New Bites! Witches, Dungeon Crawlers and the Schwartz

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There have been three Blair Witch films to date, but the 1999 original remains the only one that truly resonates, arguably the only one that ever really mattered. That lightning-in-a-bottle release didn’t just scare audiences, it reshaped the horror genre and helped ignite the found-footage boom that followed. Since then, the franchise has struggled to recapture that magic, with Adam Wingard’s 2016 sequel widely seen as a low point that pushed the series further off course.

Now, Lionsgate and Blumhouse Productions are attempting yet another revival, pressing ahead with a reboot that suggests Hollywood still isn’t ready to let the property rest. According to reports, Dylan Clark ( known for Transfigure, Home Movies, and Seagrass) is set to direct, with production potentially beginning in early fall. Still, there’s reason for skepticism: made for under $60,000, the original Blair Witch captured a cultural moment that simply can’t be manufactured. As the sequels have shown, some phenomena are impossible to recreate.

A television adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl is officially in the works at Peacock, bringing the wildly popular sci-fi/fantasy saga to the screen. Produced by Fuzzy Door Productions, the series is set to lean into the books’ signature blend of dark humour, high-stakes action, and absurdity. Created by author Matt Dinniman, the story has built a devoted fanbase thanks to its unique premise and irreverent tone.

The narrative follows Carl, a Coast Guard veteran who finds himself thrust into a brutal, galaxy-spanning reality show after an alien invasion devastates Earth and wipes out most of humanity. Forced to compete in a deadly, dungeon-style competition for the entertainment of extraterrestrial audiences, Carl is joined by an unlikely companion: his ex-girlfriend’s outspoken, scene-stealing show cat, who can talk and fight just as fiercely as any human contestant. Together, they must navigate increasingly lethal challenges, bizarre alien rules, and a twisted entertainment system where survival is the ultimate prize.With seven books already released and an eighth installment arriving this May, the source material offers a rich foundation for adaptation. If the series can capture the books’ chaotic energy, sharp humour, and emotional undercurrents, Dungeon Crawler Carl could become one of Peacock’s standout genre offerings.

Amazon MGM Studios has officially set the long-awaited sequel to Spaceballs for release on April 23, 2027, marking the cult classic’s 40th anniversary. The new film will see the return of several original cast members, including Rick Moranis reprising his role as Lord Dark Helmet, alongside Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, and George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz. Legendary filmmaker Mel Brooks, now 99 and an EGOT winner, will also return to the screen as Yogurt, the wise and whimsical parody of a Jedi master.

Spaceballs 2

Details about the sequel’s plot and title are being kept tightly under wraps, though the studio has leaned into the franchise’s trademark humour with a deliberately vague and tongue-in-cheek synopsis. Earlier descriptions jokingly labeled the project a “non-prequel non-reboot sequel part two with reboot elements,” signaling that the film will continue the original’s irreverent approach to genre parody.

Directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Josh Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez, the sequel is expected to once again spoof iconic sci-fi franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Alien. Producers include Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and Jeb Brody, with Brooks and Gad also contributing behind the scenes. The project was first teased by Brooks in a playful announcement video highlighting the explosion of franchise filmmaking over the past four decades, before delivering the punchline: after all this time, Spaceballs is finally getting a sequel.

[Source – Deadline – Credit to Deadline for the Table Read photo]