Love it or hate it, the season finale of HBO’s True Blood took Sookie and Bill’s relationship to a new level.

But series creator Alan Ball may be taking a page from Charlaine Harris’ original Sookie Stackhouse books to throw a stake-sized wrench into their impending nuptials, according to Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello (spoilers ahead!):

Ball isn’t ruling out incorporating a major (and controversial) plot point from the books that, up to now, has only been hinted at in the series (spoiler alert): That Bill came to Bon Temps and seduced Sookie with the ulterior motive of getting her to work for Queen Sophie-Anne.
“It’s certainly something that I found really compelling in the books,” says Ball of Bill’s deep, dark secret. “I was like, ‘Wow.’ But I can’t really tell you what I’m going to do story-wise. So much of the appeal of the show depends on the element of surprise.”

What do you think? Should Ball incorporate this nasty surprise? Should he keep Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Sookie (Anna Paquin) together? Should Sookie hook up with Eric (Alexander Skarsgård)? Do you care?

True Blood co-stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are set to take their real-life romance to the big screen – they have signed up to star in a movie together.

The pair began dating after meeting on the set of the hit vampire TV drama, and they love working together so much they are already planning another project together – they have both signed up to star in new thriller “Open House”, written and directed by Paquin’s brother Andrew.

Engaged Paquin and Moyer will play a wealthy couple who discover a potential buyer of their for sale mansion never left after an ‘open house’ evening, according to Bloody Disgusting.com.

Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are keeping it all in the family with their new project, Open House. True Blood‘s engaged duo co-star in this thriller about an upscale couple in Los Angeles who host an open house to sell their luxurious mansion, only to discover later that one of the potential homebuyers never left. [...]

Via TVGuide

We’ll be saying goodbye to at least one character next season on True Blood, executive producer Alan Ball tells TVGuide.com exclusively.

“Somebody is going to bite the dust and it’s going to be really good to see them get what they deserve,” Ball says.

HBO: True Blood renewed for third season

The only clue the Blood boss would reveal is that “it’s a person we’ll be happy to see go.”

The HBO drama is set to return next summer for its third season.

So who could this mystery person be? Who’s death will actually make the fans happy? Sound off in the comments.

Via StarPulse

In between box-office heaven and unreleased hell lies DVD Purgatory, where movies with popular actors, big budgets and bigger problems rest in eternal damnation on the shelves of your local Blockbuster. Each month we’ll take a look at one of these lost souls and figure out what went wrong. This month’s unfortunate victim is “Trick ‘R Treat.”

It’s no big mystery why movie studios continually crank out horror movies. They’re cheap to produce and usually make a tidy profit when all is said and done. It’s easy money, which is part of the reason why we’re up to “Saw 6″.

Most of today’s horror movies are poorly received cash grabs, primed to capitalize on teenage audiences. Which makes it all the more baffling why a critically acclaimed, original horror movie like “Trick ‘R Treat” would get the red-headed stepchild treatment by Warner Bros.

This film was scheduled to be released in October 2007, but was unceremoniously bumped off the release schedule and sent into limbo. The scuttlebutt in Hollywood was that Warner’s didn’t want to go up against “Saw IV” in a box-office showdown.

But another, more complicated theory – one that was speculated on by reliable genre sites like Chud.com and Bloody Disgusting – suggested that the fate of “Trick” was retribution against producer Bryan Singer and writer-director Michael Dougherty for the box office failure of “Superman Returns,” which the former directed and the latter co-wrote.

Once Warner Bros. declined to release the film, producer Legendary Pictures held screenings for potential buyers only to have no takers. Then, it hit the festival circuit, where it drew rapturous reviews from hard-to-please horror fan boys.

And now, more than three years after it was filmed, “Trick ‘R Treat” finally gets released, with one burning question: Is it worth the hype? Absolutely.

The anthology film has a storied history in the horror genre, and “Trick” is a worthy addition to the canon. Dougherty intricately weaves four tales of murder and mayhem into a seamless package – it could have gone wrong, but it’s a testament to his passion for this project that it all comes together.

The stories revolve around a local principal (Dylan Baker), who likes to have a little too much Halloween fun with his son; a young woman (Anna Paquin) who seems to have trouble with guys; a group of kids making a pilgrimage to the site of a haunted bus crash; and a grumpy old man (Dylan Baker) who receives a most unwanted trick-or-treater.

Without revealing too much, “Trick” is the rare recent horror film that doesn’t feel the need to punish the viewer with torture devices and grim brutalization – no, the movie wants to give us good, old-fashioned scares. It’s the kind of movie that you can watch without feeling the need to take a shower after, or figure out the complex mythology behind a serial killer’s motives.

It would have been nice if this movie had come out in theatres – this is the perfect communal film, where everyone could have jumped at the scares and gasped at the revelations – but at this point, it’s a success that the film saw the light of day at all. At least it got a beautiful Blu-ray transfer.

Should this have been sent to DVD Purgatory? No way. This would have been a bona fide box-office hit, especially given the tie-in to Halloween. Now, it will have to settle with being a cult classic.

Every now and then, a movie comes along that truly becomes a cult phenomenon. And over the last few years, it’s hard to remember one that has inspired as feverish a following as “Trick R Treat,” the much-buzzed-about horror flick that finally premieres on DVD this week after nearly a three-year delay.

“Oh, it’s been longer than that, actually. I could go all the way back to 1996 if I wanted to,” laughed writer/director Michael Dougherty (“X2”) when we spoke to him Tuesday. “The film was inspired by an animated short I did in school called ‘Season’s Greetings,’ and it was an old-school, traditionally animated short…it was the first place where I featured the mascot for the film, Sam. That film became a calling card, and then in 2001 I decided to make a companion piece to Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’ film…off and on between 2001 and 2006, there were multiple drafts. Then we finally got the greenlight in 2006.”

Since then the horror anthology starring Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Dylan Baker has been given theatrical release dates, high-profile Comic-Con slots, postponements, underground screenings and a unique buzz as the best horror flick Hollywood has made in some time. Now, you don’t need to know somebody to see the bloody flick.

“It’s getting harder and harder for horror films to get a wide release if you’re not a sequel or a remake,” Dougherty said of his film’s non-theatrical release, despite all the great buzz. “What’s funny is this has been the best path for the film. Honestly, if it had a traditional release in 2500 theaters, it would come out on a Friday and my gut says it would be gone by Monday.”

“The advantage is that, since we have been screening it around the world at film festivals since 2007, it’s almost had this unofficial theatrical release,” he reasoned. “The word of mouth has been spreading like wildfire because of Facebook and Twitter. We checked the sales rankings this morning on Amazon. It’s number one in horror, and number thirteen in all of movies and TV shows overall. And it’s competing with ‘Star Trek’! It’s outselling ‘Transformers 2’ – which just seems impossible, it’s shocking. It’s like the universe is playing this amazing prank on me.”

A prank that we can all finally participate in, now that the creepy Sam and his tales of sadistic school principals and a gruesome school bus massacre has arrived. “It’s a horror anthology that is set on Halloween night, with every story in the same small town,” Dougherty said of the new horror classic, which currently sits at a perfect 100 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has him thinking sequel. “It’s a throwback to ‘Creepshow’ and ‘Tales From the Crypt,’ but unlike those films, the stories and characters in ‘Trick r Treat’ criss-cross and overlap into each other. It’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ meets ‘Halloween,’ with a sense of humor.”

Are you excited to finally see “Trick r Treat” for yourself after all these years? After you watch the DVD, post your review below and let us know if it lives up to the hype!

Via: Telegraph.co.uk

Anna Paquin was nine years old when she first became famous for her role as Flora in The Piano, and 11 as she stood smiling and gasping in silence for a full 20 seconds at the podium to receive her Oscar for it. In True Blood, Channel 4’s new HBO hit, Paquin, now 27, has morphed into the telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse. She runs around in tiny shorts, and has bleached blonde hair and a lot of steamy sex with a vampire named Bill.

The first episode sets out its stall to shock, featuring a couple getting amorous strung from a meat hook while watching vampire sex on video. But it has been a huge success in America, winning Paquin a 2009 Golden Globe for best actress in a television drama. It is now HBO’s third most popular series, after The Sopranos and Sex and the City. To add to the mix, and to the delight of the tabloids, in August Paquin got engaged in real life to her vampire lover, the English actor Stephen Moyer. He is 40, she is 27 and they divide their time between his house near Hampstead and hers in Los Angeles. The ‘most serious 15-year-old ever’ – her own description – has certainly grown up with a vengeance.

‘Oh, it’s a really full-on sexy show,’ Paquin agrees easily, taking a sip of latte and fixing me with brown boot-button eyes. We are at Café Rouge in Highgate, north London. ‘Lots of weird, kinky vampire sex and weird, kinky mortal sex! It never put me off. I guess either you read something and go, “Oh, my God, no!” or you read something and you go, “That’s sort of cool!” I mean, the sex is very romantic, and at first it’s very loving.’

…continue reading.

Via TrueBloodNet

VAMPIRES, VULCANS AND VILLAINS DESCEND UPON THE GREEK THEATRE
FOR SPIKE TV’S 4TH ANNUAL “SCREAM”

Tobey Maguire Presents Tribute To Comic-Con Icon Award Recipient
And Comic Book Marvel Stan Lee

“SCREAM” Will Celebrate The Year Of The Vampire And The Phenomenal Popularity
Of The “Twilight” Saga With Cast And World Premiere Footage From
The Highly-Anticipated “New Moon”

“True Blood” Cast And Creators Alan Ball, Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgård, Sam Trammell And More Will Also Be On Hand

“Battlestar Galactica” Cast Reunites For Final Farewell And A Special Tribute To Horror Legend George Romero

Two-Hour Extravaganza Premieres Tuesday, October 27 At 10 PM, ET/PT

New York, NY, October 5, 2009 – As twilight descends upon The Greek Theatre, Spike TV presents “SCREAM 2009,” an evening where galaxies collide and genres unite for the ultimate celebration of all things sci-fi, fantasy, horror and comic book.  The 4th annual “SCREAM” is the first and only global event of its kind to honor and celebrate the hottest films, TV shows, comics, actors, creators, icons and pioneers who have influenced and shaped these genres.   “SCREAM 2009” will tape on Saturday, October 17 in Los Angeles, CA.  The two-hour extravaganza will premiere on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 27 (10:00 PM-Midnight, ET/PT).

Spike TV is proud to partner once again with Comic-Con International, the biggest comic book and pop culture convention in the world, to present real-life super hero Stan Lee with the Comic-Con Icon Award at “SCREAM 2009.” Lee is the creator of such legendary super-heroes as Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, Iron Man and The Hulk.  “Spider-Man’s” Tobey Maguire will lead the tribute to one of the most beloved and influential comic book legends of all time.

“SCREAM 2009” will also honor the godfather of the modern horror film, George Romero with this year’s Scream Mastermind Award.  This award is presented to a filmmaker whose unique vision of horror, science fiction and/or fantasy is both critically-acclaimed and culturally significant.   Romero, best known for his gruesome and satirical zombie masterpiece “Night Of The Living Dead” and its sequel “Dawn Of The Dead,” as well as the cult classic, “Creepshow,” will receive the honor previously presented to cinematic luminaries Wes Craven, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.

“SCREAM 2009” will celebrate the year of the vampire and the phenomenal popularity of the “Twilight” saga with cast and World Premiere footage from the highly-anticipated “New Moon.”  In addition, fans will be treated to appearances from the cast and creators of “True Blood” including Alan Ball, Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgård, Sam Trammell, among others. The celebration continues with a “Battlestar Galactica” cast reunion for a farewell tribute featuring Edward James Olmos, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, James Callis, Kate Vernon, Katee Sackhoff, Michael Trucco Tahmoh Penikett and executive producer David Eick.

“SCREAM 2009” will present awards in 16 different categories.  J.J. Abrams’ sci-fi action-adventure “Star Trek” tops the “SCREAM 2009” list with 17 nominations including the categories of The Ultimate Scream, Best Science Fiction Movie, Best Director, Best Ensemble, Holy Sh*t Scene-of-the-Year and a nod in the all-new Fight Scene-of-the-Year category.  Comic book-inspired blockbusters “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “Watchmen” each nabbed 13 nominations, big screen adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s best selling novel ”Twilight” received 10 nominations, while HBO’s vampire-themed television series “True Blood” garnered nine nominations.  Fans can log onto scream.spike.com until Saturday, October 17 to vote for their favorites.

The official sponsors of Spike TV’s “SCREAM 2009” are Taco Bell, Subaru, Geico and Free Credit Report.com.

Casey Patterson, Michael Levitt and Cindy Levitt serve as executive producers for “SCREAM 2009.” Greg Sills is supervising producer, Gary Tellalian and Austin Reading are producers and Hamish Hamilton will direct.

So what are you waiting for go and vote for all the True Blood cast members in their various categories!

Here is a recap of all the categories that True Blood is nominated in:

Best TV Show

• Battlestar Galactica
• Dexter
• Fringe
• Lost
• Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles
• True Blood

Best Horror Actress

• Jennifer Carpenter, Quarantine
• Jamie King, My Bloody Valentine 3D
• Lina Leandersson, Let The right One In
• Alison Lohman, Drag Me To Hell
• Anna Paquin, True Blood
• Monica Potter, The Last House On The Left

Best Horror Actor

• Bruce Campbell, My Name is Bruce
• Michael C. Hall, Dexter
• Kare Hedebrant, Let The Right One In
• Justin Long, Drag me to Hell
• Ryan Kwanten, True Blood
• Stephen Moyer, True Blood

Best Supporting Actress

• Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter
• Ashley Greene, Twilight
• Carla Gugina; Watchmen
• Evanna Lynch, Harry Potter An The Half-Blood Prince
• Shirley Manson, Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles
• Rutina Wesley, True Blood

Best Supporting Actor

• Ryan Reynolds, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• Simon Pegg, Star Trek
• Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek
• Taylor Kitsch, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• Rupert Grint, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
• Nelsan Ellis, True Blood

Breakout Performance – Male

• Sam Trammell, True Blood
• Taylor Kitsch, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• Taylor Lautner, Twilight
• Robert Pattinson, Twilight
• Chris Pine, Star Trek
• Will.I.Am, X-Men: Wolverine
• Sam Worthington, and Terminator Salvation.

Best Ensemble

• Battlestar Galactica
• Lost
• Star Trek
• True Blood
• Twilight
• The Watchmen

Scream Song Of The Year

• “War Zone” by Rob Zombie, Punisher: War Zone
• “New Divide” by Linkin Park, Transformers: Revenge Of  The Fallen
• “Other Father Song” by They Might Be Giants, Coraline
• “Desolation Row” by MY Chemical Romance, Watchmen
• “Decode” by Paramore, Twilight
• “Bad Things” by Jace Everett, True Blood

Best Villain

• Eric Bana as Nero
• Helena Bohman Carter as Bellatrix Lastrange
• Cam Gigandet as James
• Lorna Raver as Mrs. Ganush
• Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed/Sabretooth
• Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman

So go and vote now and vote everyday for True Blood in all these categories.  You have until Saturday, October 17 to vote!  Then watch Spike TV on Tuesday, October 27 for the SCREAM 2009 Awards from 10:00pm -Midnight, ET/PT.

Looking for the latest True Blood news? We’ve got you covered. True Blood wrapped up its first season in the UK on pay channel FX UK last Friday, averaging 187,000 viewers/week, a respectable number for the smaller viewer base. (source) Hot on the heels of its pay cable run, True Blood‘s first season debuts on [...]