Co-writer/producer Eli Roth takes on his first starring role in Aftershock, a fictionalized disaster film loosely based on the 2010 Chilean earthquake.  Roth stars as Gringo, an American divorcée touring through Chile with his friends Ariel (Ariel Levy) and Pollo (Nicolas Martinez).  After meeting a trio of beautiful women (Andrea Osvart, Lorenza Izzo, and Natasha Yarovenko) the group heads out for a night of drunken debauchery, but when a devastating earthquake hits they must do whatever it takes to survive a night of recurring aftershocks, escaped convicts, and panicking civilians.  Directed by Nicolas Lopez, Aftershock takes a decidedly “genre” approach to the subject matter setting up death after bloody death and delivering on gruesome effects.  Aftershock is available in select theaters and on VOD May 10th.

At a recent LA press day I sat down with Roth for a one on one interview.  We talked about morality in disaster films, how much of the story is based on real events, Nicholas Lopez’s innovative approach to directing, and making a realistic disaster film with a limited budget.  We also talked about Green Inferno, his hopes to premiere at Toronto, how new technology is changing the industry, and much more.  Hit the jump to check out what he had to say.

Today, Netflix released all 13 episodes of its new original horror series Hemlock Grove, based on the novel of the same name by Brian McGreevy and produced by Eli Roth.  After the critical success of the subscription platform’s House of Cards series, it’s easy to see why viewers would be excited for the next offering.  Hemlock Grove though is worlds away from House of Cards, and while many outlets have slammed the series as being practically unwatchable, I actually have to give it credit for a few things despite its larger flaws.  Put it in the category of “guilty pleasure.”  And, actually, it manages to have a little something for everyone, even those who aren’t horror genre fans.  Hit the jump for more.

Eli Roth is at it again, delivering chills, thrills and bloody disgusting goodness in the newly-released red-band trailer for Netflix’s original series Hemlock Grove.  Roth serves as executive producer for the gothic thriller, based on Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name.  The story follows the residents of a former steel town in Pennsylvania after the murder of a 17-year-old girl.  Of course, as any investigation goes, it soon begins to unravel the mysteries and obscurities that plague some of its residents.  Grove marks Roth’s first venture into television and will also mark Netflix’s latest original series following the successful release of House of Cards earlier this year.  By the looks of the trailer, they seem to be pushing the boundaries when it comes to R-rated content.  It’s heart-stopping action enveloped in cringe-worthy bloody visuals, with plenty of sex and even a dash of comedy – I’m definitely on board this crazy train.

The series stars Famke Janssen, Penelope Mitchell, Bill Skarsgard, Freya Tingley, and Lili Taylor.  All 13 episodes will be available to Netflix members on Friday, April 19th.  Hit the jump to view the red-band trailer forHemlock Grove.  For more insight on the show and some cool tidbits, check out our set visit here.

Not many Americans are familiar Parkwood Estate, a Canadian National Historic Site about an hour’s drive east of Toronto. The sprawling mansion was home to Samuel McLaughlin, a business magnate who founded General Motors of Canada and built the home and gardens in the town of Oshawa. Today, it’s open to the public, though its interiors and garden remain much the same as they were when McLaughlin lived in it in the 1930s. It’s also the site of a number of famous film and television shoots, including the original X-Men, Billy Madison, Warehouse 13 and The Ref. On the day Collider visited, a much different series is wrapping up principal photography:  Netflix’s new original series Hemlock Grove. Hit the jump to read our full set visit report.

Hemlock Grove, based on Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name, puts a spin on the current trend of werewolves and vampires, replacing love triangles with body parts and unconsummated longing with raunchy, bloody sex.  The story picks up in the small town of Hemlock Grove following a string of grisly murders when new boy in town, Peter Rumancek, gypsy trailer trash and rumored werewolf, comes under suspicion for the crime.  Peter finds an unlikely ally in Roman Godfrey, golden boy of the wealthy and influential Godfrey estate, Hemlock Grove’s resident wealthy philanthropists in the model of the Carnegies.  Together the pair attempts to solve the mystery of the murder before the killer can strike again.  The show stars Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott, Lili Taylor, and Bill Skarsgard, Landon Liboiron.

Shortly before the WonderCon panel (here’s my recap), executive producer Eli Roth and director Deran Sarafian sat down for a roundtable interview.  We talked about what attracted Roth to the TV format, what they loved about the book, creating a unique werewolf transformation, balancing the gore with good story, Roman and Peter’s Unique Relationship, and more. Check out the full interview after the jump. Please be aware that there are minor spoilers for the first three episodes.

Eli Roth’s horror series debut of Hemlock Grove is about one month away, so this new trailer is here to remind you to mark your calendars.  Based on Brian McGreevy’s novel, Hemlock Grove centers on the citizens of the titular town and an investigation into the death of 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell, which reveals much more than anyone expected.

Starring Famke Janssen (X-Men), Bill Skarsgård (Simon & The Oaks), Landon Liboiron (Terra Nova), Penelope Mitchell (6 Plots), Freya Tingley (X) and Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible II), Hemlock Grove will be available on Netflix starting April 19th.  Hit the jump to watch the new trailer.

Eli Rothis one of those guys who seemingly never stops working.  Whether serving as director, producer, actor, or some combination thereof, he’s always got a bounty of projects on the table.  This year is no different and first up is The Last Exorcism 2, opening March 1^st, for which Roth returns as producer.  Part 2 continues where the first film left off, Louisiana farm girl Nell (Ashley Bell) is found alone in the woods with her family dead and no memory of what happened.  As she tries to build a new life for herself in New Orleans pieces of her past begin to resurface and she discovers that the demon inside her is in no hurry to let her go.

I recently landed an exclusive phone interview with Roth.  He talked about coming up with a new approach for the sequel, the difficulty of titling the sequel, and whether fans can expect to have their questions answered.  He also talked about getting back in the director’s chair with The Green Inferno, shooting in the Amazon, the status on Thanksgiving, stepping into television format with Hemlock Grove, and working with Ti West on The Sacrament.  Check out the full transcript after the jump.

Eli Roth has kept busy these past years with acting and producing roles, but his new film The Green Inferno will be his first feature directing gig since 2007′s Hostel: Part II.  Roth has released a brief synopsis for The Green Inferno on his Tumblr: “A group of student activists from New York City travel to the Amazon to protect a dying tribe, but crash in the jungle and are taken hostage by the very natives they saved.”  As you can see from the image, The Green Inferno looks like Roth’s spin on cannibal horror movies.  I didn’t care for Hostel, but maybe Roth’s new flick has eased up on the torture porn.

Hit the jump to check out the image.  The film stars Lorenza Izzo (Aftershock), Ariel Levy (Aftershock), Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), and Kirby Bliss Blanton (Project X).  Click here for Steve’s interview at TIFF with Roth where he talks about The Green Inferno.

Netflix is kicking their original content into high gear this spring with the debuts of David Fincher’s political thriller series House of Cards, new episodes of Arrested Development, and a gothic thriller series called Hemlock Grove.  The latter comes from producer Eli Roth (who also directed the pilot), and a first trailer for Hemlock Grove has now been released online.  The show is based on Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name and revolves around “the eccentric residents of a dilapidated former Pennsylvania steel town and the murder of 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell.  Through the investigation, the town’s seamier side is exposed, revealing that nothing is what it seems.”  The trailer looks like a cross between Grimm and Twin Peaks, with a touch of The Twilight Zone.  Color me intrigued.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The show stars Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgard, Landon Liboiron, Penelope Mitchell, Freya Tingley, and Dougray Scott.  All 13 episodes will be available at once on Netflix on April 19th.

CBS Films has released the first trailer for the horror sequel The Last Exorcism Part II.  Again produced by Eli Roth, the story picks up where the 2010 first film left off, with Ashley Bell’s lead character unable to remember the events of the previous months.  While she begins the process of starting a new life, the evil force that once possessed her rears its ugly head once more.  I never saw the first movie so I have nothing to compare this to, but the trailer doesn’t exactly look very scary, unless you consider ominous stares and goofy hand gestures frightening.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The Last Exorcism Part II opens on March 1st. [Update: CBS Films has provided us with a new image from the film, which is included after the jump.]

The first trailer for the disaster thriller Aftershock, co-written by and starring Eli Roth, has been released online.  The film takes place in the wake of a deadly earthquake, but as this trailer shows, it quickly turns into a bloody horror film in true Eli Roth fashion.  It looks like a mix between Final Destination and Hostel, and I’m not sure if there’s simply one deranged killer on the loose or many, but the pic does indeed look to be quite gory.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer, and click here to watch Steve’s interview with Roth and co-writer/director Nicolas Lopez.  The film also stars Andrea Osvart, Ariel Levy, and Selena Gomez.

Steve walked the floor at the American Film Market (AFM) early this morning and managed to bring back some detailed synopses for the following films:

• Jane Got a Gun – A Western starring Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender
• Parkland – A drama about the JFK assassination starring Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Giamatti, and Jacki Weaver.
• The Green Inferno – The next directorial project from Eli Roth.
• A Walk Among the Tombstones – A crime thriller starring Liam Neeson.
• Agent: Century 21 – An action comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Benicio Del Toro.

Hit the jump to check out all the detailed synopses, which include production start dates.

After years and years of work, Wu-Tang Clan member RZA’s writing and directorial debut, The Man with the Iron Fists is finally hitting screens on November 2nd. The film, co-written by Eli Roth and presented by Quentin Tarantino is a cross-cultural mashup of 70s Kung Fu, 90s gangsta rap and 00s comic book logic. While it might seem odd for a famed rapper to spend almost a decade working on a movie set entirely in feudal China, just one listen to any Wu record will clearly show that Rza has been building to this moment for almost two decades.  For more on the film, here are three clips.

Last weekend I sat down with RZA and Eli Roth back stage at the House of Blues in Hollywood to discuss the film. During the interview we talked about autobiographical influence, the director’s cut, how the story would work without the Kung Fu, a mysterious flying character and much more.  Hit the jump to watch.

We have three new clips to share with you today from writer/director/star RZA’s kung-fu epic, The Man with the Iron Fists.  First up is Bronze Lion (Cung Le) taking on Madame Blossom (Lucy Liu), followed by a bloody introduction to Jack Knife (Russell Crowe) and finally, a clash between the wrought iron fists of the Blacksmith (RZA) and the zinc and copper alloy of Brass Body (David Bautista).  The clips do a nice job at showcasing the fighting styles of each of our characters, but also give a glimpse into the overall tone of the film.  Part kung-fu cliche and part homage, The Man with the Iron Fists looks to mix in a fair dose of humor alongside the action (if Crowe’s craziness is any indication).  The Man with the Iron Fists opens November 2nd.  Hit the jump to check out the clips.

A new trailer from writer/director/star RZA’s kung-fu action flick The Man with the Iron Fists has dropped and it features UFC fighter Cung Le in character as the Bronze Lion.  The story follows a group of warriors, assassins, heroes and villains who unite to take down a clan traitor in order to prevent their own destruction. RZA’s directorial debut made my most anticipated list and I’m encouraged by the crazier and crazier footage being released.  If you missed the previous red-band trailers, you can get caught up here and here.

Hit the jump to watch the new trailer.  The film also stars Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, David Bautista, Pam Grier and Jamie Chung.  The Man with the Iron Fists opens on November 2nd.