JOHN DIES AT THE END Sci-Fi Horror Comedy Gets Distribution

Magnet Releasing has taken it upon themselves to distribute the supernatural sci-fi horror comedy John Dies at the End. I had a chance to see this film while at Sundance earlier this year, and I thought it was an extremely entertaining flick. It's definitely not for everyone because it's such an odd, far out movie, but that's why I liked it so much! It was different kind of wacky than anything else being made.

The film was written and directed by Don Coscarelli (Bubba Ho-Tep), and is an adaptation of the novel written by Cracked.com's David Wong. It stars Paul Giamatti, Chase Williamson as David, Rob Meyers as John, Doug Jones, and Clancy Brown, who plays a badass well known Russian paranormal psychic named Dr. Albert Marconi, who helps John and Dave on a dimensional journey. 

Here's the synopsis:

On the street, they call it “soy sauce.” It's a paranormal, psychoactive drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Its users drift across time and dimensions, but some who come back are devoid of all humanity. While most of Earth’s inhabitants remain blissfully oblivious to its threat—make no mistake—an otherworldly invasion is under way, and mankind needs to be saved. Enter John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. How can these guys possibly be expected to rescue mankind from certain destruction?

Here's what I had to say in my review,

I loved that they took the film where they did, and accepted it for what it was, embracing the bizarreness of it all. I probably would have loved it just as much had they held back a bit as well. Frankly, I enjoyed the characters. It was their personalities mixed in with the supernatural element and wackiness that made this movie so fun and entertaining for me. There are so many ways this movie could have sucked ass, but it was these characters that made it what it was and made it work so well.

John Dies at the End is sure to end up being a cult classic, and it's not to be missed when it eventually gets released. You need to experience this movie for yourself, nothing I or anyone else says can prepare you for the absurd hysteria! 

The movie was made for the internet movie geek generation, so it's definitely a must watch for those of you who fit into that category. It will be released on all VOD platforms in late December, with a theatrical release to follow in early 2013. 

Here's the Trailer:

Here's the Press Release:

The Wagner/Cuban Company's Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today they have acquired worldwide rights to John Dies at the End, a phantasmagoric new sci-fi/horror film directed, produced and written for the screen by auteur and cult legend Don Coscarelli (Bubba Ho-Tep, the Phantasm series). Starring Paul Giamatti (who executive produced with Daniel Carey), Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman and Doug Jones, the film was also produced by M3 Creative’s Brad Baruh, Andy Meyers and Roman Perez, and based on the bestselling book by David Wong.

Paul Giamatti plays Arnie, a shadowy figure investigating a street drug known as Soy Sauce. Promising an out-of-body experience with each hit, Soy Sauce causes users to drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and Dave (Mayes and Williamson), a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't.

John Dies at the End premiered as a work in progress at this year's Sundance film festival, kicking off an impressive festival run that included SXSW and the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, where the final cut of the film will premiere as the closing night film of Midnight Madness. Magnet will release the film this year through its Ultra VOD program, debuting it on all VOD platforms in late December, with a theatrical release to follow in early 2013.

"We are longtime fans of the great Don Coscarelli, and fell in love with this film when it debuted at Sundance," said Magnolia/Magnet President Eamonn Bowles. "It's a real head trip—imaginative, wildly funny, and incredibly demented, with all the makings of an underground classic that fans will come back to again and again."

Coscarelli adds, "It is my great pleasure to be allied with the finest and most entrepreneurial independent film distributor in the terrific team at Magnolia Pictures. They share my passion for the story of Dave and John…Obviously the 'Soy Sauce' that kicks the plot into gear has had the same addictive effect on them as it did me. Watch out!"