Genre: Horror, Teen
Cast: Eliza Dushku, Jeremy Sisto, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Desmond Harrington, Lindy Booth, Ted Clark, Julian Richings, Garry Robbins, Kevin Zegers
Director: Rob Schmidt
Screenwriter: Alan McElroy; rewrites by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage
Production Company: Summit Entertainment, Newmarket Capital Group, Stan Winston Productions, Constantin Films
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: September 10, 2003
Premise: A carload of four young people find themselves trapped in the woods of West Virginia, hunted down by three cannibalistic mountain men grossly disfigured through generations of in-breeding.
News: [ 11.Feb.03 ] The first test screening for 'Wrong Turn' was held on February 6, and several reviews have popped up online. From Black Bruiser at Ain't It Cool News:
I loved the scares in the movie, and the false jumps were good too. While the Carly character annoyed me, she goes from this horny nymphet to a totally stupid and hysterical mound of sobbing (which was the point, I guess, but it still bugged me), the other actors were great, especially Eliza and Jeremy Sisto, who have some really funny lines.
Another AiCN review, from The Cinephile:
The title of the film is self-reflexive in its nature. Everyone in a paying audience will believe that he or she has stepped into the wrong theater, and should've veered into an auditorium showing something that isn't a toothless bastard offspring of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Deliverance."
The third review on AiCN, from Mr. Beaks:
Ultimately, WRONG TURN most unforgivable sin is its misuse of Eliza Dushku. Truly, there can be no greater crime than a fine young thang squandered on sub-par entertainments; ergo, by besmirching the good name of our fair Eliza, I hold Rob Schmidt and Alan B. McElroy in contempt of cinema, and hereby sentence them to... well, just about what they’re doing now.
From Creature Corner:
I wanted to like it. There were a couple of cool kills, the setting was nice, and Eliza Dushku is never hard on the eyes. If only they gave me a tight, relentless pace and made some attempt to make the killers really threatening. Then, boys and girls, we might have had what they were trying to sell us with, which is, THE HILLS HAVE DELIVERANCE FROM CHAINSAWS.
And from Fangoria:
"WRONG TURN is a great throwback to the old maniac-in-the-woods movies from the ’70s,” our source says. “It’s amazing. There are great murders in it, and I can’t believe a major studio is releasing this. We\'ve seen the story before, in everything from THE HILLS HAVE EYES to MADMAN, but nothing like this has come out in 30 years. After all the crap out there so far this year, WRONG TURN stands out."
[ 15.Jan.03 ] Upcoming Movies now lists 'Wrong Turn' as having a wide release for September 10, 2003. Coming Soon! has also posted the 20th Century Fox movie preview for 2003, including info that they sent out for 'Wrong Turn' which confirms the September 10 release date.
[ 15.Nov.02 ] Fox held a preview of 'Wrong Turn' for the studio and production crew on Wednesday night, here's a brief review that popped up online:
The film was a very rough cut, with a temp score and minimal sound effects. After seeing it, I came to one solid conclusion, this film will ROCK!!This film is truly scary, not funny scary like most recent teen horror films but scary SCARY like the old classic 70's and 80's horror films. Jeepers Creepers has nothing on this movie! The acting was superb, Eliza Dushku stole the show as a strong lead character. Kevin Zeger's character is a real...well...you know. He plays the role very well, and you'll be happy to know that his character as well as the others have a lot of time before the mountain men show up. Oh, and the mountain men....you don't even wanna know, but you will in March. That's all I can say about it, but know this, be prepared to be scared!
[ 18.Oct.02 ] Confirmation from Variety that 'Wrong Turn' was picked up by Fox:
'Wrong Turn' finds way to Fox
Pic described as 'Deliverance' for teens
by Claude BrodesserTwentieth Century Fox is taking a "Wrong Turn," and yet it doesn't mind it a bit.
Inking a deal with Fox-based Regency Enterprises, the co-financiers of $ 15 million horror pic "Wrong Turn" have secured domestic distribution through Fox. A co-production of Germany's Constantin Film and foreign sales outfit Summit Entertainment, pic is helmed by Rob Schmidt, the helmer of such eclectic pics like "Saturn" and "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia." It stars thesps Eliza Dushku ("City by the Sea"), Desmond Harrington ("Ghost Ship") and Jeremy Sisto ("Six Feet Under") in a tale that is described as a "Deliverance" for teenagers.
Pic is produced by Summit production topper Erik Feig ("I Know What You Did Last Summer") as well as horror makeup maven Stan Winston, his partner Brian Gilbert, and Robert Kulzer of Constantin.
Summit topper Patrick Wachsberger and Mitch Horwits will executive produce the pic.
And from the Hollywood Reporter:
Regency steering 'Wrong Turn'
Oct. 18, 2002Regency Enterprises is near to closing a deal to pick up domestic distribution rights to the independent horror film "Wrong Turn," directed by Rob Schmidt and starring Jeremy Sisto, Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Lindy Booth and Kevin Zegers. The project, which wrapped a week ago after starting production in August, was co-financed by Constantin Film and Summit Entertainment (HR 7/29). Both companies also produced the film with Stan Winston Prods., which also created makeup and creature effects for the project. "Wrong Turn" follows a group of young people stalked by a trio of horrific mountain men after a wrong turn leaves them trapped in the West Virginia wilderness. The project was penned by Alan B. McElroy ("Spawn") and revised by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage. Stan Winston and Brian Gilbert produced with Constantin's Robert Kulzer and Summit's Erik Feig. The film is expected to roll out through Regency's exclusive distribution arrangement with 20th Century Fox. (Chris Gardner and Zorianna Kit)
[ 17.Oct.02 ] According to a Desmond Harrington interview with Fangoria, 'Wrong Turn' will be released in March 2003 through Fox.
Desmond Harrington talked briefly to Fango about his performance in the upcoming Stan Winston-produced/Rob Schmidt-directed horror movie WRONG TURN, co-starring Eliza Dushku and Jeremy Sisto."It's kind of like DELIVERANCE," says Harrington of the flick, the tale of a group of stranded motorists in the Appalachia who are pursued by three monstrous mountain men. "It's coming out in March from Fox."
As for the mutant mountain men, don't look for too many hero shots. "They're not shot very much," admits Harrington. "You get quick glances of them. They hired some really intimidating guys. They got a guy who is seven feet tall. They got a guy who is 6'10" and then a guy who is my height."
As for working with WRONG TURN producer/creature designer Stan Winston, Harrington enjoyed the experience. "It was great," Harrington enthuses. "If you do something like that where they create these mountain guys, who's going to make the guys better than him? Like with any sort of violence that took place in the movie, you feel safe because he's doing it. He's doing the effects. I don't know who else you could get to do the effects much better than him."
In addition, a 'Source' tells me that there's currently a creative dispute going on between the producers of 'Wrong Turn' and an earlier cut of the film will be the final cut. The additional footage may turn up on the DVD. (Thanks to him for the info.)
[ 30.Sep.02 ] Cool interview with Eliza on the set of 'Wrong Turn' which mentions some spoilers for the movie. And Sneak Peek lists that 'Wrong Turn' will finish filming in Toronto on October 2 (having begun on July 11.)
[ 23.Aug.02 ] Creature Corner has an old script review for 'Wrong Turn' (the Alan B. McElroy script may have since been "revised by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage".) Warning - the review contains spoilers.
[ 13.Aug.02 ] Eliza is currently filming 'Wrong Turn' in Toronto, Canada. This is another article from moviepoopshoot.com that seems to suggest that the producers are looking to turn it into a franchise (ie. sequels):
ELIZA DUSHKU TO MAKE A 'WRONG TURN'Jeremy Sisto, Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington and Emmanuelle Chriqui will take a ride on the indie horror-thriller WRONG TURN for director Rob Schmidt.
The new cast members will play a group of young people stalked by a trio of horrific mountain men after a wrong turn leaves them trapped in the middle of a West Virginia wilderness.
Makeup and creature effects for the film will be created by Stan Winston Studios, and Constantin's Robert Kulzer and Summit's Erik Feig will supervise production and executive produce.
Stan Winston and Brian Gilbert will shoulder producing duties.
The project, penned by Alan B. McElroy (SPAWN) and revised by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage, has been described as a throwback to such 1970s-style horror features as THE HILLS HAVE EYES and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.
"It was always going to be an incredibly scary movie, but I'm so glad we've attracted such strong actors with such loyal followings," Feig said. "There hasn't been a great hair-raising action movie in a long time. It's a perfect blend of genres, and it's exciting to see the birth of another franchise."
[ 28.Jul.02 ] Variety announced that Eliza has been cast in a new movie:
Actors to take "Wrong Turn"
Sun Jul 28,11:46 PM ETHOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Eliza Dushku ("Bring It On") and Emmanuelle Chriqui ("On The Line") are among the stars of "Wrong Turn," an indie horror-thriller to be produced by special effects maven Stan Winston.
Along with Desmond Harrington and Jeremy Sisto, they will portray vulnerable yet plucky young adults who fight for their lives against a trio of horrific mountain men.
Production is slated to begin Aug. 6. Four-time Oscar-winner Winston ("Aliens," "Jurassic Park") will design creature effects. Rob Schmidt ("Crime and Punishment in Suburbia") will direct.