Horror Highlights: ‘THE CROWN: A TALE OF HELL’, ICE NINE KILLS & MACABRE SPIRITS, THIS IS NOT A TEST, BLUMHOUSE ENHANCED CINEMA

Legendary Creator Mike Mignola Teams up with his Brother Todd Mignola to Catch up with Hellboy’s Brothers in The Crown: A Tale of Hell: “Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and his brother Todd Mignola (“Hellboy: The Exorcist of Vorsk”) are teaming up with artist Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (Our Encounters with Evil) for a hellacious family reunion for the creators and their characters in The Crown: A Tale of Hell. Starring Hellboy’s brothers and their mother, the two-issue comic event will feature covers by Johnson-Cadwell and variant covers by Mignola and Bruno Seelig.

“Todd came to me with the idea of writing something about Hellboy’s brothers,” explains Mike Mignola. “It never would have occurred to me to do more with those guys but it didn’t take much prodding. Brothers writing about brothers in a somewhat complicated family dynamic—once we got going it was almost too easy. And fun. And SO MUCH fun that I could only imagine it drawn by Warwick.”

“The Crown follows a day in the 16th century life of Hellboy’s ‘Hell family.’” says Todd Mignola. “In the bowels of Castle Azzael, a crown is secretly being forged for a new king. Palace intrigue and deceitful backstabbing ensue as Hellboy’s dad, uncle and half-brothers all vie for the prize; for the chance to seize sleeping Satan’s throne.”

The Crown: A Tale of Hell stars Hellboy’s brothers Gamon and Lusk, who first appeared in Mignola’s beloved 2012 series Hellboy in Hell, as they fight for control of Pandemonium in this demonic family reunion. But it isn’t just the siblings who get involved in the power struggle, as their mother returns from her prison for the first time in a hundred years with plans of her own.

“I love where Todd and Mike are taking us with The Crown: A Tale Of Hell.” says Johnson-Cadwell. “I’m so grateful to have worked with Mike on Mr. Higgins and the Encounters With Evil books, but this is a step into the Hellboy universe and the opportunity to draw some of those legendary characters. And more exciting still, to introduce someone altogether new.”

The Crown: A Tale of Hell #1 is due out on February 11, 2026 from Dark Horse Comics. Follow Dark Horse on social media for more news, announcements, and updates.”

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ICE NINE KILLS & MACABRE SPIRITS CELEBRATE LAUNCH OF WHISKEY COLLABORATION: “ICE NINE KILLS unveiled the cinematic music video for “The Laugh Track” at a premiere event in Hollywood earlier this week, as friends sipped glasses of Horrorwood Reserve. The band’s new whiskey is a collaboration with Macabre Spirits, cofounded by Matthew Lillard (Scream, Five Nights at Freddy’s, SLC Punk), who joins the INK cinematic universe in “The Laugh Track” video.

An homage to Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, “The Laugh Track” continues the Spencer Charnas-led band’s lore from “Meat & Greet,” “A Work of Art,” and “The Great Unknown,” with Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s) reprising his role as a sleazy record exec, and new additions Lillard and Phil Morris (Seinfeld, Doom Patrol, Smallville).

Charnas, Lillard, and Morris were joined at the event by David Howard Thornton (Terrifier’s Art the Clown), Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier, Terrifier 2), Krsy Fox (Terrifier 3), Diana Prince (The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs), Derek Mears (Friday the 13th, Swamp Thing), Scout Taylor Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween), John Kassier (Tales from the Crypt), Christine Elise (Child’s Play 2, Beverly Hills 90210), Robert Brian Wilson (Silent Night, Deadly Night), Aaron Abeyta (NOFX) Blasko (Rob Zombie), Macabre Spirits cofounder Justin Ware (Bloodsucking Bastards), James A. Janisse (Dead Meat), and Jose Mangin (SiriusXM), along with music video director Jensen Noen, Oscar-winning SFX master Christopher Nelson (Kill Bill, Deadpool, Suicide Squad), and Spencer’s INK bandmates: Joe Occhiuti, Miles Dimitri Baker, Dan Sugarman, Michael Cortada, Ricky Armellino, and Scott Klopfenstein.

Horrorwood Reserve is now available in limited quantity with two collectible boxed sets—Golden Age ($129.99) and Silver Scream ($84.99)—featuring custom-designed bottles, exclusive recipe cards from horror icons, and bold “Old Hollywood” packaging. Crafted from heirloom Bloody Butcher corn and aged five years, this killer whiskey drops 10/9/25, with early access beginning 10/7 for members of INK’s Psychos Only and Find Familiar Spirits’ Fam Club. Head to HorrorwoodReserve.com for more information.”

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INDEPENDENT FILM COMPANY AND SHUDDER ACQUIRE ADAM MACDONALD’S ZOMBIE OUTBREAK HORROR “THIS IS NOT A TEST” STARRING OLIVIA HOLT, FROY GUTIERREZ, LUKE MACFARLANE: “Independent Film Company and Shudder have announced today that they have acquired the rights to writer-director Adam MacDonald’s zombie outbreak horror THIS IS NOT A TEST, marking his fourth collaboration with IFC Entertainment Group following his previous releases BACKCOUNTRY, PYEWACKET, and OUT COME THE WOLVES. The film is adapted from the popular YA novel of the same name by New York Times best-selling author Courtney Summers, and stars Olivia Holt (HEART EYES), Froy Gutierrez (THE STRANGERS), Luke MacFarlane (BROS), Corteon Moore (“Overcompensating”), Chloe Avakian (“John Wayne Gacy”), and Carson MacCormac (CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD). The deal includes rights in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Independent Film Company and Shudder will release THIS IS NOT A TEST in theaters in 2026.

THIS IS NOT A TEST follows Sloane and a small group of her classmates who take cover in their high school to escape their suddenly apocalyptic hometown. As danger relentlessly pounds on the doors, Sloane begins to see the world through the eyes of people who actually want to live and takes matters into her own hands.

“Courtney Summers’ book THIS IS NOT A TEST captivated me completely with its raw energy and dynamic characters, a story I felt personally and knew it had to be brought to the screen. I couldn’t be happier with Olivia Holt’s exceptional talent stepping into Sloane’s shoes (Docs) and bringing her to life. I’m beyond thrilled the film is in great hands and found a home with Independent Film Company and Shudder, a team that puts so much passion in the films they release,” said director Adam MacDonald. “Producer Cybill Lui and I brought together the very best creative team to realize this deeply emotional, gritty, intense film, one that puts you on the very edge of your seat and will leave you with hope at the end of the world.”

Independent Film Company’s Director of Acquisitions and Productions Adam Koehler commented, “Adam MacDonald has an unmatched ability to elevate genre filmmaking with heart, intelligence, and raw human emotion. We’re thrilled to bring THIS IS NOT A TEST to a new generation of viewers who crave horror that hits both the gut and the soul.”

THIS IS NOT A TEST is produced by Cybill Lui (THE SILENCING) of Anova Pictures and Adam MacDonald. The deal was negotiated by Adam Koehler for Independent Film Company and Shudder with Cybill Lui on behalf of the filmmakers.”

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Blumhouse Enhanced Cinema Launch Trailer for Meta Quest 3 + 3S: “Experience a New Dimension of Horror With Blumhouse on Meta Quest. Blumhouse Enhanced Cinema gives horror fans a new way to experience fan-favorite films M3GAN and The Black Phone. The scares bleed off the screen, with immersive effects and Dolby Atmos spatial sound so the cinema surrounds you. From chilling ambient effects to the eerie presence of characters close by, this is horror made to be felt — not just watched.”

Available now: https://metaque.st/3VVY8e4