Strangeland: Disciple


No official plot yet, but it's said that we'll see the return of "Captain Howdy" as the film descends into the "dark underground world of ritualistic body modification where victims are lured via an ever pervasive world of social media."

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CURRENT STATUS: 
Development Hell

WRITER:

 
PROJECT DETAILS:

Despite writer Dee Snider trying to keep this project alive, it appears to be in a state of development hell and has been for some time now. Recent news about Dee in pre-production on another unrelated horror project has been revealed, further adding to the fact that this project is dead. It's possible it may go into development again at some point (especially considering the project's history over the years), but as of right now it's dead. (5/16/22)

A year and a half later and it looks like there's still no movement in regards to a sequel or the reboot that was revealed in the last update. In a recent interview Dee revealed his frustration with the whole process, saying: "I’m always trying to get “Strangeland 2” going. I don’t know what the hell it is with that thing! [laughs] That whole experience could be a documentary in itself — “The Making of Strangeland 2.” [laughs] What the fuck?! That is what it would be called, “The Making of Strangeland 2: WTF!"

Adding... "It was greenlit back in 1997 before the first one came out. It was greenlit, a script was written and we were in the earliest stages of preproduction when the company got indicted by the federal government! I hang out with the best people! [laughs] At that point in time, all the properties were seized and we’re tied up in the court system for seven years. It took me seven years just to get my property back and at that point it was 2004. So, the script was there and now I’m just trying to find a production company and the financing to do it!"

He did say he'd consider crowdfunding as a source to finally get things moving, saying:  "So many people ask me about “Strangeland 2.” Someone asked me, “Well, why don’t you crowdfund it?” I’m thinking, “Good point!” if people want this movie so bad, and it seems like when I go to these horror conventions and it seems like everybody wants it, maybe that is the route to go. Maybe this coming year, heading toward the 20th anniversary, what sounds like the right amount of time between funding it, filming it and releasing it, I will see if the audience wants to put their money where their mouth is and join me in this journey!" (11/15/16)

Several years after it was reportedly "dead in the water", it appears that the film has finally found a studio to back the project. Emaji Entertainment will develop a "reboot" with Dee Snider, who will once again star. No word if Robert Englund will still return or if Dee will go behind the camera. Though Snider did have this to say about the film: "Music was intrinsic to me in the first one. We really tried to create the ultimate heavy soundtrack. Music will be important to me again for this film." (5/5/15)

The original premise: "One year after Carleton Hendricks aka Captain Howdy's (Dee Snider) sadistic rampage, much more than the physical scars the schizophrenic, sexual sadist gave his victims are left behind. Their lives, destroyed by emotional torment and the media frenzy surrounding the crimes, Detective Mike Gage, his daughter Geneveve and vigilante Jackson Roth (Robert Englund) each have their crosses to bear.

But when the badly burned and mentally broken Carlton Hendricks is taken from a state run mental hospital and off his medication by billionaire, media mogul, Morgan LaForce, leader of the body modification/fetish haven called "The Torture Garden", the door swings wide open for each of Captain Howdy's victims to find closure... and retribution."

The project was previously aimed to begin filming on May 21st 2010 in Ohio, in hopes of taking advantage of the state's tax credit, but production never occured.

At one point Dee Snider expressed interest in having actress Linda Cadellini return as "Genevieve Gage."

Dee has mentioned that the film will likely be NC-17, but may also have an R-rated versions for potential wider distribution.

Despite getting burned alive in the first film, it appears that Captain Howdy never died, according to Dee. "Trust me, I came up with a convincing way to bring Captain Howdy back that’s not a cheat. His new look—multiple burns, mismatched tattooed flesh from skin grafts—is totally horrific."

The biggest reason why the film was in limbo for so many years would be due to the federal indictment the production company "The Shooting Gallery" suffered in 1997, forcing a lengthy legal battle for Dee to win the rights back, which he eventually did in 2004.

The film once had the subtitle The Cult of Personality.

Dee Snider returns as writer/actor.

Strangeland 2 was one of the first movies to be listed on UHM when the site launched back in 1999 and remains as one of the oldest "Development Hell" projects in the database.

This project initially started out as a sequel to 1998's Strangeland, but it's now apparently being described as a "reboot."


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