LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi is extending his reach into the booming horror DVD genre.

Ghost House Pictures, a movie production company he co-founded, has joined forces with direct-to-video specialist Grindstone to form Ghost House Underground.

The venture will release 12-20 films a year, mostly through indie studio Lionsgate, which has established itself as a force in the horror field through its "Saw" franchise and "After Dark" DVD series.

The brand officially launches in October, with a focus on films by cutting-edge young talent. Among the initial slate of eight films will be "Dark Floors," from Finnish heavy metal band Lordi. Helmed by Pete Riski, the film -- about a father and daughter trapped inside a hospital and fighting evil forces from a dark world -- had its international premiere in February at the European Film Market in Berlin.

"We believe the next great horror film is going to come from fresh, bold voices working outside the system," said Rob Tapert, who runs Ghost House Pictures with Raimi and Nathan Kahane. "We aim to find these films and share them with genre fans everywhere."

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The following is from TVShowsOnDVD - Rob's old superhero show M.A.N.T.I.S. is being released on DVD:

• From the creators of The Evil Dead and Army of Darkness comes the crime-fighting saga that beats them all! Using a newly-invented metal exoskeleton which provides superhuman abilities, wheelchair-bound Dr. Miles Hawkins (Alias' Carl Lumbly) embarks on a quest to rid his city of the ever-growing plague of crime terrorizing its citizens. Also starring Bobby Hosea (Independence Day) and Gina Torres (Angel, Firefly, Serenity), this action-packed series broke new ground with television's first African-American superhero and became an instant cult favorite, now available complete for the first time on DVD! Read more

 

New Rob Interview - Tom's Games (Tom's Hardware Guide)

Rob talks with Tom's Games about making low-budget horror films, the influence of Asia cinema and the world of video game adaptations. Click here to read
News contributed by David Konow