. Keenen Ivory Wayans wrote and directed the first two films. Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans wrote and starred in the first two films. This will be the sixth film in the franchise.

The Wayans brothers, alongside Rick Alvarez, will be writing and producing this film.  Scary Movie will be released in theaters and begins shooting in 2025.  Miramax is the studio behind the franchise and Paramount Pictures is releasing worldwide. Becky Sloviter is overseeing for Miramax.  Scary Movie is part of Paramount Pictures’ first look deal with Miramax.”

Marlon, Shawn and Keenen Said: “We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the new SCARY MOVIE and work with each other again. This is a franchise we created more than 20 years ago. We remember people laughing in the aisles and hope to see that happen again. We look forward to working with Jonathan Glickman and his team at the new Miramax to bring these laughs to theaters, where they belong. It’s a double reunion.”

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Seth Gilliam of The Walking Dead to Star in the World Premiere of Adam Szymkowicz’s THE SEX WRITER: “When a family tragedy occurs, a writer returns to her hometown in the World Premiere of Adam Szymkowicz’s new play The Sex Writer. The limited run plays October 30 – November 17 at The Gene Frankel Theatre in NoHo. The Sex Writer is directed by Thin Duke’s Founding Artistic Director Philip Cruise, and features Seth Gilliam who is well known to television audiences for his work on The Wire and The Walking Dead.

Thin Duke and SparkPlug Productions previously worked with Szymkowicz on the award-winning play Clown Bar 2 at NYC Fringe Festival last Spring. Clown Bar 2 won four awards including a 2024 Audience Choice Fringe Award.

Jane’s father, an “important” writer has just died by suicide and Jane goes home to her small town to deal with the details of death. Jane is a professor and spicy romance writer and as she meets new possibilities and old loves, she narrates all her sexual longings. She struggles to deal with the grief from her father’s death and the feeling that he deserted her a long time ago.

The cast features David Arthur Bachrach (As You Like It/Frog & Peach), Olivia Baseman (The War of Woo), Philip Cruise (Final Boarding Call/WTP/Ma-Yi Theatre Company), Tammi Cubilette (House of Buggin’), Sionne Elise (The War of Woo), Callie Fabac (Clown Bar 2), Seth Gilliam (The Wire/The Walking Dead), Jim Hawkins (Clown Bar 2), Christopher Lee (Clown Bar 2), Edward Miller (Last Bar at the End of the World), and Jack Morrill (Walk Up Theatre Collective).

The creative and production team includes Holly Pocket McCaffrey (costume design), PJ Mapother (lighting and sound design), and Tommy Pegan (stage management). Produced by Thin Duke Productions in association with SparkPlug Productions, with Philip Cruise, Seth Gilliam, Christopher Lee, and Edward Miller.

The Sex Writer runs October 30 – November 17 with performances Wednesday – Sunday at 8pm, and Sunday’s at 3pm (no performance on Thursday, October 31). Running time: 75 minutes. The Gene Frankel Theatre is located at 24 Bond Street (Between Lafayette & Bowery), New York, NY 10012. Subways: 6 to Bleecker Street, B/D/F/M to Broadway/Lafayette. Tickets are $35.”