Hollywood Creating Exclusive Xbox Live Shows; Creators Include Saw, Friday the 13th Veterans

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Saw creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell, Dawn of the Dead remake writer Janes Gunn and Friday the 13th remake director Marcus Nispel are among the talent behind seven original Xbox Live Video Marketplace short films due out this fall.

Created exclusively for the Xbox 360's online Video Marketplace, the seven comedies will be a free download "to all members around the world," according to Microsoft. Official descriptions of the programs, as provided by Microsoft, follow:

  • "Doggie Heaven (Woof!)"
    The creative team behind the smash hit "Saw" films, James Wan ("Saw," "Death Sentence") and Leigh Whannell, tell the story of a young man who is having a dog of a day. He's just been shot dead, but his real problems are only just beginning because of a clerical error that has sent him to the wrong heaven.

  • "The Miracle of Phil"
    From director Andrew Douglas ("The Amityville Horror"), "The Miracle of Phil" shows that the best relationships are full of screaming, shouting and cursing, but when Phil gets knocked up, Chris is the one who feels screwed.

  • "Humanzee!"
    James Gunn ("Slither," "Dawn of the Dead") directs and stars in a sitcom about his human-chimp hybrid son, the Humanzee (played by Gunn's brother, Sean Gunn, from "Gilmore Girls"). It's a delightful mix of "South Park," "Wonder Showzen" and "Small Wonder."

  • "MEATDOG: What's Fer' Dinner"
    Director David Slade ("30 Days of Night," "Hard Candy") presents MEATDOG, an animated mutt made up of cold cuts. MEATDOG is pitted against a church of evil occult pigs while being pursued by a carnivorous rabbit and a slobbering hound. It's dogicide when everyone wants MEATDOG on their menu.

  • "Blue Like You"
    From director Lucky McKee ("May," "The Woods"), "Blue Like You" follows the antics of old friends Patrick and Cyndy as they get to know their mysterious and extraordinary new friend Blue, a beautiful young woman who doesn't seem to understand how the simplest of things work.

  • "Adrenaline Slam"
    Director Marcus Nispel ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Friday the 13th") brings "ADRENALINE SLAM," a high-octane hybrid of hidden camera reality and Hollywood fantasy that exposes ordinary people to extraordinary events.

  • "Assorted Nightmares: The Janitor"
    From online director John Clisham and starring Jenna Dewan ("Step Up"), somewhere in the darkness just beyond "Tales From the Crypt" and a little south of "The Twilight Zone," is "Assorted Nightmares," a modern-day horror anthology show. The first episode pays homage to the 1980s horror-slasher genre, as things at school for Jennifer don't turn out as expected.

"We're excited to launch the Xbox original content with these world-class directors, who are all tremendously talented and at the cutting edge of their craft," said producer Peter Safran, who Microsoft tapped for the initiative earlier this year.

"Their youthful and innovative approach is the perfect combination for this unique digital venture with Xbox 360, and we expect to see some very creative, horrifying and hilarious shorts as these masters of horror present their comedic vision."

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    July 23, 2008 9:19 AM

    I hate how gimped the Canadian video marketplace is. No TV Shows, movie trailers, extra content etc. Only crappy movies, with some good ones. Microsoft get your shit in gear for places outside the USA please, thanks.

    • reply
      July 23, 2008 9:19 AM

      Oh, and fix your prices as well, $8 to rent an HD movie that isn't recent is a joke.

    • reply
      July 23, 2008 9:28 AM

      God hates canadians and so does microsoft

    • reply
      July 23, 2008 9:53 AM

      I've been complaining about the same things since they started. Rental prices are insane.. I'll stick to Shaw video on demand.

      • reply
        July 23, 2008 11:36 AM

        Well, lets see how their deal with netflix works out....

    • reply
      July 23, 2008 12:39 PM

      You should see how it is over here. All we get is game trailers.

      No video on iTunes either, its such bullshit.

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