The summer movie season is ending, and fall is upon us, which means horror movies will be at a premium. Could another horror figure be on the verge to ascend and stand alongside such notables as Leatherface, Jason Voorhees, Ghost Face, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, or Jigsaw this Halloween season? Now, in the same vein as Bloody Mary and “Candyman,” make way for Internet serial killer “Smiley,” which will be exclusively released through a partnership between AMC theaters and Fever Productions.
Created in the early 60’s, the Smiley face logo has been an established part of American pop culture. It has been featured on t-shirts, buttons, and bumper stickers and is the ultimate feel good symbol. Now, the producers at Fever Productions have taken something as innocuous as this symbol of Americana and have added a distinct twist to it.
Beginning October 12, AMC will exclusively release “Smiley” theatrically through its AMC independent platform on 28 screens in 14 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta (a full listing is below). AMC will also support the release with a marketing campaign.
“We are very proud to partner with AMC through the AMC independent program for the theatrical release of ‘Smiley,’” said director Michael Gallagher. “[Nikkole Denson-Randolph, Vice President of Alternative and Special Content at AMC] and the entire AMC team have been tremendous partners in bringing the film to theaters, all across the nation. ‘Smiley’ is a truly independent film and AMC independent has created an unprecedented opportunity for filmmakers like myself to bring their films to mainstream audiences, without a middleman. This exciting partnership gives us the chance to deliver a thrilling, interactive movie going experience for the fans, just in time for Halloween.”
Denson-Randolph also said, “We’re excited to partner with Michael Wormser, Michael Gallagher, and Fever Productions as we help bring this movie, which continues to gather a growing interest, to a wider audience.”
“Smiley,” co-written by YouTube sensation Gallagher and Glasgow Phillips (“South Park”), tells the story of a disturbed college student who hears of an urban legend:
“The story of the film follows a mentally fragile college student named Ashley (Caitlin Gerard from “Magic Mike” and “The Social Network”) who, after learning of an urban legend in which a mysterious serial killer named “Smiley” can be summoned through the Internet, must decide whether she is losing her mind or becoming Smiley’s next victim. SMILEY also stars Melanie Papalia (“Endgame”) and Andrew James Allen (“Make It or Break It”), with Roger Bart (“Desperate Housewives”), Keith David (“The Thing,” “Pitch Black”) and Liza Weil (“Scandal”) rounding out the cast.
Check out the trailer:
After the AMC release, “Smiley” will be available on more traditional platforms including DVD, Blu-Ray, iTunes, Redbox and cable VOD. Here are the theaters where “Smiley” will be playing:
Atlanta:
AMC Southlake Pavilion 24; AMC Barrett Commons 14
Chicago:
AMC Crestwood 18; AMC Village Crossing 18, AMC Cicero 14
Cincinnati:
AMC Newport on the Levee 20
Columbia, SC:
AMC Dutch Square 14
Houston:
AMC Gulf Pointe 30; AMC Studio 30; AMC Deerbrook 24
Los Angeles:
AMC Ontario Mills 30; AMC Orange 30; AMC Norwalk 20; AMC Universal Citywalk 19; AMC Burbank Town Ctr. 8
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale:
AMC Aventura Mall 24; AMC Sunset Place 24
New York/New Jersey:
AMC Palisades Center 21; AMC Jersey Gardens 20; AMC New Brunswick 18
New York/Manhattan:
AMC Empire 25
Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News/Hampton:
AMC Hampton 24; AMC Lynnhaven 18
Philadelphia:
AMC Cherry Hill 24; AMC Neshaminy 24
San Francisco/Oakland-San Jose:
AMC Mercado 20
The horror/thriller “Smiley” will arrive at select AMC Theaters on October 12th. The film stars Caitlin Gerard, Melanie Papalia, Andrew James Allen, Roger Bart, Keith David, Liza Weil, Shane Dawson, Toby Turner, Michael Traynor, Jana Winternitz, Nikki Limo, Richard Ryan, Jason Horton, Elizabeth Greer, and Patrick O’Sullivan. Glasgow Phillips and Michael Gallagher wrote the screenplay, while Michael Gallagher directs.
Sources: shockya, guardian.co.uk, IMDb