Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: The Midnight Club

  • ‘The Midnight Club’ Has Been Canceled at Netflix

    ‘The Midnight Club’ Has Been Canceled at Netflix

    Following the news that Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy were leaving Netflix for Amazon, it was announced that The Midnight Club has officially been canceled at Netflix. The series, which was an adaptation of Christopher Pike‘s book of the same name, focused on a group of teenagers living at a hospice facility who formed the Midnight Club to share spooky stories with one another.

    The show, which debuted in October, was heavily promoted by Netflix, and even had a massive panel at New York Comic Con, where Netflix shared the first episode with audience members ahead of its release. Flanagan went on record to say that the show had been developed as a multi-season series, noting that there was still plenty left to use from Pike’s books. He also revealed that, should the series be canceled, he would share the plans for the show’s future on Twitter.

    The Midnight Club starred Iman Benson, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd, Annarah Cymone, Sauriyan Sapkota, Adia, Aya Furukawa and William Chris Sumpter. All 10 episodes are now streaming on Netflix.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Netflix Loses ‘Midnight Mass’ Creators to Amazon

    Netflix Loses ‘Midnight Mass’ Creators to Amazon

    Now this is quite the development, as after having worked on a multitude of Netflix original projects, Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy have moved on and signed an exclusive multiyear deal with Amazon Studios. They worked on popular horror projects like The Haunting of Hill House or Midnight Mass.

    The exclusivity deal means that future projects they work on under their Intrepid Pictures banner will stream on Prime Video’s 240 countries. Head of Global Television, Vernon Sanders, has shared some words on the exclusivity deal.

    Mike and Trevor are remarkable at telling immersive, suspenseful stories that masterfully keep audiences engaged from start to finish. We are excited to welcome them to Amazon Studios and are looking forward to our global customers experiencing their genre-bending creativity.

    Vernon Sanders

    Flanagan and Macy also have shared their excitement of joining the studio’s future ventures.

    Amazon is a studio that we have long admired. Their commitment to engaging in groundbreaking series and content aligns with the ethos of what we have built at Intrepid. We are looking forward to working with the entire Amazon team as we bring our brand of genre productions to the service and audiences around the globe.

    Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy

    There’s no word on what exactly their next project might be. Intrepid last worked on The Midnight Club for Netflix and still is working on The Fall of the House of Usher for next year. Yet, it seems like future horror ventures from the duo will move away from their usual home and it does wonder if they’ll do something unique to make their new home stand out from previous ventures.

    Source: Deadline

  • From ‘Velma’ to ‘Midnight Club:’ Hunter’s Top 5 NYCC Experiences

    From ‘Velma’ to ‘Midnight Club:’ Hunter’s Top 5 NYCC Experiences

    After months of anticipation, New York Comic-Con has come and gone. Four incredible, lovely, tiring days of being a professional nerd. If one were to tell my younger self he was attending events like NYCC as a member of the press, that little guy would explode with excitement. It’s an honor, and every moment spent sprinting around the convention center is one worth talking about. However, we have neither the time nor the patience to discuss every second, so I’ve narrowed it down to my top five experiences instead. Creating a list like this is difficult when so much of the weekend was such a good time, so don’t take it as a condemnation of anything that didn’t make the cut. It’s really just the highlight reel for a perfect game.

    5. Cosplayers

    I love other nerds, so getting to see and talk to them is always going to make the list. I’ve been to quite a few conventions in my day, and if I’m being honest, this year’s NYCC might have been one of the most impressive when it came to fan creativity and cosplay. Every day, the costumes roaming the show floor seemed to become more and more complicated. Many were striking enough to stop me in my tracks. There were giant functioning robot suits, perfect renderings of classic comic looks, hilarious combinations of characters that most would never think to put together, and even one or two people who defied gravity. I saw a man floating and I’m still not sure how he did it.

    The communal love we show each other at places like NYCC, as people with a common interest, is so inspiring. I found this to be especially true at the Marvel booth’s cosplay contest, where dozens upon dozens of folks dressed as every Marvel character a person could think of gathered to celebrate one another. There was no hostility or jealousy. Just a lot of compliments and happy reunions.

    4. The George Lucas Talk Show

    I’m a sucker for comedy and a lover of Star Wars. Therefore, showing up for a live recording of The George Lucas Talk Show at NYCC was a given. For those outside the know, this a satirical show in which comedian Connor Ratliff dresses up as Star Wars creator George Lucas and interviews real celebrities with deadpan delivery. It’s sort of a niche little corner of fandom to find yourself in, but if you like absurdist humor, it comes highly recommended.

    The George Lucas Talk Show records an episode at NYCC every year, using the event to secure top Star Wars talent as guests. This time, they managed to secure Mandalorian stuntmen Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder, as well as Aphra comic writer Alyssa Wong and show regular Zach Cherry – who exists more in the world of Marvel than the galaxy far, far away. Belly laughs were aplenty, especially when Wayne admitted that Din Djarin is “never nude,” and the recording was a great little break from the chaos of the show floor.

    3. The Midnight Club

    I’ve loved Mike Flanagan’s work for years. He’s easily one of the best horror creatives currently shaping the genre. So, it was my great pleasure to see him and the entire cast of The Midnight Club take the stage at NYCC for the world premiere of his latest Netflix series. Watching horror with a crowd is so much fun, and the delightful Q&A that followed was even better. The cast and crew were brought onstage alongside a choir of mysterious, hooded, candle-carrying figures, with the lights dimmed all the way down. A theatrical touch I greatly appreciated.

    I was also there in person to see Flanagan and his team awarded the Guinness World Record for Most Jump Scares in an episode of television. Not only did it make for a great laugh, but now I’m able to check “watch someone receive a world record” off my bucket list. A little two-for-one special at one of the convention’s most underrated panels. Make sure you watch the show, it’s worth it!

    2. Velma

    My time at NYCC began with coverage for Velma, the upcoming animated adult comedy from The Office star Mindy Kaling. Before the Main Stage panel began, I had to opportunity to attend the project’s press room, which meant I was lucky enough to share space with Kaling herself as she answered a variety of questions from the journalists in the room. This was exciting in and of itself, but it was Kaling’s genuine kindness and clear joy that really made it so memorable. It was only my second time in a convention press room, and it was all so warm and welcoming.

    Of course, things only got better once the actual panel started. The casting announcements were a surprise for me, and I almost dropped out of my seat when Sam Richardson and Glenn Howerton’s faces appeared onstage. Those of us in attendance were also treated to a screening of the series’ first episode, which was wonderful from start to finish. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Velma going in, but it was definitely not a disappointment. Now, I consider it one of the best moments from the entirety of my time at Javits Center.

    1. Violent Night


    I never would have expected this going into the convention, but the World Premiere screening of Tommy Wirkola’s Violent Night was probably the most fun I had during all four days. Starring David Harbour as Santa Claus, the film sees jolly old Saint Nicholas mercilessly tearing through a group of trained hitmen on Christmas Eve. This isn’t the space for a review, but I can say witnessing that madness with the cast and crew sitting beside me, and a theater full of screaming fans, was an absolute blast. There’s something special about living through the magic that is a large group being insanely happy in unison.

    A member of the cast sat behind me during the showing, and hearing the hoots and hollers from his family during key moments was fulfilling and sustaining. Screaming, laughing, and cheering with all my fellow horror fans was a ride. Sitting in the first few rows, and being only feet from Harbour and John Leguizamo as they introduced the screening, was a very warm feeling. One of those experiences that reminds me why I’m doing what I do.

  • ‘The Midnight Club:’ A Tale of Two Viewing Experiences

    ‘The Midnight Club:’ A Tale of Two Viewing Experiences

    Mike Flanagan’s latest horror masterpiece, The Midnight Club, is now streaming on Netflix. The series, based on a novel by Christopher Pike, revolves around a group of terminally ill teenagers living at the (probably) haunted Brightcliffe hospice. Unbeknownst to the well-meaning staff, the mischievous kids sneak out of their rooms every night and meet in the library, where they tell each other ghost stories and think about life beyond the grave. It’s a fantastic premise, and it’s even better in execution. After a string of hits like the Haunting series and last year’s Midnight Mass, Flanagan delivers yet another exhilarating, endearing spookfest that’s worth everyone’s time and attention.

    As a fan of frights and lover of good television, I had the distinct pleasure of experiencing The Midnight Club’s premiere episode on two occasions before it became available to the rest of the world. First, after receiving a screener from Netflix, I watched the pilot alone in my room. I set everything up the same way I would have for the rest of Flanagan’s projects. A bottle of wine sat beside my bed in dim lighting as I curled up under my sheets – fluffy pajamas and all – and hit play on The Final Chapter. For the next hour, I mostly just made a variety of noises. They included screeches, gasps, and pleas for the fear to stop. With nobody but myself around, I was free to do whatever was necessary to cope with the events playing out on the screen in front of me. Whether or not I also covered my ears to soften the blow of jump scares is private information.

    Then, only a few nights later, I was lucky enough to watch The Final Chapter once more. For my second viewing, however, I was not alone. Instead, I found myself sitting amongst a large crowd of excitable horror fans at New York Comic-Con. The event was hosting the world premiere of the series, with the full cast and Flanagan in tow, and had pulled out all the stops. It was like a theater experience in that room, with the audience reacting loudly to every ghoulish moment and leaning forward in unison for each segment of emotional relief. We all took the bait together, metaphorically holding hands as we made our way down the murky path to Brightcliffe. It was an entirely different experience to the one I had lived through in my apartment. I no longer had my safety blanket, and instead was comforted only by the knowledge that everyone else in the room was as terrified as myself. It was group suffering, which is arguably the best kind of pain.

    Following my time in the convention center, I was left with a curious thought – after watching The Midnight Club both alone and with a crowd, was either method better than the other? I think the definitive answer is a firm “no,” as the way one chooses to experience something is subjective and a matter of personal preference. However, I thought it interesting to at least explore the differences between the two. Watching by myself, I was struck by the way The Midnight Club was able to consume the space in which it was playing. With each movement of the score, or trick of the camera, it had the power to suck away all other energy from my room. Shadows began to creep, and my attention was pulled fully into the world of Brightcliffe. It made jump scares harder to take. A quiet nightmare interrupted by the ferocious, adrenaline-filled jolt of sudden monstrous faces. When it was over, I sat in silence. Contemplating the choices I had made up until that point in my life.

    With an audience, it was altogether different. It didn’t matter that I already knew where the scares would be. The show is well-constructed enough to pull me in again, but this time, I had backup. There was a sense of relief after every fright, with myself and my fellow audience members even laughing at our own collective cowardice, in a somewhat successful attempt to clear the air of fear. Simultaneously, though, the scares felt bigger. With a full room reacting all at once, there was a sense of camaraderie in our terror. More of a rollercoaster ride than a personal attack. It was also a delight to watch the faces of the crowd as they lit up for each of the show’s best moments. There’s a certain pleasure one can take in knowing your seat partner is having just as much fun as you.

    So, ultimately, watching The Midnight Club as a group was maybe more fun, but watching it alone was altogether the scarier experience. I’m not sure which is the one Mike Flanagan intended, but the show really works either way. Take note, if you plan on watching the show but aren’t sure how much you can really handle. It’s easier to put yourself through it if you have a nice little group together. If you’re a horror junkie, or a proverbial anxiety purist, lock yourself in a dark space and hit play with nothing to aid you but your favorite pillow. You’ll enjoy it no matter what. How you sleep after is entirely up to you.

  • REVIEW: ‘The Midnight Club’

    REVIEW: ‘The Midnight Club’

    The Midnight Club is based on a series of books by author Christopher Pike. It tells the story of teenagers, all with terminal illnesses, who go to live out the rest of their lives at Brightcliffe Hospice. During their time at the hospice, the residents sneak out of their rooms late at night to take part in something called the Midnight Club. In this club, they share various stories all with the goal of trying to entertain/spook their fellow hospice patients. Simple premise, sure, and yet the series is so much more than merely a series of ghost tales.

    The series adaptation stars Iman Benson as Ilonka, a young girl who was once readying to start college at Stanford University, but her plans are tossed out the door after a cancer diagnosis. After doing her best to fight it in hopes of getting her life back on track, Ilonka looks into other forms of treatment in an act of desperation. During her research, she stumbles upon Brightcliffe Hospice and a mysterious girl whose story will change her life going forward.

    Those going into The Midnight Club with little knowledge of the books should know this isn’t necessarily a horror series. There will be some thrills occasionally, yes, but this is more of an emotional story than anything — and that’s a good thing. But it’s also something that works against it at times. As enjoyable as The Midnight Club is, it is often bogged down by depressing moments with very little moments of hope sewn throughout. Of course, a story about teens with terminal illnesses is unlikely to be hopeful, but sometimes the constant sense of dread can be emotionally draining. (Episode 7, in particular, packs a hell of an emotional punch.) Still, even with this, the show is worth watching, although, forgoing the usual weekend binge might provide the optimal viewing experience.

    Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of The Midnight Club is getting to see the main cast act out the spooky stories being told during the club. The young cast is incredibly talented and in the moments they get to explore these new characters, they seem to get lost in the stories. The ability to swiftly change personas is not an easy one, and yet, every single member of the Midnight Club does just that as they become the victims — and sometimes the killers — in the stories being told.

    All in all, The Midnight Club is an emotional ride full of thrills and chills that will easily become a Halloween classic. It’s a “horror” series that focuses on learning to live while we’re still alive and building the families we so desperately need to survive. Just be prepared to have tissues on hand.