Welcome to the Blumhouse (film series)

Welcome to the Blumhouse is a film series[1] consisting of theme-related anthological thriller-horror stories, developed and produced by Blumhouse Productions for Prime Video as Amazon Prime Originals. Announced as an ongoing collaboration between the companies, the films include "distinctive vision[s] and unique perspective[s] on common themes". The first four centered around "family and love as redemptive or destructive forces",[2] while the next four releases will center around "institutional horrors and personal phobias."[3]

Welcome to the Blumhouse
Official film series logo
Production company	Blumhouse Productions
Distributed by	Amazon Prime Originals
Release date	2020-present
Country	United States
Language	English

The first four films in the anthology series, were advertised and streamable as double features; the first two films on October 6, followed by the next two installments on October 13, 2020. The series will continue, with four more movies scheduled to be released in 2021.[2][4][5]

Film

Film	U.S. release date	Director	Screenwriter(s)	Story by	Producer(s)	Status
The Lie	October 6, 2020	Veena Sud			Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Christopher Tricarico and Jason Blum	Released
Black Box	October 6, 2020	Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.	Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. & Stephen Herman		John H. Brister and Jason Blum
Evil Eye	October 13, 2020	Elan Dassani & Rajeev Dassani		Madhuri Shekar	Anjula Archaria, Jason Blum, Lisa Bruce, Priyanka Chopra, Jeremy Gold, Emilia Lapenta, Kate Lavin, Guy Stodel, Ian Watermeier and Marci Wiseman
Nocturne	October 13, 2020	Zu Quirke			Jason Blum, Lisa Bruce, Jeremy Gold and Marci Wiseman
The Manor	2021	Alexelle Carolyn			Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Sandy King and Richard J. Bosner	In development
Black as Night		Maritte Lee Go	Sherman Payne		Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Maggie Malina and Guy Stodel
Madres		Ryan Zaragoza	Marcella Ochoa & Mario Miscione		Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Sanjay Sharma and Matthew Myers
Bingo		Gigi Saul Guerrero	Shane McKenzie & Gigi Saul Guerrero and Perry Blackshear		Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman and Raynor Shima

The Lie (2020)

After their teenage daughter kills her best friend on impulse, two parents desperately cover up the crime. The couple navigates the deception through a complicated web of lies.[2][6]

Black Box (2020)

A single father suffers through a painful experimental treatment, after losing his wife and his memory in a horrific car accident. Memories begin to slowly resurface, causing him to question his real character.[2][7]

Evil Eye (2020)

Based on the best-selling and award-winning Audible Original by Madhuri Shekar. The plot includes:

A perceived ideal relationship turns into the events of nightmares, when a mother becomes obsessed with the belief that her daughter's new boyfriend is a man with a dark history from her own past.[2][8][9]

Nocturne (2020)

At a prestigious arts academy, a reserved and shy student of music discovers a mysterious notebook that belonged to a recently deceased classmate. Upon following its contents, she begins to outperform her talented and outgoing twin sister; though things may not be as they appear.[2][10]

Future

Four additional films are in development, and will release on undisclosed dates in 2021.[2][11]

The Manor (2021)

Written and directed by Axelle Carolyn, the plot involves: A woman named Judith Albright, who recently suffered a stroke. Following this traumatic event, she is moved into a prolific nursing home. After some time, she begins to believe that a supernatural force is preying on the establishment's residents. Judith wants to escape this threat, but in order to do so she must first convince everyone around her that she doesn't need the assisted living.[3][12]

Black as Night (2021)

Directed by Maritte Lee Go, from a script written by Sherman Payne, the plot centers around: A teenaged girl with low self-esteem who finds confidence upon hunting the vampires who prey on victims in New Orleans, with the help of few of her peers.[3][12]

Madres (2021)

Directed by Ryan Zaragoza in his directorial debut, from a script co-written by Marcella Ochoa and Mario Miscione the plot, set during the 1970s includes: A Mexican-American couple who are approaching the due date for their firstborn child. After moving to a farming community in California, the wife develops unusual symptoms with accompanying horrific visions. Together they try to determine if the combination of these strange occurrences are related to a legendary curse, or something more evil.[3][12]

Bingo (2021)

Directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero, from a script she co-wrote with Shane McKenzie and Perry Blackshear, the plot will include: A group of elderly friends in Oak Springs, who refuse to change and be modernized. Together with their leader, Lupita, the friends are as close-nit as family in their community. These senior citizens don't realize that their bingo hall, is being sold to a force more powerful than money.[3][12]

Principal cast and characters

Character	Film
	The Lie	Black Box	Evil Eye	Nocturne
Jay	Peter Sarsgaard
Rebecca	Mireille Enos
Kayla	Joey King
Nolan		Mamoudou Athie
Lillian		Phylicia Rashad
Ava		Amanda Christine
Miranda		Charmaine Bingwa
Usha			Sarita Choudhury
Pallavi			Sunita Mani
Krishnan			Bernard White
Juliet				Sydney Sweeney
Vivian				Madison Iseman
Roger				John Rothman

Additional crew & production details

Film	Crew/Detail
	Composer	Cinematographer	Editor(s)	Production companies	Distributing companies	Running time
The Lie	Tamar-kali	Peter Wunstorf	Phil Fowler	Blumhouse Productions, Mad Dog Films, Bitter Boy Productions Ltd.	Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Studios	97 minutes
Black Box	Brandon Roberts	Hilda Mercado	Glenn Garland	Amazon Studios, Blumhouse Productions, Blumhouse Television, Black Bar Mitzvah	Amazon Prime Video	100 minutes
Evil Eye	Ronit Kirchman	Yaron Levy	Kristina Hamilton-Grobler	Amazon Studios, Blumhouse Productions, Blumhouse Television		89 minutes
Nocturne	Ryan Neil	Carmen Cabana	Andrew Drazek			90 minutes

Reception

Critical and public response

Film	Rotten Tomatoes	Metacritic
The Lie	44% (73 reviews)[13]	45/100 {13 reviews)[14]
Black Box	73% (60 reviews)[15]	62/100 {11 reviews)[16]
Evil Eye	49% (49 reviews)[17]	54/100 {9 reviews)[18]
Nocturne	61% (54 reviews)[19]	58/100 {11 reviews)[20]

References

1. Wilson, Lena (October 6, 2020). "Emerging Directors, Re-emerging Horrors". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
2. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 13, 2020). "'Welcome To The Blumhouse' Launching On Amazon In October; Includes New Production 'Evil Eye' From Priyanka Chopra Jonas". Deadline. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
3. Galuppo, Mia (October 29, 2020). "Blumhouse, Amazon Announce Next Features in 'Welcome to the Blumhouse' Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
4. Ruben, Rebecca (August 13, 2020). "Eight New Blumhouse Horror Films Coming to Amazon". Variety. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
5. Galuppo, Mia (August 13, 2020). "Amazon Sets Blumhouse Film Program 'Welcome to the Blumhouse'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
6. Gleiberman, Owen (October 6, 2020). "'The Lie' Review: Peter Sarsgaard and Joey King Are a Conspiring Father and Daughter in the Rare Blumhouse Thriller That's Not a Horror Film". Variety. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
7. Rooney, David (October 5, 2020). "'Black Box': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
8. Navarro, Meagan (October 14, 2020). "[Review] Welcome to the Blumhouse's 'Evil Eye' is an Engaging Psychodrama with Minimal Thrills". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
9. Rooney, David (October 12, 2020). "'Evil Eye': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
10. Mintzer, Jordan (October 13, 2020). "'Nocturne': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
11. Lindahl, Chris (August 13, 2020). "Amazon to Release Eight New Blumhouse Films on Prime Video". Indie Wire. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
12. Ramos, Dino-Ray (October 29, 2020). "'Welcome To The Blumhouse' Sets Next Chapter Of Film Anthology With Inclusive Genre Thrillers 'The Manor', 'Black As Night', 'Madres' And 'Bingo'". Deadline. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
13. "The Lie (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
14. "The Lie". Metacritic. CBS Interactive.
15. "Black Box (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
16. "Black Box". Metacritic. CBS Interactive.
17. "Evil Eye (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
18. "Evil Eye". Metacritic. CBS Interactive.
19. "Nocturne (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
20. "Nocturne". Metacritic. CBS Interactive.