As I stated awhile back, I was waiting until Michael Dougherty officially said something about what was going on with Trick ‘R Treat rather then go off the rumours that had been swirling around. Dougherty had said there would be an announcement in June, and there was this weekend at Fangoria’s East Coast Weekend Of Horrors. Info from Fangoria is below.

From Fangoria:

Fresh from the just-finished TRICK ‘R TREAT panel at FANGORIA’s East Coast Weekend of Horrors (currently in-progress), our own Sam Zimmerman just phoned in an update on the film straight from filmmaker Michael Dougherty (X2, SUPERMAN RETURNS) and star Dylan Baker (FIDO, SPIDER-MAN 3).

First up, the long-awaited film will arrive on DVD and Blu-ray THIS OCTOBER! The exact date is still being determined, but you will finally be able to see and own the film in time for HALLOWEEN 2009!

Secondly, much like the recent REPO ROADSHOW promoting REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA, the filmmakers are taking TRICK ‘R TREAT on the road from July through October!

Early cities confirmed so far:

* FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL, Montreal, Canada July 9-27
* TORONTO AFTER DARK, Toronto, Canada August 14-21
* MORBIDO FEST, Mexico City, Mexico (MySpace)
* FANTASY FILM FESTIVAL - Berlin, Hamburg, Koln, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Stuggart, and Munich Germany - August 18-September 9, 2009
* FANTASTIC FEST, Austin Texas, September 24-October 1
* SCREAMFEST, Los Angeles, California - October 16-25
* London, UK

Third - The four-issue comic book previously announced from DC/Wildstorm will be released as a single Graphic Novel in October as well. Like the film, exact date TBA, but YOU WILL GET IT IN OCTOBER 2009!

Fourth - The TRICK ‘R TREAT soundtrack will be released in September!

Finally, new clips from the film and a brand-new trailer was screened at the panel. Right now we’re waiting for Michael and Dylan to jump on our live webcast, but we’ll be bringing you exact dates, artwork, and we should have the NEW trailer on the web next week!

Check out http://www.myspace.com/officialmikedougherty or http://twitter.com/trickrtreat for the latest updates!

From Forbes:

7. Anna Paquin
Paquin is back, playing the lead role in HBO’s True Blood, proving once again that vampires sell. The cable program’s opening broadcast totaled 2.1 million viewers in September 2008. Because of her new role, however, Paquin did not return to her role as Rogue in the cast of the X-Men franchise, which released its fourth film this spring.

Today The Hollywood Reporter posted an interview and several videos with Emmy candidates. Anna took part alongside Rose Byrne, January Jones, Regina King, Mary McDonnell and Sigourney Weaver.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Broadcast or cable, primetime or anytime (thanks to DVRs), television is now the best place for actresses. The Hollywood Reporter’s Ray Richmond and Matthew Belloni invited a diverse panel — Rose Byrne (FX’s “Damages”), January Jones (AMC’s “Mad Men”), Regina King (NBC’s “Southland”), Mary McDonnell (Sci Fi Channel’s “Battlestar Gallactica”), Anna Paquin (HBO’s “True Blood”) and Sigourney Weaver (Lifetime’s “Prayers for Bobby”) — to discuss the challenge of shooting a scene in three takes and the strangest things they’ve read about themselves in tabloids.

The Hollywood Reporter: You’ve all worked in both film and television. What’s the biggest difference?

Anna Paquin: For HBO, we shoot single camera, so it doesn’t feel any different to shooting a (movie). The place that I have experienced the difference is you’re always with new material that you haven’t had for more than a few days, and you’re right at the edge of creating the character. In that sense, it’s a different entry into the creative moment. There’s not as much prep.

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From IGN:

IGN chatted with True Blood star Anna Paquin this morning, during which time we had the chance to ask her about the possibility of returning to the X-Men franchise. The Oscar-winning actress played Rogue in the first three X-Men films.

When it was announced that Josh Schwartz was writing X-Men: First Class, Variety said that the movie would likely “enlist such characters as Iceman, Rogue, Angel, Colossus, Jubilee and Shadowcat.”

So would Paquin be up for playing Rogue again? “Absolutely. Yeah,” she told us. “I would hope I could do a little bit more action next time, though. I kind of find it ironic that I did three big action films and did, actually, no action whatsoever. I mean I got some really amazing emotional story moments, but I didn’t really get to do the physical stuff.”

She continued, “You know, as much as I loved doing those films I was kind of like, ‘OK, so when do I get to beat someone up? When do I get to steal some powers?’ You know Sookie [Paquin's True Blood character] gets to do more action than Rogue ever did. So I’m just putting that out there. More action please, for next time.”

From Los Angeles Times:

When it comes to HBO’s swampy Southern Goth horror story, “True Blood,” about a feisty, telepathic waitress who charms the fangs off a Southern gent cum vampire with excellent sideburns, Emmy voters might not want to cry “camp” too quickly.

The Charlaine Harris book series, as re-imagined by “Six Feet Under” creator Alan Ball, is a political satire, romance and murder mystery set in a world where vampires don’t need to feed on humans – but sometimes do – and where the buxom Sookie Stackhouse is the literal center of the action.

During the first season, she is pursued by a killer and courted by both a 173-year-old vampire named Bill and her tender boss, Sam (not a werewolf but a shape-shifter), all while having to deal with dead bodies piling up around her, the vile thoughts of her vampire-hating human clientele and a brother addicted to sex and vampire blood, a potent hallucinogen.

“It’s powerful and moving and scary and completely crazy,” says Anna Paquin, who says she stalked Ball for the part of Sookie. “Our show is definitely not for everyone, but all of us who work on it are obsessed.”

The mix is an acquired taste, to be sure, but ratings indicate a growing group of thrill seekers. According to HBO, the “True Blood” audience started small but grew throughout the season.

Chasing after the role has paid off for Paquin. She won a Golden Globe for lead actress in January, and, unlike other Hollywood actors who feign indifference about award season, she doesn’t quickly dismiss it.

“Obviously, I’m really grateful for (award season) as a concept. If I hadn’t won an Oscar when I was, like, 11, I’m guessing I wouldn’t have a career right now,” the actress says.

In 1993, she became the second-youngest performer to win an Oscar for her portrayal of a child translating for her mute mother in Jane Campion’s “The Piano.”

It probably will be more of an uphill battle for “True Blood” when it comes to Emmy voters, a group long spooked by genre shows, snubbing critical favorites like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” season after season.

But timing could be on its side. Season 2 premieres June 14, less than two weeks before nomination ballots are due, and the intensity hasn’t let up. Sookie and her vampire suitor are now the adoptive “parents” to Jessica, the teen Bill was forced to turn into a vampire as punishment for killing another vampire.

“Trouble, as usual,” Paquin says. “But if you already watch the show, you know that’s going to be the least of it.”

Anna attended the Hamptons Magazine Memorial Day Celebration to launch the opening of the Day & Night Club in Southampton, NY and the launch of her Hamptons issue. I’ve added 26 photos to the gallery, which you can preview below. I will add more as I find them.

A Taste Of True Blood with Alan Ball starts airing tonight on HBO, but HBO has it uploaded on its MySpace.

A Taste Of True Blood