by In 1988, Kane Hodder donned the Jason mask for the first time (F13 VII: The New Blood). He became an icon of horror that day and has gone on to many other memorable roles (including Victor Crowley from the Hatchet series). Hold onto your seats, horror fans, because Hodder is ready to explode on screen again as Grawesome Crutal in the brutal upcoming film Muck.
We recently caught up with Hodder (as well as director Steve Wolsh and 2013 Playmate of the Year Raquel Pomplun) to get a little more information about this upcoming film…and it’s prequel that’s currently funding via Kickstarter.
SCARETISSUE: Kane, we’ve seen you annihilating campers and other hapless souls that have crossed your path now for many years. How is Grawesome Crutal different than Jason and Victor, and will he stand as yet another iconic figure in your career?
KANE HODDER: The biggest difference is that I’m not covered in a mask, so I get to show off this great mug. Plus it’s full body makeup, and the first time I’ve been shirtless for a role, so I incorporate my own real scars with some prosthetic ones to make Grawesome that much more terrifying. You look at him and think, ‘What fresh hell did this guy just crawl out of?’ As for where the role will go down, I leave that up to the fans, but Wolsh has a pretty big vision for the Muck franchise, so nothing would surprise me. That’s assuming I don’t have to crush Steve’s larynx while we’re filming the next movie. (we have a great working relationship Steve and I).
That’s right. Muck gets its theatrical release on March 13, 2015. Anchor Bay has picked up its distribution, and the premier party and a first screening will take place at none other than the Playboy Mansion (Muck also stars 2012 Playmate of the Year Jaclyn Swedberg (NSFW) who, according to Wolsh, had such a positive experience that it opened the door for Pomplun and others to come aboard. “You hear horror stories (no pun intended) about conditions on some independent film sets,” Wolsh says. “[B]ut Jaclyn Swedberg had such an overwhelmingly positive experience making MUCK that it really solidified the relationship between Playboy and WithAnO Productions. After MUCK, that door remained open, so we were able to build on that to the point where now the prequel will feature three consecutive Playboy Playmates of the Year, something that’s never been done before.”
Muck is an independent film (meaning that Wolsh had complete creative control while making it). It’s a nod to old school practical effects (i.e. no CGI) that was shot in 4K Ultra HD to look and feel like a Hollywood blockbuster. The trailer looks brutal and horror fans are bracing themselves for it.
Muck is actually the second film of a trilogy that Wolsh has envisioned. One month ago, Muck launched a kickstarter campaign for its prequel Muck: Feast of Saint Patrick. Perks include the usual social media shout-outs from Hodder, the stable of Playmates including Pomplun, Swedberg, and current Playmate of the Year Kennedy Summers. However, that’s when this campaign takes a hard turn and really rewards its contributors. Every contribution includes an email script (even $1.00). At $25, you will start receiving official merchandise from the films (sporting phrases such as “Muck Off”, “Wanna Muck?”, etc) and a digital download of the prequel. For $100, you will receive a slew of perks including a signed poster from Hodder, and for $150 he’ll sign a hockey mask for you (Not to be outdone, the ladies will be giving shirts and similar perks at these levels.). $500 gets you to the wrap parties (Boston and LA), and $600 gets you to the red carpet premier. Do you want to be one of Grutal’s victims? $10,000 gets you the bragging rights. Please check out the kickstarter, however, because there are quite a few here that I didn’t list that are just as awesome. They’ve even set up a al a cart menu where you can create your own custom package.
I guess the most important question is how exactly Wolsh convinced the beautiful ladies involved to head out into the New England swamps with him?
Raquel Pomplun: Basically he told me that Jaclyn did it and she survived, so I figure I’m at least as tough as her 😉 also he told me how that when you’re outdoors, all tensed up and cold and wet, that your body looks really tight on camera!
I can’t wait to see Muck in March, but I’m really excited to see where this franchise goes altogether. The cast and director are excited for another film, and they’ve assembled even more talent for its prequel. Horror fans, this is looking big. Be prepared. You can follow Muck on Twitter (@GetTheMuckOut), Facebook (getthemuckout), and get the latest news on its official site www.getthemuckout.com. Thank you Steve, Kane and Raquel for answering my questions about the film.
