After a couple of months of mystery following the unveiling of a teaser poster featuring nothing but a gruesome clown face, Rob Zombie has finally revealed what 31 is all about. His next film, contrary to previously stated intent, will be another horror movie after all: some "hardcore business for bloodthirsty gorehounds".
The one-sheet had fans speculating that the film could be anything from a return for Sid Haig's House Of 1000 Corpses / Devil's Rejects mainstay Captain Spaulding; a biopic of serial killer John Wayne Gacy; or another instalment in the Halloween franchise to which Zombie contributed the 2007 remake and its 2009 sequel. 31 is none of the above, but the latter is closest to the truth, since the number does refer to the final date on October's calendar.
Rather than involving Michael Myers, however, the standalone story stems from the rocker-turned-director's interest in the (supposed) fact that more people go missing on the spooky American trick-or-treat day than on any other day of the year. His plot revolves around five people kidnapped during the run-up to Hallowe'en, and held hostage in a facility called Murder World where they're forced to battle for their lives against a insane posse of "vile, bloodthirsty clowns called The Heads" (not to be confused with the Bristolian stoner spacerock band).
Zombie's most recent film, The Lords Of Salem, was produced under the microbudget Jason Blum model, but 31 is taking the even-more-indie crowdfunding route, on the Fanbacked platform. "It's an incredible opportunity to engage the fans," he reasons. "Any way you can bring the people that are as passionate as you are into the process is a win-win for everybody."
Among the packages on offer, $15 gets you a key ring and a bottle opener; $50 gets you a signed poster, a signed DVD or "crew" T-shirt; $5,000 gets you a role as an extra; and $10,000 gets you named on-screen as an executive producer. For $300, Zombie will follow you on Twitter.* Three hours after launch, the project already has 257 backers, more than twenty of whom have spent upwards of a grand. That would seem like a good start.
There's no longer any mention of Zombie's proposed non-horror hockey film Broad Street Bullies, but it's clearly been at least back-burnered for the time being. There's no start-date or cast for 31 as yet, but we can't imagine there won't be a role for Zombie's wife and regular muse Sheri Moon. More news as it emerges, and in the meantime, check out the concept art below.
*Empire's Chris Hewitt will follow you for a fiver and a bag of Haribo.