Aussie horror filmmaker Greg Mclean is something of an underdog in the current horror landscape. While he doesn’t quite have the name recognition of a James Wan or Oren Peli, his pics “Wolf Creek” and “Rogue” have established a firm following for the director and he’s currently lining up his next effort, a micro-budget affair with a big company behind it.
Deadline reports that Lionsgate is getting into the no-budget filmmaking game, with a new mandate to produce up to 10 films per year for less than $2 million. It’s basically a giant lottery card with the studio hoping that at least one of them turns into a monster-sized hit. Among the titles announced (which we’ll get to in a moment) is “6 Miranda Drive.” With Mclean set to write and direct, “the tale focuses on a family that unwittingly brings a supernatural force home with them from vacation. The evil presence feeds off their fears and secrets.” We hope there is a bit more to that logline because otherwise it basically sounds like yet another riff on “Poltergeist.” But if anyone can find a new way to tackle that ground, it’s Mclean.
So what else is on tap? Some pretty lame-sounding movies to be honest. There’s “Rapturepalooza” (#movietitlefail) starring Craig Robinson from “The Office.” Written by Chris Matheson (the ‘Bill & Ted‘ movies) the story “takes place a year after a religious apocalypse strips away half the world’s population. Ben and Lindsey try to reestablishing their sandwich cart business. Beyond the occasional blood rainstorm and talking locusts that surface occasionally, the sandwich sellers have a new problem: the Anti-Christ (Robinson) decides he wants to take Lindsey as his bride.” Paul Middleditch will direct.
There is also “Gay Dude” (#movietitlefail), a Black List script by “Parks and Recreation” writer Alan Yang about two guys who vow to lose their virginity before college but one of them is (UH OH) gay. Didn’t Sony just try the no-budget-losing-your-virginity-movie with “The Virginity Hit” a few months ago and no one cared? And Will Ferrell‘s Gary Sanchez shingle produced it. Not sure why anyone will care about the concept this time around.
But hey, if even one of these becomes a modest success it pretty much pays for the rest so, there you go. Why take a chance on one well-made movie, when you can make 10 mediocre ones and hope one sticks?
