Killer puppet poses on set of Puppet Master spin-off Blade: The Iron Cross

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Back when the PUPPET MASTER franchise began, Full Moon was able to put more of the budget toward the puppetry sequences, allowing for some moments of incredible stop-motion animation from Oscar nominee David Allen. As time went on, budgets got lower, and one of the sequels even relied primarily on stock footage to get the puppets moving. When Full Moon made 2017's PUPPET MASTER: AXIS TERMINATION they ran a crowdfunding campaign to improve the puppetry for that one… and in that movie they also debuted a new method of bringing the franchise's puppets to life.

AXIS TERMINATION put people in costumes in front of a green screen, then dropped them into the shots so they looked like little puppets running around. And it appears that they're using that trick again for the upcoming spin-off BLADE: THE IRON CROSS. 

Directed by John Lechago from a screenplay by Roger Barron, BLADE: THE IRON CROSS has the following synopsis: 

For decades the fans have been clamoring for it, and now Full Moon delivers with the first standalone feature debut of one of its most beloved (and most frightful) characters; the hook-handed maniac puppet, BLADE! Charles Band’s PUPPET MASTER series continues as an unspeakable evil from Blade’s past emerges in the form of a murderous Nazi scientist named Dr. Hauser. As Hauser’s heinous crimes are discovered, the psychic war journalist, Elisa Ivanov, awakens Blade, and together the bloody journey of revenge begins. It’s Herr Hauser’s reanimated undead army versus a possessed doll and a beautiful vengeance-seeking clairvoyant! Who will win, and how will it affect the Full Moon Universe? Find out in BLADE: THE IRON CROSS.

Tania Fox reprises her AXIS TERMINATION role of Elisa Ivanov and is joined in the cast by Roy Abramsohn, Griffin Blazi, Jarrell Hall, and Bobby Ree… with Alan Maxson as the title character, fan favorite puppet Blade.

Maxson and special effects artist Tom Devlin shared pictures they took together in front of a green screen, Maxson wearing a Blade costume so he can play the puppet for certain shots. There will still be traditional puppetry in BLADE: THE IRON CROSS, Devlin is even holding a Blade puppet in one of the pictures, but some moments will apparently involve this man-in-suit movie magic.

BLADE: THE IRON CROSS is coming to the Full Moon Features streaming service and Full Moon's Amazon channel in March.

This film is not connected to the recently released PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH. That was a Fangoria production. Fangoria and Full Moon have a deal where Full Moon can continue the original PUPPET MASTER franchise while Fangoria builds their own series on the foundation of THE LITTLEST REICH.
 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can now say that I’ve played one of the biggest monsters in cinema (????????????) and one of the smallest…Blade! Puppet Master was one of my earliest memories as a kid. We used to watch them on TV (maybe Sci-fi Channel?) and I even had a couple action figures. Last weekend I got to be the suit performer for Blade in the 13th installment of the franchise! Big shout out to my homies @chrisdondo @walid_atshe @bloodmetalmua @tom_devlins_1313fx @zatoichix1 and @johnlechago. Love you guys, we have way too much fun on set! ???????????? . . . #puppetmaster #blade #bladetheironcross #fullmoon #fullmoomfeatures #charlesband #deadlyten #thedeadlyten #johnlechago #1313fx #alanmaxson #suitperformer

A post shared by Alan Maxson (@monster_maxson) on Jan 21, 2020 at 5:17pm PST