With April marking the halfway point to Halloween, AMC Networks will debut Shudder’s annual programming event, Halfway to Halloween, featuring a slate of new Shudder original series, specials, and films.
This year’s programming lineup is headlined by the latest installment of the popular anthology series “Slasher: Ripper” starring Eric McCormack (“Will & Grace”). “Slasher: Ripper” takes the “Slasher” franchise back in time to the late 19th century and tells of Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees a city on the cusp of a new century, and a social upheaval that will see its streets run red with blood. There’s a killer stalking the mean streets, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper, The Widow is meting out justice against the rich and powerful. The only person standing in the way of this killer is the newly promoted detective, Kenneth Rijkers, whose ironclad belief in justice may wind up being yet another victim of The Widow.
“Slasher: Ripper” will premiere with two episodes on April 6. The fourth season of “Slasher,” “Slasher: Flesh and Blood,” will also be available to stream for free for the entire month of April.
On April 14, Shudder will premiere the “V/H/S” franchise spin-off “Kids vs. Aliens.” Starring Dominic Mariche (“Are You Afraid of the Dark?”), Phoebe Rex (“The Last Divide”), and Calem MacDonald (“The Umbrella Academy”), this film tells of an all-time rager of a teen house party that turns to terror when aliens attack, forcing two warring siblings to band together to survive the night.
April 21 marks the season five return of “The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.” Join Joe Bob, Darcy the Mail Girl, and the rest of The Last Drive-In crew as they ring in an all-new fifth season, which for the first time ever will be split into two parts, with the first half of the season premiering on Friday, April 21 and the final half returning mid-June, rounding out the horror-viewing experience.
The Boulet Brothers are celebrating Halfway to Halloween with an all-new special. Premiering on April 25, “The Boulet Brothers’ Halfway to Halloween TV Special” will be a mid-year variety show celebrating the “Halfway to Halloween” season for fans who can’t wait until October 31 to get a good dose of the dark side. Calling to mind the era of classic retro holiday variety shows, the program will be hosted from The Boulet’s haunter manor set. It will feature scripted skits, musical performances, and guest appearances from an impressive lineup of stars, including David Dastmalchian (“Dune”), who co-produced the special, Kevin Smith (“Tusk”), Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”), Taran Killam (“SNL”), Matthew Lillard (“Scream” film series), Jorge Garcia (“Lost”), Steve Agee (“Peacemaker”), Barbara Crampton (“Re-Animator”), Felissa Rose (“Sleepaway Camp”), Katya (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Derek Mears (“Friday the 13th”), Satanic doo-wop band Twin Temple, and Kendra Onixx, Koco Caine and Melissa Befierce (“The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula”)—additional guests to be announced.
Rounding out Halfway to Halloween is the April 28 premiere of the film “From Black.” Directed by Thomas Marchese, who also serves as writer with Jessub Flower, the film tells of a young mother crushed by guilt after her young son’s disappearance five years ago. But when she is presented with a bizarre offer to learn the truth and set things right, how far is she willing to go, and is she willing to pay the terrifying price for a chance to hold her boy again? Starring Anna Camp (“Pitch Perfect”), Jennifer Lafleur (“Nope”), and John Ales (“Euphoria”).
Other halfway-to-Halloween highlights arriving on Shudder in April include “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) and “Blair Witch 2,” “The Wicker Man” (1973), “The Fog,” and “Pumpkinhead.”
