Unable to pay for the repairs he needs, he agrees to spend the night cleaning Willy's Wonderland, an abandoned family fun center. Fists fly, kicks land, titans clash -- and only one side will make it out alive. What's going on?'". Thats why in 2009, Cage ran into problems with the IRS who said he owed $6.3 million in back taxes. From then on it was like the world had caught Cage fever. One certainly senses no great enthusiasm in his latest trudge through the sewers. Is a film in which Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage battles a series of giant animatronic creatures just the thing to raise spirits as we head into the second year of the pandemic? That was a puppet. We could at least once trust Nic to put his all into every performance. Later on, it is revealed that the Cammy Chameleon animatronic is a woman going by the last name of "Love" and has a split personality in her deranged, psychopathic, and child-like immature mind, and her normal shy persona in the same comic and is revealed to be Jed Love's sister. That's about the highest praise I can give this film. Lewis: A producer friend of mine, Jeremy Daniel Davis, brought me Willy's. Feb. 12, 2021 7:49 AM PT With the way-out horror-comedy "Willy's Wonderland," Nicolas Cage continues his recent trend of lending his name and his gonzo acting to genre filmmakers willing. But what is it? Learn more Learn more about the eBay Global Shipping Programme. The film was first announced in October 2019 by Screen Media Films after screenwriter and producer G. O. Parsons was advised to create a film to expand his career around 2015 to early 2016, but was displeased with his first attempt, a short film titled Wally's Wonderland. Liv manages to fend off Sara and encounters the Janitor, who ignores her warnings about the animatronics and refuses to leave. His unnamed character remains entirely silent throughout the picture. G.O. Nicolas Cage delivers a wordless, pinball-obsessed performance in Willy's Wonderland. I'm old school, so I'm about Siskel and Ebert. We only had one puppet and that was Ozzy Ozzy the ostrich. The move will see. [4] The film stars Nicolas Cage, who also served as producer, along with Emily Tosta, Ric Reitz, Chris Warner, Kai Kadlec, Christian Del Grosso, Caylee Cowan, Terayle Hill, Jonathan Mercedes, David Sheftell and Beth Grant. For most of the industry's history, video game protagonistshave traditionally been silent (especially role-playing games), even when encountering many speaking NPC (non-player characters). To cover the costs of a steep repair bill, he takes a job cleaning an abandoned family pizza place. As this Yahoo! A quiet loner finds himself stranded in a remote town when his car breaks down. Meanwhile, teenager Liv Hawthorne gets handcuffed by her parental guardian, Hayesville's sheriff Eloise Lund, due to her previous attempts to burn the building. We wrapped, and then I came home, and within two weeks we were in lockdown. He soon finds himself locked in an epic battle with possessed animatronic mascots that roam the halls. Actor Nicolas Cage was once a top earner in Hollywood, worth around $150 million, but he didn't hold onto the fortune for long. Willy's Wonderland grossed $418,286 in North America and grossed $38,858 in other territories for a worldwide total of $457,144, against a budget of $5 million. Can we really blame Cage for lending his efforts to the project? Corman is, alas, not involved, but, like so many of his films, Willys Wonderland involves evil hicks, disembowelled teenagers and just a bit of grunty sex. The man is doing the industry a service. He soon finds himself trapped inside Willy's and locked in an epic battle with the possessed animatronic mascots that roam the halls. Nicolas Cage went on a house-buying spree, but by house, we actually mean a castle and mansion-buying spree. I never expected it to be as positive and cultish as it was. To survive, he must fight his way through each of them. On top of the housing, his ex-financial manager, Samuel Levin, said that Cage owned 22 cars. Figures will therefore fluctuate each week, and totals for individual titles can go up or down as we update our estimates. Willy's Wonderlandis heavily inspired by theFive Nights at Freddy's franchise, which also features a silent character facing off against evil animatronics in a restaurant with a horrifying history. Privacy Policy The LaLaurie House is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America because the original owner of the home was a serial killer in the 1800s. During the party, Willy and the rest of the mascots attack and kill the attending guests and staff forcing an evacuation. The mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic a A quiet drifter is tricked into a janitorial job at the now condemned Willy's Wonderland. Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser & Nightbreed) chats weekly with special guests about Horror & Thriller topics. Permalink. Unable to pay for the repairs he needs, he agrees to spend the night cleaning Willy's Wonderland, an abandoned family fun center. I had like three cameras set. [9] Cage also agreed to produce the film along with producers Jeremy Davis from JD Entertainment and veteran actor-turned-producer Grant Cramer from Landafar Entertainment, in collaboration with Mike Nilon from Cage's Saturn Films. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, The Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of March 2023, Pokmon Detective Pikachu Sequel Finds Its Writer and Director, and More Movie News. Nobody is going to watch this thing." The silent hero archetype used for Nicolas Cage's mute character inWilly's Wonderlandis also clever subversion made better by the audacious actor in the role. NEW NICOLAS CAGE WILLY'S WONDERLAND HORROR MOVIE BLU RAY 2021 CANADIAN EDITION. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. Along with these two purchases, he bought Grey Craig, a Rhode Island Estate, in 2007. That was one of the draws for sure. it adds that extra level. We wrapped right before the pandemic hit. After the killings, the Sheriff, Deputy Lund, and a mob head to Willy's Wonderland with intent to destroy the animatronics. We have an 81 percent audience review on Rotten Tomatoes. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Willy's Wonderland (Blu-ray, 2021) at the best online prices at eBay! Parsons: The next stage was really Nicolas Cage defending the script while we took it out to try and get financing for it. It was a life-changing experience for sure. With Liv standing in awe, the Janitor decapitates Knighty and breaks Arty's jaws, killing them both. Ozzie attacks the Janitor, who beats Ozzie to death with a mop. A quiet loner finds himself stranded in a remote town when his car breaks down. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! It's the kind of film that's trying to do one thing and one thing alone; Entertain people. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. As the sun rises, the Janitor and Liv drive out of the town, running into and killing a wandering Tito along the way. Even his financial manager advised him against all of his crazy purchases, but he wouldnt listen to any advice. But it never becomes as offbeat as it needs . [8] Shortly after, Deadline Hollywood confirmed that Nicolas Cage had joined the cast after the script, which became popular on the site, caught his attention. Judging by the. If that sounds dumb and ridiculous, that's because it is, but it also works. Two weeks ago I was rushed into the ER with. Early on when Nic Cage first enters the kitchen and starts cleaning, he has a piece of tape on his cheek. Theother likely inspiration for Nic Cage's silent Janitor in Willy's Wonderlandisthe silent video game protagonist. With movies that are still popular today like Gone in 60 Seconds and National Treasure, Nicolas Cage must have amassed a fortune by now. The Janitor in Willy's Wonderlandis a mysterious character who the audience gets to know very little about. Which potatoes are the best for chips? [13] Special effects for the film were done by production designer Molly Coffee, whose expertise in design and fabrication with puppetry helped to create the visual movement and appearance for the eight animatronic characters. [14], On January 29, 2021, to promote the film, G. O. Parsons announced on his Twitter feed that original Willy's Wonderland T-shirts identical to the staff shirt Nicolas Cage wears in the film, would be available. It started out like La La Land, where you do a play and one person's in the audience, or two people and they're on their cell phone the whole time. Free delivery for many products! Cinemark Alongside the rights to use a bit of Freebird in the closing scene, his fee was, surely, the only significant expense in the budget. and on VOD. Cage's ideals are admirable. [6] Kevin Lewis was hired as director while the cast, including Emily Tosta, Beth Grant and Ric Reitz, joined in February 2020.[10]. While some games do utilize dialogue trees, and many more recent games feature recorded dialogue or cut scenes, the philosophy behind most RPGs is that the main hero doesn't speak, allowing the player to more easily project themselves into that role. Crime thriller stars Luke Hemsworth, Thomas Jane, Nick Cassavetes, Tyrese Gibson, Diego Tinoco, Hemky Madera, and Paul Johansson NEW YORK, March 02, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: CSSE), today announced the acquisition of all North . Get our L.A. Here, Variety gives you . The custom pinball machine in the film was based on the 1982 Gottlieb table Devil's Dare. Copyright Fandango. The houses and cars werent the only things Nicolas Cage bought, there was some weird stuff too. I have this great vision of a Frankenstein Willy patched together and going for revenge. When he's going to fight Willy, he says a line. Parsons told us. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, Book an appointment to watch the first clip from horror-thriller, Kevin Bacon recommends the perfect Halloween horror movie, 'Our pitch was, it's going to be scary': The making of lockdown horror movie. He purchased shrunken pigmy heads, an octopus, the Lamborghini that was owned by the late Shah of Iran, and a dinosaur skull. Even without dialogue, Cage's performance inWilly's Wonderland is a delight. If we can't get it done in that time, the movie ain't going to happen. and the Because sales figures are estimated based on sampling, they will be more accurate for higher-selling titles. theaters, 3.7 weeks average run per theater. You could do a Mad Max vibe where he's in the car driving, maybe he's got some homemade weapons. Watch the below video to find out more about Cages spending spree and some of those big-ticket purchases. Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue It was funny because I said, "I only have time to do probably two-to-three takes, Nic." Lund handcuffs the Janitor and leaves him to die as Evan takes Liv away. There's probably just going to be me doing this, so I'll keep it in one location, and then, if I'm running the camera and doing all this other stuff, I probably shouldn't give myself a lot of lines. 'Nic Cage is into reptiles': The insane, behind-the-scenes story of. If somebody is nice enough to say nice words, or talk about the movie, then I put them officially on staff, because you want to be the Janitor and you want to be part of the experience. Nicolas Cage, Duke Jackson, Jiri Stanek, Kai Kadlec, BJ Guyer, Billy Bussey, Christopher Bradley, Taylor Towery, Emily Tosta, Terayle Hill, and Caylee Cowan in Willy's Wonderland (2021) Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full . It's so so cool. First came Kevin Lewis' Willy's Wonderland, then Michael . Levin goes on to say that he would have needed to make roughly $40 million a year just to maintain his lifestyle. Why isn't he running and hiding for his life? This took away from the little tension (or lack thereof) there was. With so much money, he decided to invest in a lot of real estate. His net worth was around $150 million before he ran into financial problems. I was like, well, I don't have any money, so I'll keep it a low-budget horror movie. The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth: Season 8, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to The Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of March 2023, The story isn't great, but it's got a fun '80s slasher movie feel. Free Postage. He bought the German castle Schloss Neidstein in 2006 and Midford Castle in England in 2007. Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free newsletterto get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Lewis: Nic loved that it had no dialogue. On top of that, he was in serious debt to multiple banks for millions of dollars and they were suing him for unpaid loans. Nicolas Cage was nominated best actor in a horror movie by critics choice super awards, cage was also nominated for his performance in Pig best actor in critics choice awards. The third comic was released on March 30, 2022, showing the origins of Tito Turtle, Ozzie Ostrich and Knighty Knight. For more information, please contact us at [email protected]. Below, Lewis and Parsons talk us through the making of Willy's Wonderland and tease a possible second adventure for Cage's Janitor. The guy worked tirelessly, man. Dive in to. Liv's parents were among the victims and a guilty Lund adopted her. Whether he was throwing vampires into wood chippers or driving Ford Mustangs off cliffs, Nic was always the hardest working man in the grindhouse. It's no denying that Nicolas Cage likes to have fun with the roles he chooses. Liv: He's not trapped in there with them. Willy's Wonderland isn't quite as much fun as its premise would suggest -- but it's still got Nicolas Cage beating the hell out of bloodthirsty animatronics, which is nice. [27] Nicols Delgadillo of DiscussingFilm.net called the film "unapologetically ridiculous" and "a bizarre hidden gem thrown into Cage's already vast and eclectic body of work. Spending a night in Willy's Wonderland as his car is being fixed, this movie is strictly a film about a Janitor cleaning rooms and killing robots. In the ensuing chaos, Knighty impales Aaron with his sword, Tito and Sara devour Dan alive, and Arty mauls Kathy and Bob to death in a party room. It caught Cage's attention, who agreed to participate as both an actor and a producer. I wanted a movie where they just picked the wrong dude and he mopped the floor with them the entire time. After the animatronics kill a few of the staff, Jed confesses to Tex that the spirits of Jerry and the others are inside the animatronics, but Tex decides to keep the place open as he and Jed dispose of the bodies. The Janitor. [26] Charles Barfield of The Playlist gave a similar opinion and rated the film with a "B+". [12] The crew used a desolated bowling alley in the Sprayberry Crossing shopping center in East Cobb, Marietta for the fictional Willy's Wonderland family entertainment center, setting-up a huge basecamp with housing facilities for the crew members due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. What is the streaming release date of Willy's Wonderland (2021) in India? Unlike the classic Western figures, who ride into a town and defeat the bad guys in a dramatic, epic fashion, Nic Cage's silent character inWilly's Wonderlandisn't a typical hero he's a janitor. In Willy's Wonderland it would appear that Nicolas Cage is even more dangerous than the creatures that are stalking him, and that he might be the real concern. $13.88. It's not one of those films where you show up and it's like, "What are we feeling today guys?" In the second comic, the backstory of Gus the Gorilla is revealed. [11] Certain changes were made during production; the title was changed from Wally's Wonderland to Willy's Wonderland due to legal issues; and original animatronic characters Douglas Dog, Pauly Penguin, Beary Bear, Pirate Pete, and Regina Rabbit were replaced with Arty Alligator, Tito Turtle, Gus Gorilla, Knighty Knight, and Cammy Chameleon, respectively. With his seven cannibalistic colleagues, he often murdered unsuspecting families, but the authorities eventually discovered them. As I said, if you go into this film looking for anything else other than Nicolas Cage fighting robots, you're going to be let down. He'd beat Gus and after he beat Gus, he'd go and play pinball. Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. Directed by Kevin Lewis, from a script by G.O. PARSONS: I was writing and acting in a bunch of plays, trying to make a break for myself. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. "Willy's Wonderland" director Kevin Lewis writes about fighting for his life just weeks before the Nicolas Cage film hits VOD. The college kids are loving it. Not ratedRunning time: 1 hour, 28 minutesPlaying: Available on VOD. Last year, it was revealed that Nicholas will be playing the Tiger King himself Joe Exotic for a new docuseries based on the eccentric big cat lover who took Netflix by storm. This is why I found the choice to make his character mute to be very surprising. Cage plays a taciturn, no-named stranger, who gets stuck in a small Nevada town when the locals sneakily wreck his car. A quiet loner finds himself stranded in a remote town when his car breaks down. The town of Hayesville, Nevada is small, isolated, and run-down. As stated above, Nicolas Cage had a spending problem. But this wonderland has a dark secret that the The Janitor is about to discover. In the vents, Arty chases Liv, but she escapes into a fairy-themed room where Sara kidnaps her. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. A quiet loner (Nicolas Cage) finds himself stranded in a remote town when his car breaks down. Since 2006, Nicolas Cage has appeared in an average of four movies per year. That's how miraculously this happened. Parsons. Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory [New DVD] $14.99. 2020 Black Sands Media - All Rights Reserved. Building out the world of Willys Wonderland diffuses a lot of its originality. Like most western heroes,Nic Cage's character doesn't say much, but his actions speak loud and clear. The place is a mess and he's locked in overnight. In recent years, Cage has appeared in a lot more films due to his financial problems. While driving back, Evan is attacked and killed by a stowaway Tito while Liv escapes. Audiences speak, and they've spoken, and they dig it, and it's awesome.". Just confirm how you got your ticket. In the end, Willy's Wonderland promises Cage fighting robots and it delivers. Kevin had made some movies in the early 2000s and he just felt like he did not get a fair shake with those movies. I always picture it something like what Bruce [Campbell] says in the Evil Dead: "Groovy!" Anyway, we let the cameras roll and he did all that himself, man. Mike read it on a Friday morning, he gave it to Nick on a Friday night, I stared at this pink wall behind me for like 48 hours while Nick read the thing. Tamara Birkemoe, Nicolas Cage, Grant Cramer, Mark Damon, Jeremy Daniel Davis, . Willy's Wonderland. Cage plays a drifter who has car trouble but can't pay for the repairs so agrees to clean up an abandoned indoor children's play park. Read audience reviews. 11 of 19 found this interesting | Share this Prior to this movie, director Kevin Lewis had not directed a project since 2007. In 1995, Cage won the Academy Award for Best Actor in the film Leaving Las Vegas. The release of the film follows a traumatic period for Lewis who was recently diagnosed with COVID. The unfortunate Nic is expected to do away with the possessed creatures and render the amusement facility safe for commerce again. are available through our research services. Parsons: I had given the script to a casting director whose name was Venus Kanani. I was like, "Sounds good to me.". There are a lot of different scenarios in which a quiet loner is seen to be someone that . Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Kevin and I come from similar backgrounds where we both felt like we hadn't been given our due yet. In the restaurant, the Janitor subdues Sara, and twists Cammy's head, killing her. I did a 70-page shot list. In Willy's Wonderland, Cage plays a mysterious gentleman called The Janitor, who's forced to spend the night cleaning out the titular restaurant. Review: Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre is classic Guy Ritchie and not in a good way, Review: The teen drama Palm Trees and Power Lines tells a searing story of abuse, Review: The documentary Ithaka attempts a difficult defense of Julian Assange, Jonathan Majors dubs Michael B. Jordan Michael B. Handsome at Walk of Fame ceremony, Review: Natural beauty and a touching ecological tale center the female-forward Blueback. . Regal Tito the Turtle is an unnamed laborer who, upon being ridiculed for his love of turtles, killed every single last one of his co-workers, and was caught shortly after where he met Jerry Robert Willis and Love, joining the "Crazy 8". But this wonderland has a dark secret that this "Janitor" is about to discover. When his vehicle breaks down outside of Hayesville, Nevada, a quiet drifter is picked up by the town's mechanic Jed Love, who takes him to Willy's Wonderland, a once-successful abandoned family entertainment center. Parsons originally penned the script with no dialogue for the character as he imagined a no-budget version where he would play the role. For those looking for the splendidly crazy moments that can define Nicolas Cage performances, I think you'll be slightly disappointed. You've got to make that an iconic line if he's going to say one line in the movie. Its scenarios feel a little rote, but are enlivened by the craziness that Cage brings to everything". He did not hang out at his trailer, he hung out by the set, right by the camera, knew what we were doing, went in, and did it. However, the movie clearly appears to be out of ideas pretty early. The consumer spending estimate is based on the average sales price for the title in the retailers we survey. [7] He put the script on Blood List, seeking to have it produced as a full-length film. Well, yes, that would be great. Outside the restaurant, Liv's friends climb to the roof, which collapses, causing them to fall into the building. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. A good way to kill 90 odd minutes, I did have myself a few chuckles throughout, don't expect a plot or anything haha, just enjoy another great nic cage experience. The project was announced in October 2019, with screenwriter Parsons having conceived the idea based on his 2016 short film Wally's Wonderland, which was also the script's original name. Cage plays the Janitor, a protagonist who doesn't utter a word at all during its entire run time which is actually perfect for the slasher film. He and Willy are staring at each other, he goes, "Come at me, bro.". And it's awesome!". Coming Soon, Regal It was all hands on deck, everybody go-go-go during the holidays find the sets, find the crew, build the animatronics, storyboard the entire movie, and get everything ready to go before February 1. The movie still presents some degree of fun because that premise is enough to at least hold your attention if you're a fan of horror, Cageisms, or movie kitsch. So long as its just Cage silently clobbering mechanical humanoid bears and birds, this picture is amusingly absurd. Presented by Tea Time Productions & Chri I worked on a movie for a couple of years that looked like it was going to get green lit and then it just collapsed. If he is given a task he completes it and he's so focused on cleaning up Willy's Wonderland that even killer animatronics won't keep stop him. The idea was that him playing pinball was like leveling up in a video game. Soon after, Willis is convicted of the killings and Sara is also detained. He was only starring in about two films a year from 1996 to 2006, but almost all of those movies were smash hits at the box office. Parsons, this defiantly out-of-the-box and in some ways rather cunning grunge horror film, set from dusk till dawn inside a run-down family fun. On the way, Lund reveals to Evan that after Willy's Wonderland was shut down, the animatronics continued murdering people around Hayesville until she, Tex and Jed made a deal with them. Willy's Wonderland is an old arcade/birthday party place that has been closed down, due to the fact that the mechanical robots inside all come to life and murder people.