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James Jude Courtney at the premiere for "Halloween" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in 2018.
There won’t be any movies at the Birmingham 8 theater this October, but it will be full of tales of murder and mayhem when it transforms into a haunted attraction.
The allegedly haunted theater will fully lean into its spooky reputation as it becomes “Ghosts on the Balcony,” a haunted walkthrough including areas of the historic building that have never been open to the public.
Ghosts on the Balcony chronicles the (fictional) experience of theater proprietor Mr. Baldwin, a caretaker who has worked there for 50 years and has some gruesome stories to share.
An announcement by Emagine Entertainment, which purchased the Birmingham 8 last year reads, “this is not for the faint of heart… this will scare you to death, just like what happened to Mr. Baldwin’s family, friends, and many patrons of his theatre!”
They’re laying it on a little thick but the building, constructed in 1927, is known for freaky, unexplained activity. Guests have reported encounters with apparitions, hearing disembodied voices and footsteps, seeing doors open and close by themselves, and other paranormal activity.
And who better to mark the attraction’s opening than Michael Myers himself? Well, the actor who plays him anyway — James Jude Courtney. Courtney will “slash” the ribbon at a private opening ceremony on Thursday at 6 p.m. before heading over to Emagine Palladium to host a screening and Q&A of Halloween Kills at 7 p.m.
Courtney played Michael Myers in 2018’s Halloween, 2021’s Halloween Kills, and the forthcoming finale to the cult horror franchise Halloween Ends.
Ghosts on the Balcony will be open from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31. It will be toned down to be more appropriate for children on weekends from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Other times are listed as a “bloodcurdling adult haunt.”
More information is at emagine-entertainment.com.
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