Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters

With the arrival of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters Uncut on DVD and Blu-ray (out today), ShockTillYouDrop.com is participating in a "witch hunt."  

This is a multi-site hunt and the first person to find all six witch images and uncover the complete secret URL (each image contains a piece of the URL), will win an iPad mini with digital versions of the theatrical and Unrated Cut.  Everyone else who enters, will have a chance to win a trip to the premiere of World War Z.

Look for the concept art and the hidden URL piece within it here.

Once you've collect the art/URL piece, swing on by the H&G Facebook and Twitter pages to continue the hunt...  Best of luck!

Tommy Wirkola's horror-actioner Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters will be getting the sequel treatment, says Deadline. Why? might you ask.  Because the film made a significant amount of cash at the box office.  Not only that, but it did great overseas.

The film grossed an estimated $54 million domestically, however, it raked in $151 million overseas bringing its total box office to $205 million worldwide.  The studio likes those numbers, so, a sequel is getting the green light.

Another January weekend and another horror project hitting the top of the box office.  

This weekend, it was Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Tommy Wirkola's horror-actioner starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton.

The film grossed an estimated $19 million - not quite hitting the projected numbers analysts were putting it at (on Friday, some said it would hit $25 million), still, not shabby for a film that is at 15% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Mama came in at number two with an estimated $12.8 million bringing that film's total to $48.6 million.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is a strange creature. By all rights, this movie seems like it should have gone straight-to-DVD. The title alone is enough to make you question the viability of its theatrical release and when you see that Famke Janssen (X-Men, 100 Feet) is one the stars, it only pushes that belief further in said direction. Then you see that it has bagged Jeremy Renner (The Avengers) as half of the titular duo and realize that Adam McKay and Will Ferrell are executive producers on it and that’s when you really start to question the exact position this movie is in.

Through and through, Hansel & Gretel is a mixed bag. As stated, McKay and Ferrell’s studio produced the project, as well as MTV Films, and it has an oddball cast peppered among the already strange ensemble production team. Tommy Wirkola, the director behind 2009’s surprise hit Dead Snow has penned and directed this project, his first American and “big budget” film. Renner and Gemma Arterton (The Disapperance of Alice Creed) head up the cast, with Janssen co-starring as the main antagonist, Muriel.

One friend of the horror community is gracing the big screen this Friday in Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, but you won't be seeing his face.  But then again, you rarely ever do in film as he has made a name for himself playing various creatures and on-screen villains in films like Predators and 2009's Friday the 13th remake.  Yes, we're talking about Derek Mears, the amiable, funny, rock wall of an actor (and comedian) who is getting more recognition these days for his non-"under total make-up" roles (The Aggression Scale).  

In Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, however, he plays "Edward" the troll - a role which required him to shoulder a monstrous creature suit.  That's right, no CGI here.  Edward is all practical.  And to talk about his latest turn, we recently interviewed Mears about the film and the upcoming Hatchet III.

Norwegian helmer Tommy Wirkola grabbed our attention a few years back when IFC imported his gory love letter to Sam Raimi-like carnage, Dead Snow, which concerned the rise of Nazi zombies who proceeded to tear up a group of vacationers.  

This week, he makes his U.S. debut with Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, a film that features its fare share of bloodshed and enthusiasm that is tantamount to the energy Wirkola brought to Dead Snow.

ShockTillYouDrop.com caught up to Wirkola - slightly drained from a very long flight - in Beverly Hills where he talked to us about retaining his vision for Hansel & Gretel, right down to the practical FX.  We also touched on his first Hollywood experience, how Will Ferrell's company got the project moving, the film's delay, the actress from Cold Prey who makes an appearance, Dead Snow 2 and the comedy he produced You Said What?

Want witches?  Want killin'?  Want some swearing?  Then we've got a new red band mini-trailer for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters opening this Friday, January 25th.  Of course, you know that already as we've been covering this pretty extensively (check out our chat with co-star Famke Janssen).

Directed by Dead Snow's Tommy Wirkola, the film stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the eponymous slayer of witches 15 years after the siblings' incident at the gingerbread house.

Head inside for an exclusive look at the latest preview.

When Famke Janssen slips into the hotel room of the Four Season in Beverly Hills, she doesn't look like she has aged a day since I first met her over 15 years ago at the Lord of Illusions premiere party in New York City.  

At the time, I was just some film student who had snuck into a Hollywood bash.  Janssen, on the other hand, was poised to become kind of a big deal.  Although the Clive Barker film she starred in, alongside Scott Bakula, didn't quite take off, Goldeneye - which opened a few months later in '95 - certainly did.  Now, here she is, promoting Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and she still looks incredible - one of those actresses you suspect bathes in the blood of virgins to look so damn good.

Since The Lord of Illusions, Janssen has been no stranger to genre fare having starred in Deep Rising, The Faculty, House on Haunted Hill and 100 Feet.  Then there were the X-Men films that solidified her household recognition as Jean Grey.

Paramount has released two clips from Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, opening in 2D/3D on January 25th.

The gory horror-actioner stars Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen and Derek Mears (doing the some creature work) and is directed by Tommy Wirkola, who previously helmed the Nazi zombie flick Dead Snow.  The film takes place 15 years after the eponymous siblings' incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.

The clips inside give you a lil' taste of everyone.  Head inside for the sneak peek!

Is it me or do things seem rather quiet on the Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters front?  I was questioning this last night when I spied a preview on television last night.  Perhaps the film is finally coming out of its shell.

Said TV spot hit the web and you can view it inside.

Directed by Dead Snow's Tommy Wirkola, the film stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the eponymous slayer of witches 15 years after the siblings' incident at the gingerbread house.  The film opens January 25th.

A new poster for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - this one hailing from Brazil - has hit the web, offering a welcome new look at the eponymous slayers, as played by Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton.

Head inside for a peek.  Opening January 25th, the film is directed by Dead Snow's Tommy Wirkola and takes place 15 years after Hansel and Gretel's incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.

Famke Janssen plays the big bad.

Famke Janssen is no stranger to the genre, landing on the horror map in '95 with Clive Barker's Lord of Illusions (that same year she made a splash with her turn in the James Bond film Goldeneye).  Now, many years and movies later, audiences will find her playing a big, bad witch in Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton.

The AV Club spoke to the actress about her career and got her to touch on the film which opens in theaters January 25th.  Beyond admitting she is "excited, but yet nervous to see what it’ll turn out to be," Janssen talked about the challenges of her role.

Winter officially begins December 21st and we're thrilled to see that the season is going to be jam-packed with horror releases!

What was once a dumping ground (some might argue it still is) for genre titles is now prime real estate (The Devil Inside raked in big bucks in its debut at the start of 2012).

ShockTillYouDrop.com breaks down the films you can expect to see later this month through March 19th, when winter concludes.  As usual, we weigh in with our thoughts on what is to come and provide you with links to photos and trailers (if available).

Use our comment boards below to sound off on what you are looking forward to!

A new international poster for Paramount Pictures' upcoming Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is now online, courtesy of IMP Awards.

Although the new design is very similar to the domestic one-sheet, the international variation offers an all-new background and look at Famke Janssen's character, Muriel.

Directed by Tommy Wirkola, the action thriller also stars Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Peter Stormare, Derek Mears and Thomas Mann. The film takes place 15 years after the siblings' incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters hits theaters on January 11th.

Head inside for a look at the teaser poster for Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton.  Directed by Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow), the film is set to open January 25, 2013.  The film takes place 15 years after the siblings' incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.

Just in time for Halloween, Paramount has released a red band trailer for Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, due in theaters on January 25, 2013.

Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton play the eponymous pair in a story that takes place 15 years after the siblings' incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.

Tommy Wirkola directs; this is his first U.S. film after helming the Nazi zombie flick Dead Snow.

As we promised you here, Paramount Pictures has revealed the trailer for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, hitting 3D and 2D theaters on January 11th.

Directed by Tommy Wirkola, the action thriller stars Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare, Derek Mears and Thomas Mann. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters takes place 15 years after the siblings' incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set

Wirkola previously helmed Dead Snow, the Nazi zombie horror-comedy, here, he's back on familiar turf with action, horror and humor.

No surprises here as we called this one about a month ago, Paramount has pushed Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters out of its initial March release slot.  Here's the rub: You're going to have to wait another year to see.  Click inside for the new release date and to finally learn when you'll be able to see Joseph Kahn's Detention.