In 1974, Black Christmas was released. A remake came out in 2006. And this December, a third version (the second remake) of this scary movie will hit theaters.
The general story is the same in all three: It is the holiday season on a college campus. Sorority sisters are tormented. People start to lose their lives. Yes, it definitely makes for a thrilling and chilling tale for viewers, but how will this new film be different? And what nods to the original can fans expect to see? Here are the five things we know and five things we hope to see.
We Know It Comes Out On Friday The 13th
The release date for this new version of Black Christmas has been set for December 13, 2019. It is a holiday-themed film, so it is great that it is coming on during this month. What is even better is that that date happens to fall on a Friday this year. That being said, audiences will head to movie theaters (if brave enough) on Friday the 13th, the spookiest day of all, in order to watch it all play out on the big screen and on this big day. Whether it is a hit or a miss, the team did well in landing such a perfect release day.
We Hope We Get To Hear Scary Christmas Songs
Some very interesting things can happen when Halloween and Christmas are combined within a film; just look at The Nightmare Before Christmas! It has some classic songs in it that can actually be sung from October through December. And in the trailer for this new Black Christmas movie, viewers get to hear a sinister-sounding version of Carol of the Bells, which is a well-known tune associated with decorated trees, wrapped gifts and, now, sorority spooks. If this version also plays in the movie, that would be great. If other scary holiday songs pop up along the way, that would be even better.
We Know It Is From Blumhouse Productions
Speaking of the team behind this horror flick… Jason Blum is serving as the producer, and as fans of the genre know, he is the founder of Blumhouse Productions. This studio is responsible for franchises like The Purge and Paranormal Activity, and Blum has previously worked on movies such as Sinister, Hush, Happy Death Day, Halloween and Us. Furthermore, Sophia Takal directed this remake, and she and Blum helped bring Into the Dark to Hulu. Black Christmas has a lot to live up to and is already getting people excited, with all of those previous and creepy titles!
We Hope We Get A Good Cult Story
The trailer also gives several glimpses of what appears to be a cult. Now, slasher films on their own are pretty popular. And there are lots of horror flicks out there that focus on demonic and twisted groups, as well. With both of these elements put into this remake, it could be amazing.
Who is in the cult? Are they responsible for all that is happening? Did the trailer give too much away? Will this be a huge part of the story or even a twist somehow? We shall see.
We Know It Was Filmed In New Zealand
This summer, work started on all of this in New Zealand. Specifically, locations such as Dunedin and Oamaru were used, as well as the University of Otago. Since the story takes place on a college campus, having an academic setting was key, at least for a couple of exterior shots. From the lecture halls and the main building to the iconic sorority houses, there are, have been and will be several shots of an actual campus in Black Christmas. And when it comes to this second remake, the public can know that this university, in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand, played a part.
We Hope We Get Easter Eggs
The original cast, from the year 1974, included a couple of stars who appeared in some popular horror films: John Saxon was in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Olivia Hussey was in It, and Margot Kidder was in The Amityville Horror (and was Lois Lane). The second remake’s cast, from 2006, also included stars who have been in some known scary things: Katie Cassidy was in When a Stranger Calls, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was in 10 Cloverfield Lane, and Oliver Hudson was in Scream Queens. Any reference or cameo appearance would be greatly appreciated!
We Know It Stars Some Familiar Faces
The cast for this new movie includes Aleyse Shannon, Simon Mead, Brittany O'Grady, Caleb Eberhardt and Lily Donoghue, as well as two names that should be quite familiar to those who can’t get enough of horror flicks and two names of people who are already familiar with acting in horror flicks.
First up is Imogen Poots, who was in 28 Weeks Later in 2007, Fright Night in 2011, and Green Room in 2015. Next is Cary Elwes who was in Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992, Saw in 2004, Saw 3D: The Final Chapter in 2010 and Stranger Things in 2019.
We Hope We Get To Celebrate Sisterhood
As mentioned, the plot and the trailer for December’s film both put an emphasis on these sorority sisters coming together, in order to stand up against the bad guy (or guys). It seems more and more stories recently have been doing this, since the damsel-in-distress trope has been used and used for years and years, especially within this genre. So, when thinking about what we really want from this second remake, we hope we do get to truly celebrate sisterhood in a real and awesome way; win or lose, it is always nice to see people get closer and stronger.
And We Know It Features Some Updated Female Stereotypes
The plot for December’s version of Black Christmas says that, as in the past, sorority girls are being taken out by a stalker. There is a bit of a twist, though, which the stalker and the viewers will realize: This new group of girls is not into playing the victim or being the damsel in distress. No, this new trailer shows them banding together, not giving up, fighting until the end and showing the world what sisterhood is all about! Again, whether this ends up being a good or bad film, this aspect sounds refreshing.
And We Hope We Get A Good Movie
And last but not least, let’s just hope it is good! New horror flicks are released all the time, whether on TV, through a streaming service or in the theater. It may be a brand-new story, a remake, a retelling, a prequel or something inspired by lots of past works. There are classics that can’t be beat, modern-day hits that impressed many, some okay-ish flicks and then several that just did not do anything for any of us at all. So, perhaps, with this third movie and this second remake of Black Christmas coming out… maybe third time’s the charm, making it the best one yet.
