Magnet, the genre arm of Mark Cuban‘s Magnolia Pictures, has been quite busy acquiring titles that have been playing the festival circuit to mostly positive response this fall. With Bobcat Goldthwait‘s Diablo Cody–bashing “God Bless America” already in tow, Magnet now has horror auteur Ti West‘s “The Innkeepers” looking to creep out audiences later this year.
Variety is reporting that the deal was made between Magnet and MPI Media Group, and includes a VOD release on December 30th followed by what will surely be a modest theatrical run. For fans of West, this is very good news, and even West himself tweeted yesterday, “For those of you who know me, you know how much this means.”
The picture is set around the closing of a spooky old hotel, with only two staff members left on duty, and rooms occupied with ghoulish spirits. One of our staffers found it more humorous than frightening when it debuted at SXSW, but this writer is still waiting anxiously for a chance to see the talented West’s new film.
West has more than a full plate right now with a possible werewolf and pharmaceutical company horror film titled “The Side Effects” in the works and still looking for funding, not to mention a segment in the horror anthology film “The ABCs of Death” as well, so knowing his most recent pic is receiving some sort of release must be reassuring. The director’s resume holds some complete failures like “Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever,” minor successes in “Trigger Man” and “The Roost,” and arguably one of the best horror films of recent memory with “House of the Devil.” He’s certainly a talent to watch, and it seems as if this newest picture is in the hands of a label capable of giving it the release it deserves.
