Danny and Michael Philippou, directors of last year’s breakout horror hit “Talk to Me,” have set up their second feature film “Bring Her Back” in their Adelaide, Australia, hometown.
The film has attracted financial support from the South Australia Film Corporation and is expected to start production “in summer.” The producers are Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films and the finished film will be distributed worldwide by A24.
“We love that we get to be in Adelaide to make our next film, we feel so at home here – it’s where we feel most comfortable and inspired, and we want to be making movies here for a long time,” said the twin brothers in a prepared statement. “Talk to Me” was filmed in Adelaide with funding from both the SAFC and the Adelaide Film Festival.
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The cast, previously announced by PvNew, was confirmed as including two-time Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water”), Billy Barratt (“Responsible Child,” “Kraven the Hunter”), Jonah Wren-Phillips (“Sweet Tooth”), Sally-Anne Upton (“Wentworth”), Stephen Phillips (“The Leftovers”) and newcomer Sora Wong.
Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, and written by Danny Philippou with South Australian screenwriter Bill Hinzman, “Talk to Me” had its world premiere at the 2022 Adelaide Festival and its breakout international premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
It was picked up by A24, the New York-based entertainment company behind indie hits “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Uncut Gems,” “Midsommar,” and HBO’s “Euphoria.” It became the company’s third highest grossing film and highest-grossing horror title. It earned A$4.3 million ($2.91 million) at the Australian box office and more than $92 million worldwide. A sequel to “Talk to Me” has already been announced.
The Adelaide-born twin filmmakers began by making stunt and horror-based comedy and action shorts for their YouTube channel RackaRacka. They amassed over 1.5 billion views with more than 6.5 million subscribers across their social media channels.
“It’s fantastic to welcome Danny and Michael back to Adelaide to shoot their second film. These two are enormously talented and a credit to South Australia. ‘Talk to Me’ has been a huge success globally and I can’t wait to see Bring Her Back get underway and showcase South Australia to the world,” said South Australia’s state Minister for the Arts, Andrea Michaels.
“Bring Her Back” is produced by Causeway Films and RackaRacka, in association with Salmira Productions and SAFC.
“The SAFC is so proud to have played a supporting role in Danny and Michael Philippou’s meteoric rise to success, and we are thrilled that they have chosen to bring their next feature film back home to South Australia and Adelaide Studios,” said SAFC CEO Kate Croser.
