Director Neill Blomkamp is out promoting his horror film ‘Demonic” and he spoke with our very own Rodrigo Perez for The Playlist podcast. During that chat, we learned some interesting things about the fate of his never-made “Alien 5” that attempted to bring back Sigourney Weaver‘s Ellen Ripley. Along with the filmmaker’s desire to return to the world of his fantastically designed sci-fi actioner “Elysium.”

READ MORE: Neill Blomkamp Talks ‘Demonic,’ ‘Alien 5,’ New Volumetric Tech & More [Deep Focus Podcast]

“I would love to do more films in the world of ‘Elysium.’ I love the setup of that world.

Continue reading Neill Blomkamp Talks More ‘Elysium’ Films & Alludes To Ridley Scott Killing The ‘Alien 5’ Idea at The Playlist.

The Deep Focus podcast is back, and this week, we have filmmaker Neill Blomkamp,  known for “District 9,” “Elysium,” and blending sci-fi with socio-political commentary and envelope-pushing technology. Blomkamp’s latest film, “Demonic,” does all that with a little bit of a twist. It’s his first supernatural horror film that takes him outside of his comfort zone of sci-fi, and it’s seemingly less heavy on the socio-political observation.

Continue reading Neill Blomkamp Talks ‘Demonic,’ ‘Alien 5,’ New Volumetric Tech & More [Deep Focus Podcast] at The Playlist.

Neill Blomkamp affirms again with “Demonic,” his least entertaining feature film yet, that he is a true mad scientist with genre even if everything blows up in his face. His convictions can be truly bizarre, like with something as small as Jodie Foster’s peculiar accent in “Elysium” or the entirety of “Chappie.” Whether one likes those movies or not, it’s unmistakable that Blomkamp believes in what he’s toying with and that such confidence defines his artistry when creating his mark in the crowded world of sci-fi.

Continue reading ‘Demonic’: Neill Blomkamp’s Supernatural Horror Misfire Is More Interested In Toying With New Tech Than Story [Review] at The Playlist.

Just as things were seemingly returning to normal – albeit slowly for some – it would seem that we may be going back to studios possibly shifting release dates for their more prominent properties. Or maybe “Clifford the Big Red Dog” is simply an outlier. That said, for the time being, there’s plenty of films on the docket worth keeping an eye out for in a month full of original content and few titles (such as the well-regarded “The Suicide Squad“) based on existing properties.

Continue reading 13 Films To Watch In August: ‘Suicide Squad,’ ‘Candyman,’ ‘Coda’ & More at The Playlist.

Following his directorial debut, “District 9” (2009), the sky was the limit for South African-Canadian director Neil Blomkamp. “District 9” nabbed four Oscar nods that year, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, and made Blomkamp a sci-fi wunderkind overnight. However, since that auspicious beginning, it’s been a patchy ride—ambitious but mixed efforts like “Elysium” (2013), “Chappie” (2015). Additionally, stalled attempts at making new entries into the “Alien” and “Robocop” franchise ensured he remained out of the filmic consciousness.

Continue reading ‘Demonic’ Trailer: Supernatural Hallucinations Outside The Simulation Will F You Up In Neil Blomkamp’s New Horror at The Playlist.

It’s been a somewhat tough decade for writer-director Neill Blomkamp.  Since his box-office hit feature debut “District 9” garnered four Oscar nominations in 2009, the South African-Canadian sci-fi auteur has released two major films to diminishing critical and commercial returns: 2013’s “Elysium” (a mega-budgeted misfire by the director’s own admission) and 2015’s “Chappie” (which flopped despite a stellar cast and lighter tone).  Perhaps even more significant are the films Blompkamp ended up not making: he’s been hired and fired from shelved sequels to both “Alien” and “RoboCop,” two of the most beloved franchises in modern movies.  If either of those projects came together, his cultural footprint might more closely resemble a Ridley Scott or James Cameron.  However, notwithstanding a devoted cult following, Blomkamp’s career hasn’t quite delivered on the promise of his early success.

Continue reading ‘Demonic’ Trailer: Neill Blomkamp Returns With A Terrifying Supernatural Horror Project at The Playlist.

What did you do during the pandemic? If you’re a filmmaker with horror tendencies, you made a lo-fi horror film, it seems. That’s what Ben Wheatley did with “In The Earth,” same with filmmaking duo Nick Simon and writer/actor Luke Baine (“The Girl in the Photographs“), and it’s also what “District 9” and “Chappie” director Neill Blomkamp did too with his “free time.” The result is “Demonic,” a horror-thriller about unleashing demons and supernatural forces between family members.

Continue reading Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Demonic’ First Look: Watch Behind-The-Scenes 8mm Footage & More at The Playlist.

Watch: First Trailer For James Wan-Produced Horror 'Demonic' Starring Frank Grillo & Maria Bello

Continue reading Watch: First Trailer For James Wan-Produced Horror ‘Demonic’ Starring Frank Grillo & Maria Bello at The Playlist.

Release Dates: Jon Stewart's 'Rosewater' Readied For Oscar Season, 'The Huntsman' Coming In Spring 2016

Continue reading Release Dates: Jon Stewart’s ‘Rosewater’ Readied For Oscar Season, ‘The Huntsman’ Coming In Spring 2016 at The Playlist.