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From the moment it premiered, Dandadan held nothing back, delivering one of the most chaotic first episodes in anime history. It wasn't at all surprising that viewers started comparing it to Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, specifically regarding its frenetic energy and over-the-top storytelling. Despite most of the feedback being positive, the shonen anime rubbed some viewers the wrong way and criticism surfaced.

Critics of the anime kept saying that Dandadan had too much fan service. Anime fans today are increasingly vocal about representation and over-sexualization within the medium. So when Dandadan's characters kept ending up in their underwear, and the extraterrestrials relentlessly sought after Momo for their procreation purposes, there were many out there who questioned whether Dandadan was doing too much for too little.

What Dandadan Does Right & Why the Fan Service Claims Don't Hold Dandadan Doesn't Have Fan Service — Not Really

Dandadan establishes its tone and...

In the Dandadan anime, English-language voice actor Abby Trott portrays Momo Ayase -- a feisty teenage girl with psychic abilities who fearlessly stands up against supernatural and paranormal threats. Recently, Trott discussed how the role of Momo required a great deal of "homework" ahead of the first recording sessions.

During a one-on-one interview with Cbr, Trott compared her preparation for Momo to that of Nezuko from the Demon Slayer series. Prior to Dandadan, Nezuko was the first major character role that Trott gained significant praise for. "I've done a fair share of anime, but no character has been as recognizable or as beloved as Nezuko. She's everyone's precious little bean," Trott said. Unlike Momo, Nezuko is a part human, part demon character whose main form of communication comes in the form of non-verbal dialogue. However, Trott also felt that Momo had a unique level of "complexity" that necessitated an altogether different acting approach.

You know how anime shows are picky about where they cut off a season? They need to keep us interested without leaving us too hanging. Well, it appears Dandadan sort of failed at that with its first season, and quite frankly, it’s really difficult to see beyond that failure.

Momo and Jiji from Dandadan Season 1. | Credit: Science Saru

Instead of concluding with a good conclusion or even a nice cliffhanger, the season just stops right when everything is getting intense, Momo’s ready to get attacked by the hot spring men, and they’ve finally found the sealed room, and then, it just ends. This type of ending is so annoying; it completely breaks up the story flow and leaves everyone hanging at the worst moment.

Dandadan Season 1 anime ending: A fumble that could have been avoided

Recently the official launch of Dandadan Season 2 was announced, which is scheduled...

Demon Slayer is one of the most visually appealing masterpieces by Ufotable studio. But other than being carried by animation, the series is all about compelling storyline and themes. The sibling bond is something that had us viewers rooting for the Mc, but there’s one thing that the series did best.

Tanjiro Kamado in a still from Demon Slayer anime | Credit: Ufotable

Apart from animation and pacing, the anime peaks in voice acting. This holds for the English voice actress Abby Trott, who plays Tanjiro’s sister. To everyone’s surprise, her role as Nezuko is widely recognized compared to Momo for this interesting reason.

Demon Slayer Va’s recognizable yet ironic role as Nezuko

Demon Slayer stands as one of the landmark anime in the shonen genre for various reasons. Some attribute its success to Ufotable’s par excellence animation, yet it is gripping in most aspects. This...

There are certain internet urban legends and viral hoaxes that never die, no matter how long it has been since they originated, and sometimes, like in the case of Slenderman, they spill over into real life in horrifying ways.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case with the "Momo Challenge," contrary to popular belief. In 2018, articles and claims that children were being conned into a dangerous online game started circulating, with outlets claiming children were being targeted by WhatsApp users operating under the guise of a character named Momo. They would then try coaxing kids into performing dangerous challenges or even self-harming.

The Momo Challenge is far from the first online rumor of this kind, as there have been many different urban legends regarding life-threatening internet tasks. It's a popular trope in pop culture, too, with even the recent Netflix thriller series The Snow Girl tackling its own version, called "The Soul Game,...

The current era of anime has seen a plethora of technological developments, which has led to the rise of visually stunning anime like Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man or Jujutsu Kaisen. But at the same time, it has lost something very integral to the medium. Recent anime often get compared to vintage series, and for good reason.

The biggest difference between anime in the 80s, 90s or early 2000s and the recent series of 2020s can be seen in women. There was a time when each female character could be distinguished due to their unique character designs, but now, every other female character looks the same but with different hair and eye colors.

Female anime characters have been reduced to caricatures

The first notable difference between vintage female anime characters and modern ones is their anatomical proportions. Previously, anime character designs followed realism rather than a pursuit of caricature. The body...

A shonen anime that saw the most impressive rise in popularity in 2024, Yukinobu Tatsu’s Dandadan deserves acclaim as one of new-gen shonen’s best ongoing titles. A creative, genre-bending adventure that masterfully blends elements of science fiction and supernatural fantasy, Dandadan began its publication in Shonen Jump+ in 2021. It has since continued to exceed the readers’ expectations with the quality of its storytelling.

2024 was a prolific year for Dandadan- on top of premiering its long-anticipated anime adaptation, the manga reached some of its all-time highs last year. Of the 44 chapters Dandadan has released in 2024, these stand out as the wildest and most remarkable, earning it the title of the year's most outstanding shonen manga.

Related 10 Best Manga to Read If You Like Dandadan, Ranked

Dandadan hype isn't going anywhere, and these Manga recommendations can excite fans just as much.

Chapter 135 Kickstarts the Adventures in the Danmanra Game World...

A new study has found that films directed by women and people of color have remained consistently low compared to 2023, but much better than 2007.

For all the concern about Hollywood being too progressive, it would seem that there's been little progress in giving women and people of color a seat at the director's table. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a new study by USC‘s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative shows that the percentage of female directors and directors of color making top-grossing films has remained consistent with last year's numbers. Many had hoped that the end of the strikes in 2023 would signal progress for the new year. However, little has changed.

Related The Best Modern Anime Starring Women in Leading Roles, Ranked

From Frieren to Momo, the best female anime leads shine with compelling stories and unforgettable personalities.

“The film industry has demonstrated that it can increase the percentage of women directors and hold that progress,...

Fans are hoping for Infinity Nikki collaboration events in the future, and they have plenty of ideas for which franchises and titles would work best in the cozy game. The title is a cozy and beautiful exploration free-to-play game with a strong emphasis on finding and creating outfits. Infinity Nikki is the fifth game in the Nikki franchise, so developers InFold aren't new to the narrative dress-up genre. The team behind the game also has plenty of experience working with other companies to bring crossovers to players.

Previous games had outfits created in collaboration with Sanrio, Disney, Barbie, Vocaloid, some modern artists and clothing brands, and, perhaps most unexpectedly, early-1900s Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. Now that Infinity Nikki is out and reaching an even broader audience than the games before it— the title passed 10 million downloads within its first week—fans are hoping that the title will also have some collaboration events.

Dandadan has taken the anime industry by storm, thanks to its catchy opening song by Creepy Nuts and the hilariously unconventional quest to recover lost privates. Science Saru has done a stellar job adapting Tatsu Yukinobu's original manga, masterfully capturing every element of the original narrative. The result is that Dandadan is one of the most unique shonen anime in recent years, and part of that is just how funny it is.

However, the comedic elements, while strong in the manga, truly shine in the anime adaptation. What elevates these moments in the anime is how Science Saru has carefully crafted them using a variety of techniques: a funky art style, sharp voice acting, and quirky music. These ten moments perfectly capture what the studio aims to convey.

Okarun and Momo's Bickering After Finding Out They Are Both Alive Episode #3, "It's A Granny vs. Granny Clash!"

After encountering...

One of the biggest anime series of 2024, Dandadan has been continuously moving forward on the path of success with new episodes every week. The series has quickly become a fan favorite and is getting the love and appreciation that it deserves. However, the only thing is that the Dandadan’s fame came after the anime series came out.

Dandadan | Credit: Science Saru

While the manga was certainly popular, it did not have as big a fandom as the anime. The anime series took the popularity of Dandadan to the next level, and most fans credit this success to the minor changes that the anime made, which essentially were not a part of the manga series. The first change that ignited this fire was seen in the first episode itself.

This change was regarding a fight scene involving Momo Ayase, the protagonist of Dandadan. While this change might not have been noticed by anime fans,...

Voice acting is a profession that often demands versatility, adaptability, and resilience. Particularly when it comes to Japanese anime, the voice actors have shown tremendous versatility in each role they play. Similarly, Shion Wakayama, the voice actress of Momo Ayase, has experienced an immense level of dynamism in her journey in Dandadan, however, it also required her to step out of her own comfort zone.

Momo Ayase from Dandadan | Credit: Science Saru

Shion Wakayama, previously known for her work in projects like Lycoris Recoil, Castlevania, and Her Blue Sky, has been assigned to a role in Dandadan that shares no similarity to her previous characters. Thus, in an interview, Wakayama reflected on her previous roles, the intense demands of voicing Momo, and the process of adapting to such a drastically different character providing fascinating insights into her growth as a voice actress.

The Challenges of Voicing Momo Ayase from Dandadan...

Kohei Horikoshi’s series is no less than a wonderland when it comes to quirks. It is this unique power system that defies conventional storytelling. This is especially true for the manga’s popularity in the superhero genre.

The series is lauded for its diverse and well-written side characters. Unlike most shonen, the characters do not exist merely to further the plot. It is evident with Ochaco Uraraka and her impeccable quirk.

Ochaco Uraraka in a still from the anime | Credit: Studio Bones

As a wielder of Zero Gravity, Uraraka holds immeasurable power and combat prowess. But like most characters, her abilities are grossly underutilized to the point of them being wasted.

Interestingly though, her quirk shares a similarity with yet another iconic Marvel character. Like Ochaco, the character was grossly sidelined for the most part.

Kohei Horikoshi’s Uraraka parallels this Marvel character

Be it manga or anime, Kohei...

Payal Sethi’s “Kurinji” (aka “The Disappearing Flower”) was Sunday named as the first prize winner of the projects at the Film Bazaar in Goa, India. It earned a $10,000 cash prize.

Produced by Thanikachalam Sa, the project explores the theme of “Gulf Wife” syndrome and follows a Kerala housewife whose migrant worker husband in the Gulf region suddenly stops calling home after years of separation. When a money-lender appears demanding repayment of an unknown debt, she embarks on a search for answers with help from an unexpected quarter.

The Work-in-Progress section crowned Ridham Janve’s “Hunter’s Moon” (aka “Kaatti Ri Raatti”) and “The Shape of Momo” as joint winners. The films win various in-kind support from Prasad Labs. “The Shape of Momo” also receives Di (Digital Intermediate) support from Nube Studio.

Set high in the mountains, the ambitiously artistic “Hunter’s Moon” depicts man at his crudest state in nature. Directed by Tribeny Rai,...

Dandadan‘s popularity is soaring high with each passing episode and the anime has undeniably become the highlight of this fall anime season. Yukinobu Tatsu’s million-selling oddball manga may have only just begun its anime adaptation, but it’s already making a major splash.

Acrobatic Silky’s final dance before death in Dandadan. [Credit: Science Saru]

Each new episode of the anime raises the bar, with the latest episode leaving viewers questioning their previous disdain for the yokai creatures initially presented as villains. Not to mention, Episode 7 dealt with disturbing themes of graphic violence, prostitution, and even suicide, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Dandadan‘s massive success might surprise fans unaware that the author faced significant struggles, drawing unexpected inspiration from a classic horror movie.

How a Horror Classic Sparked Dandadan‘s Breakthrough

With the release of Episode 7, Studio Science Saru delivers an unapologetically weird, stylish, and anarchic...

Dan Da Dan has just treated fans to its best and most emotional episode so far, and episode #6 will be the start of a new adventure for the two protagonists. The series has been doing great so far, but episode #5 showed the range it has, switching effortlessly from action to comedic slice-of-life and still being as entertaining.

Dan Da Dan is an anime based on the manga serialized in Shonen Jump+. Momo and Okarun are two high-school students who believe in ghosts and aliens, respectively. An unexpected romance blossoms between them when they are dragged into bizarre and outrageous adventures starring aliens, evil spirits, and more. Produced and animated by studio Science Saru, the season is scheduled for 12 episodes, and with 7 more episodes to go, here is when and where to catch episode #6 of Dan Da Dan.

When Does Dan Da Dan Episode #6 Release? Produced by Science Saru, Based on...

DanDaDan is a supernatural thriller anime with a romantic comedy twist. The anime began airing on October 4, 2024 as part of the fall 2024 anime lineup. Despite only a few episodes being released, one thing is clear: the series' heroine, Momo Ayase, is absolutely waifu material.

Momo shares the spotlight with her classmate Ken Takakura, who she nicknames Okarun due to him sharing a name with the actor she has a crush on. She's a tough, no-nonsense woman with plenty of style to back up her supernatural powers. If fans weren't sure Momo Ayase is the top waifu for fall 2024, here are ten reasons to make them think again.

She Puts Fashion First Fashion Is a Gyaru's Man Defense

Momo Ayase is self-described as a gyaru. Gyaru is a subculture of Japanese fashion, named after the English word "gal". This style rebels against typical Japanese beauty standards, fitting Momo perfectly. She isn't...

Anyone with their ear to the ground has likely heard the buzz around Dandadan, an adaptation of Yukinobu Tatsu’s million-selling oddball manga. Yukinobu Tatsu introduces Japanese yokai and otherworldly occult science fiction monsters as part of its shonen romance adventure.

Momo, Okarun and Seiko Ayase | Credit: Science Saru

Dandadan introduces viewers to two main lead characters, Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura, dealing with supernatural and alien threats. Indeed, the anime is a treat for alien and occult fans, and much of its growing popularity is driven by these enthusiasts. Dandadan may have only begun its anime adaptation, but it’s already making a major splash. Interestingly, the voice actors behind Momo and Okarun once revealed insights into the anime’s rapid rise in popularity and success.

What Makes Dandadan Special? Voice Actors Reveal the Secret to Its Success

Dandadan has built up incredible hype over the past few months,...

Warning: Spoilers for Dan Da Dan episode #4Dan Da Dan's anime adaptation by Science Saru is becoming one of the most stellar anime of the year. With new episodes released every Thursday, the anime is rapidly gaining popularity, and it has become clear that being a faithful anime adaptation of the series, over everything else the anime has to offer, is among the reasons for its success. However, Dan Da Dan is also showing that it's not afraid to expand and improve the source material.

The latest episode takes things up a notch, expanding a scene to make it even more captivating. The moment where Okarun sprints to escape danger while carrying Momo spans barely two pages in the manga, but it becomes an incredibly captivating sequence in the anime, underscoring Science Saru's craft at adapting a scene. Science Saru may be employing the same strategy as Ufotable, the studio...

According to a recent EpicDB leak, Red Dead Redemption on PC and Final Fantasy 9 Remake are on the way. The leaked information includes codenames like Semla and Momo, hinting at the potential projects in the works for these beloved games. Other highlights from the leak include a possible Turok game from Saber Interactive and a mysterious project believed to be the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake.

A massive leak may have just confirmed some major news for the original Red Dead Redemption, the alleged remake of Final Fantasy 9 and a host of other unconfirmed titles. Following the massive 2021 Nvidia leak, many developers have begun to more prominently use codenames to refer to in-production projects to make any loose information slightly less meaningful for those who may not be in the know. While the shift away from using official titles in databases before a game is formally announced...

In key appointments at Constantin Film, one of Europe’s biggest – and most ambitious – of production powerhouses, Viola Jäger and Jan Ehlert has been named as its new Chief Content Officers.

Jan Ehlert will head up TV/streaming, Viola Jäger oversee content for theatrical/film; both report to Constantin Film CEO Oliver Berben.

For years, Constantin has built its business on big international hits, such as the “Resident Evil” franchise, and a rock-solid domestic business powered by national blockbusters, such as, most recently, “Chantal and the Magic Kingdom,” which has sold over 2.6 million admissions in Germany.

Coming just a couple of months after Berben took over formally from Martin Moszkowicz as Constantin Film CEO, the new appointments are a play for continuity. Ehlert joined Moovie in 2000, just a year after Constantin head Berndt Eichinger had bought the Berben-headed company. Focusing on TV in his now 24-year career at Constantin Film,...

Exclusive: As the Cannes market kicks into gear, leading German producer Christian Becker, How to Be Single bilingual writer-director Christian Ditter and international sales agent Rocket Science are landing on the Croisette with Momo, one of their most ambitious projects to date.

The big-budget project, which is currently filming in Croatia, is the English-language adaptation of one of Michael Ende’s most beloved fantasy novels. Most will be familiar with Ende as the writer of The Neverending Story, which was adapted for the big screen in 1984 and became a cult classic in the U.S. and internationally (that title is currently getting a big new screen adaptation with See-Saw Films). But Momo is one of the German novelist’s most beloved stories, especially in Europe, and has been translated into more than 50 languages and has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide.

The story focuses on Momo (played by A Gentleman...

Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme has been awarded the lion’s share of the more than €20m paid out by the German Federal Film Fund (Dfff) to 25 film projects in the first four months of 2024.

Studio Babelsberg’s service production arm Zweite Film Service Babelsberg received a grant of over €10.4m from the Dfff II fund for Anderson’s film which has been shooting on sound stages at the studios near Potsdam as well as in the surrounding region since the beginning of March.

The fund, which focuses on supporting production service providers if their film’s budget exceeds...

Exclusive: The English-language adaptation of Momo, one of the best-loved fantasy books by The Neverending Story writer Michael Ende, has set a buzzy cast, with Alexa Goodall (A Gentleman In Moscow) taking the lead role of the young orphan girl Momo.

The main cast is completed by Araloyin Oshunremi, Kim Bodnia, Claes Bang (The Square), Laura Haddock, Jennifer Amaka Peterson (The Sandhamn Murders), David Schütter (Charlie’s Angels) and Martin Freeman.

Deadline can also reveal an exclusive first look of Goodall in Momo, which is currently filming in Croatia and Slovenia.

The film is produced by prolific German producer Christian Becker and written and directed by bilingual writer-director Christian Ditter (How To Be Single), who both snagged rights to the popular novel a few years ago and an under-the-radar deal.

Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s father-daughter drama Sentimental Value has received €200,000 from the German Federal Film Board (Ffa) and will shoot in Germany as well as in Norway and France later this year.

The film will reunite Trier with Renate Reinsve, the star of his Oscar-nominated The Worst Person In The World, and that film’s writer Eskil Vogt.

The production funding was allocated to the film’s German co-producer Komplizen Film which is producing with Norway’s Mer Film and Eye Eye Pictures, Denmark’s Zentropa, France’s Agat Films, and Mk Production.

The family drama is about two...

Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s father-daughter drama Sentimental Value has received €200,000 from the German Federal Film Board (Ffa) and will shoot in Germany as well as in Norway and France later this year.

The film will reunite Trier with Renate Reinsve, the star of his Oscar-nominated The Worst Person In The World, and that film’s writer Eskil Vogt.

The production funding was allocated to the film’s German co-producer Komplizen Film which is producing with Norway’s Mer Film and Eye Eye Pictures, Denmark’s Zentropa, France’s Agat Films, and Mk Production.

The family drama is about two...

The live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is a controversial addition to Netflix's plethora of remakes and adaptations, especially among die-hard fans of the canon. Many viewers were disappointed that condensing the rendition to only eight episodes diluted the wonder and complexity of Atla's storyline. However, the show received decent reviews due to the positive aspects.

Among the positives of this live-action are the cultural and fantastical elements that fleshed out the Avatar world. In this elemental magic society, it was important that the show highlighted how the world is unlike the real one. From the powerful creatures, such as Appa and the badgermoles, to the horrors of the Fire Nation, such as the genocide of the Air Nomads, the worldbuilding in this remake had some high points.

The 41st Division of the Fire Nation Army Brought Realism Close Most of the Fire Nation soldiers from the animated show were one-dimensional.

The following contains spoilers for the Bleach manga.

The legendary shonen manga/anime series Bleach may have a relatively straightforward plot compared to the complex intricacies of Naruto and One Piece, but Bleach still has plenty of storytelling tricks up its sleeve. No matter how simple its plotlines may seem, Bleach is packed with shocking moments that threw shonen fans for a loop.

The most shocking moments in Bleach were often abrupt, brutal plot twists that changed the game in a matter of seconds, a great way to keep any shonen fan hooked on the story. Other shocking moments astounded Bleach fans with unexpected reveals or insights into familiar characters, which led to exposition to explosive fight scenes or even horror in some cases.

Related: 10 Most Shocking Moments In Naruto, Ranked

The Sternritter Turned On One Another

The Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War story arc vaguely foreshadowed the Quincy turning on...

A paranormal romance normally revolves around the love affair between a human and a magical being or supernatural entity. Sometimes both lovers are supernatural beings, but one is newly initiated into that world. The creatures vary from shifters to vampires to werewolves to ghosts, and beyond. Themes of immortality, lost love, and violence tend to permeate these stories.

Gothic romance novels popularized the concept of paranormal romances. In gothic romances, the paranormal entities tended to be steeped in metaphor while the more modern romances are explicitly paranormal. The genre was widely popularized in novels and plays, but several amazing anime series take the concept and run with it.

Related: Best Romance Anime On Amazon Prime

Momo & Fine (Vampire In The Garden)

Vampire in the Garden is a tender and tragic love story. It complicates the vampire anime genre with its war-torn landscape. Enemies to lovers is one of the most loved romance tropes,...

Marks the feature directorial debut of Singapore’s Nelson Yeo.

Italian sales agent Lights On has picked up world rights for Singapore director Nelson Yeo’s feature debut Dreaming And Dying, which is set to receive its world premiere in competition at Locarno Film Festival (August 2-12).

The fantasy drama will screen in Locarno’s competitive Cinema of the Present section and revolves around three middle-aged friends who reunite after years apart. But their vacation takes a surprising turn when the undercurrent of their past lives threatens to resurface and each of them sets out to confess unexpressed feelings.

The...

BAFTA has pulled the curtain back on its Television Awards nominations, and This Is Going To Hurt and The Responder are leading the chase for a famous bronze mask.

The BBC dramas each have six nominations across the BAFTA Television Awards and BAFTA Television Craft Awards, including Leading Actor for Ben Whishaw and Martin Freeman.

Whishaw plays junior doctor Adam Kay in This Is Going To Hurt, which was co-produced by AMC. Freeman features as an urgent response police officer in The Responder.

This Is Going To Hurt is nominated for Mini Series, while The Responder will compete in the Drama Series race. Adam Kay and Tony Schumacher will both do battle in the Writer: Drama category at the BAFTA Television Craft Awards.

The BBC has a total of 81 nominations, putting it comfortably ahead of its nearest rival Channel 4, which has 33 nominations. Netflix scooped 24 nominations, while Apple TV+ was...

Italian animation auteur Enzo D’Alò – whose globally known works include “The Blue Arrow,” “Lucky and Zorba,” “Momo” and “Opopomoz” – is back with Roddy Doyle adaptation “A Greyhound Of a Girl” launching from the Berlin Film Festival’s Generation Kplus section.

“Greyhound of a Girl” is about four generations of Irish women who embark on a car journey. One of them is dead, one of them is dying, one is driving, and the fourth is twelve-year old Dublin school girl Mary O’Hara. Mary shares her grandmother’s rebel spirit and love of cooking and is bravely dealing with the fact that her granny’s days are drawing to a close.

“The main theme of the book is delicate and difficult to describe, as it deals with death,” says D’Alò in his directors’ statement. “At first, the idea of tackling the notion of loss bewildered me a little,” he notes.

But...

Few things are as universally creepy as an old-fashioned urban legend. Kept alive through scary retellings at sleepovers and campfire tales, the information age ushered in by the internet had all but killed the wonder and fascination with these stories. That is until a new form of urban legend was born — the creepypasta. Slenderman is arguably the most well-known creepypasta, with the online meme unfortunately inspiring a very real murder attempt. This real-life violence has now allowed creepypastas to reignite the torch of power that the Internet extinguished from classic urban legends, and has given horror creatives a whole new playground to explore.

"Grimcutty" is the latest Hulu original horror film, a modern creature feature centering on a terrifying internet meme that incites a moral panic amongst the parents in a small town, believing an online meme is convincing their children to harm themselves and others. The threat is ignored...

Small Town Monsters has announced the September 20th DVD and VOD release of Seth Breedlove’s docudrama Momo: The Missouri Monster. The latest title to crawl forth from the production powerhouse behind last year’s best-selling documentary On the Trail of Bigfoot, Momo: The Missouri Monster seeks to tell the true, and truly strange story of the Missouri Monster. The hair-covered, three-toed monstrosity was said to have prowled the forests of Star Hill, near Louisiana, Missouri during the summer of 1972 where it was spotted by terrified citizens for weeks. The film will be available nationwide on DVD, as well as Vimeo OnDemand, Amazon Instant Video, and Vidi Space.

The case gained national media attention during the ’70s and remains one of the largest tourist draws for the tiny town on the banks of the Mississippi River. The latest release from Small Town Monsters and director Seth Breedlove, Momo: The Missouri...

Tony Sokol Jul 10, 2019

Orion Pictures and the makers of The Ring will take the Momo challenge.

Inform everyone you can. This is real. The Mother Bird has landed at Orion Pictures. The studio behind the recent Child's Play reboot is making a Momo movie. The premise of the Momo Challenge viral Internet hoax will be adapted by the studio, Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment and producer Taka Ichise, who brought us The Grudge and The Ring, according to Deadline.

The upcoming horror film wll be based on the work of art that inspired the Momo Challenge. Momo is a sculpture named Mother Bird which Japanese artist Keisuke Aisawa created in 2016 as part of a gallery exhibit in Tokyo. It transformed into rumors of a game which challenged kids to hurt themselves and ultimately commit suicide. The Momo Challenge was allegedly and reportedly shared on message services like WhatsApp. The hoax...

Just a few months ago, parents were in a panic as rumors were flying around the internet that children’s videos on YouTube were being infiltrated by a distorted faced lady who looked like a live female version of the old Scream movie mask, who was graphically instructing children on how to harm and even kill themselves. Police looked into the claims and ended up declaring the whole thing a hoax, but there were of course copycats and videos made of the claims that were really scary and upsetting to anyone that watched them.

So while all that is fresh in people’s minds, why not make a horror movie about the character to capitalize on the whole thing? Cue the movie already in development, Getaway. Here’s the synopsis for the film from Deadline:

“The flick follows a group of unsuspecting teenagers who, in their last summer before college,...

A recent resurgence of hysteria surrounding the debunked 'Momo Challenge' has led YouTube to demonetize any video about the subject, including news clips from major outlets, as well as coverage from longstanding YouTube host and commentator Philip DeFranco.

Warnings about the supposed challenge began circulating last year, after Reddit users posted photos of a hair-raising statue with bulging eyes, a creepy, slitted smile, and long black hair. Those who warned others purported that the statue, dubbed 'Momo,' was associated with a viral challenge urging kids to participate in increasingly more dangerous stunts before finally “winning” the challenge by committing suicide.

But, despite the mass concern about Momo, it’s not actually a thing. The Washington Post reports that there’s no evidence linking the three youths’ deaths commonly associated with the challenge to the challenge itself. The Post also found that the current resurgence of Momo can be...

From Slender Man to kids eating detergent pods, there’s a long and rich history of creepy internet challenges freaking out parents. The latest addition to this time-honored tradition is Momo, an online challenge that’s purportedly sort of a combination of the Black Mirror episode “Shut Up and Dance” and Blue Whale. Momo allegedly targets young children by encouraging them to text a number on WhatsApp, which then sends them instructions to complete a series of increasingly bizarre and dangerous tasks from watching a horror movie to engaging in...

German actor to receive Lifetime Achievement Award.

German actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Zurich Film Festival (Sept 24-Oct 4).

Following the award ceremony, Mueller-Stahl will present Jim Jarmusch’s Night On Earth at the Arthouse Le Paris cinema on Sept 28.

Mueller-Stahl is one of the few German actors of distinction whose careers have spanned East Germany, West Germany and Hollywood. His most noteworthy films include Lola (1981), Oberst Redl (1985), Momo (1986), Music Box (1989), Night On Earth (1991), Das Geisterhaus (1993) and Shine (1996).

Zff co-directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri said: “We are proud to welcome 84-year-old Armin Mueller-Stahl as our guest to this year’s festival. He is, in our opinion, one of the most important German actors of all time. His skills as a polyglot performer oscillating effortlessly between stage and screen, Germany and the USA, have more than earned him this award.”

Raised in the German Democratic Republic (Gdr) and initially trained as a concert...

Italian actor Peter Martell was featured in numerous Spaghetti Westerns and Euro-thrillers in the 1960s and 1970s. His films include Antonio Margheriti’s 1966 sci-fi film War Between the Planets (aka Planet on the Prowl), and Jess Franco’s 1970 witch-hunting horror film Night of the Blood Monster (1970) with Christopher Lee.

He was born Pietro Martellanza in Bolzano in 1938, and went to Rome in the early 1960s to work in films. He was featured in such movies as I Kill, You Kill (1965), The Cobra (1967), Mission Phantom (1967), Death Walks at Midnight (1972), and The Executioner (1976). His film career largely ended in the mid-1970s, though he had a small role in the 1986 juvenile science fiction film Momo. The 1999 documentary film Starring Peter Martell brought attention to the dire circumstances he had been in since the end of his film career. He returned to the screen as Dracula in Jess Franco’s horror spoof Killer Barbys vs.