Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was a hit for a number of reasons. The combo of megastar Dwayne Johnson and comedian Kevin Hart, the unexpectedly strong reviews and quality of the film, audience moviegoing habits around the holiday season- there are many factors that turned Sony's reboot into a massive global smash. But are we underselling Jack Black's presence as a factor in this equation? The comedic star, who became a household name after 2003's School of Rock, has slowly established himself as a go-to actor for old-fashioned family entertainment in recent years. In addition to his roles in animated films like the Kung Fu Panda franchise, Black turned Goosebumps (I wonder what the sequel will look like without him as the star) into a small-scale hit back in 2015, and as previously mentioned, he played a vital role in the success of Jumanji. Can he conjure that same magic with The House with a Clock in its Walls? Universal is surely hoping so- check out the first trailer below!
You probably couldn't tell from this trailer, but The House with a Clock in its Walls comes from director Eli Roth, the Inglourious Basterds star and Tarantino protege responsible for gruesome horror flicks such as The Green Inferno and the Hostel series. Why exactly is he shifting gears and doing a children's chiller? I have yet to figure that out. But for a movie that I barely knew anything about before today (I'm unfamiliar with the source material), this trailer did an excellent job of selling me on The House with a Clock in its Walls. Granted, they had me hook, line, and sinker as soon as the old-school Universal and Amblin logos popped up on the screen. But beyond that grimy little throwback detail, the whole production looks so delectably macabre and wonderfully spooky that I'm truly intrigued to see it all play out. Jack Black excels in this kind of over-the-top role, while Cate Blanchett seems to be having a ball in a decidedly less serious turn. I was shocked to discover that the young star is not, in fact, Jacob Tremblay, but he looks like a terrific lead regardless. Visually sumptuous, effectively creepy, and delightfully old-school- even if that title is a mouthful, The House with a Clock in its Walls looks like a great bit of fun. If all goes well, this could be a mid-September treat.
The House with a Clock in its Walls arrives in theaters on September 21.
Poster courtesy of Universal
You probably couldn't tell from this trailer, but The House with a Clock in its Walls comes from director Eli Roth, the Inglourious Basterds star and Tarantino protege responsible for gruesome horror flicks such as The Green Inferno and the Hostel series. Why exactly is he shifting gears and doing a children's chiller? I have yet to figure that out. But for a movie that I barely knew anything about before today (I'm unfamiliar with the source material), this trailer did an excellent job of selling me on The House with a Clock in its Walls. Granted, they had me hook, line, and sinker as soon as the old-school Universal and Amblin logos popped up on the screen. But beyond that grimy little throwback detail, the whole production looks so delectably macabre and wonderfully spooky that I'm truly intrigued to see it all play out. Jack Black excels in this kind of over-the-top role, while Cate Blanchett seems to be having a ball in a decidedly less serious turn. I was shocked to discover that the young star is not, in fact, Jacob Tremblay, but he looks like a terrific lead regardless. Visually sumptuous, effectively creepy, and delightfully old-school- even if that title is a mouthful, The House with a Clock in its Walls looks like a great bit of fun. If all goes well, this could be a mid-September treat.
The House with a Clock in its Walls arrives in theaters on September 21.
Poster courtesy of Universal
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