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In 2015, Netflix released the indie horror film Circle on its platform, and it instantly became the talk of the town due to its intriguing premise. It centers around a group of 50 strangers who awaken in a dark room to find out that they're being held captive and forced to participate in a deadly game. Faced with their imminent executions, they must choose one person among them to live.

It was written and directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione and was inspired by the 1957 legal drama film 12 Angry Men. Michael Nardelli, Carter Jenkins, Lawrence Kao, Allegra Masters, Julie Benz, and many others starred in the movie.

Now, almost 10 years after its release, the horror flick has been announced to be getting a sequel. It's titled Circles, and two producers from the original film are back to make it. Those two producers are Nardelli, who also starred in Circle as sole survivor Eric,...

A decade ago, the writing and directing duo of Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione drew inspiration from the classic 1957 drama 12 Angry Men while making the sci-fi psychological thriller Circle, which ended up gathering a cult following after it was released through the Netflix streaming service. Now Variety has broken the news that Circle is getting a sequel called Circles, with the first film’s star Michael Nardelli (The Collection) coming back to produce the follow-up with Brent Stiefel.

If you need a refresher, Circle had the following synopsis: In a massive, mysterious chamber, fifty strangers awaken to find themselves trapped with no memory of how they got there. Organized in an inward-facing circle and unable to move, they quickly learn that every two minutes one of them must die… executed by a strange device in the center of the room. At first the attacks seem random, but soon the strangers realize that they,...

“It’s us… we’re choosing who dies.” That’s the horrifying realization at the center of Circle, a psychological horror movie from 2015 that is now getting a sequel almost 10 years later.

Variety reports that the upcoming sequel to Circle will be titled Circles.

According to the outlet, the sequel is “financed and entering production later this year.”

In the 2015 movie from writers/directors Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione, “Held captive and faced with their imminent executions, fifty strangers are forced to choose the one person among them who deserves to live.” Here’s the synopsis for the upcoming sequel:

“17 years after being pawns in a cruel game of psychological warfare, the survivors of an invasion face a new threat.”

Devon Graye is writing Circles, with original star Michael Nardelli producing.

You can stream Circle on Netflix now. Watch the original trailer below.

Chris Vander Kaay wrote here on Bloody...

*full disclosure: this critic has worked on some publicity for Circle, earlier in 2015. **there are some spoilers here. Directors/writers: Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione. Cast: Julie Benz, Mercy Malick, Carter Jenkins and Autumn Federici. Circle is a psychological horror feature. From Taggart Productions and Votiv Films, the film stars Julie Benz (Saw V), Mercy Malick, Autumn Federici and Michael Nardelli. Circle had its World Premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival, in May of 2015. And, Circle is a compelling feature that looks at people's inherent biases, in a psychological fashion. The characters are diverse, but most of their motivations are unified by their will to survive. Though, some find their own demise a little quicker than others. Overall, the film is an entertaining feature. But, the social message is a little disconcerting; dishonesty has its rewards. The film begins in a large black room. A machine lies in the center,...

Circle, the indie sci-fi thriller co-written and directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione that premiered at the Seattle Film Festival in May, has landed a deal at FilmBuff and will hit VOD beginning October 16. The pic follows 50 strangers brought together who are forced to choose the one person among them who deserves to live, pitting a group of economically, generationally, socially and religiously diverse people as they come to grips with the shared responsibility of…...

Circle

Written & Directed by Aaron Hann & Mario Miscione

USA, 2015

Society loves a good label. After all, labels allow us to judge people without the hassle of actually talking to them. But what if these superficial judgements were a matter of life and death? That’s the question posed by the fascinating new psychological thriller, Circle. Writer-directors Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione mix satire, horror, and science fiction into an irresistible social experiment that puts all of us under the microscope. Relentless and gripping, Circle is a battle royal for “civilized” society.

Fifty strangers awaken to find themselves standing inside a circle.

They cannot move.

They cannot touch each other.

And every two minutes, one of them will die.

These are the rules established by the fiendishly clever Circle. What is administering the seemingly random death beam from the center of the circle is not important. All that matters is that...

When it comes to international film festivals, there are sprinters and there are distance runners. Spanning 25 days across May and June, Seattle International Film Festival is the Pheidippides of American fests. Unlike its splashier cousins, Sundance and SXSW, Siff doesn’t pander to big movie stars or flashy hipsters. Staying true to its Northwest sensibilities, Siff quietly grinds out one terrific program after another. The 41st edition boasts a whopping 193 feature films, 164 short films, and 70 documentaries, many of which are either World or North American premieres. It’s enough to make even the most ambitious cinephile curl up in a corner with his festival guide and cry. Here, then, is a brief preview of some hotly anticipated films, as well as some obscure titles that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Familiar Faces

Strategically positioned in the middle of the calendar year, Siff has the advantage of playing favorites. More specifically, they...

Organisers at the Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) announced the complete line-up of 450 films from 92 countries on Wednesday. The festival runs from May 14-June 7.

The Overnight starring Jason Schwartzman will close the event and as previously announced Spy (pictured) with Melissa McCartney will kick off proceedings. Kevin Bacon will receive career achievement in acting award.

“This year’s festival is bigger and more international than ever, with a record 92 countries represented,” said Siff artistic director Carl Spence. “Adding to our diverse international line-up is our new programme, Culinary Cinema, which features 11 fantastic new films.

“And I’m particularly excited to welcome Kevin Bacon as this year’s Tribute Guest – Siff will now be only one-degree of separation away!”

Galas and premieres include Max Landis’ directorial debut Me Him Her, Chris Evans in Before We Go, Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segal in the Centerpiece Gala End Of The Tour . Inside Out, Mr. Holmes and [link...

Votiv Films and Taggart Productions have released the first trailer for the psychological thriller, Circle. Last week we brought you the first stills from the claustrophobic thriller reminiscent of Stuart Hazeldine’s Exam (2009) and or Jonathan Liebesman's The Killing Room.

The story, written and directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione, features 50 strangers held captive in a deadly, mysterious chamber, forced to choose the one person among them that deserves to escape with their life.

Circle is being describes as a genre-bending, real-time examination of the many ways in which we see one another and the lengths we will go to in order [Continued ...]...

Votiv Films and Taggart Productions have released the first teaser trailer for Circle. This psychological horror feature involves a mysterious killing machine and several strangers. They are trapped and a person is murdered every two minutes, for no apparent reason. From directors Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione, this film stars Carter Jenkins, Mercy Malick, Cesar Garcia, Allegra Masters, Michael Nardelli, Autumn Federici and Julie Benz. The film's first trailer shows one character awaking and in peril. Circle is also a mystery. The fifty strangers have know idea why they have been chosen to experience such a dire experience. In the trailer, a young woman awakens in a dark room, surrounded by unconscious people. The red orbed killing-machine is also shown, along with some of the film's settings. Only a few story details are being revealed to date. Fans of horror can preview the clip below. Moody and tense, Circle promises...

Votiv Films and Taggart Productions have released the first trailer for their upcoming psychological thriller Circle. The film – written and directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione – is an intense real-time thriller, which uniquely examines humanity under the worst possible circumstances that stars Carter Jenkins, Julie Benz, Mercy Malick, Allegra Masters, Michael Nardelli, Autumn Federici, Lawrence Kao, Kevin Sheridan and Cesar Garcia.

In a massive, mysterious chamber, fifty strangers awaken to find themselves trapped with no memory of how they got there. Organized in an inward-facing circle and unable to move, they quickly learn that every two minutes one of them must die… executed by a strange device in the center of the room. At first the attacks seem random, but soon the strangers realize that they, as a group, have the power to decide who will be the next to be killed. A vote. A chance to control the machine.

Well, well, what have we here. A new horror title has emerged that we didn't know about and it looks intriguing. The film, simply titled Circle, is from Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione who drew inspiration for the film from equal parts 12 Angry Men and The Twilight Zone.

Circle, which is now completed, stars Julie Benz (Saw V), Michael Nardelli (The Collection) and Autumn Federici in a story with a mysterious killing machine and a room full of strangers.

Synopsis:

In a massive, mysterious chamber, fifty strangers awaken to find themselves trapped with no memory of how they got there. Organized in an inward-facing circle and unable to move, they quickly learn that every two minutes one of them must die... executed by a strange device in t [Continued ...]...

Votiv Films and Taggart Productions have released the first official images from their upcoming psychological thriller Circle. The film – written and directed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione – is an intense real-time thriller, which uniquely examines humanity under the worst possible circumstances that stars Carter Jenkins, Julie Benz, Mercy Malick, Allegra Masters, Michael Nardelli, Autumn Federici, Lawrence Kao, Kevin Sheridan and Cesar Garcia.

In a massive, mysterious chamber, fifty strangers awaken to find themselves trapped with no memory of how they got there. Organized in an inward-facing circle and unable to move, they quickly learn that every two minutes one of them must die… executed by a strange device in the center of the room. At first the attacks seem random, but soon the strangers realize that they, as a group, have the power to decide who will be the next to be killed. A vote. A chance to control the machine.

Votiv Films and Taggart Productions have unveiled several stills, for their feature Circle. Circle is a psychological horror feature, which focuses on a mysterious killing machine and several strangers. Starring Julie Benz (Saw V), Michael Nardelli (The Collection) and Autumn Federici (Haunting of the Innocent), this title was developed by Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione. As well, the early stills show many of the cast and characters, including: Coley Speaks, David Saucedo, Jamie Lee Redmond and Lawrence Kao. Each character is in peril, in this one-of-a-kind thriller. From the synopsis, several strangers, from different walks of life, find themselves in an austere room. They are trapped. Now, every two minutes, one of the strangers is executed for an unknown reason. The survivors can influence the executions. But, no one knows if any can survive this ordeal. Part mystery and part horror, Circle is now completed. This film will host a trailer soon.

Taggart Productions and Votiv Films have commenced principal photography on the genre-bending sci-fi, psychological – thriller Circle, it was announced jointly by Taggart President and CEO Michael Nardelli and Votiv founder and CEO Brent Stiefel.

Circle is the feature film debut from the writer – director team of Mario Miscione and Aaron Hann.

The story concerns fifty strangers who awake imprisoned together within a mysterious chamber. In real time, they must identify their captors and decide who amongst them deserves to survive. Issues of race, gender and politics play out against the terror.

The ensemble cast includes Carter Jenkins (The Following), Julie Benz (Dexter), Allegra Masters (Vine Social Media Star), Daniel Yelsky (Another Happy Day), David Saucedo (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones), Gloria Sandoval (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones) and Lawrence Kao (The Walking Dead).

Miscione and Hann are the creators of the popular web series The Vault, which has garnered both...

Taggart Productions and Votiv Films have begun principal photography on the sci-fi psychological thriller.

The story from debut feature writer-director team Mario Miscione and Aaron Hann centres on 50 strangers who awaken inside a mysterious chamber.

The real-time story plays out as the captives race to uncover why they are incarcerated and decide among themselves who deserves to survive. Miscione and Hann created web series The Vault.

Taggart president and CEO Michael Nardelli and Votiv founder and CEO Brent Stiefel made the announcement (27). Nardelli, Stiefel and Scott Einbinder are producing.

The ensemble cast includes Carter Jenkins Julie Benz, Allegra Masters, Daniel Yelsky, David Saucedo, Gloria Sandoval and Lawrence Kao.

“Circle is one of the most unique screenplays we’ve read in the last few years,” said Einbinder. “It examines the human condition in a way we’ve never seen before. It’s essentially 12 Angry Men with the mystery and mythology of some of thegreater episodes of The Twilight...