It was one of the biggest talking points out of this year’s Overlook Film Festival, and if you’re dying to see the latest, completely insane entry in the Puppet Master series, fear not: The Littlest Reich has just been nabbed for distribution.
RLJE Films, a brand of RLJ Entertainment, will release the film in August of this year after acquiring all North American rights. The re-imagining of the cult Full Moon Features classic stars Horror Icon Barbara Crampton, Charlyne Yi (This Is 40), Nelson Franklin (TV’s Veep), and the legendary Udo Kier as the titular character.
The flick was written by S. Craig Zahler, who directed the gory-as-all-hell Bone Tomahawk, as well as Vince Vaughn actioner Brawl in Cell Block 99. It was co-directed by Sonny Laguna (We Are Monsters) and Tommy Wiklund (Wither).
Zahler, along with producer Dallas Sonnier courted series originator Charles Band for the right to create an all-new take on the franchise favorite, with Band ultimately taking an exec-producer credit on the finished product (so it’s clearly in good hands). The iconic Fabio Frizzi (Zombi 2, The Beyond) composed the score.
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is due to hit US theaters in August, as the first feature released under the recently-resurrected Fangoria label, meaning its horror credentials are bonafide.
“We are incredibly excited to be able to bring the first film under the new Fangoria brand to audiences this summer. With an amazing script from S. Craig Zahler and performances from horror legends Barbara Crampton and Udo Kier, we know Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich will thrill fans of the original films and new audiences alike,” gushed RLJE Films’ Chief Acquisitions Officer Mark Ward.
The premise seems to hew pretty closely to the original movies, with those behind it promising more of the thrills and spills fans love so much:
In Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, recently divorced and reeling, Edgar (Lennon) returns to his childhood home to regroup his life. When Edgar finds a nefarious looking puppet in his deceased brother’s room, he decides to sell the doll for some quick cash at a small-town convention celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the infamous Toulon Murders. Girl-next-door Ashley (Pellicer) and his comic book shop boss, Markowitz (Franklin), join Edgar for the doomed road trip. All hell breaks loose when a strange force animates the puppets at the convention, setting them on a bloody killing spree that’s motivated by an evil as old as time.
Early reviews are good, with BD’s Megan Navarro saying the flick “delivers bonkers gore and offensive humor!”
We’ll confirm a solid release date for Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich once we have it.
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