In 2015, ‘Deathgasm’ made its way to the favourites list of many horror fans. Directed by Jason Lei Howden, this indie film followed two teenagers who experimented with dark magic, accidentally summoning a force called The Blind One. This risky effort to escape the monotony of their lives proves almost deadly when they realise that whoever they have conjured is a destructive and foul ancient entity. The film did quite well, with the intention of appealing to only a select few audiences and sits at an affirmative 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Howden had laid the groundwork for a sequel of the film titled ‘Deathgasm Part 2: Goremageddon’ and it was set to begin production this February, but now the makers have decided to no longer proceed with the film.
Why NZFC decided to discontinue the project
The first film was a horror comedy and a big success considering it was director Howden’s debut. Since the announcement of the cancellation, fans have been expressing their disappointment and Howden took to Twitter to explain why this happened. After having consulted with the New Zealand Film Commission, they got the go-ahead for the film because of its hilarious script, excellent music and a diverse showcasing of fresh talents from New Zealand. However, the NZFC later changed their mind as they believed the film was “too commercial.”
RELATED: ‘My Pet Monster’ Gets A New Figure That Is Based On Its Live-Action Appearance
Should fans still remain hopeful?
Howden seemed just as disheartened by the verdict and has even said that he is considering going ahead with the film with their limited budget anyway, but it seems like that budget will not be enough given how they lost out on a majority of their HODs. In his heartfelt message, he made it known to all those waiting for this new installment that their support and encouragement played a major role in keeping them going. ‘Deathgasm’ stars Milo Cawthorne (‘Blood Punch,’ 2013), Daniel Cresswell (‘3 Mile Limit,’ 2014), Kimberly Crossman (‘The Other Mother,’ 2017), and Sam Berkley (‘Jake,’ 2013). Howden’s inspiration for the film came from his teenage years of being a die-hard fan of heavy metal and the horror genre.