Michelle Trachtenberg

Black Christmas remake

Now Playing spoke to actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who stars in next week’s FINAL DESTINATION 3 and is just beginning work on another Glen Morgan/James Wong collaboration, Dimension’s remake of BLACK CHRISTMAS. The update of Bob Clark’s 1974 cult classic, in which a sorority is terrorized by sadistic phone calls by a psychopath who begins killing the girls, is lensing in Vancouver. Wong, who wrote and produced with Morgan, who’s directing, tells the site, “There’s stuff that’s much darker [particularly as it pertains] to the killer,” and Winstead elaborates:

“It’s interesting, because it’s sort of both a prequel and a sequel,” she says. “The first chunk of the film follows the childhood and backstory of Billy, who’s the crazed killer. And then it picks up with the girls in the sorority house in the present day, and Billy comes back for a visit. Then there are a lot of twists and disturbing turns, and things that you wouldn’t expect.

“I start filming on Monday,” Winstead continues. “I’ve already been up there doing rehearsals, and have gotten to know all the girls.” Her co-stars include BUFFY’s Michelle Trachtenberg, WHEN A STRANGER CALLS’ Katie Cassidy and Oliver (THE BREED) Hudson. Watch for more on CHRISTMAS, which will presumably open for the holiday season 2006, on this site soon.